RFI - Seasonal Great Lakes Ice-Breakingview on SAM.gov

DESCRIPTION The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is conducting market research to identify sources capable of providing vessels, including all labor, vessel equipment and supervision, to conduct domestic ice breaking in support of USCG District Great Lakes (D-GL). Domestic ice-breaking capabilities include navigable waterways and commercial channels impacted by seasonal ice from January 2, 2027 through April 1, 2027. The vessel must hold a valid U.S. Coast Guard Certificate of Inspection with the proper routes and conditions to operate in the Great lakes and must be in compliance with applicable U.S. laws and regulations, including manning and Classification Society requirements (if applicable). For ice-breaking planning purposes, the intended capability for a vessel includes the ability to break 1st year freshwater ice plates of 12” or greater and can ideally break freshwater ice plates up to 36”. The contractor shall provide all labor, transportation (including locking fees), equipment, and supervision necessary to be in the Great Lakes by January 2, 2027, and be available as follows for daily operations: Vessel shall be available for ice breaking operations up to twelve (12) hours per day during daylight hours. Operations exceeding twelve (12) hours require prior approval from the Contracting Officer. The vessel will operate under Coast Guard tasking and prioritization while the contractor retains responsibility for safe vessel operations in accordance with applicable flag-state, class, and regulatory requirements. Depending on mission requirements and vessel capabilities, the vessel would be utilized along St. Mary's River, Straights of Mackinac, Lake Michigan, and northern Lake Huron as well as southern Lake Huron through Lake Erie) to ensure continuous minimum domestic ice capacity. PURPOSE The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is conducting market research to identify qualified sources capable of providing appropriate vessel platforms with competent officers and crew to service the Coast Guard's domestic ice-breaking operations in the Great Lakes. The purpose of this RFI is to obtain capability information on this urgent requirement. This is not a Request for Proposal (RFP) or Request for Quotation (RFQ), and no contract will be awarded from this announcement. Respondents are encouraged to provide detailed information regarding vessel capabilities, crew qualifications, prior experience with ice-breaking or similar deployment timelines, and any constraints that would affect performance in an emergency environment. BACKGROUND Domestic ice-breaking cutters facilitate the safe and secure flow of maritime commerce that is vital to our economic prosperity throughout the winter. They ensure commercial shipping movements proceed through the ice without delay, free commercial vessels beset in ice, and maintain channels through the ice for ferries that serve as lifelines for isolated communities. The specific services requested include: Marine Trans…