SPECIAL NOTICE
A -- Radio Occultation Request for Information
- Notice Date
- 9/9/2014
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- NAICS
- 541330
— Engineering Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Western Region Acquisition Division, 7600 Sand Point Way, Northeast, Seattle, Washington, 98115-6349
- ZIP Code
- 98115-6349
- Solicitation Number
- NOAA-OSD-RO-2014
- Archive Date
- 10/15/2014
- Point of Contact
- Kate R. Steff, Phone: 206-526-6370
- E-Mail Address
-
kate.r.steff@noaa.gov
(kate.r.steff@noaa.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) is soliciting industry input to enhance our understanding on potential options for an industry collaboration or commercial data buy to obtain Radio Occultation (RO) soundings. RO soundings have been identified as a high value opportunity for NOAA. NOAA relies extensively upon data sharing with international partners for space-based observations. For example, the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate (COSMIC), is a highly successful partnership pursuant to an agreement between the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO). For COSMIC, NOAA is AIT's designated representative, and the National Space Organization (NSPO) is TECRO's designated representative. NOAA receives timely, high quality RO soundings for use in National Weather Service (NWS) weather prediction models. COSMIC-2 is an operational follow-on satellite mission to COSMIC. COSMIC-2 is planned to have two planes of six satellites each, an equatorial plane and a polar plane to augment and replenish the aging COSMIC constellation. The equatorial plane satellites and instruments are in development and are scheduled to launch in 2016. NOAA is seeking creative opportunities to furnish the polar plane of COSMIC-2 satellites with RO receivers. A possible Government-industry partnership scenario for NOAA to obtain RO soundings from the polar plane could include industry providing RO receivers to NOAA for integration with the FORMOSAT spacecraft to complete the COSMIC-2 constellation. NOAA will use industry responses to this RFI to inform near-term programmatic planning as well as long-term strategic planning. The Government is seeking information only. The RFI does not obligate the Government to reimburse any costs associated with the preparation and/or submission of information in response to this RFI. Nor does this RFI guarantee that the Government will issue a request for proposal or award a contract for supplies or services. However, the responses could impact the Government's decision to release an RFP in the future. Request for Information NOAA has developed four possible scenarios for obtaining commercial RO soundings from the polar plane for industry consideration. The RO receivers provided by industry shall have equivalent or better performance characteristics and shall not exceed mass, power or volume specifications of the receiver used on the first six COSMIC-2 satellites (see http://www.broadreachengineering.com/products/spaceborne-gps-receivers/). Industry responses are not restricted to these scenarios, however, and industry is encouraged to present other options for consideration. 1.Industry provides RO sensors to the USG, at no cost to the Government, for use in the existing COSMIC-2 program polar plane. USG receives free and open access to 4000 soundings per day (from a homogeneous sampling of the daily data set at latitudes outside of and complementing the region covered by the C2 equatorial constellation), with unrestricted data distribution for those 4000 soundings per day. RO sensors shall be provided to the USG with a delivery schedule that ensures even distribution of deliverables across USG FY2016 and FY2017. Vendor would sell for profit all soundings above and beyond the 4000 sounding data set. 2.Industry provides RO sensors to the USG, at no cost to the USG, for use in the existing COSMIC-2 program polar plane. USG receives ALL sensor soundings with restricted data distribution rights for NOAA, NSPO, and a few key international partners. RO sensors shall be provided to the USG with a delivery schedule that ensures even distribution of deliverables across USG FY2016 and FY2017. 3.Industry provides RO sensors to the USG for use in the existing COSMIC 2 program polar plane, at a nominal fee (fee and reimbursement arrangement to be proposed in response) to be paid by the USG. RO sensors shall be provided to the USG with a delivery schedule that ensures even distribution of deliverables across USG FY2016 and FY2017. Current program partners receive ALL sounding data, with unrestricted data distribution rights. 4.Cost to the USG for a pure commercial data buy for polar plane soundings, indicating the pricing to the USG for both restricted and unrestricted data distribution rights along with the estimated number of soundings per day the Government would expect to receive. Identify any restrictions applied to the USG regarding archival of data and distribution of archived data. Data delivery should begin NLT June 2018. For options 1, 2 and 3, the vendor will provide six (6) RO receivers to the US Government who will provide programmatic oversight and integration with Taiwan. Respondents are hereby notified that NOAA may share responses with other Government agencies and that the Government may utilize Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) to provide technical advice and evaluate responses. All personnel assigned to assist in the RFI assessment will be subject to nondisclosure and conflict of interest requirements. Submittal Instructions RFI responses must be received an electronic copy via email to Kate.R.Steff@noaa.gov no later than 10:00 am Pacific Time, on September 29, 2014. The Government is not obligated to review responses to this RFI received after the deadline. Request that submissions are limited to not more than 15 pages, including supporting appendices, title page(s), all graphics, pictures and figures. Issues and questions regarding this RFI shall be submitted to Ms. Kate R. Steff at Kate.R.Steff@noaa.gov. Respondents should be advised that all questions submitted will be posted to www.FedBizOpps.gov as an amendment for all respondents to review, although the identity of the requesting organization will be withheld. Respondents may reply to some or all of the RFI. This RFI is serving as market research. If vendors decide not to respond to this RFI, it will not preclude them from submitting a proposal for any subsequent competitive NOAA solicitation.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DOC/NOAA/WASC/NOAA-OSD-RO-2014/listing.html)
- Record
- SN03503312-W 20140911/140910001116-20749cfb2aaed4dd6636b3998f2e60e0 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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