Message Service from ships at sea

The United States Coast Guard, Operation Systems Center, intends to award on a limited source basis, contracts with Globe Wireless, Foster City, CA and WLO Shipcom, Mobile, AL for message service from ships at sea to the Coast Guard Operations Systems Center in Kearneysville, West Virginia via Coast Guard paid circuits. It is further intended to establish each contract for a base year (12 months), with 4 12-month options. To compensate these public coast stations for the handling and delivery of AMVER messages, the Coast Guard will pay the radio stations directly for delivery of each AMVER message. The Contractors will use delivery invoices to bill the Coast Guard for all AMVER messages electronically delivered. It is believed that these 2 radio stations are the sole remaining Coast Station operators in the United States that operate the type of system needed by the Coast Guard. There used to be many operators over the years; however, they have gone out of the business or been sold to these 2 remaining operators. Many ships have other methods of communicating directly with whomever they want and do not need the - middle man services provided by WLO and Globe. Globe relays SITOR messages that are sent by participating vessels. WLO Shipcom relays both Morse Code as well as SITORS. WLO is the only coast station that relays Morse Code. The Government intends to negotiate with only these 2 sources under the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b). The reason justifying this limited source procurement is that the Government believes that only these 2 responsible sources can furnish the services that will satisfy the Government's requirements. Any firm that believes it can satisfy the services described above are encouraged to give written notification to the Contracting Officer. Supporting evidence must be furnished, in sufficient detail to demonstrate the ability to satisfy the Coast Guard's requirements. All responses received by the close of business October 24, 2008 will be considered. Any future action based on responses to this notice will be at the sole discretion of the Government. Inquiries will only be accepted by E-mail.