How to bid on Southwest Pass Maintenance Dredging (OM26278) for the Dept of the Army

What the agency is buying

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, is seeking a contractor to provide one fully crewed and equipped cutterhead dredge. The dredge must have a discharge pipe with an inside diameter of 30 inches or greater. This work is for maintenance dredging in the Mississippi River Southwest Pass area, and potentially other locations within the New Orleans District.

This project is valued between $10 million and $25 million. This is a significant opportunity for firms specializing in large-scale dredging operations.

Key dates and deadlines

This is a Request for Information (RFI) published on February 06, 2026. The deadline for responses to this RFI is February 20, 2028, at 12:00 PM ET. The actual solicitation for this project is expected to be issued on or about February 20, 2026. A specific bid opening date will be set in a future amendment to the solicitation.

Who this opportunity suits

This opportunity is suitable for construction firms with extensive experience in large-scale dredging, particularly those operating cutterhead dredges of 30 inches or greater discharge size. The work location in the Mississippi River Southwest Pass and other New Orleans District areas means firms with local or regional operational capabilities may find this particularly relevant. This project falls under the construction category.

How to respond

To access the opportunity, click “View original source” above. 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 this is not always required.

All offerers must be registered with the System for Award Management (SAM) to be eligible for a government contract award. You are also encouraged to register as an Interested Vendor on beta.Sam.gov by clicking on the solicitation title and selecting the 'Register as an Interested Vendor' button. Additionally, offerers can post subcontracting opportunities on the Small Business Administration's Subnet.

Tips for preparing a competitive response

Ensure your SAM registration is active and up-to-date well before the solicitation release. This is a mandatory requirement for all government contractors. Given the scale of the project, clearly demonstrate your firm's capacity to manage a project valued between $10 million and $25 million.

Highlight your experience with cutterhead dredges of the specified size (30 inches or greater ID) and any relevant past performance in similar river or pass maintenance dredging projects. Detail your equipment, crew capabilities, and any attendant plant that will be used. Pay close attention to all instructions once the full solicitation is released, as specific requirements for proposals will be outlined there.