SOURCES SOUGHT
V -- Ice Breaking Services at McMurdo Station, Antarctica - Attachments
- Notice Date
- 8/21/2018
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 483111
— Deep Sea Freight Transportation
- Contracting Office
- National Science Foundation, Division of Acquisition and Cooperative Support, DACS, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room475, Arlington, Virginia, 22230
- ZIP Code
- 22230
- Solicitation Number
- DACSUSAP2018-2024
- Archive Date
- 10/15/2018
- Point of Contact
- Jennifer Shymansky, Phone: 703-292-4963
- E-Mail Address
-
jshymans@nsf.gov
(jshymans@nsf.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Attachment 2 - U.S. Antarctic Program Ice Breaking History Attachment 1 - McMurdo and typical path of ice breaking for shipping channel The National Science Foundation (NSF), an independent agency of the United States Government, is seeking information regarding the availability of icebreaking services capable of enabling the re-supply of the U.S. Antarctic Program's (USAP) McMurdo Station. NSF is responsible for directing and funding the USAP and manages the entire United States national program in Antarctica, including logistic support activities. This Sources Sought notice is issued for informational and planning purposes only. This is not a Request for Quote (RFQ) and does not commit the Government to solicit or award an order now or in the future. Background NSF is interested in contracting for backup or on-call icebreaking services to support the annual channel opening through first year 10/10ths sea ice, and to escort an ice-strengthened tanker and an ice-strengthened cargo ship to the pier at McMurdo Station, Antarctica (77°51' S, 166°40' E). NSF is interested in short-term availability as well as possible long-term arrangements. The contract could include annual mobilization and de-mobilization costs and periods (length of time to be determined based on location of home port) and an operating period in the Southern Ocean south of 60° S of approximately 4 to 5 weeks. After that period, the vessel would be off-contract and free to engage in other work. Possibilities exist for a contracted vessel to be engaged in other work simultaneously, but when called upon would need to immediately direct itself to McMurdo. Traditionally, the USAP has relied on the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) using its polar class icebreaking ships until they suffered casualties in 2006 requiring extensive refit. Between 2007-2011 NSF chartered the Swedish icebreaker ODEN and from 2012-2014 the Russian icebreaker VLADIMIR IGNATYUK to perform the break-in and ship escort. Beginning in 2015, the USCG resumed its support of the USAP through the refit of the POLAR STAR. Given POLAR STAR's age, NSF is now exploring potential alternative options for opening the supply channel to McMurdo Station through a reliable long-term arrangement, either with a commercial or governmental provider, or through a multi-national arrangement. Ideally, one or more vessels would serve in a standby status and remain available to respond to NSF should POLAR STAR suffer a catastrophic failure between 2018 and 2024. Upon completion of the break-in to McMurdo, the vessels would be released from standby status. NSF is not seeking binding offers to contract at this time; however, based upon the information received, the Foundation may initiate discussions, seek offers, and award a contract with an owner or operator per the authority at 42 U.S.C. 1870(c). The United States Antarctic Program Scientific research, and operational support of that research, is the principal activity supported by the United States Government in Antarctica. The goals are to expand fundamental knowledge of the region, to foster research on global and regional problems of current scientific importance, and to utilize the region as a platform from which to support research. For projects involving fieldwork, the USAP supports research that can only or can best be done in Antarctica. The USAP has been in continuous operation since the 1957-1958 International Geophysical Year and continuation into the foreseeable future is anticipated. U.S. activities in Antarctica support the Nation's adherence to the Antarctic Treaty, which reserves the region for peaceful purposes and encourages international cooperation in scientific research. At present, 49 nations adhere to the treaty, and many of them are involved in Antarctic field activities. The United States cooperates scientifically and operationally with many of the Antarctic Treaty nations. McMurdo Station is the major USAP logistics hub for the support of continental-based science. McMurdo is located on Ross Island in the Southern edge of the Ross Sea. It is the furthest south exposed land to which a ship can sail. Refer to http://www.nsf.gov/geo/opp/ail/ for a more complete description of the USAP research support facilities including McMurdo Station. Typical Schedule and Operations The icebreaker typically passes 60°S latitude en route to McMurdo on or about 5 January. Departure from McMurdo is at the conclusion of the resupply mission in mid-February (4-5 weeks after arrival). The basic tasks are to open an appropriately-wide and ice-milled channel to the McMurdo Station pier and escort a tanker and a freighter through the sea ice and channel to the pier and back to the open ocean as required. The cargo ship for the recent 2017/2018 season was the MV OCEAN GIANT, which has a gross displacement of 15,549 tons, a length of 546 ft. and a beam of 75 ft. The tanker was the MT MAERSK PEARY, which has a gross displacement of 25,487 tons, a length of 590 ft. and a beam of 105 ft. Use of supply ships of similar capacity and size are anticipated over the life of any contractual arrangement. The Military Sealift Command (U.S. Navy) provides these vessels for the USAP. The cargo ship arrives at the McMurdo ice edge on or about 24 January and departs about 31 January each year. The tanker ship arrives at the McMurdo ice edge on or about 2 February and departs about 7 February each year. At times the order of arrival of these ships is switched, but the USAP resupply window is ideally between 20 January and 10 February each year. While these dates are optimal, NSF is willing to consider other timing options. Please specify any alternate timing options when responding. Sea Ice The sea ice in McMurdo Sound in January has typically been between 10 and 16 feet thick with a distance of 10 to 25 nautical miles from McMurdo Station. Historically, first-year ice conditions are re-established approximately every three years. Beginning in 2000, due to an abnormal environmental event, the sea ice grew to more than 23 feet thick and remained firmly in place until 2011. All the fast ice cleared between 14 and 24 February 2011. First-year ice was then present throughout McMurdo Sound during the 2012 USAP icebreaking mission. The fast ice again cleared from McMurdo Sound in February 2012. This pattern of first-year fast ice forming, only then to be cleared out later in the year, continued until 2018, when the ice did not clear. Multi-year ice is therefore expected to be present during the 2019 resupply. Sea ice in McMurdo Sound commonly has a snow cover of between six inches and two feet. Generally, snow depth increases along the typical path of icebreaking towards McMurdo Station (see Attachment 1). Sea ice pressure ridges are rare in McMurdo Sound, but are occasionally present when ice in excess of four years old constrains first-year ice within the shipping channel. That condition has not been reached in many years. Sea ice conditions in McMurdo Sound are expected this season (Jan-Feb 2019) to be slightly more challenging than last season (Jan-Feb 2018) and to still be more benign from an icebreaking standpoint than for the 12 years from 1999 to 2011. First year sea ice, devoid of trapped floes from the prior break-out, will be present over the entire McMurdo Sound. Recent annual conditions, on average, bring the sea ice edge to between 5 and 15 NM of McMurdo by mid-January. This sea ice is estimated to be between 7-10 feet in thickness and 26 to 28 degrees F in early January. Ice thickness and temperature typically remain constant or increase slightly between early January and the middle of February. Attachment 2 contains a listing of the extent of fast sea ice (measured north from McMurdo Station at the time of icebreaker arrival) and the icebreaking vessels used since 1957. Recent archival images may be viewed at: https://lance-modis.eosdis.nasa.gov/imagery/subsets/?project=antarctica&subset=RossSea Submission of Information Interested parties are free to provide any information that they believe may assist NSF in its assessment of the availability and reliability of icebreaking services; however, the Foundation will not pay for any information submitted. Except as identified herein, no specific format is required. Among the factors that NSF would consider in determining suitability of an existing or to-be-built vessel for icebreaking services would be: • Intended vessel's actual certified or anticipated ice classification and maximum ice thickness and speed of advance for continuous progress • Society providing ice certification • Vessel's displacement • Statement of availability • Ship's registry • Vessel's name and specifications using BIMCO Supply time 89, Annex A as the format • Name/address of vessel's owner and vessel's operator (if different) • Date and location of most recent major maintenance activity or dry docking and description of work done • Time remaining prior to any major maintenance activity and dry docking • Approximate price per standby day and active day (if vessel called upon during contracted period), and any extras (e.g., taxes, victuals, commissions, communications, fuels, oils, lubricants) • Expected mobilization and demobilization charges and port of initiation/return • Past performance contact information • Special operating restrictions or conditions In addition, • Any vessel operating in Antarctic waters (defined as south of 60°S latitude) must adhere to all MARPOL and IMO regulations, including a prohibition on the carriage or consumption of heavy fuels. Please specify what fuel type will be used by the intended vessel. • It is highly desirable that the vessel have sufficient fuel bunkering capacity to complete the USAP mission without re-fueling south of 60°S latitude. Please specifically indicate whether the intended vessel has the capacity to achieve this. • The Committee of Managers of National Antarctic Programs (COMNAP) has developed ballast water management guidelines. Please comment on your ability to comply with the guidelines (http://www.ats.aq/documents/recatt/att345_e.pdf). If the vessel must receive fuel during the period of time while operating in the Southern Ocean, McMurdo can provide an all-purpose diesel fuel, JP-5. Specifications for this fuel can be found at http://quicksearch.dla.mil/Transient/F012F83794E049BF9C85318FE19F1A64.pdf. Respondents are asked to review this fuel specification and comment on its suitability. If another diesel fuel must be used (e.g., MGO or MDO), NSF may be able to have it delivered by the USAP tanker. If bunkering in the McMurdo area is required, please provide an estimate of the quantity of fuel that must be delivered and the proposed ship's ability to perform ship-to-ship refueling. There is no storage capacity for specialty fuels in McMurdo, thus the fuel must be delivered directly from the tanker. Where fuel is expected to be provided at McMurdo, NSF will establish that fuel's value for credit to the overall cost of icebreaking services. Thank you in advance for your interest in the acquisition programs of the National Science Foundation. Though NSF will consider any information interested parties choose to submit at any time, the privilege of your submission on or prior to September 30, 2018 is requested. Submissions and other inquiries should be addressed to Jennifer Shymansky, Contracting Officer, jshymans@nsf.gov, via e-mail. Attachments: • Attachment 1 - McMurdo and typical path of icebreaking for shipping channel • Attachment 2 - U.S. Antarctic Program Icebreaking History
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/NSF/DACS/DACS/DACSUSAP2018-2024/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: McMurdo, Antarctica
- Record
- SN05049361-W 20180823/180821231830-378cee9b65a3e1b592015bb5f55c20fd (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
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