9280-25-R-IFBD-00049

The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) has issued a Request for Bids (Bid No. 25-43) for a comprehensive Ultrashort Baseline (USBL) Mobile/Rapidly Relocatable Acoustic Tracking System (MRRATC) to be deployed at the Roger F. Wicker Center for Ocean Enterprise (COE) in Gulfport, Mississippi. The procurement seeks a sophisticated tracking system with multiple components, including a surface navigation sensor hub, four seafloor reference transponders, four vehicle-mounted acoustic transponders, a surface telemetry transceiver, and a passive subsurface transducer system. The system is designed to support research programs focused on detecting targets from Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) track positions, with specific technical requirements including operating depths from 450-3,000 meters and operating frequencies of 20-34 kHz. Vendors must demonstrate performance capabilities through proof of successful system deployments in similar configurations within the past two years. Sealed bids will be received until Tuesday, April 15, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. CT in the Office of the Director of Procurement Services at USM, with delivery specified for the Marine Research Center in Gulfport.

The solicitation does not explicitly mention specific set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises. The system is intended to support naval mine countermeasures, unmanned underwater vehicle research, and meteorological and oceanographic programs, with an emphasis on cooperative communication networks and underwater tracking capabilities. Vendors are required to provide comprehensive documentation, software packages, on-site training, and a minimum one-year warranty. While a specific budget range is not disclosed in the available documentation, the complexity of the USBL tracking system suggests a significant technical investment. The procurement appears to be open to qualified vendors with demonstrated expertise in underwater tracking technologies and acoustic systems. The university requires detailed technical compliance, including specific performance parameters for transducers, sensitivity, range resolution, and battery life, indicating a rigorous evaluation process for potential contractors.