Deadlines Soon: A/E camera and steam loop design at VA Marion campus, plus DOE land-use AI/energy RFP and late-January defense/NIST actions

Executive takeaway

This batch mixes (1) two actionable, SDVOSB set-aside VA Architect/Engineer 100% design requirements in Marion, Indiana, (2) a high-impact DOE land-lease RFP for AI data center and/or energy generation infrastructure that is explicitly temporarily paused, and (3) several near-term RFQ/industry-day style actions where the real requirements live in the attachments or event materials. If you’re an SDVOSB A/E with proven VA campus design chops, the two Marion projects are the cleanest “bid now” candidates in this set.

What the buyer is trying to do

VA: modernize campus physical infrastructure through design packages

The VA Northern Indiana Health Care System, Marion Campus is seeking A/E firms to deliver 100% designs and supporting deliverables for two distinct efforts:

• Replace existing security cameras and add additional cameras, ensuring compatibility with the current Electronic Security System and accounting for power/network constraints.
• Upgrade the steam distribution loop (including condensate return), with a phasing approach that maintains proper temperatures in affected buildings and includes industrial hygiene support during abatement-related work.

DOE Oak Ridge: solicit long-term lease proposals for AI and/or energy infrastructure (paused)

DOE’s Oak Ridge organizations issued an RFP seeking proposals for long-term lease agreement(s) for real property to support end-to-end development and lifecycle responsibilities for AI data center and/or energy generation infrastructure. The notice states DOE has temporarily paused all current AI and Energy land use solicitations pending a department review—so this is a “positioning and diligence” effort until the pause is lifted.

Other actions: attachment-driven buying and market research

• NIST is seeking a laser-powered electric field probe via an RFQ that directs vendors to the attachments for instructions, evaluation criteria, and specifications.
• DARPA is hosting a GUARDIAN Proposer’s Day tied to a planned Program Solicitation, with a draft PS posted.
• Navy issued a “NextGen Submarine Rescue Reverse Industry Day” update (details not provided in the snippet).
• Navy sources sought for a Protestant Director of Religious Education in support of Naval Base Guam Chapel—explicitly not a solicitation, but a market research step that may shape a future set-aside decision.

What work is implied (bullets)

VA A/E: Replace security cameras (Marion Campus)

• Provide professional A/E services for 100% design including schematic design, design development, and construction/bid documents per the A/E Design Submission Instructions.
• Include construction administration services, technical specifications, and cost estimates.
• Design to replace all existing security cameras and add additional cameras throughout the campus.
• Ensure camera design aligns with current Electronic Security System compatibility (e.g., IP addressable, AC powered, extreme temperature capability).
• Identify IT/electrical closet locations supporting the security network and plan access to camera locations.
• Provide details for each camera location.
• Perform study/inspection/reporting of existing conditions (HVAC, electrical, architectural, plumbing, site locations, etc.).
• Design required power and network connection upgrades.
• Develop a preliminary construction duration for planning and ensure it is communicated in bid documents for contractor review/feedback.

VA A/E: Upgrade steam distribution loop (Marion Campus)

• Provide professional A/E services for 100% design including schematic design, design development, construction/bid documents, construction administration, technical specifications, and cost estimates.
• Design upgrades for steam distribution loop including condensate return (abatement/demolition and installation of new piping, manholes, expansion loops, valves, insulation, stanchions, hangers, traps, and associated components).
• Develop a phasing plan that maintains proper temperature in affected buildings during construction.
• Replace distribution lines from building 76 boiler headers to the first accessible valve inside each affected building.
• Include building 174 work to replace the steam tree.
• Provide Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) services, including background sampling, continuous air monitoring outside regulated areas during abatement, unannounced compliance spot checks, and related support tasks described in the notice.

DOE Oak Ridge lease RFP (paused)

• Propose to design, finance, permit, develop, construct, install, own, maintain, operate, and decommission AI data center and/or energy generation infrastructure on DOE land under a long-term lease agreement.
• Follow the attached RFP and supplemental documents for full requirements and submission instructions.
• Submit questions by the RFP’s stated question deadline (verify the exact process in attachments/notice).

NIST RFQ: Laser-powered electric field probe

• Prepare a quote response aligned to the RFQ instructions and evaluation criteria (in attachments).
• Demonstrate compliance with requirements/specifications (in attachments).

Who should bid / who should pass (bullets)

Strong bid candidates

• SDVOSB A/E firms (or SDVOSB primes) with demonstrated healthcare campus design experience for physical security systems (IP camera networks, power/network design constraints) for the VA security camera design requirement.
• SDVOSB A/E firms with central plant/utility distribution design capability (steam/condensate systems) and the ability to integrate CIH services for the steam distribution loop upgrade design requirement.
• Vendors with metrology/test equipment specialization for NIST’s laser-powered electric field probe, especially those comfortable responding strictly from attachment-based specs.

Likely pass / be cautious

• Any A/E team without capacity to deliver 100% design packages plus construction administration and cost estimating (these are core deliverables in both VA actions).
• Steam distribution designers who cannot cover (in-house or via sub) the Certified Industrial Hygienist scope described.
• Firms pursuing DOE’s AI/energy land-use RFP without appetite for full lifecycle obligations (finance, permit, own, operate, decommission) or without bandwidth to monitor a paused procurement.

Response package checklist (bullets; if unknown say “verify in attachments”)

VA A/E (both Marion Campus efforts)

• Technical approach covering schematic design, design development, and construction/bid documents per the A/E Design Submission Instructions (verify in attachments).
• Construction administration approach.
• Cost estimating approach and deliverable samples (verify format in attachments).
• Schedule including milestones and the required preliminary construction duration communication approach (camera project).
• For steam loop: CIH plan addressing sampling, monitoring, and inspection tasks stated in the notice.
• Compliance narrative showing how you will handle phasing/temperature continuity during construction (steam loop).
• Any forms, representations, or submission instructions (verify in attachments and solicitation).

DOE Oak Ridge lease RFP

• Complete proposal per the attached RFP and supplement documents (verify in attachments).
• Plan addressing design/finance/permit/develop/construct/install/own/maintain/operate/decommission responsibilities (verify required structure in attachments).
• Questions submitted by the stated deadline and method (verify in attachments/notice).

NIST RFQ

• Completed RFQ response following Attachment 1 instructions and evaluation criteria (verify in attachments).
• Technical compliance with Attachment 2 requirements/specifications (verify in attachments).

Pricing & strategy notes (how to research pricing; do not invent pricing numbers)

For the VA A/E designs

• Benchmark comparable A/E design efforts (security system design and utility distribution design) by reviewing prior VA design solicitations and awards, focusing on deliverable intensity: 100% design, specs, cost estimates, and construction administration.
• Build your estimate around discipline-loaded hours: electrical/low-voltage/security, mechanical (steam/condensate), civil/site, commissioning/field investigation time, and CA hours. Then align level-of-effort to the required site condition study and detailed location documentation.
• For the steam loop, explicitly cost the CIH tasks described (background sampling, continuous monitoring outside regulated areas, unannounced visits, and support). Treat this as a real workload, not a token line item.
• If the solicitation provides an A/E Design Submission Instructions document, use it as a pricing driver: every required submission package increases labor and QA/QC time (verify in attachments).

For DOE’s lease RFP

• This is not a typical services bid—treat it as project finance + real estate + infrastructure. Research comparable federal land-lease infrastructure deals and model lifecycle obligations (own/operate/decommission) accordingly.
• Because the notice states DOE has temporarily paused these solicitations, prioritize option value: prepare a compliant draft package and partner stack, but avoid burning heavy proposal dollars until DOE signals the pause is lifted.

For NIST’s probe RFQ

• Let the attachments drive pricing structure: price to the exact spec and acceptance requirements in the Requirements/Specifications document (verify in attachments).
• If the RFQ includes evaluation criteria, align pricing with what is evaluated (e.g., technical compliance vs. delivery vs. warranty—verify in attachments).

Subcontracting / teaming ideas (bullets)

• For the VA camera design: team A/E prime with a specialized electronic security systems designer who understands IP camera systems and integration constraints with existing electronic security systems.
• For the VA steam loop design: pair the A/E prime with a Certified Industrial Hygienist provider experienced in abatement monitoring and compliance spot checks as described in the notice.
• For DOE lease proposals: consider partnerships that cover permitting, energy generation development, and data center infrastructure operations (align partner roles to the design/finance/operate/decommission lifecycle in the RFP attachments).

Risks & watch-outs (bullets)

• Attachment dependency: several notices explicitly rely on attachments for requirements, instructions, and evaluation (NIST; DOE; likely VA). Treat “verify in attachments” items as mandatory before committing bid resources.
• DOE pause: the DOE AI and Energy land-use RFP states DOE has temporarily paused all current solicitations of this type pending review—monitor for reactivation and avoid schedule assumptions.
• VA campus constraints: the camera design calls out identifying IT/electrical closet locations and access methods to camera locations—expect field investigation and coordination complexity.
• Steam loop phasing risk: the phasing plan must maintain proper temperatures in affected buildings; this is often where designs get challenged during review if not detailed.
• CIH scope is explicit: the steam loop notice includes multiple CIH tasks; missing or under-scoping this can create technical non-compliance risk.

Related opportunities

• C1DA--AE Replace Security Cameras 610-25-213 (VA)
• C1DA--AE Upgrade Steam Distribution Loop 610-25-101 (VA)
• AI Infrastructure and Energy Generation on DOE Land at Oak Ridge Reservation (DOE)
• Laser-Powered Electric Field Probe (NIST)
• GUARDIAN Industry Day (DARPA)
• Steel Plates and Beams (USACE ERDC)
• NextGen Submarine Rescue Reverse Industry Day (Navy)
• Sources Sought: Protestant Director of Religious Education Services (Navy)

How to act on this

1. For the two VA SDVOSB A/E actions: open the full notice and download all attachments, especially the A/E Design Submission Instructions, then confirm submission requirements and evaluation details.
2. Decide fast whether you can cover (a) electronic security system design integration (camera project) and (b) CIH services and phasing (steam loop). Line up subs if needed.
3. For DOE Oak Ridge: track the procurement status given the stated temporary pause, and build a partner map aligned to the full lifecycle scope in the RFP attachments.
4. For NIST: quote strictly to Attachment 1/2 requirements and ensure your compliance matrix matches the specification language (verify in attachments).

If you want a go/no-go recommendation tailored to your certifications and past performance fit, Federal Bid Partners LLC can help you triage the attachments, map compliance risks, and shape a bid plan without wasting proposal dollars.