Sources sought for electrofishing boat

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) Office of Acquisitions and Grants has issued a Sources Sought notice for a custom electrofishing boat to support fish sampling research for the North Carolina Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit. The procurement seeks a specialized 14-foot aluminum boat with a modular design that enables rapid weight reduction for portaging and easy conversion between electrofishing and regular work boat configurations. Key technical requirements include a flat front and bottom hull design, 24-inch sides, marine-grade aluminum construction, removable bow safety rail, two push-out electrofishing booms, snagless anode arrays, and compatibility with Midwest Lake Electrofishing Systems equipment. The RFI requests interested parties to provide organization information, capabilities description, and a rough price estimate. Responses are due by July 18, 2025, with the procurement falling under NAICS code 336612 (Boat Building).

This procurement does not currently have a set-aside designation, as the government is still determining the potential small business set-aside status and encourages responses from both large and small businesses. No incumbent contractors or current service providers are identified in the documentation. The solicitation does not specify award values, budget ranges, or contract quantities, as this is a market research effort to identify capable sources before proceeding with a formal solicitation. The procurement involves a single custom-built boat with specialized electrofishing capabilities rather than multiple units. The timeline indicates an expedited information-gathering process with only one week allocated for industry responses to assess market capability and pricing.