Notice of Intent to Award Sole Source - Marine Diesel Delivered Mid-Stream at UMRM 472 (Buffalo, IA)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - St. Paul District intends to solicit, negotiate and award a sole-source procurement (under FAR authority 6.302) to Custom Fuel Services LLC, 4400 Harding Pike, Nashville TN 37205, to supply between 40,000 and 55,000 gallons of #2 Marine Diesel (dyed for off-road use) to the USACE Dredge Goetz fleet fuel barge, delivered mid-stream at Upper Mississippi River Mile (UMRM) 472, near Buffalo, IA between September 3 and 6, 2024. Background and Requirements The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - St. Paul District operates the Dredge Goetz, a hydraulic suction cutter dredge, and supporting vessels on the Upper Mississippi River in support of inland waterways navigation (i.e. maintaining the navigation channel).

The Goetz fleet is currently performing dredging work near Buffalo, IA, south of the Quad Cities metro area. The fleet requires re-supply of #2 Marine Diesel to continue operations. Mid-stream delivery is required because no known sites available for shore-based fuel transfer are available in the area. The marine (#2 dyed for off-road use) Diesel must be delivered September 3-6, 2024. The fuel will be pumped aboard a Government owned and operated fuel barge capable of holding 70,000 gallons.

The barge is inspected annually by the US Coast Guard and will be controlled by two Government personnel at all times during the transfer. This office became aware of the requirement on Thursday, August 29. If the required delivery date is not met, the Dredge Goetz fleet will have to stop operations until fuel can be obtained. The maintenance of the 9 ft channel is a key mission of the St. Paul District. Each day the Dredge is not operational costs the Government in excess of $100,000.

The economic impact of not having the channel open for commercial traffic is immeasurable. At this time, Custom Fuel Services LLC is the only known fuel merchant with the capability of delivering marine Diesel mid-stream in the Quad Cities region that is fully registered in the Federal System for Award Management (SAM.gov). No other fuel merchant with mid-stream delivery capability operates north of the St. Louis region.

Fuel merchants capable of delivering fuel from shore-based trucks have been identified, but there is no dock space capable of supporting fuel trucks available in the area, as all are full with commercial barges. Responses This synopsis does not constitute a solicitation. However, all responsible sources who believe they can meet all of the requirements may submit a capability statement that demonstrates clear and convincing evidence of the capability to meet the needs described above.

If you believe you can supply the fuel, in the quantity requested, delivered mid-stream, at the location specified, on the dates requested, please contact Contract Specialist John Riederer at John.P.Riederer@usace.army.mil and reference notice W912ES24P0135 by 11:00 AM on September 2, 2024. A determination not to compete this proposed contract acquisition based upon responses to the notice is solely within the discretion of the Goverment.

Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use the information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed.

Information provided will be used to assess tradeoffs and alternatives available for the potential requirement and may lead to the development of a solicitation. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted.