NASA: Further Expansion of the Regional Visalization and Monitoring System SERVIR in East Africa

Synopsis – Jun 17, 2013

General Information

Solicitation Number: NNM13477192R
Posted Date: Jun 17, 2013
FedBizOpps Posted Date: Jun 17, 2013
Recovery and Reinvestment Act Action: No
Original Response Date: Jul 01, 2013
Current Response Date: Jul 01, 2013
Classification Code: A — Research and Development
NAICS Code: 541370

Contracting Office Address

NASA/George C. Marshall Space Flight Center, Procurement Office, Marshall Space Flight Center, AL 35812

Description

NASA/MSFC has a requirement for ongoing work and support in the implementation of the USAID SERVIR Work Plan FY2013.

NASA/MSFC intends to purchase the service from the Regional Center for the Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD) to further the expansion of the Regional Visualization and Monitoring System (SERVIR) in East Africa. Competition is impractical for the following reasons:

1. This procurement serves as a follow-on contract for continuation of activities implemented under the existing RCMRD contract which has been the implementing arm of SERVIR Africa.

2. Funding was provided to NASA from USAID under a Participating Agency Program Agreement (PAPA). USAID approved RCMRD for hosting and operating the SERVIR-Africa system, and supports continuation of RCMRD’s engagement.

3. USAID, in partnership with MSFC, has already made a significant investment in the infrastructure at RCMRD with the installation of USAID funded equipment (hardware and software) to build capacity to satisfy the technical requirements.

4. USAID, in concert with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat and collaborating partners had specifically requested that RCMRD, under the auspices of SERVIR-Africa, be the institution to generate land use change maps for the development of Sustainable National Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Inventory for six (6) countries in the East and Southern Africa (ESA) region including Botswana, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zambia. As that activity is progressing as planned, RCMRD is now being requested by the USEPA to implement a similar project in Kenya. This project is expected to begin in August, and will generate maps consistent with the UNFCCC land cover classifications, analogous to the existing effort. To ensure continuity and to generate capacity in the region, the USAID East Africa Mission recognizes that it is important to engage RCMRD in this new effort and thus supports USEPA’s request. Further, if NASA were to continue building on the progress and successes resulting from RCMRD’s execution of SERVIR-Africa, other such opportunities for expansion in the future would be likely to occur. Through the GHG project and other undertakings, RCMRD is well positioned to leverage resources and benefit multiple U.S. federal institutions.

5. SERVIR is a high-visibility project at NASA/MSFC, NASA/HQ and USAID. It is also a model implementation of the Global Earth Observation System of Systems–a multinational effort to build an earth observation system. This level of visibility further supports the need to continue engaging an institution such as RCMRD that is well recognized in the geospatial community to meet USAID’s requirement that SERVIR partner with a regional institution.

The Government does not intend to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12.

Interested organizations may submit their capabilities and qualifications to perform the effort in writing to the identified point of contact not later than 4:30 p.m. local time on Monday, July 1, 2013. Such capabilities/qualifications will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed effort on a full and open competition basis, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the government.

Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice.

All responsible sources may submit an offer which shall be considered by the agency.

NASA Clause 1852.215-84, Ombudsman, is applicable. The Center Ombudsman for this acquisition can be found at http://prod.nais.nasa.gov/pub/pub_library/Omb.html .

Point of Contact

Name: Iris Walter
Title: Contracts Administrator
Phone: 256-961-7054
Fax: 256-961-7148
Email: Iris.R.Walter@nasa.gov

Name: Jennifer B. McCaghren
Title: Contracting Officer
Phone: 256-544-5189
Fax: 256-544-4400
Email: jennifer.b.mccaghren@nasa.gov