Uncrewed Surface Vehicle (USV) for Hydrographic and Fisheries Acoustic Services

This is a request for information only and does not constitute a commitment, implied or otherwise, that a procurement action will be issued or awarded. This is not a solicitation. This is not a Request for Quote (RFQ), Invitation for Bid (IFB), Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Application (RFA) or announcement of a solicitation, and does not assume the Government will award a contract or proceed with any of the above solicitation efforts in the near future. No entitlement to payment of direct or indirect cost or charges by the Government will arise as a result of the submission of information. All information considered proprietary shall be marked accordingly, and properly identified proprietary information will be safeguarded in accordance with federal regulations. The Government shall not be liable for or suffer any consequential damages for improperly identified proprietary information. The purpose of this announcement is solely to gather information from the marketplace,

and any responses received will neither be considered an offer by the responding party nor returned to the responding party. No telephone inquiries will be accepted, and requests for solicitation packages will not be honored at this time since no solicitation has been prepared.Synopsis: Sources SoughtThe National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) is the research arm of NOAA Fisheries in the region. The Center plans, develops, and manages a multidisciplinary program of basic and applied research.The development of offshore wind areas (OWAs) in the mid-Atlantic and Gulf of Maine regions of the US continental shelf may significantly impact the ability of the NEFSC to collect data in these areas that are used for fisheries assessments and ecosystem monitoring. Mitigating this impact will require the use of novel sampling and monitoring methods in the OWAs. This requirement will support fisheries-independent surveys that provide required data for fisheries assessments and ecosystem monitoring by developing alternative methods to collect fisheries-independent data. This project specifically evaluates the use of an oceanic, autonomous surface vehicle (uncrewed surface vehicle, USV) for collecting data and implementing those data into fisheries management and ecosystem monitoring. In this request, we solicit 20 days of survey time that will be conducted in an existing offshore wind area (the Block Island Wind Farm) and in a wind area that is proposed and/or under construction. Survey time is defined as 24-hour, over-the-horizon operations.The contractor shall be responsible for all logistical components of conducting 20 days of survey with a USV in multiple offshore wind areas. These components include:Provide documentation of survey logistics, overview of project supervision, and data collection.Custom design, integration, and testing of scientific instrumentsMobilization and demobilization of the USV in Woods Hole, MAOperations during 20 days of survey (24-hour, over-the-horizon operations) see Attachment A for Capability RequirementsData transfer to NEFSCINFORMATION REQUESTED:The Government is requesting that all interested vendors provide information regarding their experience and capability to provide a qualified crew and eligible vessel. A vessel data sheet or the attached Trawl Vessel Characteristic Form may be submitted to address the minimum requirements. NOAA may utilize the responses to this Sources Sought to conduct additional market research. Information obtained from this Sources Sought, and the subsequent communication with the vendors, if any, may be utilized to assist NOAA in developing a formal Request for Proposal (RFP) or Request for Quote (RFQ).In addition to addressing technical capabilities, responses must include the following:Name and address of firmSize of business (e.g. small, small disadvantaged business, woman owned, etc.)Average annual revenue for the past 3 years and number of employeesOwnershipNumber of years in businessAffiliate informationParent company, joint venture partners, potential teaming partners, prime contractor (if potential subcontractor) or subcontractors (if potential prime contractor)Point of contact - address and phone numberSUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS:Telephone responses are NOT solicited and will not be accepted. No solicitation exists at this time. This synopsis is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to award a contract, nor will the Government pay for the solicited information.Please submit your response to the attention of the Contracting Specialist, Ms. Amanda Rossiter (Amanda.Rossiter@noaa.gov) no later than June 30, 2023 at 10:00 a.m., Eastern Time. Each response shall be no more than 15 single-sided, single-spaced pages (excluding the cover page), and each page shall be separately numbered, and shall be in .pdf format.(End of Document)