The Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)/Mission Support Division, Norfolk, VA is issuing notice of intent to negotiate a sole source procurement with Markey Machinery Company, Inc for the following requirement: Spooling of 0.322 electromechanical cable on the DESH-5 Research winch for the NOAA RONALD H. BROWN. Work is to be preformed at 7266 8th Avenue South, Seattle, Washington 98108. The statutory authority is 41 US 253(c)(1), Only One Responsible Source. The government intends to award a firm-fixed price purchase order for this requirement. Requirement includes unspooling approximately 10,000 meters of 0.322 EM cable. Evaluate fit to existing Lebus Shell. Replace the Lebus Shell if required. Sand Blast and paint the winch drum. Evaluate new 0.322 EM cable and spool cable approximately 10,000 meters on the DESH-winch drum under tension. The winch capability has been critically degraded. The only method of replacing the EM cable in excess of 5,000 meters is to remove the winch spool and return it to the winch manufacturer (Markey). The new EM cable must be stress tested and the level wind of the winch reel must be modified to properly spool the EM cable under tension. The Lebus Shell on the winch drum must also be tested to ensure it is of the correct size to allow proper cable wrapping on the drum. If the EM cable is not spooled properly the operation of the winch and EM cable would be severely degraded. Only the winch manufacturer can provide the level of service needed to properly spool the Markey DESH-5 Research winch. The proposed contract action is for supplies and services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under the authority of FAR 6.302(c)(1). The applicable NAICS code is 423830. Interested parties may submit a capability statement, proposal, or quotation, which shall be considered by the agency. Responses shall be submitted by 11:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, November 8, 2010. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. Inquiries will only be accepted via email to
[email protected]. Justification The NOAA ship Ron Brown conducts global atmospheric and marine resource research supporting scientific studies world wide. The ship uses a Markey DESH-5 Research winch with over 7000 meters of multi-conductor electromechanical (EM) cable to perform her mission. The EM cable is used to attach a variety of sensors that determine the chemical make up of the local water from the surface to the bottom. The sensors are a major part of the foundation from which all observed maritime scientific studies are based. The winch system is considered mission critical. Its operation including the EM cable is essential to mission success. The Forward Markey DESH-5 winch with 10,000 meters of 0.322 EM cable has failed in two (2) places during normal CTD operations, under average conditions. Two EM cable strands have broken. One strand is broken at ~4,000 meters of cable out, and another strand is broken at 1,348 meters of cable out. The EM cable is considered unreliable to deploy normally used heavy scientific equipment and must be replaced. The winch capability has been critically degraded. The only method of replacing the EM cable in excess of 5000 meters is to remove the winch spool and return it to the winch manufacturer (Markey). The new EM cable must be stress tested and the level wind of the winch reel must be modified to properly spool the EM cable under tension. The Lebus Shell on the winch drum must also be tested to ensure it is of the correct size to allow proper cable wrapping on the drum. If the EM cable is not spooled properly the operation of the winch and EM cable would be severely degraded. Only the winch manufacturer can provide the level of service needed to properly spool the Markey DESH-5 Research winch.