Sabula Lakes Project

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Mississippi Valley Division - Rock Island District

Sources Sought for Sabula Lakes Project

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: Sabula Lakes Project is located in Sabula, Iowa, and is situated within the city’s floodplain control structures at approximately river miles 535-536. For more details, visit: https://www.mvr.usace.army.mil/nesp/sabula-lakes/

Project Requirements: This project involves dredging, placement of dredge material, rock placement, planting, and water feature construction in Middle Sabula Lake. The work includes mechanical dredging of about 24 acres, construction of islands within the lake, rock placement in dredge cut, and procurement and installation of a fish barrier in the culvert between Upper and Middle Sabula Lake. Access to the project site is limited, depth on the perimeter of Middle Sabula Lake varies 2-5 ft (there are 6ft depths to the west of Driscoll’s Island), and could require the use of a crane to get equipment into Middle Sabula Lake.

NAICS Code and Size Standard: In the event an RFP is issued, North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 237990 Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction is being considered.

Solicitation Type: The Government is considering using an Invitation for Bid or Request for Proposal (RFP) Lowest Price Technically Acceptable 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 dredging, placement of dredge material, rock placement, planting, and water feature. 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. 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.

3. 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:

• Have you conducted barge mobilization in the absence of direct river access? If so, please specify the procedures or methods employed.

• 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 construction contract, the small business prime contractor must perform at least 15% of the cost of the work, pursuant to the RFO 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 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 five (5) 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, Bobbi Boeh at Bobbi.S.Boeh@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: Sabula Lakes Project.

3. Due Date/Time: Electronically submitted tailored capability statements are due no later than Friday, August 28, 2026, 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.