FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: John Hall

Corps seeks lock mitigation contractor(s)

PRESS ADVISORY:
Lock Information is available on the Web at www.mvn.usace.army.mil. Do index search for IHNC.

NEW ORLEANS --

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, is seeking a contractor(s) to help implement a $33 million Community Impact Mitigation Plan.

The mitigation plan is part of the $568 million replacement of the obsolete navigation lock on the Industrial Canal in New Orleans. Construction is to begin this fall on the 10- to 12-year project.

The successful contractor(s) will take the lead in establishing a community-based Mitigation Committee and develop a needs assessment. This process will identify projects for mitigation. One project, however, is already being initiated, job training, to identify and train people from the community for the 950-member construction work force.

The mitigation contractor(s) will be selected on a best-value basis, as explained in the Request for Proposals which will become available April 21. The contractor(s) will not be paid out of the $33 million mitigation fund.

A Public Notice will be published in New Orleans area newspapers. Publication in The Times-Picayune (Metro section) will begin Sunday. The Public Notice will also be published in the Louisiana Weekly, April 12, and the New Orleans Tribune, April 1999 edition.

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