Freeport Harbor, Texas, Channel Improvement Project, Reach 3 Lower Stauffer Channel in Brazoria County, Texas, Pipeline Dredging.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston District Office requires a contract for  Freeport Harbor, Texas, Channel Improvement Project, Reach 3 Lower Stauffer Channel in Brazoria County, Texas, Pipeline Dredging.

Project Information: Pipeline dredging, Freeport Harbor Lower Stauffer Channel Reach.  The Freeport Harbor vicinity is located on the mid- to upper Texas coast in Brazoria County and encompasses the communities of Surfside, Quintana Oyster Creek City, and the City of Freeport. The existing Freeport channel system begins approximately 4.9 miles seaward of the coastal jetty tips at the 47-foot contour in the Gulf, continuing upstream through the Freeport Harbor Entrance Channel, and winding westward. The existing Freeport Harbor waterway has an overall length of about 7.6 miles from deep water in the Gulf of Mexico to the Brazos Harbor Turning Basin. The Freeport Ship Channel is a deep-draft navigation channel that connects industrial facilities in Freeport, Texas with the Gulf of Mexico. The main channel consists of multiple segments, with reduced channel widths and depths as the channel approaches the 180 degree turn around the Dow complex. The channel also provides barge access through multiple adjacent waterways.

The original project for Federal improvement at Freeport was authorized by the Rivers and Harbors Act of June 14, 1880.  This constituted the initial authorization for the existing Freeport Channel system. The Federal project known as Freeport Harbor, Texas, is an improvement of the original mouth of the Brazos River that provides for a deep-draft waterway from the Gulf of Mexico to the city of Freeport.

The Stauffer Channel segment or reach of the system was dredged originally by local interests to a depth of 25 feet over a bottom width of 300 feet, with a 500-foot square basin area. The Rivers and Harbors Act of 1935 incorporated the Stauffer channel into the Federal project. The Stauffer Channel was de-authorization in 1974 and was not federally dredged since.  This current dredge construction project of Freeport Harbor “Lower Stauffer Channel Reach” encompass the deepening and widening to new project re-authorized channel dimensions (-51 MLLW by 300 ft) and the upland dredged material disposal to adjacent Placement Area No. 1 to meet Port navigation needs.   

This contract involves the complete clean out of the material (~1.4MCY) from the existing previously de-authorized approximately 3,700-LF channel template.  There are no options in this Bid Schedule of proposed work.  Estimated duration for Schedule 1 is approximately 180-200 calendar days with an assumed production rate of approx. 10,000 to 12,000 CY per day.  The Estimated Total Quantity to be dredged will be provided in the formal construction contract solicitation documents.

If the contractor fails to complete the work within the time specified, the contractor shall pay liquidated damages to the Government in the amount of $3,257.00 for each calendar day of delay until the work is completed or accepted.

The contractor will be required to provide Performance and Payment Bonds within (3) calendar days after award.  The contractor shall begin work within (10) calendar days after receipt of the notice to Proceed. 

The Solicitation issued will be Firm Fixed Price.  The magnitude of this project is between $10,000,000.00 and $25,000,000.00.

The solicitation is advertised as “UNRESTRICTED” full & open competition to both large and small businesses. The North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) Code applicable to this project is 237990.  The Small Business Size Standard is $30 Million (Dredging).

The solicitation will be issued on or about 2 July 2020.  Response date will be

5 August 2020.   (All bids must be submitted electronically per Section 00 21 00 of the solicitation).  The estimated award date for this project is on or about September 2020.

ATTENTION TO OFFEROR(s)/CONTRACTOR(s): EFFECTIVE MARCH 22, 2018, YOU MUST SUBMIT A NOTARIZED LETTER APPOINTING THE AUTHORIZED ENTITY ADMINISTRATOR BEFORE YOUR REGISTRATION WILL BE ACTIVATED.  THIS REQUIREMENT NOW APPLIES TO BOTH NEW AND EXISTING ENTITIES.  MAKE SURE YOUR SAM PROFILE INCLUDES “ALL AWARDS” AND NOT JUST “FEDERAL ASSISTANCE AWARDS” AS THIS OPTION IS ONLY FOR GRANTS AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.   PLEASE VISIT https://www.sam.gov/SAM/ FOR MORE INFORMATION.

All offerors are encouraged to visit Beta Sam Gov website at https://beta.sam.gov/ to view and download the plans, specification and or any amendments for this procurement.  Plans and specifications will not be available in paper format or on compact disc. To register as an “Interested Vendor”, visit https://beta.sam.gov/ .  Offerors must be registered with the Systems for Award Management (SAM), in order to receive a Government contract award.  To register, the SAM Internet address is: https://www.sam.gov/SAM/  . 

The Contract Specialist for this solicitation will be Ms. Lucille Smith, (409) 766-3845; E-mail:   Lucille.r.smith@usace.army.mil .  For technical information about this solicitation, please contact Mr. Carlos Tate at (409) 766-3819 or Mr. Cesar Ramos at (409) 766-3058 between the hours of 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday, excluding Federal Holidays.

Subcontracting goals for the Galveston District are:  45.0% - Small Business; 17.0% - Small Disadvantaged Business; 10.5% - Woman-Owned Small Business; 15.0% - HubZone Small Business; 6.5% - Veteran-Owned Small Business and 5.0% - Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business.