143011-24-0090 - Sources Sought.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Acquisition and Grants Office Western Acquisition Division – Boulder 325 Broadway, SOU6 Boulder, CO 80305

REQUEST FOR SOURCES SOUGHT ANNOUNCEMENT

1.0 Description

In preparation for an upcoming procurement, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Western Acquisition Division (WAD), on behalf of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) is conducting market research and seeking possible sources to provide a Mobile Marine Monitoring (M3) System. The North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code is 334511 Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing. The small business size standard in number of employees for this NAICS code is 1,250.

2.0 Background

Two Mobile Marine Monitoring Systems are being requested by OLE to effectively carry out its mission to recover all protected species of whales, most notably the North Atlantic Right Whale by enforcing existing laws that prevent vessel strikes. OLE will use the Mobile Marine Monitoring Systems to remotely observe vessel speed inside eight (8) out of ten (10) Seasonal Management Areas (SMAs). SMA boundaries of these eight (8) begin seaward of U.S. collision regulation boundaries, while the remaining two (2) are entirely surrounded by open ocean and unlikely to be within the range of the procured unit.

OLE acquired a ProtectedSeas Mobile Marine Monitor (M2) through Contract Number:

1333LF22PNFFK0020 awarded to Anthropocene Institute LLC (Marine Monitor LLC/ ProtectedSeas) in FY22. OLE requires two (2) additional M2 radar units to expand its current North Atlantic right whale speed capabilities along the Atlantic coast. It is important to keep consistency with the M2/M3 units to increase savings on licensing and training requirements. OLE staff is currently trained on the deployment and operation of the mobile M2/M3 units and injecting another platform will only create confusion and inconsistencies in deployment and operation. The M2/M3 radar units are also capable of operating in conjunction with UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) which will allow the M2/M3 radar units to send the UAV to positional waypoints within its radar range to investigate possible targets and send imagery back to the user expanding the M2/M3 radar unit’s capabilities. The use of UAVs has been widely discussed within OLE to enhance our enforcement efforts and the M2/M3 platform will provide that opportunity while maintaining consistency and operation cohesion. The mobility of the M2/M3 radar unit allows OLE to quickly deploy the unit at any location with minimal manpower to support our enforcement efforts throughout the Northeast and Southeast Divisions.

3.0 Requirements

The Contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, tools, materials, supervision, and other items and non-personal services necessary to perform the required services as defined in the following tasks:

The Contractor shall provide the following:

● Two Mobile Marine Monitoring Systems to include:

o A portable and highly mobile system that is self-contained, secure while deployed, and towable to multiple locations on the East coast.

o The system will need to have its own power supply (solar and batteries) for deployment in remote areas.

o The system will have Starlink to increase connectivity.

o The system will need its own data plan (Starlink – Regional Plan) so it can be accessed remotely.

o The system will need a have an effective radar range of no less than seven (7) nautical miles off shore, with a greater distance being more ideal.

o The system will need a computer system and software package to allow remote monitoring and the ability to record data for investigations, case packages, and possibly presentation under the rules of evidence in court.

o The system will need a service plan for technical support and system updates for the duration of ownership.

o They system should be equipped with an Infiniti Electro-Optics STY-8M-53X camera system equipped with optical stabilization and electronic stabilization (EIS) to increase image quality and resolution.

o The manufacturer of the Mobile Radar Unit must have a unit that has been successfully field tested and currently in use in the marine coastal environment.

● Deployment and training support on the Mobile Marine Monitoring System at delivery location.

● Annual M2 Software Support including: software updates, tech support, and hosting; and remote maintenance for 12 months after the acceptance of delivery and for four optional renewal years.

4.0 Requested Information

Contractors shall submit a Capability Statement to demonstrate how they meet the requirements of this Sources Sought notice. Please limit responses to five (5) pages. Standard brochures will not be considered a sufficient response to this notice.

The submitted Capability Statement shall include the following:

1. Company Overview

a. Company Name and Address

b. A brief description of your company

c. Socioeconomic status, business size, and size standard/applicable North American Industry

Classification System (NAICS) codes.

d. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number and/or CAGE

2. Using specific and direct relevant examples, the interested vendor shall demonstrate capabilities with the goals identified above and the tasks outlined in the attached draft Statement of Need (SON).

3. The Government is also requesting vendor input and feedback on possible solicitation evaluation factors. This information is optional to provide.

4. In addition to configuration of the application, transition efforts include a rollout/product launch plan including training, outreach and support to ensure successful adoption of the new solution by all NOAA NMFS OLE stakeholders. In your capability statement, please provide to the Government an estimate as to how long your company think a transition time would take.

5. The Government is requesting vendor suggestions of other Commercial off the Shelf Technical Specifications not included in the SON.

6. The Government is requesting a description of the vendor’s maintenance plan for these systems if applicable.

5.0 Summary

THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT REQUEST ONLY to identify sources that can furnish expert support for NMFS program offices in the area of Marine Monitoring. The information provided in the Sources Sought is subject to change and is not binding on NOAA. This is not a request for technical or cost proposals. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this Notice or reimburse for costs incurred by interested parties providing the information requested herein. Information received will be considered solely to make an informed decision regarding a potential procurement and associated acquisition strategy.

Responses to the Sources Sought notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by NOAA to form a binding contract. All submissions become Government property and will not be returned.

Questions regarding this request or the draft SON must be submitted in writing no later than April 9, 2024 by 5:00 P.M. Mountain Time, sent via email to kealie.chacon@noaa.gov and kristen.picariello@noaa.gov.

Capability statements must be submitted no later than April 15, 2024 by 2:00 P.M. Mountain Time, sent via email to kealie.chacon@noaa.gov and kristen.picariello@noaa.gov.

Emailed responses must be received in a supported Adobe or Microsoft Office file format. These formats are the only acceptable methods of submitting a response electronically. Zip Files, Cloud storage providers, google docs, web-based drop boxes, OneNote/OneDrive, URLs, web-based format, or any other virtual/web-based memory service are NOT acceptable methods of submitting a response electronically.

Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice.

mailto:kealie.chacon@noaa.gov mailto:kristen.picariello@noaa.gov mailto:kealie.chacon@noaa.gov mailto:kristen.picariello@noaa.gov