Dry Cargo Voyage Charter

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This solicitation is for a FAR Part 12 acquisition under simplified procedures, seeking proposals for a firm-fixed-price contract to procure vessel services. The Military Sealift Command (MSC) Strategic Sealift Program Support Office requires a vessel capable of transporting specific cargo.

• Vessel Type: One U.S. or foreign flag Roll-On/Roll-Off (RO-RO) vessel.

• Vessel Specifications: Must have a stern ramp door (20 ft or more) and sufficient main deck height.

• Cargo Capacity: Capable of carrying 39,716 SQFT of cargo, including helicopters, wheeled vehicles, and breakbulk.

• Dimensions: Maximum LOA of 948 ft (289m) and draft not exceeding 50 ft (15.2m).

• Load Port: Corpus Christi, TX, USA, with an Available Load Date (ALD) of April 17, 2026.

• Discharge Port: Alexandroupolis, Greece, with a Latest Arrival Date (LAD) of May 14, 2026.

• Laytime: 3 Days SSHEX Total for the entire mission.

• Terms: F.I.O.S.S. (Free In, Out, Stowed, and Trimmed) for both loading and discharging.

• Documentation: Requires current Certificates of Documentation and Inspection, a detailed stow plan, and adequate lashing gear.

• Bunkering: Vessel must be fully bunkered for the voyage.

• Contract Type: Firm-fixed-price.

• Period of Performance: Not explicitly stated, but implied by load/discharge dates and laytime.

• Estimated Value: Not stated.

• Offer Due Date: March 4, 2026, at 13:00 Eastern Time.

• Submission Requirements: A valid submission requires at least a ship name, price, and signature. Offerors must confirm agreement with all terms and conditions of the solicitation and the proforma charter form.

• Evaluation: The document references FAR 52.212-2 for evaluation, with specific tailoring for spot charters, but details are reserved.

• Contact: David Hamilton (david.k.hamilton19.civ@us.navy.mil).

• Acquisition Type: Unrestricted.

• NAICS Code: 483111.

• Proforma documents are available upon request or via the MSC website.

• Increased e-mail security may cause delays; submit offers early.

• No JPEG files are accepted.

• Imminent danger pay locations (Red Sea, Bab al-Mandeb Straits, Gulf of Aden) are noted.

• The solicitation incorporates numerous FAR and DFARS clauses, including those related to service contract labor standards, small business concerns, and prohibitions on certain foreign procurements.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This document is a Request for Proposals (RFP) from the Military Sealift Command (MSC) for a Dry Cargo Voyage Charter (DRYVOY - SPOT) for February 2026. The solicitation seeks offers to perform a Charter Party in accordance with the terms and conditions outlined within the document.

The solicitation details the terms and conditions for chartering a vessel. It includes various parts covering:

• DRYVOY Boxes (Part I): Specific details for the charter, including vessel requirements, cargo description, load/discharge ports, laytime, and laydays.
• Contract Terms and Conditions (Part II): Includes definitions, inspection/acceptance procedures, limitation of liability, assignment, changes, disputes, excusable delays, invoicing, patent indemnity, payment terms, risk of loss, taxes, termination clauses, and warranties.
• Dry Cargo Voyage Terms and Conditions (Part III): Covers freight rates, deadfreight, demurrage, detention, cargo details, loading and discharging procedures, ports, notice of readiness, laytime/demurrage calculations, cancelling provisions, cargo receipts, oil pollution spill, stevedore damage, safety, and specific prohibitions (e.g., Spain-Gibraltar).
• Voyage Charter Common Terms and Conditions (Part IV): Provides general definitions and common terms related to the charter.
• Dry Cargo Voyage Additional Contract Requirements (Part V): Outlines additional requirements such as position reports, tugs and barges, deviation for bunkers, war risk coverage, nature of contract (COA), vessel nomination, loading/discharging specifics (F.I.O.S.S., F.I.O. ex S.S., Liner Terms, FLO/FLO), liability, securing/stowing of ammunition containers, explosive warranty, safety, emergency preparedness, port charges, operational security, sexual assault/harassment prevention, and special requirements.
• FAR and DFARS Clauses Incorporated by Reference (Parts VI and VII): Lists numerous Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses that are incorporated into the contract.
• Instructions to Offerors (Part X): Details the submission requirements, evaluation factors, and award process.
• Evaluation Factors (Part XI): Outlines the criteria for award, including technical capability, price, and VISA priority, with a preference for U.S. shipyard usage.

The awarded Charter Party will consist of the Standard Form (SF) 1449, the Preamble, and Parts I through IX.

Offers must be submitted by the specified deadline and include all required information as detailed in Part X. Evaluation will be based on technical acceptability and lowest price, with considerations for VISA priority and U.S. shipyard usage.

While not explicitly stated as a set-aside in the provided sections, the document references various FAR and DFARS clauses related to small business concerns, which may indicate potential set-aside considerations. Offerors must comply with all applicable regulations.

This solicitation is a complex document detailing extensive terms and conditions for a voyage charter. Offerors are advised to review all parts thoroughly. The document also references several attachments, including a Standard Statement of Facts (Time Sheet), Laytime Statement, US Department of Labor Wage Determination, and Shipyard Data Information Spreadsheet.

Wage Determination

This document is Wage Determination No. 2019-0288, Revision No. 25, issued on January 14, 2026. It establishes the minimum wage rates and fringe benefits for various occupations employed on U.S. Navy contracts for deep sea vessels services, applicable to all coastal U.S. ports and surrounding Outer Continental Shelf lands.

The document lists specific wage rates for the following positions:

• Master: $92.16
• Chief Engineer: $89.79
• Chief Mate: $42.89
• Second Mate: $42.89
• Third Mate: $29.57
• First Assistant Engineer: $42.89
• Second Assistant Engineer: $42.89
• Third Assistant Engineer: $28.56
• Boatswain: $17.45
• Able Seaman: $16.06
• Ordinary Seaman: $13.09
• Unlicensed Engineer: $16.58
• Qualified Member of Engineering Department/QMed: $24.18
• Steward (Assistant): $19.52
• Electronics Material Officer: $24.18
• Head Steward: $51.00
• Ship Communications Officer: $51.00

All listed occupations receive the following benefits:

• Health & Welfare: $5.55 per hour (up to 40 hours/week) or $222.00/week or $962.00/month.
• Health & Welfare (EO 13706): $5.09 per hour (up to 40 hours/week) or $203.60/week or $882.27/month, applicable to contracts covered by EO 13706.
• Vacation: 2 weeks after 1 year, 3 weeks after 5 years, 4 weeks after 15 years of service.
• Holidays: A minimum of eleven paid holidays per year.

Contractors must provide uniforms or reimburse employees for their cost. If uniforms are "wash and wear," reimbursement for cleaning is $3.35 per week (or $.67 cents per day), unless otherwise specified.

Details are provided for classifying and determining wage rates for occupations not listed in this determination, requiring a Standard Form 1444 (SF-1444) submission.

• EO 13706 (Paid Sick Leave): Applies to contracts awarded on or after January 1, 2017.
• EO 13658 (Minimum Wage): Applies to contracts awarded between January 1, 2015, and January 29, 2022 (and not renewed/extended after January 30, 2022). Minimum wage for 2025 is $13.30 per hour or the rate on this determination, if higher.

This document is critical for bidders to understand the minimum labor costs associated with performing services under a U.S. Navy deep sea vessels contract. It dictates the required wage rates and fringe benefits for various crew positions, directly impacting proposal pricing and overall contract cost.