How to bid on the JP Murtha mooring bitts retrofit for the Department of the Army

What the Army is buying

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District is seeking a contractor to retrofit floating mooring bitts at the John P. Murtha navigation lock in Pennsylvania. The work includes in-water construction, two dewatering boxes, concrete demolition and repair, steel fabrication, floating plant operations, and commercial diving.

This is a firm-fixed-price construction contract. The project is an opportunity for firms able to coordinate complex work in an active navigation lock. The contractor must complete the work within 730 calendar days after written notice to proceed.

Key dates and the bid deadline

The solicitation was published October 27, 2026. Bids are due November 5, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time. The solicitation states that the IFB is expected to be issued around September 15, 2026.

Submit your bid by the stated deadline and follow the solicitation’s submission instructions. The opportunity is an RFP according to the listing, while the description refers to an Invitation for Bid; review the solicitation documents to confirm the applicable instructions and evaluation process.

Who this opportunity suits

This unrestricted opportunity is open to responsible bidders. The relevant category is construction, with NAICS code 237990, Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction, and a stated small business size standard of $45 million.

The described work calls for capabilities in in-the-wet construction, floating plant operations, steel fabrication, concrete demolition and repair, and commercial diving. A firm considering a bid should assess whether it can perform and coordinate the work described in the solicitation.

How to access and submit a bid

Use the opportunity portal’s “View original source” option to open the listing. If the first click opens the portal homepage, click the option again. A free account may be needed to view documents, though some opportunities do not require one.

The solicitation is to be issued online through PIEE and posted to SAM.gov; hard copies will not be provided. To submit a bid, the company must have an active SAM registration and a PIEE Solicitation Module account with the Proposal Manager role. The description gives registration instructions for both systems.

Prepare a careful, competitive response

Start by reviewing the full solicitation and identifying every required form, technical submission, pricing item, and submission step. Build a checklist and leave time to verify that the completed bid is uploaded correctly before the deadline.

Check SAM registration status early: the description says activation can take at least ten business days, and registration must be active when the offer is submitted and remain active during the award period. Confirm that the PIEE Proposal Manager role is approved and usable before preparing the final submission.

For this kind of construction work, make sure your response clearly addresses how your team will manage the in-water work, dewatering boxes, floating plant, concrete and steel tasks, and diving support described in the solicitation. Base commitments and pricing on the solicitation’s actual requirements.