Multiple Day Boat Charter Service

Multiple Day Boat Charter Service Market Research Effort Notice Type: Sources Sought Response Date: January 13, 2010 NAICS Code: 487210 Requirement Synopsis: The Forest Service is conducting Market Research to identify potential offerors capable of meeting the requirement below and collect approximate estimates of what would be charged by interested offerors to provide this service. Description of Service The Forest Service is considering the costs associated with chartering a boat to transport and berthing work crews in the proximity of four Southeastern Alaska locations to remote working sites and providing living accommodations for the number of the crew. It is possible that the Forest Service will award one or more one year contracts with no more than three option years to engage boats at these four locations of different berthing capacities. To be considered adequate, the boat must meet the following characteristics. Required Boat Characteristics: Carry two outboards, powered boom, berths for 6 (or 12), office, galley w/range and refrigerator, (2) toilet and lavatory and shower, hot & cold running fresh water, large clothes dryer, heaters in rooms, 115V, DC, 5KW and 3KW Backup diesel generator. Pilot and necessary personnel to provide service are to be provided. The contractor would be responsible for assuring all federal, state, and local requirements associated with performance are met, including inspection, licensing, permits, etc. The contractor would be responsible for having the boat(s) available for the Forest Service's exclusive use during the period of April 15th to October 15th, for which a Daily Availability Rate would be paid to the contractor, simply for reserving the availability of the service. Additionally, a Daily Use rate would be paid for each day that the contractor is actually providing the service, which would include all costs associated with the provision of the service, to include cooking, fuel, piloting, boat maintenance, etc. Currently, the Forest Service is investigating the possibility of retaining the services of boats capable of carrying a smaller and larger quantity of people. The first type of boat for which the Forest Service hopes to acquire cost estimates would be capable of accommodating 6 people. The second type of boat for which cost estimates are requested would be capable of accommodating 12 people. At this time it is anticipated that periods of use would be no less than one day and no more than ten days. Details such as the amount of notice given before service is required, extent of what's involved for different functions contractor is responsible for providing, etc., will be addressed in the event a solicitation for this service is issued. Interested Offerors Responses With the information currently available it is requested that interested offerors would provide the following information by completing the information below. Type of Boat Daily Availability Rate (for 180 days) Daily Use Rate (for those days used) Berthing (6 or less) $__________ $__________ Berthing (12 or less) $__________ $__________ -Location for which the Rates apply (Sitka, Juneau, Petersburg, or Ketchikan) -Makes and models of the boats considered for use -Additional information or issues that a solicitation should contain. -Suggestions for what is reasonable to request in such a service Additional Project Details -The estimated magnitude of the project is between $100,000 and $300,000 annually. -The Forest Service is analyzing availability of suitable marine vessels (M/V) for this purpose that would operate out of Sitka, AK; Juneau, AK; Ketchikan, AK; and Petersburg, AK. The Forest Service desires that firms interested in this project as a prime contractor identify themselves by the submission of a brief white paper that contains responses to the questions above as well as identification information. We ask for this paper to be submitted as an Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) Attachment in an email to Gordon Brooks (gbbrooks@fs.fed.us, with a courtesy copy furnished (cc) to Sherman Mayle (smayle@fs.fed.us) by close of business on Wednesday January 13, 2010. a) Advice on the timetable that the acquisition should follow in order to provide for contract award by May 1, 2010; b) Other advice, recommendations, or cautions for the Forest Service as we consider this approach for this service. -The Forest Service is not scheduling a pre-solicitation conference at this time. We hope all interesting parties will share this information with us through the white paper as requested above. The Forest Service has not yet made a definitive decision to issue a solicitation, and it has not made any definitive decisions regarding work scope, acquisition strategy, extent of competition, NAICS code, and so forth. The information we learn from the white papers will help us as we make these decisions. Other exchanges with industry may occur in the near future; this may include a pre-solicitation conference of one-on-one meetings with some or all white paper submitters. Your participation and assistance through the submission of a white paper is appreciated. Primary Point of Contact: Sherman L. Mayle Contract Specialist smayle@fs.fed.us Phone: 907 228-6244 Fax: 907-228-6254 Secondary Point of Contact Gordon Brooks Fleet Manager gbbrooks@fs.fed.us Phone 907-228-6336 fax 907-228-6313