Contracting Officer, U.S. Coast Guard Academy, New London, CT 06320-4195

Z -- DREDGING Sol DTCG39-95-B-E00308. Due 041795. Contact Point, Teri Snyder or Cathy Harrington, Contract Specialist, (203) 444-8242. The U.S. Coast Guard Academy, New London, CT anticipates awarding a firm fixed price contract for maintenance dredging approximately 100,000 to 130,000 cubic yards at Little Sand Island, mouth of the Mobile River, Mobile, AL. Dredging will be conducted under an existing Corp of Engineers permit. The dredging will be from an existing slip and approach channel. Material will be disposed of at an upland site on Little Sand Island. The period of performance is estimated to sixty days from notice to proceed. The estimated price range is between $250,000 and $500,000. All responsible sources may submit a bid, full and open competition is to be utilized for this procurement. The estimated date that bids will be due is 24 May 95. The solicitation package is not ready for issue at this time, but is estimated to be issued 24 April 95. A site visit will be conducted on 3 May 95 at 1:00 pm at the Fire Safety Test Detachment at the Coast Guard Base, Mobile AL, Brookley Field Industrial Complex, Building S-108, Mobile, AL 36615-1384. For Minority, Women-Owned and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises: The Department of Transportation (DOT) Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU), has programs to assist enterprises to acquire short-term working capital and bonding assistance for transportation-related contracts. This is applicable to any eligible prime or subcontractor at any tier The DOT Bonding Assistance Program enables firms to apply for bid, performance and payment bonds up to $1.0 million per contract. The DOT provides an 80% guaranty on the bond amount to a surety against losses. Loans are also available under the DOT Short Term Lending Program (STLP) at prime interest rates to provide accounts receivable financing. The maximum line of credit is $500,000. For further information and application forms concerning Bonding Assistance Program and/or the STLP, please call the OSDBU at (800) 532-1169. (086)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0192 19950329\Z-0011.SOL)