University of Alaska Southeast – Ketchikan Campus Fast Rescue Boat

The University of Alaska Southeast Ketchikan Campus is soliciting proposals through RFP No. 26P0053WB for the procurement of one SOLAS-approved and U.S. Coast Guard-approved Fast Rescue Boat (FRB) to support maritime training operations. The vessel must be 20-28 feet in overall length, self-righting via buoyancy chamber, capable of safely accommodating eight persons, and equipped with a diesel engine and water-jet propulsion system. Deliverables include the fully compliant vessel, an EZ Loader trailer guaranteed to work with the selected vessel, and six mandatory separately-priced optional equipment items: a Steyer SE266E40 (258 hp) or equal propulsion unit, Raymarine Chart Plotter or equal, VHF fixed-mount radio, Jason's Cradle rescue retrieval system, winterization kit suitable for Southeast Alaska, full boat cover, and manufacturer's recommended spare parts kit. Offerors must submit comprehensive technical documentation including technical data sheets, U.S. Department of Homeland Security/Coast Guard Certificate of Approval, scaled renderings, owner's manuals, SOLAS Certificate, and a Compliance Matrix confirming adherence to all mandatory specifications. The submission deadline is April 14, 2026, at 5:00 PM Alaska Daylight Time, with a question deadline of April 7, 2026; Notice of Intent to Award is expected May 8, 2026, with contract award by May 18, 2026. Proposal evaluation will be based on non-price criteria weighted at 60 percent (technical approach and compliance at 30 percent, past performance at 10 percent, schedule and delivery plan at 10 percent, and support/training/warranty at 10 percent) and price weighted at 40 percent, with award made to the responsive, responsible offeror earning the greatest number of evaluation points.

An Alaska Business License is not required to submit a proposal; however, it is mandatory to qualify for Alaska bidder preference, which provides a five percent price advantage to qualified Alaska offerors. Offerors must submit only one proposal and may not submit multiple bids for different models, and vessels with pending, provisional, or approval-to-proceed certification status will be deemed non-responsive. The contract will be firm-fixed price with payment terms of Net 30 Days, and all pricing must be submitted in U.S. Dollars on the Rate Response Form. Domestic offerors shall quote shipping on FOB Destination basis to Alaska Marine Lines in Ketchikan, Alaska, while foreign offerors shall quote DAP (Delivered At Place) to Ketchikan and must exclude customs duties, tariffs, taxes, and brokerage fees, which the University will assess separately for evaluation purposes. All proposals must remain valid for a minimum of 90 days after the submittal deadline, and proposals must be submitted exclusively via the BONFIRE portal. No budget range or award value has been specified in the procurement documents.