Bates Wins $12 Million Columbus Air Force Base Water Tank Contract

Bates Engineers/Contractors Inc. of Bainbridge, Georgia, has received a $12.3 million firm-fixed-price contract to replace water-storage infrastructure at Columbus Air Force Base in Mississippi. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Mobile District awarded the small-business set-aside for construction of a new elevated tank, associated access and security improvements, and demolition of the existing tank. The work is expected to be completed by June 21, 2028.

Water Tank Storage Details

Bates will erect an elevated composite tank with a capacity of 750,000 gallons. The project description also calls for modifications to Columbus AFB’s water distribution system to connect the new tank, disconnect the old one and meet water-flow demands under the new configuration.

The company will build a paved access road, parking area and security fence for the new tank site. It will then demolish the existing 400,000-gallon tank at facility 842. The construction was covered by the Corps’ Water Tank Storage solicitation.

Award and Contractor Background

The Corps received five bids for the project. Its advance notice described the procurement as a best-value competition. Earlier planning documents placed the work in the district’s military construction pipeline: a September 2024 forecast estimated its value at $11.34 million to $13.8 million, while a March 2026 briefing listed it as a project valued below $15 million.

Columbus AFB also has a $647,682 “Water Tank Resiliency” award to Raymond Pond Enterprise Solutions JV, with a reported performance period from March 2025 through December 2026. Bates has performed other Mobile District construction work, including a $10.1 million aircraft-maintenance administration consolidation project with a performance end date in November 2024.

This award was disclosed by the DoW in its daily press release. Additional contract details will be available on HigherGov in approximately 90 days under W9127826CA023 after the contract is formally disclosed by the government.