Mississippi River, Baton Rouge to Gulf, Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Contract No. 1-2026 (OM26001)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, is soliciting bids for a firm fixed price contract to secure the hire and operation of one fully crewed and equipped self-propelled trailing suction hopper dredge for maintenance dredging activities along the Mississippi River from Baton Rouge to the Gulf of Mexico via Southwest Pass, with potential operations in other areas within and outside the New Orleans District. The contract, identified by solicitation number W912P826BA044 and project number OM26001, has a period of performance from May 1, 2026, to April 30, 2028, with two optional 30-day extensions and an additional option for mobilization and demobilization of sea turtle and sturgeon trawling equipment. Bidders must submit sealed proposals by June 9, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. local time, accompanied by a bid guarantee of 20% of the bid price or $3,000,000, whichever is less. All bids must include pricing for all items, including options, and must be based on a comprehensive cost structure covering labor, fuel, equipment, crew, safety systems, communication, positioning, dredged material disposal, and protected species compliance. The contract requires adherence to the National Dredging Quality Management Program, continuous real-time data reporting including vessel position, hopper volume, slurry density, and pump RPM, and submission of detailed as-built drawings with verified utility locations and dredging metrics. Successful bidders must meet stringent responsibility criteria, including demonstration of equipment availability and conformance to minimum technical specifications, and must pass a pre-award inspection of the dredge and associated plant, with deficiencies corrected at least two calendar days before award. Final approval is contingent on the installation of continuous high-speed internet service for data transmission. Compliance with environmental regulations is mandatory, requiring the use of federally approved protected species observers and completion of multiple standardized reporting forms for sea turtles, sturgeon, and marine mammals, along with adherence to turtle trawl net specifications. All personnel must comply with force protection and health protection conditions, complete Department of Defense security training within 30 days of award, and submit documentation to the Government representative. The contract mandates electronic payment submissions via WAWF, inclusion of complete invoice elements including EFT and TIN information, and adherence to specific safety standards including ground fault circuit interrupters and site safety officer requirements