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REPLACE GENERATOR ENGINE NO. 5 & 6 (PHASE 3), NORTH POWER PLANT FAC. 730 – DIEGO GARCIA, BRITISH INDIAN OCEAN TERRITORY (B.I.O.T.)

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

The U.S. Navy Support Facility (NSF) Diego Garcia is located in the Indian Ocean within the British Indian Ocean Territory (B.I.O.T.). NSF Diego Garcia is located south of equator approximately 2900 kilometers southwest of Bombay, India and approximately 2400 kilometers northeast of Mauritius, 4,723 km west-northwest of the west coast of Australia, and approximately 8,906 kilometers southwest of Guam.

Contracted Scope of Work: The project called for the complete replacement of NSF Diego Garcia’s Facility 730 NPP Generator Building in order to provide upgraded engines with additional power supply to the island’s vital in effectively carrying out Diego Garcia’s mission of providing continuous, effective and efficient communication operations in the whole island. The project entailed the selected structural demolition work and existing equipment foundation removal, expansion of the existing engine and exhaust stack foundation, installation of a new 4.4 mW capacity generator, exhaust stack diesel tank, and new piping system for mechanical and electrical including switch gear modification.

Several notable features of work included:

  • Almost half of the old portion of the existing structural support was demolished in preparation for the installation of the new engine #5. This had to be done while some of the facility’s existing gensets had to remain on line and supplying power throughout the island. Ample protection was provided to all existing genset, its auxiliary equipment, and other operational equipment during the course of construction, BCC’s dust control and weather protection plans were very effective and successfully implemented during demolition and construction.
  • Successful synchronization of the 4.4MW CAT engine during all required testing including the isochronous load sharing during on-line of existing CAT engines 7 & 8.
  • The project required close coordination of generator testing and power transfers with the Government since this generator facility supports the critical mission of the NSF Communication Center Building which must operate 24 hours/ 7 days a week continuously without interruption.
  • Building energy efficiency was greatly improved and maintenance costs reduced through the upgrade of its outdated major mechanical and electrical systems. 
  • Procurement and logistics are very challenging for all of our work in Diego Garcia, as BCC’s IDIQ task orders with the Navy are subject to the Buy American Act. All shipments in and out of Diego Garcia must either be via Military Sealift Command vessel or Air Mobility Command aircraft, unless by special and extremely expensive U.S. flagged tug and barge charter approved in advance by the Navy. There are no commercial ocean vessels or aircraft serving Diego Garcia. Consequently, we have to source all of our materials and equipment in the U.S. or from an approved trading nation under the Buy American Act and all of which must be first shipped to Singapore on a U.S. flagged vessel due to the Transportation by Sea Act.

Ocean and air freight costs to Diego Garcia is also a major concern as shipping costs for a 40 ft. container between the US and Diego Garcia is $40,000 each and air freight is over $10.00 per pound. Releasing a partial filled container for shipment in order to meet project schedule automatically places a shipping cost premium to a project’s overall cost.

Owner: U.S. Department of the Navy  
Contract No.: N62742-14-D-1303 Task Order 0019  
Original Contract Amount: $10,788,720.12  
Final Contract Amount: $10,618,401.01  
Original Contract Completion Date: November 15, 2017  
Final Contract Completion Date: April 06, 2018  
Start Date: January 16, 2016  
Contact Name: Cecille C. Penaflorida – PMEB Director 315.370.3560  
Was Offeror Prime Contractor or Subcontractor: Prime
Percentage of Work Performed: 100%  
Liquidated Damages Assessed: None  
Project Manager: Adolfo Nierva (Guam) Mario Agsoy (Diego Garcia)
Job-Site Superintendent: Robert Redolozo  
Customer Evaluation: Final – Satisfactory