F2019047737 – Sources Sought – USCG Waterways Commerce Cutter (WCC) Inland Buoy Tender

U.S. Coast Guard Waterways Commerce Cutter (WCC) Inland Buoy Tender (WLI)

This Request for Information (RFI) is issued by the United States Coast Guard (USCG) for informational, market research, and planning purposes only. It does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. No contract award will be made based on any responses to this notice. The Government is not responsible for any costs associated with providing information in response to this RFI and no reimbursement will be made for any cost associated with effort expended in responding to this notice.

Submission of proprietary information is not requested, and respondents shall refrain to the maximum extent practical from providing proprietary information in response to this RFI. If respondents volunteer to provide proprietary information, clearly mark such proprietary information appropriately and separate it from the unrestricted information as an appendix.

Reponses to the RFI must be received no later than 4:00PM, Eastern Time (ET), on Thursday, May 02, 2024. Respondents shall email responses to the following email address:

Mitchell Carpenter at [email protected]; and

Heather Amaral at Heather [email protected]

To assist the Government with tracking responses, please reference responses as, “120’ Inland Buoy Tender (WLI)” and Company’s name in the subject line. Telephone responses will not be accepted.

WCC Program’s Inland Buoy Tender (WLI):

The USCG is replacing its aging fleet of inland tenders that support the Service’s aids to navigation (ATON) mission in federal waterways, including the Nation’s Maritime Transportation System’s (MTS) inland buoy tenders (WLI). 

The USCG has partnered with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Marine Design Center to develop a Government-led design for the WLI variant to minimize design risk, maximize commonality, and reduce design burdens for prospective contractors.  The WCC Program plans on awarding a firm fixed price contract to complete the detailed design and construct the three (3) WLIs, and is currently developing the technical requirements package for the final Request for Proposal (RFP) with an anticipated release in Fiscal Year 2025.

Therefore, the purpose of this RFI is to identify potential sources for the procurement of three (3) WLIs, gage the level of small business interest and capability, and obtain industry feedback on the draft RFP and its associated technical drawings/requirements prior to the final RFP’s release. 

Information Requested:

Regarding the intended acquisition of the three (3) WLIs, the following information is requested:

1. How long does your firm anticipate it will take to produce all three (3) WLI cutters?
2. Specifically, what do you expect the production duration will be for the lead cutter and each cutter thereafter?  What is your firm’s recommended ordering frequency (i.e., X number of cutters every X months) and what is your ideal rate of production (i.e. one cutter delivered every X months)?
3. WLI cutters are expected to be 120 feet long, have a 35 foot beam and 10.5 foot hull depth with a lightship weight of approximately 400 long tons.  What dimensional and weight constraints apply to your facility?  What is the maximum capacity of your facility to produce vessels of similar size and scope as the WLI?
4. Does your company have experience working with Federal agencies?  If so, what agencies?  What products/services did you provide?
5. Does your company have a Department of Defense (DoD) Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC), and if so, to what level are you certified?
6. What experience does your company have developing detail designs for ship construction?
7. The Government anticipates providing the following technical products with this contract solicitation as part of an unwarranted design. What additional products (or deletion of planned products) would be recommended by your firm to be included in (or removed from) the solicitation?
   1. Design & Construction Statement of Work, Test & Trials Statement of Work, System Specification, and a Contract Deliverable Requirements List.
   2. Contract drawings:
      1. Hull Lines Plan and Offsets Drawing
      2. Superstructure Lines Plan and Offsets
      3. Structural General Arrangements
      4. Working Deck Layout Plan
   3. Guidance Drawings and analysis
      1. List of Drawings and Reports
      2. Baseline Weight Estimate
      3. Hydrostatics, Intact & Damage Stability
      4. Speed Power Analysis w/ Propeller Sizing
      5. Structural Design Report and FEA (ABS AIP)
      6. HVAC Load Calculations – Report
      7. EPLA – w/ Directed SSDG and EDG
      8. Transformer Sizing Calculations
      9. Endurance Calculations – Tank Sizing
      10. Tank Capacity Tables
      11. Area/Volume Report
      12. General Arrangement w/ Inboard & Outboard Profiles
      13. Space Arrangements – Pilothouse and Galley among others
      14. Major Equipment Removal Routes Drawing(s) – Z-Drive, MDE, SSDG
      15. Midship Section
      16. Bottom Construction, Girders, Pillers, etc
      17. Framing Plan (Uses ABS Term – MDC uses Transverse Structure Drawing)
      18. Scantling Profile & Deck
      19. Watertight and Tank Bulkheads
      20. Deckhouse Structure
      21. Machinery Arrangement Drawings
      22. Shafting Arrangement Drawing
      23. Propeller Drawing and Details
      24. Exhaust System Diagram
      25. Electrical One-Line Diagram
      26. Machinery Controls and C5I Schematic Block Diagrams
      27. Topside Antenna Arrangement
      28. HVAC System Schematic
      29. Firemain System Schematic
      30. Machinery Cooling System Schematic
      31. Drainage System Schematic
      32. Chilled Water System Schematic
      33. Fuel System Diagram
      34. Potable Water System
      35. AFFF System Design Report
      36. Water Mist and Related Extinguishing Systems
      37. Sewage System Diagram
8. Where is your production/manufacturing facility located?  Is this site owned by your company? 
9. Does your manufacturing facility currently have the ability to produce both a steel hull and an aluminum deckhouse?
10. The WLI homeports are expected to be in the Great Lakes Region, Southeast Alaska, and the Pacific Northwest.  How would you deliver the ships to their final destinations, and what is the estimated delivery duration?
11. What is the rough order of magnitude (ROM) price to build the lead and follow-on cutters based on your experience building similarly sized vessels?  What is the ROM price for the design and engineering effort? 
12. Regarding your company profile, the following information is requested:
    1. Is your company a qualified small business for the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 336611 (i.e., shipbuilding with size standard of 1,250 employees).
    2. Is your company a small business under the 8(a) Program (15U.S.C. 637)?
    3. Is your company a Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZone) business (15 U.S.C. 657a)?
    4. Is your company a Veteran-owned business (U.S.C. 657f)?
    5. Is your company a Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB) (15 U.S.C. 637(m))?

       13. From a big picture perspective, what are your company’s biggest concerns with this potential contract and how would you address those concerns?

Please see attached Questionnaire Template A (Attachment 1) for RFI questions.  Responses to questions are to be submitted in the same Questionnaire Template A spreadsheet.

Please utilize Questionnaire Template B (Attachment 2) to capture feedback related to this RFI.