Annual Maint on Research Vessel Palmetto

SCDNR Procurement Services is soliciting sealed bids on behalf of the Marine Resources Division for annual maintenance and painting of the 110-foot steel-hull research vessel R/V Palmetto under Invitation for Bid. Bids are due December 2, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. EST, and a pre-bid conference is scheduled for November 10, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. in Charleston, with attendance highly recommended. Offerors must possess a current South Carolina vendor number. Written questions are due November 12, 2026 at 12:00 noon EST.

Scope covers 22 line items on the Schedule of Charges, priced on a fixed-price, unit-price basis. Work includes dry-docking or hauling on rail, pressure washing, ultrasonic hull thickness testing at 30 locations, keel cooler and zinc replacement, shaft pulling and servicing, freeboard and underwater hull repainting, fuel tank cleaning with fuel line and valve replacement, ballast tank sandblasting and painting with hatch cover replacement, anchor winch inspection, rub rail and handrail replacement, sea chest butterfly valve replacement, exhaust stack structural steel work, and shore power cord replacement. SCDNR furnishes specified materials, including keel cooler and ZHC-23 zincs, cutlass bearings, Volvo VCS Ready Mix Coolant, and Duramax DryMax shaft seal kits. Work must be performed within a 50-mile radius of the Marine Resources Division in Charleston. The vessel is delivered to and removed from the contractor's facility by the R/V Palmetto's captain and crew. Additional work discovered during inspection requires SCDNR approval before initiation and is priced through the change order process.

Award goes to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, with award notification scheduled for December 4, 2026. The estimated term runs December 5, 2026 through March 31, 2027, and the vessel must depart the contractor's facility no later than March 31, 2027. Insurance requirements include commercial general liability of not less than $1 million per occurrence and workers' compensation of not less than $1 million per accident, with certificates of insurance due before work begins. Every Using Governmental Unit must be designated as an additional insured on the general liability policy. The contractor guarantees repairs and services for 90 days, and new items carry a 365-day workmanship guarantee plus manufacturer's warranty.