Statement of Need-ROV.REV1.pdf

STATEMENT OF NEED

NOAA Fisheries, OLE, Northeast Enforcement Division

REMOTELY OPERATED VEHICLE

1333LF23QNFFK0049

The National Marine Fisheries Service’s Office for Law Enforcement (OLE) enforces laws that protect and conserve our nation's living marine resources and their natural habitat. OLE Special Agents and Enforcement Officers are sworn law enforcement officers with specified authority to make arrests and enforce over 37 statutes, as well as numerous treaties related to the conservation and protection of marine resources

PURPOSE:

To acquire (1) 1600 foot depth rated Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) for OLE’s North East Enforcement Division (NED).

BACKGROUND:

In order to successfully complete its Mission, NED requires a new1600 foot depth rated Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) to expand its in-house capability to inspect fixed fishing gear underwater for compliance with federal fisheries regulations. Promoting industry compliance with the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan (ALWTRP) remains a high priority for NED. The ROV will allow enforcement personnel to inspect gear configurations, markings and tags underwater without retrieving it. An ROV is capable of recording HD quality video and still images of gear and retain the imagery for use as evidence if violations are found. An ROV can be deployed rapidly from existing OLE patrol vessels as well as from JEA and USCG vessels as needed. OLE also anticipates other potential applications for an ROV such as aquaculture inspection, evidence recovery, investigating damage to historic shipwrecks or habitat in marine protected areas.

SCOPE:

NED requires an ROV with a minimum of 7 thrusters with 4 or more being vectored, an onboard battery for ROV power (i.e. not surface supplied power), 700 meter neutrally buoyant tether and reel, navigation system, flotation, dual mode camera, 3-jaw grabber, 2-jaw grabber.

The vehicle with all components installed must be one man operable and therefore should not exceed the following dimensions: Length 30.0”, Height 17.0”, Width 20.0”), and not exceed 70 lbs. The vehicle must be no less than the following dimensions: Length 25.0”, Height 10.0”, Width 17.0”, and minimum acceptable weight is 50 lbs.

The ROV shall be highly maneuverable and capable of lateral movement, yaw and active pitch adjustment. The ROV must be able to operate with full maneuverability in a minimum tide/current of 3 knots.

The system should include a main control console with integrated systems: command & control module/computer with minimum size 14” display screen, controller, connections, and battery power pack for control console if required. Main control console to allow ROV pilot ability to toggle video/sonar display with HUD for user customizable video/sonar/navigation. System will include ports, connections and display for a secondary sunlight viewable monitor/display screen that interfaces seamlessly with main control console allowing dual screen split screen display of video, sonar, navigation and ROV systems. Navigation software will support mission route planning with waypoints and mission planning features such as autonomous ROV navigation. It is preferred that the navigation software will allow customizable map backgrounds to include up-to-date nautical charts - i.e. ENC/RNC charts or equivalent (i.e. other map/image files BSB, GeoTiff, etc.) for enhanced mission planning in the offshore environment outside of cellular range. *Navigation Software cannot be a blank, blue or white screen.

Autonomous ROV navigation software shall allow ROV autonomous flight to a user set depth and GPS position from routes input into the ROV navigation software.

Navigation software shall allow event creation and saving points of interest such as the ability to log events that are important to the mission and record data relative to a target at the time of the vent, such as water depth, time, position. Ability to record video during the mission is required.

All event logging can be recorded in real time during the mission. Mission navigation information shall be captured in one file, exportable in a format that it is easily re-viewable. It is preferable that some of the mission route location information be output in a format that can be displayed visually in common GIS platforms such as GoogleEarth or ESRI.

ROV onboard battery power supply must be able to maintain minimum of 4 hours while operating low speeds. An onboard battery powered ROV system is preferred to allow for a thinner tether thereby reducing drag in the water column and to support deployment from smaller patrol vessels. The ability for the ROV to operate with a surface power supply to extend mission operations beyond the 4 hours of battery operational time would be an additional benefit. If a surface power supply exists it must be proposed as an option in addition to the battery onboard ROV option. Further, a surface power supply must be a rechargeable lithium power station allowing uninterrupted subsurface missions in depth and current up to 8 hours.

ROV must be in-field upgradable featuring spare ports and secure mounting locations to allow seamless user upgradability. If upgrades are determined necessary in the future, such as an Acoustic Tracking System (ACS), a ROV capable of upgrades would provide greater versatility and value to NED would enable detection of pingers & transponders used to identify precise underwater locations. An example is underwater locator beacons (ULBs) affixed to lobster traps.

When directed towards an acoustic beacon, the ATS receives an audio signal, providing information about the exact location of the target. Integration with ACS into Navigation software with intuitive design and user-friendly experience.

All cables, connections, documentation and necessary software will be included in this order.

Customer tech support service required to assist with troubleshooting and authorized repairs via telephone during normal business hours.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

1. ROV body with durable construction.

2. Minimum of 7 brushless thrusters, easily switched out batteries for onboard ROV power (i.e. not surface supplied power), battery charger, ruggedized flotation, robotic jaw 2-claw grabber, 1080P or higher color video camera with remote tilt control, two or more LED lights with a minimum of 6,000 lumens total, trim weights, system software.

3. Vehicle depth rating of minimum1640 feet (500m) and ability to maintain minimum distance from surface vessel of .5 NM at typical inspection depth.

4. Minimum of a 700 meter neutrally buoyant Kevlar wrapped tether and capacity reel, and umbilical repair kit. Secure reel storage in Pelican Case. Tether must be light enough for reel to be operated by one person without mechanical assistance.

5. Spares package, including trim weights, foam boards, Ethernet cable, assorted screws, nuts, bolts, plugs, (2) LED lights, and tools. Include lubricants used as preventative maintenance for corrosion prevention on submersible connections.

6. Surface Station/Control console with integrated systems: sunlight readable main display screen >14”, controller, auxiliary display screen and connection, serial/ethernet connections for external monitor/control console, battery power pack for control console if required. On screen readout to include: number of turns on umbilical, time, date, heading, battery levels, depth, camera tilt, degree of pitch.

7. Multibeam imaging sonar system. Minimum specs: Oculus M750d Multibeam Sonar system or equivalent, mounted and integrated on ROV and to Navigation Software.

8. Vehicle Doppler Velocity Log (DVL)

9. Vehicle mounted UHD color camera with remote tilt and zoom.

10. Vehicle mounted 6000+ lumens exterior lighting or greater.

11. The system should not exceed the following dimensions:

a. Vehicle Weight with batteries and components 70 lbs. (27.2kg).

b. Vehicle Length 75cm (29.5”), Height 43cm (17.0”), Width 51cm (20.0”).

12. The system should be at a minimum the following dimensions:

a. Vehicle weight with batteries: 50 lbs (20.4kg)

b. Length 63.5cm (25.0”), Height 25.4cm (10.0”), Width 43cm (17.0”)

13. Ability to operate off surface vessel power when available in-lieu of vehicle power supply.

14. Thrusters must meet or exceed the following propulsion capability:

a. Ability to operate in a minimum of 3knots of external ocean current/tide*.

b. ROV must be able provide thrust equally forward, reverse and lateral to accomplish movement speeds >3 knots each direction with no currents or external forces applied.

i. Provide Forward, Reverse Lateral thrust specs in lb-f/kg-f for review.

ii. Provide Up and Down thrust specs in lb-f/kg-f for review.

iii. Provide full ROV configuration weight (inclusive of attachments and components) in kg / lbs.

*Pounds thruster force required to achieve movements may vary depending on vehicle configuration and total mass. Provide ROV technical specifications for review by Technical Point of Contact.

15. Vehicle training material, software, software updates.

TECHNICAL POINT OF CONTACT: TBD at time of award

DELIVERABLE SCHEDULE: Delivery of items requested by November 30, 2023

DELIVERABLE ADDRESS:

NOAA Fisheries, OLE, NED 55 Great Republic Drive Gloucester, MA 01930