Construction of harbors, flood control projects, dams, dredging, and other civil works. Find active federal and state other heavy and civil engineering construction contracts — AI-scored against your profile across SAM.gov and 200+ portals.
Annual federal spend under NAICS 237390 exceeds $15 billion, driven primarily by USACE civil works, Bureau of Reclamation water infrastructure, and FEMA disaster recovery. Contracts are predominantly large-dollar, single-award or multiple-award IDIQs valued from $5M to $500M+. Demand spikes after major flood events and during Corps civil works appropriations cycles. Competition is moderate due to high bonding requirements and specialized expertise; top 10 contractors capture ~40% of spend. Set-asides for small business, 8(a), and HUBZone are common on projects under $45M.
These agencies are the largest buyers of other heavy and civil engineering construction services and products in the federal government. Each awards contracts under NAICS 237390 regularly — build relationships with their small business offices first.
Focus on USACE district-level IDIQs for dredging, levee, and dam work. The highest-leverage move is to obtain a joint venture or mentor-protégé agreement with an established large prime to gain past performance and bonding capacity. Target 8(a) sole-source awards under $4M and compete for HUBZone set-asides on smaller flood control projects. Invest in SAM.gov opportunity alerts for specific USACE districts (e.g., New Orleans, Jacksonville, Kansas City).
Most work is awarded via single-award or multiple-award IDIQs (e.g., USACE’s MATOC for civil works, FEMA’s PA IDIQs). Best-value tradeoff is common, evaluating past performance, technical approach, and price. LPTA is used for simpler dredging contracts. GSA Schedule 899 is rarely used; agency-specific vehicles dominate.
Most USACE contracts require performance and payment bonds equal to 100% of the contract value. For projects over $150K, Miller Act bonds are mandatory. Expect bid bonds of 20% of the bid amount.
Federal contracts do not require state contractor licenses, but you must be registered in SAM.gov and have a DUNS number. For dredging, you may need a Corps of Engineers permit for work in navigable waters.
Small business set-asides average $5M–$20M, with many 8(a) sole-source awards under $4M. Larger IDIQ task orders can reach $50M+ but often require joint ventures.
Yes, large primes frequently subcontract dredging, levee, and environmental mitigation work. Register with USACE’s Small Business Office and market to primes on MATOC teams.
8(a) and HUBZone certifications provide the best advantage for set-asides. Corps of Engineers’ Quality Control (CQM) and OSHA 30-hour certifications are often required for key personnel.