Bid guide
How to bid on acoustic telemetry equipment for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
What the Army Corps plans to buy
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Chicago District plans to buy proprietary VEMCO acoustic telemetry equipment from Innovasea Systems Inc. on a sole-source basis. Items include NexTrak R1 and VR2Tx receivers and a VR100 surface transponder and manual tracking receiver.
The equipment must work with the existing VEMCO network in the Chicago Area Waterways and Illinois Waterway. The Corps says other equipment would not interoperate with the network, which supports its long-running Invasive Carp Monitoring and Response Plan. This is a notice of intent, not a request for offers or proposals.
Deadline and expected award
Interested firms may email a capabilities statement by November 6, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. Central Daylight Time. The notice also lists a general deadline of 4:00 p.m. ET that day; these times are equivalent.
The Corps anticipates an award on or about November 24, 2026. The government will review timely responses, but whether it competes the proposed purchase is at its discretion.
Who this opportunity may suit
This notice may interest firms that can show they can supply the required VEMCO equipment and meet the existing network’s interoperability needs. The Corps states that Innovasea is the only source it has identified as able to meet those requirements.
A firm offering different equipment should explain specifically how it would detect and decode the transmitters already deployed in the waterways and work with the existing VEMCO network.
How to respond
Email a capabilities statement to Contract Specialist Kyle Smith at [email protected] by the stated deadline. Put PANGLR-26-P-0000 033648 in the subject line. No telephone inquiries will be accepted.
To access the opportunity, click “View original source” on the portal. If the first click opens the portal homepage, click again to go to the bid. A free account may be needed to view documents.
Prepare a focused capabilities statement
Address the Corps’ central concern: compatibility and interoperability with the installed VEMCO network and its deployed transmitters. Be specific about the equipment you can provide and how it meets that need; avoid relying on broad claims about capability.
Keep the statement concise and support claims with relevant product or technical information. Double-check the recipient, subject line, and deadline before sending.
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.