WLI VHF Tactical Radio

This Request for Information (RFI) is issued by the United States Coast Guard (USCG) for informational, market research, and planning purposes only. It does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. No contract award will be made based on any responses to this notice. The Government is not responsible for any costs associated with providing information in response to this RFI and no reimbursement will be made for any cost associated with effort expended in responding to this notice.

Submission of proprietary information is not requested, and respondents shall refrain to the maximum extent practical from providing proprietary information in response to this RFI. If respondents volunteer to provide proprietary information, clearly mark such proprietary information appropriately and separate it from the unrestricted information as an appendix.

Responses to this RFI must be received no later than 4:00 PM, Eastern Time (ET) on day, 05/03/2024. Inquiries/information received after the established deadline shall NOT be considered for this acquisition.

Respondents shall email responses to the following email addresses:

Mitch Carpenter at Mitchell.Carpenter@uscg.mil; and

Heather Amaral at Heather.A.Amaral@uscg.mil

To assist the Government with tracking responses, please reference responses as “120’ WLI VHF Tactical Radio” and Company’s name in the subject line. Telephone responses will not be accepted.

Background and Purpose

 The USCG is replacing its aging fleet of inland tenders that support the Service’s aids to navigation (ATON) mission in federal waterways, including the Nation’s Maritime Transportation System’s (MTS) inland buoy tenders (WLI).

The USCG has partnered with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Marine Design Center to develop a government-led design for the WLI variant to minimize design risk, maximize commonality, and reduce design burdens for prospective contractors.  The USCG is now seeking to identify potential sources for the procurement of the required major equipment and services in support of the upcoming WLI production acquisition.

As part of the integrated design solution, the USCG requires the following brand name equipment and services per hull:

One (1) Motorola APX-8500 VHF tactical radio.

a. Complete OEM factory and Quality Conformance (QC) testing on each installation.

b. OEM Certification, Warranty and QC Test Reports for each installation.

c. On-Board Repair Parts (OBRP) Kit to ensure the cutter has all required repair parts available to support an operational deployment.

Requested Feedback from Industry

The following requested information is intended to increase the USCG’s understanding of the potential sources able to provide the required equipment and services. In response to this RFI, companies that believe they have the capability to provide the equipment and services required are asked to provide the following information.

Please note that an official Request for Proposal (RFP), if released for the WLI procurement, would be the only document relied upon in determining the U.S. Coast Guard’s final requirements.

REQUESTED INFORMATION:

1. A capability statement detailing the company’s ability to deliver all required equipment (and part numbers as specified) including the lead time required. Include previous contract information where these parts have been provided to the Government and/or commercial customers.

2. A capability statement detailing the company’s ability to provide WLI shipboard technical service support and training for the required VHF tactical radio set installation kits. Include previous contract information where these services have been provided to the Government and/or commercial customers.

3. A description of the company’s experience demonstrating ability to partner with other Government entities and their contractors, while maintaining technical, schedule, and cost constraints of the contract.

4. A statement describing the biggest challenges the company would face in trying to perform this requirement.

5.  A statement detailing the cost to fulfill this equipment with projected increases per fiscal year.