Marine Passive Safety Device - Marine Shear Pin

BACKGROUND: The Northeast Fisheries Science Center, Woods Hole, Massachusetts has a requirement to procure a Marine Passive Safety device (Marine Shear Pin). This device will be used as passive safety device that will detach a towed underwater stereo-optic camera array (HabCam) from a fiber optic cable contained on a winch system aboard a contracted UNOLS vessel. CURRENT SITUATION: This is a mandatory safety requirement. Safety Requirement: Safe Working Load (SWL) for A-Frame is 15,000 lbs, so a weak link device needs to be installed that will part the wire prior to exceeding the SWL. The device must conform to the following specifications: 1) The weak link device must have a shear pin designed to operate as a controlled release point at 15,000 lbs. while under underwater towing conditions. 2) The weak link device must fit between the wire termination and the vehicle tow bracket with a two bored bolt holes on each end. One hole must be 1.26 inches diameter and with enough space to freely move and be installed. The other hole must be 0.44" in diameter. The distance between the centers of each hole on each side (pair) must be 2.25" apart. See figure 1 for the wire termination and figure 2 for the vehicle tow bracket. 3) The weak link device must have a female connection point on one side in order to connect to the vehicle tow bracket and a male end in order to connect to the wire termination. 4) The weak link must have a lug depth minimum of 3.2" of clearance for the male end, a lug thickness of exactly 2", and a lug radius of no greater than 1". 5) The weak link must have a female end with an inside width of 2.26" wide to accommodate the 2" bridle bit. The female end must allow for a minimal lug depth of 1.5". 6) The weak link device must be able to function in the marine environment for a period of several days under average loads of 5,000 lbs without device functionality (controlled release point of 15,000) being reduced. The device must maintain integrity in this manner for eight to ten deployments of two days over a six week period. 7) The structure of the weak link device must be able to handle loads of a minimum of 30,000 lbs without breaking (not the weak link). 8) The weak link device must be designed with the ability to be able to remove and replace shear pins at sea and without the aid off special tools and a specially trained technician. 9) The weak link device cannot exceed 24" in length, and be at or less than 12" in diameter. DISCLAIMER: THIS SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. IT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A SOLICITATION AND SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT. RESPONSES IN ANY FORM ARE NOT OFFERS AND THE GOVERNMENT IS UNDER NO OBLIGATIO NTO AWARD A CONTRACT AS A RESULT OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. NO FUNDS ARE AVILABLE TO PAY FOR PREPARATION OF RESPONSES TO THIS NOTICE. ANY INFORMATION SUBMITTED BY RESPONDENTS TO THIS SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE IS STRICTLY VOLUNTARY. If a firm believes it is capable of meeting the Government's requirements, it may identify its interest and capability statements via email to contact@example.gov within seven (7) days of this publication. Interested firms must indicate whether they are large, small, any socioeconomic classifications, and whether they are U.S. or foreign owned.