Statement_of_Work_Amendment_002_0002.pdf

Statement of Work

Introduction

The Department of the Interior, United States Geological Survey (USGS), Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center requires a vessel to support the deployment and retrieval of scientific equipment offshore of Humboldt Bay.

Scope

Two scientific missions will be conducted: deployment of a wave glider and subsequent retrieval of a transponder and wave glider.

1. Deployment Mission: Tentatively scheduled for August 13–18, 2026, involving the deployment of one (1) wave glider near the entrance of Humboldt Bay.

2. Retrieval Mission: Tentatively scheduled for September 21–25, 2026, involving the retrieval of:

1. One (1) transponder located at Latitude 41.6497°N, Longitude 125.5047°W in approximately 3,095 meters of water depth

2. One (1) wave glider, approximately 5–6 weeks after deployment.

Operational Details

Preparation and Mobilization

USGS field personnel will mobilize and load scientific equipment, including the USGS wave glider, onto the vessel one day prior to departure.

Transit and Operations

For the second mission, the vessel will transit with equipment and personnel to the study site approximately 78 nautical miles (145 km) from the entrance of Humboldt Bay. Once on site, USGS personnel will trigger the release of the transponder from the seafloor. The transponder and USGS wave glider will be recovered, secured, and transported back to shore.

Objective

The goal of this offshore work is to launch a wave glider to measure existing seafloor geodetic stations in southern Cascadia to understand strain accumulation and release (locking) along the shallow subduction megathrust interface. A transponder will be recovered to allow its five-year battery to be replaced in preparation for re-battery with the ROV Jason in 2027.

This work is being conducted as part of the USGS Subduction Zone Marine Geohazards Project and in collaboration with scientists at the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program, Scripps Institute of Oceanography, and the University of Stuttgart, Germany.

Specifications and Requirements

1. The vessel shall be fully licensed by the U.S. Coast Guard, as required by law, and shall have passed all appropriate U.S. Coast Guard requirements for safety and seaworthiness.

2. The vessel shall be equipped with radar, depth sounder, EPIRB, safety equipment, medical kit, current nautical charts, and GPS navigation.

3. The vessel shall be at least 78 feet overall length with a working deck, A-frame or overboarding equipment, winch, and a cruising speed of at least 20 knots. However, vessels that do not meet this requirement may be considered if the Offeror demonstrates the ability to complete:

1. Mission 1 within four (4) hours or less; and

2. Mission 2 within twenty-four (24) hours or less.

4. The use of multiple cranes or alternative overboarding configurations in lieu of the specified A-frame or crane requirements is not acceptable.

5. The vessel must be capable of accommodating up to eight (8) personnel during 24-hour operations. The contractor shall provide the appropriate number of crew necessary to safely support 24-hour operations.

6. Three meals per day will be provided for eight (8) personnel during 24-hour operations. The intended work will require odd working hours, and thus flexibility in mealtimes and provision of snack food throughout the day. Breakfast and lunch may be either hot or cold meals, but dinner must be a hot meal. Meals must be well balanced, nutritious, palatable, and varied. If special dietary needs (e.g., low-sodium, vegetarian, diabetic, etc.) are required, USGS will notify the contractor at least 10 days prior to scheduled departure.

7. The vessel captain must have at least four (4) years of experience as vessel master in the Pacific.

8. Mobilization and demobilization of the vessel shall take place in Eureka, California, at the ship’s port of choice sufficient to load and off-load from a flatbed truck. The vessel must have a shipboard crane able to load all equipment or arrange shoreside crane services for both on- and off-load.

9. The vessel must be equipped with appropriate systems and equipment redundancy to ensure successful completion of the mission and/or safe return to port in the event of equipment failure at sea.

10. The vessel must have sufficient deck space for the storage and deployment of the seafloor monument assemblies, float package, wave glider, and gear basket.

11. The vessel shall be equipped with handling gear, workspace, and equipment with the following minimum specifications:

a. A-Frame:

15 ft vertical clearance, 10 ft horizontal clearance (for wave-glider deployment), 3,500 lbs. SWL, minimum reach 8 ft outboard and 4 ft inboard.

b. Winch and Wire:

3,500 lbs. SWL on winch, wire, and all overboarding equipment in the wire train, including sheaves, fairleads, and blocks.

c. Deck(s):

At least 400 square feet of working deck, or sufficient space for:

• 1 monument base (36” in diameter, or 42” x 48” if on pallets)

• 1 gear basket (48” x 48”)

• 1 float package (48” x 48”)

• 1 wave glider (5’ x 13’) and sufficient clear deck space for deployment operations.

d. Crane:

1,000 lbs. SWL to relocate science equipment stored on an upper deck, if necessary.

Other Requirements

1. Safety and seaworthiness of the vessel are paramount.

2. Experience in this type of scientific work.

3. Workspace accommodations.

4. Method of equipment deployment.

5. Ability to maintain station.