SS-25-002 - NSWC-PANAMA CITY SUPPORT VESSEL.pdf

SOURCES SOUGHT (SS-25-002)

THIS 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. INFORMATION WILL BE USED TO DETERMINE IF THE GOVERNMENT

SHOULD EXERCISE AN UPCOMING OPTION UNDER AN EXISTING CONTRACT. SPECIFICS ARE AS

FOLLOWS:

The Military Sealift Command (MSC), Special Mission Programs Office, PM2, requests information pertaining to one vessel to support the Government’s needs as described below. The information will be used in support of procurement for a new requirement. Specifics are as follows:

The contractor’s performance shall be in full compliance with all applicable international conventions and all applicable laws, regulations, and other requirements of the United States including all applicable State, local, Navy, Department of Defense (DOD) and United States Coast Guard (USCG) regulations.

GENERAL: MSC requests information about the cost and availability of one (1) U.S. flag, Jones Act qualified vessel with coastwise endorsement to support the Government’s requirements in Panama City, FL and surrounding waters.

MISSION: Naval Special Warfare – Panama City (NSWC-PC) chartered vessel will support at-sea research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E) of various equipment and operations.

A typical operation scenario requires the vessel to conduct the evolution underway and return to the Naval Support Activity (NAVSUPPACT) to offload. Pier side load-outs and offloads are accomplished by the Government utilizing crane support assets at the NAVSUPPACT during regular working hours. The nature of Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) missions often results in unexpected program delays.

The majority of operations are daily where the vessel gets underway from the NAVSUPPACT in the morning and returns that afternoon. Deep water and remote operations, when the transit time is excessive, require the vessel to remain at-sea for the duration of the evolution, which is about 4 to 5 days or longer. While staying underway for 24 hours, 18-hour workdays supporting NAVSUPPACT personnel are normal. It is approximately 7 nautical miles (NM) from the NAVSUPPACT berthing facilities to the Gulf of Mexico. At least a quarter of daily operations’ underway time will be transiting to and from the operation area. Transit speed is limited only by safe navigation requirements.

1. Area of Operations: The vessel will operate in the Panama City, FL area out 60 miles for 85% of the time.

The remaining 15% of operational time may require the ship to operate away from Panama City, FL in locations such as Corpus Christi, TX in the Gulf of Mexico, Norfolk, VA in the Atlantic Ocean out 200 miles, Tampa, FL, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, the Florida Keys, Bahamas, Boston, MA, Charleston, SC or other distant locations. Occasionally, the vessel may be required to operate at or above 32 degrees north; cold weather safety equipment and personnel protective clothing will be required.

2. Delivery Date: 14 December 2024

3. Contract Style: Firm Fixed Price, Time Charter

4. Period of Performance: 14 December 2024 – 12 November 2025

5. Operating Tempo (OPTEMPO): The table below illustrates the estimated operating tempo scenario over a one-year period and constitutes 24-hours a day, seven days a week, either at sea or in port:

Estimated Operating Tempo Percent of time underway at less than 15 knots: 20% Percent of time at anchor: 5% Percent of time underway 15 knots or greater: 30% Percent of time in port: 45%

6. Minimum Vessel Requirements:

Minimum Vessel Requirements Table

FLAG Jones Act-qualified, U.S. Flagged

MINIMUM TRANSIT/TOWING

SPEED AND RANGE 800 NM at a minimum 20 knots transit speed and 18 knots towing speed.

ACOUSTIC SIGNATURE

CAPABILITY

Noise level at frequencies between 100 Hz and 20 kHz should be less than or equal to 160 (1/3 octave band level in dB relative to 1 micro Pascal at 1 m) at 12 knots and noise levels at frequencies greater than 500hz should be less than or equal to 165 (1/3 octave band level in dB relative to 1 micro Pascal at 1m) at 18 knots.

ENDURANCE

The vessel shall have sustained underway capability to support operations for twelve (12) people for a period of up to ten (10) days.

MAXIMUM DRAFT 12 Feet

MINIMUM BEAM 25 Feet

OPEN DECK SPACE

The vessel shall have a minimum 50ft by 20ft contiguous open deck space with a deck load capacity of 500lbs/sq. ft. The deck space shall be free of overhead obstructions with the exception of the crane and A- Frame, when installed. The deck space shall have a sufficient number of lashing points available to secure all Mission Equipment (ME). If needed, additional lashing points may be welded to the deck.

TOW GIMBAL AND DECK ROLLER

The contractor will be responsible for installing a mounting to the stern of the vessel for the Government furnished deck roller and tow gimbal. Such mounting will allow that the deck roller or tow gimbal be removable and interchangeable. The mounting shall be such that the roller or gimbal may be affixed with bolts or other mechanical means. The gimbal and the roller each have an approximate foot print of 3 foot by 3 foot and a maximum weight of approximately 100lbs.

STATION KEEPING

DYNAMIC POSITIONING CLASS DP1: The Contractor shall be capable of maintaining the vessels position and heading automatically.

1. The vessel shall have station-keeping ability during Remote Operating Vehicle operations and be able to maintain position within 10-15 meters of launch point for up to 3 hours in Sea State 3.

2. The vessel shall be capable of following a track line at 4 knots with a cross track error of + or – 3 meters in a Sea State 3 while towing various sonars or arrays.

3. The vessel shall be capable of launching an approximately 25-ft. by 8-

ft. Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB) with an approximate weight of 3,000lbs in up to a Sea State 3. RHIB is not required to have a dedicated cradle.

4. The vessel shall be capable of deploying and recovering inert or live mines and test instrumentation and objects within 3 meters. The vessel shall have station-keeping ability during deploying and recovering operations.

CRANE AND A-FRAME

The Contractor shall provide a stern crane with a minimum reach capacity of 30 feet while lifting 4,000 lbs. Safe Working Load (SWL).

The reach must extend at least 5 feet outboard of the stern of the ship and must be capable of safely retrieving items from the water's edge that are close to the vessel while minimizing the length of the boom extension. A mobile crane is not acceptable. The Contractor shall also provide a removable A-Frame capable of lifting 5,000 lbs. on the back deck of the vessel. The Crane and A-Frame deck mounting must be certified by a Marine Architect to verify that these components will withstand the weight capacity and be weight tested/certified annually. The annual weight testing of the crane and A-frame shall be conducted by a qualified third party marine surveyor (i.e. ABS, PE, etc.) to a standard of at least equal to the SWL of the crane. The qualified third party surveyor shall issue a document to the COR that certifies the results of the testing. This certification will be provided to the COR no later than 2-weeks before the performance period. The qualified crane operator shall be familiar with the operation of the equipment and designated in its operation by the master. The contractor must provide a trained and qualified operator(s).

The A-frame shall have the following minimum dimensions:

Height above the deck 13 feet;

Width at the base 9 feet;

Crossbar width 7.6 feet;

SWL 5,000lbs; and Reach beyond the stern of at least 10 feet.

Forward angle from the upright position must be capable of a minimum of 20 degrees and horizontal off the stern.

WINCH AND CAPSTAN

The Contractor shall supply one winch with capstan rated at a minimum capacity of 5 tons for various pulling operations such as towing or lifting objects to and from the vessel, ship moorings, or other similar applications. The Contractor will also supply required capstans and standard deck equipment required for mooring, anchoring, warping, and casting off.

FACILITIES

The vessel shall have the capability of having pad eyes installed on it for securing test equipment to the deck. The vessel must have an air-conditioned area on or near the ship’s bridge in which GFE tracking equipment will be installed. Vessel must also be capable of re-fueling (diesel) GFE generators on deck.

NAVIGATION EQUIPMENT

The vessel shall have radar capable of observing targets within a 30 mile range with a map overlay capability, an accurate fathometer, and station keeping ability in accordance with C-2.9. The vessel shall have standard equipment for safe navigation.

LIVE FIRE (AMMO/MINE)

HANDLING AND OPERATIONS

The ship’s crew will provide transportation, crane operation and serve as support personnel to supplement the Government’s certified ammunition handlers during ammunition loading and offloading operations. For the purposes of this contract, the ship’s crew shall be considered working party personnel in accordance with OPNAVINST 8023.24B dated 16 March 2010. The crew will not be required to obtain ammunition handling qualifications; however, they shall attend comprehensive safety briefs prior to their assignment as support personnel for ammunition handling operations. The crane operator, either crew- or Government-provided, shall be a qualified crane operator and must possess a certificate documenting this qualification. NAVSEA – OP4 applies only when live fire testing is required. It is not anticipated that the weight limits for explosive bonuses will be exceeded. However, in the event that that limit is reached the bonuses for explosive handling will be reimbursable.

SPONSOR BERTHING/LIVING

SPACES

Shipboard test personnel will consist of up to 12 people. No more than four (4) personnel will occupy a stateroom. No special berthing arrangements are required beyond providing male/female segregation.

Curtained-off bunks are acceptable. Mobile berthing units on the deck are acceptable; however, such units shall not reduce the minimum required deck area nor interfere with the on-deck power requirements.

FOOD SERVICE/SNACKS/LAUNDRY

FOR GOVERNMENT PERSONNEL

The Contractor shall provide three (3) galley-prepared cafeteria style meals and hotel services for up to twelve (12) embarked Government/Contractor personnel when not in port (unless specifically requested). Food provided to the Government shall have the most reasonable attainable degree of variety, quality, quantity, and nutritional value. The cost of meals and hotel services for the 12 embarked Government personnel shall be included in the contractor’s fixed price. It is not expected that the total number of Government personnel on the vessel shall exceed 20.

7. Operational Support: Services shall include but not be limited to the following:

a. Deployment and recovery of up to fifty (50) inert or live mines and test instrumentation and objects

b. Tow of surface and submerged vehicles

c. Housing and support of test data acquisition equipment and personnel

d. Deployment and recovery of subsea equipment/systems

e. Remote Operating Vehicle (ROV) operations

f. Guard Duty (for guarding shallow targets in an area in the Gulf of Mexico)

The vessel will be required to follow computer generated track lines while towing sonars or other towed systems. The vessel will be required to accurately hold station while subsea equipment is deployed or recovered using the vessel’s crane from its stern. The vessel will be required to hold station while an ROV is being operated.

TECHNICAL EXHIBIT 1

The vessel(s) shall have the following minimum characteristics:

FLAG: USA, Jones Act qualified TRANSIT SPEED: 18 knots transit speed.

LOA: 110 feet TOWING SPEED: 15 knots towing speed.

MAXIMUM DRAFT: 12 feet ENDURANCE: 10 days. Vessel must have a range of 1,200 nautical miles and sustained speed of 18 knots.

MINIMUM BEAM: 30 feet ELECTRICAL POWER: The vessel is required to provide 100 amp services for 110v, 208v, and 480v electrical power on the stern of the vessel and 100v electrical power in the house of the ship.

CERTIFICATION: Vessel shall be inspected or certified by the Coast Guard for the services that she will be engaged in and classed by a recognized classification society.

CRANE & A-FRAME: Stern crane with minimum reach capacity of 30 feet while lifting 5,000 lbs SWL. Reach must extend at least 5 feet outboard of stern of the ship. A removable A- Frame on back capable of lifting 5,000 lbs is required.

FOOD AND HOTEL SERVICES/LAUNDRY:

To accommodate 12 passengers, minimum (if the vessel can accommodate greater than 12 passengers, indicate how many passengers). This shall include three (3) meals a day. Cost for meals shall be collected directly from the passengers.

The contractor shall provide a 24-hour laundry facility sufficient for a minimum of 12 Government personnel.

SEAKEEPING/STATION KEEPING: The vessel must have station-keeping ability during ROV operations (maintain position for 3 hours within 15 meters of launch point). The vessel must be capable of holding station during ROV operations in a sea state 3 for at least 2 hours at a time. The vessel must be capable of following a track line at 4 knots with a cross track error of + or

– 3 meters in a sea state 3 while towing various sonars or arrays. The vessel must be capable of launching a twenty-five foot RHIB safely in a sea state of up to 3.

OPEN DECK SPACE: The vessel must have a minimum 50 feet by 20 feet of contiguous open deck space. With the exception of the crane and A- Frame (when installed), the space shall be free of overhead obstructions.

WINCH: The contractor shall supply one winch rated at no less than 8 tons. The Government will supply the capstans required for research. Standard deck equipment required for mooring, anchoring, warping, and casting off are otherwise required to be provided by the contractor.

COMMUNICATION/NAVIGATION

EQUIPMENT: All required USCG and FCC approved equipment; i.e. HF Radio, VHF Radio for a vessel of its class. Normal equipment for safe navigation. Radar capable of observing targets within a 30 mile range. Accurate fathometer.

Station keeping ability (±15m) during ROV operations.

DECK EQUIPMENT & FACILITIES: Must have capability of installing pad eyes for securing test equipment to deck. Must have air-conditioned area on or near the ship’s bridge in which Government-furnished tracking equipment will be installed.

FRESH WATER: Must supply 250 gallons daily on back deck for miscellaneous use.

HAZMAT: Must have an OSHA approved HAZMAT locker/cabinet.

8. Interested parties shall furnish the following minimum information:

a) Name of Company, DUNS Number, and CAGE Code;

b) Point of Contact, Telephone Number, Fax Number, Address, and e- mail address;

c) Business size status for NAICS CODE 483111;

d) Brief summary of company history relative to similar requirements;

e) Affirm the company is financially capable of meeting the requirement;

f) Estimated daily rate, mobilization/demobilization fees, positioning fees and/or other term

PM2-24-001

cost/price to provide the above services.

Charter Period Charter Hire (per Day)

Daily Rate

Firm Period 334 Days

Any Additional Charges (i.e., Delivery Bonus, etc.)

Total:

Note: Daily Hire: The daily hire rate shall be considered payment in full for all services of the Vessel and Associated Equipment and all other requirements under this Charter Party contract, including, but not limited to penalty time, bonuses, payments, and emoluments payable to Master, Officers and crew for services under this Charter, irrespective of the geographic scope of said service and the nominal carriage of ammunition and hazardous cargoes. The Daily Hire rate shall also be considered payment in full for all overtime, including but not limited to crew overtime or penalty time required for the making up or breaking of tows. This Rate does not include port charges or the price that the Contractor pays for fuel.

g) Name and complete description of the vessel to address special requirements, including flag;

h) Vessel specification sheet/s including picture and COI or COD;

i) Date award is needed to meet the Period of Performance;

j) Any pertinent questions/concerns.

9. Responses are requested no later than 1300 local time, Norfolk, VA, 06 NOV 2024. Please send questions pertaining to the sources sought and responses via e-mail to Mr. Jordan Schwaner at jordan.t.schwaner.civ@us.navy.mil or Ms. Reah Norris at reah.d.norris.civ@us.navy.mil no later than 1300 local time, Norfolk, VA, 01 NOV 2024.