AUV Survey Support Services

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is seeking a contractor to provide autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) survey support services for scallop surveys. The contractor will be responsible for collecting optical data using AUVs in the Mid-Atlantic Bight, with a target of 200 nautical miles of data acquisition. The contract will include all components of AUV operations and data acquisition, including calibrating AUVs and camera payloads, mobilization of the AUVs to the launch point, piloting and running the AUVs, retrieving and demobilizing the AUVs, and data delivery to NOAA Fisheries. Key requirements include: • AUVs must be capable of using the NEFSC’s optical payload, known as the Autonomous Benthic Imaging System (ABIS), to collect optical scallop data. • The contractor must lead the ABIS camera calibrations with their vehicles. • AUVs must be able to navigate independently and collect at minimum 200nm of optical scallop data. • AUVs must be capable of maintaining a consistent survey speed and operating for 3 days or longer on one battery charge. • The contractor must provide a final report summarizing the AUV mission(s), with relevant maps and plots, as well as mission summary statistics.