Mississippi River, New Orleans Harbor and Various Bar Channels Cutterhead, No. 6-2025

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District is soliciting sealed bids for the procurement and operation of one fully crewed and equipped hydraulic pipeline cutterhead dredge to perform maintenance dredging operations in the Mississippi River, New Orleans Harbor, and various bar channels throughout Louisiana. Bidders must select one of three equipment lots based on dredge discharge pump specifications: Lot One (27-inch inside diameter without submerged pump), Lot Two (30-inch or greater without submerged pump), or Lot Three (30-inch or greater with submerged pump). Key contract requirements include the dredge being available to commence work within 120 hours of Notice to Proceed, compliance with EM 385-1-1 safety requirements, performance and payment bonds, and participation in the National Dredging Quality Management Program with real-time monitoring capabilities. Award will be made to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder within 60 calendar days of bid opening, with the bid opening currently scheduled for May 31, 2027 at 10:30 AM Central Daylight Time. Bids must remain valid for 60 days following bid opening, and the contractor must complete all dredging work within 100 calendar days of receiving notice to proceed.

This is an unrestricted solicitation with no set-aside designations, and no incumbent contractor information is provided in the solicitation materials. The estimated contract magnitude ranges between $10,000,000 and $25,000,000, contingent upon availability of federal funds. The dredging services will be performed across six primary regions: New Orleans Harbor, Algiers/IHNC/Harvey Lock Forebays, Houma Navigation Canal, Bayou Lafourche, Barataria Bay Waterway Bar Channel, and Baptiste Collette Bar Channel throughout Louisiana. The base contract includes mobilization and demobilization, dredging operations with hours ranging from 126 to 717 hours depending on region and equipment lot, dredge towing services (30 miles), preparatory work for each region, and optional bird nesting prevention measures. Payment will be made hourly for dredging services based on actual production rates with performance adjustments, subject to minimum production rate requirements ranging from 600 to 4,100 cubic yards per hour depending on location and equipment specifications.