Spotter Buoys

The Department of the Navy Naval Supply Systems Command is seeking to procure specialized ocean monitoring equipment consisting of 22 Spotter buoys through a sole source solicitation to support the U.S. Interagency Arctic Buoy Program. The procurement includes 6 air deployable Spotter buoys with Iridium telemetry, 10 air deployable Spotter buoys with hydrophone capabilities, and 6 surface deployable buoys designed for harsh marine conditions in Arctic and Southern Ocean operations. These advanced buoys must provide real-time wave spectra data collection, GPS positioning, satellite telemetry, solar-rechargeable lithium-ion battery systems, and autonomous operation capabilities with ruggedized construction to withstand extreme temperatures. The contract will be awarded on a firm fixed-price basis using simplified acquisition procedures, with the Naval Atlantic Meteorology and Oceanography Center Norfolk's Naval Ice Center serving as the requiring activity. Proposals are due by 1:00 PM on September 17, 2025, providing vendors with an extremely tight turnaround of just two days from the posting date.

Despite being identified as a sole source procurement in the justification document citing Sofar Ocean Technologies as the only capable vendor, the solicitation contradictorily indicates it is set aside for small businesses, specifically targeting service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSB) under NAICS code 334513 with a size standard of 750 employees. The procurement is funded through FY25 Navy Operations & Maintenance appropriations, though no specific contract value is disclosed in the available documentation. All buoys must be delivered within 90 days of contract award and packaged in crates designed to withstand multiple transports. The place of performance is specified as Norfolk, Virginia 23511, with delivery required to the Naval Ice Center at the University of Washington. The hydrophone-equipped buoys must include piezoelectric sensors with event/trigger mode capabilities and timestamped acoustic event recording, all integrated with the buoy's solar panel and battery systems for continuous autonomous operation in remote ocean environments.