Time Charter of Passenger Transfer Vessel

The Department of the Navy Military Sealift Command seeks time charter of one Jones Act-qualified, U.S.-flag passenger transfer vessel to support the Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet in the vicinity of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, with proposals due August 4, 2026. The procurement is set aside 100 percent for Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB).

Place of performance is Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Anticipated lay days run October 24, 2026 through February 15, 2027, comprising a base period of 365 days plus four option periods (366, 365, 365, and 336 days respectively, totaling 59 months maximum).

The vessel must meet extensive technical specifications: USCG Subchapter T certification, minimum 90 feet length, 50 gross registered tons, 15-knot transit speed, 44-passenger capacity, 10-pallet cargo capacity, crane/davit system capable of lifting 1,000 pounds, and custom brow system for alongside submarine boarding. The vessel must conduct approximately 80 brief stop for personnel events annually in open ocean within eight hours of notification, serve as escort vessel for submarine sea trials (two events per year, up to one week duration), operate in seas up to eight feet and winds up to 29 knots, and maintain seven-day endurance with 500-nautical-mile operational range within 50 nautical miles of Oahu and up to 20 nautical miles from specified islands.

Contractor personnel and the offeror entity itself must possess or obtain a SECRET-level facility security clearance. All contractor personnel must be U.S. citizens undergoing a Favorably adjudicated Tier 3 investigation with continuous evaluation enrollment. Service Contract Act prevailing wage rates apply: daily rates range from $335.69 (Deckhand, Harbor Tug) to $533.42 (Captain, Harbor Tug), with mandatory health and welfare benefits, paid vacation, paid holidays, uniform allowances, and sick leave per Executive Orders 13706 and 13658.

Offerors must provide daily charter hire rates via the SPECIALTIME Proforma, vessel specifications including deadweight tonnage and fuel consumption data, crew complement and pricing for each contract period, General Arrangement drawings showing deck layout and submarine interface configuration, vessel regulatory compliance documentation, and proof of shipyard work performed in U.S. versus foreign shipyards over the preceding four calendar years plus current year through proposal submission. Charter hire is earned every fifteen days; fuel costs and port charges are reimbursable separately.

The contract incorporates FAR 52.212-4 (Commercial Products and Services) with tailored maritime provisions including warranties of seaworthiness, fuel and speed performance, regulatory compliance, and crew qualifications. The Government reserves the right to inspect and survey the vessel at any time and may cancel the charter for convenience or terminate for cause. Off-hire deductions apply for mission-degrading casualties and readiness failures per established guidelines.

Amendment 0001 (July 21) updated wage determination (Revision 39 to 41) and fuel pricing (DLA-E effective date April 1 to July 1, 2026); Amendment 0002 (July 29) added Web-based Automated Verification of Funds instructions to the Proforma. Both amendments include questions and answers and do not extend the offer due date. The NAICS code is 483111 (Deep Sea Freight Transportation) with a size standard of 1,050 employees. Award will be made on a Lowest Price Technically Acceptable basis. The contracting officer is Yvonne Escoto.