Panama Canal Commission, Logistical Support Division, Unit 2300, APO, AA 34011-2300

W -- RENTAL CRANEBOAT DUE 040497 POC Edwin W. Durling, Contract Specialist, (507) 272-4680, Enrique B. Marquez, Contracting Officer, (507) 272-4075 Sources Sought: The Panama Canal Commission (PCC), a corporation of the United States Government, is in the process of identifying qualified sources interested in providing a craneboat, on a rental basis, for a period of not to exceed 10 days, to assist PCC with the reassembly of the main boom of the floating crane "Titan." The 1941 Germany built floating crane Titan was recently delivered to PCC, in the Republic of Panama, from Long Beach Naval Shipyard in California. For transportation, the main boom was temporarily fixed at 24.5 degrees from horizontal. A boom support and temporary connection links were installed to provide support. The rental crane will lift the main boom of the Titan from 24.5 degrees to an elevation that allows the luffing screw to be connected to the main boom. Also, the rental crane will remove and reinstall the 55 T leveling link. A general arrangement of the Titan is given in Figure 1. Its present configuration is given in Figure 4. The principal charcteristics and dimensionsof the Titan, with its boom inclined to 24.5 degrees from horizontal, are the following: barge length: 62.50 m.; barge width: 33.50 m.; barge depth: 5.2 m.; width rotating tower (excl. lower bearing): 12.00 m.; length of main boom: 80.50 m.; weight of crane structure (incl. counter weights): 2,055 T.; center of gravity forward of rotating axis: 1.18 m.; weight of barge plus crane (approx.): 5,000 T. Drawing No. 96/4004-100, prepared by Argonautics Marine Engineering, shows some of the minimum height and reach requirements for lifting the main boom. The minimum requirements for the rental craneboat will be the following: For installing leveling link: SWL equal or greater than 55 T at 17 m. from rental crane fenders, and hook height equal or greater than 76.5 m. above the waterline. For lifting the main boom: SWL equal or greater than 270 T at 17 m. from rental crane fenders, and hook height equal or greater than 74.1 m. above the waterline. These minimum requirements could be slightly modified to suit the specific characteristics of a given crane. The hook height figures assume very short rigging slings and leave little room for further reduction. The reduced weight of the leveling link may make it possible to use the rental crane's auxiliary hook for its lift. In addition to this, there is a beam limitation for the rental crane barge since the Panama Canal lock chambers are only 110 ft. wide. Consequently, the crane barge plus any side fenders must not exceed a total width of 108 ft. which includes a minimum clearance of 1 ft. at both sides of the barge. Also, the maximum clear height under the Bridge of the Americas in the Republic of Panama is 220 ft. at low water. Figures 1 and 4 and Drawing 96/4004-100 can be obtained by requesting them to the point of contact indicated on this announcement. All interested parties must submit information describing the technical characteristics of their craneboat, general information about the company, a budgetary estimate, and any other information related to this announcement. PCC will be needing the rental craneboat some time between July 1, 1997 and December 31, 1997. Interested sources must indicate the dates, within this time frame, when they will be able to provide the craneboat and which will result in the most cost efficient to PCC. Please provide the budgetary estimate as rate per day (24 hours), plus the mobilization and demobilization costs. All this information must be submitted no later than April 4, 1997 to the following address: via U.S. or foreign mail to the Panama Canal Commission, Logistical Support Division, Purchasing and Contracts Branch, Unit 2300, APO AA 34011-2300; by courier or local mail to the Panama Canal Commission, Logistical Support Division, Purchasing and Contracts Branch, Building 28, third floor, Balboa, Republic of Panama; or by fax to 507-272-7661. This request for information is not to be interpreted as a commitment. This is a market survey that will help PCC obtain the names and addresses of potential sources and review additional technical information and market conditions. No Request for Proposals is available at this time. (0073)

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