Purchase one (1) Mid-Frequency Tsunami Buoy Detection System
The Department of Commerce, NOAA, National Weather Service (NWS), National Data Buoy Center (NDBC), has a requirement to purchase one (1) Mid-Frequency Tsunami Buoy system with complete buoy, mooring, anchor(s), floats, and bottom unit meeting attached performance specifications.
NOAA contemplates award of firm fixed-price contract with a delivery time (F.O.B. Destination) of not later than six (6) months after receipt of order.
Background Information:
To ensure early detection of tsunamis and to acquire data critical to real-time forecasts, NOAA has placed Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunami (DART®) stations at sites in regions with a history of generating destructive tsunamis. NOAA completed the original 6-buoy operational array in 2001 and expanded to a full network of 39 stations in March, 2008. The Tsunami buoy system, called "DART" presently constitutes a critical element of the NOAA Tsunami Program. The Tsunami Program is part of a cooperative effort to save lives and protect property through hazard assessment, warning guidance, mitigation, research capabilities, and international coordination. NOAA's NWS is responsible for the overall execution of the Tsunami Program. This includes operation of the U.S. Tsunami Warning Centers (TWC) as well as leadership of the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program. It also includes the acquisition, operations and maintenance of observation systems required in support of tsunami warning such as DART®, local seismic networks, coastal, and coastal flooding detectors. NWS also supports observations and data management through the NDBC. DART® systems consist of an anchored seafloor bottom pressure recorder (BPR) and a companion moored surface buoy for real-time communications. An acoustic link transmits data from the BPR on the seafloor to the surface buoy. The BPR collects temperature and pressure at 15-second intervals. The pressure values are corrected for temperature effects and the pressure converted to an estimated sea-surface height (height of the ocean surface above the seafloor) by using a constant 670 mm/psia. The system has two data reporting modes, standard and event. The system operates routinely in standard mode, in which four spot values (of the 15-s data) at 15-minute intervals of the estimated sea surface height are reported at scheduled transmission times. When the internal detection software Mofjeld identifies an event, the system ceases standard mode reporting and begins event mode transmissions. In event mode, 15-second values are transmitted during the initial few minutes, followed by 1-minute averages. Event mode messages also contain the time of the initial occurrence of the event. The system returns to standard transmission after 4 hours of 1-minute real-time transmissions if no further events are detected.
DART II buoy system became operational in 2005. A significant capability of DART II is the two-way communications between the BPR and the TWCs/NDBC using the Iridium commercial satellite communications system. The two-way communications allow the TWCs to set stations in event mode in anticipation of possible tsunamis or retrieve the high-resolution (15-s intervals) data in one-hour blocks for detailed analysis. DART II systems transmit standard mode data, containing twenty-four estimated sea-level height observations at 15-minute intervals, and once every six hours. The two-way communications allow for real-time troubleshooting and diagnostics of the systems. The DART® buoys have two independent and redundant communications systems. NDBC distributes the data from both transmitters under separate transmitter identifiers. NDBC receives the data from the DART II systems, formats the data into bulletins grouped by ocean basin and then delivers them to the National Weather Service Telecommunications Gateway (NWSTG) that then distributes the data in real-time to the TWCs via NWS communications and nationally and internationally via the Global Telecommunications System.
The Government anticipates awarding a firm fixed price contract based on Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) with Past Performance being Acceptable/Satisfactory or above.
The solicitation will be issued as an unrestricted solicitation, open to both small and large businesses. The applicable NAICS Code is 334513, Instruments and Related Products Manufacturing for Measuring, Displaying, and Controlling Industrial Process Variables, which has a corresponding size standard of 500 employees. All responsible and fully responsive small and large businesses may submit a proposal which will be considered by the agency.
A Request for Quote (RFQ) solicitation will be made available for download on or about August 15, 2014 at http://www.fedbizopps.gov/. Paper copies of this solicitation will not be issued. Interested parties should use the FedBizOpps ["Add To Watchlist"] and ["Add Me To Interested Vendors"] features which provide a notification when the Request for Quote (RFQ) becomes available for download. These features also inform interested parties of all postings of information associated with this solicitation thereafter. Each potential offeror is responsible for checking the FedBizOpps website to gain all current information related to the solicitation. Hard copies of the RFQ will not be issued. Electronic submission of the contractor's proposal is hereby authorized, but must be transmitted by the posted response date and time. The solicitation and any further announcements regarding the solicitation will be posted only at http://www.fedbizopps.gov/. The estimated response due date is August 21, 2014; however, the actual date offers are due will be stated within the solicitation documents.
All responsible sources may submit a quote, which shall be considered by the agency. For information concerning this acquisition, please forward inquiries via e-mail to Kurt Weilbaecher, Contract Specialist, at [email protected] or via telephone at (228) 688-2825.
Offerors shall submit their complete submission to the following address:
National Data Buoy Center (NDBC)
Attn: Kurt Weilbaecher
Bldg 3205
Stennis Space Center MS 39529-6000
Or e-mail the submission to: e-mail: [email protected] with a copy to [email protected].
Submission must be received by the Government by the date and time listed with this document.
Prospective offerors are urged to submit any questions they may have, in advance and in writing, to Contract Specialist, Kurt Weilbaecher ([email protected]) with a courtesy copy sent to Contracting Officer, Andrew Hildebrandt ([email protected]). T he offerors shall submit their questions 3 calendar days after the issuance of the RFQ. Telephonic requests for the solicitation will not be honored.
Companies offering a response to this notice shall ensure that they are registered in the System for Award Management (SAM), www.sam.gov, prior to submission of proposals. All vendors doing business with the Government are required to be registered with the SAM. NO award shall be made unless the vendor is registered in SAM. For additional information and to register in SAM, please access the following web site: https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/. In order to register with the SAM and be eligible to receive an award from this acquisition office, all offerors shall also have a Dun & Bradstreet Number. A Dun & Bradstreet number may be acquired free of charge by contacting Dun & Bradstreet on-line at: http://www.dnb.com/ or by phone at (800) 333-0505. This procurement also requires offerors to file veteran employment reports at http://www.dol.gov/vets/programs/fcp/main.htm.
Kurt Charles Weilbaecher, Contract Specialist, Phone 228-688-2825, Fax 228-688-3153, Email [email protected] - Brendon Johnson, Contracting Officer, Phone 757-441-3344, Fax 228-688-3153, Email [email protected]
