Soo Locks Stoplog Barges

THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE. THIS IS FOR MARKET RESEARCH PURPOSES 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 NOT a Request for Quote (RFQ) or Invitation for Bid (IFB).

INTRODUCTION:

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, is issuing this Sources Sought notice and conducting market research as a means to identify the interest and capabilities of both small and large business entities to provide marine fabrication services to supply up to two (2) identical fabricated barges to the Soo Project Office (SPO) located in Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan.  

No basis for claim against the Government shall arise as a result of a response to this Sources Sought Notice. The Government will not pay for information or comments provided and will not recognize any cost associated with the submission of responses or comments.

BASED ON THE RESPONSES TO THIS SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE/MARKET RESEARCH, THIS REQUIREMENT MAY BE SET-ASIDE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES (IN FULL OR IN PART) OR PROCURED THROUGH FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION. All Small Business Set-Aside categories will be considered. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted or acknowledged, and no feedback or evaluations will be provided to companies regarding their submissions.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

The purpose of this project is to fabricate and supply up to two (2) identical barges and their specialized appurtenances, in accordance with an American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) approved drawing set, as well as U.S. Army Corps of Engineers specifications. Appurtenances include but are not limited to stoplog guide structures welded to the deck and barge winch mounting frames.  Fabrication of stoplogs is not included under this contract. The barges will operate on the Great Lakes in service of the Detroit District. The barges will be used to store and transport stop logs for the Poe and MacArthur Locks within the St. Mary’s River Project and the greater Great Lakes Region.

Barge(s) will be classed by ABS, “Maltese Cross A-1, Steel Barge, Great Lakes Service with UWILD Notation.”  The contractor will be responsible for work efforts required for ABS to issue a Great Lakes Load Line in accordance with 46 CFR Subpart F.  The barge design used for solicitation and fabrication will include statements of fact indicating that:

• The vessel ice belt extent and design ice pressures meet the requirements for ABS Ice Class C0
• The deck structure is adequate for the design deck loading identified by the Government (stop logs)
• The barge intact stability satisfies 46 CFR 170.170 and 46 CFR 174.015 in all loading conditions
• The barge damage stability satisfies the USACE one compartment standard.

The principal dimensions of each barge are expected to be as follows:

• Length Overall: 150’-0”
• Beam (Overall): 38’-0”
• Depth (Molded at Centerline): 10’-0”
• Depth (Molded at Side): 10’-0”
• Draft (Full Load): 7’-11½”
• Minimum Freeboard (Fully Loaded): 3’-0”
• Deck: Flat with no camber or sheer
• Bow: Raked
• Stern: Square
• Deck Edge: 6” Radius
• Corners: 18” Radius
• Bilge Radius: 12”

All welding, materials, and workmanship shall be in accordance with ABS rules for building and classing steel barges (2025).  All fit-ups and welding shall be to the satisfaction of the surveyor.

The Contractor will be responsible for all materials, labor, supervision, administration, classification surveying, and testing as necessary to perform the work as described above.

The anticipated period of performance is 18 Months

The North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code is 336611 - Ship Building and Repairing, which has a small business size standard of 1,300 employees. The Product Service Code (PSC) is 2090 - Miscellaneous Ship And Marine Equipment. Businesses of all sizes are encouraged to respond; however, each respondent must clearly identify the firm’s business size in the attached questionnaire. Small business firms interested in performing this work are strongly urged to respond to this Notice. Responses to this Sources Sought Notice will be used by the Government to make appropriate acquisition decisions.

SOURCES SOUGHT RESPONSES:

If your organization has the potential capacity and capability to perform this type of work, please complete the attached questionnaire and submit via email to Contract Specialist Joseph Orlando at joseph.orlando@usace.army.mil and Contracting Officer Michelle Barr at michelle.barr@usace.army.mil no later than 2:00 PM Eastern Time on April 24, 2026. Please reference in the subject line "SOURCES SOUGHT SOO LOCKS STOPLOG BARGES

All data received in response to this Sources Sought that is marked or designated as corporate or proprietary will be fully protected from any release outside the Government.

The Government is not committed nor obligated to pay for the information provided, and no basis for claims against the Government shall arise as a result of a response to this Sources Sought notice.

RESPONDENTS WILL NOT BE CONTACTED REGARDING THEIR SUBMISSION OR INFORMATION GATHERED AS A RESULT OF THE SOURCES SOUGHT.