This is a Request for Information - SOURCES SOUGHT ANNOUNCEMENT. IT IS NOT A SOLICITATION, NOR DOES IT GUARANTEE A SOLICITATION WILL BE ISSUED. The purpose of this Sources Sought Announcement is to gain knowledge of potential business firms that have the technical capabilities and capacity required of the government. Responses to this Sources Sought Announcement will be used by the Government in making appropriate acquisition decisions. Please note: REQUESTS FOR A SOLICITATION WILL NOT RECEIVE A RESPONSE.

Any information submitted in response to this Sources Sought Announcement is strictly voluntary. The Government will neither award a contract solely based on this notice, nor pay for any information submitted by respondents. Failing to provide a response to this announcement will not prohibit/exclude an interested vendor from participating in a future solicitation.

Background/Overview:

The NOAA Fisheries Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC) Fisheries Resource Analysis and Monitoring Division (FRAM) is considering the purchase of four (4) spools of commercial trawl fishing wire rope, each spool shall contain 1250 fathoms (7500 feet or 2286 meters) of 5/8” (16mm) cable. The specialized trawl wire rope will be used when conducting bottom trawl surveys off the coast of the Continental United States from the Canadian Border to the Mexican Border in depths ranging from 30 to 700 fathoms (180 to 4200 feet). These annual surveys provide stock assessment managers with critical data required for the management of biologically and economically important fish stocks located in these waters and the samples that are recovered are imperative to the calculation of catch per unit effort (CPUE) which in turn, is used directly by West Coast Fisheries Management. The wire ropes will be used as the “main wires” or “trawl warps” on commercial trawlers ranging from 65 to 95 feet with horsepower ranging from 450 to 1000.

Technical Specifications / Essential Salient Features:

Vendors interested in responding to this announcement shall only provide information for four (4) spools of trawl fishing wire that include a minimum of the following specifications:

• Four spools containing 1250 fathoms (7500 feet or 2286 meters) of compacted (Dyfrom) steel (galvanized) core 5/8” (16mm) Independent Wire Rope Core (IWRC) wire rope.
• Each spool shall be of 1250 fathoms of contiguous wire, no splices or additions.
• Each strand shall be drawn galvanized with zinc and shall be as specified in ASTM A1023/A 1023M.
• Steel will be of XIP® (Extra Improved Plow Steel Grade; EIPS) or equivalent.
• Each spool shall be pre-formed (compacted) or double swaged.
• Wire rope must be of 6X19 IWRC standard right regular lay.
• Wire rope shall be of made of Seale construction method: In the 6X19 Seale construction, each strand has nine outer wires over nine smaller inner wires over one large center wire. Each layer has the same number of wires. All wires in each layer are the same diameter, and the strand is designed so that the large outer wires rest in the valleys between the small inner wires. This is a good wire for trawling due to its resistance to abrasion while being dragged over substrate and also for its ability to withstand abrasion or crushing on the winch drum and through the trawl block.
• Wire rope will have a breaking force equal to or greater than 1570N/mm, of kN=168 or Kgf =17,100 or 41,000 pounds and shall meet or exceed the minimum breaking strength (force) requirements specified in standard ASTM A 1023/A 1023M for the specified diameter.
• Each spool will be treated with a combination of both penetrating and coating lubricants to reduce friction of the individual wires as they move over each other and to provide corrosion protection and lubrication in the core and inside wires and to reduce wear and abrasion on the exterior surfaces, which includes heavy lube.
• Wire stand core and IWRC shall be toughly covered with a lubricant for protecting and preserving their wires.
• Minimum breaking load of 20.6 tons.
• Minimum Modulus of Elasticity, E, for the cable shall adhere to the ASTM
  • Standards of Structural Strand specifies the limits at 24,000 killopound per square inch (ksi).
• Performance benchmarks shall meet are: a high four-ball EP test values, such as a weld point (ASTM D2783) of above 350 kg and a load wear index of above 50.
• Wire rope shall meet specifications for corrosion protection; wire rope lubricants shall have salt spray (ASTM B117) resistance values above 60 hours and humidity cabinet (ASTM D1748).
• Wire rope shall be specifically designed for Commercial Trawl Fishing applications.
• Wire rope shall meet the tolerance of diameter of standard as specified in ASTM A 1023/A 1023M.

Interested vendors are requested to provide the following information in response to this Sources Sought Announcement:

1. A statement that you believe your firm has the capability to meet all above stated requirements, including:
a. A technical specification sheet for the product describing salient features in detail. Alternates to any salient features must be identified and must be described in detail.
b. Location of manufacturing to include Country, State, City (as applicable)
2. Delivery schedule. Please include the soonest reasonable date that delivery may be possible to a US address.
3. Your firms SAM.gov Unique Entity Identification (UEI) number & CAGE code
4. Your firms SBA certified small business concern status. Specifically identify if your firm is HUBZone-certified, Service Disabled Veteran Owned, or in the SBA’s 8(a) program, etc. If your firm is not small, please state that it is a large business.

The North American Industry Classification Code (NAICS) is 332618 with a size standard of 500 employees.

No entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by the Government will arise as a result of the submission of contractor’s information. The Government shall not be liable for or suffer any consequential damages for proprietary information not properly identified. Proprietary information will be safeguarded in accordance with the applicable Government regulations

This request for information does not constitute a commitment, implied or otherwise, that a procurement action will be issued.

Responses shall be provided to Christie Lang via email at Christie.Lang@noaa.gov no later than 8:00 PM (Eastern Time) on Wednesday, November 1, 2023.

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