Charter a commercial vessel to recover a glider in distress

***NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) intends to negotiate, on a sole source basis, under authority of FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), with Merlin Marine Corp.  This notice is in accordance with FAR 6.305(b).

***The sole source determination is based on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) requirement and market research to urgently recover a distressed glider drifting approximately 140 miles offshore, which requires a vessel with long-duration range and appropriate fuel capacity. 

1. Background/Overview:

The Environmental Research Division (ESD) is a fisheries research facility of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), which is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); ESD needs to charter a commercial passenger fishing vessel a glider that was deployed five miles off the coast of Oceanside, CA, on May 30, 2024 is in distress and requires an emergency recovery. The glider’s diving behavior changed substantially on June 13, indicating that one of the sensors may be taking on water. This changes the weight distribution of the glider and prevents it from climbing to the surface after a dive. The glider is drifting approximately 140 miles offshore, which requires a vessel with long-duration range and appropriate fuel capacity. We require availability to deploy almost immediately to avoid the risk of losing the glider, or of having it drift into Mexican waters, which will complicate recovery. If we are unable to recover the glider, we lose a valuable instrument and its data.

1. Scope of Work

ESD needs to charter a commercial passenger fishing vessel for a glider that was deployed five miles off the coast of Oceanside, CA, on May 30, 2024 is in distress and requires an emergency recovery. The estimated performance period will be from Friday, June 21 – Monday, June 24, 2024. This will be a firm fixed price contract with no option years.

1. Tasks

The contractor shall complete the following tasks.

1. Task 1: Recover the drifting glider, it is estimated that the glider will be located at approximately 31.412°N and -119.747°E at 0500 on June 23, 2024. Departure is planned to be 1000 on June 22, with one rider from NOAA’s Southwest Fisheries Science Center. Estimated arrival at the glider location is approximated to be around 0500 on June 23. Once the glider is recovered, it  will be returned to San Diego Harbor at an estimated arrival time around midnight on June 23.

1. Place of Performance

NOAA/NMFS

Southwest Fisheries Science Center

8901 La Jolla Shores Drive

La Jolla, CA 92037-1508

It is estimated that the glider will be located at approximately 31.412°N and -119.747°E at

0500 on June 23, 2024.

***THIS NOTICE OF INTENT IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS AND NO SOLICITATION PACKAGE IS AVAILABLE. HOWEVER, FIRMS THAT BELIEVE THEY CAN FULLY MEET THE GOVERNMENT'S REQUIREMENTS MAY SUBMIT SUBSTANTIATING DOCUMENTATION IN WRITING TO THE IDENTIFIED POINT OF CONTACT WITHIN 15 DAYS AFTER PUBLICATION OF THIS SYNOPSIS. SUCH DOCUMENTATION WILL BE EVALUATED SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF DETERMINING WHETHER OR NOT TO CONDUCT THIS PROCUREMENT ON A COMPETITIVE BASIS. A DETERMINATION BY THE GOVERNMENT NOT TO CONDUCT A COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENT, BASED UPON RESPONSES TO THIS NOTICE, IS SOLELY WITHIN THE DISCRETION OF THE GOVERNMENT. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE IN RESPONSE TO THIS NOTICE.