The Department of Defense, through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), is seeking contractors for the maintenance dredging of the New York and New Jersey Channels, specifically the Arthur Kill 35’ Reach, as part of a Federal Navigation Project. The project aims to dredge approximately 150,000 cubic yards of material to a depth of -35 feet Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW) plus 1 foot of allowable overdepth, utilizing a mechanical clamshell dredge with environmental bucket, and will require coordination with various vessels and compliance with environmental regulations. This maintenance work is crucial for ensuring navigational safety and efficiency in the region, with an estimated contract value between $10 million and $25 million, and is anticipated to commence in the summer/fall of 2026. Interested contractors should respond to the survey questionnaire provided by USACE and may contact Orlando Nieves or Matthew Lubiak for further information.

* **Updated Set Aside: No Set aside used**

The New York District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) proposes to perform maintenance dredging of New York and New Jersey Channels, Arthur Kill 35’ Reach, Federal Navigation Channel to a depth of -35 feet Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW) plus 1 foot of allowable overdepth. The proposed maintenance dredging would remove approximately 150,000 cubic yards (CY) of material from critically shoaled areas with subsequent placement at a contractor provided, state-permitted upland placement site(s).

Based on the past dredging projects within the New York Harbor / New York and New Jersey Channels, and restrictions in the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation / New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Water Quality Certificates, the proposed work would be performed by utilizing a mechanical clamshell dredge with environmental bucket. Additionally, multiple barges, tugboats and survey vessels will be needed to perform the work during the dredging and placement activities. The dredging and placement would be required to meet all federal, state, and approved local criteria required by the government agencies having jurisdiction where the dredging and placement sites are located.

Once the contract is awarded, the contractor will be required to commence work within five (5) calendar days after the date of receipt of the Notice to Proceed and maintain an integrated production rate of at least 2,500 cubic yards per calendar day for the dredging and placement of the dredged material. The presence of the dredging equipment in the channel will impact ship traffic, and it is necessary to maintain this production rate while minimizing the duration of this impact.

The proposed work is anticipated to take place in the summer/fall of 2026 The magnitude of this contract is between $10,000,000 and $25,000,000.

**SURVEY OF THE DREDGING INDUSTRY**

The following confidential survey questionnaire is designed to apprise the Corps of prospective dredging contractors’ project execution capabilities. Please provide your response to the following questions. All questions are in regards to the New York and New Jersey Channels, Arthur Kill 35’ Reach, maintenance dredging project.

**General**

1. Have you ever worked on dredging jobs similar in nature to this project? If so, please describe the project and for whom the work was performed. Identify a point of contact and phone number, as a reference of relevant experience.

2. Have you previously performed dredging within the waters of New York and New Jersey?

3. What percentage of work (volume of material dredged, transported, and ultimately placed) can you perform with your own equipment or equipment owned by another dredging contractor?

4. Would you be willing to bid on the project described? If the answer is No, please explain why not.

5. Would you be bidding on this project as a sole contractor, prime contractor with subcontractor(s), or as a joint venture?

6. Is there a dollar limit on the size of contract that you would bid? If so, what is that limit?

7. What is the largest dredging contract, in dollars, on which you were the prime contractor?

8. What is your bonding capacity per contract? What is your total bonding capacity?

9. Do you have experience using USACE Resident Management System (RMS) 3.0 for delivering Submittals, Daily Dredging Reports and Pay Estimates?

10. Do you have experience applying USACE EM 385-1-1 (March 2024) and all requirements? Deficiencies observed on site will require immediate attention and action to meet all applicable safety codes.

**Equipment**

11. What type of dredge equipment do you own and/or operate that is suitable for the work described? Do you own a mechanical dredge with a closed environmental clamshell bucket? Please list each piece of equipment capable of performing the work described, i.e. dredging, transfer, transportation, dewatering and/or other processing and final placement of the material. For each dredge that you list, please specify its bucket size(s), and any other salient characteristics.

12. Identify which dredge(s), including support equipment (tug, crew boat, scows, etc.), you would employ on this project. Also, for each dredge, identify the maximum dredging depth.

13. Do you own material scows? If so, how many do you have available for use? Please list the name of the scow, its type (ocean going, sealed-hull, etc.) and the capacity.

14. Will you be able to meet a production rate of 2,500 cubic yards per calendar day and complete all work?

15. Do you have experience with the use of an automated Dredged Material Monitoring System (Black Box/Silent Inspector) employing a Dredged Material Inspector (DMI)?

16. Are you aware that the Contractor is responsible for coordinating with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for an FAA Obstruction Evaluation / Airport Airspace Analysis? Have you had any experience requesting for FAA Obstruction Evaluation / Airport Airspace Analysis? If so, please list the 3 most recent projects along with the project's NTP, the review submission date, the number of studies conducted, and duration of the review.

17. What are the minimum and maximum boom heights to operate your dredge(s) safely and efficiently?

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