Pacific Offshore Oceanographic Science Vessel Service

The contract seeks a charter vessel with a qualified crew to replace the Canadian Coast Guard Ship John P. Tully for conducting offshore oceanographic science missions in the Northeast Pacific, primarily operating from Sidney, British Columbia. The vessel must meet stringent technical specifications including a minimum gross tonnage of 2,000 GT, length of 65 meters, draft of 4.2 meters, and endurance of 30 continuous days at sea. It must be equipped with a hull-mounted multibeam echosounder and sub-bottom profiler capable of operating to 4,300 meters, a CTD system for depths exceeding 4,150 meters, plankton net deployment capability to 1,000 meters, and dedicated scientific laboratories—50 square meters dry lab and 10 square meters wet lab. The vessel must also accommodate up to 15 scientific personnel and possess deck space for three 20-foot ISO containers and a marine crane with a minimum 3.5-ton safe working load. All vessels must hold a valid Transport Canada inspection certificate or equivalent international certification, and must comply with all Canadian and international maritime regulations, health, safety, security, and environmental standards. The contract period begins in June 2026 and extends to March 31, 2029, with optional missions totaling up to 90 additional days. Performance occurs primarily in Canadian Pacific waters, extending beyond 200 nautical miles into international waters and into the U.S. territorial sea, with mobilization and demobilization based in Sidney or Victoria, British Columbia. The contract is structured as a cost-reimbursable arrangement with payments to be determined at award, supported by a detailed basis of payment annex. All proposals must be submitted via CPC Connect or email to DFO.tenders-soumissions.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca by May 25, 2026, and must include official documentation verifying vessel compliance, scientific capabilities, crew qualifications, insurance, and safety management systems. Offerors must certify their legal standing, eligibility as Canadian suppliers or representatives from applicable trading partners, compliance with anti-forced labor laws, adherence to international sanctions, and implementation of federal employment equity requirements. While no security clearances or key personnel designations are required, contractors must proactively disclose any relationships with former public servants receiving pensions or lump sums, and must immediately report any actual or potential conflicts of interest, with failure to do so constituting grounds for default termination. The