A04_-_Scope_of_Work_Vessel_Charter_PMNM_2025-2029_FINAL_22January2025_-_Release_1.docx

Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument 300 Ala Moana Blvd Room 5-231 Honolulu, Hawaii 96850

Scope of work: Vessel Charter from Honolulu through Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.

Objective:

Transport supplies, fuel, and FWS and other personnel from Honolulu, HI to islands within the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (PMNM, Monument) - including Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge and Kure Atoll State Wildlife Sanctuary. Also transport cargo, staff and debris as needed from islands within the Monument back to Honolulu. Outgoing cargo will include nine IMO containers of fuel, at least five (5) heavy containers - including a refrigeration container, and 13 light containers of dry goods, supplies and equipment (i.e. the usual cargo load for Midway), and camp supplies as needed. Return cargo will include supplies, equipment, and camp and marine debris as needed. Up to 12 passengers may travel from and to Honolulu and the Monument aboard the ship.

With appropriate permits and inspections, wildlife and wildlife resources may also be occasionally transported on the ship.

Operational Area:

The Primary Vessel will be operating within the Northwest Hawaiian Islands in the Monument.

Contract Requirements:

· Round trip from Honolulu into the Monument with stops at the various islands and atolls as needed.

· Delivery of fuel, supplies, and personnel to Midway and other islands using Primary Vessel personnel and equipment including small boats for passenger and supply transport from the ship to shore.

· Return trip cargo will include recycling and properly packaged and manifested hazardous materials from Midway, as well as marine debris and supplies from other islands as needed.

· Transport and pick up of up to 12 passengers to/from Honolulu to/from various islands within the monument.

· Ensure all biosecurity policies are followed including certifying the vessel is “rodent-free” and all materials and supplies on the vessel and being transported are clean and free of any biological contaminants. Immediately contact the Monument Superintendent if any invasive plants or plant parts, insects or animals are observed before or during transit in both directions.

Expected Schedule/Itinerary: between 2-8 trips a year. All departure dates are to be determined

Additional Information:

· Activities undertaken by the ship's captain and crew must comply with the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument permit(s) issued to the ship and Contractor. Captain and crew are required to sign a statement of compliance and participate in any required briefings or stipulations.

· Any deviations from the cruise plan will require approval from the Midway Project Leader or Monument Superintendent.

· Ship’s crew and passengers are expected to abide by all rules, regulations and directives while at Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge. Crew conduct is ultimately the responsibility of the ship’s Captain.

Requirements at Honolulu, HI:

· Three days will be required in Honolulu for ship loading prior to cruise departure and one day required for ship offloading at the end of the cruise. USFWS is responsible for delivering cargo to the dock and the Contractor is responsible for assuring the safe loading, securing and packaging of cargo on board the vessel.

· Hazardous materials manifest preparation will be required and FWS personnel will coordinate with the appropriate ship’s crew, enumerating volumes and types of supplies or items to be shipped to ensure an accurate manifest is accomplished pursuant to CFR prior to sailing.

· Before every voyage, Primary Vessel crew will inspect and clean, if necessary, all fuel IMO containers prior to filling to prevent contamination of Midway fuel systems. All IMO containers must be USCG compliant.

· The loading dock must be able to accommodate large vehicles which are to deliver and pick up cargo. A forklift must be available at the dock for USFWS use for loading and unloading cargo to/from the vehicles.

· Minimum lifting capacity of dock crane must be 14,000 lbs. and maximum container weight cannot exceed 12,000 lbs.

· USFWS will schedule the delivery of fuel to the Primary Vessel. Contractors will conduct upload of fuel and ensure all safety precautions and regulations are followed with sufficient time to be effective prior to loading to the Primary Vessel.

Requirements at Monument Islands (outside of Midway)

· Monument islands are fully quarantined to prevent the accidental introduction of non-native organisms. All personnel accessing the islands must follow the biosecurity policy (see attached).

· On-loading and offloading cargo from Primary Vessel to small boats will be accomplished by the Contractor using the Primary Vessel’s small boat(s) and qualified ship’s crew.

· Palletized and other contained cargo will be loaded to tenders from the Primary Vessel. One open top 20-foot Conex box type container or equivalent will be supplied by the Primary Vessel as needed. The Primary Vessel must have the ability to crane palletized cargo to and from the ship to and from floating tenders.

· A backup small boat which meets all applicable biosecurity protocols must be available on the vessel in addition to the primary small boat used for work on Monument islands. Either two fully operational small boats will be in the water at all times during at sea transfers, or, if one small boat is conducting at sea transfers the second small boat must be fully operational and be rigged to the crane ready for immediate deployment. See Safety Requirements Small Boat Support for additional information. Small boat activities must be completed during daylight hours.

· Contractors will transport up to 12 passengers from the Primary Vessel to the islands.

· Contractors will transport supplies including food and fuel as needed.

· Contractors will provide breakfast on the Primary Vessel on the day of arrival to passengers and lunch for the passengers on shore. Absolutely no fresh produce can be used in passenger lunches to prevent accidental seed introduction to the islands.

· If conditions prohibit landing on scheduled days, the Primary Vessel will remain on “stand-by” unanchored (moving back and forth at a reduced speed) at a safe distance from the island until conditions improve, or decisions are made between the Captain and the Expedition Leader to proceed on without landing.

· Space for 2 coolers in the vessel’s freezer.

· On return trips, Contractors will transport supplies, debris/trash, and up to 12 personnel to the Primary Vessel from island destinations. Personnel will require lunch (again, no fresh produce) on shore, and dinner on the Primary Vessel the day of the pickup.

· The FWS Expedition Lead and the ship Captain will communicate a minimum of 3 times per day (1 hour after sunrise, noon, and 1 hour before sunset) and will communicate via radio before every boat transfer unless otherwise agreed upon by the Expedition Lead.

Requirements at Midway

· Contractor’s crew may access Midway for recreational purposes only with the explicit permission of the Refuge Manager.

· Crew may consume alcoholic beverages on the Vessel Pier with the approval of the Primary Vessel Captain and the Refuge Manager.

· FWS staff and island-based contractors at Midway will assist with dock side unloading of containers and fuel.

· FWS staff and island-based contractors at Midway will deploy an oil containment boom which must be in place prior to offload of fuel.

· Mooring lines will be fitted with rodent guards near the ship’s hull immediately after mooring at Midway and all possible rodent ingress/egress points will be made as “rodent inaccessible” as possible.

· Emerald beetles (prolific during the summer months) exist on Midway but not on the main Hawaiian Islands. Captain will ensure Primary Vessel and crew are inspected prior to departing Midway to ensure emerald beetles are not transported to any other location.

Primary Vessel Requirements

· Coast Guard approval for the Primary Vessel to transport up to 9 clean IMO tanks of JP-5 or Jet A at approximately 5,000 gallon of fuel/tank is a requirement of the primary vessel.

· The Primary Vessel will provide all passengers with a safety briefing before or shortly after departure to explain safety procedures, location of safety equipment and explain chain of command when embarking and disembarking large and small boats.

· All vessels operating within the Monument must have at a minimum a Rodent Free Inspection and Ant Inspection each conducted by detector dogs no more than 48 hours prior to departure, a Hull Inspection or approved biofouling risk assessment report conducted no more than 14 days prior to departure, and a Ballast Water Record Inspection. If any small boat operations are proposed to occur within the Monument, then a Tender Vessel Fouling Inspection or risk assessment must occur within 14 days prior to departure as well. If any gear will be placed or used in the water or on land, you must schedule an inspection of these items before departing for the Monument also. For more information on who to contact to arrange these inspections please call USFWS.

· Detector dogs must be used to carry out the required rodent and ant inspections. To prevent accidental introduction of invasive species, the ship is required to always have both rodent traps and ant traps on board.

· If questionable information is generated from any of the inspections listed here, Contractor may be required to conduct cleaning or treatment operations such as rodent eradication, ant treatments, hull cleaning, or ballast water maintenance at Contractor’s own cost before departing for the Monument. If proposed gear or materials are found to be contaminated with alien species, Contractor may be required to conduct specific cleaning measures or complete replacement of contaminated items at Contractor’s own cost before departing for the Monument. Re-inspection may be required.

· Additionally, recent concerns over the proliferation of alien algae in the main Hawaiian Islands has resulted in the need for a strong effort on the part of any visitor to ensure that they do not transport these species into the waters of the Monument. All small boats, engines, anchors, and lines will be visually inspected for any algal remnants or other alien species which must be removed prior to departure for the Monument. If necessary, the small boats must be washed and disinfected prior to departure from the main Hawaiian Islands. The same inspection procedure is required for small boats and associated equipment between uses at multiple atolls or islands within the Monument. If any alien species are found, they must be removed and placed in a sealed container until they can be properly disposed of upon return to Honolulu through coordination with proper authorities in the main Hawaiian Islands (i.e. USDA PPQ and HDOA).

· In a similar manner, precautions to prevent the movement of Chondria tumulosa (a nuisance algae species) from the Chondria Management Zone (Holaniku/Kure, Midway and Manawai/Pearl & Hermes) to the main Hawaiian Islands must be followed. The Monuments current Best Management Practices (BMP’s) must be followed for working in the Chondria Management Zone.

· Additionally, recent detections of ants on board vessels have resulted in the need for intact, clean, closed-top containers to store all gear bound for sensitive islands. Each container must be free of plant material, arthropods, and all biological material. The container is required to have a high-quality seal and be free of holes to prevent the movement of ants into the container.

· The deck must be cleaned with pressurized salt water prior to cargo loading, paying special attention to cracks and crevices that could harbor insects, such as the space between deck boards or beneath immovable objects. If pre-access monitoring detects ants onboard, then an insect treatment service must be implemented.

· All vessels used to access the Monument must carry a minimum amount of Wreck Removal and Pollution insurance, specifically targeted and sufficient to provide for the vessel’s full extraction and removal from the Monument should it run aground or experience difficulties. The extraction method used must meet with the approval of USFWS and any other appropriate State of Federal resource trustee.

· No release or exchange of ballast water will be permitted within the Monument.

· Discharging gray water is allowed in the Monument outside of all Special Preservation Areas and the Midway Atoll Special Management Area (See attached Map). Discharging biodegradable solid waste associated with galley operations is restricted to 3 nautical miles (ground to 1 inch in diameter) and 12 nautical miles (unground) outside of all Special Preservation Areas and the Midway Atoll Special Management Area. This means that no food or kitchen rubbish may be thrown overboard within the Special Preservation Areas and the Midway Atoll Special Management Area. Also, there will be no intentional release of sewage, or black water, from the Primary Vessel within the Monument. All sewage will be held in a proper storage tank(s).

· A cruise log must be maintained for the entire cruise and should include a description of activities and geographic locations of those activities. A copy of this cruise log will be provided to USFWS upon return to Honolulu.

· The Contractor is responsible to arrange and produce all U.S. Customs and U.S. Department of Homeland Security documents, reports, and inspections as required by those agencies with respect to all personnel and cargo transported under this contract.

· The Contractor shall provide adequate crew to affect the safe operation of the ship and provide appropriate watch standing. Small boat operators must have specific, demonstrated experience handling small boats for landing and extracting personnel and gear in surf.

Cargo requirements:

· Prior to departure, the Contractors will provide FWS with access to the Primary Vessel, small boats, and cargo containers to inspect for invasive plant, insect, or algal invasive species prior to the commencement of on-loading cargo in Honolulu. If any invasive species are found the Contractor must re-clean the contaminated areas prior to the on-loading of cargo.

· FWS will identify, label, and provide proper documentation for all hazardous materials prior to loading. Hazardous cargo will include fuel, herbicide, and some other hazardous materials (e.g. paints, engine oil).

· Average cargo consists of two refrigerated 20 ft shipping containers, up to ten 20ft shipping containers containing dry goods and nine IMO fuel containers transporting approx. 4600 gallons of fuel each. The 20 ft shipping containers will transport between 15,000-16,000 lbs. each. Miscellaneous items such as wildlife (seals, birds, etc..), heavy machinery (cranes, skid steers, backhoes etc..) and 20ft generators may be transported when needed.

IMO Tanks

· Storage, cleaning, flushing and disposal of all hazardous waste and gas free inspection accomplished by a marine chemist of the nine (9) IMO tanks at Contractor's facility to be accomplished each time the IMO tanks are used to take fuel to the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. All IMOs must remain in compliance with USCG regulations and requirement.

Small boat requirements:

· Two fully operational small boats are required which follow all biosecurity protocols for the location(s) they are to be used at.

· Either two fully operational small boats will be in the water at all times during at sea transfers, or, if one small boat is conducting at sea transfers the second small boat must be fully operational and be rigged to the crane ready for immediate deployment.

· Each boat must be outfitted with: a main and spare outboard engine, 1 EPIRB or Pathfinder Pro Search and Rescue Transponder, 2 VHF radios, 2 anchors with minimum of 100 ft of line each, 1 personal floatation device for each individual transported in the small boat, compass, charts, emergency bucket with a minimum of 1 portable water desalinator or 2 flats of bottled water, emergency rations, emergency blankets, tool kit, spare engine parts, and a flare kit.

· Closed toe shoes are required for all small boat work in the Monument for small boat handlers and scientists.

· Small boats must be able to carry cargo parcels of the following size: 500 pounds with a footprint of 4.5 foot by 4.5 foot.