NOAA: Solar Wind Data and Telecommunications

Amendment to Combined Synopsis/Solicitation 01 – Posted on May 31, 2005

General Information

Document Type: Combine Solicitation
Solicitation Number: Reference-Number-NEEK-0000-5-00274
Posted Date: May 31, 2005
Original Response Date: Jul 15, 2005
Current Response Date: Jul 15, 2005
Original Archive Date: Jul 30, 2005
Current Archive Date: Jul 30, 2005
Classification Code: D — Information technology services, including telecommunications services
Naics Code: 541618 — Other Management Consulting Services

Contracting Office Address

Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Acquisition and Grants Office, SSMC4 – Room 7601/OFA61 1305 East West Highway, 7th Floor, Silver Spring, MD, 20910

Description

THIS IS A COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION FOR FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS, PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH FAR SUBPART 12.6 ? STREAMLINED PROCEDUES FOR EVALUATION AND SOLICITATION FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS ? AS SUPPLEMENTED WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION INCLUDED IN THIS NOTICE. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONSTITUTES THE ONLY SOLICITATION. QUOTATIONS ARE HEREBY REQUESTED AND NO FURTHER WRITTEN SOLITATIONS WILL BE ISSUED. THIS SOLICITATION IS FOR FIRM FIXED PRICE QUOTATIONS. The Solicitation Number is NE-EK0000-5-00274. The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2001-23. The associated North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 541618. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Services (NESDIS), Requirements, Planning and System Integration Program (RPSI), has a requirement for studies to be produced developing business and technical approaches and preliminary prices for best-value-to-the-government solutions for current requirements of multiple government agencies.

BEST VALUE SOLUTIONS FOR SOLAR WIND AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS REQUIREMENTS

Introduction: Studies conducted over several years have demonstrated that several government agencies have requirements that could or must be met in earth-Lagrange 1 (L1) or Artificial Lagrange Orbits. (See Attachment F) These requirements include acquisition of solar wind data, and telecommunications access to the Earth’s South Pole, and to the National Polar Orbiting Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) satellites.   NOAA, the National Science Foundation (NSF) , and the Integrated Program Office (IPO) are issuing this joint Broad Agency Announcement in the belief that many of these requirements can be met with a common architecture with resultant economies for all customers. Other studies have indicated that a commercial solution may offer additional economies. We are particularly interested in commercial solutions that would allow us to buy our needed data and telecom services in a manner similar to current commercial communications services.

Purpose:

Task I. To produce studies developing business and technical approaches and preliminary prices for best-value-to-the-government solutions for current requirements of multiple government agencies.   Responders have broad latitude in proposing solutions that may cover a range of strategies from a government owned satellite system to the commercial satellite provision of data and telecom services, or any other strategy that meets the requirements referenced herein. The government intends to award multiple study contracts in 2005 for up to $300,000.

Task II. To develop innovative concepts for meeting some or all of NOAA’s requirements for Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) Imagery. The government may award multiple study contracts up $100,000.

Responders may submit proposals for either #1 or #2 or both.

Intent and Schedule: Input from these studies will be used to guide the government in the strategy it employs to satisfy the requirements referenced herein. Preliminary funding for a solar wind data acquisition might begin as early as 2008. Proposals are sought from responders who legally eligible to be providers of the services that are the subject of this BAA.

Responders should be aware of a relevant program under consideration at NASA:

NASA’s Centennial Challenges Program has announced a Partnership Opportunity that includes prizes for stationkeeping solar sail missions.   The government’s choice for solution of the requirements referenced in this BAA might include commercial services from an orbit that requires solar sail propulsion. In that case, the government might include in its consideration for contract award any results from possible solar sail prizes awarded under NASA’s Centennial Challenges program. Parties interested in competing for any Centennial Challenges solar sail prizes are advised to monitor the Centennial Challenges web site at www.CentennialChallenges.nasa.gov for further information.

Business Models for Requirement Solutions: Develop a business model, preliminary costs, and supporting technical and architectural designs for meeting any or all of the current agency requirements listed herein. Business models should be supported with the fullest possible level of detail. Responders are encouraged to include corporate plans, statement of assets, and any other relevant information. Proposals may include any reasonable assumptions regarding ground systems for data reception and relay, and for satellite command and control e.g. commercially provided ground facilities, government owned facilities, commercial use of government assets etc. However all cost assumptions must be clearly specified.

Additional Customer Requirements: Proposals to this BAA should be developed primarily for the Current Requirements referenced herein. However responders may choose to propose a business model that includes additional customers, either commercial or other government requirements. For instance, NOAA and NASA have been jointly considering architectures that meet NOAA’s requirements and provide communication and/or navigation services to the Earth and/or Moon to meet a portion of NASA’s future Space Exploration and Science needs. The market research supporting the inclusion of any additional customers? requirements should be included.

I.   Current Agency Requirements:

1. NOAA   Solar Wind Data Requirement: NOAA operates the Space Environment Center in Boulder, CO, which has a requirement for specified solar wind measurements every minute from a defined area of space. Responders are asked to provide yearly costs for provision of such service, and to propose any length of contract that provides best value to the government. All solar wind measurement requirements must be met by any proposed solution.

Solar Wind Measurements: Attachment A

Solar Wind Measurement Location: Attachment B

2. NSF Telecommunications Service Requirements: The National Science Foundation manages United States Research Programs in Antarctica. NSF is facing an acute data communications problem with regards to its rapidly growing scientific base at the South Pole. Attachment C contains a Request for Information advertised in Commerce Business Daily in 1999 summarizing this deficit. Responses to the 1999 RFI have not resulted in a solution of the problem listed therein.

NSF would optimally prefer to have a continuous (24-hr/day) Internet capability with data rates in excess of 50Mbps for interconnection to the U.S. Next Generation Internet infrastructure. There is a growth potential to 100 GB/day in the post 2010 timeframe.

Cost is additionally a major concern, with a desire to remain within or better than current government rates from commercial service.

Responders are encouraged to consider whether all or a portion of the NSF requirement could be satisfied in a logical and cost effective manner from a platform that is also monitoring solar wind data. You may suggest any trade or number of trades between current South Pole ground assets and/or changes to South Pole assets, and the communication subsystem on the solar wind platform. You should propose end-to-end service that delivers the data to Raytheon Polar Services Company in Centennial, CO.

Responders should assume that uplink and downlink capability from a solar wind platform would have been demonstrated prior to contract service. They should develop costs and a business approach for yearly prices for contracts of whatever length provides best value to the government.

3. Integrated Program Office (IPO) Telecommunications and Observations Service Requirements:

a. Telecommunications – The Integrated Program Office manages the procurement of the National Polar Orbiting Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS). This satellite series will perform environmental monitoring for a joint NOAA/USAF program.   Its current proposed ground system architecture consists of 15 ground sites (Safetynet Attachment D) linked mainly by fiber connections with limited commercial communication satellite relay. Earlier studies have indicated that the NPOESS High Rate Data (HRD), approximately 17 Mbps per satellite, could be cross-linked through two satellites placed out of the ecliptic, north and south, and such a strategy could result in large gross savings through the closure of most of the Safetynet ground sites, as well as an improved data latency for the NPOESS system.

Responders are invited to further develop this concept in light of the potential opportunity presented by a solar wind platform. Responders may propose any practical solution for the data cross-link between the solar wind platform and the NPOESS satellites. Responders should develop a scenario under which the cross-link capability is demonstrated; and then used in a secondary, back up mode to the baseline RF downlink on NPOESS satellites C1-3. NPOESS C4-6 would use the solar wind platform cross-link as their primary data relay, while keeping their RF system for backup. Responders may also suggest other transition schedules if merited.

b. Observations – NPOESS will also carry a suite of sensors that will allow the production of a set of Environmental Data Records (EDRs) defined in the Integrated Operational Requirements Document (IORD). Several studies have examined the desirability of meeting EDR requirements in an orbit similar to the proposed solar wind platform. (See Relevant Studies at end of document.) Responders are invited to assess the IORD and identify any NPOESS EDRs that could be met with at better-value-for-the-government from the solar wind platform.

Costs and business approach should be developed for:

     1.   The cross-link experiment between an NPOESS satellite and the solar wind platform

2.   A programmatic scenario for transitioning the NPOESS data relay system toward cross-linking data through the solar wind platform while diminishing reliance on the Safetynet ground sites.

3.   NPOESS EDRs to be delivered from the solar wind platform

OPTIONAL REQUIREMENT

Task II. NOAA Coronal Mass Ejection Imagery: NOAA has a requirement to track the progress of Coronal Mass Ejections as they transit from the sun. Our prior assumed technical solution used a telescope with an occulting disk (coronagraph), mounted on the solar platform of the GOES satellites. Some preliminary results have also recently been reported using the technique of all-sky imaging on the SMEI satellite. A preliminary assessment has also suggested that it might be possible to meet some portion of the NOAA requirement for CME imaging by upgrading imagers flown on a solar wind platform for other purposes.

We are interested in what new technical approaches might meet our requirements on any space platform. We are also interested in innovative solutions that could meet some or all of our requirements from the solar wind platform if that is a good value solution. Cost and mass are significant considerations. Our requirements are reflected in Attachment E1 and E2.

SERVICE RELIABILITY

In general government services are required at be continuous and reliable at the 96-98% level with no breaks in service longer than 15 minutes tolerated. We recognize both the novelty and complexity of providing operational services from a station located at as great a distance as the L1 orbit. Therefore in the development of costs we request that two sets (or more if desired) of cost figures be presented:

a.   The best value solution cost to the government and the estimated reliability that cost number supports

b.   Any suggested solutions and incentives that could make progress toward the 98% reliability level

DELIVERABLES AND SCHEDULE

Awardees will support a weekly telecom with the COTR.

Awardees will provide a study outline fifteen days after award of contract. They will provide a mid-point report in presentation form at a Technical Interchange Meeting 2.5 months after contract award. Final Reports shall be in Microsoft Word and Presentation formats and delivered five months after contract award.   In the development and presentation of preliminary costs, all cost bases should be included e.g. satellite, sensor, launch, operations assumptions etc. All costs should be profiled over the life of the project and include inflation.

For Requirements I

   1. Best Value Approach cost estimates for each of the following:

a.   Inflated yearly prices for the sale of solar wind data, in a multi year contract.

b   Inflated yearly prices for operational communications service for Earth’s South Pole in a multi-year contract.

c   Inflated yearly prices for experimental cross-link relay of NPOESS HRD data through the solar wind platform

2. High Reliability Mission Price estimates for items a-c.

For Requirements II

1. Coronal Mass Ejection Tracking Feasibility Study:

1.   Produce a conceptual technical design that meets most or all of the requirements outlined in Attachment E, and preliminary cost estimates

DELIVERABLES AND SCHEDULE

Awardees will support a weekly telecom with the COTR.

Awardees will provide a study outline fifteen days after award of contract. They will provide a mid-point report in presentation form at a Technical Interchange Meeting 2.5 months after contract award. Final Reports shall be in Microsoft Word and Presentation formats and delivered five months after contract award.   In the development and presentation of preliminary costs, all cost bases should be included e.g. satellite, sensor, launch, operations assumptions etc. All costs should be profiled over the life of the project and include inflation.

For Requirements I

1. Best Value Approach cost estimates for each of the following:

a.   Inflated yearly prices for the sale of solar wind data, in a multi year contract.

b   Inflated yearly prices for operational communications service for Earth’s South Pole in a multi-year contract.

c   Inflated yearly prices for experimental cross-link relay of NPOESS HRD data through the solar wind platform

2. High Reliability Mission Price estimates for items a-c.

For Requirements II

1. Coronal Mass Ejection Tracking Feasibility Study:

2. Produce a conceptual technical design that meets most or all of the requirements        outlined in Attachment E, and preliminary cost estimates

CLIN DESCRIPTION
UNIT PRICE 0001  

The Contractor shall provide all deliverables, materials and services for the performance of TASK 1 $_________ 0002   The Contractor shall provide all deliverables, materials and    services for the performance of TASK 2  $__________ TOTAL   $__________

The Contractor shall propose a firm fixed price for each task. The firm fixed price shall include the cost for all aspects of this requirement including the Bimonthly reports. FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors?Commercial Items (Jan 2004), applies to this acquisition requirement. This FAR reference can be retrieved from the Internet at the following url: www.arnet.gov./far. In accordance with FAR 52.212-1, offerors shall show the solicitation number, the time specified in the solicitation for receipt of offers, the name, address and telephone number of the offeror, a technical description of the items being offered in sufficient detail to evaluate compliance with these requirements, price, remit to address, if different than the mailing address, and a complete copy of the representations and certification at FAR 52.212-3,Offeror Representations and Certifications?Commercial Items (May 2004). Include a statement specifying the extent of agreement with all terms, conditions, and provisions included in this solicitation FAR 52.212.-2 Evaluation Commercial Items (Jan 1999) is application to this acquisition. The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. The technical evaluation factors are technical approach, personnel qualifications, and similar experience. The evaluation factors, other than price, when combined are significantly more important than cost or price. FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions? Commercial Items (Oct 2003), applies to this acquisition. FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders?Commercial Items (May 2004) applies to the acquisition with the following numbers items from the clause marked as applicable: (1), (3), (7), (13) through (19), (24), and (30). Offerors shall submit an original and two copies of the information specified by FAR 52.212-1 as stated above. The intent of this BAA is to grant study contracts for novel solutions for data and telecommunications requirements that demonstrate best values for the Government.

Proposals for Task 1 will be selected based on the following criteria:

1.   demonstration of thorough understanding of requirements

2.   relative advantage to the government of the proposed approach e.g. cost, schedule, flexibility etc.

3.   quality and quantity of evidence supporting the proposed approach

•                  prior experience with similar missions
•                  assets proportional to proposed approach
•                documentation of business soundness of any proposed commercial approach including any materials associated with due diligence exercises for investors, or governing corporate bodies.

Proposals for Task 2 will be selected based on the following criteria:

1. demonstration of a sensor concept with unique advantages of cost or mass savings regardless of flight platform.

2. demonstration of a sensor concept with exceptional suitability or advantage for flight on the platform proposed for Task 1.

All responsible sources may submit a quote which will considered by the Government. Offerors shall submit complete representations and certifications in accordance with FAR 52.212-3. Submission shall be received by July 18, 2005, at 3:00 pm local time. PLEASE LIMIT YOUR SUBMISSION TO 25 PAGES. Submission shall be received at the following location by the date and time specified above: NOAA, NESDIS Acquisition Division, Attn: Annita L. Wimbish, SSMC 3, Room 10100, OFA 64, 1315 East West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910.

Groups or individuals are further invited to the RPSI Bidders Conference on June 17, 2005, at the NOAA Building in Silver Spring, Maryland. The exact location in Silver Spring has not been determined yet. If interested in attending, please e-mail Annita Wimbish at Annita.L.Wimbish@noaa.gov by June 10, 2005, for exact location and time.

Point of Contact

Annita Wimbish, Contracting Officer, Phone 301-713-3478 x173, Fax 301-713-4155, Email annita.l.wimbish@noaa.gov

Place of Performance

Address: 1335 East West Highway SSMC-1, Room 5222 Silver Spring, Maryland

Postal Code: 20910

Country: USA