SS-26-065.pdf

27 FEBRUARY 2026

THIS IS THE MILITARY SEALIFT COMMAND NORFOLK, STRATEGIC SEALIFT

PROGRAM SUPPORT OFFICE, N103A

SOURCE SOUGHT NOTIFICATION NO. N32205-SS-26-PM4-065

SUBJECT: MCM OPEN-OCEAN TOW MISSION

1. THIS IS MARKET RESEARCH CONDUCTED BY THE PM4 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

(1) U.S. OR FOREIGN FLAG, OCEAN-GOING CERTIFIED TUGBOAT CAPABLE OF

ESCORTING AND POTENTIALLY TOWING (MANNED TOW, EMERGENCY

SITUATIONS ONLY) UP TO TWO (2) U.S. NAVY AVENGER-CLASS MINE

COUNTERMEASURE (MCM) VESSELS. AVENGER-CLASS VESSEL PARTICULARS

ARE DESCRIBED BELOW. TUGBOAT MUST BE CAPABLE OF RIGGING AND

COMMENCING AN EMERGENCY TOW OF AVENGER-CLASS MCM(S) AT SEA. THE

REQUIREMENT IS FOR ONE VOYAGE.

3. DESCRIPTION OF THE TOW:

• DISPLACEMENT – 1,312 LT

• LENGTH – 224’

• BEAM – 39’

• MAX DRAFT – 15’

• GENERAL ARRANGEMENT DRAWINGS AVAILABLE ON REQUEST

4. PORT(S)/PLACE(S) OF DEPARTURE: U.S. FLEET ACTIVITIES SASEBO, JAPAN.

5. LAYTIME: FOUR (4) DAYS FOR THE ENTIRE MISSION.

6. PORT(S)/PLACE(S) OF DESTINATION: NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY BAHRAIN

7. LAYDAYS: COMMENCING/CANCELLING: PROMPT (OFFEROR INDICATE FIRST

DATE OF AVAILABILITY)

8. TUG REQUIREMENTS:

• VESSEL/TUG SHALL BE BUILT IN 1970 OR LATER.

• BOLLARD PULL: SUFFICIENT TO TOW MCM VESSEL AT A MINIMUM TOW

SPEED OF SIX (6) KNOTS FOR FIVE (5) KNOT SOA IN BEAUFORT 5

CONDITIONS. MAXIMUM TOW SPEED TO BE CALCULATED IAW THE U.S.

NAVY TOW MANUAL.

• TUG SHALL BE FULLY BUNKERED FOR THE VOYAGE.

• STOPS FOR FUEL OR SUPPLIES ARE AUTHORIZED.

• INTERNET AND SATELLITE PHONE CAPABILITY.

• CONTRACTOR MUST PROVIDE TOW BRIDLE AND HARDWARE, EMERGENCY

TOW LINES, FLOODING ALARMS, NAVIGATION LIGHTS AND DAY SHAPES

IAW THE COLREGS RULES OF THE ROAD.

• U.S. NAVY TOWING MANUAL (SL740-AA-MAN-10) WILL BE USED AND

COMPLIED WITH FOR THIS REQUIREMENT. THE LINK FOR DOWNLOAD IS:

HTTP://WWW.NAVSEA.NAVY.MIL/HOME/SUPSALV/00C2-SALVAGE-

PUBLICATIONS/.

• CONTRACTOR MUST PREPARE AND SUBMIT A NOTIONAL TOWING PLAN

FOR REVIEW AND APPROVAL PRIOR TO COMMENCEMENT OF TOW.

• INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE OF ALL WORK SHALL BE BY THE CHIEF

ENGINEER, ON-SITE MANAGEMENT TEAM REPRESENTATIVE.

• TRAIL TUG SHALL BE USED IN RESTRICTED, INLAND AND CHANNEL

WATERS, AND IN ANY OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE CLOSE QUARTERS

SITUATIONS EXIST, TO CONTROL THE VESSEL IN TOW IN ACCORDANCE

WITH LOCAL REQUIREMENTS.

• LUMP SUM AMOUNT SHALL INCLUDE UP TO FOUR (4) DAYS OF LAYTIME

• POSITION REPORTS. POSITION REPORTS SHALL BE ISSUED BY ELECTRONIC

MAIL: VESSEL SHALL PROVIDE POSITION/STATUS REPORT IN PORT TWICE

DAILY AT 0000Z AND 1200Z AND AT-SEA FOUR TIMES DAILY AT 0000Z,

0600Z, 1200Z, AND 1800Z. ADDITIONALLY, POSITION/STATUS REPORTS

SHALL BE SENT UPON DEPARTURE AND ARRIVAL, AND AT OTHER TIMES

REQUESTED BY THE APPLICABLE MSC AREA COMMAND FOR FORCE

PROTECTION REASONS. REPORTS SHALL BE SENT TO THE EMAIL

ADDRESSES THAT WILL BE PROVIDED AFTER THE CONTRACT AWARD.

• TECHNICAL DOCUMENTS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.

9. INTERESTED PARTIES ARE REQUESTED TO PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING

INFORMATION:

A. NAME AND COMPLETE DESCRIPTION/CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TOW

VESSEL INCLUDING CERTIFICATE OF INSPECTION (COI), CERTIFICATE OF

DOCUMENTATION (COD) OR CLASSIFICATION SOCIETY EQUIVALENT,

PHOTOS, AND ALL DELIVERABLES AS PER MSC PROFORMA TUGCON 2024

(REV.1 (12-24)).

B. DURATION OF PLANNED VOYAGE (IN DAYS, HOURS, AND MINUTES).

INTERESTED PARTIES ARE TO PROVIDE A TENTATIVE VOYAGE PLAN

USING THE MOST DIRECT ROUTE BETWEEN LOADING AND DISCHARGE

PORTS INDICATING DISTANCE (IN NAUTICAL MILES) AND ANTICIPATED

SPEED (IN KNOTS). GRAPHICAL DEPICTIONS FROM VOYAGE PLANNING

SOFTWARE DISPLAYING A PROPOSED TRACKLINE ARE HIGHLY DESIRED,

BUT NOT REQUIRED. ESCORT VESSEL WILL BE REQUIRED TO FOLLOW THE

ORDERS OF THE SENIOR COMMANDING OFFICER OF THE TWO MCMs.

ESCORT VESSEL WILL LIKELY GO NO FASTER THAN 8 KNOTS FOR THE

DURATION OF THE VOYAGE AND MUST REMAIN WITHIN VISUAL RANGE

OF THE MCMs (5 TO 10 NAUTICAL MILES).

http://www.navsea.navy.mil/Home/SUPSALV/00C2-Salvage-Publications/ http://www.navsea.navy.mil/Home/SUPSALV/00C2-Salvage-Publications/

C. POTENTIAL LOGISTIC STOPS (FUEL, FOOD, PERSONNEL, ETC.) PLANNED

FOR THE VOYAGE. LOGISTIC STOPS MUST BE KEPT TO A MINIMUM SO AS

NOT TO IMPACT THE MOVEMENT OF THE MCMs. INDICATE POTENTIAL

PORT NAME(S), REASON(S) FOR STOPPING (FUEL, PROVISIONS, ETC), AND

POTENTIAL PORT CHARGES (INCLUDING FUEL) EXPECTED AT ANY STOP.

D. RESPOND WITH THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF SUPERCARGOES THE ESCORT

TUG CAN SUPPORT AS WELL AS THE DAILY COST FOR BERTHING AND

MESSING OF EACH SUPER CARGO. POTENTIAL BERTHING ARRANGEMENTS

(SINGLE ROOMS/HEADS, SHARED ROOMS/HEADS, ETC.) ARE ALSO OF

INTEREST.

E. RESPOND WITH THE ABILITY OF THE ESCORT TUG TO COMMENCE

EMERGENCY TOW OF A SINGLE MCM AT SEA IAW THE REQUIREMENTS OF

THE U.S. NAVY TOWING MANUAL.

F. LUMPSUM (INCLUDE UP TO 4 DAYS AT DESTINATION SITE FOR

CUSTOMS/DELIVERY) AND DEMURRAGE RATE.

G. BUSINESS SIZE. IF OTHER THAN SMALL BUSINESS, PROVIDE A NARRATIVE

OF SUB-CONTRACTING POSSIBILITIES ENVISIONED, IF ANY. IF NONE,

PROVIDE AN EXPLANATION.

H. ANY OTHER PERTINENT QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS INCLUDING 46 CFR,

CHAPTER 1, SUBCHAPTER M - TOWING VESSELS.

10. 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.

11. RESPONSES ARE REQUESTED, VIA EMAIL, PRIOR TO 1100 HOURS, EASTERN

TIME, 03 MARCH 2026. THE POINT OF CONTACT DAVID ANAYA, EMAIL

DAVID.C.ANAYA.CIV@US.NAVY.MIL, OR TEL (564) 226-8419.

SIGNED: CHRISTOPHER TOMLIN, CONTRACTING OFFICER, MSC, N103