Bathymetric lidar services

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Arizona Water Science Center is conducting market research for bathymetric LiDAR services to support the multiyear Imperial Dam Sediment Project in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation. The procurement requires specialized Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology operating at 1550 nm wavelength capable of water penetration to accurately detect bed surfaces of submerged channels, along with small Unmanned Aerial System (sUAS) capabilities. Contractors must demonstrate ability to perform channel morphology monitoring at the California Sluiceway at Imperial Dam, located 20 miles north of Yuma, Arizona, with all sUAS equipment meeting current National Defense Authorization Act criteria for national security compliance. Qualified vendors must submit capabilities statements demonstrating their ability to meet the statement of work requirements and perform services within the specified timeframe. Electronic responses must be submitted to cjfejarang@usgs.gov no later than Wednesday, August 13, 2025 at 9:00am PDT.

This pre-solicitation notice indicates no set-aside designation is being used, making it open to all responsible sources under NAICS code 541370 (Surveying and Mapping Services) with a size standard of $19 million. The project timeline spans from August 2025 through December 2025, requiring two separate field visits before and after a high flow release from Imperial Dam, with successive data collection occurring within 4 weeks of each visit. Each field visit involves scanning approximately 3,000 feet of channel length with a 200-foot average width at 200 feet flight elevation. Ground truth observations using RTK and GNSS are mandatory requirements, and contractors must deliver two bathymetric datasets meeting USGS accuracy requirements to the Arizona Water Science Center. All collected data must be published in established USGS databases consistent with Fundamental Science Practices. No incumbent contractors or specific budget ranges are identified in this sources sought announcement.