NESP Mooring Facilities near Lock & Dam 7

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers St. Paul District issued Solicitation W912ES25BA009 for the construction of mooring facilities near Lock & Dam 7 in La Crescent, Minnesota, specifically a mooring cell and mooring dolphin to improve navigation efficiency on the Mississippi River. The project involves comprehensive construction work including concrete placement, dredging, sheet piles, steel piles, structural metal fabrications, and riprap installation across 11 contract line items. Key contract requirements include compliance with prevailing wage determinations from both Minnesota (MN20250236) and Illinois (IL20250019), adherence to Davis-Bacon wage standards, employment verification, veteran employment emphasis, federal environmental protection regulations, and geospatial surveying to Federal Geographic Data Committee standards using licensed surveyors. The solicitation utilized a firm fixed-price evaluation method with multiple amendments addressing specification clarifications, wage rate updates, and software requirements. The original bid due date was September 30, 2025, which was subsequently extended through multiple amendments to October 21, 2025, at 2:00 PM, before the solicitation was ultimately canceled on November 5, 2025.

This procurement was designated as a 100% small business set-aside under NAICS code 237990 (Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction) with a small business size standard of $45 million. The government estimate for the total project value was $7,258,586.80, representing a contract range between $5-10 million. The performance period was 353 calendar days with a targeted completion date of November 12, 2026, and notice to proceed was expected within 10 calendar days of award. One bidder, Dubuque Barge and Fleeting Service (dba Newt Marine Service), submitted a bid on October 21, 2025, significantly exceeding the government estimate at $20,605,000.00. All work was to be performed in La Crescent, Minnesota, between La Crescent and Dresbach along the Mississippi River, with dredged materials to be placed at the Dakota Island site or disposed of off-site as specified in the contract specifications.