Inactive

BACKGROUND The Remote Sensing Group of the United States (U.S.) National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is leading a project to use a NIST-developed optical/infrared telescope system to ... BACKGROUND The Remote Sensing Group of the United States (U.S.) National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is leading a project to use a NIST-developed optical/infrared telescope system to make accurate spectral and radiometric measurements of the spectral energy distribution of stable stars. These measurements will then serve as standard calibration spectra for multiple stakeholders in the international astronomy community. The project will be located at the European Southern Observatory (ESO) Paranal Observatory in Chile and consists of four phases. The first phase is site preparation and installation of equipment. Science operations occurs in the second phase during which scientific measurements and calibration programs are carried out. This includes the calibration of NIST's atmospheric monitoring instruments during a radiosonde calibration campaign. Phase 3 is support ESO and NIST during the science operations. Phase four occurs at the conclusion of the project and consists of shipping science equipment back to NIST, removal and proper disposal of everything else - including protective enclosures, concrete piers, and cables - and returning the site to the same condition as at the start of Phase 1. NIST's measurement system consists of a VIS-optimized telescope, an IR-optimized telescope, atmosphere monitoring equipment (microwave radiometer and mini-pulse LIDAR) and calibrated light sources. Ancillary hardware consists of weather-proof enclosures and a modular/pre-fabricated control room. Scope The scope of work in this acquisition is to support the Remote Sensing Group with ESO. Areas of support include a) manage the site preparation in Chile to include procurement and installation of earthquake-resistant piers for the telescopes and enclosures, procurement and installation of weather-proof housing for the telescopes, calibration hardware and electronic equipment, procurement and installation of power and data cables, b) manage and coordinate maintenance services to enable reliable operation and calibration of the atmosphere monitoring instruments and telescopes, c) manage and coordinate tear-down at the end of the project. All work at ESO can only be done by ESO personnel. Contractor is expected to coordinate with ESO to provide the necessary in-situ services in compliance with ESO and Chilean regulations and requirements. Contractor will contract for services with ESO on behalf of NIST. The contractor is not expected to travel to ESO and is not expected to provide the installation services directly. Requirements This work must be carried out in Chile. Contractor must have experience with the management of small and medium science projects, with the implementation of astrophysical research programs ranging across the spectrum range from the radio to the x-ray regime, experience with the development and deployment of astronomical instrumentation, and must be able to work with the ESO. The Contractor will subcontract for services in Chile and interface with ESO. Task 1: Manage site preparation including procurement and installation of concrete piers/supports for telescopes, calibration equipment, enclosures and control room. enclosures for telescopes, calibration equipment, and electronic equipment. electrical power cable and fiberoptic cable from ESO to the site Expected duration: 12-24 months Task 2: Manage support for radiosonde calibration campaign Coordinate/interface with ESO to provide support for a radiosonde atmosphere measurement campaign for calibration of the NIST microwave radiometer and mini-pulse LIDAR Expected duration: 1 month Note: this task may precede or overlap with Task 1. Task 3: Manage site maintenance provide routine servicing and maintenance of equipment obtain administrative/clerical support as needed, e.g. shipping to and from Chile, prepare shipping documentation pay for utilities and consumables (e.g. liquid nitrogen, local expenses) Expected duration: 60 months Note: This task may be phased with Task 1 since operation of equipment begins when it is fully installed, e.g. the radiometer may begin regular operation even while installation of other equipment is not completed Task 4: Manage tear down and disposal of waste at end of project arrange for science equipment to be shipped to NIST arrange for demolition and proper disposal of all enclosures, concrete piers arrange for removal and proper disposal of cables, waste hardware, etc Expected duration: 1 - 2 months HOW TO RESPOND TO THIS NOTICE In responding to this notice, please DO NOT PROVIDE PROPRIETARY INFORRMATION. Please include only the following information, readable in either Microsoft Word 365, Microsoft Excel 365, or .pdf format, in the response: Submit the response by email to the Primary Point of Contact and, if specified, to the Secondary Point of Contact specialist listed at the bottom of this notice as soon as possible, and preferably before the closing date and time of this notice. Provide the complete name of your company, address, name of contact for follow-up questions, their email, their phone number and, if your company has an active registration in https://sam.gov, your company’s Unique Entity ID (UEI). Identify laboratory equipment that your company sells that is of the nature addressed in the BACKGROUND section of this notice. Include brand name, make, model, and/or other distinguishing information. State if your company is the manufacturer of the identified equipment or is a retailer or wholesaler that normally sells the identified equipment. If the latter, indicate whether the manufacturer authorized in writing for your company to sell the identified equipment on behalf of the manufacturer. Describe performance capabilities and relevant or beneficial physical and functional features for any equipment you identified to satisfy the NIST-identified minimum specifications described in this notice. Identify any aspects of the NIST market research notice, including instructions, and draft minimum specifications in the BACKGROUND section above that could be viewed as unduly restrictive or contain unnecessary barriers that adversely affect your ability to fully participate and indicate why. In such a scenario, please offer suggestions for how the market research notice and draft minimum specifications could be made more inclusive and competitive. Discuss whether the equipment that your company sells and which you describe in your response to this notice may be customized to specifications and indicate any limits to customization. For the NAICS code listed in this notice: Indicate whether your company is (a) a small business or (b) other than small business. See the Table of Small Business Size Standards and the associated .pdf download file for small business size standards and additional information. If you believe the NAICS code listed in this notice is not the best NAICS code for the type of product addressed in this notice, identify an alternative NAICS code that you believe would be more appropriate for the planned procurement. Describe services that are available with the purchase of the aforementioned equipment from your company such as installation, training, and equipment maintenance. Describe standard terms and conditions of sale offered by your company for the aforementioned equipment such as: delivery time after your company accepts the order; FOB shipping terms: manufacturer warranty (including details regarding nature and duration); if available, description(s) of available extended warranty; equipment setup and test; operator and service instruction manual(s); cleanup after installation; and if applicable, other offered services. Provide a copy of manufacturer standard terms and conditions that typically relate to the sale of the specified equipment, if available. State whether your company offers facility renovation services related to installation of the aforementioned equipment at its delivery destination, if required per the NIST-identified minimum specifications, and provide description of services. Indicate if your company performs the facility renovation services or typically subcontracts the work to another company. Indicate if your company would be interested inspecting the intended installation site during the market research phase. State published price, discount or rebate arrangements for aforementioned equipment and/or provide link to access company’s published prices for equipment and services. State whether the aforementioned equipment is manufactured in the United States and, if not, state the name of the country where the equipment is manufactured. Identify any plans/possibilities for changes in manufacturing location of the aforementioned equipment and provide relevant details. If the aforementioned equipment and related services are available for purchase on any existing Federal Supply Schedule contract(s) or other contracts against which NIST may be able place orders, identify the contract number(s) and other relevant information. Identify any customers in the public or private sectors in which you provided the aforementioned or similar equipment. Include customer(s) information: company name, phone number, point of contact, email address. Provide any other information that you believe would be valuable for NIST to know as part of its market research for this requirement. State if you require NIST to provide additional information to improve your understanding of the government’s requirement and/or would like to meet with NIST representatives to discuss the requirement and the capabilities of the identified equipment. QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS NOTICE Questions regarding this notice may be submitted via email to the Primary Point of Contact and the Secondary Point of Contact listed in this notice. Questions should be submitted so that they are received by 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time on March 13, 2024. Questions will be anonymized and answered via sources sought notice amendment following the question submission deadline. IMPORTANT NOTES The information received in response to this notice will be reviewed and considered so that NIST may appropriately solicit for its requirements in the near future. This notice should not be construed as a commitment by NIST to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract. Responses will not be considered as proposals or quotations. No award will be made as a result of this notice. NIST is not responsible for any costs incurred by the respondents to this notice. NIST reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and appropriate. Thank you for taking the time to submit a response to this request!