SOURCES SOUGHT Bayport Ship Channel Maintenance Dredging

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston District, is issuing a sources-sought announcement for maintenance dredging of the Bayport Ship Channel in Harris County, Texas, with responses due July 28, 2026. This is a small-business set-aside under NAICS Code 237990 (size standard $37 million) targeting Small Business, 8(a) Small Business Development Program, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, HUBZone, and Woman-Owned Small Business firms.

The scope encompasses removal and transport of accumulated shoaled material from the Bayport Flare, Bayport Ship Channel main channel, Bayport Turning Basin, and the adjacent Houston Ship Channel segment to designated placement areas, with an optional bid item for one additional re-dredging event of the Bayport Flare to address high-frequency shoaling. Prospective contractors must demonstrate proven experience performing dredging as prime contractors on deep-draft navigation channels, familiarity with Houston Ship Channel operations amid heavy commercial vessel traffic, production rate data from similar projects, and effective management of soft dredged material disposal.

The order of magnitude is estimated between $25 million and $100 million. The anticipated solicitation issuance date is February 2027, with an estimated bid due date of March 2027 and estimated award date of April 2027. The contractor must begin work within ten calendar days after acknowledgement of the Notice to Proceed and must provide Performance and Payment Bonds within five calendar days after award.

Respondents must submit their Unique Entity Identifier, CAGE code, small-business certification status, bonding capability, past-performance documentation for up to five projects, present commitments and completion dates, dredge specifications, average production rates, and proposed personnel and subcontractors. Subcontracting limitations apply under FAR 52.219-14, restricting payments to non-similarly situated subcontractors to no more than 85% of the government contract amount, excluding material costs. This is a non-binding sources-sought announcement with no procurement commitment; no contract will be awarded from this announcement.