Inglett & Stubbs International finds significant deficiencies left by previous O&M contractor at BAF.

ISI was awarded the Power Plant and Power Utility Grid O&M contract at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan.  This plant and the majority of the utility grid infrastructure was constructed by ISI over a series of projects and task orders beginning in 2004.  In addition, ISI held the O&M contracts for this work through 2014.  In 2014 ISI was underbid in a recompete for the O&M contract and we turned over the plant in above-average working condition with all systems functioning in manufacturer recommended tolerances.  Four years later we were successful at regaining the O&M contract, when we mobilized our team of 19 people, we were shocked to find the conditions of the equipment and infrastructure.

As is customary in these types of transitions the Government’s representative participates in a handover process that includes inspections of equipment and documentation of any deficiencies found.  As part of this process ISI performed a complete assessment of the Turbine generator, reciprocating generators and the balance of plant for the power generation systems.  Additionally, we evaluated the 13.8kV distribution grid, perimeter security lighting, area and street lighting, and other associated systems.  During this initial inspection and assessment, ISI flagged 126 significant deficientness with the five gas turbines alone.  The ten 2MW diesel generators had 73 deficiencies, and we found 8 automatic transfer switches on highly critical facilities that were inoperable and needed to be replaced or required major repairs to make operational.  The overall power plant and power grid were suffering from a lack of maintenance and a bandaging of critical systems in an effort that appeared to spend as minimal amounts of money by the contractor to meet a minimum performance standard.  Overall, the Power Generation Plant was on the verge of a catastrophic failure when we arrived.  The power grid was in better condition, but still required multiple repairs to restore full functionality.

We worked with the Government and were able to get the funding and implement the changes to our contract to make the critical repairs and bring the plant back to satisfactory operational conditions.  This allows ISI to maintain a 99.99% uptime of the plant and associated grid, providing the soldiers and intelligence community with reliable power to conduct their missions.  In the end the implementation of lowest cost selection of vendors in 2014 ended up costing the Government about 25% more than the savings they realized in the short term.  If ISI had not been successful in 2018, the plant would have suffered catastrophic failure due to the failures of the previous contractor.  That would have cost the Government Millions of additional dollars and crippled the power infrastructure of the base for weeks or longer until emergency provisions could have been made.