Attachment 1 - T-AGS(X) RFI.docx

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

Oceanographic Survey Ship (T-AGS(X)) Designs and Builders

PURPOSE

This Request for Information (RFI) is being issued by PAE Maritime, on behalf of the Auxiliary and Special Mission Ships Program Office (PMS 325) to perform market research related to the next generation Oceanographic Survey Ships (T-AGS(X)) that perform acoustical, biological, physical and geophysical surveys. T-AGS ships are used by Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO) to collect data that enables timely, accurate, and actional environmental information.

This RFI seeks available oceanographic designs from the U.S. and allied nation maritime industrial bases, including an understanding of the level of maturity of each design.

This RFI also requests information regarding industry capability to produce hydrographic and bathymetric-capable vessels from within the U.S. maritime industrial base. The ships will be designed and built to commercial regulatory body requirements (e.g. American Bureau of Shipping Marine Vessel Rules), obtain a U.S. Coast Guard Certificate of Inspection, and comply with other regulatory body regulations, such as International Marine Pollution Regulations and Safety of Life at Sea, as appropriate. T-AGS(X) will have a civilian mariner crew and embarked NAVOCEANO surveyors.

This RFI extends to the U.S. and allied nation maritime industrial base with vessel designs that pertain to existing or production-ready oceanographic capable vessels which satisfy or closely satisfy the below preliminary capability and operating profile parameters necessary to accomplish the T-AGS(X) missions.

Hydrographic surveys conducted in depths less than 200 meters.

10 knots on best heading, up to the top of NATO SS5.

Maintain position and any heading within 33-ft radius with minimum current of 2 knots, 27-knot sustained wind, and seas up to NATO SS5.

Maintain trackline within plus or minus 10 ft at 0.5 to 12 knots with a minimum 5,000 lb towing force.

All installed sonars operate at full performance at up to 12 knots in NATO SS4.

Accommodate minimum 100kW electrical generator for up to 6 hours.

Meet airborne noise levels of the ABS Guide for Crew Habitability (HAB+).

Hull form, appendages, and openings comply with acoustic requirements.

Machinery plant capable of continuously variable ship speed control (0-15 knots) without switching systems.

Bow thrusters ensure minimum acoustic interference by steerable jet or retractable propeller (faired) type.

Minimum of 1.500 lb/sq ft working deck unit loading.

Working deck not to exceed 10 ft above the water line.

All flush-type hatches on the working deck. Minimum disposal load of 100 tons.

Laboratories

Capable of accommodating Roll-On/Roll-Off equipment.

Minimum of 4,000 sq ft of laboratory area.

Maximized flexibility and rearrangement of laboratory spaces.

Minimum 1,500 lb/sq ft unit loading deck area. One van site each configured for: Signal Underwater Sound (SUS) charge storage, a Quiet/Drift Generator, and a seismic van.

Minimum of 400 sq ft.

volume of 15,000 cubic feet. High density storage spaces located aft with access to working areas by hatches using ship cranes.

Overside Handling

Capable of statically handling, deploying, and recovering large mission packages over the side at loads up to 10,000 lbs, including a 50 ft core sampler.

Mission Related Deck Equipment

A suite of cranes, winches, stern A-frame, and other deck gear required to permit loading and unloading the ship without assistance to support a variety of oceanographic operations at sea.

The winch system will have a slack tensioning subsystem, and the tow winch system is located below decks to protect from the elements. Provision for the remote control of permanently installed mission-related winches from weather-protected enclosure(s) with maximum practicable visibility of the cable to the last overside block or sheave.

*Represent a five-year average which includes required maintenance periods Additionally, PMS 325 would like to gain insight into recently proven execution and build strategies as well as the current capability, capacity, and availability of domestic shipyards to support the delivery of an oceanographic-capable vessel.

PROGRAM BACKGROUND

The program seeks to recapitalize the existing oceanographic survey ship fleet. This fleet provides marine and hydrographic data collection to support preparation of maps, charts, books, geodetic products, and numerical and oceanographic prediction The Department of the Navy’s (DON) current oceanographic survey ship capabilities are provided by six PATHFINDER (T-AGS 60) Class ships. The PATHFINDER Class is approaching the end of its expected service life and recapitalization is needed to maintain the Navy’s required capability.

REQUESTED INFORMATION

Interested parties are free to submit information that may assist the Navy in its market research. Interested sources are encouraged to submit a capability summary. Submission in PDF format is desired. Drawings sized to 8.5”x11” or 11”x17”. All other documentation sized to 8.5”x11”.

In response, PMS 325 requests the following information:

1) Vendor Type – interested parties should confirm their role within the maritime industrial base and whether the interested party is U.S. or allied nation-based (e.g., a design or engineering firm, vessel owner or operator, maritime services company, vessel construction manager, shipyard, and other within the U.S. or an allied nation).

2) Vendor Categorization – please indicate size status and representations of your business, including socioeconomic categories, using the size standards associated with NAICS codes 541330 Engineering Design Services and/or 336611 Ship Building and Repair.

3) Placemat or “One-Pager” – please detail the general design characteristics and capabilities of an existing vessel or a production-ready / mature vessel design(s) that satisfies or closely satisfies the above parameters.

4) Design Maturity – if your response describes a vessel design, please identify when the vessel design was last produced at a shipyard. If the vessel design has not been produced at a shipyard, please describe the current level of maturity of the vessel design (e.g., concept, preliminary, functional, detailed, production-ready). Lastly, please address your approach, list of changes and associated risks with modifications to meet or nearly meet the desired capability parameters.

5) Execution Experience – for interested U.S. shipyards, please describe experience producing a vessel of similar size and complexity, including whether the vessel was delivered on time and within budget, to what customer (e.g., the government), and with what level of external oversight.

6) U.S. Partnership – for interested parties other than U.S. shipyards, do you have an established partnership or previous production experience with a U.S. shipyard(s)? If so, which shipyard(s) and when?

7) Contract Considerations –What other contract considerations might the government contemplate as part of its acquisition strategy?

8) Acquisition strategy – The Navy is considering alternative acquisition approaches and/or the use of a vessel construction manager or streamlined government quality assurance processes. Please share your perspective on the potential impacts associated with these approaches. Do you have suggestions for how PMS 325 could modify its acquisition approach to reduce costs, minimize risks, and/or expedite delivery schedule?

9) Schedule – please provide a notional schedule to complete a production-ready design production duration for a fleet of up to eight vessels by hull (e.g., a Gantt chart).

10) Cost Estimate – please provide a rough order of magnitude cost estimate for design (parent craft design modification, if proposed, or production-ready design). Please provide a separate rough order of magnitude cost estimate for production of up to eight vessels. Please include relevant assumptions (e.g., inflation, labor rates). Note: This ROM is non-binding and for planning purposes only.

11) Discreet and Covert Operations – please provide design examples for completing discreet and covert operations for this vessel. Specifically, the Navy is investigating if a moonpool is required for these operations or if there is an alternative method. The Navy would also like to know how this method would impact the design features and cost.

RESPONSES

Interested parties should respond to this RFI no later than 5:00 PM, Eastern Standard Time (EST), on AUG 31, 2026. RFI responses shall be submitted electronically via email to:

· Mr. Joe Saponaro NAVSEA 02, at joseph.f.saponaro.civ@us.navy.mil

· Ms. Olivia Wisont NAVSEA 02, at olivia.s.wisont.civ@us.navy.mil.

The subject line must read “T-AGS(X) RFI RESPONSE - [Company Name] - RFI #TBD” Responses shall be submitted as searchable PDFs.

1.1 Additional Guidance

Respondents are responsible for properly marking and clearly identifying proprietary information or trade secrets contained within their response. The Government will not be liable for or suffer any consequential damages for any proprietary information not properly marked and clearly identified. Information provided shall be treated as Business Sensitive and will not be shared outside of Government activities and agencies without the permission of the provider. Please do not provide classified information or use the marking “CONFIDENTIAL” as this marking is considered classified by the Government which would require special handling of the information.

Submission of proprietary information is not requested. If proprietary content is submitted voluntarily:

· The information shall be clearly and appropriately marked as proprietary.

· The information shall be provided separately from unrestricted materials as an appendix.

PMS 325 will not return submissions, but will safeguard any proprietary information included in a response to this RFI.

The following type of responses will not be accepted as part of this RFI:

1) Responses submitted as marketing brochures or general capability presentations.

2) Responses submitted via telephone or voicemail.

3) Responses received after the listed due date.

RFI DISCLAIMER

This is a RFI notice only. This is not a request for proposal (RFP), and a formal solicitation is not available at this time. This notice does not constitute a commitment by the Government to issue an RFP, contract, or order.

This RFI is for informational planning purposes, and it is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government for any actual procurement of supplies or services, nor does it commit the Government to contract for any supply or service. The Government will not pay for any effort expended or any material provided in response to this announcement. All costs associated with responding to this RFI are solely at the responding parties' expense.

Respondents are solely responsible for properly marking and clearly identifying any proprietary information or trade secrets contained within their response. The Government will not be liable for, or suffer any consequential damages for, any proprietary information not properly marked and clearly identified. Proprietary information received in response to this RFI will be safeguarded and handled in accordance with applicable Government regulations.

Responses to this notice are not offers and will not be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract or agreement. The Government will not be obligated to pursue any particular acquisition alternative because of this RFI. Responses to the RFI will not be returned. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future solicitation, if one is issued.

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