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Requirements
and Procedures for
Obtaining Vessel Charters
within NOAA
Background
Outsourcing and procurement
activities to obtain the
services of charter vessels
are performed by various
program offices throughout
NOAA on a regular basis.
The Office of Marine and Aviation Operations
(OMAO) is responsible for coordinating and
monitoring charter vessel activities
throughout NOAA. OMAO is
available to provide technical
guidance and assistance
for all vessel chartering
activities within NOAA.
OMAO is available to ensure
that consistent procedures
and appropriate levels of
safety and reliability are
maintained throughout NOAA
regarding charter vessel
use.
The most common requirements
affecting the procurement
of charter vessel services
include: the duration of
the charter, the area and
location of charter vessel
operations, the number of
persons in the scientific
party, the availability
and need for contractor-furnished
or government-furnished
scientific equipment, equipment
options affecting cost,
total estimated costs, and
the lead time available
to obtain charter vessel
services. Evaluation of
these and additional variables
is necessary to determine
the level of service required,
and what documentation is
appropriate to ensure the
reliability of charter vessel
operations and the safety
of those on board. For example,
additional variables and
documentation requirements
include: the vessel's size, tonnage, and endurance; the vessel's age, intended service, and the vessel's material condition; the staffing level and qualifications of crew members; stability information; inspection and classification requirements; and firefighting and lifesaving capabilities.
OMAO, as lead member of a charter vessel safety working group, is currently developing minimum safety standards for vessels chartered by NOAA. The standards will be issued as part of a NOAA Administrative Order (NAO) for charter vessel acquisition and safety. Click the link to view the Draft NAO, Charter Vessel Acquisition and Safety (PDF). Please contact Bill Cunningham at 301-713-7666, or by E-mail - Bill.Cunningham@noaa.gov, should you have any questions or concerns.
OMAO is available to coordinate
procurement activities,
to define vessel requirements,
to evaluate vessel capabilities,
and to arrange for U.S.
Coast Guard and/or third
party inspections. In addition,
OMAO is responsible to serve
as a repository for charter
vessel information and to
serve as a point of contact
for questions concerning
vessel outsourcing activities
throughout NOAA including
days at sea and cost information.
Information regarding NOAA's
vessel chartering activities
is obtained by OMAO via
NOAA Form 75-91. A description
of the procedures for obtaining
charter vessel services
is provided below.
Charter Vessel Clearance
and Reporting Procedures
The clearance request is
to be submitted when the
requirement becomes evident
allowing as much time as
possible to assess the availability
of NOAA Ships and existing
charters for the possibility
of expediting ship support
or to obtain savings through
combining or extending existing
charters. The form is to
be resubmitted within 30
days after completion of
the charter with actual
costs and previously unknown
information.
In case of immediate need
and attention, OMAO will
provide 24-hour clearance
for charter approval. Please
state requirements of this
type in the "Remarks"
column.
1. Principle Investigators
(PI's) complete NOAA Form
75-91, Charter Vessel Clearance
and Report, and submit a signed copy
to NOAA, Office of Marine and Aviation Operations,(OMAO),
Program Services and Outsourcing
Staff (OMAO3) for approval.
The form is an Adobe
PDF file and can be filled
in online and then printed,
(if you have the capability, you can digitally sign the form before printing) but it cannot be submitted
electronically. Please
Note: The completed
form cannot be saved unless
you have a full version
of Adobe Acrobat. Please ensure signed copies are submitted.
If you do not have Acrobat or Adobe
Reader, please go to Adobe's
web site to download the latest version of the free Reader.
Signed copies of the form can be:
-
mailed to:
Office of Marine and Aviation Operations
Program Services and Outsourcing Division
8403 Colesville Road, Suite 500
Silver Spring, MD 20910
-
faxed to: 301-713-1541; or
-
scanned and submitted via E-mail as an attachment to: Bill.Cunningham@noaa.gov
Information on NOAA Form
75-91 includes:
-
Area
of operations, including
miles off shore;
-
Number
of scientific berths
needed;
-
Dates
and duration of cruise,
including port calls;
-
Foreign
operations and port
calls;
-
Vessel
characteristics, including
scientific equipment
requirements;
-
Available
funding level;
-
Various
points of contact; and
-
Any
additional requirements
or restrictions.
2. OMAO3
reviews NOAA Form 75-91
to determine if there
is a NOAA ship or existing
charter that can conduct
the project at less cost.
Approval and clearance
to obtain a charter vessel
is provided to the program
office by OMAO3 (within
24 hours if requested)
by returning a signed
Form 75-91.
3. In addition
to NOAA Form 75-91, PI's
should indicate what,
if any, additional support
from OMAO3 is needed.
For example, OMAO3 is
available to identify
potential charter vessels
from UNOLS or commercial
sources, contact UNOLS
and/or the National Science
Foundation to arrange
for a UNOLS vessel, assist
in developing a statement
of work for procurement
of a commercial charter
vessel, coordinate with
the servicing Administrative
Support Center regarding
procurement and contract
administration activities,
evaluate vessel capabilities
and documentation, conduct
a pre-award survey, serve
as COTR for the charter,
etc.
4. In lieu
of direct support and
assistance by OMAO3, and
upon receipt of an approved
NOAA Form 75-91, the PI
may make his/her own arrangements
for the charter. For charters
obtained by the program
office, OMAO3 is available
to initiate a request
to the US Coast Guard
for inspection of uninspected
commercial vessels based
on the information provided
on Form 75-91 at the request
of the PI (UNOLS vessels
do not need this inspection
because they have a structured
inspection program).
5. For all
charters, the PI shall
develop a cruise plan.
This plan shall establish
a definitive tracking
and communication procedure
that requires the vessel
to report its position
and operation to a program
manager at least daily.
The plan shall be retained
by a responsible NOAA
office ashore during the
time the cruise is in
progress.
6. Upon
the completion of the
charter, the PI will resubmit
an updated NOAA Form 75-91
to reflect actual costs
and number of days of
the charter. This is necessary
because often there are
add-on costs or additional
days that were not accounted
for in the original arrangements
thereby changing the original
estimated cost. This data
is necessary so that OMAO
can provide charter days
and costs to frequent
requesters such as NOAA
management, Inspector
General Office, and congressional
inquiries.
Go
to Charter Vessel Clearance
and Report Form
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