New Bedford Hurricane Barrier, Sector Gate Painting, New Bedford/Fairhaven, MA

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District is issuing this Sources Sought Announcement for Construction Services for the New Bedford Hurricane Barrier, Sector Gate Painting.  This announcement is to determine interest, availability and capability of 8(a), HUBZone, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned, Women-Owned and Small Business concerns for this project.  The NAICS code for this procurement is 238320 with a size standard of $19M.  The project is planned to be issued in the summer of 2025 with construction to take place in the Fall of 2025 or Spring of 2026.  The estimated construction cost is between $1,000,000 - $5,000,000).

The New Bedford - Fairhaven Hurricane Barrier was originally constructed between 1962 and 1966.  It consists of three components:  a barrier extending across New Bedford and Fairhaven Harbor with an extension dike on the mainland, Clark's Cove Dike in New Bedford, and Fairhaven Dike.  There is an opening through the harbor dike that allows boat traffic to traverse through the dike out to the open ocean.  During times of storm surge, this opening can be shut with two sector gates, one on either side of the boat channel.  The sector gates pivot horizontally together so that they are touching each other in the center of the channel.  The gates are approximately 56 feet tall and 90 feet across at their widest point and generally two thirds of the gates are continuously under water.  

This project shall include painting above the water line for the east and west sector gates, the gate drive rack, and the stop gate guide beams (7 total). 

The preparation methods will likely include a solvent clean and use dry abrasive blasting techniques to fully remove all dirt, grease, existing coatings and corrosion from existing steel surfaces to the white metal grade (SSPC SP 5/NACE No. 1).  Water blasting techniques will not be permitted.  Following the steel preparation, the Contractor shall apply an epoxy zinc-rich primer and coal tar epoxy coating system.  The preparation and painting work shall be performed within a Class 2a temporary containment structure. 

Workers and the environment may be exposed to lead and cadmium containing materials from the existing paint system to be removed.

This work shall be completed with the gate in the open position and impacts to navigation traffic shall be minimal.

Interested firms should submit a capabilities package to include the following:  business classification (i.e. HUBZone, small business, etc.), as well as qualifications and experience in performing the work components stated above.  Please include at least two specific examples of the firm’s experience performing the work requirements stated above.  The projects must have been performed within the last seven years.  Please indicate the team subcontractor(s) (if any), including their prior experience and qualifications, which will be used to support the offeror’s effort and their experience must also have been performed within the last seven years.  Proof of bonding capability is required.   Responses are limited to twenty pages.  Responses are due by March 10, 2025.  Responses should be emailed to:

Kyle Hall @ kyle.k.hall@usace.army.mil

Phone Contact: (978) 318-8479

Interested firms shall provide the above documentation in one original form and one copy.  The Government will not pay for any material provided in response to this market survey nor return the data provided.  This notice is for information purposes only and is not a request to be placed on a solicitation mailing list nor is it a Request for Proposal (RFP) or an announcement of a solicitation.  The results of this survey will be considered to be in effect for a period of one year from the date of this notice.