NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 219, Greenbelt, MD 20771

A -- EXTENSION OF SUPPORT FOR VISITING SCIENTISTS PROGRAM AND ANCILLARY RESEARCH SOL EXT-99VSP DUE 080299 POC Cosimo Lucchese, Contract Specialist, Phone (301)614-5584, Fax (301)614-5619, Email clucches@pop200.gsfc.nasa.gov -- Mary Petkoff, Contracting Officer, Phone (301)614-5587, Fax (301)614-5619, Email Mary.J.Petkoff.1@gsfc.nasa.gov WEB: Click here for the latest information about this notice, http://nais.nasa.gov/EPS/GSFC/date.html#EXT-99VSP. E-MAIL: Cosimo Lucchese, clucches@pop200.gsfc.nasa.gov. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center intends to obtain services to support the Visiting Scientists Program from the University Space Research Association (USRA), 10227 Wincopin Circle, Suite 212, American City Bldg., Columbia MD 21044 by expanding the ordering limitations and raising the ceiling amount by the amount of $5.3 million under Indefinite Delivery/ Indefinite Quantity Contract NAS5-98181. This action is being taken in order to allow the issuance of task orders whose performance periods will extend beyond the current expiration date of 30 Sep 1999. This action is planned on a sole-source basis in accordance with FAR 6.302-1; "Only One Responsible Source". USRA (the incumbent contractor) is the only vendor with the specialized knowledge and unique capabilities to meet NASAs schedule requirements. Performance periods for orders issued under this contract will not exceed 30 Sep 2000. These services are a continuation of existing scientific research services for laboratories within the Earth Sciences Directorate, Code 900, including the Laboratory for Atmospheres, the Laboratory for Terrestial Physics, the Space Data and Computing Division, and the Laboratory for Hydrospheric Processes. Among research projects that are covered by this extension are the NASA "Seasonal to Interannual Prediction" and "El NiZo South Oscillation" Projects (Code 970), which have USRA scientists working on high-priority research into improving the predictability of the Coupled Biological Air/Ocean Prediction Model for short-term climate prediction in support of one of NASA's top science priorities. This extension will provide a full year's continued support for this research. Another project will last for approximately nine months under this extension; the Laboratory for Atmospheres (Code 910) has a need for a Visiting Fellow to begin to immediately translate El Nino scientific results into viable forecast schemes well before the actual onset of the next event. The research must start in the immediate future to permit adequatetime for development testing and validation of schemes and a model before the onset of the next event. It is anticipated that this research will extend from October 1999 through September 2000 under this extension. Award to any other source for this 12-month period would jeopardize ongoing scientific investigations and cause significant disruption to the Code 900 mission. The support sought is a continuation of work provided by USRA under Contract NAS5-98181. See numbered Notes 22 and 26. An Ombudsman has been appointed, see Internet Note B. Any referenced notes can be viewed at the following URL: http://genesis.gsfc.nasa.gov/nnotes.htm. Interested firms have fifteen (15) days from the publication of this synopsis to submit in writing to the identified point of contact, their qualifications/capabilities. Such qualifications/ capabilities will be used solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. Responses received after the fifteen (15) days or without the required information will be considered nonresponsive to the synopsis and will not be considered. A determination by the Government to not compete this proposed effort on a full and open competitive basis, based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. All qualified responsible sources may submit an offer, which shall be considered by the agency. Posted 07/16/99 (D-SN355496). (0197)

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