Science Mission Requirements (SMRs) Update Project
and
Input to the Ocean Class Research Vessel RFP Development

Last Update: September 23, 2008

Community Input Requested - Ocean Class Science Mission Requirements: Values and Priorities

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FIC Review Material

Project Documents
Project Statement
Reference Materials
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Project Statement
SMR Update and Input to Ocean Class Research Vessel RFP Development
May 12, 2008

The Project Statement can be downloaded as a pdf: <ProjectStatement_SMR_Update.pdf>

The current SMRs were developed in 2002 and published in early 2003.  Subsequently, FIC and advisory committees created a prioritization of the Regional Class SMRs, provided input to the performance specifications for the Regional Class vessels and provided a revision of the Ocean Class SMRs, which was published in 2007.  These are all posted at: <http://www.unols.org/committees/fic/smr/index.html>.

UNOLS also polled the community and published a compilation of "lessons learned" regarding Research Vessel designs, construction and outfitting. To some extent these were used in developing the SMRs and were posted on the UNOLS website (last updated April 2004) at: <http://www.unols.org/committees/fic/smr/whatwelearned.html>.

Over the course of developing the RFP's for the Regional Class and Ocean Class design contracts and during the design review meetings for the Regional Class vessels it has become apparent to the program managers and design review advisory committee members that the SMRs could benefit from some update and re-organization as well as incorporating the community based lessons learned along with lessons learned by the Regional Class and ARRV advisory committees.  Stronger statements about minimum requirements and relative priorities are needed to make the SMRs more effective in the design development process.  Three key concepts would improve the utility of the SMRs for the current and future ship renewal efforts.

  1. Create an across the board SMR statement of research vessel design principals and requirements:  This portion of the SMR documents would apply to all research vessel classes and would include statements about such things as habitability, noise levels, lighting levels, lab design standards, pollution control, communications capabilities, etc. These would be standards and principals to apply in the design, construction and outfitting of research vessels. Those items that are quantifiable and could have a range of acceptable levels or scope 
    would be presented in a table that would have one column indicating the absolute acceptable minimum for that requirement and a second column that would indicate an ideal target value.
  2. Other requirements such as range, endurance, speed, number of science berths, number, size and type of laboratory spaces, main work deck area size, etc. would vary according to the class of vessels.  For the most part these are quantifiable and would be presented in a table similar to the one above where the first column would state the minimum acceptable value for that class of vessel and the second column would state an ideal target value.

3.      The requirements should also indicate a relative priority and this could probably be done in groups, such as critical, important requirements, and desirable capabilities (or some similar differentiation).  Cost drivers in ship design and construction should be considered as part of the prioritization exercise.  This prioritization could be applied to the quantifiable requirements as well as to the more generic standards of design.

 Timeline:

  1. Near-term:  This effort could have a beneficial impact on the current effort by ONR and PEO-Ships to create the RFP and performance specifications for the Ocean Class design effort.  PEO-Ships is currently working on a notional design that would be used to create a cost estimate for the project and they are also working on the specifications and RFP language.  Community feedback over the next couple of months regarding the minimum acceptable values and target ranges for the Ocean Class SMRs as well as input on the relative priorities of SMR elements would be very useful for their efforts.  This would constitute a key opportunity for the community to have some influence on the design of these vessels.
  2. One Year:  Finalizing revised SMRs for Regional, Ocean and Global Class can take place over a longer time frame, but could be completed within a year.

Proposed Process:

  1. UNOLS Office would create a draft re-organization of the Ocean Class SMRs to fit the three main concepts discussed above. This would include putting the quantifiable SMRs into the table structure discussed above.
  2. FIC, NSF, ONR and PEO-SHIPs would review the re-organized Ocean Class SMR to be sure the structure is effective and appropriate. Agree on those elements for which range of values are needed.  Agree on the levels of relative priority (number and description/ranking).
  3. FIC would begin the effort of revising the actual requirements:
    1. By articulating the minimum requirements and target goals for quantifiable SMR elements.
    2. By reviewing the basic design requirements elements and revising as needed.
    3. By reviewing the lessons learned and incorporating any that need to be added to the SMRs
    4. By identifying the requirements that are cost drivers in the design, construction, and life-cycle costs of the vessel.  Input from a Naval Architect may be needed.
    5. Review UNOLS science outfitting recommendations provided to NSF in August 2007 for the Regional Class Vessels
    6. Early in the process, obtain feedback from Regional Class and ARRV advisory committees on lessons learned regarding SMRs and provide this to the FIC.
    7. By making an initial assessment of the relative priorities of SMR elements.

h.       This effort will be carried out by phone/web meetings and email communications as feasible, and will also be included as a major item on the FIC fall meeting agenda.

  1. Get community input:
    1. Circulate an early draft of revised SMRs for community feedback.
    2. After initial feedback and revision to draft SMR, repost and ask for final comments/input.
  2. Finalize SMRs:
    1. With FIC and Council approval, provide Ocean Class SMR final draft to ONR and PEO-Ships
    2. Draft Regional Class and Global Class versions of the revised SMR
    3. Post all three for community feedback with the quantifiable 
      elements side-by-side.
    4. Create final draft of all three SMRs and post for final comments.
    5. FIC and Council approve final revised SMRs

Lessons Learned from previous Research Vessel Design and Construction efforts

If you have feedback from experiences with previous research vessel design and construction efforts, we encourage you to share your 'lessons learned' by submitting the following form:

<http://www.unols.org/committees/fic/smr/_lessonslearned.asp>