30 APRIL 2026

THIS IS THE MILITARY SEALIFT COMMAND NORFOLK, STRATEGIC SEALIFT

PROGRAM SUPPORT OFFICE, N103A

SOURCE SOUGHT NOTIFICATION NO. N32205-26-PM4-102

SUBJECT: TUGCON; OPEN-OCEAN TOW MISSION

1. THIS IS MARKET RESEARCH CONDUCTED BY THE SEALIFT 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 SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE OR TO

CONTRACT FOR SERVICES.

2. MSC REQUESTS INFORMATION ABOUT THE PRICE AND AVAILABILITY OF A U.S.

FLAG, JONES ACT, OCEAN-GOING CERTIFIED TUG CAPABLE OF TOWING EX-

MOBILE BAY (CG-53) AND EX-PELELIU (LHA-5) “IAW THE U.S. NAVY TOW

MANUAL (SL740-AA-MAN-010)” AND PROVIDING SERVICES IN SUPPORT OF

RIMPAC-26. THE REQUIREMENT IS FOR ONE VOYAGE CONSISTING OF TWO

SEPARATE TOWS.

3. DESCRIPTION OF THE TOW:

• TOW 1: EX-MOBILE BAY (CG-53)

o DISPLACEMENT – 9,600 LT o LENGTH – 568’ o BEAM – 55’ o MAX DRAFT – 34’

• TOW 2: EX-PELELIU (LHA-5)

o DISPLACEMENT –39,000 LT o LENGTH – 820’ o BEAM – 106’ o MAX DRAFT – 27’

4. PORT(S)/PLACE(S) OF DEPARTURE:

o TOW 1: INACTSHIPS BREMERTON, WA o TOW 2: PEARL HARBOR, HI

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

6. PORT(S)/PLACE(S) OF DESTINATION: BOTH TOWS WILL BE DELIVERED TO THE

PACIFIC MISSILE RANGE FACILITY (PMRF), BARKING SANDS, KAUAI, HAWAII.

7. LAYDAYS: COMMENCING/CANCELLING: TO BE DETERMINED. THE EX-MOBILE

BAY IS SCHEDULED FOR DELIVERY ON 11 JULY 2026, AND THE EX-PELELIU IS

SCHEDULED FOR DELIVERY ON 17 JULY 2026.

8. TUG REQUIREMENTS:

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

• BOLLARD PULL: SUFFICIENT TO TOW EITHER VESSEL (CG-53 AND LHA-5) 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. THE TOWING VESSEL WILL BE TOWING ONE

VESSEL AT A TIME IN TWO SEPARATE TRIPS.

• INDICATE WHETHER THE TUG WOULD HAVE SUFFICIENT FUEL CAPACITY

TO COMPLETE THE ENTIRE MISSION, INCLUDING TRANSITING FROM

BREMERTON TO PMRF, THEN TO PEARL HARBOR, AND FINALLY BACK TO

PMRF, WITHOUT REFUELING. IF NOT, INDICATE HOW RE-FUELING WOULD

BE ACCOMPLISHED.

• INTERNET AND SATELLITE PHONE CAPABILITY.

• 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/.

• THERE WILL BE A PRE-TOW CONFERENCE AT BREMERTON, WA AND PEARL

HARBOR, HI PRIOR TO TOWING EACH VESSEL. THE TIME OF THIS MEETING

WILL BE MUTUALLY AGREED UPON BY MSC AND CONTRACTOR BUT

SHOULD OCCUR NOT LATER THAN 24 HOURS BEFORE TOW. REQUIRED

ATTENDEES INCLUDE TUG CAPTAIN/CONTRACTOR REPRESENTATIVE, MSC

REPRESENTATIVE(S), A REPRESENTATIVE FROM EACH VESSEL AND THE

IMS.

• CONTRACTOR SHALL OBTAIN THE SERVICES OF AN INDEPENDENT MARINE

SURVEYOR (IMS). THIS SERVICE SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE OFFER’S

LUMP-SUM PRICE. THE IMS IS AN INDEPENDENT THIRD PARTY TO ACT AS A

MEDIATOR BETWEEN THE NAVY AND THE CONTRACTOR TO PROVIDE

INDEPENDENT ANALYSIS OF THE OPERATIONS AND TO ASSIST IN SETTLING

DISAGREEMENTS. THE IMS SELECTED SHOULD BE PROPOSED BY THE

TOWING CONTRACTOR AND AGREED TO BY THE MSC TECHNICAL

REPRESENTATIVE. IMS DUTIES SHALL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING, BUT ARE

NOT LIMITED TO:

O PERFORM DETAILED TECHNICAL EVALUATION AND OVERSIGHT AS

NECESSARY, TO ENSURE THE TUG AND BOTH TOW VESSELS (CG-53

AND LHA-5) ARE PREPARED AND RIGGED FOR TOW IAW THE U.S.

NAVY TOWING MANUAL, AS APPLICABLE.

TECHNICAL EVALUATIONS SHALL INCLUDE A REVIEW OF THE

FOLLOWING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO:

• CONTRACTOR PREPARED TOW PACKAGE.

• PRE-TOW CHECKLIST TO INCLUDE ITEMS SUCH AS

VERIFYING THE CONDITION OF BOTH TOW VESSELS

(CG-53 AND LHA-5) AS BEING SEAWORTHY OF THE TOW.

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

• MATERIAL CONDITION OF THE TUG AND BOTH TOW

VESSELS (CG-53 AND LHA-5).

• PREPARATIONS OF THE TUG AND BOTH TOW VESSELS

(CG-53 AND LHA-5).

• INSPECTION OF ALL MATERIAL, EQUIPMENT,

HARDWARE, LINES, AND REQUIRED CERTIFICATES.

• COMPLETED U.S. NAVY TOWING MANUAL APPENDIX H.

• ISSUE A TOWING CERTIFICATE WHEN THE TUG AND

BOTH TOW VESSELS (CG-53 AND LHA-5) ARE SAFELY

RIGGED FOR TOW.

• CONTRACTOR MUST PROVIDE TOW BRIDLE AND HARDWARE, EMERGENCY

TOW LINES, FLOODING ALARMS, NAVIGATION LIGHTS, DAY SHAPES IAW

THE COLREGS RULES OF THE ROAD, AND NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING (NDT)

OF VESSEL DECK FITTINGS.

• CONTRACTOR MUST PREPARE AND SUBMIT A COMPREHENSIVE TOWING

PACKAGE FOR REVIEW AND APPROVAL PRIOR TO COMMENCEMENT OF

TOW. THIS PACKAGE INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO:

o A COMPLETED APPENDIX H FROM THE US NAVY TOWING MANUAL

WITH ASSOCIATED DETAIL

o STEADY STATE TOW LINE TENSION CALCULATIONS OVER THE

SPECTRUM OF ANTICIPATED WEATHER CONDITIONS ALONG THE

TOW ROUTE

o SPEEDS OF ADVANCE (SOA) o WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LIMITS o A SKETCH OF THE TOW CONFIGURATION WHICH IDENTIFIES ALL

COMPONENTS IN THE TOW RIG FROM THE TOW MACHINE ON THE

TUG TO THE PAD EYES ON TOW (THIS INCLUDES TOW WIRE,

CONNECTING SHACKLES, CHAIN INSPECTIONS, AND PAD EYE NDT

(NON-DESTRUCTIVE TESTING) INSPECTION PAPERWORK.

o DOCUMENTATION OF PEDIGREE, TESTING, OR STAMPING FOR THE

INDIVIDUAL JEWELRY COMPONENTS TO ASSIST IN IDENTIFYING

THE WEAKEST LINK AND TO FACILITATE FORENSIC ANALYSIS IN

THE EVENT OF A FAILURE, AND TRACKING OF FAILURE TRENDS.

o TUG SPECIFICATIONS TO INCLUDE HULL AND TOW MACHINERY

CERTIFICATIONS, BOLLARD PULL, TOW WIRE CERTIFICATIONS, AND

THE MASTER’S TOWING ENDORSEMENT.

o ROUTE PLANNING AND IDENTIFICATION OF PORTS OF REFUGE

INCLUDING ASSOCIATED RESTRICTIONS FOR ENTRY AS STATED BY

THE CAPTAIN OF THE PORT.

o THE COMPLETED TOW PACKAGE MUST BE SENT TO NAVSEA AND

MSC REPRESENTATIVES FOR APPROVAL PRIOR TO TOW.

• 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.

• TOW TO SINKEX LOCATIONS:

o EX-MOBILE BAY (CG-53): ARRIVE ON STATION AT POSITION 23:02:00

NORTH 159:45 WEST ON 11 JULY 2026, 0330W.

o EX-PELELIU (LHA-5): ARRIVE ON STATION AT POSITION 23:02:00

NORTH 159:45 WEST ON 17 JULY 2026, 0330W.

• STANDBY: STANDBY WITHIN A SAFE DISTANCE OF THE DISCONNECT

LOCATION FOR EACH SINKEX EVENT, PREPARED TO RECONNECT THE TOW

IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY AS DIRECTED BY PMRF.

9. INTERESTED PARTIES SHALL FURNISH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION AT A

MINIMUM:

A. COMPANY INFORMATION:

(1) NAME OF COMPANY; TELEPHONE NUMBER AND E-MAIL ADDRESS

(2) SMALL BUSINESS STANDING (E.G. SMALL OR LARGE BUSINESS; HUB-ZONE

STATUS)

(3) LARGE BUSINESSES ARE REQUESTED TO PROVIDE DETAILS REGARDING

POSSIBLE SUB-CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES.

(4) PROVIDE COMPANY’S UNIQUE ENTITY IDENTIFIER

B. VESSEL AND RATE INFORM

(1) 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 TUG

PROFORMA (TUGCON - SPOT) FEBRUARY 2026 (02-26).

(2) LUMPSUM (INCLUDE UP TO 4 DAYS AT DESTINATION SITE FOR

CUSTOMS/DELIVERY) AND DEMURRAGE RATE.

(3) ITINERARY, NUMBER OF DAYS REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THE TOW

MISSION.

(4) PROVIDE EARLIEST AVAILABLE LAYDAY TO REACH THE FIRST SINKEX

LOCATION AT PACIFIC MISSILE RANGE FACILITY ON 11 JULY 2026,

0330W.

(5) 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 1000 HOURS, EASTERN

TIME, WEDNESDAY, 06 MAY 2026. THE POINT OF CONTACT BRANDON PAGE,

EMAIL BRANDON.A.PAGE.CIV@US.NAVY.MIL, OR TEL (564) 226-1239.

SIGNED: CHRISTOPHER TOMLIN, CONTRACTING OFFICER, MSC, N103