Provide, prepare, tow, and sink vessels

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) has issued an Invitation for Bid Solicitation for a specialized maritime project involving the procurement, preparation, towing, and sinking of vessels for artificial reef creation. The solicitation encompasses three distinct lots, each with specific vessel requirements: Lot 1 requires a steel hull shrimp trawler (minimum 60 feet keel length), Lot 2 demands five steel barges (minimum 40 feet keel length), and Lot 3 seeks a steel landing craft (minimum 50 feet keel length). Each vessel must undergo comprehensive cleaning, including complete removal of hazardous materials, fluids, and internal voids prior to deployment at designated offshore reef sites including Little River, McClellanville, and Parris Island. Sealed bids are due on December 11, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. EST, with preliminary questions required by November 22, 2023, at 12:00 noon EST. The procurement will award to the lowest responsible and responsive bidder, with potential for multiple awards by individual item or lot. Deployment deadlines range from December 31, 2023, to April 30, 2024, depending on the specific lot.

Contractors must be registered state vendors and comply with South Carolina procurement codes, which include preferences for resident vendors, contractors, and subcontractors. The solicitation allows for 2% or 4% preferences for qualifying resident subcontractors and mandates comprehensive liability insurance with minimum limits of $1,000,000 for commercial general liability and auto liability. Contractors bear full liability and risk until vessels are successfully positioned on the ocean bottom according to Artificial Reef Program specifications. Deployment is strictly contingrolled, with operations permitted only when sea heights are between 2-4 feet as forecasted by the NOAA Charleston office. While no specific budget range is disclosed, the solicitation indicates that the project was initially postponed due to insufficient funding, suggesting potential budget constraints. All pricing must be submitted in U.S. dollars, excluding sales or use taxes, and the bid acceptance period extends sixty calendar days from the opening date.