Sources Sought_Unmanned Vehicles.docx

Request for Information (RFI) / Sources Sought Notice Pursuant to FAR clause 52.215-3 entitled “Request for Information or Solicitation for Planning Purposes,” this announcement constitutes a Sources Sought Notice for information and planning purposes for unmanned vehicles that operate remotely in the ocean environment in support of Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO), as defined in the attached draft Performance Work Statement (PWS). This is not a solicitation announcement for proposals and no contract will be awarded from this announcement. It is not to be construed in any way as a commitment by the Government for any purpose other than to gain the information requested, nor will the Government pay for the information submitted in response. Interested parties are encouraged to respond to this RFI/Sources Sought Notice.

Scope NAVOCEANO requires unmanned vehicles that operate remotely in the ocean environment. The contractor shall provide unmanned vehicles that have at a minimum the capability to collect ocean temperature and pressure data. All instruments proposed must meet a shelf life standard of eighteen months before requiring battery pack replacement or sensor recalibrations. Optionally unmanned vehicles capable of including other sensor configurations for conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTD), transmissivity, bioluminescence, currents, and wave spectra are considered a benefit to the Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO) mission set. Deployment capabilities are vessel and air deployable.

A DRAFT Statement of Work is provided containing further details and specific services required (see Attachment I).

Any potential contract(s) resulting from this RFI/Sources Sought Notice is anticipated to be a firm-fixed-price (FFP), single award, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) type contract.

NAICS Code The NAICS code for this requirement is anticipated to be 334511, Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing, with a size standard of 1,350 employees. The anticipated product service code (PSC) is 6605, Navigational Instruments.

Required Delivery Date The Ordering period is estimated to commence on or around 01 October 2026 and is anticipated to consist of one (1) 24-month base contract with each Delivery Order providing a specific delivery date.

Capabilities Statement This is a market research tool. The input provided will help the Navy ascertain the interest, capability, and capacity of potential businesses. If you are an interested business, NAVSUP FLC Norfolk appreciates your assistance in providing a capabilities statement addressing all the items below. Please limit your responses to the information being requested only. Standard company brochures will not be reviewed. Any technical questions and inquiries may be submitted within the response.

1. Full business name, address, point of contact, telephone number, and e-mail address

2. Contractor and Government Entity (CAGE) code

3. Size of business: Large Business, Small Business, Small Disadvantaged, 8(a), HUBZone, Woman-owned, Service Disabled Veteran-Owned, or other category

4. If the items can be obtained from an existing Government contract vehicle, to include GSA or SeaPort-NxG, provide the applicable contract number.

5. Indicate if your company can be a prime contractor for this effort or, if not, whether your company can be a subcontractor. If subcontractors are to be used, provide the anticipated percentage of effort to be subcontracted and if a small or large business subcontractor will be used.

6. The Government is determining the acquisition strategy for this potential acquisition. If any potential acquisition will be a small business set-aside, then FAR clause 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting, applies. Note that if there is sufficient demonstrated interest and capability among small businesses, a key factor in determining if an acquisition will be a small business set-aside is that two or more potential small business prime contractors must be capable of performing at least 50% of the effort, as defined in FAR clause 52.219-14. If the Government determines that a small business set-aside is appropriate and your company anticipates submitting a proposal as the prime contractor for a small business set-aside, please provide specific details and rationale as to how compliance with FAR clause 52.219-14 will be achieved, including specific details regarding teaming arrangements, and if subcontracts are to be used, provide the anticipated percentage of the effort to be subcontracted and whether small or large business subcontractors will be used. Teaming and/or subcontracting arrangements should be clearly delineated and previous experience in teaming must be provided.

7. Please address the following in your response. Documentation of qualifications must be presented in sufficient detail for the Government to determine that your company possesses the necessary capabilities contained in this notice.

a. Contractor’s ability to provide the required services referenced in the attached Statement of Work.

b. Estimated time required to submit a proposal involving the following evaluation factors: technical, past performance and price.

Submission Responses should be limited to no more than 10 standard typewritten pages in no less than 12 font size. Reponses should reference “N0018926UV” and shall be submitted by e-mail to Katie Hildebrandt Katie.b.hildebrandt.civ@us.navy.mil and Stephanie Lent Stephanie.r.lent.civ@us.navy.mil by 18 February 2026 at 11:00 a.m. (EDT).

Again, this is not a request for proposals. Respondents will not be notified of any results. Please note that the information within this RFI/Sources Sought Notice may be updated and/or may change prior to an official solicitation, if any, is issued.

Attachments:

Attachment I – Draft Statement of Work NOTE: Proprietary information should be clearly marked. The requested information is for planning and market research purposes only and will not be publicly released. Again, this is not a request for a proposal. Please note the information within this Sources Sought Request for Information will be updated and/or may change prior to an official synopsis/solicitation, if any.