Vessel Charter

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Pacific Coastal & Marine Science Center, is seeking vessel charter services to support offshore scientific operations near Humboldt Bay, California. This is a Sources Sought Notice issued for market research purposes to identify qualified vendors capable of providing vessel lease services; the notice does not constitute a formal solicitation or obligate the government to issue a contract. Key requirements include a vessel with a minimum 90-foot overall length, cruising speed of at least 20 knots, and specialized equipment such as an A-Frame with 15 feet vertical clearance and 3,500 pounds safe working load, a winch, and a crane with 1,000 pounds safe working load. The vessel must be capable of accommodating eight USGS and contractor personnel during 24-hour continuous operations and transit approximately 78 nautical miles offshore. Interested vendors must submit capability statements by March 24, 2026, via email to Joel Berberena at jberberena@ios.doi.gov, including vessel specifications, crew qualifications, examples of similar work, U.S. Coast Guard licensing evidence, insurance confirmation, and company information. The notice does not specify formal evaluation criteria, as this is a market research phase rather than a competitive solicitation.

This opportunity carries no set-aside designations and involves two distinct offshore scientific missions tentatively scheduled for August 13-18, 2026 (wave glider deployment) and September 21-25, 2026 (transponder retrieval and wave glider recovery). The NAICS code 488390 (Other Support Activities for Water Transportation) applies a $47.0 million size standard for this procurement. Insurance requirements mandate $100,000 per person/$500,000 per occurrence for bodily injury coverage and $100,000 per incident/$500,000 aggregate for property damage. While no specific contract value is stated in the notice, the scope of services includes mobilization and demobilization, logistics support with three meals per day per person, and accommodation for 24-hour continuous operations. No incumbent contractor or current contractor information is identified in this Sources Sought Notice.