LIFERAFT INSPECTIONS

W912PM26QA027

SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE FOR LIFERAFT INSPECTIONS

This is a Sources Sought/Request for Information only. This is NOT a Solicitation Announcement, nor is it a Request for Proposal. This request does not obligate the Government in any contract award.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wilmington District, is conducting research to determine the market capabilities of potential contractors to perform annual inspection, testing, and certification of all Government-owned VIKING liferafts for six (6) USACE Wilmington District, Floating Plant & Survey vessels, IAW 46 CFR 160.151-57. This includes unpacking and inflating each liferaft for a complete visual inspection, pressure testing inflatable chambers, inspecting and testing all inflation system components, inspecting and replacing all emergency pack equipment as needed, and repacking the liferaft. The Contractor shall be a USCG-approved servicing facility for VIKING liferafts, and all work shall be performed by Viking Certified Technicians.  The Contract Type for this requirement will be FIRM FIXED PRICE. The contractor must be able to provide a “Fixed Price” for the inspection of each vessel for the base plus four option years. Replacement of a life raft will be under an “Estimated” CLIN and shall only be used/funded in the even the raft is no longer in the condition necessary to pass the inspection.

The Government is requesting information from interested and capable sources for the purpose of identifying sources that can meet the Government's requirement and help determine how to issue the solicitation. The information provided must contain enough detail to demonstrate ability to meet the Government's requirement as described in the Project Information listed below. It is the intent of the Government to solicit and award as a firm fixed priced contract and will be procured in accordance with the FAR, DFARS, AFARS, and USACE Acquisition Instructions. The anticipated performance period for this contract is one (1) base year and four (4) twelve-month options. The base year will be from date of award though 30 April 2027. The responses are for informational purposes only and do not obligate the Government or the Contractor in any way.

All interested firms with 488390 as an approved NAICs code have until 06 April 2026 at 1500 ET to submit the following information:

- Name & Address of your Firm

- Point of Contact (Name/Phone/E-mail)

- Current SAM

- Business Size, to include designation as HUBZone, 8(a), Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business, Small Disadvantaged Business, Woman-Owned Business, and Large Business. Any supporting documentation that confirms your socio-economic status should be provided, i.e., letter of certification from VA confirming SDVOSB status. The Government must be able to verify SBA certification of HubZone and 8(a) via SAM.

- Evidence of capabilities to perform comparable Liferaft Inspection work. The contractor must provide evidence of comparable work on two (2) recent projects (not more than five (5) years old.) Include the project name and description of the key/salient features of the project (completion date, total contract value, and your company's level of involvement in the project, i.e., subcontractor (type), prime, GC, etc. and your specific role. Additionally, if you were teaming with another firm, clearly identify your role on the project(s) submitted. Please provide at least one point of contact (with e-mail address and phone number) for project validation. The Government will not give credit to projects if the lack of information hinders the ability to determine relevancy and/or level or experience.

- Evidence of Viking Inspection Certification

- Firm's capability to perform, to include geographic span and project size.

- Information on Teaming Arrangement (if applicable). Although we are not looking for formal signed agreements at this time, if you intend to "team" with another firm, formally or informally, you must submit information, not more, than one (1) page, about your team's involvement. More specifically, you must submit sufficient information for the Government to determine the roles each team member will play and what your socio-economic status is or will be considering the proposed arrangement. Therefore, included in your one (1) page if you are a Small Business and you intend to mentor/protégé and/or JV with a large business both team members must sign agreeing that 40% of the labor will be performed by the 8(a) firm. Additionally, if the team is a mentor/protégé arrangement, identify the areas that will be mentored. Any supporting documentation that confirms your socio-economic status as a team should be provided.

The Government may not give credit to your socio-economic class if there is not sufficient documentation to support it or if the Government cannot verify through other means that your business is as such.

Responses to this Sources Sought Announcement will be used by the government to make appropriate acquisition decisions. All interested businesses, regardless of size should submit a narrative demonstrating their Specialized Experience in similar type contracts, Past Performance, Key Personnel. Capability statements should include size/classification of your firm, bonding capacity, details of similar projects, and the completion dates, references and contract amounts for the similar projects listed.

Narratives shall be no longer than 30 pages.  The requested information shall be submitted electronically to:

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Attn: Diana D. Curl and Rosalind M. Shoemaker

E-mail: diana.d.curl@usace.army.mil and rosalind.m.shoemaker@usace.army.mil

The email should be titled: Liferaft Inspections

THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED AS SUCH.

Do not send hard copies of advertising or promotional materials. Please ensure that all responses are comprehensive and provide a name and point-of-contact for your firm for follow-up by this office or the procuring contracting officer. If you have responded to any previous e-mail messages or had other communications with our office regarding preliminary market research for this project, please be advised that it will be necessary for you to respond to this e-mail and the questions contained therein. Any responses involving teaming agreements should delineate between the work that will be accomplished by the Prime Contractor and work accomplished by the teaming partner

All information is to be provided on a voluntary basis at no charge to the Government. There is no entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs related to or arising out of responding to this request for information. All information provided becomes property of the Government. There is no guarantee, expressed or implied, that the market research for this acquisition will result in any guarantee of award or acquisition strategy.