SOURCES SOUGHT: This is a SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE. The U.S. Geological Survey is conducting a MARKET SURVEY to determine the interest and capability of any firm eligible to compete under NAICS code 334513 with a Small Business Size Standard 750 Employees for Ecomapper autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) and necessary accessories to be compatible with newer i3EXO Ecomapper EP10. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION. ALL COST ASSOCIATED WITH PROVIDING INFORMATION AS REQUESTED BY THIS SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE SHALL BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CONTRACTOR. Submission is voluntary. Salient Characteristics: 1. We require an autonomous underwater vehicle capable of producing high resolution maps or water quality and bathymetry while working in a completely autonomous mode. 2. The vehicle shall be capable of working in fresh, brackish, or seawater. 3. The vehicle shall be capable of operating in a self-powering mode from an internal power system and have the capability of completing Missions of duration between 8-14 hours while traveling at an average speed of 2.5 knots. 4. The vehicle shall have an on board computer/processor capable of storing large amounts of mission data up to and exceeding 500GBs. 5. The Vehicle shall have the capability of updating its internal software with newer versions in the field by the end user via the web or disk. 6. The vehicle shall be supplied with user-friendly mission planning software that accepts most standard geo-reference chart types, without the need to purchase 3rd party chart software such as HIPACK. 7. The Vehicle shall be supplied with vehicle control software to provide a user interface that allows for mission loading, data transfer, diagnostic checks and manual vehicle control. This is necessary to avoid boat collisions and other obstacles in the field. 8. The vehicle shall be supplied with a location pinger and internal moisture sensor. 9. The vehicle shall have a minimum capability of the following sensor payload: Conductivity, Water temperature, Optical Dissolved Oxygen, Turbidity, Chlorophyll Fluorescence, Blue-green Algae Fluorescence, pH, Depth from Surface, Height from Bottom, Three-Axis Digital Compass. Above water quality sensors should be able to be removed/ installed in the field. If possible sensors should be compatible with YSI EXO bulkheads in order to utilize sensors and comparisons sondes already possessed by the CMWSC and prevent further need of large capital investments in replacements parts and consumables. 10. The vehicle shall have an antenna with GPS capability when on the surface, location LEDs, and a wet-pluggable battery charging connector. 11. The vehicle shall have four independent control planes for navigation and to maintain stable position in water. 12. The instrument shall use a dissolved oxygen sensor that employs the Luminescent ¿Lifetime¿ Dissolved Oxygen measurement technique. This sensor shall be capable of measuring dissolved oxygen in the range of 0-20 mg/L with and accuracy of +/- 0.1 mg/L; and in range of 0-200% saturation with an accuracy of +/- 1% air saturation with a response time of less than one minute under all or zero flow conditions without the use of a stirring device. In addition the sensor must be able to measure dissolved oxygen in the range of 20-50 mg/L with an accuracy spec of +/- 5% of the reading; and in the range of 200-500% saturation with an accuracy spec of +/- 5% of the reading. 13). The vehicle shall be capable of measuring temperature using a thermistor in the range of -5 to 50 degrees C with an accuracy of +/- 0.01 degrees C and a resolution of 0.001 degrees C. The instrument shall also provide, as an option, the capability of having a characterized temperature output with an accuracy of +/- 0.05 degrees C. The output shall be capable of being displayed in Celsius, Fahrenheit, or Kelvin. 14). The vehicle shall be capable of measuring conductivity using a four-nickel electrode cell in the range of 0 -100 mS/cm with an accuracy of +/- 0.5% + 0.001 uS/cm and a resolution of 0.0001 to 0.01 mS/cm. The output shall be capable of being displayed in mS/cm or uS/cm. The conductivity sensor shall be capable of measuring over the entire range (0-100 mS/cm) without changing the cell constant. Capable of measuring Total Dissolved Solids if Conductivity and Temperature used. 15). The vehicle shall be capable of measuring pH in the range of 0-14 with an accuracy of +/- 0.2 and a resolution of 0.01 using a combination electrode with a gel filled reference electrode. This same sensor is also used for measuring most low-ionic strength waters. 16). The instrument shall have available as an output a salinity calculation based on the conductivity and temperature measurements in the range of 0-70 PPT with an accuracy of 1.0% or +/- 0.1 PPT (whichever is greater) and a resolution of 0.01 PPT. The algorithms used for the calculation should be those found in the Standard Methods for Examination of Water and Wastewater. 17). The vehicle shall have the capability of being supplied with a nephlometric type turbidity probe capable of measuring turbidity in the 0 ¿ 4000 FNU range with an accuracy of +/- 2% of reading or 0.3 FNU¿s (whichever is greater) in YSI AMCO-AEPA Polymer standards for range of 0-999 FNU and +/- 5% of reading for 1000-4000 FNU. Resolution of 0.01 FNU¿s for 0-999 FNU and 0.1 FNU¿s for 1000-4000 FNU. Measurements should have reasonable agreement to the HACH 2100AN benchtop meter. 18). The vehicle shall have the capability of being supplied with a chlorophyll probe capable of measuring chlorophyll fluorescence in the 0 - 400 ug/L range with a resolution of +/- 0.01ug/L. Part of Total Algae sensor. 19). The vehicle shall have the capability of being supplied with a chlorophyll probe capable of measuring chlorophyll fluorescence in the 0 - 400 ug/L range with a resolution of +/- 0.01ug/L. Part of Total Algae sensor 20). The vehicle shall have the capability of being supplied with an fDOM probe capable of measuring fDOM in the 0-300 ppb QSE range with a detection limit of 0.07 ppb QSE and a resolution of 0.01 ppb QSE. 21). Water quality sensor assembly can be calibrated via wireless Bluetooth communications. 22). The vehicle shall be supplied with a user-friendly water quality sensor software program providing communication and data processing. Data shall be presented in both report and graphical form, and data statistics will be automatically generated and displayed for Min, Max, Mean, and Standard Deviation. The software program shall be capable of exporting data in comma and quote delimited and ASCII formats. 24). All watertight seals will have redundant seals, thus protecting the internal electronics from the environment. 25). The vehicle shall be supplied with a RDI DVL with 81m range for subsurface navigation and current profiling. 26). The vehicle can be supplied with a Tritech Starfish SideScan Sonar with a single frequency of 450 kHz 27). The vehicle shall be supplied with a backseat computer with dedicated Dual Core (or greater) CPU with 1 TB hardrive. 28). The vehicle backseat computer shall be supplied with electrical power and communications for user payload including the following: System Power Connector (unregulated battery voltage), Serial port connector from Frontseat to user section, three Backseat SBC Com Port Connectors, Ethernet cable to system HUB, three pairs of +3.3V regulated outputs (PWR+GND), three pairs of +5V regulated outputs (PWR+GND), three pairs of +12V regulated outputs (PWR+GND), three pairs of +24V regulated outputs (PWR+GND). This will allow the backseat computer to integrate additional 3rd party sensors. 29). The EP16 model shall allow off the shelf payloads with 14 plus inches of user space and external ports 30). The remote helm API commands are an ASCII string with a NMEA checksum allowing users to servo mode, controller mode, and regular mission mode 31). The vehicle shall be equipped with a forward object avoidance sounder in the bow of the AUV when programmed can control the vehicle to dive up or down when an object is detected in front of the vehicle at a user specified distance 32). Battery pack units shall be capable of rapid charging and being swapped in the field. Responses to this announcement are requested from (1) SBA certified Small Business HubZone firms; (2) Small Business firms certified by a Small Business Administration (SBA) district or regional office for participation in the 8(a) program; (3) Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned small Business firms; (4) Small Businesses. In response to this announcement, please indicate your firm's socioeconomic status (e.g. small business, service-disabled veteran-owned, women owned, HUBZone, etc.) This information will assist the Government in determining how small businesses can fit into the acquisition strategy. A firm is considered small under NAICS code 334513 with a Small Business Size Standard 750 Employees Any information submitted is voluntary. If sufficient interest and capability is not received from firms in categories (1) through (4) above, any solicitation may be issued as unrestricted without further consideration. Interested small business firms shall submit (1) NAME, ADDRESS, and PHONE NUMBER OF THE FIRM (including DUNS NUMBER); (2) a CAPABILITY STATEMENT including (a) RECENT (within the last three fiscal years) RELEVANT (similar projects to this requirement) performance history (identify the name of the owner and their point(s) of contact with telephone and fax numbers, e-mail addresses; and (b) in what capacity (e.g., prime, subcontractor etc.) they performed the work; and (3) their SIZE STATUS. Your company must have a DUNs number and be registered on-line at the System for Award Management (SAM). You will also be required to provide your small business status information either via the RFP or the On-line Representations and Certifications (ORCA) also located at the SAM website before an award to your company can be made. Your on-line ORCA registration will cover any/all of your offers to the Federal Government, and only needs updated annually. All responses must be submitted NLT November 22, 2019 at 3:00pm MST via e-mail to:
[email protected]. This is NOT a Request for Proposal (RFP) or Invitation for Bid (IFB) and does not constitute any commitment by the Government. Responses to this sources sought notice will be used by the Government to make appropriate acquisition decisions. All interested sources must respond to future solicitation announcements separately from responses to this market survey. Any solicitation that may be issued will be posted on the Federal Business Opportunities website and no paper copies will be provided.
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