Sources Sought
DRY CARGO TUGCON
Dept of Defense · Dept of the Navy · Sol. N32205-SS-PM4-26-012
Due in 38 days
Track this notice by email. We'll email you if it's amended or awarded, and a week and two days before responses are due.
AI summary Beta
The Navy's Military Sealift Command in Norfolk is doing market research for a U.S.-flag ocean-going tug to tow a 688-ton berthing barge (YRBM-32) from Pearl Harbor, Hawaii to Bremerton, Washington. The tow was planned for a single voyage in January 2026 and is a sources sought notice, so it is a request for information, not an offer. Note that the dates in the attachment appear to be in the past compared with the SAM.gov response date.
Watch out for
- Dates look out of date. The attachment is dated 12 November 2025 and asks for responses by 18 November 2025 for a January 2026 tow, but SAM.gov shows a November 2026 response date, so confirm with the contact whether this is still active.
DURING THE PERIOD OF 05 JANUARY - 23
- Heavy towing paperwork and approvals. The owner must prepare a detailed tow package for Navy and MSC approval before sailing, which takes specialist marine knowledge.
OWNERS MUST PREPARE AND SUBMIT A COMPREHENSIVE TOWING
- Contractor bears assist-tug and line handler costs. Assist tugs and line handlers, plus the independent marine surveyor, must be covered within the lump-sum price.
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CONTRACTOR. CONTRACTOR IS RESPONSIBLE
- Market research only. Responding does not lead to an award by itself and the government will not pay for response costs.
IT IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ONLY
Full brief
What they want
- A U.S.-flag, ocean-certified tug to tow berthing barge YRBM-32 on one voyage from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, WA
- Tow performed in line with the U.S. Navy Tow Manual (SL740-AA-MAN-010)
- A comprehensive tow package for Navy and MSC approval before the tow, plus a transit plan with ports of refuge
- An independent marine surveyor (IMS) arranged by the contractor and included in the lump-sum price
- Twice-daily in-port and four-times-daily at-sea position reports by email
- Contract type
- Lump-sum charter for one voyage (sources sought; price and availability request only)
- Period of performance
- 05 January - 23 January 2026 for one voyage; laytime four days; laydays 29 December 2025 to 05 January 2026
- Place of performance
- Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, WA
- Offers due
- Attachment says before 1100 hours Eastern, Tuesday 18 November 2025; SAM.gov lists 2026-11-18 11:00 Eastern
- How to submit
- Email to David C. Anaya, DAVID.C.ANAYA.CIV@US.NAVY.MIL, tel 564-226-8419
What to include when you submit
- Describe the tow vessel: COI, photos, vessel specification sheet, Inmarsat number, call sign, IMO number, year and flag of tug
- State that the tug offered is ocean-certified
- Give a lump-sum price (including up to 4 days at destination for customs/delivery) and a demurrage rate
- Include a transit plan with route planning, days required and ports of refuge
- Give company name, Unique Entity Identifier and business size; if not small, narrative on subcontracting possibilities
- Indicate whether the business is a small business concern
You must have
- U.S.-flag, ocean-going certified tug
U.S. FLAG, OCEAN-GOING CERTIFIED TUG CAPABLE OF TOWING BERTHING
- Tug must be built in 1970 or later
VESSEL/TUG SHALL BE BUILT IN 1970 OR LATER
- Tug must have internet and satellite phone capability
INTERNET AND SATELLITE PHONE CAPABILITY.
- Small business size standard for NAICS 483111 is 1,050 employees
WITH A SMALL BUSINESS SIZE LIMITATION OF 1,050
Not in the notice text
- Whether this requirement is still active, since the tow dates and response date in the attachment (2025-2026) conflict with the SAM.gov response date of November 18, 2026
- Evaluation approach for any resulting solicitation
- Estimated value or budget
- Whether a small business set-aside will apply
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Key facts
- Response due
- Nov 18, 2026, 4:00 PM UTC
- Posted
- Nov 12, 2025
- Notice type
- Sources Sought
- Solicitation
- N32205-SS-PM4-26-012
- Agency
- Dept of Defense · Dept of the Navy
- Office
- MSCHQ Norfolk
- Set-aside
- No Set aside used
- NAICS
- 483111
- Product/service code
- V124
- Business type
- Transportation, logistics & vehicles
- Place of performance
- WA
- Contracting contact
- David Anayadavid.c.anaya.civ@us.navy.mil5642268419
What similar contracts paid
14 contracts at this agency under the same NAICS code, in the same state, had activity in the last 5 years, according to USAspending.gov. Small businesses won 40% of the dollars in this market over the last 3 fiscal years.
Typical contract$3MMiddle half: $1.8M to $3.5M
Before you respond
Full notice text from SAM.gov
SEE ATTACHED SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE N32205-SS-PM4-26-012.
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