Multi-Mission Dry Dock
DELIVERING THE FOUNDATION OF FLEET READINESS
The Multi-Mission Dry Dock at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNS & IMF) at Naval Base Kitsap (NBK)-Bremerton is a multi-phase, mega-project culminating in a fully pressure-relieved dry dock facility capable of accommodating shipyard repair services for the new Ford-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, current Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, and other surface and subsurface ships.
The dry dock facility will include drainage and flooding systems; a caisson gate; roadways and portal crane tracks; access and egress elements; mechanical, electrical, and communication systems; supporting facilities; and utility routing tunnels.
The full project delivery includes proposed construction of a new dry dock, as well as demolishing, replacing, and/or constructing other piers, wharves, moorings, cranes, buildings, and support facilities. Proposed support facilities include a new forge shop and an expanded Radio Hill complex at NBK-Bangor. The Navy is also proposing dredging to create adequate water depth at wharves and piers as required for construction and operation of new structures.
The project is awaiting a Record of Decision, anticipated between fall 2026 and winter 2027, with construction expected to begin in spring 2028.
More concrete than the Pentagon
Total iron weight 11x heavier than the Eiffel Tower
4x the volume of the Roman Colosseum
Higher electrical demand than the Empire State Building
Seismic capacity equivalent to that of hospitals and other community emergency facilities.
The Multi-Mission Dry Dock is a key part of the Navy’s Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program (SIOP) initiative to reconfigure, optimize, and modernize the Navy’s four public shipyards. The Multi-Mission Dry Dock is just one aspect of the larger SIOP program. Under SIOP, $1.8 billion worth of work on 57 projects has been completed across the four shipyards, and another $6.9 billion worth of work is underway on 45 other projects. Improvements and investments in Navy facilities, dry docks, equipment, and infrastructure will support national defense and allow for the efficient maintenance of a combat-ready fleet.
The Navy does not currently have the capacity and capability to perform depot-level maintenance on a Gerald R. Ford-class carrier in the Pacific Northwest. The only dry dock on the West Coast able to accommodate a current Nimitz-class aircraft carrier is Dry Dock 6 (DD6), which does not meet seismic resiliency standards and cannot fully accommodate Ford-class carriers.
PSNS & IMF is the only maintenance facility in the Pacific Theater that can support periodic docking planned incremental availabilities (DPIA) and emergent repair of the Pacific Fleet’s aircraft carriers. PSNS & IMF performs 50% of all aircraft carrier DPIAs. The Multi-Mission Dry Dock is essential for the continued operability and combat effectiveness of the Navy’s fleet. The Multi-Mission Dry Dock will enhance the Navy’s ability to provide combat power to Combatant Commands in accordance with its Title 10 responsibilities and the aircraft carrier deployment cycles defined in the Optimized Fleet Response Plan.
The Navy needs to upgrade and improve the shipyard’s capabilities and capacities to ensure PSNS & IMF can continue to meet its important mission to maintain, modernize, and retire the Navy’s nuclear-powered fleet into the foreseeable future.
The Multi-Mission Dry Dock is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to strengthen the local workforce and support local businesses and communities.
The scale of this project will provide work and training opportunities for a variety of skilled trades, small businesses, and vendors. Partnerships with local workforce development organizations and industry groups will help strengthen the Navy’s connection to Bremerton and the greater Puget Sound area.
The Navy is committed to being a good neighbor to the surrounding community throughout project planning and construction by engaging with industry partners, undertaking robust public outreach efforts, and continuing to participate in government-to-government consultations. More information on community benefits and outreach will be available later in the year.
In September 1891, the Navy purchased 190 acres of the Pacific Northwest wilderness for $10,000 to establish Naval Station Puget Sound in Bremerton, Washington. In 1900, the Naval Station became a shipyard and the only West Coast ship repair facility until 1941. By 1945, the wartime workforce reached more than 32,000 personnel. Between 1917 and 1969, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard constructed a total of 85 ships, including the largest vessels on the West Coast. In 1961, the shipyard became a certified nuclear repair facility.
In 1998, the Navy commissioned Naval Station Bremerton as its newest homeport. In June 2004, Naval Station Bremerton and Submarine Base Bangor joined to become one regional base known as Naval Base Kitsap, where PSNS& IMF is a tenant command on base.
Welcome to the Navy’s largest infrastructure project: the Multi-Mission Dry Dock at PSNS & IMF. Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Northwest and the Officer in Charge of Construction Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (OICC PSNS) are committed to partnering with industry leaders, prime contractors, and subcontractors to deliver this critical capability.
To help your business prepare for and successfully bid on contracts for this monumental project, we have compiled a comprehensive guide outlining federal registration requirements, essential digital platforms, and the latest Department of War (DoW) cybersecurity mandates.
Before bidding on any federal or DoD contracts, your organization must complete several foundational administrative steps:
Register in SAM.gov: The System for Award Management (SAM) is the primary database for federal contractors. Registration is completely free and is required to bid on, receive, and get paid for federal contracts.
Unique Entity ID (UEI): Upon registration in SAM, your company will receive a 12-character alphanumeric UEI, which replaces the legacy DUNS number.
CAGE Code: You will also receive a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code, which is a unique identifier used throughout the federal government.
Identify Your NAICS Codes: North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes classify your business activities. For the Multi-Mission Dry Dock project, key NAICS codes include:
236220: Building Construction
237990: Commercial and Industrial Building Construction
DoD contractors must establish accounts and maintain compliance in two critical web-based systems: SAM.gov and Procurement Integrated Enterprise Environment (PIEE)
PIEE is the primary enterprise tool for DoD procurement, used for contract administration, invoicing, receiving, and acceptance (WAWF).
Website: https://piee.eb.mil
The DoD has finalized the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) framework to protect sensitive digital assets within the Defense Industrial Base. If your contract processes, stores, or transmits Federal Contract Information or Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), CMMC compliance is mandatory prior to contract award.
What is CUI?
Controlled Unclassified Information is government-created or possessed information that requires safeguarding or dissemination controls. Examples of Controlled Technical Information (CTI) relevant to dry dock construction include engineering drawings, specifications, technical reports, manuals, standards, and computer software executable code.
The CMMC Levels and Requirements
Depending on the sensitivity of the information your business will handle, you must achieve one of three CMMC levels.
Start Now: The audit and certification process can take several months. Certified Third-Party Assessor Organizations (C3PAOs) are in high demand, so expect lead times before an audit can begin.
Mock Assessment: Consider contracting a C3PAO for a Level 2 mock assessment. This acts as a non-certification dry run to identify gaps before your official audit.
Specialized C3PAO: Consider selecting an accredited assessor organization that understands the construction, engineering, or shipbuilding industrial sectors.
Check Solicitations Regularly: Review upcoming opportunities on SAM.gov and carefully examine the required CMMC levels and cybersecurity requirements.
Preparing your business for federal contracting does not have to be done alone. There are multiple federal and regional programs designed to assist you at little or no cost:
Washington APEX Accelerator: Formerly known as PTAC, the APEX Accelerator provides expert, no-cost government contracting advising, marketing assistance, and training. Website: https://kitsapeda.org
Project Spectrum: A DoD-supported initiative providing free cybersecurity assessments, training, and tools to help small and medium-sized businesses achieve CMMC compliance.
Website: https://www.projectspectrum.io/#/
Impact Washington: An organization tailored specifically for manufacturing companies in Washington State, offering specialized cybersecurity consulting and CMMC readiness services.
As part of the Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program (SIOP), the Navy is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of constructing the Multi-Mission Dry Dock. The Navy released the Draft EIS in July 2025. The Navy will release the Final EIS in advance of the project’s Record of Decision, which is anticipated in late 2026. The full Draft EIS document is available below.
A dry dock is a narrow basin constructed near the shoreline that can be flooded to allow a vessel to navigate in, then drained to allow a vessel to come to rest on a dry platform. The proposed dry dock would be large enough to fit current and future classes of ships, submarines, and aircraft carriers, and would be designed and built to serve multiple missions, and therefore would be classified as a Multi-Mission Dry Dock
The Navy expects construction of all the components under either Alternative 2 or Alternative 3 to take 15 years.
The Navy is considering a No Action alternative, as required by the National Environmental Policy Act, and two action alternatives. Under Alternative 2, which is the Navy’s preferred alternative, the Navy is proposing to build the Multi-Mission Dry Dock at Dry Dock 3. Under Alternative 3, the Navy is proposing to build the Multi-Mission Dry Dock at Mooring A.
The Navy is still developing cost estimates for both action alternatives as plans continue to develop.
A multi-mission dry dock constructed at Dry Dock 3 would be a pressure-relieved dry dock built out of concrete. This type of dry dock includes a system of drains and dewatering pumps that would reduce water pressure on the structure’s exterior surfaces. Construction of a multi-mission dry dock at Dry Dock 3 would occur in a dry environment.
A multi-mission dry dock built at Mooring A would be a hydrostatic dry dock. The walls and floor of this dry dock would be significantly thicker and heavier than a dry dock built at the Dry Dock 3 location. The heavy weight of this dry dock structure would resist external water pressure forces without a separate groundwater pressure relief system. Additionally, construction of a multi-mission dry dock at Mooring A would require in-water construction.
The Navy identified Alternative 2 (building the Multi-Mission Dry Dock at Dry Dock 3) as the preferred alternative because it would have fewer impacts than Alternative 3 (building the Multi-Mission Dry Dock at Mooring A), based on comparison of dredge areas, in-water fill, and net increase in overwater cover. Additionally, Dry Dock 3 is currently too small to allow reliable docking for any of the Navy’s currently commissioned nuclear-powered vessels.
Constructing the Multi-Mission Dry Dock at Mooring A would require more dredging to create a turning basin and add more fill to Sinclair Inlet than building it at Dry Dock 3. Additionally, as construction of the Multi-Mission Dry Dock at Mooring A would require more extensive in-water construction than building it at Dry Dock 3, there would be a higher potential for impacts from hazardous materials and waste during construction.
As part of the Draft EIS process, the Navy evaluated potential impacts of construction and operation on traffic, including parking. During construction, increased traffic traveling to and from Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton and Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor is anticipated, in addition to an increased demand for parking within the City of Bremerton. However, traffic impacts could be mitigated by adjusting construction shift times to off-peak hours and using traffic control flaggers. Following completion of the proposed action, traffic would return to pre-construction levels.
Yes, the Draft EIS evaluates potential environmental impacts of construction and operation of the proposed action alternatives.
The EIS analyzes measures that would avoid, minimize, or mitigate environmental effects. Environmental issues and resource areas examined in the EIS include Air Quality, Water Quality, Geological Resources, Biological Resources, Cultural Resources, American Indian Traditional Resources, Land Use and Recreation, Visual Resources, Noise, Infrastructure and Utilities, Transportation and Traffic, Marine Navigation, Public Health and Safety, Hazardous Materials and Waste, and Socioeconomics.
Additionally, the Navy is conducting all coordination, consultation, and permitting activities required by the Clean Water Act, Rivers and Harbors Act, Endangered Species Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act, Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, National Historic Preservation Act, Coastal Zone Management Act, and other applicable laws and regulations.
Sign up for project updates, including sam.gov announcements, vendor resources, and informational sessions.
