SPECIAL NOTICE
D -- Intent to Award
- Notice Date
- 9/19/2011
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- NAICS
- 541511
— Custom Computer Programming Services
- Contracting Office
- USGS NATIONAL ACQUISITION BRANCH205 NATIONAL CENTER12201 SUNRISE VALLEY DRIVERESTONVA20192US
- ZIP Code
- 00000
- Point of Contact
- Carolyn Hieb
- E-Mail Address
-
chieb@usgs.gov
(chieb@usgs.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- The US Geological Survey (USGS) EROS has a requirement for a firm-fixed price contract with MDA Information Systems Inc. This task involves updating a custom software tool created specifically for the National Land Cover Database (NLCD) production to enable USGS mapping teams to interface between several customized software packages required for mapping production. The software updates to this tool will allow the software to function on new operating systems, newer versions of GIS software and update some of the critical capabilities of the mapping tool. The USGS is aware of no other source that can provide the above. Therefore, it intends to make an award to MDA Information Systems unless it is contacted by any vendor who believes they can provide the same service. Vendors are invited to contact the Purchasing Agent at chieb@usgs.gov no later than 10:00 AM CST Wednesday, September 21, 2011, with an affirmative answer. SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION STATES THE FOLLOWING PART: This software was developed for production of the National Land Cover Database (NLCD), a product developed by the USGS and produced through a multi-agency consortium called MRLC (www.mrlc.gov). Because NLCD is produced by multiple mapping teams across several agencies, the need for this software is critical to many federal agencies. The USGS and MRLC are now beginning the production of NLCD 2011 in October. This landcover map is used by a consortium of contributing partners including the EPA, NOAA, USFS, BLM, NRCS, NPS, NASA, USFWS, OSM, as well as the general public. This software is one of the most critical pieces in the creation of this landcover database. This is an effort with thousands of users dependent upon this land cover data across the United States. Without this software update, the production of NLCD 2011 is in great jeopardy. Historically, the USGS interactively developed this software with MDA Information Systems as part of a large mapping contract in 2000. This company had a specialized programmer that had access to proprietary source code to enable the successful creation of this tool. The code required by this software is very unique and highly customized, and exists only within this tool. This programming capability is still available in this company and available for the software update. It is our judgment, that the knowledge needed to update the coding architecture for our requirements is likely known nowhere else. The sole source awarding of this contract to MDA would ensure the U.S. government expends the least cost for this update for the following reasons: 1) the ability to harness the existing knowledge of the coding requirements for this software which exists in this company and minimizes the amount of billable hours needed to update the code (if a new company started from scratch we estimate they would need double the time and cost to accomplish the same task), 2) utilizes the existing knowledge this company has of land cover mapping requirements and the role this software needs to play (a rare combination of knowledge sets that greatly reduces the amount of time government staff will need to explain specifics of our need), 3) with the optimized knowledge combination of source code requirements and land cover mapping complexities, this task can be completed in a much shorter time period. The potential delay of this software update will cost the government tens of thousands of dollars through idle mapping teams. It is imperative this software update is done as soon as possible. Allowing another company to come up to speed and deliver an acceptable product will cost the government greatly through time delays. The only responsible source that can meet this requirement (historical experience and proprietary rights to the software code they have written). MDA has extensive experience with the NLCD Mapping Tool and working knowledge of the standards, software and systems it must operate under.
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- Record
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