US Department of the Navy requests interested parties for medium unmanned surface vehicle information

The Department of the Navy, the US Navy’s Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), the Program Executive Office (PEO) Unmanned and Small Combatants (USC), and the Unmanned Maritime Systems Program Office (PMS 406) have issued a request for information (RFI) on medium unmanned surface vehicles (MUSVs). The navy is conducting market research to determine if resources/sources exist that can satisfy the navy’s assessment of deploying a number of MUSVs in a given timeframe.

For the purposes of this RFI, PMS 406 is interested in vessels less than 200 feet (60 metres) in length and under 500 tons displacement that can meet the payload details specified in Government Furnished Information to be provided by separate correspondence­­. PMS 406 is contemplating an accelerated approach with industry to leverage existing, manned, or unmanned surface ship designs that can be modified to enable rapid delivery of an unmanned or optionally unmanned surface ship capability.

In accordance with 10 US Code Section 7309, neither the vessel nor any major component of its hull or superstructure may be constructed in a foreign shipyard. For this RFI, an accelerated schedule requires using an existing proven design with only minor modifications, or even converting existing US-built vessels. For the purposes of this RFI, a clean-sheet design is not an option.

The navy seeks delivery of the first vessel within 12 months after contract award to allow for Test and Evaluation, and delivery of all remaining vessels by 24 months after contract award. A maximum procurement of seven MUSVs is contemplated for this RFI. A single vendor could provide between one and seven vessels.

Only one response is necessary for this announcement. This notice is for market research purposes only and does not constitute a request for proposal. This notice shall not be construed as a contract, a promise to contract, or as a commitment of any kind by the US government, which is not seeking or accepting unsolicited proposals.