SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE FOR MARKET RESEARCH ONLY – This notice does not constitute a solicitation announcement or restrict the Government to an ultimate acquisition approach and NO AWARD will occur from this notice. 

NO SOLICITATION, SPECIFICATIONS, OR DRAWINGS are available for this Notice.

This is a SOURCES SOUGHT notice to determine the capabilities of both small AND large business firms. Qualified companies, regardless of their size or socio-economic status, are encouraged to respond.  Two or more small business firms capable of performing this work may help to guide the acquisition strategy and influence potential set-aside.  Businesses are strongly encouraged to review this SOURCES SOUGHT and submit according to the directions in this notice.

This project involves maintenance dredging in the Duluth-Superior Federal navigation channel located along the border of Wisconsin and Minnesota. The Contractor will be required to mobilize a dredge to the Duluth-Superior channel and perform mechanical dredging within the channel.  Dredging will be required within the following areas:

•           Dredge Area 1: The mouth of the Duluth Entry

•           Dredge Area 3: The Duluth Harbor Basin Northern Section near Rices Point

•           Dredge Area 4: The Duluth Harbor Basin Southern Section near Rices Point

•           Dredge Area 5: The northern reach of the Duluth Anchorage Area

The Dredging may also include options to perform additional dredging within the areas:

•           Dredge Area 6: The East Gate Basin near Hearding Island

•           Dredge Area 8: The southern reach of the East Gate Basin near Connors Point

•           Dredge Area 11: The Superior Front Channel near Barkers Island

•           Dredge Area 23: The South Channel Eastern Section near the C. Reiss Coal Dock

•           Dredge Area 26: The South Channel Western Section near Hallet Dock No. 8

Dredged material from Dredge Areas 1, 3, & 6 will be placed along Wisconsin Point adjacent to a closed former landfill between the Ordinary High Water Mark (OHWM) and the most landward 12 foot (ft) depth contour. The Contractor must have the equipment and ability to perform in-water mechanical dredging to the required depths, to transport and place material at the required placement area.

Placement at Wisconsin Point will require the implementation of various Best Management Practices (BMPs) to ensure turbidity is kept within state-approved limits at the placement site. BMPs will also be implemented to limit debris being placed along Wisconsin Point. Placement at Wisconsin Point is unrestricted for hydraulic or mechanical placement. An allowable transfer box location will be provided to allow for hydraulic placement operations and will be located adjacent to the southernmost limits of the Federal navigation channel (near Allouez Bay). An allowable pipeline path (for hydraulic placement) and staging area will be provided near a closed former landfill on Wisconsin Point, adjacent to the placement site. If the pipeline access route is utilized, the Contractor will be responsible for ensuring Wisconsin Point Road and Allouez Bay (pedestrian, vehicular and watercraft traffic) remains accessible to the public through the life of the project. A couple land-based staging area will be provided to accommodate the potential use of booster pumps, if the contractor elects to hydraulically place material at Wisconsin Point.

Dredged material from Dredge Areas 4, 8, 11, 23, & 26 will be placed within the Erie Pier CDF. Placement will be restricted to mechanical means and the contractor will be required to wash the material being placed in the CDF with water from the existing settling ponds in order to separate and stockpile sand from the rest of the dredged material.

The required dredging depths will be approximately 27 ft to 33 ft below Low Water Datum (LWD) depending on the location within the harbor. The material is expected to be a mix of (predominantly) sand, with the potential of minor debris typical in an active harbor. The quantity of dredged material in the contract may range from approximately 121,000 cubic yards to 196,000 cubic yards.

The result of this market research will contribute to determining the method of procurement for this requirement. Based on the res