Bid guide
How to bid on Atchafalaya River Bay Dredging for the Dept of the Army
What the agency is buying and why it matters
The Department of the Army is seeking a contractor 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 with significant dredging capabilities to secure a large-scale government contract for essential waterway maintenance.
Key dates and what happens at the deadline
This is a pre-solicitation notice published on March 23, 2026. The actual solicitation is anticipated to be issued on or about April 7, 2026. The bid opening date will be established in a future amendment to the solicitation.
The deadline for this pre-solicitation notice is April 7, 2027, at 1:00 PM ET. This is the last day to express interest or submit any preliminary information related to this notice. The formal bid submission deadline will be part of the full solicitation when it is released.
Who this opportunity suits
This opportunity is suitable for experienced construction firms specializing in dredging operations. Specifically, companies that own or can provide a fully crewed and equipped hydraulic pipeline cutterhead dredge with the necessary plant size, pumping capacity, and operational capability for large-scale projects.
The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 237990, which covers Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction. The small business size standard for this NAICS code is $37,000,000. This acquisition is being procured as Full and Open Competition, meaning it is open to all businesses, not just small businesses.
How to respond to this solicitation
The solicitation documents will be posted on SAM.gov. To access the opportunity, click “View original source” on the portal. If you land on the portal’s homepage, click the link again to go directly to the bid. You may need a free account to view documents, though for some bids, an account is not required.
Interested vendors are encouraged to register as an Interested Vendor on SAM.gov. Offerors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) to receive a government contract award. You can register at sam.gov. Offerors are also encouraged to post subcontracting opportunities on the Small Business Administration’s SUBNet.
Tips for preparing a competitive response
Given the nature of this dredging project, ensure your proposal clearly demonstrates your firm's experience with similar large-scale hydraulic pipeline cutterhead dredging operations. Highlight your equipment's specifications, including dredge plant size and pumping capacity, and detail your crew's qualifications and experience.
Since bonding is required, make sure you have the necessary bonding capacity in place or can secure it. For a full and open competition of this magnitude, a strong financial standing and a proven track record of successful project completion will be critical. Consider any potential subcontracting opportunities and how they might strengthen your bid, especially if partnering with small businesses.
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.