1. BACKGROUND

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO) operates a wide variety of specialized ships to complete NOAA’s environmental and scientific missions. OMAO’s research and survey ships compose the largest fleet of federal research ships in the nation. The fleet ranges from large oceanographic research vessels capable of exploring the world’s deepest ocean, to smaller ships responsible for charting the shallow bays and inlets of the United States. A wide range of marine activities including fisheries research, nautical charting, and ocean and climate studies are supported by these vessels. In order to support these vessels OMAO requires the support of contract professional licensed and unlicensed mariners. These mariners will support filling gaps in our existing workforce.

2. INTRODUCTION

NOAA/OMAO requires a variety of positions to support vessel operations these include but are not limited to: Licensed Marine Engineering Officers (Chief Engineer/Chief Marine Engineer (CME), First Assistant Engineer (1AE), Second Assistant Engineer (2AE), and Third Assistant Engineer (3AE)); and Unlicensed Mariners (Qualified Member of the Engine Department (QMED), Unlicensed Junior Engineer (JUE), Oiler (O), Wiper/General Vessel Assistant-Engine (W/GVA-E), Chief Boatswain (Bosun)*, Able Bodied Seaman (AB)*, Ordinary Seaman/ General Vessel Assistant-Deck (OS/GVA-D)*, Chief Steward (CS) , Chief Cook (CC), Second Cook (2C), Steward Assistant (SA)). At any one point in time several of these positions may be required to support underway and pier side operations NOAA/OMAO vessels.

These positions may be assigned to any class of NOAA ship at the offered rate. The positions will be used to backfill NOAA employees absent from the ship, to assist in port with routine work scope consistent with industry position description, and at sea to fulfill critical staffing requirements as applicable to positions. The contracted mariner support shall not be covered under the terms of NOAA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) or Contractor’s CBA.

Assignments may be for varying lengths of time generally from one week to 90 days either while in port or at sea conducting the vessel’s mission. There is no guarantee of assignment to any particular vessel or geographic location.

Vessel homeports include (but not limited to): Norfolk, VA; Charleston, SC; Gulfport, MS;

Pascagoula, MS; Newport, OR; Newport, RI; Kodiak, AK; Ketchikan, AK; San Diego, CA;

Honolulu, HI; New Castle, NH.

*Bosuns, ABs, and OSs will be asked to participate in on deck operations to execute the NOAA mission at sea including, but not limited to, fishing, over the side water and biological sampling, deployment of small boats and ROVs, etc.

3. Scope of Work

The Contractor shall provide positions on a daily basis (including travel).

Licensed Marine Engineers:

The daily rate for licensed marine engineers is based on a 10-hour workday seven days a week.

Should work necessitate that the work beyond the 10-hour workday, overtime, as established in the contract, will go into effect. However, overtime is not authorized to work beyond the 10-hour workday unless by the explicit direction of the Executive Officer (XO) of the vessel.

Unlicensed Mariners:

The daily rate for unlicensed mariners is based on an 8-hour workday seven days a week. Should work necessitate that the work beyond the 8-hour workday, overtime, as established in the contract, will go into effect. However, overtime is not authorized to work beyond the 8-hour workday unless by the explicit direction of the XO of the vessel.

Unauthorized work performed beyond the 10-hour or 8-hour, for licensed and unlicensed respectively, workday shall not be compensated and shall be at the contract mariner’s own risk.

When work beyond the 10-hour or 8- hour workday (as described above) is authorized, the XO will inform the contract mariner, typically verbally, and will follow-up this direction with an email to the COR, and the Contract Specialist.

4. Personnel Qualifications and Requirements

Contract mariners providing support are to hold a current, valid, appropriate USCG license and STCW endorsements for the position. These personnel shall support the operation and maintenance of NOAA ships worldwide. A US passport and US citizenship shall be required for work on vessels. The contract mariner shall procure at their own expense all necessary licenses and credentials, and shall conform to all laws, regulations, and ordinances applicable to the performance of the contract.

The Contractor shall be responsible for payroll, travel, workers compensation coverage and training for all contracted mariner support. All mariner’s shall hold applicable certifications consistent with industry standards; to ensure mariner’s meet minimum qualifications the Contractor shall provide a listing of the minimum requirements for each position to the COR.

List of required support to include but not limited to below positions:

Position(s) Sample Job Description(s) Attached:

Chief Engineer - (Chief Marine Engineer) (CME)

First Assistant Engineer (1AE)

Second Assistant Engineer (2AE)

Third Assistant Engineer (3AE)

Unlicensed Junior Engineer - (Junior Unlicensed Engineer)

Oiler (O)

General Vessel Assistant (GVA)/(Wiper) (W)

Chief Boatswain (CB)

Able Bodied Seaman (AB)

General Vessel Assistant (GVA)/(Ordinary Seaman) (OS)

Chief Steward (CS)

Chief Cook (CC)

Second Cook (2C)/ Steward Assistant (SA)

The Contractor must submit, for all provided support information with regard to their health and ability to perform the required functions by submitting the following information; NOAA Form 57-10-01 (Health Services Questionnaire), NOAA Form 57-10-02 (Tuberculosis Screening Document) and proof of current tetanus shot. The Contractor shall submit completed forms and information via secure email to @noaa.gov or secure fax directly to MOC-A Health Services in Norfolk, VA 757-441-3760.

MOC-A Health Services in Norfolk, VA

757-441-3760 moa.health.services@noaa.gov

All medications and medical conditions reported on the USCG medical exam must be reported on the NOAA Form 57-10-01. All Contractor provided support must have a current Purified Protein Derivative (PPD) tuberculin skin test and tetanus shot. The NOAA Regional Director for Health Services shall review and approve all required documents prior to task order award.

Failure to comply with NOAA medical standards shall make the individual/support unqualified for performance aboard/assignment to NOAA ships.

Finally, all contracted mariner support will follow all COVID protocols in Policy COVIDMO1 - Marine Operations COVID-19 Protocols

5. ORDERING OF SERVICES

The COR shall request services from the Contractor via an emailed Task Order Request for Quote (TORFQ). The TORFQ will include the quantity and position type required, period of performance (ship tour), anticipated port calls, anticipated overtime and ship location (for travel purposes), fillable NOAA Form 57-10-01 (Health Services Questionnaire), fillable NOAA Form 57-10-02 (Tuberculosis Screening Document) and deadline for submission. The Contractor shall submit the (response to) TORFQ to the COR via email by the specified deadline. The quote shall include the name(s) and estimated price that encompasses all costs anticipated to complete the requested service. The quote shall provide a breakdown of all anticipated categories of hours (daily, hourly, overtime), travel costs, anticipated meal allowance, etc. In addition, the Contractor shall separately send the completed NOAA Form 57-10-01, NOAA Form 57-10-02nd proof of current tetanus shot via secure fax to either MOC-A Health Services in Norfolk, VA 757-441-3760 or MOC-P Health Services in Newport, OR 541-867-8856 as indicated in the previous table. The medical documentation shall ONLY be sent to the Health Services Office(s) and under no circumstances to the Acquisition Office. Confirmation of medical documents transmission, however, shall accompany the TORFQ.

Except in an emergency situation, each assigned contract mariner agrees to work for the full period of time (ship tour). Failure to complete the tour shall require the Contractor to provide a replacement at no additional travel cost. NOAA maintains the right of refusal for any contractor-provided support and may request that the support be replaced at no additional travel cost to the Government as well as the right to request the removal and replacement of any contract mariner before the end of their term (ship tour) for not complying with NOAA and/or ship policies and regulations.

The Contractor will provide each contract mariner policies and procedures for reporting time and attendance, travel claims, tracking meal allowance (as applicable) and other administrative matters agreed upon by NOAA and the Contractor.

The NOAA ship’s command shall maintain time and attendance records for each contractor-provided position and report this information on a bi-weekly basis to the respective COR. The COR is responsible for ensuring the time and attendance data is correct and in agreement with the terms of the contract prior to providing to the Contractor for invoicing purposes.

NOAA shall provide materials and services necessary for performance of duties to include berthing, meals, tools, and safety gear as well as other incidentals common to shipboard life.

6. Meals:

Upon arriving on the assigned ship, the contractor is considered underway. When underway, the contract mariner’s meals will be provided for onboard the ship, in the ship’s Galley.

Should the Galley not be operational or should the ship’s schedule include a Port call (scheduled or otherwise) and consequently the galley is not in operational status, the contract mariner will be entitled to a meal allowance as follows:

Breakfast $10 Lunch $16 Dinner $28

Meals will be reimbursed based on actual costs incurred not to exceed the amounts established above, or $54 a day. To be reimbursed the Contractor’s invoice must include a detailed summary by date and by meal.

7. Travel:

Orders placed under this contract will require the contract mariner to travel. Travel costs shall be proposed in each TORFQ as applicable, shall include the name of the individual that is proposed to travel, the dates and location of travel, the estimated cost including a breakdown of cost (airfare, lodging, per diem), and confirmation that the cost is in compliance with the Federal Travel Regulations (FTR). Travel will be reimbursed in accordance with FAR Part 31 and the FTR. These references can be found at www.acquisition.gov/far and www.gsa.gov/travel. Per diem is only applicable when in travel status to/from assignments. Upon departure from the ship, travel to home of record is authorized. Travel may also be authorized to other than home of record, but not to exceed the cost of travel and subsistence in returning to home of record. The Contractor shall be reimbursed by NOAA for travel costs IAW Federal Travel Regulations and in all cases described herein, receipts are required for travel reimbursement.

8. INSURANCE

Insurance for the contract mariners is the responsibility of the Contractor.

9. INVOICE PROCEDURES

The contractor shall submit invoices when departure from the ship occurs or no more than every 30 days. Invoices must include time and attendance sheets, travel receipts, meal allowance summary, etc.