Marine Architect to Design Modifications to the Buoy Barge and Grasse River

The Great Lakes Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (GLS or Corporation) is a wholly-owned U.S. Government corporation within the U.S. Department of Transportation which owns and operates that portion of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway in U.S. territorial waters between Lake Ontario and Montreal, Canada. The Corporation's mission is to facilitate the safe and efficient passage of commercial vessels through the Seaway. The GLS took delivery of a new tug, the Seaway Guardian, in July of 2020. The primary function of the Seaway Guardian is to move/push the Corporation's buoy-tending crane barge (Buoy Barge), which is 150 ft. long with a 60-ft. beam. The Seaway Guardian will push the Buoy Barge to commission and decommission floating aids to navigation in the U.S. waters in the St Lawrence River between Cornwall, Ontario, Canada, and Cape Vincent, New York, and aids to navigation up to approximately 10 miles out onto Lake Ontario. Another function of the Seaway Guardian is to move/push the GLS owned 300-ton capacity heavy-lift derrick barge (Grasse River), which is 150 ft. long with a 75-ft. beam. In August of 2020, the GLS Awarded a sole source contract to Robert Allan Limited to design changes to both GLS owned barges and the Seaway Guardian so they can make fast for tug and barge operations. They were selected for this work because they are the Marine Architect that designed the Seaway Guardian, including the pushing knees. Their engineers also have first-hand knowledge of how the GLS Buoy Barge is used while commissioning buoys, and this first-hand knowledge also extends to the configuration of the Grasse River and the requirements for moving and pushing it. The SLSDC intends to award additional work to Robert Allan Ltd. on a sole source basis under the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)(i). This work is for the preparation of preliminary and final designs, specifications, drawings, and cost estimates for additional in-scope structural modifications to the sterns of the Buoy Barge and Grasse River as well as the Tug Seaway Guardian. Additionally, GLS plans to award additional design work required to bring the buoy barge to standards for commercial vessels. This additional work is expected to be completed by the same shipyard simultaneously to the work to the pushing knees of the Seaway Guardian and the sterns of both barges. GLS believes it is important that the additional work is designed by one Architect and Engineering Firm designing to avoid potential conflicts of having more than one Engineer of Record, including but not limited to rework and duplication of costs. Also, the Marine Architect will be required to determine the required sequence of events for the necessary modifications to be completed by a shipyard simultaneously. A PDF named Buoy Barge Shipyard Spec 2020_2021 has been attached and lists all work that shall or may require the preparation of preliminary and final designs, specifications, drawings, and cost estimates. The GLS shall acquire the services using the provisions, clauses, and procedures prescribed in FAR. Interested organizations may submit their capabilities and qualifications to perform equivalent or better services in writing to the identified point of contact not later than 3:30 pm EST on July 10th, 2021. Such capabilities and qualifications will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. A determination by GLS not to compete this proposed effort on a full and open competition basis, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of GLS. Oral communications are not an acceptable response.