Maritime and Ports Asset Inventory and Needs Assessment

The New York State Department of State (NYSDOS), Office of Planning, Development and Community Infrastructure (OPDCI) is seeking consultant services for a Maritime and Ports Asset Inventory and Needs Assessment to support DOS’s Green and Resilient Ports Initiative. The primary purpose of this study is to create a detailed inventory of maritime and ports assets in New York State and evaluate and prioritize future infrastructure and investment needs to support the sector.    NYSDOS is an executive department of the State of New York and administers the State’s Coastal Management Program (CMP). The CMP is a framework for government decision-making which affects New York’s coastal area and aims to promote the beneficial use of coastal resources, prevent their impairment, and manage major activities substantially affecting resources in New York’s coastal waters. These coastal waters include the marine environment of Long Island and New York City, the tidal estuarine environment of the Hudson River, and the freshwater environment of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence region.   Through NYSDOS’s OPDCI, the Ocean and Great Lakes (OGL) Program was established to collaborate with local, State, and federal agencies to advance planning,?policy, and project activities that?address?the connections between?ocean and Great Lakes?ecosystem health, economic vitality, and community well-being. The OGL program implements the goals of Article 14 of NYS Environmental Conservation Law which promotes the restoration, protection, and enhancement of New York State’s Ocean and Great Lakes ecosystems and coastal economies. Because of NYSDOS’s unique role in coastal management and planning, it has a strong interest in maritime activities within the state’s coastal boundaries and works to ensure resilient and sustainable maritime economies within the state’s coastal communities.   The maritime and ports sector in New York State are critical components of the state and national economies where they facilitate commerce, create good jobs, and promote economic growth. Because of the integral nature of the maritime sector and ports in New York, these facilities are at the forefront of climate adaptation and resiliency, and sustainable infrastructure planning. In addition, coastal communities and waterfront properties are experiencing a growing demand for limited waterfront spaces to support a variety of competitive uses. This study aims to gather data needed to more comprehensively understand how residential and recreational uses as well as port and industrial activities can coexist and mutually support thriving waterfront communities.    Within New York State, port authorities and private entities operate ports and maritime infrastructure. Port authorities are governmental or quasi-governmental public authorities responsible for managing and operating facilities. Major public port authorities in New York include the Port of New York and New Jersey the Port of Albany, Port of Oswego, and Port of Ogdensburg. Distinct from port authorities, State public benefit corporations such as the New York State Canal Corporation have oversight of the New York State Canal System which consists of the Erie Canal, Cayuga-Seneca Canal, Oswego Canal, and Champlain Canal. Federal ownership includes the St. Lawrence Seaway. Private terminals, in comparison, are operated by private companies and terminal operators, and may specialize in a specific type of cargo or maritime use. For the purposes of the deliverables covered in this RFP, “maritime” uses are intended to include: cargo (container and bulk) and passenger cruise vessels, and ferry services outside of the New York City ferry system.   This study seeks to conduct a comprehensive assessment of ports and maritime facilities in New York State and will:  Create an asset inventory database that catalogues key infrastructure; Develop an economic assessment of ports and the maritime sector’s effect on local and regional economies; and Create a needs assessment that identifies funding, and prioritizes implementation actions and investment across the sector, with an emphasis on ‘greening’, resiliency, and decarbonization strategies.   These tasks will provide NYSDOS with an understanding of the current state of major components within the maritime and ports sector and facilitate broad strategic programmatic support to identified needs. This study will build upon prior public or port-commissioned studies examining the economic impact of ports on local, regional, and national economies, and provide NYSDOS with a framework of knowledge to provide technical assistance to sector partners as well as inform future planning and economic development activities undertaken by State entities such as Empire State Development, the New York State Department of Transportation, and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. A key objective and outcome of this study is to directly engage partners and stakeholders in the maritime and ports sector and identify and prioritize broad or project-specific needs.   Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Set Aside: No Minority Owned Sub-Contracting Goal: 15% Women Owned Sub-Contracting Goal: 15% Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Contracting Goal: 6% Due date:08/07/2024 8:00 PM Questions due June 24, 2024 Contract term: Two Years County(ies): All NYS counties Business entities awarded an identical or substantially similar procurement contract within the past five years: No similar contracts have been awarded.