Response Boat - Small

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) BEING RELEASED PURSUANT TO FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION (FAR) PART 10: MARKET RESEARCH. This RFI is issued solely for informational, market research, and planning purposes only. It does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. This RFI does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. Further, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) is not at this time seeking proposals, and will not accept unsolicited proposals. Respondents are advised that the United States (U.S) Government will not pay for any information or administrative cost incurred in response to this RFI. All costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the responding party's expense. At this time, proprietary information is not being requested, and respondents shall refrain from providing proprietary information in response to this RFI. Responses to the RFI will not be returned. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP, if any is issued. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the U.S Government to form a binding contract. It is the responsibility of the interested parties to monitor this site for additional information pertaining to this RFI. Description and Capability Requirements: The USCG is searching for vendors interested and capable of manufacturing and delivering the Response Boat-Small (RB-S). The Government is considering a Two-Phase down select approach for this acquisition. The United States Coast Guard (USCG) has a requirement to provide up to 470 Response Boat-Small (RB-S) to various shore units in order to perform Ports, Waterways, and Coastal Security (PWCS), Search and Rescue (SAR), Drug Interdiction (DRUG), Alien Migrant Interdiction Operations (AMIO), Living Marine Resources (LMR), Defense Readiness (DR) and Other Law Enforcement (OLE) missions. The RB-S will be operated in inland and coastal waters. The RB-S shall be fully capable of performing all missions in water as shallow as 40 inches and in moderate weather (up to 6 ft seas and up to 25 knots of wind). Business Issues and Response Format: Respondents interested in providing a response to this RFI should carefully read the attached draft specification and submit information which clearly describes the following: (In A through F). A. Comments to the attached draft specification as well as any recommended changes to the Specification. B. Company capability to manufacture the boat as well as proven commercial availability. All sources are requested briefly to address each specification listed identifying whether or not they can currently provide each of the specification requirements. C. A rough estimate for the boat concerning production timeframe and price ranges. D. (1) Business Size in accordance with NAICS Code 336612. The expression of interest should state whether the concern is a Large or Small Business, and identify if Small Business Disadvantaged Business, HUB-Zone Business, Women Owned Business, 8(a) certified small business, Veteran Owned Business, Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business and business size under the potential NAICS (2) Dun and Bradstreet number (3) Any other Government contracts held including General Services Administration (GSA) Schedule (include the GSA schedule number) (4) If the firm has recently submitted a proposal for any similar requirements with any Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, or other U.S Federal Government activities, please include the agency's name, solicitation number, and Contracting Officer's name and point of contact information. E. Responses to the following questions: 1. What are the impacts (performance, weight and cost) of requiring the boat to be transportable on a Coast Guard C-130 aircraft? See attached loading dimensions of RB-S_C130Aircraft_Loading_Dimensions.pdf file. 2. What operating impacts (performance, weight and cost) of requiring ballistic protection? 3. What are the impacts (performance, weight and cost) of providing air conditioning? 4. How would you meet the crew space requirements if not using a cabin? 5. Is there a better way to maximize visibility above as well as the sides? 6. Is there a better way to ensure the windows/doors maximize ability of a gunner shooting out the sides from a seated position inside the cabin/crew space? 7. What are the impacts of requiring a capsize test during trials on the first boat? F. Any other information pertinent to this RFI. RESPONSES: Please submit information via email to Jon T. Meagher, Contract Specialist, at contact@example.gov, and to Laura Spillane, Contracting Officer, at contact@example.gov no later than 12 Noon EST on 19 March 2010. You may also submit supplemental materials such as brochures and product literature to the above email address. Industry is advised that Government's support contractors (The Columbia Group and Maritime Systems Support, LLC) will be involved with the review of submitted information. If a Government support contractor other than those listed above will be involved with the review of submitted information, each vendor that has responded to this RFI will be notified before their information is provided to that contractor for review. All Government support contractors required to review the information will submit non-disclosure or confidentiality statements. The Government assumes that any party submitting a response to this RFI consents to the release of their information to the Government support contractors noted above for the sole purpose of assisting the Government in its review of the response. Any party NOT wishing to release its submission to these contractors must explicitly so state on the cover page of the response.