AUV Survey Support Services

Project ID: 143021-26-0030 FederalOpportunitiesPresolicitation

Overview

Agency	Western Acquisition Division
Deadline	03/29/26
Posted	03/13/26
Estimated Value	$250,000 - $500,000 (AI estimate)
Set Aside	None
NAICS	541990 - All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
PSC	B529 - Special Studies/Analysis- Scientific Data
Location	Woods Hole, MA United States

Description

Primary Latest Change

Point of Contact(s)

Grace LaPierre, Contract Specialist U.S. Department of Commerce/NOAA

Western Acquisition Division

7600 Sand Point Way NE, Bldg 1, Seattle, WA 98115 EMAIL: grace.lapierre@noaa.gov Jenna Taulman, Contracting Officer U.S. Department of Commerce/NOAA

Western Acquisition Division

7600 Sand Point Way NE, Bldg 1, Seattle, WA 98115 EMAIL: jenna.taulman@noaa.gov - Set-asides, if applicable: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Acquisitions and Grants Office, Western Acquisition Division-Seattle Simplified Acquisitions Branch, intends to award a firm-fixed price purchase order, on a sole source basis, under the authority of RFO FAR 12.102(a) and 41 U.S.C. 1901, with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute for the purchase of autonomous underwater vehicle support services for scallop surveys (FOB Destination to Woods Hole, MA). The proposed contract action is unrestricted. - Codes for services or supplies: NAICS 541360 Description: (i) The requirement is for Atlantic sea scallop optical surveying using autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) to collect images for estimating abundance and size estimates of scallops. In this request, the Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) will solicit a target of 200 Nautical Miles (nm) of optical AUV data acquisition using one or more AUVs within the Mid-Atlantic Bight scallop management areas. The intended award is to include all components of AUV operations and data acquisition, including but not limited to: calibrating AUVs and camera payloads, mobilization of the AUVs to appropriate launching point, piloting and running the AUVs, retrieving and demobilizing the AUVs, and data delivery to NOAA Fisheries. See Draft Statement of Work for more information ; (ii) This presolicitation notice is not a request for competitive proposals and no solicitation package is available. However, firms that believe they can fully meet the Government's requirements may submit substantiating documentation or a request for additional information in writing to the identified point of contact before the due date/ deadline of this SAM posting. Such requests and documentation will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. A determination by the Government not to conduct a competitive procurement, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government. Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice. The anticipated award date is estimated to be APRIL 2026.

Summary (Newest Update)

Background The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), specifically the Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC), is responsible for fisheries research in the region. The NEFSC's Ecosystem Surveys Branch (ESB) conducts fisheries-independent surveys to provide data for stock assessments and ecosystem monitoring. This contract aims to support scallop fisheries-independent surveys by deploying autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) to collect optical data necessary for the Atlantic sea scallop stock assessment. Work Details The contractor will perform the following tasks: 1. Pre-mission communication and preparation for AUV(s), including a kickoff meeting, AUV preparation, integration with Autonomous Benthic Imaging Systems (ABIS), and camera calibrations. 2. Conduct AUV optical scallop survey missions, which involves mobilization to launch locations, launching AUV(s), conducting missions to acquire optical seabed data, and retrieving AUV(s) post-mission. 3. Deliver data to NEFSC, including appropriate metadata and imagery data within one week of mission completion. 4. Provide a final report summarizing the AUV mission(s) with relevant maps, statistics, and a closeout meeting with NEFSC personnel. The contractor must ensure all operations are conducted safely and in compliance with local, state, and federal regulations. Period of Performance The contract work is expected to occur between April 1 and August 31, 2026. Place of Performance The work will be performed in the Mid-Atlantic Bight and at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center located at 166 Water St, Woods Hole, MA.

Contacts

Contact name	Grace LaPierre
Contact email	grace.lapierre@noaa.gov
Contact phone	(206) 526-4382
Secondary contact name	Jenna Taulman
Secondary contact email	jenna.taulman@noaa.gov
Secondary contact phone	None