RFI for Non-Steel Buoys

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ONLY. This Request for Information (RFI) is part of a market research effort to assess industry capabilities that will best address the U.S. Coast Guard's (USCG's) need. This Request for Information (RFI) is part of a market research effort to assess commercially available non-steel buoy technologies that could be used for the USCG's floating Aids to Navigation (ATON). The effort will focus on floating ATON that can be used in ocean, lake and river systems and will assist the Coast Guard with modernizing their ATON inventory with lighter, more reliable buoys. The Coast Guard Research and Development Center (RDC) is conducting research to identify buoy technology alternatives that could be used to replace steel buoys in the USCG's inventory. The buoy technologies are not required to meet current USCG ATON buoy requirements but should adhere to current international standards set forth by the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA). The desired buoy technologies will differ from existing USCG ATON buoys by reduced cost, lighter weight, increased portability, and reduced maintenance requirements. Examples of non-steel buoy materials of interest to RDC include but are not limited to: Hard shell plastic Fiberglass Foam Non-steel buoy hulls with metal towers and frames Other alternatives Key Performance Parameters (KPPs) of the non-steel ATON buoys include: Initial Acquisition Pricing Lifecycle Costs Materials Used Modularity Buoy's Operational Performance in Recommended Environment Recyclability of product's material(s) within United States SPECIFIC TECHNICAL INFORMATION REQUESTED RDC is interested in existing products that can meet IALA ATON requirements. When responding to this RFI, please provide a copy of the product datasheets (if available) along with information on the KPPs, standard buoy specifications, and responses to the questions below (Note: pictures and engineering drawings are encouraged): Please include the following standard buoy specifications of non-steel buoys in response (if not already described in product datasheet): Product Name Materials used in product (include fill, structural members, ballast, hardware, etc.) Material Wall Thickness for hull Buoy Environment Type (e.g. exposed, semi-exposed, protected, river, ice, etc.) Basic Buoy Measurements (diameter, height, etc.) Weight with ballast in air Weight without ballast in air Buoy Draft Freeboard Minimum Freeboard Nominal Focal Plane Height Nominal Visual Range of Daymark Visual Cross Section Nominal Radar Range Average Radar Cross Section (X-Band and S-Band) Maximum Mooring Load Minimum Mooring Depth Maximum Mooring Depth Bridle Size & Length Minimum Chain Size & Length Maximum Chain Size & Length Anchor Size Survival Wind Speed (knots) Maximum Survival Current Speed (knots) Tilt angles of buoy with currents of 1 knot, 2 knots, 3 knots, 5 knots Safe Working Load (SWL) Maximum Working Load (MWL) Maximum Mooring Load (Chain and Sea growth) Please provide answers to the following questions in your response (if not already described in product datasheet): What is the current pricing of your product(s)? Does your product(s) meet IALA E-108 surface color requirements for visual signals on marine ATON? What is the expected lifecycle of your product(s)? Describe and quantify (if possible) lifecycle differences due to climate (cold, moderate, and hot), ultraviolet (UV) light degradation (color and material decomposition), and color pigments used (e.g. red buoys fading faster than green buoys). Please provide the UV rating of your product(s) (e.g. UV15, UV18, UV20 etc.). Please describe your manufacturing process and materials used to achieve good resistance to UV radiation and high temperatures. Has your product undergone rapid weathering tests to predict long-term stability? If yes, please include results. What type of radar reflector (s) is used in the product and what methods were used to determine radar cross section and radar range of your product? Is the radar reflector mounted internally or externally? What is the nominal height of the radar reflector above the waterline? If available, please include information on radar settings used in field validation. If available, please include RCS polar plot (peak, average, minimum RCS). What methods were used to determine visual cross section and nominal visual range for your product(s)? Is your product(s) modular? If yes, please describe. What is your product(s) response to being punctured? Describe the product(s) impact resistance. Does your product(s) have adjustable ballast? Please describe recommended maintenance requirements and intervals for your product(s). Please provide recommendations for disposal after product(s) has reached end of its lifecycle. Is the product(s) 100% recyclable within the United States given current industry practices? Please provide examples of other maritime authority users of your ATON product(s). *Note: If specifications are included in submitted buoy datasheet, there is no need to restate specifications in RFI response. Identify whether you are a Small or Large Business using NAICS Code 326199 - All Other Plastics Product Manufacturing. Product Service Code: 2050 - BUOYS USCG intends to publish results of RFI in a public market research summary. Any company proprietary information, performance capabilities, and/or future modification that you don't want published should be clearly identified and marked. To aid the Government, please segregate proprietary information. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. This RFI does not constitute an invitation for bids, a request for proposal, a solicitation, a request for quote or an indication that the Government will contract for the items provided by submitter. The Government will not reimburse respondents for any costs associated with the preparation or submission of the information requested. Response to this RFI is strictly voluntary and will not affect any potential offeror's ability to submit an offer if a solicitation is released. Any requests for a solicitation package will be disregarded. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of the RFI or otherwise pay for the information solicited. No entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by the Government will arise as a result of preparing submissions in response to this RFI and the Government's use of such information. Submittals will not be returned to the sender. The deadline for final responses to this RFI is 8 April 2020. Responses to this market survey should be sent to mailbox HQS-SMB-CG-9122-NextGen-Buoys@uscg.mil. If your email response is greater than 10 megabytes (MB), break the submission into multiple sequentially numbered emails of 10 MB or less. PHONE CALLS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED, VOICE MAIL MESSAGES LEFT WILL NOT BE RESPONDED TO. Please limit electronic responses to no more than 20 pages