This is a SOURCES SOUGHT SYNOPSIS and is for informational / market research purposes only. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, QUOTATION OR BID, NOR A SYNOPSIS OF A PROPOSED CONTRACT ACTION UNDER FAR SUBPART 5.2. No reimbursement will be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this synopsis or on any follow up information. NO SOLICITATION IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE. The purpose for this synopsis is to conduct market research to help identify capable, potential sources and to establish if this unrestricted requirement can (other than sole sourced). The synopsis and solicitation, if issued, will be made available on FedBizOpps (http://www.fbo.gov). It is the potential offeror's responsibility to monitor FedBizOpps for issuance of any future solicitation that may result from this Sources Sought Synopsis. NAICS Code: 483111 Deep Sea Freight Transportation Small Business Size Standard: 500 employees Product and Service Code (PSC): V119 Other Cargo and Freight Services GENERAL INFORMATION: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Contracting and General Services (CGS) Region 1 has a requirement to procure a firm fixed price order to transport supplies, fuel, and FWS and other personnel from Honolulu, HI to islands within the Papahnaumokukea Marine National Monument (PMNM, Monument) - including Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge and Kure Atoll State Wildlife Sanctuary. Final contract to start on November 1, 2019 and run for a base and four option years. Statement of Work for project as follows: Project Technical POC: Bob Peyton, Refuge Manager, ([email protected] 808-954-4818) and Kate Toniolo, Monument Deputy Superintendent, ([email protected], 808-792-9536) Objective: Transport supplies, fuel, and FWS and other personnel from Honolulu, HI to islands within the Papahnaumokukea Marine National Monument (PMNM, Monument) - including Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge and Kure Atoll State Wildlife Sanctuary. Also transport cargo and debris as needed from islands within the Monument back to Honolulu. Cargo will include nine IMO containers of fuel, at least five heavy containers - including a refrigeration container, and 13 light containers of dry goods, supplies and equipment (i.e. the usual cargo load for Midway). Return cargo will include supplies, equipment, and camp and marine debris as needed. Up to 12 passengers may travel from and to Honolulu and the Monument aboard the ship. With appropriate permits and inspections, wildlife and wildlife resources may also be occasionally transported on the ship. Operational Area: The Primary Vessel will be operating within the Northwest Hawaiian Islands in the Monument. Contract Information: Period covered by contract: Base Year November 1, 2019 to October 31, 2020 Option Year 1 November 1, 2020 to October 31, 2021 Option Year 2 November 1, 2021 to October 31, 2022 Option Year 3 November 1, 2022 to October 31, 2023 Option Year 4 November 1, 2023 to October 31, 2024 FWS Contact for billing: Angela Burwell ([email protected] 808-265-1315) Contract Requirements: - Round trip from Honolulu into the Monument with stops at the various islands and atolls as needed. - Delivery of fuel, supplies, and personnel to Midway and other islands using Primary Vessel personnel and equipment including small boats for passenger and supply transport from the ship to shore. - Return trip cargo will include recycling and properly packaged and manifested hazardous materials from Midway, as well as marine debris and supplies from other islands as needed. - Transport and pick up of up to 12 passengers to/from Honolulu to/from various islands within the monument. - Ensure all biosecurity policies are followed including certifying the vessel is rat-free and all materials and supplies on the vessel and being transported are clean and free of any biological contaminants. Immediately contact the Monument Superintendent if any invasive plants or plant parts, insects or animals are observed before or during transit in both directions. Expected Schedule/Itinerary: between 2-8 trips a year. All departure dates are to be determined Additional Information: - Activities undertaken by the ship`s captain and crew must comply with the Papahnaumokukea Marine National Monument permit issued to the ship and contractor. Captain and crew are required to sign a statement of compliance and participate in any required briefings or stipulations. - Any deviations from the cruise plan will require approval from the Midway Project Leader or Monument Superintendent. - Ship's crew and passengers are expected to abide by all rules, regulations and directives while at Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge. Crew conduct is ultimately the responsibility of the ship's Captain. Requirement at Honolulu, HI: - Three days will be required in Honolulu for ship loading prior to cruise departure and one day required for ship offloading at the end of the cruise. USFWS is responsible for delivering cargo to the dock and the contractor is responsible for safely loading and packaging cargo on board the vessel. - Hazardous materials manifesting will be required and FWS personnel will coordinate with the appropriate ship's crew and supplies of items to be shipped to ensure manifesting is accomplished pursuant to CFR prior to sailing. - Before every voyage, Primary Vessel crew will inspect and clean if necessary all fuel IMO containers prior to filling to prevent contamination of Midway fuel systems. - The loading dock must be able to accommodate large vehicles which are to deliver and pick up cargo. A forklift must be available at the dock for USFWS use for loading and unloading cargo to/from the vehicles. - Minimum lifting capacity of dock crane must be 14,000 lbs and maximum container weight cannot exceed 12,000 lbs. - USFWS will schedule the delivery of fuel to the Primary Vessel. Contractors will conduct upload of fuel and ensure all safety precautions and regulations are followed. Requirements at Monument Islands (outside of Midway) - Monument islands are fully quarantined to prevent the accidental introduction of non-native organisms. All personnel accessing the islands must follow the biosecurity policy (see attached). - On-loading and offloading cargo from Primary Vessel to small boats will be accomplished by the contractor using the Primary Vessel's small boat(s) and qualified ship's crew. - Palletized and other contained cargo will be loaded to tenders from the Primary Vessel. One open top 20 foot connex type container or equivalent will be supplied by the primary vessel as needed. The primary vessel must have the ability to crane palletized cargo to and from the ship to and from tenders. - Either two fully operational small boats will be in the water at all times during at sea transfers, or, if one small boat is conducting at sea transfers the second small boat must be fully operational and be rigged to the crane ready for immediate deployment. See Safety Requirements Small Boat Support for additional information. Small boat activities must be completed during daylight hours. - Contractors will transport up to 12 passengers from the Primary Vessel to the islands. - Contractors will transport supplies including food and fuel as needed. - Contractors will provide breakfast on the Primary Vessel on the day of arrival to passengers and lunch for the passengers on shore. Absolutely no fresh produce can be used in passenger lunches to prevent accidental seed introduction to the islands. - If conditions prohibit landing on scheduled days, the Primary Vessel will remain on stand-by unanchored (jogging back and forth at a reduced speed) at a safe distance from the island until conditions improve or decisions are made between the Captain and the Expedition Leader to proceed on without landing. - Space for 2 coolers in the vessels freezer. - On return trips contractors will transport supplies, debris/trash, and up to 12 personnel to the Primary Vessel. Personnel will require lunch (again, no fresh produce) on shore and dinner on the Primary Vessel the day of the pickup. Requirements at Midway - Contractor's crew may access Midway for recreational purposes only with the explicit permission of the Refuge Manager. - Crew may consume alcohol beverages on the pier with the approval of the Primary Vessel Captain and the Refuge Manager. - FWS staff and contractors will assist with dock side unloading of containers and fuel. - The FWS will deploy an oil containment boom which must be in place prior to offload of fuel. - Mooring lines will be fitted with rat guards near the ships hull immediately after mooring at Midway and all possible rodent ingress/egress points will be made as "rodent inaccessible" as possible. - Emerald beetles (prolific during the summer months) exist on Midway and not on the main Hawaiian Islands. Primary Vessel and crew will be inspected prior to departing Midway to ensure emerald beetles are not transported to any other location. Primary Vessel requirements: - Coast Guard approval for the primary vessel to transport up to 9 clean IMO tanks of JP-5 or Jet A at approximately 5000 gallon of fuel/tank is a requirement of the primary vessel. - The Primary Vessel will provide FWS passengers with a safety briefing shortly after departure to explain safety procedures, location of safety equipment and explain chain of command when embarking and disembarking large and small boats. - All vessels operating within the Monument must have at a minimum a Rat Free Inspection 48 hours prior to departure, and a Hull Inspection, and a Ballast Water Record Inspection no more than 14 days prior to departure. If any small boat operations are proposed to occur within the Monument then a Tender Vessel Fouling Inspection must occur in this time frame as well. If any gear will be placed or used in the water or on land, you must schedule an inspection of these items before departing for the Monument also. For more information on who to contact to arrange these inspections please call USFWS. - To prevent accidental introduction of invasive species, the ship is required to have both rat traps and ant traps on board at all times. - If questionable information is generated from any of the inspections listed here, contractor may be required to conduct cleaning operations such as rat eradication, hull cleaning, or ballast water maintenance at your own cost before departing for the Monument. If proposed gear or materials are found to be contaminated with alien species you may be required conduct specific cleaning measures or complete replacement of contaminated items at your own cost before departing for the Monument. Re-inspection may be required. - Additionally, recent concerns over the proliferation of alien algae in the main Hawaiian Islands has resulted in the need for a strong effort on the part of any visitor to insure that they do not transport these species into the pristine waters of the Monument. All small boats, engines, anchors, and lines will be visually inspected for any algal remnants or other alien species which must be removed prior to departure for the Monument. If necessary, the small boats must be washed and fumigated prior to departure from the main Hawaiian Islands. The same inspection procedure is required for small boats and associated equipment between uses at multiple atolls or islands within the Monument. If any alien species are found, they must be removed and placed in a sealed container until they can be properly disposed of upon return to Honolulu through coordination with proper authorities in the main Hawaiian islands (i.e. USDA PPQ and HDOA). - All vessels used to access the Monument must carry a minimum amount of Wreck Removal and Pollution insurance, specifically targeted and sufficient to provide for the vessel's full extraction and removal from the Monument should it run aground or experience difficulties. The extraction method used must meet with the approval of USFWS and any other appropriate State of Federal resource trustee. - No release or exchange of ballast water will be permitted within the Monument. - Discharging gray water is allowed in the Monument outside of all Special Preservation Areas and the Midway Atoll Special Management Area (See attached Map). Discharging biodegradable solid waste associated with galley operations is restricted to 3 nautical miles (ground to 1 inch in diameter) and 12 nautical miles (unground) outside of all Special Preservation Areas and the Midway Atoll Special Management Area. This means that no food or kitchen rubbish may be thrown overboard within the Special Preservation Areas and the Midway Atoll Special Management Area. Also there will be no intentional release of sewage, or black water, from the Primary Vessel within the Monument. All sewage will be held in a proper storage tank(s). - A cruise log must be maintained for the entire cruise and should include a description of activities and geographic locations of those activities. A copy of this cruise log will be provided to USFWS upon return to Honolulu. - The contractor is responsible to arrange and produce all U.S. Customs and U.S. Department of Homeland Security documents, reports, and inspections as required by those agencies with respect to the all personnel and cargo transported under this contract. - The contractor shall provide adequate crew to affect the safe operation of the ship and provide appropriate watch standing. Small boat operators must have specific, demonstrated experience handling small boats for landing and extracting personnel and gear in surf. Cargo requirements: - Prior to departure, the Contractors will provide FWS with access to the Primary Vessel, small boats, and cargo containers to inspect for invasive plant, insect, or algal invasive species prior to the commencement of on-loading cargo in Honolulu. If any invasive species are found the contractor must re-clean the contaminated areas prior to on-loading of cargo. - FWS will identify, label, and provide proper documentation for all hazardous materials prior to loading. Hazardous cargo will include fuel, herbicide, and some other hazardous materials (e.g. paints, engine oil). Small boat requirements: - Two fully operational small boats are required. - Either two fully operational small boats will be in the water at all times during at sea transfers, or, if one small boat is conducting at sea transfers the second small boat must be fully operational and be rigged to the crane ready for immediate deployment. - Each boat must be outfitted with: a main and spare outboard, 1 EPIRB or Pathfinder Pro Search and Rescue Transponder, 2 VHF radios, 2 anchors with minimum of 100 ft of line each, 1 life jacket for each individuals transported in the small boat, compass, charts, emergency bucket with a minimum of 1 portable water desalinator or 2 flats of bottled water, emergency rations, emergency blankets, tool kit, spare engine parts, and a flare kit. - Closed toe shoes required for all small boat work in the Monument for small boat handlers and scientists. - Small boats must be able to carry cargo parcels of the size: 500 pounds with a foot print of 4.5 foot by 4.5 foot. - The FWS Trip Lead and the ship Captain will communicate a minimum of 3 times per day (1 hour after sunrise, noon, and 1 hour before sunset) and will communicate via radio before every boat transfer. IMO Tanks Storage, cleaning, flushing and disposal of all hazardous waste and gas free inspection accomplished by a marine chemist of the nine (9) IMO tanks at contractor's facility to be accomplished each time the IMO tanks are used to take fuel to the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. Summary Bid Sheet: Description Qty Rate Amount Vessel daily rate during loading days Vessel daily rate while underway (i.e. steaming days) Vessel daily rate for standby days Daily rate/passenger/day Fuel Crane Service Passengers Small Boat Services IMO Tanks TOTAL: CAPABILITIES: Firms shall demonstrate the following: 1. Experience: At a minimum, firms shall provide the following information for this vessel charter requirement. Firms shall provide no more than five (5) projects. Each project shall have a final contract value greater than $1,000,000 and shall have been completed within the past five (5) years or be currently ongoing (but at least 25% complete). - Contract Number - Contract Title - Contract Location - Contract Type (Firm-Fixed-Price or Other (Please Specify)) - Worked as the Prime Contractor, Subcontractor or Other (Please Explain) - Contract Award Completion Date - Contract Actual Completion Date - Brief Explanation of Difference in Contract Award and Actual Completion Date - Contract Award Price - Contract Final Price (Inclusive of Modifications) - Brief Explanation of Difference in Contract Award and Final Price - Complexity of Project (High, Medium or Low) - Briefly describe the contract and how it is relevant to vessel charter services work listed under "GENERAL INFORMATION." INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPOND TO SOURCES SOUGHT SYNOPSIS: Prior Government contract work is not required for submitting a response to this synopsis. Firm's responses to this synopsis shall be limited to ten (10) pages and at a minimum, shall include the following information: 1. Name and address 2. Point of contact name, phone number and email address 3. CAGE Code and DUNS Number (if applicable) 4. Interest in working as a prime contractor, subcontractor or other (please explain) 5. Capabilities: Firms shall demonstrate their ability to meet the requirements in the section titled "CAPABILITIES." 6. Business size based on the listed NAICS Code, as well as any socioeconomic categories (Small Business, 8(a), HUBZone, WOSB, EDWOSB and SDVOSB) Responses will be shared within the Government's project team, but otherwise will be held in strict confidence. Interested firms shall respond to this synopsis no later than 2:00 PM Pacific Daylight Saving Time (DST) on May 1, 2019. All responses shall be submitted electronically to the Contract Specialist, Karl Lautzenheiser ([email protected])