DISCLOSURE:

This is a Request for Information (RFI) notice.  This is not a Request for Proposal (RFP) and a formal solicitation is not available at this time. This notice does not constitute a commitment by the Government to issue an RFP, contract, or order. The Government will not pay for any effort expended or any material provided in response to this announcement. All costs associated with responding to this RFI are solely at the responding parties' expense.

The Government has a requirement to purchase 7m Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs) to support Foreign Military Sales and Building Partner Capacity cases and is seeking information to identify and further determine if a single award contract for 6 boats, an IDIQ (Indefinite Delivery/ Indefinite Quantity) contract with multiple orders, or a combination of the two is most practicable. This RFI is open to all interested parties both foreign and domestic, but the boat must be built in the United States.  Should an RFP for production be issued, boat designs which originate outside the U.S. are permitted as long as the prime contractor can meet all domestic United States manufacturing and solicitation requirements. 

Respondents are solely responsible for properly marking and clearly identifying any proprietary information or trade secrets contained within their response. The Government will not be liable for, or suffer any consequential damages for any proprietary information not properly marked and clearly identified. Proprietary information received in response to this RFI will be safeguarded and handled in accordance with applicable Government regulations.

Responses to this notice are not offers and will not be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract or agreement. The Government will not be obligated to pursue any particular acquisition alternative because of this RFI. Responses to the RFI will not be returned. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future solicitation, if one is issued. Specific responses to the approaches will not disqualify or have an impact on participation and evaluation on future solicitations.

PURPOSE:

The overall objective of this RFI is to provide NAVSEA with information for a 7m Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB) to support Foreign Military Sales and Building Partner Capacity cases. No specific information is required in response to this RFI; however, interested parties may respond and indicate interest as desired.

The single award contract option in FY22 would be for an estimated total of six (6) 7m RHIBs. The RHIBs are to be designed and built to a U.S Navy Specification. This potential contract will include the six (6) boats, diagnostic equipment, spares, training, and reactivation.

The  Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract option would be for an estimated total of one hundred-fifty (150) 7m RHIBs, engines with diagnostic equipment, spares, training and reactivation. The RHIBs are to be designed and built to a U.S. Navy Specification.  This potential contract also would ask offerrors to  propose three (3) competitively-selected, separately-priced outboard engine alternatives for each RHIB. 

The notional schedule listed below is provided for planning purposes only. The Government is not obligated to pursue this schedule or a future solicitation because of this RFI.

1. Release final RFP 2nd QTR FY22
2. Award contract 4th QTY FY22

Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future solicitation, if one is issued.

DESCRIPTION:

The primary mission of the 7m RHIBs is to serve as multiple mission vessel for a number of foreign partners.  Potential missions, including personnel/cargo transfer, Search and Rescue (SAR); open water patrol, vessel interdiction and boarding, and insertion/extraction of forces.  Boats will operate from shore bases or with support from other vessels, but are not intended to be ship’s boats; they are not designed for manned launch/recovery from parent vessel at sea.

7m RHIB Key Characteristics:

• Length Overall: Approximately 7 Meters
• Beam w/o collar: Approximately 2.4 meters
• Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic (FRP)
• Propulsion: Twin 4-stroke outboard gasoline engines shall be provided with sufficient power to propel the boat under the Full Load Condition at a cruise speed in excess of 25 knots and a sprint speed in excess of 30 knots in calm water.
  • Full Load Condition: Light Ship plus Minimum Payload, Weight Reservations (estimated 200 lbs) and full fuel.
  • Minimum Payload Capacity: Boat shall be capable of supporting a minimum of 2,800 pounds total payload, including personnel and mission gear/cargo. The breakdown of payload is 10 persons at 185 lb each (including two crew) and 950 lb minimum of mission gear/cargo.  Mission gear/cargo is defined as a combination of weapons, ammunition, misc. mission gear and cargo tied down on the foredeck.
  • Light Ship: Boat complete in all respects including liquids in machinery and no fuel.
• Weapon Foundation: One (1) M60/M240
• One (1) Marine Very High Frequency (VHF) radio
• One (1) Loud hailer-speaker
• One (1) High Frequency (HF) radio
• One (1) compass
• One (1) Global Positioning System (GPS)
• One (1) depth sounder
• One (1) navigation radar with integrated display
• 12-Vdc electrical systems with 24-Vdc subsystems
• Fuel Capacity: 100 gallons
• Road Trailer
• Open Center Console
• Hoist Fittings
• Tow Post bow and stern
• Commercial warranty provided 12 months after reactivation/crew familiarization to the end user

Other:

• Reactivation, Training and Crew familiarization to end user
• 2 years of Supply Support for the 7m RHIBs and Engines
• Engine diagnostic Equipment to include ruggedized computer, cables and software

RESPONSES & SUBMISSION OF INFORMATION:

Interested parties are free to submit any information which may assist the Navy in its market research.

Interested sources are encouraged to submit a capability summary that does not exceed five (5) pages in length.  Submission in PDF format is desired.  Drawings sized to 8.5”x11” or 11”x17”. All other documentation sized to 8.5”x11”.

The following information is requested (Please use as a checklist):

General Information

1. Provide Company Information
   1. Name
   2. CAGE code
   3. Address
   4. Location of company production facilities, if applicable.
2. Provide company contact information.
   1. Name
   2. Position/Title
   3. Email Address
   4. Telephone Number
3. Describe facility production capacity (e.g. estimate on total construction time for one 7m RHIB; and how many 7m RHIB boats can be built per year), if applicable.
4. Provide a description of the company's relevant experience
   1. If applicable, identify the number of vessels were delivered, dates delivered and customer.
5. Provide the approximate price for:
   1. Candidate vessels
   2. Technical Manuals & Other Data.
   3. Potential savings due to quantity discount schemes.
   4. Commercial warranty provided 12 months after reactivation/crew familiarization to the end user
6. General description of the company
   1. Small Business (Y/N)
   2. HUB Zone small business (Y/N)
   3. Service-Disabled Veteran Owned (Y/N)
   4. Economically disadvantaged women-owned small business (EDWOSB) (Y/N)
   5. Women-owned small business (WOSB) concerns eligible (Y/N)

Single Award

1. Would you offer a proposal for a single award contract for one partner nation?
2. In accordance with DFARS PGI 206.302-1 the Government hereby notifies interested parties that the partner nation requires the use of a Yamaha engines to both conform with fleet standards and minimize logistics costs. The specific model of Yamaha engine is not specified in order to support maximum competition for the craft. Respondents are requested to identify the specific model of Yamaha engines that they would propose to satisfy the requirement.

IDIQ

1. Would you offer a proposal for an IDIQ with multiple nations and vessel specifications?
2. In accordance with DFARS PGI 206.302-1 the Government hereby notifies interested parties that the partner nations may require the use of name-brand engines to satisfy their requirements to both conform with fleet standards and minimize logistics costs.  Should an IDIQ requirement be solicited and awarded, the Government would seek to approve a Class Justification and Approval Document to cover the Government’s selection of the appropriate brand-name engines on delivery orders to satisfy the partner nation’s requirement. In order to provide flexibility to the range of international name-brand engine requirements, Respondents are requested to provide recommended list of three (3) outboard engine brands, which may be included in your proposal that must:
   1. Meet key characteristics listed above
   2. Have global logistics support availability

Hybrid

1. Would you offer a proposal for a single award and a separate IDIQ?

Respondents are responsible for properly marking and clearly identifying proprietary information or trade secrets contained within their response.  The Government will not be liable for, or suffer any consequential damages for any proprietary information not properly marked and clearly identified.  Information provided shall be treated as Business Sensitive and will not be shared outside of Government activities and agencies without the permission of the provider.  Please do not provide classified information or use the marking “CONFIDENTIAL” as this marking is considered classified by the Government which would require special handling of the information.

Defense and commercial contractors, including small businesses, veteran-owned businesses, service-disabled veteran-owned businesses, HUBZone small businesses, and woman-owned small businesses are encouraged to monitor FBO for updates and to participate in any future 7m RHIB solicitation, if one is issued.

This RFI is the continuation of market research under Part 10 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), and is not a RFP.  Questions or comments regarding the intended procurement plan or the draft requirements may be directed to Aaron Wasserman, Contracting Officer – NAVSEA 02 ([email protected]), Kelly Rowe, FMS Assistant Program Manager –PEO Ships/PMS 300 ([email protected]) and Tyler Spear, FMS Project Manager – PEO Ships/PMS 300 ([email protected]).

Responses are requested by 2:00 PM (EST) on Wednesday, December 8, 2021.  General questions and clarification needed on requirements may be submitted electronically to ([email protected]).