US Department of Commerce/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, PGAS, Procurement Operations Division, General Contracts Branch, 1325 East-West Highway - Station 4301, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910-3283

66 -- RADIOSONDE QUALIFIED PRODUCTS LIST POC Ron Loube 301/713-0823, Contracting Officer, Edward F. Tennant, Jr. 301/713/0823 The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service (NWS) is commencing qualified products list (QPL) testing for Automatic Radiotheodolite (ART) radiosondes. Specifically, QPL testing will be conducted for the following types of radiosondes: 1680 MHz (ART) and 1680 MHz/Transponder (ART). Firms desiring to qualify their products should express their interest by responding in writing to the attention of Ron Loube at U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA, General Contracts Branch (Code OA312:RL), 1325 East-West Highway, Station 4301, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910 within 30 days after publication of this notice. Firms which respond to this notice will be provided a copy of all requirements that they or their products must satisfy to become qualified. Due to certain specification changes, previously qualified radiosondes will be required to undergo limited testing. Radiosondes which have not previously been qualified will be required to undergo a comprehensive test program. The NWS will be acquiring ART radiosondes which have successfully completed this QPL testing for the interim period before the NWS radiosonde replacement system is implemented. This interim period will be at least one year (at an approximate annual quantity of 80,000 radiosondes prossibly split between two sources) but no more than five years. It is anticipated that the applicant will be required to bear the cost of the qualification testing, which will include, if required, full integration into the existing NWS operational ground system. It is expected that QPL testing will take approximately one year for radiosondes which have not previously been qualified. (0233)

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