How to bid on USNS CITY OF BISMARCK (T-EPF 9) Mid-Term Availability (MTA) for the Navy

What the Navy is buying

The Department of the Navy is seeking a contractor to perform mid-term maintenance and repair work on the USNS City of Bismarck (T-EPF 9). This project is known as a Mid-Term Availability (MTA). The work is scheduled to take place from February 1, 2027, through April 16, 2027.

The contract will be a hybrid type, including both Firm-Fixed Price (FFP) and Time and Material (T&M) portions for growth work. The place of performance must be at the contractor’s facility within the U.S. 7th Fleet Area of Responsibility, with the exception of India.

Key dates and deadlines

The deadline for submitting bids is August 11, 2026, at 10:00 AM Singapore time. This is equivalent to August 10, 2026, at 10:00 PM Eastern Time.

A critical past deadline was July 10, 2026, at 10:00 AM Singapore time, for requesting secure technical attachments. If you missed this, you may not be able to access all necessary documents.

Who this opportunity suits

This opportunity is suitable for companies with expertise in ship maintenance, repair, and overhaul, particularly those with facilities located within the U.S. 7th Fleet Area of Responsibility (excluding India). Vendors should be capable of handling both fixed-price and time-and-material contract elements.

The solicitation is governed by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), and Navy Marine Corps Acquisition Regulation Supplement (NMCARS). Firms familiar with these regulations will be well-suited.

How to respond

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

All offerors must have an active registration in SAM.gov to be eligible for award. While the solicitation is posted on SAM.gov, the Section J attachments and specification references are not publicly available. The deadline to request these secure documents was July 10, 2026.

Tips for a competitive response

Carefully review all amendments to the solicitation. Amendments 0001 and 0002 were issued on July 23, 2026, providing answers to clarification requests and revising Section M. Ensure your proposal reflects these updates.

Even if you missed the deadline for secure technical attachments, review the publicly available information thoroughly. If you have a partner who obtained the documents, collaborate with them. Focus on clearly articulating your firm's capabilities in ship maintenance and repair, emphasizing your experience with similar projects and your facility's location.

Ensure your SAM.gov registration is active and up-to-date, including your Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). Pay close attention to the hybrid contract structure, clearly outlining your pricing for both Firm-Fixed Price and Time and Material components.