Vessel charter services

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Pacific Coastal & Marine Science Center is seeking vessel charter services and fuel for sediment sampling operations in coastal waters adjacent to Humboldt Bay, Eureka, California. The contract requires a U.S. Coast Guard-licensed vessel of at least 40 feet overall length equipped with radar, GPS navigation, depth sounder, EPIRB, and an A-frame or davit capable of deploying sampling equipment in water depths of 45-70 feet. Vendors must demonstrate a minimum of three years of corporate and key personnel experience and maintain marine and general public liability insurance with minimum coverage of $100,000 per person/$500,000 per occurrence. Award will be determined based on multiple evaluation factors including technical capability, corporate and key personnel experience, past performance, and price rather than price alone. Quotations are due March 23, 2026 at 5:00 PM Pacific Daylight Time, with technical questions required by March 17, 2026 at 5:00 PM Pacific Daylight Time. Vendors must be registered in SAM with an active UEI and acknowledge receipt of the solicitation amendment.

This opportunity is set aside exclusively for small businesses under NAICS code 488330 (Navigational Services to Shipping) with a size standard of $47 million. The contract performance period runs from April 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026, with work consisting of five consecutive 12-hour days at sea: three days between contract award and May 15, 2026 for spring sampling operations (120 grab samples), and two days in fall 2026 for fall sampling operations (80 grab samples). All costs, including transit to and from Eureka, must be incorporated into the contractor's bid price with no separate compensation for travel days. The vessel must be capable of maintaining position within 10 meters during sampler deployment, though dynamic positioning equipment is not required and manual station-keeping by the captain is acceptable. Performance will take place in Santa Cruz, California as the delivery location, with actual operations occurring in coastal waters near Eureka, California.