International Boundary and Water Commission U.S.-Mexico

The International Boundary and Water Commission, U.S.-Mexico, a civilian independent agency that operates and maintains international boundary infrastructure and water-conveyance systems serving the U.S.-Mexico border region, has closed 4,251 federal contract awards since 2006 totaling $2.07 billion in combined potential value, with $1.91 billion obligated. The Commission awarded 127 contracts in 2022, 119 in 2023, 117 in 2024, 137 in 2025, and 76 year-to-date in 2026, averaging steady procurement volume across operations and maintenance, construction, and specialized wastewater-treatment services at facilities spanning Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas.

The competitive landscape is highly fragmented. By award count over the last five years, American Material Handling Inc. leads with 37 awards ($11.1 million combined potential value), followed by Caterpillar Inc. with 17 awards ($8.6 million), and GSA Financial and Payroll Service with 14 awards ($3.5 million); these top three cover only 16 percent of recent awards. By potential value, concentration shifts: Arcadis U.S., Inc. leads at $67.6 million across 6 awards, Veolia Water West Operating Services Inc. at $64.3 million across 10 awards, and American Material Handling at $11.1 million; the top five by value represent only 8 percent of combined potential value. Across the portfolio, 1,130 distinct prime contractors have been awarded since 2006, indicating a structurally dispersed vendor base. Set-aside distribution shows 3,342 awards (79%) received no set-aside designation, 823 awards (19%) were small-business set-asides, and 67 awards (2%) were 8(a) sole-source awards, with minimal activity under competitive 8(a), HUBZone, or woman-owned designations.

Representative recent contract opportunities span operations, maintenance, construction, and equipment procurement. A pre-solicitation notice posted August 26 for Operations and Maintenance Services for the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant in San Diego County anticipated RFP release on or about September 18, 2026, with a firm-fixed-price, performance-based contract structure and a 60-day minimum response window. Solicitation 191BWC26R0006 for Retamal Dam Buoy System Design-Build (due September 22, 2026, extended from prior dates) targets construction of waterway barriers and warning systems; this is unrestricted as to business size. Solicitation 191BWC26R0011 for sediment disposal in the Rio Grande Canalization Project (due September 14, 2026) is a 100 percent small-business set-aside requiring at least 51 percent of volume removal by equipment owned by the bidder or another small dredging concern. Multiple small-business-set-aside RFQs issued in mid-September target routine services including janitorial services at Anzulduas Dam (due September 22), pest-control services (due September 22), flexible-base material procurement at two locations (both due September 29 and September 30), and fire-protection maintenance at Nogales Field Office (due September 3). One solicitation resulted in no award: Solicitation 191BWC26R0016 for clarifier equipment repair and refurbishment services was cancelled September 30, 2026.