Deep Water AUV for Ocean Exploration Mission
Key Dates
Due Date
-
Posted Date
-
Agency & Value
Agency
DEPT OF COMMERCE NOAA
Contract Value
Not provided
Codes & Classification
Solicitation Number
ACQ-NC0110-26-0021
NAICS
—
Classification Code
—
Additional Details
Documents1
The Department of Commerce, through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has issued a Request for Information (RFI) titled "Deep Water AUV for Ocean Exploration Mission." This notice, posted on March 26, 2026, is intended solely for market research and information gathering purposes and does not constitute a solicitation or a commitment to procure any goods or services. NOAA’s Office of Ocean Exploration and Research (OER) seeks to identify commercially available or near-production Deep Water Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) capable of supporting its ocean exploration mission.
The primary objective of this RFI is to collect detailed information from industry regarding the availability, maturity, and suitability of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) or modified AUV systems that align with NOAA’s mission requirements. The agency is interested in both Contractor-Owned/Contractor-Operated (Data or Platform as a Service) models and vendors offering systems for Government-Owned-Government-Operated or Government-Owned-Contractor-Operated arrangements. Respondents are encouraged to provide a high-level overview of their capabilities, including specialized technical teams, intellectual property, or unique resources relevant to the requirements outlined in Section 3 of the attached document.
Key requirements and areas of interest are specified in Sections 3.1 through 3.5 of the attachment, for which NOAA requests comprehensive responses. Respondents may optionally include information on capability/maturity levels (such as Conceptual, Prototype, Operational, Fully Deployable) and any critical assumptions or dependencies (e.g., required data, infrastructure, or regulatory changes). Supporting materials such as data sheets or previous mission reports may be submitted as separate attachments and will not count toward the 20-page limit for the main response.
Interested parties should submit information demonstrating their qualifications and experience in providing one or more of the identified services. If there are areas where a respondent cannot meet the requirements, these should be clearly identified with supporting explanations. Submissions must include company name, address, SAM.gov Unique Entity ID (UEID), business type and designation, point of contact information, company website, relevant contract vehicles (GSA schedule, GWAC, or Multiple Award Contract numbers), and information about existing federal contracts or commercial catalogs related to these services.
Responses must be formatted in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF, using 12-point font, 1-inch margins, and standard 8.5” x 11” paper, not exceeding 20 pages. The deadline for submission is 3:00 PM Mountain Time, Friday, April 17, 2026. Responses should be emailed to Contract Specialist Julia Hamilton ([email protected]) and Contracting Officer Angela Royster ([email protected]), with the subject line “RFI Response - Deep Water AUV for Ocean Exploration Mission.” Questions regarding the RFI may be submitted to the same contacts by 3:00 PM Mountain Time, Thursday, April 2, 2026, referencing the relevant section and page number.
This RFI is open to all qualified vendors, regardless of business size or socioeconomic designation. There are no set-aside requirements or special procurement considerations specified at this stage. Participation in this RFI is voluntary, and all costs associated with responding are the sole responsibility of the respondent. NOAA may request additional information from select respondents as part of its market research process.
The place of performance is within the United States. The contracting entity is the Department of Commerce, NOAA, Office of Ocean Exploration and Research. The opportunity remains active and further details, including the draft attachment, can be accessed via the SAM.gov opportunity ID 5ddcfe570b8c4c82b53ddb064d9f9823.
Contractors evaluating this opportunity should note that the RFI is focused on identifying technical solutions and business models for deep water AUVs that can advance NOAA’s ocean exploration mission. The requirements and objectives outlined in the RFI are expected to remain constant throughout the contract lifecycle, emphasizing the need for robust, mature, and mission-ready underwater vehicle systems and associated services.