Mooring line and jacketed wire rope

THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION’S (NOAA) OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH (OAR) PACIFIC MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL LABORATORY (PMEL) INTENDS TO NEGOTIATE, ON A SOLE SOURCE BASIS, UNDER AUTHORITY OF FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), WITH CORTLAND INDUSTRIAL LLC, LOCATED IN STAFFORD, TX FOR MOORING LINE AND JACKETED WIRE ROPE TO BE DELIVERED TO SEATTLE, WA.

THE SOLE SOURCE DETERMINATION IS BASED ON NOAA’S REQUIREMENT THAT CORTLAND INDUSTRIAL LLC HAS ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING:

AN ESTABLISHED EXCLUSIVE LICENSING AGREEMENT, PROPRIETARY DATA, LIMITED RIGHTS IN DATA, PATENT RIGHTS, OEM REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS OR OEM AUTHORIZED RESELLER COPYRIGHTS OR SECRET PROCESSES WITH REGARD TO THE SUPPLIES OR SERVICES REQUIRED. CORTLAND INDUSTRIAL LLC IS ESSENTIAL TO THE REQUIREMENT AND MARKET RESEARCH INDICATES SIMILAR PRODUCTS DO NOT MEET OR CANNOT BE MODIFIED TO MEET AGENCY NEEDS. PMEL HAS DETERMINED THAT ONLY CORTLAND INDUSTRIAL LLC HAS THE EXPERTISE AND EQUIPMENT TO MANUFACTURE THIS LINE.

PORTIONS OF MOORING DESIGN ARE PROPRIETARY TO CORTLAND AND HAVE BEEN TESTED IN THE FIELD TO SPECIFICATIONS THAT MEET OR EXCEED PMEL’S REQUIREMENTS. CORTLAND HAS DEVELOPED A TECHNIQUE OF MACHINE SPLICING FIVE DIFFERENT DIAMETERS OF LINE, OF DIFFERENT COMPOSITION TO MAKE A SMOOTH SPLICE THAT RETAINS THE STRENGTH OF THE ORIGINAL LINES.

ADDITIONALLY THEY HAVE DEVELOPED A PROPRIETARY METHOOD TO INCORPORATE A LEAD FILLED SECTION OF LINE ENCAPSULATED IN A CHAFE PROTECTIVE POLYURETHANE JACKET, AND A PROPRIETARY FISH BITE PROTECTION FOR SYNTHETIC LINES BY WRAPPING NEW AND INNOVATIVE KEVLAR FILM AROUND THE LINE.

NO OTHER MANUFACTURER HAS DEVELOPED THE TECHNICAL CAPABILITY TO PRODUCE A LINE OF THIS COMPLEXITY WITH THE REQUISITE FISH BITE PROTECTION AND THE INTEGRAL LEAD SECTIONS WHILE RETAINING THE SMOOTH TRANSITIONS BETWEEN THE VARIOUS SECTIONS OF LINE COMPONENTS. DELIVERY OF MOORING LINE BY JULY 31, 2025. CORTLAND INDUSTRIAL LLC HAS DONE THE RESEARCH AND TESTING TO DETERMINE A DESIGN OF RAISED RIDGES THAT CAN BE APPLIED TO A WIRE ROPE THAT WILL REDUCE THE WIRE’S TENDENCY TO STRUM AT HIGH CURRENT LOCATIONS.

THE STRIATIONS ARE MOLDED INTO A POLYETHYLENE JACKET THAT IS EXTRUDED ONTO THE EXTERIOR OF THE WIRE ROPE. THE RIDGES ARE APPLIED IN A HYLICAL AND A SINUSODIAL PATTERN THAT REPEATS EVERY 1-2 METERS THAT REQUIRES A SOPHISTICATED INJECTION MOLD THAT IS ABLE TO ROTATE AROUND THE WIRE WHILE THE MELTED POLYETHYLENE IS DRAWN AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE WIRE. THIS PROCEDURE AND THE EQUIPMENT TO APPLY IT IS PATENTED, REGISTERED, AND LICENSED UNDER THE NAME “SHAKE DOWN”.

PMEL HAS DETERMINED THAT THIS TYPE OF JACKETING IS ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE DESIGN OF SOME OF OUR MOORINGS THAT ARE ANCHORED IN HIGH CURRENT LOCATIONS. DELIVERY OF JACKETED WIRE ROPE BY AUGUST 15, 2025.

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.