U. S. Department Of Commerce, NOAA, Central Administrative Support Center, 601 East 12th St., CC31, Rm. 1756, Kansas City, Missouri 64106

58 -- WSR-88D DOPPLER WEATHR RADAR DATA HANDLING/RECORDING EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT. DUE 113099 POC Patsy Willins, (816) 426-6823, x230 SOURCES SOUGHT: MARKET SEARCH FOR WSR-88D DOPPLER WEATHER RADAR DATA HANDLING/RECORDING EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. The U.S. Department of Commerce/NOAA, National Weather Service (NWS) is conducting market research for the replacement of an 8mm cartridge tape subsystem for continuous recording of WSR-88D (Weather Surveillance Radar -- 1988 Doppler) base data and system status messages. The existing subsystem operates 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. The existing subsystem does not write data to a temporary storage buffer prior to recording. It records the data directly to the media in near real time. The existing system does not implement data compression prior to, during, or after recording. The amount of data recorded and the data transfer rate varies. Per hour, the minimum amount of data recorded is 36.6 Megabytes. During certain weather conditions when recording is most critical, the maximum amount of data recorded is 170.6 Megabytes per hour. The existing subsystem is integrated within a 19 inch cabinet requiring clearance to adjacent electronic components. The available space within the cabinet is 22 inches in height, 21 inches in depth, and 18 inches in width. The existing unit consists of: 1) an 8mm cartridge tape drive [EXABYTE CORP pn EXB-8500]; 2) a cartridge handler that holds up to ten 8 mm cartridge tapes in a removable tape holder/rack with robotic loading and unloading of the cartridge tapes in the cartridge tape drive [EXABYTE CORP pn EXB-10i]; 3) a SCSI terminator [EXABYTE CORP pn 002202] to provide external termination; and 4) a drive controller/formatter [MACROLINK pn 202760-52]. GENERAL: The NWS desires to replace this unit with a more adaptable, cost effective, and highly reliable device that will provide a mechanism for future improvements and interface changes. The primary purpose is to improve reliability. Responses are not limited to 8mm handling/recording devices or to data recording without data compression or to any specific hardware and/or software; however, the replacement unit must provide SCSI and/or TCP/IP compatibility and if data compression is implemented it must be lossless. Responses are not limited to the existing dimensions within the cabinet; however, if the unit cannot be integrated within the cabinet, the replacement must have its own housing. Responses are limited to devices that require no on-site or manual intervention more frequently than 30 days for media changes or for any other reason. Responses are limited to devices that allow random access of archived data. Responses are limited to provide sizing flexibility; for a minimum increase in the amount of data to be recorded before compression of 20% and a maximum increase in the amount of data to be recorded before compression of 450%. Responses are limited to highly reliable units with a Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) of at least 40,000 hours based on a continuous 24 hour operating cycle. Responses are limited to strict environmental requirements as follows: 1) operational temperature range, +10C to +35C; 2) storage/transport temperature range, -35C to +60C; 3) operational relative humidity 20% to 80%; 4) storage/transport humidity, 15% to 95%; and 5) capable of operating at altitudes up to 3300 meters above mean sea level. Responses are limited to equipment than can be removed and replaced in hour or less. Responses to this market survey must include the device manufacturer, a product description with performance parameters including continuous operation reliability and environmental specifications, a statement regarding current availability (in production or fully developed, but not in production), and estimated cost of the product. This RFI does not constitute an Invitation for Bids, Request for Proposals or Request for Quotes. Should the results of this market research indicate feasibility of replacing the existing handling/recording equipment with existing commercial products, the NWS will consider retrofit options for its nationwide network of 189 WSR-88D Radar Data Acquisition systems as a potential follow-on product improvement project. This is not a request for proposal and there is no solicitation available. Information should be sent to the attention of Patsy A. Willins, U.S. Dept. of Commerce/NOAA, Acquisitions Branch, 601 E. 12th Street, Rm. 1756; Kansas City, MO 64106. Posted 10/15/99 (W-SN392045). (0288)

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