U.S. Coast Guard Academy, Contracting Office (FP), C/O U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center, 1082 Shennecossett Road, Groton, CT 06340-2890

A -- OPERATE AND MAINTAIN HELITORCH SERVICE SOL DTCG39-00-R-R00006 DUE 012000 POC Joy Simmons 860-441-2890, Cathy Harrington 860-441-2874 E-MAIL: Click here to contact the Contracting Officer via, jsimmons@rdc.uscg.mil. The United States Coast Guard Research and Development Center, Groton, CT has a requirement to operate and maintain a helitorch service in Galveston, TX. BACKGROUND -- The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) is involved in developing the use of In-Situ Burning (ISB) as a technique for responding to an offshore oil spill. In-Situ Burning is the process of corralling the spilled oil in a fireproof boom, igniting it, and allowing it to burn in place. The USCG has chosen the helitorch as a safe and effective means of igniting the oil, and would like to establish a helitorch service in the Galveston area for use in ISB exercises or for responding to an actual oil spill. An ISB operational exercise, where ignition of oil will be simulated, is tentatively scheduled to take place in Galveston, TX, in April 2000. SCOPE -- Provide all labor, products, equipment, training, and transportation necessary to operate and maintain a helitorch service in the Galveston area. The helitorch and fuel mixer will be owned by the USCG and provided to the Contractor as Government Furnished Property (GFP). The helitorch service would include, but is not limited to, providing a carded helicopter and pilot, maintaining the helitorch and mixer in an adequate storage facility, supplying helitorch fuel components, and providing a trained ground crew to operate the equipment. The Contractor shall maintain the helitorch in good working order in the Galveston area for a base year with two option years. During that period, the helitorch service must be made available to the USCG for use in routine exercises or for emergency oil spill response. SYNOPSIS OF KEY REQUIREMENTS -- RESPONSE AREA the Contractor's facility must be located within 200 miles of the Galveston Coast Guard Base. PILOT AND HELICOPTER QUALIFICATIONS The pilot and helicopter must be carded by either the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (Forest Service) or the U.S. Dept. of Interior (Office of Aircraft Services) for aerial ignition and offshore operations. All flight operations must comply with FAA regulations. GROUND CREW QUALIFICATIONS AND TRAINING The Contractor's helitorch ground crew shall consist of 3 personnel, 2 of whom must be designated as "helitorch specialists". These specialists must have prior helitorch or helicopter experience and are required to receive helitorch training annually. The crew shall operate and maintain the helitorch over the duration of the contract. ANNUAL MAINTENANCE The Contractor must store and maintain the helitorch and fuel mixer in a suitable facility for the duration of the contract. The ability to perform routine mechanical work is required. OPERATIONS SCHEDULE The Contractor shall operate the helitorch service for all routine exercises of no more than a 5-day duration and located within 50 miles of any point on the Texas or Louisiana coastline. The Contractor will be given at least 30 days advance notice to prepare for routine exercises. The Contractor will be contacted, but will not be required to respond to emergency events (less than 30 days notice). However, if the Contractor chooses not to respond, the helitorch and mixer must be made available to the USCG for use during the emergency. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY -- The USCG will provide one Isolair Firefly II Model 3800 helitorch with a single point suspension harness and one Isolair Model 3850 batch mixer. CONTRACTOR FURNISHED EQUIPMENT- To operate a helitorch system safely and reliably, many small accessories (including tools, protective clothing, fire extinguishers, radios, etc) are needed. The Contractor is responsible for procuring, storing and maintaining all necessary accessories for use with the helitorch system. The Standard Industrial Code is 7389 and the Size Standard is 5M. It is anticipated that this contract will include a base year with two one-year options. This solicitation is not a set-aside all offers from both large and small businesses will be considered. ATTENTION: Minority, Women-Owned and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs)! The Department of Transportation (DOT), Short Term Lending Program (STLP) offers working capital financing in the form of lines of credit to finance accounts receivable for transportation related contracts. Maximum line of credit is $500,000 with interest at the prime rate. For further information, call (800) 532-1169. Internet address: http//osdbuweb.dot.gov. For information concerning this solicitation, please contact the contracting official listed above. Request for solicitation packages may be submitted via faxsimile machine or electronically at "jsimmons@rdc.uscg.mil". The telephone number of the receiving faxsimile machine is: (860) 441-2888". Key words for CBD search: helicopter, oil spill response, Galveston, Texas, aerial ignition Posted 11/03/99 (W-SN397607). (0307)

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