Racing shell

The Department of the Navy Naval Supply Systems Command is procuring specialized packaging, transportation, and installation services for a historically significant 38-foot racing shell used by the Naval Academy's 1952 Olympic gold medal-winning crew team. This Combined Synopsis/Solicitation (RFQ N0018925Q0440) requires a contractor to collect the 73-year-old racing shell from the Seaport Museum in New York, professionally package and transport it to the United States Naval Academy Museum in Annapolis, Maryland, and complete on-site installation including potential ceiling suspension using specialized rigging equipment. The contractor must possess unique capabilities for handling objects of unusual size and shape, provide all materials and transportation arrangements, obtain proper base access credentials, and deliver a final inventory spreadsheet with photographs and artifact labeling. Questions are due by 8:30 AM EST on August 7, 2025, with the solicitation closing at 5:00 PM EST on August 8, 2025. Work must commence no later than August 22, 2025, with completion required within a six-week timeline due to storage constraints at the donation site.

This solicitation operates under simplified acquisition procedures with no set-aside designation and falls under NAICS code 488999 with a small business standard of $25.0 million. The government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source, UOVO Art, LLC, indicating this is a sole-source procurement justified under FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)(i) due to the specialized nature of the service and the fact that only one contractor possesses the required professional art handling capabilities. The procurement is structured as a firm fixed price purchase order, though specific award values are not disclosed in the available documentation. The work involves transporting a single racing shell measuring 38 feet in length from New York to Maryland, with the primary place of performance being the pickup location at Peck Slip, NY 10038. The contractor must complete site evaluations at both the origin and destination locations to confirm sizing and develop appropriate packing plans for this historically significant maritime artifact.