Bottom trawl survey in the gulf of alaska/easter bering sea shelf and northern bering sea

BOTTOM TRAWL SURVEY IN THE GULF OF ALASKA/EASTER BERING SEA SHELF AND NORTHERN BERING SEA

This is a request for information only and does not constitute a commitment, implied or otherwise, that a procurement action will be issued or awarded. This is not a solicitation.  This is not a Request for Quote (RFQ), Invitation for Bid (IFB), Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Application (RFA) or announcement of a solicitation, and does not assume the Government will award a contract or proceed with any of the above solicitation efforts in the near future. No entitlement to payment of direct or indirect cost or charges by the Government will arise as a result of the submission of information.  All information considered proprietary shall be marked accordingly, and properly identified proprietary information will be safeguarded in accordance with federal regulations. The Government shall not be liable for or suffer any consequential damages for improperly identified proprietary information. The purpose of this announcement is solely to gather information from the marketplace, and any responses received will neither be considered an offer by the responding party nor returned to the responding party. No telephone inquiries will be accepted, and requests for solicitation packages will not be honored at this time since no solicitation has been prepared.

Synopsis: Sources Sought

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC), Resource Assessment and Conservation Engineering (RACE) Division of the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is conducting market research for the purpose of identifying businesses that have demonstrated capability to provide a commercial trawl vessel, with experienced crew to conduct stock assessment bottom trawl surveys of groundfish and crab in the eastern Bering Sea over a base 55-day period that begins on or about May 26, 2023 but no later than June 7,2023 for each charter. Alternate starting dates earlier or later than the preferred May 26, 2023 date may be considered. The fishing operations are conducted from two charter vessels and consist of 30-minute tows at fixed stations positioned along a 20 X 20 nm grid beginning in inner Bristol Bay with the vessels working on alternate columns of north-south stations, westward to the shelf edge to cover an area of 144,493 square nautical miles and fishing depths from 20-200 meters (11-109 fathoms). The requirement is for commercial stern trawlers with an experienced crew to execute the stock assessment bottom trawl surveys for the Easter Bering Sea Shelf and Northern Bering Sea.

The minimum specifications for the vessel are:

Vessel minimum length: 120 ft

Vessel minimum horsepower: 850 HP

Minimum trawling speed: cruising speed of 16.67 km/hour (9 knots) in low sea states. Preferred: the vessel be able to maintain a minimum cruising speed of 18.5 km/hour (10 knots).

Trawl Wire capacity: An auto-trawl system with the capability of adjustable winch brakes and measurement of trawl wire deployed

INFORMATION REQUESTED:

The Government is requesting that all interested vendors provide information regarding their experience and capability to provide a qualified crew and eligible vessel.  A vessel data sheet or the attached Trawl Vessel Characteristic Form may be submitted to address the minimum requirements. 

NOAA may utilize the responses to this Sources Sought to conduct additional market research.  Information obtained from this Sources Sought, and the subsequent communication with the vendors, if any, may be utilized to assist NOAA in developing a formal Request for Proposal (RFP) or Request for Quote (RFQ).

In addition to addressing technical capabilities, responses must include the following:

• Name and address of firm
• Size of business (e.g. small, small disadvantaged business, woman owned, etc.)
• Average annual revenue for the past 3 years and number of employees
• Ownership
• Number of years in business
• Affiliate information
• Parent company, joint venture partners, potential teaming partners, prime contractor (if potential subcontractor) or subcontractors (if potential prime contractor)
• Point of contact - address and phone number

SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS:

Telephone responses are NOT solicited and will not be accepted.  No solicitation exists at this time.  This synopsis is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to award a contract, nor will the Government pay for the solicited information.

Please submit your response to the attention of the Contracting Specialist, Ms. Amanda Leal (Amanda.Leal@noaa.gov) no later than June 15, 2022 at 10:00 a.m., Pacific Time.  Each response shall be no more than 15 single-sided, single-spaced pages (excluding the cover page), and each page shall be separately numbered, and shall be in .pdf format.