Bid guide
How to bid on Atchafalaya River Bay, Bar, and Crewboat Cut Cutterhead Dredge NOS. 1-2026, OM26059 for the Dept of the Army
What the Army is buying and why it matters
The Department of the Army needs a company to provide a fully crewed and equipped hydraulic pipeline cutterhead dredge. This dredge will be used to remove shoal material from the Atchafalaya River Bay, Bar, and Crewboat Cut Channel in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana. This project is estimated to cost between $10 million and $25 million.
This is an opportunity for firms specializing in large-scale dredging operations to secure a significant government contract for essential waterway maintenance.
Key dates and what happens at the deadline
This is a pre-solicitation notice, meaning the full solicitation is expected to be issued around April 7, 2026. The deadline for this pre-solicitation notice is April 07, 2027 at 1:00 PM ET. The bid opening date for the actual solicitation will be established in a future amendment.
At the deadline for the pre-solicitation, the Army will have gathered initial market research. When the full solicitation is released, your proposal will be due by the bid opening date specified in that document.
Who this opportunity suits
This opportunity is best suited for construction firms with significant experience in hydraulic pipeline cutterhead dredging. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 237990, which covers Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction, with a small business size standard of $37,000,000.
While this is a full and open competition, the Army has indicated that few small businesses are expected to possess the required dredge plant size, pumping capacity, and operational capability for this specific work.
How to respond to this pre-solicitation
To access the original source of this opportunity, click “View original source” above. If the first click takes you to the portal’s homepage, click it again to go directly to the bid. You may need a free account to view documents, though for many bids, this is not required.
Interested vendors are encouraged to register as an Interested Vendor on SAM.gov. Offerors should also post subcontracting opportunities on the Small Business Administration’s SUBNet. To be eligible for a government contract award, offerors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM).
Practical tips for preparing a competitive response
Given the Army's note about the specialized nature of this work, clearly demonstrate your firm's capacity and experience with large-scale hydraulic pipeline cutterhead dredging projects. Provide specific examples of past projects that highlight your dredge plant size, pumping capacity, and operational capabilities.
Ensure your company's registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) is active and up-to-date. Pay close attention to any bonding requirements mentioned in the full solicitation once it is released. If you plan to subcontract, begin identifying potential partners and utilize SUBNet to advertise these opportunities.
See the live bid — deadline, agency details, and how to respond
Dates and requirements can change via addenda; always verify on the bid page and at the original source before responding.
View this bid on BiddingSimpleThis guide was prepared by BiddingSimple from the solicitation’s public posting. It is not official guidance from Dept of the Army; the original posting controls.