SURTASS-E Recompete SS-25-050.docx

DOCX document 974 KB Posted Mar 20, 2025

Attached to: SURTASS-E Support Vessel (Long-Term) TOW ACOUSTIC ARRAY - TIME CHARTER FOR US NAVY OPERATIONS
Solicitation number: SS-25-050
Issued by: Department of the Navy Military Sealift Command

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Written by GovTribe AI · Mar 20, 2025

This is a Sources Sought (SS) document for a Military Sealift Command (MSC) time charter solicitation seeking a vessel to support U.S. Navy acoustic array operations. The solicitation requires one US-flagged or foreign-flagged vessel (to be reflagged US) capable of worldwide operations, including in Arctic and Antarctic regions, to tow a passive acoustic monitoring system at 4-6 knots for up to 45-day missions.

Key requirements include: a vessel with Ice Class D0 certification, ability to maintain heading stability, US citizen crew with SECRET security clearances, accommodation for 30 personnel, deck space for government-furnished equipment, and strict noise profile specifications. The charter period is 365 days with four option periods, laydays starting March 1, 2026, and delivery/redelivery in Norfolk, VA. The vessel must support extended missions (60 days at sea), operate in sea states up to 5-6, provide specific electrical and water support capabilities, and accommodate complex mission system installations including ISO vans, walkways, and specialized equipment mounting. Responses to this market survey are due by March 31, 2025.

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SOURCES SOUGHT SS-25-050

PM23 20 March 2025 SURTASS-E Support Vessel (long-term)

FROM: COMSC N103B

SUBJECT:

TIME CHARTER FOR US NAVY OPERATIONS – TOW ACOUSTIC ARRAY

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ONLY AND YOUR RESPONSE IS NOT AN OFFER. THIS REQUEST FOR INFORMATION DOES NOT COMMIT THE GOVERNMENT TO PAY ANY COSTS INCURRED IN PREPARATION OF ANY SUBMISSION TO THIS MARKET SURVEY, OR TO CONTRACT FOR SERVICES.

1.1 Mission: The Military Sealift Command (MSC) requests one, US flagged or foreign flagged vessel (to be reflagged US prior to delivery of vessel) required to tow an acoustic array in support of U.S. Navy Operations.

1.2 Laydays: March 01, 2026

1.3 Area of Operation: The vessel(s) must be capable of worldwide operations, including support in all ocean basins of the world from the Artic to the Antarctic during all periods of time. The vessel is expected to operate in open water in the vicinity of the Marginal Ice Zone (MIZ) and must be capable of surviving encounter with young open ice, as specified by ABS, Ice Class D0.

1.4 Operating Scenario: The vessel will tow a passive acoustic monitoring system, between 4-6 knots, 24hrs/day for up to a 45 day event. The ship will need to be able to tow in a straight line for extended periods at slow speed. Because of the type of acoustic system employed, the ability of the vessel to maintain heading stability is critical.

1.5 Operational Support: Military Sealift Command Operations

1.6 Delivery: Norfolk, VA

1.6.1 Pre Delivery Site Survey (PDSS): The vendor shall permit government personnel to visit the ship no less than 10 days and no more than 30 days after award date to conduct a PDSS. The purpose of this PDSS shall be to, at a minimum, identify lay-down locations of GFE equipment, identify locations of electrical sources, and limit potential obstructions to SURTASS-E operations.

1.7 Redelivery: Norfolk, VA

1.8 Charter Period: Firm Period: 365 days, Option 1: 366 days, Option 2: 365 days, Option 3: 365 days, Option 4: 335 days.

1.9 Contractor Facility Clearance: Contractor Facility Clearance. The Contractor shall possess a SECRET facility clearance as adjudicated by Defense Security Services in accordance with DoD 5220.22 (Series) the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM) at time of submission of offer. Additional security access and safeguarding requirements will be documented in DD Form 254.

1.10 Government-Furnished Equipment (GFE): Government International Organization for Standardization (ISO) vans and support equipment listed in Table 1 below.

- FORCE PROTECTION & WEAPONS: MSC will provide antiterrorism/force protection (AT/FP) equipment that is listed on the AT/FP Allowance Equipment List to be utilized in the performance of AT/FP duties. The vessel shall execute all AT/FP requirements of the COMSCINST 5530.3 (series) instruction.

MSC will provide weapons and weapons storage equipment (arms & ammunition, storage lockers). There will be modifications to the vessel – weapons stands will be required to be welded to the deck, containers will have to be secured to the deck. The vessel and crew shall adhere to all equipment requirements of the OPNAVINST 3591.1 (series), and personnel screening requirements of the OPNAVINST 5530.13 (series) instructions.

-	Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear - Defense – (CBRN-D) Requirements.
a.	General. All CBRN-D material is centrally managed by Military Sealift Command, N-44, BLDG W-143. All CBRN-D gear will be provided by the Government. At no time should the Contractor procure an off the shelf commercial CBRN-D equipment unless otherwise directed by the Charterer. The contractor shall contact PM-23 Special Mission Ships and N-44 Logistics to request replacement of CBRN-D items that have been expended, damaged or have exceeded their shelf life or require calibration. The request must include the shipping address and the point of contact name and phone number. The Master will submit a CBRN-D complete inventory in the format designated by MSC of all CBRN-D equipment required by the Approved Equipment List in accordance with the required reports, records and log (contract data requirements list - CDRL) section of this Contract. Upon receipt of all CBRN-D material the ship will sign and date the receipt document, annotate material received and fax/email a copy to the shipper (MSC_CBRD@Navy.mil) within ten (10) days of material receipt.
b.	CBRN-D equipment and training. The Contractor shall adhere to MSC's standard provisions concerning CBRN-D found in COMSCINST 5530.3 (series). Contractor will assign a licensed deck officer as CBRN-DO who shall perform the duties in accordance with COMSCINST 5530.3 (series). The Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear - Defense Officer (CBRN-DO) must have completed CBRN-DO officer course within the last five (5)per years, must be assigned in writing by the ships Master and must be performing the duties as the CBRN-DO. The Contractor shall train crewmembers as specified in COMSCINST 5530.3 (series). The Contractor will reconfigure a space as necessary to function as a DECON station as specified in accordance with NSTM 470. Transfer or disposal of CBRN-D equipment must be reported to the cognizant MSC Area Commander and Squadron Commander in accordance with FAR clause 52.245-1, entitled ‘Government Property’.
c.	The Vessel will be fitted with a Counter Measure Water Wash-down System (CMWDS) consisting of clips and brackets for attaching standard fire hose nozzles at each weather deck fire station. The clips and brackets shall be as specified by COMSCINST 3541.5 series, Part 1, Appendix C “CBRN-D policy” (MA Plan no. S89-5-1) or a functional equivalent if modern vari-nozzles or others are onboard. The clips should be positioned to provide the greatest spray coverage for lifeboats, weather decks, housetops, bulkheads and high traffic areas. Structures accommodating personnel shall receive priority coverage. A list of any areas receiving minimal or no spray coverage shall be posted in damage control central. System will be capable of being activated from the interior of the Vessel. After installation, the CMWDS must be activated at least once every six months to ensure operational reliability. The Contractor will reconfigure a space as necessary to function as a decontamination station as specified in accordance with NSTM 470. The decontamination station is required to be interior, General Note 5 of MSC Drawing 4844759 Rev. C is not acceptable for this contract. The cost of this system is for the Contractor’s account, and is not reimbursable.
(2)	CBRN-DO duties. The CBRBN-DO will perform the following duties:

•Must ensure all CBRN-D equipment is properly stored and maintained at authorized levels in accordance with COMSCINST 5530.3 (series).

•Must ensure all CBRN-D equipment is inspected at least quarterly, with results of inventory entered into the deck log.

•Replace and/or update deficient, missing or out-of-date equipment; submit radiac meters for calibration when due.

•Advise the Master on procedures required as outlined in COMSCINST 3541.5 (series) (Damage Control Manual).

•Provide MSC Program Manager (PM-2) with annual CBRN-D inventory.

•Shall ensure all crew/personnel are correctly fit tested for Gas Mask and JLIST suit with 24 hours of reporting onboard.

•Must ensure all crew/personnel are CBRN trained in accordance with requirements set forth within COMSCINST 5530.3 (series).

•Must ensure that all CBRN-D equipment is stored in an environmentally controlled space

(3)	CBRN-DO training: the vessel’s CBRN-DO shall be trained as specified in COMSCINST 5530.3 (series). All other crew members/ Mariners must be trained in accordance with COMSCINST 5530.3 (series).
(4)	The Master/CBRN-DO will write a CBRN-D Doctrine which is specifically tailored to named vessel in this contract within 90 days, of coming on hire. It will summarizes guidance for executing defensive measures prior to any chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear attack. It provides methods to minimize damage and personnel casualties resulting from contamination associated with such an attack so the ship can carry out its assigned mission(s). Another section of this appendix delineates suggested CBRN-D related responsibilities of each ship officer. Subsequent sections list unique characteristics of and actions required to defend against nuclear, chemical, or biological attacks on a ship. The complete format is contained with NTTP 3-20.31/CGTTP 3-20.31, APPENDEX B Through E.
(5)	CBRN-D Medicinals considered Controlled substances: Diazepam (CANA) is a Schedule IV Controlled substance that is required to be locked in a cabinet within a locked space. For ships with small CANA inventories and ships without a Medical Service Officer (MSO), Medical Department Representative (MDR), or a Medical Safe, CANA must be locked in the Master’s Safe. The MSO or MDR when assigned must maintain custody of CANA in the same manner as with any Controlled Substance. CANA Auto-Injectors will be included and accounted for. All other medical countermeasures: Atropine auto injectors, Pralidoxime (2-PAM) auto injectors, ATNAA, Pyridostigmine Bromide, and Ciprofloxacin should be stored in a temperature controlled, locked space to ensure effectiveness and accountability. Pyridostigmine Bromide tabs must be refrigerated between 2-8 degrees C.
(6)	Government tests and inspections. The Government has the right to periodically inspect the Vessel's CBRN-D equipment, the CBRN-DO’s qualifications and crew members' training records, and test the operability of installed CBRN-D systems. A report of the inspection will be provided to the Master, cognizant MSC Area commander, Squadron Commander and MSC Force CBRN-D Officer
1.11	Requirements:

No.

SURTASS –E VOO Capability

Mandatory Requirements

Vessel Classification and General Conditions

a. Shall be classed by an International Association of Classification Society (IACS) member.

b. Shall meet the requirements outlined in American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) Guide for Steel Vessels, under 90 meters in length (2019) or the equivalent certification standard of a IACS member

c. The vessel shall be US Flag.

d. Shall be certified for Open Ocean Manned Operations per applicable United States Coast Guard (USCG) and/or ABS (or IACS member) regulations.

e. A valid Certificate Of Inspection (COI) shall be maintained for the entire duration of vessel lease. The COI shall allow operations in accordance with 46 CFR Subchapter I - Cargo and Miscellaneous Vessels and must support the installation of Government Furnished Equipment, which consists of Portable Accommodation Modules (PAMs) as defined by the US Coast Guard.

f. The Master, officers, and entire crew shall be U.S. citizens. All deck officers are required to hold a U.S. SECRET security clearance prior to assignment.

g. The following vessel security measures shall be required:

1. Provide access control such that only authorized Ship and government approved visitors are allowed onboard. Government will provide list of their authorized visitors.

2. In port, a ship roving watch will inspect the status of government spaces, locked or unlocked and manned, and report any unexpected conditions to a designated government representative. The rover shall inspect each of the secure containers at least once every four hours when they are unmanned. Each inspection shall include verifying that each secure container entrance door is closed, secured, and personnel shall write the current date, their initials, and the time of the inspection on the Standard Form 702 attached to outside of each entrance door.

3. When in a non-U.S. controlled port facility, provide security at the gangway to prevent unauthorized access to the ship. (a non-military port i.e. any port that is not U.S. military or North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member military base).

h. Shall provide emergency medical services (First Aid) to all embarked personnel.

i. Shall provide sufficient life-saving equipment to meet local regulatory and Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) requirements for all embarked SURTASS-E personnel.

j. Shall provide fire-fighting coverage of all SURTASS-E ISO vans and elements on deck using the ship’s existing firefighting equipment.

1. Class A

2. Class B

3. Class C

k. For operating scenarios, the ship, with SURTASS-E installed, shall comply with all intact and damage stability criteria required by the ship's Flag Administration, Classification Society's Rules, and USCG Certificate. (Accommodation must be made to allow Government System PAM vans to be connected to the ship Public Address General Alarm (PAGA) system).

l. Shall provide type accommodations for 30 SURTASS-E personnel. (6 officer equivalent, 24 unlicensed equivalent).

1. Six (06) staterooms for individual occupancy – For use by Military Officers In Charge (Commissioned Officer, Chief Warrant Officer and or Chief Petty Officer), Senior SOC Technician (STA) and or senior civilians as identified by MSC (equivalent to Licensed Officers).

2. Two (02) to four (04) person staterooms to accommodate twenty-four (24) personnel – junior enlisted, technicians and persons not in a leadership/management position (equivalent to Unlicensed Mariners).

3. Shall provide hasps, or similar item, on each locker in guest berthing suites to allow for the use of personal padlocks.

m. Forward deployed out of area operations (away from Norfolk, VA area) will require extensive coordination from the company operations manager. Specifically, logistic support for voyage, port calls, and multiple crew turnovers in order to maintain ready for tasking.

Vessel Characteristics - General

a. Vessel shall be capable of supporting a typical operations cycle of:

1. 4000 NM transit; 60 Days towing at 4-6 knots

2. Shall be capable of 60 days at sea un-replenished. This includes:

a. fuel

b. food

c. berthing

d. potable water

e. waste disposal (sanitary)

b. Minimum Transit Speed: shall be no less than 10 knots sustained.

c. Operating Speed:

1. Vessel shall be able to tow a long line acoustic system at 4-6 knots for 24 hours/day and maintain course within 5 degrees of desired heading in sea state 5.

2. Turning Rates: The ship must be capable of making controlled turns at 5 degrees/minute in sea state 5.

3. Deployment & Retrieval: The vessel shall be capable of maintaining a stable heading (within 5 degrees of desired course), while deploying and retrieving the acoustic system at speeds varying between 1-2 knots, for periods no less than 4 hours.

4. During towing operations, the ship steerage shall not endanger the acoustic system by creating a thrust direction that would bring the acoustic system into contact with the ship propulsion or steerage equipment.

5. Shall be able to conduct aft deck launch and recovery operations at 1-2 knots in Sea State 5 while maintaining heading. The use of thrusters or dynamic positioning system to maintain heading during deployment and recovery operations is allowed.

NOTE: Sea states are as defined in NATO Standardization Agreement 4194 (Edition 1) “Standardized Wave and Wind Environments and Shipboard Reporting of Sea Conditions” (1983) as Amended (1985).

Sea State 4: wind 16-21 knots (sustained), wave heights 1.2-2.5m Sea State 5: wind 22-27 knots (sustained), wave heights 2.5-4.0m Sea State 6: wind 28-47 knots (sustained), wave heights 4.0-6.0m

d. Seakeeping:

1. Shall be able to tow the acoustic system on any heading at 4-6 knots in Sea State 5 as a minimum. Safe towing in higher sea states is desired if this can be done safely without endangering personnel or the installed acoustic system.

2. Shall be able to transit in Sea State 6.

3. Shall be able to support safe aft deck operations to deploy/recover the acoustic system in sea states as listed:

a. Deploy acoustic system: Sea State 4 or greater

b. Recover acoustic system: Sea State 5 NOTE: Sea states are as defined in NATO Standardization Agreement 4194 (Edition 1) “Standardized Wave and Wind Environments and Shipboard Reporting of Sea Conditions” (1983) as Amended (1985).

Sea State 4: wind 16-21 knots, wave heights 1.25-2.5 m Sea State 5: wind 22-27 knots, wave heights 2.5-4.0 m

e. Maximum freeboard at the mission deck shall be 10 ft. (3 m).

NOTE: The ship may be ballasted to achieve this maximum freeboard, provided it does not violate USCG or Classification Society regulations regarding stability.

If ballasted to achieve freeboard, new list & trim shall not exceed 5 degrees.

f. Shall have a deck cargo loading capacity of 615 lb./ft² (3 MT/m²).

g. Shall have a minimum deck load capacity 190 Long Tons.

h. Shall provide 150 kW of 440/460/480 VAC, 3-phase, Delta, 50-60 Hz, 200 Amp electric power. Power shall be stable and available 24 hr./day during mobilization, deployment, and de-mobilization. Power distribution panel shall be located no more than 100 ft. forward of stern or within 75 linear feet of the Mission System Power Distribution van, whichever is less. The nominal location of the mission power distribution van is illustrated in Diagram 1.

Note:

1. The vessel shall provide electrical service via either one (1) 200 Amp service or Two (2) 100 Amp service cables.

2. Non-permanently installed generating equipment must not contribute to the radiated noise of the vessel in excess of the requirements outlined in Requirement 4 of this section.

3. Emergency back-up power shall be available (within 5 minutes) for SURTASS-E equipment.

i. Shall provide up to 500 gallons/day (1893 liters) of non-potable freshwater, no hydrocarbons, to the fantail for wash down of SURTASS-E equipment. Vessel shall provide connection to SURTASS-E systems if required.

j. Shall provide up to 40 gallons/min (151 liters) of seawater at a minimum of 50 psi to the fantail for cooling of the SURTASS-E equipment.

k. Shall provide workshop-quality compressed air to fantail for tools such as air driven wrenches.

l. Shall provide a shipboard crane with a 5 ton capacity, sufficient to lift equipment from the pier to the ship.

m. Shall provide an interface connection panel to the ships telephone system, public announcing (PA), general alarm (GA), and fire alarm (FA) system no more than 100 ft. forward of stern or within 75 linear feet of the Mission System Power Distribution van, whichever is less. This connection should be collocated with the power panel identified in paragraph 2.h of this section. The FA/PA/GA alarm connections shall support connecting all PAM van to the ships monitoring system.

1. Shall provide ships telephone system to allow for communications to and from staterooms, bridge and Ops Van.

Vessel Characteristics - Mission System Support

a. The vessel shall have a clear weldable deck area of a minimum of 5348 ft2 (497 m2) for installation of the mission system vans and winch plus an additional approximately 710 ft2 (65.96 m2) for the installation of a walkway from the ships main deckhouse to the mission system vans installed on deck. Area shall be clear of any emergency hatches or scuttle locations. The ships deck area must accommodate the installation and welding of the mission system as identified in Diagram 1b notes. The deck layout identified in Diagram 1a represents the nominal deck configuration as currently employed. Adjustments to the location of the major components, shown in Diagram 1a and 1b, may be allowed to support vessel underlying deck structural configuration and allowable deck loading. Diagram 2 shows the government furnished walkway and a notional configuration. The walkway is nominally 4 ft. (1.22m) wide and runs along the centerline of the vessel. The exact length of the walkway is determined by the distance from the ships deckhouse to the first set of mission vans.

The installed government mission equipment can be considered as three regions that may have their physical location modified from the nominal location within the constraints listed below. The walkway shall be flush with existing Handling System Group (HSG) Platforms. Minor adjustments to the location of major components may be allowed to support vessel structural loading. Any changes to location or deviation to the configuration outlined in Diagram 1a through Diagram 4 must be acceptable to the government and the acceptability of those changes is at the sole discretion of the government.

b. All deck configuration.

NOTE: ABS certification for deck configuration must meet government requirement to complete the installation and certification of the system within 7 days of install on the vessel. Current government ISO mounting hardware is approved by ABS for single deck configuration. Government will require any offeror to clearly demonstrate, with data, how any alternative configuration can be certified to meet government need.

c. All deck space must allow the installation of high cube ISO containers on a GFE Support system. ISO Containers fall under both ABS and U.S. Coast Guard regulations.

d. The vessel shall have a stern area allowing the installation of a stern/over boarding section of 36 ft. x 50 ft. (10.97 m x 15.74 m) immediately forward of transom for deployment & retrieval of the government mission system to include mission system winch and platforms.

e. 36 ft. (10.97 m) dimension shall be along the transom. The transom section shall allow for an opening to sea on the stern that must accommodate a 17ft (5.18 m) wide over-boarding chute and associated deck mounting hardware (see diagram 1).

f. Exclusive of the stern/over boarding section, (3.d), the remaining deck shall be no smaller than 1900 ft2 (176.5 m2). This deck area must allow for an ISO van layout of 36 ft. x 44 ft. (11 m x 13.4 m) as illustrated in Appendix 1.

NOTE: The SURTASS-E current ABS approved footprint can be found in the Approved ABS Deck Layout, Diagram 1a. Exact deck layout will be based on vessel selection.

g. The vessel shall provide sufficient opening of any stern wall to provide for the unobstructed over-boarding of the SURTASS-E Acoustic system via the stern chute. A minimum of an 18.5 ft. (5.64 m) opening shall be required, which is included in paragraph (3.d), 36 ft. x 50 ft (10.97m x 15.74 m) section. The centerline of the opening must be the same as the centerline of the deck space for the winch section specified in paragraph (3.d).

h. The deck shall be coplanar with a maximum vertical deviation of 2 in (5.1 cm) when measured from the transom to 50 ft. (15.74 m) forward of the transom for SURTASS-E Winch/Acoustic system Handling Equipment.

i. There shall not be any Ship’s deck hardware with a vertical height of 2 in. (5.1 cm) or greater from the deck in the way of SURTASS-E bases.

NOTE: This includes any retractable deck equipment that is needed for routine operations of the vessel to include mooring or maneuvering with tugs.

j. The deck and deck attachment points must not have damage or cracking, cracked welds, excessive pitting or corrosion.

k. Deck attachment shall support welding of mating structures for mission system. The deck may be fitted with standard ISO container attachment points to allow securing acoustic system equipment to deck. Anticipate welding approximately 200 T-joint welds to attach government hardware to the platform in accordance with (IAW) ABS requirements.

l. Shall support winch tow loading of 75,000 lbs. (333,616 Newtons). Tow load (bollard pull) will be 6,500–17,000 lbs. (28,913 – 75,620 Newtons).

m. Freeboard at the mission deck and gunwale shall allow for the deployment of up to three 10-30 ft. (3.05-9.14 m) vertical poles: one supporting an acoustic speed sensor and a second pole supporting a fathometer transducer. All three will be deployed over the side during towing operations. Each over boarding pole will be supported by two welded platforms.

n. The vessel operator shall adhere to all regulatory requirements for the safe installation and removal of the GFE Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP)system, so as to ensure its proper operation. The final swing arm location should avoid interference with vessel fixtures (i.e. fuel vent) and close enough to the van pad to run a 100 foot data power cable between the sensor and the operator van. Sufficient room aft should also be planned to mount the additional beam for the guide wire aft.

o. The vessel shall provide location (inside the skin of the ship, main deck or higher, and near the berthing area) for a GFE small arms locker, which will be welded to the deck.

1. The size of the Ready Service Locker (RSL) which will securely store the Ships self-defense and embarked security team ordnance is: L94” X W65” X H71” Approximate shipping weight is 2500 lbs.

2. The size of the Class V weapons safe for ships self defense is: H51 ¾” X W22” X D39” Approximate shipping weight is 1080 lbs.

p. The vessel shall provide one Mechanical technician to perform maintenance & repairs on the Hydraulic Power Unit. A qualified chief engineer with hydraulic knowledge is sufficient for this requirement.

q. The vessel shall provide one Electrical technician to perform maintenance & repairs on the Power Distribution System Electrical ISO Van. A qualified chief engineer with electrical knowledge is sufficient for this requirement.

r. The vessel shall provide shore-based welder(s) and welding services for the installation of the government furnished walkway between the deck house and the installed mission systems vans. All welding work must be completed and certified by any required regulatory agency or body at the contractor’s expense. The purpose of the walkway is to support safe passage of personnel to and from the ship superstructure/main deckhouse and the mission system PAM units. All new and existing walkways and platforms shall be flush to prevent creation of a trip hazard. Walkways are illustrated in Diagrams 2 through 4. The current revision of installation drawings SES-D-00006 and SES-D-00209 show the details of proposed installation. These drawing will be modified to conform the vessel structure and layout.

s. The vessel shall provide VSAT/INMARSAT capability as a secondary means of communication for command, control and coordination.

1. Due to the extreme Northern Latitudes/Operating Area, an increased bandwidth is required – 4M X 2M (download/upload) capability for all operating areas.

2. Contractor shall incorporate cost for said service in their daily charter hire rate. The contractor is entitled to reimbursement if assigned to an area with useage fees above and beyond the known cost of services.

3. The following countries identified are a sample listing of known areas of operation and is not all-inclusive as the vessel shall be available for world-wide assignment: Iceland, Azores, Norway, England and the Mediterranean.

t. The government will provide a small form factor Defense Advanced GPS Receiver (DAGR) kit to provide a reliable GPS signal in all environments. The DAGR shall be installed in the pilothouse by the mission system crew with concurrence from the vessel on installation location and power and signal cable routing, prior to each government directed at-sea period. While the vessel is in-port the DAGR receiver shall be removed by the mission system crew and stored in a locked mission system van. The kit contains the GPS receiver, antenna, and cabling inside a protective case. Installation of the antenna and receiver may be accomplished via non-permanent means. The mission system crew will conduct all setup, maintenance, and troubleshooting procedures. The mission system crew will train the vessel crew on basic operations and identification of problems, which shall be reported to the mission system crew upon discovery.

u. The vessel shall provide the following ships navigation data via serial communications over two pairs of bare wire connections. The data shall be provided in accordance with the National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA) formatted message standard and shall be provided at a 1Hz frequency, with a RS-422 physical interface, at 4800 baud, with one (1) start bit, eight (8) data bits, and no parity bit (“8-N-1” format). The data shall be provided at the same location as the connection to ships systems identified in paragraph 2.m.

Message

Ship’s Port

Device

NMEA ver

Description

$--DPT

1P18

Depth Sounder

3.01

Depth

$--VBW

1P18

Doppler Speed Log

3.01

Water Speed and Heading

$--ZDA

1P17

GPS or equivalent

3.01

Time and date

Vessel Characteristics - Radiated Noise

a. During normal towing operations (4-6 knots), the ship radiated noise should not exceed the requirements as set forth in the ABS Guide for the Classification Notation – Underwater Noise (July 2018), Underwater Noise (UWN) requirements for Research Vessels, subsection 3/5 or other classification society equivalent.

b. The vessel operator / contractor must provide objective quality evidence, test reports, or information, from any accredited noise and vibration organization, showing how the vessel being supplied does not exceed a threshold established in paragraph (4.a).

c. Ship radiated noise profile excursions are permissible if the broadband noise source is no greater than 3dB, and, or any narrow band source is no greater than 15dB above the requirements of part (4.a). No more than 5 narrowband sources greater than 15dB will be considered acceptable. The offeror must clearly demonstrate how the noise source can be mitigated. The determination of whether or not a source is or can be adequately mitigated is at the sole discretion of the government.

NOTE: The government reserves the right to verify that the vessel meets the radiated noise requirement (4.a) upon delivery.

d. The vessel operator / contractor shall have the hull cleaned on an annual basis.

1. The first annual hull cleaning shall commence on 22Jun2022 while in port at JEBLC.

2. All other annual hull cleanings shall be scheduled in a manner that does not interfere with missions.

Government Furnished Equipment:

The Mission system is designed to be a self-contained accredited Military System, capable of rapid mobilization on a Vessel of Opportunity (VOO). Items 1- 10, provide minimum capability for all mobilizations. Items 2 through 8 are ISOVAN. Some vans are certified as ABS/USCG Portable Accommodation Module (PAM). Items 1-8 are mounted on an ABS approved support structure to distribute the load.

Item 1- Winch and Acoustic System Handling System with stern chute, Item 2 – Hydraulic Power Unit Van for the winch (PAM), Item 3 - OBRP Module Storage Reels Van, Item 4 - Processing equipment Van (PAM), Item 5 – Operations Van (PAM), Item 6 - C4I Suite / communications Van (PAM) Item 7 - Acoustic system workshop Van (PAM), Item 8 - Power Distribution Unit Van (PAM), Item 9 - Deck Equipment Support Structures & Mounts (to include 6 “platforms”), Item 10 is the walkway from the 7 van or 10 van configurations to the ships deckhouse. The exact length of the walkway will be based on ship configuration. Item 14 includes all platforms, mounting hardware, and associated safety railings.

Items 11-14 support the alternate mission system configuration and may be installed at the discretion of the government. Some vans are certified as ABS/USCG Portable Accommodation Module (PAM). Items 11-13 may be mounted on an ABS approved support structure to distribute the load, if required.

Item 11 – Acoustic system workshop/technician Van (PAM) Item 12 - OBRP Module Storage Reels, Item 13 – Processing System Van (PAM) Items 14 is Deck Equipment Support Structures & Mounts necessary to support the addition of the vans identified as items 11-13 (if required).

Item

Description

area (ft2)

weight (lbs)

Winch and Acoustic System Handling System with Stern Chute

1,800

45,500

Winch Hydraulic Power Unit (HPU)

170

30,800

OBRP Module Storage Reels

170

23,000

Processing

170

30,800

Operations

170

30,800

Communications

170

26,500

Acoustic System Workshop

170

28,800

Power Distribution Unit

170

29,800

Deck Equipment, Support Structures & Mounts

784

23,500

Deck Walkway

710

15,000

Total

4,484

284,500

Item

Description

area (ft2)

weight (lbs)

Basic Mission Configuration

4,484

284,500

Acoustic system workshop/technician Van (PAM)

170

30,800

OBRP Module Storage Reels

170

30,800

Processing

170

30,800

Additional Deck Equipment and Support Structures (under vans)

354

22,500

Total

5348

399,400

Table 1

Approved ABS Deck Layouts

Diagram 1a

Diagram 1b Notes:

a. Clear deck area of 5348 ft2 (496.8m2) .(see Table 1)

b. All deck area must be co-located on one level.

c. A clear deck area of 36 ft. x 50 ft. (10.97m x 15.74m), 1800 ft2 (167.2m2) forward of transom for deployment and retrieval of acoustic system.

d. Diagram 1a shows a seven van configuration. Three (3) additional ISO vans to be located forward of the Processing, Operator, and Communications vans, illustrated in Diagram 1b, represent the nominal 10 van configuration. The basic mission configuration that must be installed is illustrated in Diagram 1a. The government reserves the right to add the additional 3 vans at a later date.

e. The obstruction restriction illustrated in this diagram is measure from the forward most row of vans in the 7 van configuration and the middle row of vans in the 10 van configuration.

Walk Way Configuration

Notes: Length of walkway is set by the distance from the ship superstructure to the forward most van. The width of the walkway is nominally 4 ft (1.22 m)

Diagram 2

Deck Welding Layout

Diagram 3 Notes:

1. Anticipate welding approximately 650 fillet welds to attach government hardware to the platform IAW ABS requirements for a 7 van configuration. The number of fillet-joint welds is increased by approximately 90 if 10 vans are installed.

2. This is the underlying footprint for SURTASS-E Van Configurations (Drawing SES-D-00006rev); Bottom portion supports the 36 ft. x 50 ft. section, and top portion supports the 36 ft. x 74 ft. section.

3. An ACAD drawing with all welding instructions and dimensions will be provided to the contractor prior to installation to support COI submission.

Diagram 4 Notes: Diagram 4 shows the complete walkway structure for the vessels.