N32205-SS-N321-27-007.pdf

21 OCTOBER 2026

MILITARY SEALIFT COMMAND NORFOLK, STRATEGIC SEALIFT PROGRAM SUPPORT

OFFICE, N103B

SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE NO: N32205-SS-N321-27-007

SUBJECT: EXTENDED TERM TIME CHARTER / CONSOLIDATED CARGO OPERATIONS

(CONSOL) CAPABLE COMBINATION CONTAINER/BREAKBULK VESSEL

1. THIS IS MARKET RESEARCH CONDUCTED BY THE SEALIFT PROGRAM OFFICE OF MSC.

IT IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ONLY AND YOUR RESPONSE WILL NOT BE

CONSIDERED AN OFFER. THIS REQUEST FOR INFORMATION DOES NOT COMMIT THE

GOVERNMENT TO PAY ANY COSTS INCURRED IN THE PREPARATION OR SUBMISSION TO

THIS MARKET SURVEY OR TO CONTRACT FOR SERVICES.

2. MSC REQUESTS INFORMATION ABOUT THE PRICE AND AVAILABILITY OF ONE U.S.

FLAG, SELF-SUSTAINING, COMBINATION CONTAINER/BREAKBULK VESSEL CAPABLE OF

PERFORMING CONSOLIDATED CARGO OPERATIONS (CONSOL) AT SEA WITH VESSELS OF

MILITARY SEALIFT COMMAND’S COMBAT LOGISTICS FORCE (CLF) OR DIRECTLY TO U.S.

NAVY SURFACE COMBATANTS.

3. VESSEL SPECIFICATIONS:

• THE VESSEL SHALL HAVE A MINIMUM SPEED OF ADVANCE (SOA) OF 15 KNOTS OR

FASTER (LADEN) AND HAVE THE ABILITY TO OPERATE AT 13 KNOTS FOR

EXTENDED PERIODS

• THE VESSEL SHALL HAVE A MINIMUM OPERATING RANGE OF 8,000 NAUTICAL

MILES.

• THE VESSEL’S MAXIMUM DRAFT SHALL NOT EXCEED 11 METERS.

• VESSEL SHALL HAVE THE ABILITY TO REMAIN AT ANCHOR FOR AT LEAST 90

DAYS IN A PROTECTED HARBOR.

• THE VESSEL SHALL BE EQUIPPED WITH A CARGO STREAM RIG ON STBD SIDE TO

SAFELY AND EFFICIENTLY TRANSFER CARGO AT SEA.

• CARGO STREAM RIG SHALL MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF NWP 4-01.4 OR ATP 16.

• THE VESSEL SHALL BE EQUIPPED WITH APPROPRIATE CRANES/CARGO

HANDLING EQUIPMENT TO LOAD/UNLOAD CARGO IN PORT. VESSEL CREWS

SHALL BE TRAINED AND CERTIFIED TO OPERATE THESE SYSTEMS

INDEPENDENTLY.

• THE VESSEL SHALL BE EQUIPPED WITH APPROPRIATE CARGO HOLDS TO STOW

VARIOUS U.S. NAVY BREAKBULK ITEMS AND CONTAINERS.

• THE VESSEL SHALL BE EQUIPPED WITH APPROPRIATE CRANES/CARGO AND

HANDLING EQUIPMENT TO REPOSITION CARGO AT SEA.

• THE VESSEL SHALL HAVE THE MINIMUM CAPACITY TO STOW 200 TEU

CONTAINERS.

• THE VESSEL SHALL BE EQUIPPED WITH AT LEAST 50 REEFER-CONTAINER

ELECTRICAL OUTLETS.

• THE VESSEL SHALL BE EQUIPPED WITH AN APPROPRIATE RAMP TO SAFELY AND

EFFICIENTLY MOVE CONTAINERS FROM LOWER CARGO HOLDS TO THE MAIN

DECK.

• THE VESSEL SHALL BE CAPABLE OF BERTHING AND MESSING A MINIMUM OF 22

NAVY PERSONNEL AT ALL TIMES (IN ADDITION TO SHIP’S CREW).

4. CARGO DESCRIPTION:

• CONTAINER CAPACITY. THE VESSEL SHALL BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE

VARIOUS COMBINATIONS OF TWENTY-FOOT AND FORTY-FOOT CONTAINERS ON

THE MAIN AND LOWER DECKS WIHTOUT INHIBITING CONSOL OPERATIONS AT

SEA. CONTAINERS MUST BE STOWED IN A MANNER THAT ALLOWS THE VESSEL

CREW TO STUFF AND UNSTUFF CONTAINER CONTENTS AT SEA AND IN PORT IN A

SAFE AND EFFICIENT MANNER.

• CARGO HANDLING AND SAFETY EQUIPMENT. THE VESSEL SHALL BE EQUIPPED

WITH SUFFICIENT CARGO HANDLING EQUIPMENT (PALLET JACKS, FORKLIFTS,

TRACTORS, ETC.) AND SAFETY GEAR (HARD HATS, GLOVES, ETC.) TO MOVE

CONTAINERS FROM STORAGE LOCATIONS TO CARGO TRANSFER STATIONS ON

THE MAIN DECK. THE VESSEL MUST BE EQUIPPED WITH CERTIFIED TWENTY-

AND FORTY-FOOT SPREADER BARS.

• CARGO SECURING GEAR. ALL CARGO SECURING GEAR IS TO BE PROVIDED BY

THE VESSEL OWNER INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, TWIST LOCKS, STRAPS,

CHAINS, BINDERS, ETC.

• HAZARDOUS MATERIAL. THE VESSEL SHALL BE CAPABLE OF CARRYING ALL

CLASSES OF HAZARDOUS CARGO WITH PROPER SEGREGATION.

5. PLACE / RANGE OF DELIVERY: NORFOLK, VA OR SAN DIEGO, CA. PLEASE PROVIDE THE

COST OF ANY DELIVERY FEE FOR BOTH PORTS.

6. PLACE / RANGE OF REDELIVERY: NORFOLK, VA OR SAN DIEGO, CA. PLEASE PROVIDE

THE COST OF ANY REDELIVERY FEE FOR BOTH PORTS.

7. LAYDAYS: PROMPT. RESPONDENTS PROVIDE DATE OF EARLIEST AVAILABILITY.

8. CHARTER PERIOD: ONE 12-MONTH TIME CHARTER PERIOD WITH THREE ONE-YEAR

OPTION PERIODS AND ONE 11-MONTH OPTION PERIOD.

9. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: THE VESSEL WILL BE EXPECTED TO CONDUCT

UNRESTRICTED CONSOL OPERATION AT SEA WITH SHIPS OF MSC’S CLF IN ALL

REASONABLE SEA STATES AND WEATHER CONDITIONS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

FAMILIARITY WITH NAVAL WARFARE PUBLICATION (NWP) 4-01.4, UNDERWAY

REPLENISHMENT, IS ESSENTIAL FOR VESSEL AND MISSION SUCCESS. NWP 4-01.4 CAN BE

ACCESSED AT: HTTPS://WWW.MARITIME.DOT.GOV/SITES/MARAD.DOT.GOV/FILES/2023-

01/UNREP-NWP04-01.PDF

10. INTERESTED PARTIES ARE REQUESTED TO PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:

A. NAME AND COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF THE VESSEL. VESSEL PARTICULAR

CARDS/PAMPHLETS ARE HIGHLY DESIRABLE.

B. DAILY CHARTER RATE.

C. PRICING AND TIMELINE TO MODIFY AN EXISTING VESSEL TO MEET/EXCEED THE

REQUIREMENTS IN NUMBER 1-4 OF THIS REQUEST.

D. DELIVERY OR REDELIVERY BONUS (IF APPLICABLE). SEE ITEMS 5 AND 6 ABOVE.

E. FUEL CONSUMPTION (TYPE AND MT/DAY).

https://www.maritime.dot.gov/sites/marad.dot.gov/files/2023-01/unrep-nwp04-01.pdf https://www.maritime.dot.gov/sites/marad.dot.gov/files/2023-01/unrep-nwp04-01.pdf

F. BUSINESS SIZE.

G. STATEMENT OR INFORMATION AFFIRMING THAT VESSEL MEETS OR EXCEEDS ALL

REQUIREMENTS IN NUMBER 1-9 OF THIS REQUEST.

H. CONFIRM COMPANY HOLDS A CURRENT FACILITY CLEARANCE AT LEAST THE

SECRET LEVEL

I. ANY OTHER PERTINENT QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.

11. THE FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION 19.102 ESTABLISHES THE SMALL BUSINESS

SIZE STANDARD FOR THIS TYPE OF WATER TRANSPORTATION SERVICE AS NAICS

“483111” WITH A SMALL BUSINESS SIZE LIMITATION OF 1,050 EMPLOYEES. PLEASE

INDICATE IF BUSINESS IS A SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN.

12. RESPONSES ARE REQUESTED, VIA EMAIL, PRIOR TO 1200, EASTERN STANDARD TIME,

03 DECEMBER 2026. THE POINT OF CONTACT IS FINLEY STOOPS,

FINLEY.A.STOOPS.CIV@US.NAVY.MIL AND MS. STEPHANIE RICKER AT

STEPHANIE.RICKER.CIV@US.NAVY.MIL.

SIGNED: STEPHANIE RICKER, CONTRACTING OFFICER, MSC, N103B