1305M324Q0307 - SOW (Revised).pdf

STATEMENT OF WORK

NOAA Office of Law Enforcement, Northeast Enforcement Division

LONG RANGE LOBSTER GEAR INSPECTION CONTRACT

Requisition Number: 143011-24-0075

AAP Number:23-0850

Background:

NOAA Fisheries, Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) is tasked with protecting our nation’s living marine resources. OLE’s Northeast Division lists fishing gear compliance under the Magnuson Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act as one of its priorities for a sustainable lobster fishery. Additionally, identifying gear violations prohibited by the Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act is a regional priority. Specific gear configurations such as weak rope, weak inserts and sinking ground lines are required to mitigate large whale entanglements. The need for inspecting the fixed lobster gear is two-fold. First, OLE must enforce regulations for the sustainability of the fishery.

Second, the strict enforcement of trap limits and gear compliance could have a significant impact on the number of vertical and ground lines allowed in the water. The number of vertical and ground lines in the water directly correlates to the injury and mortality of large whale species to include the critically endangered North Atlantic Right Whale. All data collected and hauling operations will be used to identify any violations, collect evidence and conduct follow up investigations and enforcement action.

General Requirements:

The Contractor shall provide an offshore support vessel (OSV) with submersible technology capable of providing imagery for inspection of lobster gear (traps and lines) in waters typically 20 to 200 nautical miles (NM) offshore of New England within depths up to 800 ft. Video and still images will be retained and examined for compliance with federal fisheries and protected resources regulations. In addition, Law Enforcement (LE) personnel will request the hauling of suspected non-compliant gear aboard the vessel for inspection to ensure compliance with federal fisheries and protected resource regulations. Video and still images will be retained for documentary and or potential evidence per agency policy. Non-compliant gear may be subject to seizure. Compliant gear will then be re-deployed in a manner consistent with the original location and returned to the ocean floor in good working order with standard practices commonly used in the lobster industry.

Further reference to submersible throughout the SOW shall mean, but is not limited to, Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV), Autonomously Operated Vehicle (AUV), and other underwater systems that can meet or exceed requirements described herein.

Scope of Work, Non-Personal Services:

This project will require:

An OSV, along with a submersible device, to conduct up to three (3) underwater missions, plus associated gear hauling operations in the EEZ in Lobster Management Area (LMA) 3 and the offshore waters of LMA1, Outer Cape Cod (OCC), and LMA2 (see chart below). The missions will be conducted on dates agreed upon with OLE.

The exact dates of the project are flexible due to weather and hydrographic conditions.

Submersible service with attached lights, cameras, imaging sonar will be deployed from the OSV and dive on fixed lobster gear to record imagery of traps and lines. Video data and still images will be used to identify compliance levels and conduct further investigation or enforcement action as needed. As part of the missions, the submersible will be required to operate in depths up to 800 ft. with an average working depth of 400 ft, and current up to 3kts. In addition, the 100’ or larger OSV must be capable of hauling trawls containing up to 90 traps and associated rope and buoy gear for additional inspection by Law Enforcement personnel. The OSV should have sufficient deck space to secure up to two of these trawls for seizure. Offshore trawls frequently use >200lb anchors on each end of a trawl. Large and heavy traps are secured to the groundline by a gangion of approx. 8 feet. The OSV must have a davit of appropriate height and a notched gunnel large enough to clear the anchors and traps when lifted from waterline onto the vessel’s deck safely. Lastly, to ensure that gear inspected is returned to fishing in good working order with standard practices in the lobster industry the vessel must have an open stern with the deck less than 6’ above the waterline.

The contractor shall provide the OSV, captains, crew, submersible technology and operator that meet the specifications outlined in this document. The submersible technology operated from the OSV will be provided by the contractor. The vessel will also be used in performing survey, retrieval, inspection, and deployment of offshore lobster gear. The OSV or the submersible will be equipped with a multibeam echo-sounder system (MBES) that enables real-time mapping of the seafloor and provides resolution necessary to detect lobster traps on the seafloor at inspection depths. This data will integrate with subsea software that plots and records real-time positions of lobster traps on the seafloor to support visual inspection or hauling of the gear. The contractor will provide all associated equipment needed to haul and set the lobster gear.

The contractor will provide a crew experienced in hauling offshore lobster gear. All contracted personnel will be required to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) to ensure sensitive law enforcement information and confidentiality of fishery specific information is protected. In addition, the proposed vessel daily rate will include services of captain, crew, fuel and stores for the commercial vessel to transit to and from the site and complete the mission. Stores will be included for up to three (3) participating law enforcement personnel. LE personnel will have a separate berthing/cabin aboard the vessel. The mission will require the vessel to operate up to a total of five days from dock to dock. Departure location may vary based on mission requirements, but is limited to ports in New England. Up to three law enforcement personnel will be onboard the vessel during the project in order to select gear for inspection, record data, collect evidence, and potentially conduct the seizure of noncompliant gear.

The contractor shall provide shoreside transportation of up to two lobster trap trawls seized during each operation from the contracted vessel at its docking location to Joint Base Cape Cod (JBCC); including all necessary labor, equipment, and materials.

Proposed Work:

Performance under this contract known as “Work”. Contractor shall be fully knowledgeable of all contract requirements and shall ensure Work is accomplished in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract in a manner that will promote and maintain a safe environment.

The contractor shall provide:

1) Prior to each operation a Pre-Departure Checklist, confirming the vessel and all other equipment related to this project are in good working order, meeting the specification of this requirement.

a) The Pre-Departure Checklist shall be provided to the Contracting Officer (CO), Contracting Officer Representative (COR), and Technical Point of Contact (TPOC).

2) Commercial offshore support vessel (OSV) with a minimum of 100 ft. length overall preferably with dynamic positioning, shall depart from a commercial port in New England.

3) Port departure will be determined based on proximity to the targeted operational area. Inspection depths will range from 150 ft. to 800 ft. and will not exceed a distance further than 200 miles from land.

4) General coordinates within the Gulf of Maine (GOM), Georges Bank (GB) and Southern New England (SNE) for a LMA3, LMA1, or LMA2 location will be provided by OLE to the contractor prior to and during the operation.

5) The contractor will be responsible for distributing the inspection site coordinates to the captain, mate, crew and submersible operator.

6) Specific coordinates for conducting operations will be provided directly to the captain while underway. Sets of gear will be selected by LE personnel for subsurface inspection in the selected area.

7) Suspected non-compliant gear (up to an entire trawl) will be hauled, stacked on deck and prepared for inspection by the OSV crew. Inspections for compliance will be conducted by law enforcement personnel. Should gear be determined to be non-compliant, law enforcement personnel will decide whether to reset the gear or seize the gear. Should the decision be made to seize the gear, the contracted support vessel will be required to stow gear on deck and transport it back to shore.

8) A lobster fishing crew (LFC) experienced in hauling offshore lobster gear and an experienced submersible operator shall be provided by the contractor. In addition to the captain, a minimum of two LFC with experience sufficient to support hauling and resetting trawls is required.

9) The support vessel or submersible will be equipped with high definition (HD) side scan sonar (SSS), also known as a multibeam echosounder system (MBES).

The SSS will have the capability to map the seafloor, detect and identify lobster traps on the seafloor at inspection depths.

a) SSS will integrate with a subsea navigation software with the ability to mark GPS position(s) of a suspected lobster traps location on the seafloor in real time, to record and overlay suspect lobster trap position data from side scan imagery onto a nautical chart, and record side scan imagery and/or position data into a GIS file supported by ESRI arcGIS.

b) This lobster trap position data shall support submersible navigation and piloting to the identified lobster traps and associated lines for followup inspection.

10) The submersible will be capable of sustained operation and equipped with a high definition video camera capable of providing a live video feed with recording capability.

a) Additional requirements are imaging sonar, lights, vectored thrusters, manipulator arm, station keeping ability in up to 3 knots of current, and integration with a subsea navigation software that will display underwater GPS position of the submersible during the dive on a nautical chart in real-time as well as record positions during the dive in a GIS file format supported by ESRI ArcGIS.

b) An ultra-short base line (USBL) system is required for submersible location tracking and descending to target locations identified by the SSS.

The submersible operator will be able to reference the vertical end lines of lobster gear as well as SSS fixed positions to support a dive to the seafloor to inspect traps and ground line.

c) A clump weight may be required to reduce the amount of drag on the tether in the water column and enable deployment of the underwater system directly to a lobster trap identified on the seafloor by SSS. An area on the vessel protected from the elements will be required to operate the submersible and monitor and record imagery.

d) Radio communications will be maintained between the captain, submersible operator, and law enforcement personnel. The date, time, and exact latitude and longitude in decimal degrees will be recorded at the beginning of each gear inspection.

e) The number of submersible dives will vary based on site location, weather, and hydrographic conditions. Law enforcement personnel will actively observe the video feed and maintain communications with the operator and captain during the operation. A copy of the submersible video footage on a USB drive, DVD or hard drive shall be provided by the contractor to OLE upon completion of the operation.

In addition to sonar survey and submersible deployments, the OSV operator will locate the vertical lines of lobster gear and haul the gear onboard the vessel for inspection at the direction of law enforcement personnel.

● OLE personnel will be on deck to visually inspect gear during hauling operation.

However, OLE personnel will not be involved with the direct hauling of gear at the hauler or setting astern for safety reasons. This is the responsibility of the LFC.

● Only under emergency circumstances will an officer or agent move into the working area of the LFC to assist. i.e man over board or injured.

● Similarly OLE personnel will not be expected to directly assist with the launch or recovery of the submersible. Upon completing the inspection, any gear inspected and deemed compliant will be returned to the ocean floor in good working order with standard practices commonly used in the lobster industry.

Each mission will last up to 5 days and will consist of an average workday of eight to twelve hours but may vary based on location of sites and weather. Law enforcement personnel will actively inspect, use photograph/video, and document as needed all gear which is brought onboard the vessel.

If gear is seized by law enforcement personnel, at the completion of each at-sea operation the contractor will unload the seized traps and associated lobster trawl gear from the vessel; remove and discard bait; load trawls onto moving vehicle(s); transport to JBCC; and unload at JBCC for storage. The one to two trawls will remain intact during the transportation process (traps, buoys, flyers, and lines). Assuming 100 traps, with each trap either: a) 60″ x 24″ x 15″ = 12.5 cubic feet or b) 48″ x 21″ x 13.5″ = 7.875 cubic feet; 790-1200 cubic feet of space on the truck/trailer would be required. Roughly up to 10,000ft of at least 1/2 line is approximately 2500 lbs as well. Access to JBCC for any contract carrier, requires submission of the JBCC Event/Project 3-5 working days prior to arrival for background checks.

At the completion of each operation the contractor will provide OLE a summary document of any damage to lobster gear while hauling (Ex. snapping a groundline or buoy line while hauling), any gear retrieval/deployment issues that contradict standard practice (Ex: Forced to deploy traps quickly due to safety concern), and any issues involving damage to seized gear during transport.

Period of Performance:

Base Period: Two (2) Operations between October 1, 2024 - September 30, 2025

Option Period: One (1) Operation between August 1, 2024 - September 30, Place of Performance:

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The fieldwork will take place aboard a contracted offshore support vessel (OSV) in waters approximately 20 to 200 miles offshore of New England.

The transportation services will take place at the Contractor’s docking location to Joint Base Cape Cod (JBCC), Connery Ave, Buzzards Bay, MA 02542.

Schedule of Deliverables:

The following is a schedule of all deliverables, including administrative deliverables, required during the period of performance of this contract:

Deliverable Quantity Description Operation Timelines

1 2-3

100’ or larger OSV up to 5 days at sea including 3-4 full days conducting gear inspections.

Between October 1, 2024

– September 30, 2025

2 2-3

Transportation service of 1-2 trawls from contractors docking location to JBCC.

Between October 1, 2024

– September 30, 2025

Travel:

The contract vessels will be required to stage in the New England commercial port agreed upon based on the location of the operation. Any required travel costs incurred by the contractor in order to complete the project shall be incorporated into the total operational cost.

Requirements:

The proposed Contractor must possess and maintain the following certifications and/or credentials during the period of performance:

● Occupational Safety and Health Administration

● US Coast Guard Documented Vessels

● US Coast Guard Captain Licensed Operators

The proposed contractor must submit detailed photographs, specifications and deck layouts of the proposed vessels to ensure they meet mission requirements.

Performance Requirements Summary:

This contract includes a Performance Requirements Summary (PRS). The PRS plays an integral role in the administration of the contract. In addition to any applicable inspection clauses or other related terms and conditions contained in the contract, the PRS shall serve as a primary tool for inspection and acceptance of services as facilitated by the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR). Evaluation of the

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Contractor’s overall performance shall be in accordance with the performance standards set forth in the PRS, and will be conducted by the COR. The PRS constitutes a material aspect of the contract and will not be changed or otherwise modified without prior written approval of the Contracting Officer.

The PRS establishes key elements of Contractor performance that represent “mission essential” service requirements, which are identified in the table below in the “Service Output” column. The “Performance Objective” column represents the standard against which Contractor performance will be measured in relation to accomplishment of the corresponding service output. The performance objective or “standard” describes the minimum acceptable level of service by the Contractor for satisfactory performance.

The “Acceptable Quality Level (AQL)” column displays the maximum allowable deviation from the performance objective, which, if exceeded, evokes the negative incentive specified in the table below.

Service Output Performance Objective

Acceptable Quality Level (AQL)

1. Retrieval of lobster gear No damage to gear and loaded on deck to support law enforcement inspection

+/- 1%

2. Resetting of lobster gear No damage to gear and reset using standard fishing industry practices to support fishing

+/- 1%

3. Submersible operation Submersible equipment meets proposed work requirements, no issues retrieving and

+/- 1% memorializing clear imagery to conduct adequate inspection.

4. Survey Work SSS meets work proposed requirements.

No issues performing survey work to locate and identify trap gear for inspection.

+/- 1%

5. Storage and Transport of Lobster Gear Seized, if applicable.

Gear transported by vessel and vehicle to secure location without

1) damage and 2) alteration to gear configuration observed at time of inspection.

+/- 1%

Confidentiality and Data Privacy:

This contract may require that services contractors have access to Privacy Information.

Service contractors are responsible for maintaining confidentiality of all subjects and materials and may be required to sign and adhere to a Non-disclosure Agreement

(NDA).

Government Furnished Resources:

The Government will not furnish any resources to the Contractor in support of this contract.

Intellectual Property Rights:

All deliverables are the property of the U.S. Government. All documents, analyses, files (digital or other), reports, notes and photos are to be used only by Contractor personnel assigned to this Task Order. Documents, files and other data are to be stored exclusively on Government owned equipment and at no point should be saved or archived on personal drives or devices. Copies are not to be disseminated to anyone outside of the NMFS or to any other contractor personnel without explicit release from the Government.