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 within https://www.fbo.gov/ to receive a notice of availability if and when a solicitation for this requirement is issued. Contracting Office Address and Point of Contact Department of Commerce (DOC) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Acquisition and Grants Office (AGO) Eastern Region Acquisition Division (ERAD) National Weather Service Attn: Jason Niederwerder and/or Jackie Shewmaker 601 E. 12th Street, Room 1734 Kansas City, MO 64106 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, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Weather Service (NWS) office in Duluth, MN conducts an upper air observation program that meets a variety of needs and serves a variety of users at the Weather Service Contract Meteorological Observatory (WSCMO) in International Falls, MN. Upper air observations are taken and coded for the operational use of meteorologists and hydrologists, as well as for international dissemination. (2) NOAA contemplates awarding a contract for upper air observation and reporting services at the WSCMO located at the International Falls Airport in International Falls, MN. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code for this acquisition is 541990. The small business size standard is $15.0 million. The contracting office is contemplating a base year plus four one-year options contract beginning on 01 Sep 2019. The contractor shall furnish all supervision and labor to take, document, and disseminate upper air observations using the Radiosonde Replacement System (RRS) workstation in International Falls, MN. All observers shall be RRS certified by the NWS and be able to maintain certification during the contract period of performance. Proper certification shall be received prior to submitting a proposal should a solicitation be issued. An offeror will not be considered if this criteria is not met. (3) 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 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. 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 this 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 Electronic files shall be submitted in Portable Document Format (PDF), compatible with Adobe Reader. Information may be submitted on letterhead stationery, or as otherwise specified in the notice. As a minimum, requested information must show- (1) The RFI number; (2) Company name, address, telephone number, CAGE Code and DUNS number of the vendor, and point of contact; (3) Socioeconomic category (ie. 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; (4) A technical description (No more than 4 Pages) of the services being offered by your company in sufficient detail to evaluate compliance with the requirements in the "DRAFT" PWS, including product literature, color photographs, and specifications; (5) Is your staff/management currently certified through the NWS to perform RRS launches and observations? NOAA anticipates awarding a firm-fixed price contract type with the line items specified below: Line Item 0001 - Base year (price broken out by a monthly rate) Line Item 0001A - Optional line item for special launches (price per launch) Line Item 0002 - Option Year One (price broken out by a monthly rate) Line Item 0002A - Optional line item for special launches (price per launch) Line Item 0003 - Option Year Two (price broken out by a monthly rate) Line Item 0003A - Optional line item for special launches (price per launch) Line Item 0004 - Option Year Three (price broken out by a monthly rate) Line Item 0004A - Optional line item for special launches (price per launch) Line Item 0005 - Option Year Four (price broken out by a monthly rate) Line Item 0005A - Optional line item for special launches (price per launch) Submission of information: Submit all responses for the aforementioned notice by July 2, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. (CST) to the following individuals: Primary: Jason Niederwerder, Contracting Officer, at
[email protected] Alternate: Jackie Shewmaker, Contracting Officer, at
[email protected] 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.