South Atlantic Regional Harbor Dredging

This is a project labor agreement survey only. This is not a request for proposal, request for quote, or invitation for bid. There will not be a solicitation, specifications, or drawings available at this time.

This is a SPECIAL NOTICE. No proposals are being requested or accepted with this notice. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wilmington District is soliciting comments from the construction community addressing the potential use of Project Labor Agreements (PLA) for large scale construction projects (exceeding $25 million) within the Wilmington District and surrounding areas. This market survey is being posted for the South Atlantic Division Regional Harbor Dredging.  Description of Work: 

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wilmington District requires a contract to provide maintenance dredging for (5) dredging projects.  The areas of consideration for these dredging services are:  Brunswick Harbor, Georgia; Savannah Harbor, Georgia; Wilmington Harbor, North Carolina; Morehead City Harbor, North Carolina, and Charleston Harbor, South Carolina.

Brunswick Harbor, Georgia

Estimated Quantity:  1,500,000 CY

Environmental Window:  Year-round Dredging

The work for Brunswick Harbor for maintenance dredging will require a hopper dredge(s).  The dredge(s) must have the capability to dredge fine sands and silts to a depth of -40 MLLW and to transport the dredged sediment up to 15 miles to the dump location.  Dredged material shall be placed in the Brunswick Ocean Dredged Material Disposal Site (ODMDS).  Disposal shall be within a specific area within the Brunswick ODMDS identified by USACE in conjunction with EPA, Region 4 in order for disposal monitoring to be effective.  The bin restrictions for the Brunswick ODMDS are as follows:

Reach                                                    Bin Restriction

-19+000 to -23+000                            11,500 CY

-23+000 to -28+000                            8,860 CY

-28+000 to -33+500                            9,300 CY

-33+500 to -56+500                            7,000 CY

Savannah Harbor, Georgia

Estimated Quantity: 600,000 CY

Environmental Window:  Year-round Dredging

The work for Savannah Harbor for maintenance dredging will require a Hopper dredge(s). The dredge(s) must have the capability to dredge fine sands and silts to a depth of -51 MLLW and to transport the dredged sediment up to 15 miles to the dump location.  Dredged material shall be placed in the offshore disposal areas. Disposal shall be within a specific area within the Ocean Dredged Material Disposal Site (ODMDS) identified by USACE in conjunction with EPA, Region 4 in order for disposal monitoring to be effective.  The bin restriction for the Savannah ODMDS is 12,500 cubic yards.

Wilmington Harbor, North Carolina

Estimated Quantity: 900,000 CY

Environmental Window:  Year-round Dredging

The work for Wilmington Harbor Outer Ocean Bar shall consist of maintenance dredging of Wilmington Harbor Baldhead Shoal Channel Reach 3, Southport Channel and Battery Island Channel.  The maintenance dredging will require removal and disposal of shoaled material that has accumulated in the channels since they were last dredged.  The dredging shall be performed by hopper dredge.  Dredging depth is 44’ plus 2’ of allowable over depth.  The Government furnished disposal area is the Wilmington Harbor Ocean Dredged Material Disposal Site.

Morehead City Harbor, North Carolina

Estimated Quantity: 800,000 CY

Environmental Window:  Year-round Dredging

The work for Morehead City Harbor shall consist of maintenance dredging of the Morehead City Harbor Cutoff and Range A. The maintenance dredging will require removal and disposal of shoaled material that has accumulated in the channels since they were last dredged. The dredging shall be performed by hopper dredge.  Dredging depth is 45 feet plus 2 feet of allowable overdepth. Disposal of dredged material will be in the Nearshore Placement Areas and/or the Morehead City Ocean Dredged Material Disposal Site.

Charleston Harbor, South Carolina

Estimated Quantity: 1,200,000 CY

Environmental Window:  Year-round Dredging

The work for Charleston Harbor for maintenance dredging will require a Hopper dredge(s). The dredge(s) must have the capability to dredge fine sands and silts to a depth of -58 MLLW and to transport the dredged sediment up to 10 miles to the dump location.  Dredged material shall be placed in the offshore disposal areas. Disposal shall be within a specific area within the Ocean Dredged Material Disposal Site (ODMDS) identified by USACE in conjunction with EPA, Region 4 in order for disposal monitoring to be effective.

A PLA is defined as a pre-hire collective bargaining agreement with one or more labor organizations that establishes the terms and conditions of employment for a specific construction project and is an agreement described in 29 U.S.C. 158(f).

Accordingly, Offerors are requested to respond to this Special Notice regarding PLA with the following information.

(1) Do you have knowledge that a PLA has been used in the Wilmington District and surrounding areas, on projects of this kind? If so, please provide supporting documentation.

(2) Are you aware of skilled labor shortages in the area for those crafts that will be needed to complete the referenced project? If so, please elaborate and provide supporting documentation where possible.
(3) Are you aware of time sensitive issues/scheduling requirements that would impact the rate at which the referenced project should be completed? If so, please elaborate and provide supporting documentation where possible.
(4) Identify specific reasons why or how you believe a PLA would advance the Federal Governments interest in achieving economy and efficiency in federal procurement.
(5) Identify specific reasons why you do not believe a PLA would advance the Federal Governments interest in achieving economy and efficiency in federal procurement.
(6) Please identify any additional information you believe should be considered on the use of a PLA on the referenced project.

(7) Please identify any additional information you believe should be considered on the non-use of a PLA on the referenced project.

(8) Please provide a list of recent (2-5 years) construction projects in the local labor market of the project under consideration. Include the following items:

Project Name/Location

Project Description

Initial Cost Est/Actual Final Cost

Was the project completed on time

Number of craft trades present on the project

PLA (Y/N)

Were there any challenges experienced during the project (delays, investigations, health and safety issues, labor shortages, management/ organizational issues, etc)?

1.

2.

3.

(9) Which trades are expected to be employed on this project? Are you likely to need some union skilled trades for at least part of this project?

(10) What market share does union labor have in the geographic area for this project or type of construction?

(11) Does the local market contain the sufficient number of available skilled workers for this project? Are there other projects in the vicinity going to limit the pool of skill labor available for your project?

(12) Has a project like this been done before in the local market?

(13) What investments have been made to support registered apprenticeship programs?

(14) Have PLAs been used on comparable projects undertaken by the public sector in this geographic region? Have PLAs been used on this type of project in other regions?

(15) Which CBAs are likely to expire during the course of the project under consideration that might cause delays?

(16) How do open shop and union wage rates influence prevailing wage rates in the local market and compare to Davis Bacon rates? What impact does unionization in the local market have on wages?

(17) Could a PLA contribute to cost savings in any of the following ways?

                -Harmonization of shifts and holidays between the trades to cut labor costs?

                -Minimization disruptions that may arise due to expiration of CBA?

                -Availability of trained, registered apprentices, efficient for highly skilled workforce?

                -Allowing for changes in apprentice to journeyman ration.

-Serving as management tool that ensure highly skilled workers from multiple trades are coordinated in the most efficient way.

-Others?

(18) Could a PLA minimize risk and contribute to greater efficiency in any of the following ways?

                -Mechanisms to avoid delays

-Complying with Davis Bacon and other labor standards, safety rules and EEO and OFCP laws.

-Ensuring a steady supply of skilled labor in markets with low supply or high competition for workers.

(19) Are there ways in which a PLA might increase costs on this particular project?

(20) What is the cost impact to the bid due to a PLA?

Interested Offerors shall respond to this Special Notice no later than 23 March 2021.  Mail, or E-mail your response to U.S. Army Engineer District Wilmington, Attn: CESAW-CT/Ms. Karri Mares and Ms. Rosalind M. Shoemaker, 69 Darlington Ave, Wilmington, NC, 28403; E-mail – karri.l.mares@usace.army.mil and rosalind.m.shoemaker@usace.army.mil. This Special Notice is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government, nor will the Government pay for the information solicited.