Stormwater Floodplain Simulator Systems

The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Eastern Region Acquisitions Division-Kansas City office intends to award, on a sole source basis, under the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), with VWR International for twenty-three (23) Stormwater Floodplain Simulator Systems for the National Weather Service (NWS) Central Region Headquarters (CRH) in Kansas City, MO. A Sources Sought Notice was posted on the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) website on June 6, 2014 and closed on June 17, 2014. No responses were received Justification for Sole Source VWR International has developed a unique proprietary Floodplain model that is an excellent teaching tool to provide students, teachers, and public citizens the understanding of floods and the role of citizens in mitigation and personal safety. Research has shown that no other product holds the same quality or potential to provide the desired results. This Floodplain model was developed using the guidance of a NWS hydrologist/meteorologist and is specific to the agency's need. The NWS forecasts water resource information including flood warnings to protect lives and property. In order to help people understand factors that lead to flooding situations, the NWS needs a hands on storm water floodplain modeling system that allows the NWS to show people how different rates of rainfall and different surfaces (agricultural pervious soils vs. parking lots which are impervious surfaces) can influence risk of flooding. The model available from VWR International is a clear acrylic box that has different designed trays with holes representing different rates of rainfall when water is poured into them. The trays underneath are to represent pervious or impervious soils and the NWS can show how the rainfall turns into runoff and how that can overwhelm the river floodplain and cause flooding of parking lots or homes. The model contains small model cars and houses that can be washed down the river floodplain when the flows become high enough to cause flooding. All of this is done with real water and things that children or grown-ups can actually touch, move around, and use trial and error to learn how the different rates of rainfall and the different surfaces can impact the risk of flooding. There is clay included so people can attempt to build a clay dam to hold flood waters back and then they can see how the flood waters usually overwhelm the clay dams which simulates what happens when a dam breaks. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS: • Large, clear acrylic tank (46 3/4" x 16 1/4"x 9") • Various headwater trays and landform insert accessories that emulate things such as wetland, parking lot, retention pond, etc. • Functionality to customize slope and simulated rain intensities. • Capability to create levees and additional landscape settings. • Capability to measure gages and river levels. • Curriculum guide with clearly outlined age-appropriate student activities and experiments. All of these features make this model an excellent teaching tool. The size is small enough that it can be portable and moved to different outreach events (schools, meetings, conferences) and the clear acrylic makes it perfect for demonstrating all of the different features in a way that a classroom of 30+ children can gather around and see from many different angles. There are no other modeling systems like this on the market. Teaching students the basic concepts of the water cycle without this model, just using worksheets or videos is difficult and not conducive for teaching about rainfall rates and pervious and impervious surfaces and risk of flooding. It is not practical to procure this model from another contractor as it would not be cost effective and would cause the NWS to incur financial loss. The NWS would require a new development process, costing the agency time and money. The NWS provided guidance and spent approximately 300 hours working on this model. The number of hours and expense of designing or procuring this type of model from another contractor would be 200-300 hours at a cost of an estimated $22,500.