Uncrewed Aircraft System for use aboard NOAA’s Maritime Vessels to conduct Marine Mammal Observation Surveys

*This is a Sources Sought Notice for a potential commercial acquisition. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this Notice.*

Accordingly, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO), and Eastern Acquisition Division (EAD) are conducting market research to determine potential sources for the use of a hybrid Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL) – Fixed Wing (FW) Uncrewed Aircraft System (UAS) capable of shipboard launch and recovery with a camera integrated payload for the collection of Marine Mammal Survey observation data. NOAA is interested in UAS vehicles with the capability to operate for multiple hours per deployment at ranges well beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) while transmitting real-time data from the integrated imaging payloads back to the vessel.

Requested Information

Interested parties are requested to describe their technical capabilities and demonstrated tools, processes, and service capabilities. All interested potential contractors are requested to provide written responses to the questions below. A response to this Sources Sought will assist in determining the potential levels of interest, adequacy of competition, market maturity, and technical capabilities within the business community to provide the required services. The Government may, therefore, utilize the information provided to refine its acquisition strategy to maximize competition among viable acquisition alternatives.

The anticipated associated NAICS code is 481219 - Other Nonscheduled Air Transportation with a business size standard of $25 million.

Firms who believe they have the capabilities to provide the UAS and support services as outlined in the attached SOW –SOW for FY25 Vessel-based UAS and Support Services – are encouraged to submit a Capability Statement in response to this Sources Sought Notice. Submitted Capability Statements shall include the following:

1. Company name and address;


2. DUNS number;


3. Type of business (e.g., large business, small business, 8(a), veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, and/or women-owned small business, as validated via the System for Award Management (SAM);


4. Company point of contact – name, phone and email address;


5. Responses to the following questions:

• Can your firm provide a Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL)—Fixed-Wing (FW) Uncrewed Aircraft System (UAS) capable of shipboard launch and recovery, with a four-hour minimum sustained flight time, that will operate at distances of at least 20 nautical miles from a vessel and carry all required science and associated support payloads (with a combined weight of at least 10 lbs)?

• Can your firm provide UAS Flight Support Services, including ground equipment, pilot, payload integration, and testing support services, per the schedule detailed in section 6 of the SOW?

• If this requirement is awarded before January 15, 2025, does your firm have the ability to demonstrate all platform and integrated payload testing aboard a vessel at sea prior to the Task 1 delivery date of March 14, 2025, as listed in section 6.1 of the SOW?

• Describe any technical issues or challenges you would foresee being encountered in the execution of the work described in this SOW.

• Does the attached draft SOW leave any significant areas of uncertainty where further clarification would be helpful? If so, please identify and describe what might be clarified.

Standard brochures will not be considered a sufficient response to this notice.

Interested sources shall submit an electronic copy of their Capability Statement (limited to five pages) to James Jarrett Skaggs, Contract Specialist, via email at james.skaggs@noaa.gov no later than 3:00 PM Eastern Standard Time (EST) on November 27, 2024.

Any questions or responses to this Sources Sought announcement shall be directed to James Skaggs at james.skaggs@noaa.gov. No feedback will be provided regarding individual Capability Statements. Information received will be considered solely for making informed decisions regarding a potential procurement. Responses to the Sources Sought announcement are not offers and cannot be accepted by NOAA to form a binding contract. No reimbursement for costs will be made associated with providing information in response to this Sources Sought announcement or follow-up information requests, if applicable.