RFI_Satellite_Services.docx

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

For

UNITED STATES TRANSPORTATION COMMAND (USTRANSCOM)

Vessel Tracking Satellite & AIS Subscription Services

HTC711-17-Q-D039

1. Purpose

This RFI is being issued for informational and planning purposes. Information gathered will be considered in order to determine the feasibility of a small business providing the necessary support, whether adequate competition exists to set-aside the competition for small business, and the most appropriate contract type. The information requested will also be used within USTRANSCOM/Surface Deployment and Distribution Command (SDDC) to facilitate decision making and will not be disclosed outside the Department of Defense (DoD).

This announcement is not a Request for Proposal (RFP) or solicitation of any kind. USTRANSCOM is not seeking or accepting unsolicited proposals for this requirement. This notice should not be construed as a commitment of any type by the Government to take or not take any action. Please note USTRANSCOM will not be responsible for any costs incurred by interested parties in responding to this RFI.

2. Background

SDDC requires renewal of Vessel Tracking Satellite Services to track ocean vessel movements carrying DoD cargo for SDDC. Low earth orbiting satellites and on-board navigation systems are used to globally track vessels, providing in-transit visibility to the warfighter.

The NAICS for this effort is 517919, All Other Telecommunications. The Small Business Administration small business size standard for NAICS code 517919, All Other Telecommunications is $32.5 million. The acquisition strategy of this requirement has not yet been determined.

3. Description

The contractor shall provide an automated, worldwide, hourly satellite vessel tracking service to allow for in-transit visibility to the warfighter. The Government requires a license for fifty (50) concurrent users. The Government does not require, and does not expect to add additional equipment to be installed onto the vessels in order to support the coverage. The command tracks naval ships as well as commercial; therefore, installing devices on each ship is not feasible and will not be considered for this requirement. The data must come from the Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) onboard the vessels. The requirement for AIS to be installed on ships of 300 gross tonnage and upwards is from Safety of Life at Sea Conventions (SOLAS) Chapter V, Regulation 19 and Title 33, Code of Federal Regulations §164.46. Contractor receives raw data from the transponders via satellite and via devices at or around port areas worldwide. They then consolidate that data and provide the Government with last known vessel latitude and longitude coordinates. Satellite coverage is needed to provide global tracking data including vessel location information for locations where buoys are not available or where the ships do not pass close enough to the buoys to get a good ‘ping’, not just within the 30-50nm range of buoys and terrestrial stations. The data that will be provided by this web-based satellite subscription provides web-enabled location and mapping services for ocean carriers and shipments based on reported locations every ten minutes. There is government software already in place for mapping the information received. The Government’s system will automatically pass a single vessel name or multiple vessel names and/or the vessel’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) code, and will expect a return of the location data, to include latitude and longitude, and other identifying data for all vessels queried. The satellite data will need to provide coverage for approximately 10,000 unique vessels within any 24-hour period.

4. White Paper

Interested parties are requested to submit capabilities statement in the format of a White Paper as outlined below. The White Paper shall be concise (no more than 5 pages) and address only the information requested below (title pages, cover letter, etc., will not count against the 5 page limit). Again, this information will support market research activities within USTRANSCOM/SDDC.

A. Company Information (General)

B. Business size

C. Capabilities: Generally describe your company’s abilities and interest in fulfilling SDDC’s Vessel Tracking Satellite Services requirement. Specifically address the information below. USTRANSCOM is not asking for disclosure of specific or detailed innovative solutions.

D. Identify the DoD contract vehicle(s) and Federal Supply Schedule(s) your company has under which this requirement could be awarded.

E. Any Other Information Deemed Useful to USTRANSCOM

5. Response Instructions

Please refer any questions to POCs listed below via e-mail. Questions must be submitted no later than 1000 Central Time, Tuesday, 12 June 2017.

Responses to this RFI must be submitted to the POCs listed below via e-mail no later than 1500 Central Time, Tuesday, 15 June 2017.

Oral submissions of information will not be accepted in response to this notice.

6. Point of Contact (POC)