V -- Charter Vessel

The Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Beaufort, North Carolina is issuing a Notice of Intent to negotiate a sole source procurement with Gulf Diving LLC, in support of diving operations in the Dry Tortugas. The NAICS code is 561520. This acquisition is set a-side for small businesses. Statement of Work (SOW): The contractor shall provide a live-aboard dive vessel, the M/V Spree, capable of supporting for research dive operations in the Dry Tortugas, 80 miles west of Key West, Florida, for a seven day research cruise. This is a seven (7) day availability commencing on June 29, 2007. The contractor shall provide the following: all mobilization/demobilization costs or fuel charges, transit to and from the research area from Key West, FL aboard the M/V Spree, provide berthing for up to 24 members in the scientific party, three (3) meals a day for the 24 members, provide drinking water for the duration of the cruise, provide enriched air nitrox fills for SCUBA cylinders for all dives conducted, provide state of the art GPS navigational equipment, provide access to electrical outlets/inverters so that camera batteries and laptop computers may be operated/charged, provide dry bench workspace for charging/computer operations, provide cold and hot deck water for lab use, wash down/rinse off of gear and divers and provide advanced diving nitrox gases for limited technical diving operations to deeper depths. The vessel shall have the ability to support technical diving operations up to 240 ft. The vessel must have current working permit which allows scientific research in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The vessel must be outfitted with a U.S. Coast Guard approved type II sewage treatment plant for blackwater (sewage). The purpose of this procurement is to assess the effectiveness of the establishment of marine protected areas. The Tortugas Ecological Reserve South was established as part of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary in order to protect the unique habitat utilized by mutton snapper as an aggregating locale for spawning and to afford protection to the population of mutton snapper. The most reliable way to monitor fish populations is to go on-site and conduct visual census operations using SCUBA gear. A one week long cruise is necessary to obtain the research. M/V Spree is the only reliable vessel known which can assist in the research. This vessel has a live aboard dive platform that has the capacity to carry as many as 24 divers. The vessel is a dive live-aboard with water making capability to allow for extended at sea operational time. It can accommodate all 24 divers, and has nitrox dive compressors onboard for continual refills of dive cylinders. This will allow for no interruption of research gathering. The research plan for this cruise requires a large amount of camera work underwater, and requires working bench space inside, a dry area for camera battery charging and laptop computer operations. The M/V Spree has the inside working area, catering to the underwater photographer. The operator of the M/V Spree has a unique working knowledge of the research area. The M/V Spree has the ability to support technical diving operations up to 240 ft. Researchers will perform dives in excess of the recreational dive limit of 130ft., down to approximately to 150 ft. This vessel has a current working permit which allows scientific research in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. There is no other known vessel capable of allowing the researchers to dive to these depths. The M/V Spree is the only vessel known which is outfitted with a U.S. Coast Guard approved type II sewage treatment plant for blackwater (sewage) which is required for working in ecological reserves. The statutory authority is 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1), Only One Responsible Source and no other supplies or services will satisfy the agencies requirement based on the information above. The proposed contract action is for supplies or services for which the government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under the authority of FAR 6.302. Interested persons may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement or submit proposals. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. However, all proposals received within 7 days after date of publication of this synopsis will be considered by the government. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed acquisition based on responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Responses to this notice, if any, must show clear and convincing evidence that competition would be advantageous to the Government. To be eligible for award the offeror must be registered in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR). For information regarding registering in CCR contact the CCR website at www.ccr.gov. For information regarding the RFQ please contact Ms. Mia Grant at 757-441-6897 via email mia.grant@noaa.gov. or Ms. Linda Stein at 757-441-6573 via email Linda.C.Stein@noaa.gov.