Sources Sought: Paint/Blast/Paint Thinner Materials (USACE Rock Island) — What to Prep Now

Executive takeaway

USACE Rock Island is testing the market via a sources-sought notice for paint primer, blast media, and paint thinner materials (PSC 8010; NAICS 325510). Because the public synopsis text is not available in the notice feed, bidders should treat this as an early signal to get product data, compliance documentation, and delivery logistics ready now—then confirm the actual requirements in the attachments when available.

What the buyer is trying to do

The government is seeking information on the availability of paint primer, blast media, and paint thinner materials under solicitation number W912EK26QPAINT. With limited synopsis detail, the safest assumption is that the buyer wants to understand which suppliers can provide these materials and under what terms (e.g., delivery, packaging, and product documentation), ahead of a potential purchase action.

What work is implied

• Identify and propose compliant paint primer offerings aligned to the government’s expected use.
• Provide blast media (abrasives) options, likely with packaging and grit/grade information (verify in attachments).
• Provide paint thinner materials with appropriate safety and handling documentation (verify in attachments).
• Support government review with technical submittals such as product data sheets and safety data sheets (SDS) (verify in attachments).
• Plan for delivery in a way that fits USACE receiving constraints (hours, palletization, hazmat handling if applicable—verify in attachments).

Who should bid / who should pass

• Bid if: you are a manufacturer or distributor with established SKUs for industrial primers, blast media, and paint thinners; you can quickly produce SDS/technical data and manage government deliveries.
• Bid if: you have experience supplying coatings/abrasives under NAICS 325510 and can respond fast to clarifications once attachments are reviewed.
• Pass if: you cannot provide SDS/technical documentation or cannot support controlled shipping/receiving requirements often associated with coatings/solvents (verify the exact constraints in attachments).
• Pass if: your catalog is narrow (only one of the three material types) unless the sources-sought explicitly allows partial responses (verify in attachments).

Response package checklist

• Read the notice and verify in attachments: required products, acceptable equivalents, packaging, delivery location, and evaluation approach.
• Product data sheets for primer, blast media, and thinner (as applicable).
• SDS for each offered material (verify if required for all line items in attachments).
• Manufacturer part numbers/SKUs and country of origin (if requested—verify in attachments).
• Delivery lead times, minimum order quantities, and shipping method assumptions.
• Any certifications or compliance statements explicitly requested (verify in attachments).

Pricing & strategy notes

With no scope detail in the synopsis feed, pricing preparation should focus on building a defendable basis that can be adapted once packaging and delivery constraints are known.

• Compile recent internal pricing for similar primers/abrasives/thinners, segmented by packaging (gallons/drums/bags) and freight class (verify packaging in attachments).
• Prepare a freight and hazmat cost model for coatings/solvents scenarios, then adjust once the government’s delivery terms are confirmed.
• Watch for whether the request expects brand-name-or-equal or specifies performance requirements; that will drive how you justify equivalency and how you price alternates (verify in attachments).

Subcontracting / teaming ideas

• Pair an abrasives/blast media specialist with a coatings distributor to cover all material categories if the government prefers a single award (verify in attachments).
• Team with a logistics partner experienced in regulated materials shipping if thinners/solvents introduce hazmat handling requirements (verify in attachments).
• If partial awards are allowed, coordinate with complementary suppliers so each can respond strongly within their product lane (verify in attachments).

Risks & watch-outs

• Missing synopsis details: the notice feed indicates “Description is not available,” so requirements may be entirely in attachments—do not assume quantities, delivery, or acceptable products without verifying.
• Equivalency risk: if specific products are referenced, you may need documented equivalency; plan to support claims with data sheets (verify in attachments).
• Shipping/receiving constraints: coatings and thinners can trigger handling and scheduling requirements; confirm delivery location and acceptance process (verify in attachments).
• Schedule risk: sources-sought timelines can move quickly into a solicitation; have materials and compliance docs staged before you respond.

Related opportunities

• Paint Primer, Blast Media and Paint Thinner Materials - Sources Sought
• Dam Complex Park Custodial at Coralville Lake Iowa
• Dam Complex Park Custodial at Coralville Lake Iowa (duplicate notice link)

How to act on this

1. Open the notice and pull the attachments; confirm exact product requirements, delivery details, and response format.
2. Assemble SDS and product data sheets for candidate primer, blast media, and thinner items.
3. Draft a short capability response aligned to what the sources-sought asks for (then tailor once the attachment instructions are clear).
4. Set a reminder for the response deadline: 2026-02-06 (20:00 UTC) for W912EK26QPAINT.

If you want a second set of eyes before you submit—or want help mapping your catalog to the likely line items—Federal Bid Partners LLC can help you shape a compliant, low-drama response package.

About the author: Avery Collins, Proposal Research Analyst