MBS004_-_Attach_2_-_SOW.pdf

HSCG23-14-R-MBS004 Attachment # 2

STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW)

FOR RECREATIONAL BOAT TESTING AND COMPLIANCE INSPECTION

PROGRAM,

U.S. COAST GUARD (USCG) BOATING SAFETY DIVISION, PRODUCT ASSURANCE

BRANCH

1.0 GENERAL

1.1 Scope.

The purpose of this contract is to acquire technical and management services for the USCG’s

Recreational Boat Testing and Compliance Program (RBTCP) for the Nation’s approximately

3,000 recreational boat manufacturers. This work consists of testing of recreational boats that are less than 20 feet in length, associated marine equipment, and specialized boats and equipment manufactured for sale in the United States. The contractor acquires boats and equipment before testing, and sells or disposes of boats and equipment after testing. Compliance inspections are conducted at boat manufacturing facilities, retail operations, boat shows, and as part of recreational boat post accident investigations. Boats tested may be outboard (O/B), inboard

(I/B), stern drive, or manually powered. The USCG does not normally test canoes, racing boats, airboats, or catamarans; however, at times circumstances may dictate that certain tests on these types of boats be conducted. Areas enforced through the RBTCP include defect notifications, boat identification, safe loading, safe powering, and flotation for boats less than 20 feet in length.

The RBTCP also ensures compliance with the regulations for electrical systems, gasoline fuel systems, ventilation, start-in-gear protection, and navigation lights. Inspection and testing data collected from each factory visit is recorded and maintained in the U.S. Government owned

Recreational Boating Safety database (RBSDB). Additionally, the RBTCP seeks to engage in educational outreach and information distribution to recreational boat manufacturers, recreational boat retailers, recreational boat rental liveries, and the recreational boating public at-large via the

World Wide Web on a Boating Safety website. This site will support Boating Safety by providing current regulations and available resources, recalls of boats and associated equipment, safety alerts, and boating safety resource information.

1.2 BACKGROUND

The USCG is responsible for oversight and enforcement of Federal Regulations for recreational boats and associated marine equipment. The Federal Boat Safety Act of 1971, as codified into

Title 46 United States Code Chapter 43, gave the USCG authority to establish comprehensive boating safety programs; authorized the establishment of minimum safety standards for recreational boats and associated equipment; created a more flexible regulatory authority concerning the use of boats and associated equipment to include all recreational vessels; and expanded the USCG’s jurisdiction to all United States navigable waters. The first Federal regulations were adopted from industry standards published by the American Boat and Yacht

Council (ABYC) and other boating industry associations. These minimum standards covered defect notifications, boat identification, safe loading, safe powering, and flotation for boats less than 20 feet in length. Eventually, regulations for level flotation, electrical systems, gasoline fuel systems, ventilation, start-in-gear protection for outboard motors, and navigation lights were added.

One element of oversight and enforcement is accomplished by physically testing boats and associated marine equipment for compliance with these Federal safety regulations. Boats, both new and used, are purchased on the open-market, targeting those boats that are likely to fail one or more segments of the testing procedure. Once a boat has been tested and a report filed, it is repaired, and if needed, retested. If the boat passes the test it is sold. Historically, approximately

70% of all boats acquired for testing fail the initial test. In addition to testing boats and associated equipment at their facility, the Contractor also administers testing of specialty boats and associated equipment utilizing recognized laboratories and testing facilities.

The Act also authorized the USCG to develop regulations outlining specific manufacturing requirements and to conduct inspections of recreational boat manufacturing facilities to ensure compliance with Federal boating safety regulations. A pilot factory visit program was initiated in August of 2000. After careful evaluation of the initial program’s strengths and weaknesses, the

USCG launched the current RBTCP in October 2003.

The recreational boat manufacturing business is a dynamic industry with, on average over the past 10 years, 300 new business start-ups and 300 closures each year as drawn from the RBSDB.

A vital element of the RBTCP is to ensure that the most up to date information regarding recreational boat manufacturers is maintained in the RBSDB. This information is collected during each factory visit and directly entered into the database by Contractor employees.

The RBSDB is a relational database that operates in Microsoft Access 2003, and provides database support for the day-to-day operation of the USCG Office of Auxiliary and Boating

Safety, Product Assurance Branch. The database contains current and historical manufacturer information for more than 15,000 past and current recreational boat manufacturers. It also serves as a repository of summary data for recall campaigns, recreational boat manufacturer cases, and other manufacturer interactions with the Product Assurance Branch. The RBSDB provides data necessary for tracking activities from start to completion, and provides reports of status and actions required. The RBSDB also contains reports of factory compliance visits, currently more than 16,000 in number.

The RBSDB provides a user interface through a number of data input, edit and review screens, as well as a significant number of prepared inquiries and reports. It also produces numerous “bean-counts” for use in preparing periodic summary reports. It is easy to prepare ad hoc reports, provide answers to data call questions, and to modify the database locally as necessary.

1.3 CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL

1.3.1 Project Manager. The Contractor shall provide a single Project Manager who shall be responsible for all Contractor work performed under this contract. The Project Manager is further designated as Key by the Government (see SOW 1.4).

1.3.1.1 The Project Manager shall be the single point of contact for the Contracting Officer and the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR). It is expected that the Project Manager shall be one of the senior level employees provided by the Contractor for work under this contract.

During any absence of the Project Manager, only one alternate shall have full authority to act for the Contractor on all matters relating to work performed under this contract. The Project

Manager and all designated alternates shall be able to read, write, speak, and understand English.

The Contractor shall not replace the Project Manager without prior written notification to the

COR and prior written approval of the Contracting Officer.

1.3.1.2. The Project Manager shall be available to the COR via telephone between the hours of

0800 and 1700 Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, and shall respond to a request for discussion or resolution of technical problems within two (2) hours of notification.

1.3.1.2.1 All technical communications between the Contractor and the Government shall normally be through the Project Manager and the COR. At times, Compliance Inspectors may find it necessary to consult directly with a USCG Marine Investigator or Engineer for compliance or technical guidance; the Project Manager shall be responsible for ensuring all technical issues raised by field Compliance Inspectors, when resolved, are posted electronically by the Project

Manager in the Compliance Inspector Notations.

1.3.2 Qualified Personnel. The Contractor shall provide qualified personnel to perform all requirements specified under this contract. All Contractor employees supporting this contract shall also be legal residents of the United States and eligible for employment.

1.3.3 Employee Conduct. Contractor employees shall present a professional appearance at all times and their conduct shall not reflect discredit upon the USCG.

1.3.3.1 Removing Employee for Misconduct. The Government may, at its sole discretion, direct the contractor to remove any employee for misconduct. Such removal does not relieve the contractor of the responsibility to provide the required services under this contract.

1.3.4 Employee Safety. Contractor shall ensure safety regulations are adhered to and that employees wear appropriate safety attire when visiting manufacturing sites.

1.3.5 Conflict of Interest. The Contractor shall not employ any person who is an employee of the United States Government if that employee would, or could appear to, cause a conflict of interest. All conflict of interest issues will be reported to and coordinated with the Contracting

Officer.

1.4 KEY PERSONNEL. Before replacing any individual designated as Key by the Government, the Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer and the COR in advance, submit written justification for replacement, and provide the name and qualifications of any proposed substitute(s). All proposed substitutes shall possess qualifications equal or superior to those of the Key person being replaced. The Contractor shall not replace Key Contractor personnel without written approval and acknowledgement from the Contracting Officer.

1.5 SECURITY. Contractor access to the USCG’s RBSDB is required by this contract and the information contained in the database must be treated as Sensitive but Unclassified information.

Contractor employees shall safeguard this information against unauthorized disclosure or dissemination. The Contractor shall not release any information in, or derived from, the RBSDB without written authorization of the Government.

1.6 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE. The period of performance of this contract is one (1) year from the date of award plus four (4) one (1) year options.

1.7 PLACE OF PERFORMANCE.

1.7.1 All work performed in accordance with recreational boat testing under this contract shall be performed at the Contractor’s facility located in the United States or the Contractor may engage an outside source to conduct boat and associated equipment testing at a location determined by the outside source; however, the testing must be conducted within the United States.

1.7.2 All work performed in accordance with recreational boat compliance inspections under this contract shall take place at individual recreational boat manufacturing and retail facilities located in the Continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and any other U.S. Territory.

1.8 TRAVEL. Performance of this contract requires travel. The Contractor will be reimbursed for transportation expenses in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) – subsection 31.205-46.

1.8.1 When the Contractor expects total funding expended for travel to reach 75 percent of the total funds available on each travel Contract Line Item Number (CLIN), the Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer. The notice shall state the estimated amount of additional funds required to continue performance for the period specified in the Schedule.

1.9 KICK-OFF MEETING. The Contractor shall attend a Kick-Off Meeting with the

Contracting Officer and the COR no later than five (5) days after the date of the award. The purpose of the Kick-Off meeting, which will be chaired by the Contracting Officer, is to discuss objectives of this contract and review the Contractor’s project plan. The Kick-Off meeting shall be held at the Government’s facility.

1.10 PROJECT PLAN. The Contractor shall provide a draft project plan at the Kick-Off

Meeting for Government review and comment. The Contractor shall provide a final Project Plan to the COR not later than five (5) days after comments are received from the Government.

1.11 PROGRESS REPORTS.

1.11.1 The Project Manager shall provide a monthly Boat Testing progress report to the COR and the Contracting Officer by the 15 th of each month via electronic mail message. The progress report shall include the following:

1. Total number of boats and associated marine equipment acquired for testing;

2. Test status of boats and associated marine equipment;

3. Hull Identification Number (HIN) of each boat purchased for testing;

4. Address and telephone number of seller of the each boat (individual or dealer);

and

5. Purchase price of each boat.

6. Status of repairs for any non-compliance issues

1.11.2 The Project Manager shall provide a monthly Boat Manufacturer Compliance progress report to the COR and the Contracting Officer via electronic mail. The report shall cover the period beginning on the 1 st day of each month and ending on the last day of each month (i.e. each calendar month). The report shall be submitted to the COR and the Contracting Office by the th of each month via electronic mail message and provide the following:

1. Number of factory inspections. This number will also provide a running number on the total number of factory inspections conducted during the contract year (e.g., 145 out of

350);

2. Deficiencies recorded by manufacturer, boat type, and length;

3. Number of repeat deficiencies by manufacturer, boat type, and length;

4. A detailed description of each issue raised by manufacturer and its resolution;

5. A listing of each technical issue with its corresponding resolution entered into the Factory

Inspector Note Database;

6. A listing of each Manufacturer’s Database listing that was updated, including the updated information (e.g., corrected address, contact telephone number); and

7. Detailed report of all factory operator comments and any issues resolved (absent USCG participation).

1.11.3 The Project Manager shall provide a monthly Recreational Boat Retailer Compliance report to the COR and the Contracting Officer via electronic mail. The report shall cover the period beginning on the 1 st day of each month and ending on the last day of each month (i.e.

calendar month). The report shall be submitted to the COR and the Contracting Office by the th day of each month via electronic mail message and provide the following:

1. Number of retailer visits by location. This number will also serve as a running number on the total number of retailer visits conducted during the contract year (e.g., 145 out of

200);

2. Deficiencies discovered and recorded by manufacturer, boat type, and length;

3. Number of deficiencies by manufacturer, boat type, and length;

In addition to the information above, all monthly reports shall include a summary of meetings, briefings, trips (other than inspection related) and conferences during the period of the report and those planned for the following period.

1.11.4 The Project Manager shall provide a monthly report of all inspection activity conducted in conjunction with Recreational Boat Post Accident Inspections. A report is only necessary when post-accident inspection activity occurs. The report shall contain the following:

1. Number of post boating accident inspections attended; and

2. Number of post boating accident inspections attended with USCG Investigator(s) or

Engineer(s).

1.11.5 The Project Manager shall provide a monthly report of all inspection activities conducted at any boat show or boat exposition. A report is necessary when boat show/exposition inspection activity occurs.

1.12 PROGRESS MEETINGS. The Project Manager shall meet with the COR on a monthly basis or a less frequent schedule as determined by the COR to discuss program progress, exchange information, and resolve emergent technical problems and issues. These meetings shall normally take place at the Contractor’s facility; however, meetings may be held at the

Government location.

1.13 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. All data, video productions, photographs, and data and procedures developed by work conducted on this contract are the property of the Government.

The Contractor will not release any of this material unless the USCG gives explicit written permission for release. At the completion of this contract, all data shall be returned to the USCG.

Not later than 30 days prior to the end of the final period of performance of the contract, the

Contractor shall request return/disposition instructions from the COR.

2.0 REQUIREMENTS.

2.1 Project Plans, Procedures, and Manuals

2.1.1 Draft Project Plan. At the kick-off meeting the Contractor shall submit a detailed draft

Project Plan for the COR’s review. The Project Plan shall provide guidelines as to how the

Contractor shall perform all the requirements in the SOW and achieve the deliverable dates. The

Project Plan shall also provide timeframes and milestones, as well as staffing guidelines.

2.1.2 Final Project Plan. Within 5 days after receiving feedback from the Government concerning the Draft Project Plan, the Contractor shall deliver for approval, a final Project Plan.

2.1.3 Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). Within 15 days after the kick-off meeting, the

Contractor shall develop a SOP for use by the Contractor’s Inspectors from existing Government established Compliance Program materials. The level of detail of inspection visits shall be further broken down into categories that reflect the complexity of the manufacturer’s operation.

The category and level of factory or retailer visit must have a direct correlation with the effort by the contractor. The Contractor shall also outline methods of collection, packaging, and shipping of boats and associated equipment samples that are collected for testing at the direction of the

COR. The SOP shall not be implemented until approved by the Government. The COR will provide written comments on the submitted SOP within 15 days of receipt of the SOP from the contractor.

2.1.3.1 Contractor shall review the SOP annually and submit changes to the Government for review and approval. Changes are due within 30 days after the exercise of each contract option period.

2.1.3.1.1 Contractor shall develop an electronic record keeping and sharing system to post

“Lessons Learned,” training information, and a Factory Inspector Notations section for issues encountered during a factory or retailer visit and ensuing resolution.

2.1.4 Compliance Inspector’s Manual. Within 45 days after the kick-off meeting, the

Contractor shall submit for COR review a comprehensive Compliance Inspector’s manual describing the procedures and requirements necessary to successfully perform a factory visit while minimizing disruption to a manufacturer's operations. The COR will provide written comments to the contractor within 15 days of receipt of the manual from the contractor. The

Contractor shall establish procedures to properly document findings from completed factory and retailer visits. The completed manual will become the property of the Government.

2.1.5 Recreational Boating Safety Database.

The Contractor shall review the RBSDB and make recommendations for improving the database and manner in which it is maintained and updated. The Government desires to maintain the current “look and feel” for the user interface screens and processes. The Contractor shall not institute any changes to the database without prior written Government approval. COR will provide written comments on the contractor’s RBSDB recommendations within 15 days of receipt of recommendations from the contractor. Upon receiving Government approval, the

Contractor shall make the recommended changes to the database. The database shall be maintained by the Contractor, but shall remain the property of the Government. All changes shall be strictly controlled by the Government.

2.1.5.1 The Contractor shall only distribute the RBSDB at the direction of the COR to other

Government agencies and law enforcement organizations. The RBSDB shall be made available in electronic format (suitable for distribution via the Internet), CDs, or other common media.

The distribution shall occur no later than 3 days from the day of receipt of Government approval of the request.

2.1.5.2 The Contractor shall provide the Government with an updated electronic copy of the

RBSDB on a weekly basis due on the first Government working day of each week.

2.1.5.3 The contractor shall provide the Government full remote administrative access to the

RBSDB so that data entry, queries, and generated reports can be performed as needed. The

Contractor shall ensure that the RBSDB remains searchable by any discrete data element or combination of elements, including, but not limited to, report number, case number, a six-digit

Compliance Inspector identification number, factory name and Manufacturers Identification

Code. Reports filed in the database shall be accessible by CG-BSX-23 staff between the hours of

0600 and 1700 Eastern Time each business day. Factory Visit case reports shall be entered and displayed in the database no later than 5 days after the visit.

2.1.5.4 The contractor shall, as part of the RBSDB, provide a web-based document management system that will accommodate documents generated as a result of the Recreational Boat Factory

Inspection and Testing program. Components include, but are not limited to:

1. An online repository for all Product Assurance documents.

2. The ability to upload new documents and files via internet-only access.

3. Capacity for a minimum of 500 cases per year.

4. Capacity for a minimum of 10,000 documents per year.

5. Monthly backup in accessible DVD non-proprietary format.

6. 24/7 hosting and maintenance of web-based document management system.

7. Administrator privileges for all aspects of the document management system.

8. Technical support available during core business hours (0800-1700) Monday thru

Friday.

2.2 Compliance Inspector Training. No later than 15 days after the kick-off meeting, the

Contractor shall submit for COR review a Compliance Inspector training plan to ensure

Compliance Inspectors are thoroughly familiar with pertinent regulations. At a minimum this initial training shall cover the references listed in Section 5.0. The training shall also provide

Compliance Inspectors with communication, record keeping and other skills that are needed by

Compliance Inspectors in order to present themselves in a professional and effective manner. The

COR will provide written comments on the contractor’s Compliance Inspector training plan within 15 days of receipt from the contractor. The training shall be satisfactorily completed prior to a Compliance Inspector conducting any inspections. Documentation of each Compliance

Inspector's initial training shall be provided to the Government.

2.2.1 The Contractor shall establish and implement an annual training plan for Compliance

Inspectors. This training shall ensure that Compliance Inspector's remain current with federal laws and regulations as well as changing trends in the manufacture of recreational boats.

Training offered by organizations such as the ABYC, the National Marine Manufacturer's

Association (NMMA), Boat U.S., the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), or other sources that provide technical instruction in areas relative to boat structures and marine systems can be included as part of the training plan. Before implementation, the annual training plan shall be reviewed by the COR. COR will provide written comments on the contractor’s Compliance

Inspector training program within 15 days of receipt.

2.3 Recreational Boat Compliance Inspections. Once the Final Project Plan (see Section

2.1.2), Standard Operating Procedures (see Section 2.1.3), Compliance Inspector Manual (see

Section 2.1.4) and Compliance Inspector Training (see Section 5.2) are accepted by the

Government, the Contractor shall conduct 350 recreational boat factory inspections per year and provide the USCG with a case report on each inspection. The Contractor shall schedule factory compliance inspections according to the size, complexity, and type of production, geography, and the manufacturer’s history of compliance. Any manufacturer with a history of non-compliance shall be given priority status for scheduling of the visit. Inspections will only be conducted at manufacturing and importer facilities that are actively manufacturing or importing boats and have products available for inspection. Repeat visits shall be scheduled only at the direction of the Government.

2.3.1 The Contractor shall designate each factory inspection as a case with its own unique tracking number. Each case commences with the visit and ends when all comments, conflicts, and other pending issues have been resolved.

2.3.2 The Contractor shall develop a Compliance Inspection case report format that provides essential details of each visit and each segment of the regulations the manufacturer was subject

to. The format shall capture all aspects of current recreational boat manufacturing requirements as well as provide a section for updating manufacturer contact information. The Compliance

Inspector shall complete this report in a draft format, which is to be completed during the factory inspection, and then enter the validated information into the computerized database no later than one week (7 days) after completion of each factory visit. The contractor shall keep the draft format report in a case file until it is replaced by the report from a subsequent visit. Each compliance inspection report shall be accompanied with at minimum of six photographs of each boat inspected; one of which must be the boat's hull identification number.

2.3.3 The Contractor shall use a standard letter format provided by the Government (Section 3.0) for communicating Defect Notifications, corrections to future production boats and recalls to manufacturers. These notifications shall include a method for constructive feedback from the manufacturer. The Contractor shall mail this letter to each manufacturer inspected no later than three weeks (21 days) after completion of each factory inspection. Contractor shall maintain a permanent physical file for each manufacturer that contains copies of all correspondence generated during the contract period.

2.3.4 The Contractor shall develop a Recreational Boat Retailer Compliance inspection procedure that will accomplish 200 retailer visits per year. The purpose for retailer visits is to ensure that recreational boats offered for sale to the public comply with all outwardly visible

Federal minimum safety standards. All noted deficiencies will be forwarded to the Product

Assurance Branch for immediate action. Retailer inspections are to be accomplished in a discrete manner so as not to draw attention to the process. A minimum of 10 boats are to be inspected at each retailer. Retailer inspection reports will be completed in the same fashion as manufacturer reports to the greatest extent possible.

2.3.4.1 The Contractor shall designate each Recreational Boat Retailer Compliance inspection as a case with its own unique tracking number. Each case commences with the visit and ends when all comments, conflicts, and other pending issues have been resolved. This will be a unique case in that each retailer visit will encounter boats by many different manufacturers. The Contractor shall develop and implement a database to track the status and progress of all cases, and have a web-enabled interface that allows the USCG to access the database Monday through Friday between 0600 and 1700 Eastern Time.

2.3.5 The Contractor shall develop a recreational boating post-accident inspection procedure to be performed at the direction of the COR. Inspections will specifically target regulatory non-compliance and manufacturer defects. Each inspection will be completed with a detailed inspection report provided to the Product Assurance Branch for forwarding to appropriate State authorities. Contractor may be assigned up to 20 post-accident inspections in any contract year by the COR. Each recreational boating post-accident inspection will have an individual case number and tracked as such.

2.3.6 The Contractor shall develop a Recreational Boat Show Compliance inspection procedure that will be conducted at boat shows; at minimum the contractor shall attend five boat shows but not more than 10 boat shows per contract year. All noted deficiencies will be forwarded to the

Product Assurance Branch immediately for action. Boat Show inspections are to be accomplished in a discrete manner so as not to draw attention to the process. A minimum of 20 boats are to be inspected at each boat show. Boat Show inspection reports will be completed in the same fashion as retailer reports to the greatest extent possible.

2.3.6.1 The Contractor shall designate each Recreational Boat Show Compliance inspection as a case with its own unique tracking number. Each case commences with the visit and ends when all comments, conflicts, and other pending issues have been resolved. This will be a unique case in that each boat show visit will encounter boats by many different manufacturers. The

Contractor shall develop and implement a database to track the status and progress of all cases, and have a web-enabled interface that allows the USCG to access the database Monday through

Friday between 0600 and 1700 Eastern Time.

2.3.7 The Contractor shall require all persons not employed for work under this contract to sign a non-disclosure statement when afforded the opportunity to observe any inspection work accomplished in accordance with any requirement of this contract. This requirement does not apply to Government employees or employees of manufacturers.

2.4 Associated Material Sample Collection. When requested by the Government, the

Contractor shall collect associated boat equipment material samples used by manufacturers, and forward these samples to a testing facility specified by the Government. Purchase costs and other forwarding (shipping) expenses are reimbursable (see appropriate contract line item). The method of collection, packaging, and shipping instructions shall be in accordance with procedures contained in the SOP.

2.5 Obtaining Boats and Associated Marine Equipment. The Contractor shall recommend to the COR candidate standard and unique boats and associated marine equipment for testing.

Boats shall have standard equipment and accessories supplied by the manufacturer.

Recommendations shall be based on the Contractor’s judgment that there is a high probability of non-compliance with 33 CFR 183. Upon written agreement from the COR, the Contractor shall compare prices to determine the fair market price. The Contractor shall submit to the COR at least three (3) price quotes. If the boat or equipment is available from one source only (e.g. the manufacturer), then the Contractor shall submit one (1) price quote and catalogue prices for two

(2) similar boats.

2.5.1 Upon written agreement from the COR, the Contractor shall buy boats and associated equipment at fair market prices. The Contractor shall submit to the COR purchasing records with its invoices. The Contractor shall obtain a manufacturer’s proof of origin (e.g. Certificate of

Origin or Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin) for each new boat purchased. The Contractor shall obtain a clear title for each used boat purchased.

2.5.2 Boats shall be obtained from a boat dealer, retailer, or manufacturer, or in the case of used boats, a private seller. The Contractor shall schedule the purchase of test boats with consideration to the availability of cost effective means of transportation to the test site, availability of storage at the test site, workload at the test site, and resale market opportunities. If optional equipment is offered which may have an impact on the compliance test results or the probable resale value, the Government may authorize purchase of the optional equipment.

2.5.3 All purchases of boats and associated marine equipment shall be done in a discrete manner;

the Contractor shall not indicate to the seller in any way that the boat is being purchased on behalf of the USCG for compliance testing. When circumstances of the purchase of the boat make it necessary to disclose its purpose, the Contractor shall examine the purchased boat to ensure that it is representative of that type of boat available to the general public.

2.6 Transportation and Storage of Boats. The Contractor shall ensure that purchased boats are transported to the test facility. Invoices for transportation cost, records, and quotations must be retained by the Contractor and provided to the Government along with the Contractor’s invoice seeking reimbursement.

2.6.1. The Contractor shall be responsible for storage and security of boats and associated marine equipment before, during, and after testing. The Contractor shall be accountable for all boats and associated marine equipment from arrival at the test facility to disposal and must maintain a verifiable inventory at all times. Stored boats and associated marine equipment shall be sheltered to preserve their characteristics and value.

2.7 Independent Laboratory Testing and Inspection of Boats and Associated Marine

Equipment. The Contractor shall, during the course of Factory Compliance inspections, Retailer inspections, and Boat Show inspections identify recreational boats and associated marine equipment that should be acquired for flotation and other testing. All flotation testing of purchased boats must be conducted at a testing laboratory or facility capable of conducting in-water testing of boats in accordance with the USCG’s Test Procedure Documents (see SOW

5.15). At the direction of the Government, the Contractor shall acquire the targeted recreational boat(s). 35 recreational boats will be tested per contract year. In addition to flotation testing, all purchased boats will be inspected for full regulatory compliance with all applicable 33 CFR Parts

181 and 183 requirements. Testing of standard and unique associated marine equipment shall be conducted at a suitable location that will accommodate the testing being performed.

2.7.1 When a boat fails flotation testing, the repaired boat shall be re-tested within 15 days after corrections to the boat have been made. Manufacturers are responsible for all repair decisions and procedures regarding the preparation of failed boats and their re-test. Boats undergoing re-test do not require a second 18-hour pre-soak. If the boat passes flotation testing and fails other aspects of the inspection, the electronic test report (SOW 2.7.2) will reflect each aspect of the inspection failure.

2.7.2 The Contractor shall provide an electronic test report for each boat tested. The Contractor shall retain an electronic test report file under this contract. The Test Report shall contain the following:

1. Hull Identification Number;

2. Pre-test Boat weight (obtained from calibrated scales);

3. A physical description of the boat;

4. The manufacturer’s name and address;

5. The manufacturer’s stated Maximum Capacities;

6. Test date and test values of capacities with indications of pass or fail for each test;

7. Inspection of boat for compliance with 33 CFR Parts 181 & 183

8. A sketch summarizing all test weights and their location in the boat for each safe loading and flotation test;

9. Calculations for all tests with references to the applicable parts of 33 CFR;

10. A summary sheet of test results and information, which, in the case of the paper report, must be stapled to the front inside cover of the report folder; and

11. Color photographs of the boat, size 3 ½ ” x 5” minimum, that include: 1) a legible photograph of the hull identification number; 2) a legible photograph of the capacity plate; 3) a side view photograph of the boat; and 4) a view showing the inside of the boat. All images shall be affixed (two per page only) to a piece of white bond paper, size 8 ½” x 11”and attached to the end of the report. Boat pictures 3 & 4 shall show the boat number and hull identification number displayed by 2” white characters on a black background).

2.7.2.1 Each report shall be labeled at the top, in bold print with: Manufacturers Identification

Code (MIC), Manufacturer’s name, and a case designator consisting of six numbers and an alpha-numeric suffix. The first two digits of the case number must designate the Contract Year

(CY) of the funds used to purchase the boat; the third digit shall be the number 1. The final three digits, beginning with 001, shall be used throughout the life of the contract to designate the number of the boat that was tested. A suffix of R1, R2, etc., shall be added to indicate a re-test and number of re-test performed (e.g., 14123R1 designates the first re-test of boat 23 [out of 35 to be tested] that was purchased with CY14 funds).

2.7.2.2 Each electronic test report shall consist of a computer file in Portable Document Format

(PDF) using Adobe Acrobat® 7.0 or higher and delivered on a CD-ROM in a paper sleeve. The electronic file name shall contain the words “Green” or “Red” corresponding to pass/fail and the case designator as described in SOW. The CD-ROM paper sleeve shall be labeled with the Case

Number and color coded to indicate pass/fail. The contents of the electronic file and paper file shall be identical.

2.7.2.3 Not later than seven (7) calendar days after a test or re-test, the Contractor shall:

1. Send the Government an electronic copy of the cover letter and test report. The

COR will review the test report and provide the Contractor feedback in the form of approval or disapproval. If disapproved, the report will be returned to the

Contractor with COR comments attached within 7 days of receipt from the contractor. The Contractor shall return the corrected report within seven calendar of receipt of the disapproved report and COR’s comments;

2. Provide the manufacturer via U.S. Mail a paper copy of the test report with cover letter.

2.7.2.4 Test Reports for failed boats shall include the following enclosures when the report is provided to the manufacturer:

1. One Defect Non-compliance Report (DNR) form;

2. Four Campaign Update Report (CUR) forms;

3. A two-page excerpt from the United States Code (U.S.C.) that covers recall campaigns.

Master copies of the DNR and CUR shall be furnished to the Contractor by the COR at the kick-off meeting.

2.7.2.5 If the manufacturer fails to respond to the Contractor’s first boat failure report and letter within 30 calendar days of mailing, the Contractor shall send out a second letter to the boat manufacturer via Registered U.S. Mail, return receipt requested. If a reply to the second letter is not received within 30 calendar days of mailing, or is returned undeliverable, the Contractor shall contact the COR within 10 calendar days and indicate the lack of progress in getting the manufacturer to correct the boat.

2.7.3 The Contractor shall require all persons not employed for work under this contract to sign a non-disclosure statement when afforded the opportunity to observe any testing accomplished in accordance with any requirement of this contract. This requirement does not apply to

Government employees or manufacturers employees.

2.8 Repair of Purchased Boats after Testing. To correct a non-compliance issue, the

Contractor shall allow the boat manufacturer to either provide the labor, materials, and tools to repair the boat at the Contractor’s facility, or arrange to repair the boat at another facility. The

Contractor shall keep the Government apprised of the manufacturer’s progress in repairing the boat via the monthly progress report.

2.8.1 If a boat is released to the manufacturer for repairs, the Contractor is not authorized to bill the Government or seek reimbursement from the Government for such transportation costs. Prior to release of the boat, the Contractor must obtain written agreement from the manufacturer stating that said manufacturer will return the boat to the Contractor's facility for re-testing within

30 calendar days. The agreement shall also state the title of the person taking possession of the boat for transportation and the telephone number of the manufacturer’s representative that will be responsible for the boat. The Contractor shall notify the Government within seven (7) calendar days after the boat has been released to the manufacturer and within seven (7) calendar days of the boat’s return. If more than 30 calendar days is required to repair the boat, the Contractor shall notify the Government of the expected return date of the boat for re-testing.

2.9 Post Test Sale or Destruction of Boats and Associated Marine Equipment. Purchased boats shall be sold or destroyed after testing.

2.9.1 Boats that pass initial testing and boats that are repaired and passed after a failure may be sold at the Contractor's discretion.

2.9.2 Boats selected for destruction shall be destroyed in a manner that prevents later use in the water. The Contractor shall, at least 10 calendar days prior to the planned destruction date, request destruction approval from the Government by fax or email providing details of the destruction method, place, and time. The Government will notify the Contractor of approval/disapproval of destruction of each boat within five (5) calendar days of receipt of the

Contractor’s destruction request. For boats approved for destruction, the Contractor shall take one photograph of each boat before, during, and at the completion of destruction to serve as proof the destruction was completed. Each picture shall include a placard identifying the boat number, hull identification number, and date of destruction. The contractor shall be responsible for removal of destroyed boats to the local landfill. This is an unusual circumstance and occurs to about 1% of all boats purchased for testing. The Government will reimburse the Contractor for the full purchase price of any boat that must be destroyed.

2.10 Boating Safety Outreach. The Contractor shall assist in promoting Boating Safety

Outreach programs administered by the USCG. Outreach includes providing educational/informational materials such as handbooks, brochures, audio-video media, electronic and video programming for mass media release (television and internet). Outreach includes, but is not limited to the following:

1. CD production of “The Boat Builder’s Handbook” at not-to-exceed (NTE) 500 per year.

2. Production of training videos that will provide a comprehensive overview of the

USCG's recreational boat factory compliance minimum safety standards. The videos should be not less than seven minutes in length and no longer than twelve minutes in length. The target audience is boat manufacturers, retailers of boats, State and Federal law enforcement agencies charged with enforcement of State and

Federal boating laws, and the general public. The contractor shall post videos to a contractor provided web-based portal for widest distribution. Not more than two videos will be produced per year.

3. Provide a web-based video portal to host all aspects of the Recreational Boat

Education video productions that can be viewed directly or down-loaded to a viewer’s computer. The Coast Guard currently has a collection of Recreational

Boating Safety videos for placement on the portal.

4. Participate in Boating Safety and Boating Industry group meetings and conferences (at the direction of the COR and NTE four per year) such as the

National Association of Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) conference, the

National Boating Safety Advisory Council meetings, the regional meetings of the

NASBLA organization, and the International Boat Builders Exposition to provide details about the many Recreational Boat Compliance Inspection programs. The

Contractor may be directed to disseminate information of special interest regarding boating safety.

2.11 Optional Testing. The Contractor may conduct testing of boats and associated equipment on behalf of, or sponsored by, other governmental agencies (Federal/State) at the direction of the

Contracting Officer and witnessed by the COR. This work requirement will be accompanied by an addendum to the SOW which will outline requirements necessary for completion.

3.0 GOVERNMENT FURNISHED INFORMATION. At the Kick-off meeting, the

Government will provide:

3.1 Current Procedures and Policies for Factory Visits including the Boat Builder’s Handbook in electronic format (see 6.0).

3.2 Master copies of the Defect Notification Report form and Campaign Update Report Form.

3.3 An electronic copy of the current RBSDB maintained on a Government owned external hard-drive.

3.4 Templates of cover letters used for various test result possibilities – e.g., initial test pass, initial test fail, re-test fail, re-test pass – with address, date, and case number to be filled in by the

Contractor.

4.0 CONTRACTOR FURNISHED EQUIPMENT AND PROPERTY. The Contractor shall furnish all labor, tools, materials, safety equipment and clothing, supplies, hardware, software, computers, internet access, communications equipment, other associated calibrated tools and equipment, and any other materials or facilities not specified necessary to perform all aspects of this contract except for what is provided under SOW 3.0.

4.1 The Contractor shall provide a server (leased or otherwise acquired) that will host the

RBSDB for access by the Government and contractor employees. The minimum server specifications are as follows:

1. (2) Dual Xeon Processors;

2. 4 GB of RAM

3. Windows 2008 Server

4. SQL Server 2005 (with current service packs); and,

5. 2 Physical Hard Drives (one 300 GB partition mirrored [RAID1] over the two drives to provide near instant data retrieval if one fails).

5.0 REFERENCES

The following federal regulations and documents shall serve as reference materials used by

Compliance Inspectors during visits to recreational boat manufacturing facilities and as the basis for Compliance Associate training.

Document Title

5.1 33 CFR Part 159 Marine Sanitation Devices

5.2 33 CFR Part 179 Defect Notification

5.3 33 CFR Part 181 Manufacturer Requirements

5.4 33 CFR Part 183 Boats and Associated Equipment

5.5 33 CFR Parts 84 Navigation Lights

5.6 46 CFR Subpart 25.30 Fire Extinguishing Equipment

5.7 46 CFR Subpart 25.35 Backfire Flame Control

5.8 46 CFR Subpart 25.40 Ventilation

5.9 46 CFR Subpart 58.10 Backfire Flame Control

5.10 46 USC Chapter 43 Recreational Vessels

5.11 Commandant Manufacturers Identification Code List

5.12 Commandant COMDTINST M16761; Boating Standards

Manual

5.13 Commandant NTIS Report No. CG-B-001-80; Safe Powering

Standard Test Procedure

5.14 Commandant NTIS Report No. CG-B-002-80; Safe Loading

Standard Test Procedure

5.15 Commandant NTIS Report No. CG-B-003-80; Flotation Standard

Test Procedure

6.0 DELIVERABLES / EVENTS

Item SOW Ref. Deliverable/Event Due

1. 1.9 Kick-off meeting NLT 5 days after contract award

2. 1.10 & 2.1.1 Draft Project Plan At kick-off meeting

3. 1.10 & 2.1.2 Final Project Plan NLT 5 days after comments are received from the

Government

4. 1.11.1 Boat Testing Progress Report 15 th day of the month

5. 1.11.2 Recreational Boat Manufacturer

Compliance Progress Report th day of the month

6. 1.11.3 Recreational Boat Retailer Compliance

Report th day of the month

7. 1.11.4 Recreational Boat Post Accident

Inspection Report th day of the month following when post accident inspection activity occurs.

8. 1.11.5 Recreational Boat Show Compliance

Report th day of the month following when boat show inspection activity occurs.

9. 2.1.3 Standard Operating Procedure NLT 15 days after kick-off meeting

10. 2.1.4 Compliance Inspector's Manual NLT 45 days after kick-off meeting

11. 2.1.5 Updated RBSDB Weekly on first Government workday

12. 2.2 Compliance Inspector Training Plan NLT 15 days after kick-off meeting

13. 2.7.2.3 Test Reports NLT 7 days after test or re-test

14. 2.7.2.5 Final Notification to Manufacturer NLT 30 days after initial delivery of test report

15. 2.7.2.5 Notification to COR of Non-response by Manufacturer

NLT 10 days after initial delivery of test report

17. 2.10 Training Video Two annually per contract year.

18. 2.10 Web-based video portal NLT 45 days after contract award.

19. 2.11 Final Test Data & other Intellectual

Property

NLT contract completion date.