Ocean floor mapping with long-endurance unmanned systems

The Naval Supply Systems Command, on behalf of the Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO), is seeking contractor-owned, long-endurance Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) to collect high-resolution ocean floor mapping data globally in support of fleet safety of navigation and situational awareness. The procurement will be conducted under NAICS code 541990 (All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services) and PSC code R702 (Support-Management: Data Collection). Contractors must demonstrate current capability and experience conducting long-endurance USV survey operations across four distinct mission profiles: shallow water bathymetric surveys (vessel draft to approximately 200 meters depth), bathymetric surveys (200 to 4,000 meters depth), deep water bathymetric surveys (4,000 meters to full ocean depth), and seamount surveys (vessel draft to 4,000 meters). Solutions must achieve minimum monthly productivity of 2,000 linear nautical miles, utilize multibeam sonar systems meeting International Hydrographic Organization Order 1A standards, enable remote monitoring by NAVOCEANO personnel via NIPRNET, and encrypt all data at rest and in transit. Interested vendors must submit RFI responses by March 4, 2026 at 4:00 PM EST referencing solicitation number N0018926USV, with responses limited to ten typewritten pages in 12-point font minimum, and register for the virtual Industry Day conference scheduled for March 11, 2026 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM EST.

This pre-solicitation notice includes no set-aside designations and identifies no current contractors or incumbents. The government has not disclosed a specific award value or budget range for this procurement. The contractor will operate under a Contractor Owned, Contractor Operated, Government Augmented (COCOGA) model wherein the contractor provides all equipment, maintenance, coordination of survey operations, safe mobilization, mission planning, and daily operations, with potential contractor responsibility for data processing and delivery. Government augmentation may include leading planning and execution phases, operating the contractor-supplied ocean floor mapping payload, or performing all data processing. Deliverables must include raw sensor data from multibeam sonar, oceanographic profiles, GNSS observables, vessel motion data, collection logs, a Report of Survey, and processed data products with associated processing logs and documentation. This is a market research and planning effort only; responses are strictly voluntary, no monetary compensation will be provided for response preparation, and submission does not constitute a government commitment to award a contract.