How to bid on compiling vessel operating costs for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

What the agency is buying and why it matters

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Institute for Water Resources needs a contractor to gather and compile operating costs for ocean-going, self-propelled deep-draft cargo vessels. This includes breaking down costs by vessel type and size or capacity.

A key part of the work is to build a computer application. This application will help review, compare, adjust, and estimate these operating costs. It must also separately estimate bunker fuel costs, which are a critical component of vessel operations. This opportunity is for a firm-fixed-price contract under commercial-services procedures.

Key dates and what happens at the deadline

This solicitation was published on September 09, 2026. The deadline for submitting your response is September 22, 2026, at 4:30 PM ET. All proposals must be submitted by this time.

Who this opportunity suits

This opportunity is suitable for professional services firms with expertise in maritime economics, logistics, data compilation, and software development. Firms with experience in analyzing vessel operating costs, particularly for deep-draft cargo vessels, and those capable of developing specialized computer applications for data analysis and estimation, will find this relevant. The work falls under the professional services category.

How to respond

To access the solicitation documents, click “View original source” on the portal. If the first click takes you to the portal’s homepage, click the link again to go directly to the bid. You may need to create a free account on the portal to view all the documents, though this is not always required.

Tips for a competitive response

When preparing your response, clearly demonstrate your understanding of deep-draft vessel operations and the factors influencing their operating costs. Highlight any experience you have with similar data compilation and analysis projects.

Emphasize your technical capabilities for developing the required computer application. Provide examples of previous software development projects, especially those involving data review, comparison, and estimation. Clearly outline your approach to separately investigating and estimating bunker fuel costs, as this is an integral requirement.