SRD Buoy Inspection and Maintenance

The Department of Agriculture Forest Service seeks commercial buoy inspection and maintenance services for the Sitka Ranger District, Tongass National Forest, with proposals due October 9 at 12:00 PM Alaska Time. This is a 100% total small business set-aside.

Place of performance is Sitka, Alaska, encompassing work within 60 boating miles of Sitka around the north portion of Baranof Island and the southern end of Chichagof Island. The contract period runs from October 12, 2026, through September 30, 2027. Work involves inspection, maintenance, replacement, and repositioning of up to 13 mooring buoys, including chain and ring inspection (with diameter measurements every 10 feet), chain replacement using American Bureau of Shipping–tested 7/8-inch stud link chain (grade 2), anode replacement with zinc anodes, anchor inspection and replacement, and buoy maintenance. Optional items cover complete maintenance on Redoubt Bay Buoy, anchor and buoy replacement for Silver Bay, North Neva, and Kanga Bay, and anchor modification for Fred's Creek. All diving operations must comply with Forest Service Handbook 4209 and 29 CFR part 1910, Subpart T; contractors must submit Dive Operations Plans within 10 business days of award.

All contract line items are priced on a lump-sum, firm-fixed-price basis. Service Contract Labor Standards apply with specified wage rates: divers $82.45/hour, stand-by divers $42.65/hour, dive tenders $41.65/hour, and dive assistant tenders $32.30/hour. Questions were due September 29 at 1:00 PM Alaska Time, with answers posted by October 1. Amendment 00001 extended the original deadline and provided responses to industry questions and additional photographic attachments. Evaluation uses three criteria: Technical Capabilities (acceptable/unacceptable, based on dive operations plan demonstrating Southeast Alaska and cold water experience), Past Performance (acceptable/unacceptable, covering relevant experience within three years), and Price (primary factor). The NAICS code is 488330, Navigational Services to Shipping; the PSC code is Z1PA, Maintenance of Recreation Facilities (Non-Building).