Redacted_Brand_Name_Justification_24-151_Trawl_Wire.pdf

Version 2.0 19Aug2020

BRAND NAME DETERMINATION USING

SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION PROCEDURES (SAP)

FOR AN ACTION NOT EXCEEDING THE SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION THRESHOLD

(AUTHORITY: FAR 13.106-1(b)(1))

(PRISM Workspace: RQ24-0825)

1. Agency and contracting activity. Department of Commerce, NOAA Acquisition and Grants Office (AGO), Fisheries OMB Field Delegates and the Northwest Fisheries Science Center, FRAM Division, Seattle, WA.

2. Description of supplies or services required to meet agency needs (including the estimated value).

The requirement is to provide 4 spools of 7500 feet (each) (30,000 feet total) of steel core galvanized 6x19 trawl wire rope at a total cost of xxxxx (firm fixed price) for use during the West Coast Groundfish Bottom Trawl Survey. This will allow the NOAA/NWFSC/FRAM Division to accomplish its mission of performing its annual, west coast wide fish and ecosystem survey. The trawl wire-rope is used in trawl applications; specifically, in this application it will be used for deploying a trawl net sampling system from a chartered commercial fishing vessel. The data will be used to enumerate demersal and benthic animals during the West Coast Groundfish Bottom Trawl Survey. The relative abundance of up to 40 species of harvestable fish species are use the WCGBTS as a main index for managing relevant fish species. Delivery date of goods by May 15th,

3. Identification of the single source or the brand name to be solicited.

Specific Wire Rope Request the NWFSC is requesting only wire rope that is specifically designed and built for trawl fisheries operations. Specific brand to be offered by contractor:

YoungHeung Iron and Steel http://www.youngwire.com/eng/product/product01_04_05view.asp

4. Supporting rationale. Only one source or brand name is reasonably available as detailed below:

Brand Name – This particular brand name is essential to the requirement and market research indicates similar products do not meet or cannot be modified to meet agency needs.

Young Heung is the only acceptable brand to provide the product required by Fishery Resource Analysis and Monitoring (FRAM) Division of the Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC), National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) based upon the following:

Young Heung is the only brand that meet the following:

Young Heung trawl wire rope has a proprietary lube specifically designed to protect against the harsh salt water environment which meets our travel survey requirements. Most wire ropes fail from the inside

- is important that the center core receives sufficient lubricant, using a combination approach in which a penetrating lubricant is used to saturate the core, followed with a coating to seal and protect the outer surface. Performance attributes in a wire rope lubricant are wearing resistance and corrosion prevention. Performance benchmarks that Young Heung meets are a high four-ball EP test values, such as a weld point (ASTM D2783) of above 350 kg and a load wear index of above 50. Young Heung also meets specifications for corrosion protection; wire rope lubricants shall have salt spray (ASTM B117) resistance values above 60 hours and humidity cabinet (ASTM D1748).

(PRISM Workspace: RQ24-0825)

Young Heung is specifically designed for Commercial Fishing applications which are a requirement for our trawl survey. Many types of machines and structures use wire ropes, including draglines, cranes, elevators, shovels, drilling rigs, suspension bridges and cable-stayed towers. Each application has specific needs for the type and size of wire rope required and each application is specifically manufactured to reflect that application. Other manufacturers that specifically fabricate wire rope forth the commercial trawling industry are not known (B. Hearne, D. Richcreek, R. Hernandez, P. Sconce, M.

Retherford personal communication )

FRAM contracts vessels which utilize Lebus Screws which is helical grooving on the face of the winch drum. The Lebus Screw guides the spooling wire precisely and exactly, providing a base for each additional layer of wire, in this way the spooling is controlled. Young Heung is manufactured in a manner which resists crushing while maintaining its “roundness” and thickness. This is imperative when spooling 7500 feet of cable on a winch. Young Heung is the only Trawl Wire Rope which has been proven to maintain its shape and thickness over time during FRAM surveying activities. FRAM used Domestic DSR wire rope on the survey vessel Last Straw in 2013. Not only was the thickness of the DSR wire diminished with use over time, it did not spool correctly on the drum. The wire diameter was measured with a precision micrometer and it did not meet the requirement for the Lebus screw on the drum. In 2014 and 2015 FRAM deployed specified (Young Heung) wire on this vessel; the trawl wire diameter was measured and it met the diameter requirement of the Lebus screw on the drum. Using the other wire not only creates problems for retrieving the trawl gear during deployment, it also poses a significant safety risk to the deck crew on the vessels that have to manually spool the wire under intense strain. When trawl wire is spooled improperly on a winch drum it will bind and create backlash on the spool. To avoid this, deckhands must use manual spooling bars to feed the 5/8” trawl wire smoothly onto the drum; this leaves deckhands leaning over a huge winch drum and it is not uncommon for deckhands to be pulled into the winch drum, causing significant bodily damage.

The Northwest Fisheries Science Center has empirically determined that not all trawl wire rope is created equal. Some wire rope is designed specifically for the trawl fishing industry. Much of the difference has to do with the quality of the steel used in fabrication and more importantly, the wire rope lubrication. The lubricants have two principle functions; to reduce friction as the individual wires move over each other, and to provide corrosion protection to the steel core and wires on the outside surfaces.

Trawl wire rope is specifically designed and built with these core lubricating features in place. Typically the trawl wire ropes lubrication efficacy can only be determined empirically as these ratios are not published because they are proprietary.

It is imperative that the NWFSC use only the strongest wire rope with the most resistance to stretching and resistance to abrasion. There is a fine line between carbon and manganese ratio’s and trawl wire hardness, resistance to corrosion, and elasticity/elongation. Typically this can only be determined empirically as these ratios are not published because they are proprietary.

FRAM has used Young Heung 16mm galvanized IWRC for trawling applications and was successful and pleased with the durability and performance of said manufacturer’s wire rope.

Previous wire rope that has been purchased stretched outside the limit of acceptable range for the

NWFSC.

● Domestic wire rope was purchased in 2008; AB133F08SU2075 and lasted only two years.

● Previous wire rope has lasted only two years. The NWFSC and their advisors (P. Sconce, M.

Retherford, D. Richcreek, V. Baldwin, - personal communication) believes that the Oliveira SA or Young Heung will last a minimum of 50 to 100% longer.

Young Heung Marine wire rope advantage’s over its competitors include:

● Trawl wire rope has a proprietary lube specifically designed to protect against the harsh salt water environment.

● Trawl wire rope is specifically designed for Commercial Fishing applications.

● Trawl wire rope is compacted in a manner which has higher resistance to abrasion caused by the sea floor than other manufacturers.

● Trawl wire rope is compacted in a manner which has fewer tendencies to untwist.

● Trawl wire rope is manufactured with a higher grade of steel than its competitors giving it:

● Higher resistance to crushing

● Higher resistance to fatigue

● Less elongation or stretching

● More capable to withstand passing through trawl blocks and wound on trawl winches

5. Market Research.

The Northwest Fisheries Science Center has conducted market research, conducted testing and determined that only Oliveira SA and Young Heung manufactures trawl wire rope specifically for use with commercial fishing vessels and meets the NWFSC FRAM Trawl Survey requirements.

In 2010 FRAM had Domestic DSR wire rope tested by an independent testing facility in which the wire rope was tested for; tensile strength, stress at extension under load, elongation and ductility. The DSR wire did not meet the specifications outlined in the SOW. FRAM has tried several different manufactures of wire rope. Each spool pair was only deployed for two field seasons. Four (4) spools of DSR Domestic (2010) wire rope purchased through Nor’Eastern Trawl Systems could only be deployed for 2 field seasons. FRAM typically is able to deploy the Oliveira SA and Young Heung trawl wire-rope for 3 to 4 survey field seasons. Survey vessels using Lebus Screw winch drums will only deploy wire-rope that meets diameter specifications; currently we have only used Oliveira SA and Young Heung, the only manufacturer to meet those specifications.

In addition, the Oliveira SA Super Yellowifn and Young Heung is a proven product which is used worldwide in the trawl fishing industry. It is imperative that the NWFSC use only the Oliveira SA Super Yellowfin or Young Heung because it is specifically fabricated for use in the commercial fishing industry.

We found no other manufacturers that meet that requirement.

Previous wire rope that has been purchased (DSR) stretched outside the limit of acceptable range for the NWFSC. FRAM measures its trawl wire-rope before and after deployment on each vessel to monitor the amount of stretch and variance between the two spools of wire rope on each of two drums.

It has been found that the DSR wire rope stretched more than the Oliviera SA and Young Heung in the 12 years of monitoring trawl wire-rope performance. Oliveira SA trawl wire rope is cost prohibitive, therefore it is not viable.

Previous contract was awarded in 2018 – contract#1305M318PNFFP0071.

The following distributors of Young Heung rope were found during market research:

Englund Marine:

Rassmussen Company:

Pacific Industrial Supply Company:

6. Technical/Requirements Representative Certification

I certify that this requirement constitutes the Government’s minimum needs and the supporting data provided herein is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

7. Determination I hereby determine that the circumstances of this action deem only one source is reasonably available. This determination is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.