Hydrographic Services Contracts

1. Hydrographic Services Contracts • Brief History of Program • Where we are today • Time Charter • Future Plans • Challenges Jeffrey Ferguson Program Analyst/COTR Hydrographic Surveys Division

2. The Early Days (pre-1998) • Small projects through COE contracts • First major NOAA contract awarded 1994 • “Best Value” to government • Awarded to SAIC for $1.24 Million • Side Scan Sonar and Multibeam • LI Sound • Vineyard Sound

3. Current Program (post-1998) • HSIA 1998 • “shall award contracts for the acquisition of hydrographic data in accordance with title IX of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 (40 U.S.C. 541 et seq.) • “Brooks Act” • A/E Services • Qualification Based Selection

4. Contractor Selection • Source Evaluation Board meets to evaluate submissions on the following criteria; • Professional qualifications, • Specialized experience, • Capacity to accomplish the work, • Past performance, • Location and knowledge of locality, • Small business subcontracting opportunities.

5. Contract Awards

6. Current Program (post-1998) • 14 Contracts Awarded • Regional, 2-5 years, $4-40 Million. • 8 Different Firms; • Gulf of Mexico • SAIC, JECA, C&C • Alaska • Terra, Racal Pelagos • Other • OSI, DEA, SAIC, Tenix LADS

7. Current Program (post-1998) • $102.5 Million • 4,955 square nautical miles • 100% bottom coverage • Shallow Water Multibeam (SWMB) • Side Scan Sonar

8. Today • 5 Contracts in place • AK - Fugro Pelagos • AK SB - Terra Surveys • TX - C&C Technologies • Hydro Anywhere (except AK) - SAIC • Lidar Anywhere - Tenix LADS

9. Future Contracts • Number dependent on funding. • Fugro Pelagos Contract expires Aug 2004. • Advertise replacement next month • C&C TX contract may reach ceiling • Advertise GOM contract late summer • Tenix LADS lidar contract may reach ceiling • Advertise replacement early next year

10. Time Charter • 2002 Appropriations • “...the Committee directs NOAA to enter into a long-term lease or charter of a U.S. purpose-built, U.S. flag hydrographic survey vessel which is capable of performing the full scope of necessary hydrographic services.” • MOU with MSC • August 2002 - Advertise for vessel complete with all equipment and operators.

11. Time Charter • MSC legal opinion on Brooks Act • Procurement split • MSC acquire vessel • NOAA acquire surveyors via A/E • MSC proposal evaluation begins - Jan 2003 • Several protests and GAO review/decisions • Ocean Services cleared to work April 2004 • NOAA selects SAIC as A/E provider

12. Time Charter • One year contracts w/ options • Ocean Services provides vessel and two launches with hull mounted multibeams • SAIC provides all other equipment and equipment operators • NOAA provides 3-5 individuals for contract oversight, quality control, planning, etc.

13. Time Charter

14. Challenges • Constraints on spending Contract funds • “...address the hydrographic survey backlog detailed in the National Survey Plan.” • Test/Development of new technologies? • Supporting activities? • Homeland Security, other events? • Pros/Cons

15. Challenges • Meaningful Performance Measures • The Square Nautical Mile “trap” • Not all squares created equal • Remote, shallow, AK vs Deep GOM • Large price variations • Normalize effort/costs? • Other performance measures?

16. Challenges • Developing Hydrographic Expertise • Mandate to maintain expertise within NOAA • Should that extend to private sector? • Role of Contract funding? • Training • Small business, 8a, disadvantaged, etc. set asides?

17. Challenges • Efficient Administration of Contracts • Contract award time lines • HSD review • Contract Office review • Legal review • Ways to streamline? • Project planning, COTRs, data acceptance, etc.