TUGCON VOYAGE CHARTER

Contract N3220526P5131, awarded under solicitation N3220526R6071, is a Firm-Fixed-Price Tug Contract (TUGCON - SPOT) issued by the Military Sealift Command Norfolk under the Department of Defense for tug vessel services. The contract is a Total Small Business Set-Aside, exclusively available to small businesses as defined by the Small Business Administration, and incorporates a range of FAR and DFARS clauses mandating compliance with cybersecurity standards, including NIST SP 800-171 and safeguarding of Covered Defense Information, as well as restrictions on the use of prohibited telecommunications equipment and foreign-made unmanned aerial systems. Performance is required to commence on May 18, 2026, with a final delivery deadline of June 26, 2026, involving a voyage originating in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, with an intermediate stop in Guam for up to one week of training, and concluding at the Marianas Island Testing and Training Surveillance Area approximately 250 nautical miles southeast of Guam. The contractor must provide a tug vessel meeting specific operational specifications including shaft horsepower, bollard pull, transit speed, fire pump capacity, and capstan pull, all while maintaining current U.S. Coast Guard certifications and adherence to the U.S. Navy Tow Manual. The contractor is reimbursed only for actual, identifiable costs and must secure competitive bids for all expenditures exceeding $2,500. All invoicing must be submitted through the Wide Area WorkFlow system, with payments routed using designated DoDAACs, and the Government retains authority to inspect and accept the vessel at any point of operation, with title passing only upon final delivery. The contract includes options to extend services for up to six months and imposes stringent requirements on crew qualifications, including English proficiency for the Tug Master and valid international maritime certifications. Offerors must possess appropriate security clearances and access classified information through a formal process prior to proposal submission, and all submissions must be in PDF format, signed electronically or by scanned signature, and submitted to the designated email address no later than April 2, 2026. The award was made on a Lowest Price, Technically Acceptable basis, where technical acceptability is a pass/fail determination based on experience, operational controls, past performance, and ability to meet the schedule, with price serving as the sole discriminant among technically acceptable offers. The contractor must also comply with Small