Lock and Dam 21 Bolted Tainter Gate Supply

2/19/2026 Update:

*An award by the end of September 2026 is anticipated.

*Deliver base bid gates (4) to the location as indicated within 700 calendar days after Notice to Proceed of the based bid.  If option (3 gates) is awarded, the contract duration will be extended by 360 days.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mississippi Valley Division - Rock Island District

Sources Sought for Lock and Dam 21 Bolted Tainter Gate Supply

Purpose and Objectives: The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding: (1) the availability and capability of all qualified sources; (2) whether they are small or large businesses; HUBZone small businesses; service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses; 8(a) small businesses; veteran-owned small businesses; woman-owned small businesses; or small disadvantaged businesses; and (3) their understanding, capabilities and experience relative to the proposed acquisition to assist the Government in determining the expectation of receiving bids/proposals from responsible small business contractors at fair market prices. Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible. An organization that is not under the applicable NAICS code can submit a response to this notice, however their capabilities may/may not be assessed for the purposes of this notice. A determination by the Government not to compete this requirement as a set-aside based upon responses to this Notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. The Corps of Engineers (COE), Rock Island District does not intend to award a contract on the basis of responses received, however as a result of this Sources Sought Notice, the COE may issue a solicitation. Interested parties are expected to review this Notice and the Project Requirements to familiarize themselves with the requirements of this project.

Background: Lock and Dam 21 is located in Quincy, Illinois, and is situated 324.9 miles above the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. Construction began on December 11, 1933, and the facility became operational on July 23, 1938. For more details, visit: https://www.mvr.usace.army.mil/missions/navigation/lock-and-dam-information/lock-and-dam-21/

Project Requirements: This project involves the fabrication and delivery of new bolted Tainter gates for Lock and Dam 21. The work includes the off-site fabrication of four (4) Tainter gates, measuring approximately 20 feet high by 64 feet long, which are comprised of cold-rolled shapes and welded assemblies. These welded assemblies must comply with AWS D1.1 standards and are designed without fracture-critical members to enhance structural reliability. This new design utilizes a bolted-erection design to facilitate truck shipping of subassemblies to an offsite location for final assembly, allowing for fabrication by facilities with limited crane capacity. Final delivery to the project site is required via barge. This scope of work does not include on-site installation of the Tainter gates.

NAICS Code and Size Standard: In the event an RFP is issued, North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 332312 is being considered.

Solicitation Type: The Government is considering using a Request for Proposal, Lowest Price Technically Acceptable or Best Value Trade Off Method for solicitation of this project. Potential evaluation factors could be Technical; to include, experience and performance, organization structure and work plan. Please provide relevant experience with heavy structural steel fabrication, complex welded and bolted assemblies, adherence to AWS D1.1 standards, industrial coating systems, and logistics for oversized components, including barge transport. Please provide any feedback on the potential solicitation and evaluation method, as well as appropriate provisions and considerations for these types of solicitations and evaluations, from an industry perspective.

Capability Statement/Information Sought: All parties interested in this project must demonstrate that they would have the potential to be a responsive and responsible contractor for the following project technical criteria. Tailored Capability Statements shall demonstrate a clear understanding of all tasks specified in the draft Project Requirements. Tailored Capability Statements for this requirement shall address the following areas:

1. Company Name, Unique Entity ID (UEI) from SAM.gov, CAGE Code, POC information including an email, and your current small business status.
2. Demonstrate the ability to meet the mandatory criteria as noted below: Fabricator must hold one or more of the following AISC certifications:

• • Certified Bridge Fabricator - Intermediate (IBR)
  • Certified Bridge Fabricator - Advanced (ABR)
  • Certified Hydraulic Fabricator (HYD)
  • Certified Hydraulic Fabricator - Advanced (HYDA)

3.  Project examples with similar complexity and scope (and ideally including the mandatory criteria above). Examples should include all pertinent information regarding the requirements to clearly demonstrate the understanding and abilities of your company. If you performed previous work as a part of a team, with subcontractors (or other arrangements) please provide information on that relationship, tasks performed by team members etc. to be able to provide the Government with a sense of prime contract management as well as team member/subcontractor management.

4.  Description of how you would be capable of performing the work, either by 100% self-performance or through teaming. Specifically, if you would not be self-performing 100% of the work, please provide:

• • An estimate of your self-performance and a proposed team approach (for example: are you part of an approved mentor protégé team through the SBA 8(a) or All Small Mentor Protégé Program?)

• • Will you be teaming with other small businesses to meet the self-performance requirements?

• • Will your subcontractors be primarily small businesses?

• • What type of work would likely be subcontracted?

• • Have you performed this type of work previously with similar teaming arrangements? If so, what were issues with contract performance?

• • NOTE: Small businesses may submit a capability statement that includes the expertise of large business partner companies under a teaming arrangement. If a teaming arrangement is contemplated, then the response to this sources sought must clearly discuss the areas of the Draft Performance Work Statement that the small business firm intends to perform and the specific areas that the large business teaming partner intends to perform. Please note that for a supply contract, the small business prime contractor must perform at least 50% of the cost of manufacturing the supplies (not including the cost of materials), pursuant to the FAR clause at 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting (DEVIATION 2021-08).

In order for the Government to make a Small Business (SB) set-aside (or other socioeconomic sub-category) determination, it is emphasized that SB concerns provide sufficient written information to clearly demonstrate their capacity, capability, and responsibility (in accordance with FAR 9.1 and the requirements at FAR 19.502(b)(1) to successfully perform and manage all the requirements of this effort.

Information Submission Instructions:

1. Page Limitations: Interested qualified small business organizations should submit a tailored capability statement for this requirement not to exceed twenty (20) single-sided pages including all information that clearly details the firm’s ability to perform the aspects of the notice described above and in the Project Requirements.

2.  Number of Copies: All capability Statements sent in response to this SOURCES SOUGHT/Request for Information notice must be submitted via e-mail to the contract specialist, Joseph Porter at Joseph.E.Porter@usace.army.mil and Deputy, Small Business Programs Troy Robbins at Troy.A.Robbins@usace.army.mil. The e-mail subject line must specify Response to Sources Sought: Lock and Dam 21 Bolted Tainter Gate Supply.

3.  Due Date/Time: Electronically submitted tailored capability statements are due no later than [Insert Day of Week], [Insert Date], 2024, at 2:00 PM CST. This does not restrict the Government from accepting responses after this time, if it is in the best interests of the Government for market research purposes, and also does not prohibit the Government from seeking potential capable, and responsible sources from information available from other resources (for instance: small business databases, known sources, previous contractors) to determine a final procurement strategy.