Towing, Salvage, and Rescue Ships (Detail Design and Construction)

A previous synopsis informed industry that the Government intended to acquire the T-ATS vessels through a Full and Open competition utilizing a solicitation for the acquisition of a commercial item prepared in accordance with the format in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 12, Acquisition of Commercial Items. Recent market research has revealed that there may be a sufficient number of capable small businesses that will submit proposals for the T-ATS procurement.
 
If your firm is a small business under NAICS 336611 (Ship Building and Repair) capable of performing the work as outlined below and will submit a proposal for this procurement, in light of the recent Solicitation releases for the LCU 1700 (RFP N00024-17-R-2462), PB-X ( RFP N00024-17-R-2209) and YT (RFP N00024-17-R-2205) ; you are requested to confirm your intent to submit a proposal. Your notification must be sent to Brenda Uyeda (brenda.uyeda@navy.mil) and Roxie Thomas (roxie.thomas@navy.mil) by 20 March 2017.

If the Contracting Officer determines that there is an insufficient number of capable small businesses that are interested in submitting a proposal, the Government will issue the solicitation as unrestricted Full and Open competition. It is anticipated that the Request for Proposal (RFP) will be released no later than 31 March 2017, with a planned date of contract award by the end of the 4th Quarter Fiscal Year 2017.

Potential sources will be required to base their T-ATS designs on a mature commercial vessel parent design which has been previously constructed or is currently being constructed. The commercial vessel parent design must have a dynamic positioning system meeting at least American Bureau of Shipping DPS-2 requirements. The commercial vessel parent design must have a minimum bollard pull rating of 130 short tons. The commercial vessel parent design must have a working deck area of 5,000 square feet with a minimum 131 feet in length by a minimum of 36 feet in width; this working deck area may include the area provided by a stern roller and can be met by re-arranging working deck equipment, but the working deck requirement cannot be met by modification of the hull form that increases the vessel's beam. However, a reduction or addition in the parallel midbody of the hull form is allowable, provided that the addition or reduction does not exceed 10% of the length between perpendiculars of the commercial vessel parent design. The parent design must have been classed by an IACS society. Concept designs without a demonstrated construction history are not acceptable and will be rejected.

Potential sources must have the design capabilities, production facilities, and management necessary to design, construct, and house up to five T-ATS vessels at various stages of production simultaneously. Potential sources must either own or have access to a Navy certified dock or a commercially certified drydock prior to contract award.

The Government anticipates a single award contract with a base quantity of one and options for an additional seven ships over the life of the contract. The T-ATS will operate as the primary open ocean towing vessel for the U. S. Navy, and will have salvage operations and submarine rescue mission support capabilities. The T-ATS will be based on existing commercial towing offshore vessel designs which provide similar capabilities to those needed for U.S. Navy operations.

The planned date for Request for Proposal (RFP) release is March 2017, with a planned date of contract award by the end of the 4th Quarter Fiscal Year 2017.

This presolicitation notice does not constitute a request for proposals.

The Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships, Support Ships, Boats and Craft Program Office (PMS 325), issues this Draft Request For Proposals (RFP) to solicit industry comments on the Draft RFP and its associated documentation. Reviewers should be aware that this Draft RFP does not include all sections and attachments that will be part of the final RFP. This Draft RFP is for planning purposes only and shall not be construed as an invitation for bid, request for quotation, request for proposal, or as an obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services. No entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by the Government will arise as a result of contractor responses to this announcement. This request does not constitute a solicitation for proposals or the authority to enter into negotiations to award a contract. When and if the Government issues the final RFP, interested contractors will be expected to thoroughly address the requirements thereof regardless of the circumstances surrounding this Draft RFP. Please note, that all Industry responses and questions received for this Draft RFP will be treated as public information and may be released on FEDBIZOPS.

Additional Information:

The Government will consider all comments received on the Draft RFP. The Government does not commit to providing a response to any comment or question. The subsequent revision to any specification or RFP based on comments received remains solely at the Government's discretion. No comments, questions, or inquires shall be made to any Government person other than the points of contact identified in this synopsis. Any comments and/or questions regarding this pre-solicitation notice and draft documents must be submitted to Chris Paulus and Misha Heard via email at christopher.paulus@navy.mil AND misha.j.heard@navy.mil. No telephone inquiries will be accepted and request for a hard copy of the draft solicitation package will not be honored.

The final RFP and related files listed under solicitation number N00024-17-R-2207 will be issued electronically. Please continue to check FEDBIZOPS for issuance of the final RFP and related documents by accessing the following internet address: http://www.fbo.navy.mil.

The Naval Sea Systems Command plans to issue an unrestricted solicitation (N00024-17-R-2207) for the Detail Design and Construction of up to eight Towing, Salvage, and Rescue (T-ATS) Ships. The Government anticipates a single award contract with a base quantity of one and options for an additional seven ships over the life of the contract. The T-ATS will operate as the primary open ocean towing vessel for the U. S. Navy, and will have salvage operations and submarine rescue mission support capabilities. The T-ATS will be based on existing commercial towing offshore vessel designs which provide similar capabilities to those needed for U.S. Navy operations.

The Government intends to acquire state-of-the-art commercially-available American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) classed vessels capable of performing the following missions:
  • Towing
  • Deep ocean search and recovery
  • Mobile diving and salvage unit-embarked operations
  • Submarine rescue vessel of opportunity
  • Oil spill response
  • Humanitarian assistance

Potential sources will be required to base their T-ATS designs on a mature commercial
vessel parent design which has been previously constructed or is currently being constructed. The commercial vessel parent design must have a dynamic positioning system meeting at least American Bureau of Shipping DPS-2 requirements. The commercial vessel parent design must have a minimum bollard pull rating of 130 short tons. The commercial vessel parent design must have a working deck area of 5,000 square feet with a minimum 131 feet in length by a minimum of 36 feet in width; this working deck area may include the area provided by a stern roller and can be met by re-arranging working deck equipment, but the working deck requirement cannot be met by modification of the hull form (e.g. plugging or widening the design's molded lines). Potential sources must have the design capabilities, production facilities, and management necessary to design and construct the vessels. Potential sources must either own or have access to a Navy certified dock or a commercially certified drydock prior to contract award.

The Government intends to acquire the T-ATS vessels through a Full and Open competition utilizing a solicitation for the acquisition of a commercial item prepared in accordance with the format in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 12, Acquisition of Commercial Items. The planned date for Request for Proposal (RFP) release is the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2017, with a planned date of contract award by the end of the 4th Quarter Fiscal Year 2017.

The NAICS Code for the T-ATS procurement will be 336611 (Ship Building and Repair). Companies capable of building ships that meet the requirements listed above are encouraged to submit an expression of interest in response to this synopsis. Responses and questions regarding this synopsis should be submitted to christopher.paulus@navy.mil by 2 November 2016. If your firm is interested in this planned procurement, it is advised that you monitor the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) website at http://www.fbo.gov for additional information. This presolicitation notice does not constitute a request for proposals.