BENEFICIAL USE OF DREDGED MATERIAL (BUDM) – SALT MARSH RESTORATION AT NAVAL SUBMARINE BASE (NSB) KINGS BAY, GEORGIA

Request for Information for Market Research

Title: Beneficial Use of Dredged Material (BUDM) – Salt Marsh Restoration at Naval Submarine Base (NSB) Kings Bay, Georgia

Introduction

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District (SAJ), is issuing this Request for Information (RFI) on behalf of the United States Navy to conduct market research and solicit industry feedback. The Government is seeking information from the dredging industry regarding reliable and efficient means and methods for the beneficial placement of dredged material into the salt marshes surrounding Naval Submarine Base (NSB) Kings Bay.

Background and Objectives

The primary mission at NSB Kings Bay is to ensure the safe and unimpeded navigation of Naval vessels. Current maintenance dredging operations face logistical challenges regarding the capacity of existing Dredged Material Management Areas (DMMAs).

The Government’s strategy involves a dual-purpose approach:

1. Shoaling Reduction: Restoration of the surrounding marshes is anticipated to improve local hydrodynamics and reduce shoaling rates within the base.
2. Sustainability: Utilizing dredged material for marsh restoration preserves limited DMMA capacity and ensures long-term coastal resiliency.

The Government anticipates this will be a multi-year effort requiring several annual placements to achieve full restoration, followed by recurring maintenance placements to sustain the marsh elevation over time.

Technical Requirements

The Government’s goal is the beneficial placement of approximately one million (1,000,000) cubic yards of dredged material annually into the surrounding marshes. The means and methods provided must be:

• Reliable: Capable of meeting strict operational timelines to ensure Naval vessel transit.
• Efficient: Able to handle large volumes of material with minimal impact on the existing delicate marsh ecosystem (+6,000 cubic yards per day on average).
• Sustainable: Adaptable for both initial restoration and long-term maintenance applications.

Dredging Requirements

The annual maintenance dredging at NSB Kings Bay requires dredging to depths of 44 to 47 feet in the channel as well as within 15 feet of several sensitive waterfront structures; the tidal change in this area is approximately 6 feet.  The beneficial use placement areas will be as much as 6.4 miles from the furthest maintenance dredging location and require transport of varying types of dredged material (silty to sandy) through two port security barriers (see attached map).  Firms will be required to operate in a highly dynamic environment which requires unscheduled movements to accommodate Naval vessels as well as satisfy stringent Naval security requirements.  The timeframe for annual maintenance dredging is typically 300 days which includes a secondary dredging option to address areas with historically high shoaling rates.

It is recommended that all firms interested in responding to this RFI first review the plans and specifications (including Geotechnical Data Report and environmental restrictions/requirements) for a recent annual maintenance dredging event at NSB Kings Bay (see attached).

Information Requested

Interested firms are invited to submit a capability statement or technical white paper addressing the following:

Means and Methods: Describe specific technologies or methods (e.g., thin-layer placement, spray dredging, hydraulic piping, or innovative containment) suited for high-volume marsh restoration.

• Equipment Availability: Identify specialized equipment currently in your fleet capable of achieving the one million cubic yard annual target (turbidity curtains will not be allowed due to regulatory restrictions).
• Production Rates: Provide estimated daily/monthly production rates for the proposed methods in a marsh environment.
• Monitoring and Precision: Describe how your firm ensures precise placement to achieve desired marsh elevations without smothering existing vegetation.
• Logistical Constraints: Identify potential challenges (e.g., pumping distances, tide cycles, or environmental windows) and proposed mitigation strategies.
• Past Experience: Brief summaries of similar BUDM or marsh restoration projects performed by your firm.

Design Requirements: Describe what information is needed from the Government to provide an accurate proposal in response to a solicitation issued that includes beneficial placement of dredged material into the salt marshes surrounding NSB Kings Bay

NAICS Code: The applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code assigned to this procurement is 237990, Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction.

Small Business Size Standard (Dredging): $37,000,000

Note: To be considered small for purposes of Government procurement, a firm must perform at least 40 percent of the volume dredged with its own equipment or equipment owned by another small dredging concern.

Responses to this Request for Information shall be limited to 15 pages and shall include the following information in addition to the information requested above:

• Company/Contractor name, address, point of contact, phone number and e-mail address.
• State whether the offeror is a small business
• If offeror is a small business, the offeror shall identify their Small Business classification and Small Business Size:
  • Small Business
  • Small Disadvantage Business
  • 8(a) Small Business
  • HUBZone
  • SDVOSB
  • WOSB

DO NOT SUBMIT PROPRIETARY AND/OR BUSINESS CONFIDENITAL DATA.

Submission Instructions

Interested parties are invited to submit a response to this RFI no later than June 12, 2026, at 3:00 PM, EDT. All responses under this RFI shall be sent to Ms. Ruth Rodriguez via email at Ruth.C.Rodriguez@usace.army.mil and Ms. Nicole Batista-Cruz at Nicole.M.Batista-Cruz@usace.army.mil.

You must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM), in order to be eligible to receive an award from any Government solicitation. To register, go to www.sam.gov. For additional information visit the website for the Federal Service Desk (www.FSD.gov) which supports SAM or contact them at 866-606-8220 for assistance.

Disclaimer: This is a RFI only and does not constitute a solicitation for proposals. The Government will not award a contract based on this RFI, nor will it pay for any information submitted. All information received will be used for market research purposes only. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation.