HEFRING OCEANSCOUT AUTONOMOUS UNDERWATER GLIDERS

THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION’S (NOAA) ACQUISITION & GRANTS OFFICE (AGO), WESTERN ACQUISITION DIVISION-SEATTLE (WAD), NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE (NMFS), INTENDS TO NEGOTIATE, ON A SOLE SOURCE BASIS, UNDER AUTHORITY OF FAR 13.106-1(B)(1), WITH HEFRING INC. LOCATED IN GLOUCESTER, MA FOR HEFRING OCEANSCOUT AUTONOMOUS UNDERWATER GLIDERS TO BE DELIVERED TO LA JOLLA, CA

THE SOLE SOURCE DETERMINATION IS BASED ON NOAA’S REQUIREMENT THAT HEFRING INC. IS THE ONLY VENDOR THAT MANUFACTURES AND DISTRIBUTES THIS HEFRING OCEANSCOUT AUTONOMOUS UNDERWATER GLIDERS.

OCEANSCOUT 200M PERSON PORTABLE AUTONOMOUS UNDERWATER GLIDERS (AND ADDITIONAL SINGLE USE LITHIUM BATTERY PACKS) EQUIPPED WITH A CONDUCTIVITY TEMPERATURE AND DEPTH RECORDER AND A PASSIVE ACOUSTIC RECORDING SYSTEM (0 HZ TO 55 KHZ) TO MONITOR MARINE MAMMALS AND THE OCEAN SOUNDSCAPES AROUND OFFSHORE WIND ENERGY LEASE AREAS OFF THE WEST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES. THE GLIDERS HAVE WEB-ENABLED, AND CLOUD-BASED, PILOTING SOFTWARE THAT USES IRIDIUM COMMUNICATIONS TO TRANSMIT DATA TO AND FROM THE GLIDER DURING SURFACINGS.

HEFRING, INC. IS THE ONLY SOURCE CAPABLE OF PROVIDING THESE SMALLER AUTONOMOUS UNDERWATER GLIDERS THAT ARE SELF-BALLASTING (MAKING THE GLIDERS NEUTRALLY BUOYANT WITHOUT USER INPUT). AS SUCH THESE SMALLER GLIDERS FILL A SAMPLING NICHE THAT CANNOT BE MET USING OUR TRADITIONAL GLIDERS, WHICH REQUIRE CONSIDERABLE TIME TO DEPLOY AND TEST AT SEA.

GIVEN THE GOAL TO DEPLOY FROM SMALL (< 65 FT) COMMERCIAL VESSELS LIKE FISHING BOATS, THE FACT THAT THESE GLIDERS DO NOT REQUIRE BALLASTING, INCREASES THE BREADTH OF VESSELS THAT CAN DEPLOY THEM, DECREASES THE TECHNICAL SKILL REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN THEM AND SIMPLIFIES DATA COLLECTION. HEFRING, INC. WAS CONTACT AND THEY STATED THEY ARE THE SOLE SOURCE PROVIDER FOR OCEANSCOUT AUTONOMOUS UNDERWATER GLIDERS. DELIVERY BY NOVEMBER 1, 2024

THIS NOTICE OF INTENT 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 IN WRITING TO THE IDENTIFIED POINT OF CONTACT WITHIN 15 DAYS AFTER PUBLICATION OF THIS SYNOPSIS. SUCH 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.