20R4123 QA 0001.pdf

MILITARY SEALIFT COMMAND

N32205-20-R-4123

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS#1

26 June 2020

The following are answers to questions received from potential offerors. The answers provide clarification only and DO NOT constitute an amendment to the solicitation.

1. Please clarify how an Offeror is to respond to this solicitation? Is the Offeror to utilize Form

SF 1449 and fill in the Government’s sections with the information provided for the various

Government boxes in the Solicitation and then add the information that the Offeror is required to fill out per the Form instructions? If so and if Government information is missing, is the Offeror to leave those sections blank?

ANSWER: The Offeror may submit a cover page providing the required information or they may complete the SF 1449.

2. If the Offeror is to submit their response as outlined in the question above, are there any other forms other than SF 1449 that the Offeror is to submit with their offer?

ANSWER: No, there are no other forms to submit.

3. If the Offeror is to submit their response on Form SF 1449 and is to fill-in the form themselves, please confirm that there should be two pricing line items as follows:

Tow: (1) Lump Sum

Demurrage: (1) 24-hour day

ANSWER: Yes, there should be two pricing lines.

4. The USCG’s Subchapter M inspection program for towing vessels is currently in a phased-in implementation. As a result, not all tugs owned by a single entity are required to have an inspection sticker. Part 1 – TugCon Boxes, Section 1.A specifies an “Ocean Going or Coastwise-

Unrestricted certified tug”. Due to the phased implantation of the Subchapter M program, not all of a single entities tugs may be, nor required per the USCG, to be officially “certified”. Provided the Offeror’s proposed tug meets the technical requirements for an “Ocean Going or Coastwise-

Unrestricted” tug, and provided the independent third-party surveyor attests to this fact, is a tug that is not officially “certified” acceptable for use under this Solicitation and any resulting contract?

ANSWER: Agreed, this would be acceptable.

5. The Solicitation requires towing utilizing the “Christmas Tree” method. The route that the tow will take will require it to transit the Cape Cod Canal to stay in sheltered waters. The Cape

Cod Canal, managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers, does not allow tandem tows to transit the canal utilizing the “Christmas Tree” method. Tandem tows transiting the Cape Cod Canal are required to be towed on intermediate gate lines. Previous tandem tows of deck barges between the same two ports specified in the Solicitation have been allowed to be towed from the point of

Departure to the point of Destination on intermediate gate lines. Please clarify if the use of intermediate gate lines, in-lieu of the “Christmas Tree” method, is acceptable for this tow.

ANSWER: Given this is a relatively short tow and, for the most part, in protected waters, Navy agrees that suitably sized gate lines and associated jewelry are acceptable with TOWMAN prescribed Safety Factors considered. We expect that if towing on intermediate tow lines, fendering is in-place to prevent damage to the barges. An appropriate sea state within a weather window must be chosen.

6. Is there a minimum number of dewatering pumps that the Offeror will need to have aboard either the tug or each barge?

ANSWER: No minimum number as long as the minimum capability is 250 GPM.

7. Please clarify if the 4 day Laytime specified in the Solicitation is the time allowed for the

Offeror to complete the voyage or if the Offeror is to include 4 days Laytime as part of their proposal even if the voyage and subsequent inspections will not require a 4 days.

ANSWER: Up to 4 days allowed for the Offeror to complete the mission.

8. Please confirm Offeror’s are not required to submit the tow-plan as part of their response to this Solicitation.

ANSWER: Tow Plan is required after the contract has been awarded.

9. Will the steady state towline calculations that will need to be submitted as part of the tow-plan need to be stamped by a registered PE?

ANSWER: Steady State towing calculations do not need to be stamped by a PE. Navy expects the Tow Master to complete them, be aware of his limits and adjust his speed to keep towline tension within safe parameters with respect to the weak link (or links, in this case) in the towing jewelry. This barely applies in this circumstance, but note the warnings in the TOWMAN for barge tows.

10. The tow-plan submittal requires a sketch of the pad-eyes on the barges as well as NDT of the pad-eyes. Will the Government provide the sketch and NDT for the Offeror’s use in their tow-plan or will the Offeror be required to sketch and NDT the pad eyes?

ANSWER: Offeror will be required to sketch and NDT.

11. Please clarify if the requirement for NDT applies just to the barge pad eyes or if it also applies to the tow wire, connecting shackles, and chains? If it also applies to these items, please clarify the recency of the testing and/or if manufacturer’s documentation of pedigree or stamping of the items will satisfy this requirement.

ANSWER: Manufacturers documentation of pedigree will satisfy.

12. Please confirm that for the individual jewelry components of the tow, only one method

(documentation of pedigree, stamping or testing) will need to be submitted to document the capacity of the component.

ANSWER: Documentation of pedigree will need to be submitted to document the capacity of the component.

13. Can the bollard pull of the tug be calculated or will it need to be a tested and certificated bollard pull? If calculated, do the calculations need to be PE stamped?

ANSWER: Bollard pull can be calculated; PE stamp not required.

14. Please clarify the requirement for the towing machine to be certified. Unless the tug is fully classed, the towing machine would not necessarily be certified. Will inspection and certification by the third party marine surveyor as to the fitness of the towing machine for the intended tow as part of the towing plan meet this requirement?

ANSWER: Inspection and certification by the third party marine surveyor as a part of the towing plan meets this requirement.

15. Due to the currents at the point of Departure and Destination, will the tow date be able to be coordinated so that the currents and available departure/arrival times as dictated by base operations correspond to periods of slack water? If not, will the tug be allowed to remain at the pier at the Point of Departure and/or arrive before or after the arrival time at the Point of

Destination if so required due to currents and the tow plan?

ANSWER: As long as the delivery of barges are completed by 20 August 2020 at 1200 hrs local time, tow date can be flexible.

16. How much time should the Offeror allow for the inspection at Mohawk’s pier once both barges are secured to the pier?

ANSWER: Approximately 4 Hours

17. Does the Government have any specific requirements for assist vessels, whether at the Point of Departure, Point of Destination or anywhere along the tow route, or will any requirements be only as dictated within the Offeror’s tow plan?

ANSWER: As dictated in the offerors tow plan.

18. Please clarify if the requirement for the tug to be fully bunkered applies to bunkered as required for the tow or bunkered to the full capacity of the tug.

ANSWER: Full bunkered as required for the trip with reserve for weather delay, etc. Fuel burn-rate calculations to be provided if not bunkered to 100%.

19. Part 1 – Tugcon Boxes, Section 6.B.o.3 requires that tug shall be “entered and maintained in the highest class of a recognized classification society”. Please clarify if the Government is looking for a fully classed tug for this tow or if a load line only or non load-line tug is acceptable provided it meets the other requirements of the solicitation.

ANSWER: Navy’s concern concern is for adequate bollard pull, adequate sea-keeping given the expected PIM, and adequate range. Normally at least a Load Line Cert is presented. Because a commercial tug will be used, the Captain of the Port may require a Certificate of Seaworthiness for the tow which is much like our Annex H. The Navy does not require a Certificate of

Seaworthiness as long as the tow is prepared and conducted in compliance with the USN Tow

Manual, Annex H and the Comprehensive Tow Plan requirements are completed to government satisfaction.

20. Please provide the value of the tow for the purpose of the insurance requirements outlined in the Solicitation.

ANSWER: Estimated value of each barge is ~$1,000,000. Each set of towing lights, ~$3,000.

21. Please clarify the requirement for the Offeror to provide load/discharge Port Agent’s contact info as part of the proposal. Since no cargo is being loaded or discharged, is there a requirement for the Offeror to have a Port Agent or can a representative of the Offeror serve in this capacity?

ANSWER: Representative of the Offeror can serve in the capacity as the Port Agent.

22. Please provide a wage rate schedule applicable for coastal towing vessels.

ANSWER: The correct wage determination has been attached.

23. The Solicitation requests the Offeror to complete FAR 52.212-3, 52.209-7 and 52.209-11.

Please clarify if these representations need to be submitted independent of an Offeror’s certification of the same in SAM.gov. If so, please provide the applicable FAR clauses and representation language for the Offeror to submit with their proposal.

ANSWER: A letter may be submitted stating that the Representations and Certifications have been completed in https://beta.SAM.gov.

24. To provide Offeror’s adequate time to review the Government’s responses to the above questions, please extend the response date from June 29th to July 8th.

ANSWER: There will not be an extension for this solicitation.

https://beta.sam.gov/