SOURCES SOUGHT
D -- RELAY OF ENVIRONMENTAL DATA FROM NOAA DATA COLLECTION SYSTEM PLATFORMS (DCPs) TO THE USERS
- Notice Date
- 1/24/2005
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 517410
— Satellite Telecommunications
- Contracting Office
- Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Acquisition and Grants Office, SSMC4 - Room 7601/OFA61 1305 East West Highway, 7th Floor, Silver Spring, MD, 20910
- ZIP Code
- 20910
- Solicitation Number
- Reference-Number-NESDIS-DCS-2005-HLK
- Response Due
- 3/10/2005
- Archive Date
- 3/25/2005
- Description
- RELAY OF ENVIRONMENTAL DATA FROM NOAA DATA COLLECTION SYSTEM PLATFORMS (DCPs) TO THE USERS Category: Automatic Data Processing and Telecommunication Services I. INTRODUCTION. This is a request for information (RFI) for planning purposes in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) clause 52.215 3 (OCT 1997). The purpose of this request is to solicit an expression of interest and potential capability for relaying environmental data emitted by local sensor platforms (moving as well as fixed) from worldwide locations to the data acquisition sites at (a) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NOAA/ NESDIS) Command and Data Acquisition (CDA) stations at Wallops, Virginia or Fairbanks, Alaska; or (b) the NOAA Satellite Operations Facility at Suitland, Maryland. NOAA has broad interests in various approaches to data collection services, including partnerships, to provide some or all of the components of data collection, or the development of instrument technology to operate on United States spacecrafts. As a bureau of the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), NOAA is interested in surveying the capability of industry, academia, or other interested organizations to relay environmental sensor data from fixed and mobile platforms throughout the world to its data collection systems processing facilities, noted above. NOAA does not intend to award a contract based on this information. II. BACKGROUND INFORMATION. Currently NOAA/NESDIS operates two types of NOAA environmental satellites, POES and GOES, which carry transponders to relay environmental data from fixed moving and fixed surface platforms. NOAA will also operate the NPOESS series of satellites beginning in 2009 to replace the POES series of satellites. (a) Polar orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite (POES) based Argos Data Collection and Location System: The current Argos Data Collection System (DCS) platforms carry environmental sensors. The platforms are both fixed and mobile and located throughout the world. The number of platforms in 2004 was about 12,000, and is expected to grow to nearly 100,000 by 2020. These platforms are active and transmit signals containing environmental observation information (at 401.65 megahertz center frequency), which are received by NOAA POES satellite transponders when passing over the platforms. The platform environmental observation data are downlinked by POES to local receiver stations. The data received from the platforms for the entire orbit are stored onboard the satellite spacecraft, then downlinked to NOAA/NESDIS CDA stations, which deliver the data to the NOAA Satellite Operations Facility at Suitland, Maryland. Data are then transmitted to Service Argos in Largo, MD. The current Argos system operates in receive mode only. The next generation Argos system will provide an interrogation function (465.9875 megahertz); meaning that the Argos DCS instrument onboard the satellite will include the capability to transmit commands to the platform. (b) Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) based Data Relay System: The GOES DCS is limited to geostationary coverage areas. The GOES DCS relays data from earth based platforms within the GOES coverage area/footprint; i.e., GOES East (75 degrees West) and GOES West (135 degrees West). The number of platforms in 2004 was about 40,000, and expected to grow to nearly 160,000 by 2020. These platforms are active and transmit environmental data collected by the platform's sensors, at frequencies of 401.7 402.0 megahertz at pre defined times. The transponder on the GOES satellite receives this signal, and then relays it to the Command and Data Acquisition station, at Wallops Island, Virginia. The GOES DCS includes an interrogation capability, with the ability to relay commands from the Wallops CDA station to platforms, using several frequencies near 468.8 megahertz. The functions of current ARGOS and GOES DCS systems can be found on the website at: http://noaasis.noaa.gov. (c) National Polar Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) (Launch C 1 2009): NPOESS will continue the DCS capabilities and presents an opportunity to perform a technology refresh both on the space platform (receiver/transmitter and relay capability) and associated ground terminal users. At full operational capability the NPOESS system will have three operational satellites populating three orbital planes with Local Times of Ascending Node of 1330, 1730, and 2130 Hours. During the NPOESS era, NPOESS environmental data records will be available at the NOAA server within 28.3 minutes from observation, 95% of the time. During the NPOESS era, consideration can be given to increase the capability of the DCS subsystem in several aspects: expanded frequency coverage (401 401.7 megahertz), larger message size (up to 25 megabytes) and data rates up to 32 kilobits per second. III. INFORMATION REQUESTED BY THE GOVERNMENT. Interested parties are invited to provide information to help NOAA determine the interest in, and possible solutions and sources for some or all components of its Data Collection System. NOAA requests that each interested party's response be limited to no more than 25 pages including (a) a 1 2 page summary of its products, services, history, ownership and other relevant information; (b) possible technical approaches to be used for environmental data relay; (c) the technical contact's phone number and e mail address; and (d) Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) estimated costs for any existing commercial services, as well as projected costs for commercial services that may be available in the 2010 2015 time frame. Respondents are required to supply only a ROM cost for this service and, if possible, a ROM for the following: segmented end to end costs of supplying this service into any or all of the following components of the end to end service: (a) relay of data from the Data Collection Platforms to the data processing service; (b) the data processing service; (c) the delivery service of processed data to the users; and, (d) the customer service interface. Responses should be submitted in via e mail with one electronic copy in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format and one hard copy using 82 x 11 paper, font size no smaller than 12 point. The cover page of the response should include all contact information regarding the responder's organization (including type of business). Please send the e mail to the technical point of contact (POC) with the contracting POC receiving both the e mail and the hard copy, as listed below: Technical POC: Contracting POC: Dr. Shyam N. Bajpai, Helene Kram NOAA/NESDIS/OSD NOAA/NESDIS AMD SSMC1, Station 5218 SSMC3, Room 10100 1335 East West Highway 1315 East West Highway Silver Spring, MD 20910 Silver Spring, MD 20910 shyam.bajpai@noaa.gov helene.kram@noaa.gov The e mail electronic copy should be received no later than 4:00pm Eastern Standard Time, on March 10, 2005. IV. HOW THE GOVERNMENT WILL USE THE INFORMATION. NOAA will review the capability statements from each responder to this request. NOAA may use the information provided for a combination of purposes including, but not limited to, present and future planning purposes and technical feasibility. NOAA shall treat each response as proprietary in accordance with page markings, which the responder applies to its documents. Responders are strongly cautioned against blanket exclusions from public disclosure, which may present NOAA with difficulty in making any future case for a new procurement. V. CONTRACTOR SUPPORT TO NOAA. Responders are advised that the Government may utilize the services of non governmental personnel to assist in the review of portions of the material submitted in response to this RFI. Any such non Government reviewers will execute a Non Disclosure certification prior to participating in the reviews. By submitting a response to this RFI, the responder gives its written permission for review of its response by non Government personnel. Contractors assisting NOAA in its reviews may include: The Aerospace Corp; Mitre Corp; Integrity Applications, Inc.; and GD/Veridian. VI. FREQUENCY INFORMATION. Frequencies for Argos DCS and GOES DCS belong to the Government Earth Exploration Satellite band and are approved for Government environmental use only by the NTIA. Respondents should identify their proposed frequency allocations and if licensing through the FCC will be required. Respondents must adhere to the use of frequencies as described in the U.S. Table of Frequency Allocations (see http://www.fcc.gov/oet/spectrum/table/fcctable.pdf). VII. Technical Characteristics. (a) POES: Message size: As small as 32 bits to as large as 256 bits; Platform data Transmission at a center Frequency: 401.65 megahertz; Data Rate: As low as 400 bits per second to as high as 2.56 kilobits per second; Power of data signal: As low as 0.1 Watts to as high as 5.0 Watts; Frequency of data transmission: As often as instantaneous (on demand) to once per day. (b) NPOESS: Message size: As small as 32 bits to as large as 25 megabits; Platform data transmission frequency: 401 401.7 megahertz; Data Rate: as low as 200 bits per second to as high as 32 kilobits per second; Power of data signal: as low as 0.1 watts to as high as 5.0 watts; Frequency of data transmission: 28.3 minutes from observation 95% of the time. (c) GOES: Message size: 16 bits 2.4 kilobits; Platform data Transmission Frequency: 401.7 402 megahertz; Platform Interrogation Frequency: 468 megahertz; Data Rate: As low as 100 bits per second to as high as 1.2 kilobits per second; Power of data signal: As low as 5.0 Watts to as high as 9.0 Watts; Frequency of data transmission: As often as instantaneous (event triggered) to once per day. VIII. NOTES. Responses to this RFI will not be returned. ALL INTERESTED AND QUALIFIED RESPONSES WILL BE CONSIDERED.
- Record
- SN00738869-W 20050126/050124211638 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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