Maintenance Dredging of Isle Au Haut Thoroughfare, Isle Au Haut, Maine

Isle au Haut Thoroughfare Federal Navigation Project, Maintenance Dredging, Isle au Haut, Maine.

Pre-Solicitation Notice

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District will be issuing an Invitation for Bids (IFB) for maintenance dredging of the Isle au Haut Thoroughfare Federal Navigation Project (FNP), Maintenance Dredging, Isle au Haut, Maine. This will be a Small Business Set Aside Invitation for Bid (IFB) procurement. The NAICS code for the work is 237990 with a size standard of $37M. The construction will extend over a 3-4 week period. The estimated construction cost is $1,000,000 to $3,000,000. Any responsible source meeting this standard may submit a bid to be considered by the New England District.

The Isle au Haut Thoroughfare Federal Navigation Project is located between Isle au Haut, Maine and Kimball Island, Maine on the outskirts of Penobscot Bay, about six miles southeast of Stonington and 25 miles east of Rockland. The Federal Navigation Project consists of a 6-foot Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW) deep by 75-foot wide extending 1,200-foot in length through the shoal in the thoroughfare.

The proposed work consists of mechanically dredging approximately 3,355 cubic yards (cy) (1,183 cy required, plus 2,172 cy over depth (OD)) of shoaled material consisting of highly compacted coarse sand and gravel, with areas of cobbles and isolated small boulders from the channel. Due to the material type, a mechanical dredge with the ability to dig highly compacted coarse sand and gravel, with areas of cobbles and isolated small boulders will be required. The work shall be performed with mechanical excavator-type dredging equipment capable of applying sufficient downward pressure to remove the material described, and with scow(s). Clamshell buckets shall not be used. The proposed action is to dredge to the authorized depth of -6-foot MLLW plus an additional 1-foot of required advance maintenance with an additional allowable 1-foot of over depth (e.g. 7-foot MLLW required + 1-foot allowable OD).  One-time, advance maintenance is approved for the entirety of the 1200-foot-long authorized channel. The dredged material will be placed at the Flake Island Disposal Site (FIDS) which is approximately 1 nautical mile northwest of the FNP. Placement of the dredged material (sand, gravel and cobble) at Flake Island Disposal Site will benefit both juvenile lobster habitat and juvenile cod by increasing the areas’ habitat complexity.

The dredging window is between 15 September 2026 and 1 March 2027 to avoid impacts to spawning shellfish, benthic resources, Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) of federally managed species, threatened and endangered species and interactions with mobile fishing gear.

In order to accomplish all dredging requirements within the specified dredging window it is expected that the Contractor will need to meet a production rate of 4,000 CY per 30 calendar days. The contractor will be required to follow the Dredge Quality Management (DQM) specifications for all equipment. DQM is required for all dredge types including mechanical dredges and scows. In addition to the scow DQM that is routinely required, DQM on board the mechanical dredge itself is now required. The requirements can be found at the following location, https://dqm.usace.army.mil/requirements. Environmental coordination and permitting is being completed by the U.S. Army of Engineers, New England District.

This is not an invitation for bids at this time. The solicitation requirements and contract documents, to include instructions for submission (which may include definitive responsibility criterion) and the response date, will be available on or about 10 September 2026.  Neither telephonic, mailed nor fax requests for hard copies will be accepted. The solicitation will only be available online; in order to view the solicitation offerors must access the System for Award Management website (www.sam.gov). To download the solicitation, offerors must access the Procurement Integrated Enterprise Environment (https://piee.eb.mil/), solicitation module. Amendments, if any, to the solicitation will be made available at the PIEE website. Registrants are responsible for the accuracy of the information on the SAM.gov Registration List. All responsible sources may submit a bid which shall be considered by the New England District. Additional questions may be emailed to the Contract Specialist at Ann.M.Adley@usace.army.mil. This notice does not commit the U.S. Government to contract for any supply or service.