A solicitation for a vessel contract opportunity on SAM.gov.
Atlantic Sea Scallop Vessel with Fiber Optic Winch System Search
Our Ecosystem Surveys Branch is looking for a vessel with a fiber optic winch, fiber optic cable, and block to participate in our Atlantic sea scallop survey.
About
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The Northeast Fisheries Science Center’s Ecosystem Surveys Branch seeks information on vessels with an appropriate fiber optic winch, fiber optic cable, and block system to participate in our annual Atlantic sea scallop survey. We conduct the survey along the U.S. continental shelf from Massachusetts to Virginia, including the U.S. waters of Georges Bank. Part of the survey includes using HabCam—a habitat mapping camera system with various environmental sensors. We typically conduct the survey sometime between May and June. Vessel owners interested in participating in our survey will need to be available in May 2024
If we’re unable to find a vessel with an appropriate winch, cable, and block system that meets our needs, we are open to working with others that may have one that could be used on the vessel we hire. Be advised that it would need to be serviced, set up, and available in May 2024.
The deadline to respond to this Request For Information is December 18, 2023. An official solicitation for a vessel contract opportunity in the System for Award Management will be posted in January or February 2024. Awarded contract(s) will have a one-year base period in 2024 with option years through 2028.
How Vessel Owners Apply
Interested parties will need to register with the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) and provide NOAA’s Western Acquisitions Division with information requirements outlined in the contract opportunity Request For Information website. Please contact Amanda Rossiter or Carina Topasna with any questions.
What We’re Looking For
For a full detailed list of specifications and requirements, please visit the SAM.gov contract opportunity web page for this Request for Information.
In general, the vessel will need to have appropriate:
- A-frame with a safe working load of more than than 12,500 lbs for deploying an retrieving HabCam
- Deck space to accommodate a scientific dry lab (8’ x 20’ container)
- Wire tension data feed
- Sleeping, bathroom, and galley space for 7 scientists
- Fuel capacity
- Echo-sounder
- Navigation, communication, and other vessel and safety equipment
- Access to ship's Furuno data feed (RS 232 connection)
- Dedicated 120VAC 20A circuit for HabCam transformer and backup 240VAC circuit for direct power in dry lab
For the fiber optic winch, cable, and block system, we’re generally looking for appropriate:
- Fiber optic slip ring and junction box for connection(s) to data network in dry lab
- Spare slip ring and junction box
- Securely mounted winch (manufacturer’s specs)
- Winch drive motor and/or electro-hydraulic power for the fiber optic winch
- Meet safe working loads and cable speeds (Dynacon winch specs)
- Able to accommodate cable count, speed, tension data feed
- Fiber optic test equipment
- Armored fiber optic cable (0.681)
- Block and spare for cable (0.681)
- Minimum of 1000 meters of fiber optic cable spooled onto appropriate fiber optic winch
- Fiber optic cable with a minimum of 2 fiber channels (primary and secondary) for data transmission
How HabCam Data Are Used
HabCam survey data are used in a variety of ways, including to:
- Determine the abundance, distribution, recruitment and size composition of Atlantic sea scallops
- Track abundance of sea scallop predators such as sea stars, whelk species and rock and Jonah crabs, as well as finfish bycatch
- Inform fishery management advice to identify new rotational sea scallop areas, and as well as to help estimate allocations to the scallop fishery, including spatial allocations to existing rotational access areas
- Understand the potential impact of offshore wind on survey operations
Survey data helps managers make informed decisions about the fisheries we care about. The U.S. sea scallop fishery is extremely important to our country’s economy and is the largest wild scallop fishery in the world. In 2022, commercial landings of Atlantic sea scallop totaled 31.6 million pounds of sea scallop meats and were valued at $478 million.
Contact Information
For more Sea Scallop Survey information, please contact:
Branch Chief, Ecosystems Surveys Branch
(508) 495-2348
Shellfish Survey Program Lead, Ecosystems Surveys Branch
(401) 366-4851
For more contracting information, please contact:
Contract Specialist, Western Acquisitions Division
(206) 526-6043
Contract Specialist, Western Acquisitions Division
(206) 526-6350