Loren Data's SAM Daily™

FBO DAILY - FEDBIZOPPS ISSUE OF DECEMBER 30, 2017 FBO #5881
MODIFICATION

R -- Request for Information - Upper Air Observations in Denver, CO

Notice Date

12/28/2017
 

Notice Type

Modification/Amendment
 

NAICS

541990 — All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
 

Contracting Office

Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Eastern Acquisition Division - Kansas City, 601 East 12th Street, Room 1756, Kansas City, Missouri, 64106, United States
 

ZIP Code

64106
 

Solicitation Number

NWWR9469-18-00106
 

Archive Date

2/1/2018
 

Point of Contact

Alex Williams, Phone: 816-426-7531
 

E-Mail Address

Alex.Williams@noaa.gov
(Alex.Williams@noaa.gov)
 

Small Business Set-Aside

N/A
 

Description

General Information Document Type:Request for Information (RFI) Notice RFI Number:NWWR9469-18-00106 Response Due Date:2:00 p.m. Central Standard Time (CST), 17 January 2018 NAICS Code:541990 - All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (Weather forecasting services) Size Standard: The small business size standard is $15.0 million IMPORTANT NOTE : For companies interested in this Federal Business Opportunity (FBO) RFI notice, please ensure responses provide the requested information outlined below. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information and identify potential sources as part of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Eastern Region Acquisition Division's (ERAD) market research for a future requirement for upper air observation and reporting services and to determine if there are vendors that may meet the Government's need as further defined in the attached "DRAFT" Performance Work Statement (PWS). Based on market research, the Government reserves the right depending on responses received and any acquisition strategy to post any future solicitation documents electronically through https://www.fbo.gov/ Interested vendors are encouraged to register with https://www.fbo.gov/ to receive a notice of availability if and when a solicitation for this requirement is issued. This RFI is serving as market research. If interested vendors decide not to respond to this RFI, it will not preclude them from submitting a response for any subsequent competitive NOAA solicitation. Contracting Office Point of Contact Submit all responses to the aforementioned notice to the Contract Specialist at alex.williams@noaa.gov by January 17, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. (CST). System for Award Management (SAM) All contractors doing business with the acquisition office must be registered with the System for Award Management (SAM). An award cannot be made unless the vendor is registered and active in SAM. For additional information, and to register in SAM, please access the following website: https://www.sam.gov/portal/SAM/#1. In order to register with SAM and to be eligible to receive an award from this acquisition office, all offerors must first have a Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) DUNS number. A DUNS (Data Universal Numbering System) number may be acquired free of charge at the following website: http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform Description of Requirement (1)The U.S. Department of Commerce, The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Weather Service (NWS) office in Boulder, CO conducts an upper air observation program at the Weather Service Contract Meteorological Observatory (WSCMO) at the Denver International Airport in Denver, CO, which meets a variety of needs and serves a variety of users. Upper air observations are taken and coded for the operational use of meteorologists and hydrologists, as well as for international dissemination. (2)The contractor shall furnish all supervision and labor to take, document, and disseminate upper air observations using the Radiosonde Replacement System (RRS) workstation in Denver, CO. All observers shall be RRS certified by the NWS and be able to maintain certification during the contract period of performance. (3)All services conducted in connection with the performance of the contract shall be in accordance with the most recent revision(s) of upper air observing manuals and guidelines used by the NWS. National Weather Service Manual 10-1401available at the following link: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/directives/sym/pd01014001curr.pdf (4)Observations shall be taken two times daily, each and every day of the contract period. Observations shall have a standard scheduled release time of 0000 and 1200 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Required upper air data shall be transmitted to National Center for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) at the prescribed times for all scheduled releases. (5)Normally, the completion of one upper air observation using the RRS requires the attention of one observer for a minimum of 3.25 hours. The Contractor shall have an RRS certified observer on duty at the WSCMO from 1015 to 1330 UTC and 2215 to 0130 UTC each day of the contract period. Additional time may be required when second releases are needed or if other problems arise. On average, there are 6 second releases annually. (6)Observation balloons to be used in the taking of the RRS observation shall be inflated with hydrogen or helium gas, at the discretion of the government. The hydrogen and/or helium gases are bottled, and shall be furnished by the Government. All operating instructions and applicable safety equipment shall be supplied by the Government. The Contractor shall take all necessary precautions to ensure that appropriate safety measures are followed when working with hydrogen and/or helium gas. (7)Special RRS observations are deemed as those observations which are requested by the NWS, in addition to those specified above. The Contractor shall be required to take, record, and document a special RRS observation associated with NWS sanctioned field projects or critical meteorological events. Normally, the RRS observation requires the attention of one RRS certified observer for a minimum of three (3) hours for a special observation. Special launches will be ordered as needed. a.Whenever possible, the NWS shall provide notification of at least twelve (12) hours before a special RRS observation is required. However, during a weather emergency, this 12 hour advance notice may not be possible. The Contractor shall make every effort to take the requested observation during weather emergencies with a shorter advance notification time. Typically this shorter advanced notification time will be no less than six (6) hours. Special observations may require special dissemination and/or handling procedures such as terminating the flight at a lower burst altitude than normally obtained. (8)The Government shall determine and furnish all forms, charts, and local and national expendable supplies necessary for the Contractor to carry out the requirements of this contract. Local expendable supplies include pens and pencils, paper, forms, CDs, hydrogen, etc. Government provided expendable supplies include RRS instruments, batteries, lighting units, train regulators, parachutes, twine, and balloons. (9)The Government shall furnish those portions of the handbooks and manuals which provide the regulatory material regarding meteorological observations which the Contractor is required to comply in the performance of this contract. These manuals include, but are not limited to, the following: Radiosonde Replacement System Workstation User Guide National Weather Service NWSPD 10-1401 Federal Meteorological Handbook No. 3 (FMH) Engineering Handbooks Numbers 8, 9 and 15 (EHB) (10) All Contractor personnel who are assigned the duties of taking observations shall be certified upper air observers utilizing the RRS system. The requirement procedure for certification by NOAA NWS in upper air observations are outlined in NWSM 10-1401 (see link above). The Contractor's Site Supervisor certification must be verified by the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR). Contractor personnel must demonstrate proficiency in all facets of the upper air program. RRS observer and Site Supervisor certificates with the required endorsement(s) will be displayed in plain sight or available for review as necessary. Certifications shall remain current, without lapse, during the contract period of performance. Uncertified Contractor personnel may watch observations in a training capacity only if supervised by the Contractor's Site Supervisor, upon advance notification to the COR. (11) The upper air observation system utilizes the RRS computer workstation and requires a minimum of 3.25 hours to complete the observation from release to burst, performed by a NWS approved RRS certified observer. Additional time may be necessary to quality control data, complete required reports and perform other upper air observation related tasks. Much of the operator's time is spent responding to the RRS workstation prompts, data evaluation and quality control. (12) Contractor shall perform all services diligently and in a good, professional and first class manner, using good quality materials, equipment and workmanship and sufficiently trained personnel (including supervisors when appropriate) to complete the services in a safe and timely manner which does not unduly interfere with the operation of the WSCMO, or the business therein. Contractor shall obtain and maintain, at its expense and at all times during the term of the contract, all necessary licenses, permits, training or other authorizations which may be necessary to perform the services. IMPORTANT NOTE : Although a "DRAFT" PWS and supporting attachments are being provided, this notice does not constitute a solicitation. The "DRAFT" PWS and supporting attachments describes only the currently contemplated possible scope services and may vary from the work scope in a final PWS and supporting attachments included in any potential future RFQ. The Government may use the responses to this notice for market research, information, and planning purposes only. Responses to this RFI are not quotes on which NOAA can issue any order(s) or Contract based only on responses to this RFI. All information received in response to this RFI marked "Proprietary" will be protected and handled accordingly. Interested parties are responsible for adequately marking proprietary or competition sensitive information contained in their response. Responses to the RFI will not be returned. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. NOAA will not pay for information received in response to this RFI. There is no commitment by the Government to issue an RFQ, make award or awards, or to be responsible for any monies expended by industry responses to this RFI. Requested Information All documentation must be submitted via email by the specified date and time. Information may be submitted on letterhead stationery, or as otherwise specified in the notice. Interested vendors shall provide the following information with their response. (1)If/When the aforementioned solicitation for upper air observations and reporting services is released, would your company be interested in providing a proposal? (2)Company name, address, telephone number, CAGE Code and DUNS number of the vendor; (3)Company point of contact name, email address, and telephone number; (4)Socioeconomic category (i.e. small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) small business, small disadvantaged business, and women-owned small business concern). If you are a large business please state that you are; (5)Please provide a technical description (No more than 10 pages) of the services being offered by your company in sufficient detail. Indicate your company capabilities and if you are currently providing or have provided like-services similar in scope and complexity for any other Government or public sector agency. The technical description can include product literature, color photographs, specifications, etc.; (6)Provide any other information not specifically mentioned in this RFI that your company feels would be beneficial to the Government; (7)Is your staff/management currently certified through the NWS to perform RRS launches and observations? (8)Based upon the attached "DRAFT" PWS, are there any aspects that are unclear and/or do not allow a clear understanding of the Government's requirements? (9)Based upon the attached "DRAFT" PWS attached, are there commercial industry practices that appear to differ greatly than what is being requested by the Government under the anticipated, forthcoming solicitation? (10)Are services typically priced by the month and/or per launch? Do rates vary for amount of launches, duration of time, etc.? If rates vary by another metric please include that metric. Please provide a commercial price or GSA price list and schedule number, if applicable, to support your information. Submission of information Submit requested information electronically via email to Alex Williams at alex.williams@noaa.gov on or before January 17, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. CST. Inquiries: Interested vendors shall submit all questions concerning this RFI via email to Alex Williams at alex.williams@noaa.gov. Questions should be received no later than Close of Business (COB) Tuesday, January 9, 2018. Any responses to questions will be made in writing, without identification of the questioner, and will be included in an amendment to the RFI no later than COB January 11, 2018. Late submissions: (1)Vendors are responsible for submitting information so as to reach the Government office designated in the notice by the time specified in the notice. (2)Any information received at the Government office designated in the notice after the exact time specified for receipt of information is late and will not be considered unless the Contracting Officer determines that accepting the late information would not unduly delay timely completion of market research information evaluation(s). If an emergency or unanticipated event interrupts normal Government processes so that information cannot be received at the Government office designated for receipt of information by the exact time specified in the notice, and urgent Government requirements preclude amendment of the RFI or other notice of an extension of the closing date, the time specified for receipt of information will be deemed to be extended to the same time of day specified in the notice on the first work day on which normal Government processes resume.
 

Web Link

FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DOC/NOAA/CASC/NWWR9469-18-00106/listing.html)
 

Place of Performance

Address: Weather Service Contract Meteorological Observatory (WSCMO) at Denver International Airport, Denver, Colorado, 80249, United States

Zip Code: 80249
 

Record

SN04777409-W 20171230/171228230823-0da9eabd6c86ef519e08485b538a922d (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

---

| FSG Index  |  This Issue's Index  |  Today's FBO Daily Index Page |