Inactive

Request for Information in support of National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Weather Service (NWS), Office of Observations (OBS), Environmental Sensors and Equipment Disclaimer a... Request for Information in support of National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Weather Service (NWS), Office of Observations (OBS), Environmental Sensors and Equipment Disclaimer and Important Notes: This is a Request for Information only. This is issued solely for information and planning purposes - it does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP), a Request for Quotation (RFQ), or an indication that the Government will contract for any of the items and/or services discussed in this notice. This Request for information is issued in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 52.215-3. Further, NOAA is not at this time seeking proposals or quotes and will not accept unsolicited proposals or quotes. The purpose of this notice is to: Determine if sources exist that are capable of satisfying the agency's requirements; and/or Determine if commercial items suitable to meet the agency's needs are available or could be modified to meet the agency's requirements Submission of a response to this Request for Information is entirely voluntary. The voluntary submission of a response to this Request for Information shall not obligate NOAA to pay or entitle the submitter of information to claim any direct or indirect costs or charges or any other remuneration whatsoever. Further, no proposals or quotes are sought at this time. Respondents are advised that the Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this Request for Information; all costs associated with responding to this Request for Information will be solely at the potential respondent's expense. Not responding to this Request for Information does not preclude participation in any future formal solicitation, if any is issued. No telephone calls will be accepted requesting a solicitation. There is no solicitation at this time. In order to protect the integrity of any future procurement, additional information will not be given and no appointments for presentations will be made in reference to this Request for Information. Issuance of this notice does not constitute any obligation on the part of the Government to procure these items or to issue a solicitation. No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response to this Request for Information. If included, any information should be clearly marked as such. All information received shall be safeguarded from unauthorized disclosure. NAICS Code: 334513 - Weather tracking equipment manufacturing with a business size standard of 750 employees. Background: The National Weather Service Office of Observations (OBS) is responsible for the operations and maintenance of fielded systems that sense the atmosphere in support of surface based Aviation Operations, Climate and Ship Observing. There are three programs OBS manages supporting surface observations. The Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) is an essential, joint mission in support of the National Weather Service (NWS), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the Department of Defense (DOD). The ASOS is the nation's primary system for collecting and reporting surface-weather observations, primarily at airports, in support of aviation operations as well as weather forecasting and the timely issuance of warnings. There are approximately 960 ASOS sites globally. The NWS National Cooperative Observer Program (COOP) was established with the Organic Act, 15 USC 313 of 1890 “to the distribution of meteorological information in the interests of agriculture and commerce, and the taking of such meteorological observations as may be necessary to establish and record the climatic conditions of the United States, or as are essential for the proper execution of the foregoing duties.” Thus, the purpose of the Program is to provide accurate and reliable observational hydrometeorological data. The Volunteer Observer Program (VOS) is the primary ocean- based surface observation collection network on NOAA ships and other ocean-going volunteer vessels. Environmental data such as temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction are taken from a variety of points along shipping routes and used in a variety of applications. Multiple sensors, radios and peripheral equipment used by the Office of Observations surface observing systems are approaching the end of service life and require replacement to maintain the high reliability and continuity of operations necessary to support operational needs and the Weather Ready Nation concept. All these observation programs, and the fielded systems supporting these programs, underpin the principles outlined in Executive Order 14008, ‘Tackling Climate Change at Home and Aboard’, Section 102(f). This acquisition supports this by providing the data necessary in decision making, and solution generation as a result of those decisions. Requirements: The Office of Observations intends to procure replacement sensors and peripheral equipment for NWS fielded surface observing systems over the next 10 years using commercially available equipment under this BPA. The Contractor is to propose Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) sensors or peripherals capable of interfacing with the system it is attached to. Detailed specifications will be provided in each delivery order solicitations under an awarded BPA. The general system performance guidelines are listed in Appendix-A for ASOS, Appendix B for COOP and Appendix C for VOS of the attached Statement of Work (SOW). The number of sensors, per sensor or sensor suite type, required to satisfy the number of all operational sites varies by program mentioned in the background. Some sensors may be procured in smaller lots based on function and mission. The Office of Observations maintains configuration-managed baselines of its fielded systems and will require documentation and drawings to support induction of new sensors and equipment into each program's respective baselines. The Office of Observations intends to establish a stable of high performing large and small businesses for contract manufacturing or value added resellers within the scope of this statement of work. The range of sensing devices and peripheral equipment include but are not limited to the following devices: Precipitation measurement and aggregation (commonly tipping buckets or weighing rain gauges) Snow depth measurement Prevailing visibility and obstruction to vision Barometric pressure Thermometer/Hygrometer; Temperature and Relative Humidity Meteorological phenomena sensors i.e. weather type, intensity Anemometer; Wind speed, direction and character Ceilometer; Cloud height and amount Backscatter profiles Pyranometer i.e. sunshine sensor Thunderstorm/Lightning Sensors Freezing Rain Sensors Runway Visual Range (RVR) instrumentation Soil Moisture and Temperature sensors Complete Observing systems with sensors/sensor head paired with processing displaying and dissemination subsystems Shipboard “Weather on a Stick” type instrumentation Supporting equipment for these system are: Shipboard Instrumentation Weather sensor polling, processing and dissemination components VHF/UHF Radios, IP Radios Operator Interface IP Monitors (Thin Client) Video Display Units IP Monitors (Thin Client) Direct read devices Maintenance devices Build to Print electronic components (i.e. Power Supplies) Projected Schedule Requirements: Minimum purchase requirements will be established for each sensor type procured. The intention is to award BPA for a 10 year ordering period. Place of Performance All activities shall take place at the contractor’s facilities. Program Reviews and other meetings shall take place at locations that are to be determined by the government. Government Furnished Equipment, Data, and Resources GFI will include Environmental Replacement and Equipment Specification Documents and Installation Documents. No GFE will be provided. Submission of Information: Interested parties are encouraged to submit a response per NWS requirements pertaining to Environmental Replacement and Equipment Request for Information. If there are areas of the requirement that your company and/or perspective team cannot meet, please identify those areas in your response along with amplifying information as to why your team cannot meet the government’s request. Specifically, any interested parties are requested to provide the following information: Name of Company, address, DUNS number and Business Size Point of contact name, email, and phone number Any General Service Administration (GSA) schedule, Government Wide Acquisition Contract (GWAC) or Multiple Award Contract numbers and information. Description of your capabilities, qualifications, and experiences that might fill this requirement: Do you currently have a contract with any other Federal Agency for this type of requirement? Current and relevant experience, or comparable commercial experience, in developing, constructing, and distributing Environmental Sensors and how those sensors requirements/competencies per the Government Accountability Office (GAO) regulations. Is this the appropriate NAICS code? Provide any viable solutions for procurement of these type of sensors. Estimated cost breakout, based on proposed ownership model and acquisition strategies. Business perspective for providing sensors and the types of sensors produced. Any current supply complications. Identify any risks or impediments to successful performance of the requirements that you anticipate. Responses are to be submitted electronically (not to exceed 10 pages; including appendices, diagrams, and examples using one inch margins, and pages numbered consecutively). Submit responses electronically (using PDF or Microsoft Word) no later than 4:00 pm eastern, January 17, 2021 to the electronic upload option on Sam.gov website. Please contact Contract Specialist: margaret.williams@noaa.gov with and direct questions regarding this Request for Information. A virtual industry day for individual one-on-one with venders will be conducted from January 18-31, 2022. All parties that are interested in engagement and attending the industry day must submit name and availability to margaret.williams@noaa.gov by Monday January 17, 2022. Questions regarding this RFI shall be submitted to margaret.williams@noaa.gov no later than 4:00 PM Eastern Time on Monday January 17, 2022. Facsimile submissions will not be accepted. Cover letters and extraneous materials (brochures, pamphlets, etc.) will not be considered. The Government will analyze all of the submitted information and determine among other things: the most appropriate sensor compatibility and acquisition strategy. The Government reserves the right to use any information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate, including using technical information provided by respondents in any resultant solicitation. All data received in response to this Request for Information notice that are marked or designated as corporate or proprietary information will be fully protected from release outside the Government. Proprietary information and trade secrets, if any, must be clearly marked on all materials. All information received that is marked Proprietary will be handled accordingly. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. The Government shall not be held liable for any damages incurred if proprietary information is not properly identified. At this time no solicitation exists. Therefore, DO NOT REQUEST A COPY OF THE SOLICITATION. After a review of the responses received, a solicitation may be published on GSA eBuy website, https://www.ebuy.gsa.gov or SAM website, https://sam.gov. It is the potential offeror's responsibility to monitor GSA eBuy or Sam.gov for release of any future solicitation that may result from this Request for Information. Responses to this Request for Information will not be considered adequate responses to any resultant solicitation.