SOURCES SOUGHT
16 -- Request for Information, Meteorological Observations from Aircraft
- Notice Date
- 10/31/2003
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- Contracting Office
- 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
- ZIP Code
- 20910
- Solicitation Number
- Reference-Number-RFI-PDO2
- Response Due
- 1/31/2004
- Point of Contact
- Phillip Osborne, Contract Specialist, Phone 301-713-3405, Fax 301-713-1024, - Anita Middleton, Contract Specialist, Phone 301-713-0828 x129, Fax 301-713-0806,
- E-Mail Address
-
Phillip.Osborne@noaa.gov, Anita.R.Middleton@noaa.gov
- Description
- Description: Request for Information (RFI) for Concepts of Operation for the provision of meteorological observations from aircraft. Date: 31 Oct 2003. Contact: U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service, Office of Science and Technology (OST), Tom Roberts, 301-713-1975, 124, Thomas.Roberts@noaa.gov. Synopsis: Request for Information for Concepts of Operation for the collection of meteorological observations from aircraft. OST is requesting information on operational concepts that have the potential to achieve all or many of the requirements delineated in the National Weather Service (NWS) Statement of Need summarized below. OST is currently conducting market research only. No award is intended as a result of this synopsis nor does the Government intend to pay for information received. OST is interested in receiving information with regard to sensors and/or sensor technologies; data collection management concepts; and data collection, processing and distribution capabilities that can improve the quality, frequency, and geographic distribution of meteorological reports from aircraft. The greater temporal, spatial and vertical resolution of these reports will allow for improved forecast accuracy and more frequently updated forecasts. Statement of Need: Small-scale environmental events have profound effects on aviation safety and the economic well being of the nation. The nations? ability to predict short-term, small-scale (mesoscale) environmental change is restricted by meteorological observations that are incomplete in time and space. The government must work in partnership with industry to improve the nation?s observing systems and enhance predictive models and methods of dissemination. The NWS has a requirement for sustaining and improving the current high-resolution data set of meteorological observation elements in the troposphere provided by the Meteorological Data Communications and Reporting System (MDCRS). The MDCRS data set provides ascent, descent and en-route reports of wind speed and direction, temperature and pressure. The data is transmitted to NWS National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) where it is used in high-resolution data assimilation and forecast systems. The current MDCRS data set has three major deficiencies that the NWS wants to address with this effort. The first deficiency is the critical absence of operational water vapor data. Mesoscale reports of in-situ water vapor will result in a significant improvement in convective weather forecasts. This information may allow forecasters to predict the start time of convection within 30 minutes. The second deficiency is the lack of effective controls or mechanisms to manage and limit the collection of data relative to NWS temporal and spatial requirements. This results in a significant level of redundant observations, especially at the hub airports, and translates into excessive and unnecessary communications costs. The third deficiency is that the mix of aircraft is not optimal. The NWS prefers the ascent and decent profiles more than the enroute observations. This translates to a preference for regional carriers versus major air carriers. Mesoscale atmospheric profiles consisting of temperature, winds and moisture are needed to forecast, warn of, and verify mesoscale convective phenomena. For the purposes of this document mesoscale refers to data reporting in a horizontal spatial scale of ten?s of miles and a temporal scale from minutes to a few hours. The spatial, temporal and accuracy requirements for an improved mesoscale atmospheric observing system will be provided upon request. Please E-Mail Phillip Osborne at Phillip.Osborne@NOAA.gov for an electronic copy of the tables. Concepts of Operation: Responses should describe the offerors management and technical approaches to address the deficiencies described above, existing or projected performance capabilities, and the identification and availability of any pre-production prototype and/or production hardware. Offerors that would like to submit white papers describing their abilities to meet the requirements should request the second part of the RFI package, the NWS Statement of Need. This can be obtained by submitting a letter of interest via email to the Government Contracting Office POC listed in the first paragraph. The performance parameters for the proposed concepts of operation should be accompanied by sufficient rationale for the Government to verify the offerors claims. Responses to this RFI should be no more than 20 single sided pages, excluding any available test data. The Government is not interested in general company capability information and will not accept such submissions. Submissions will be accepted via e-mail only and should be sent to the addressee shown below. Questions concerning this RFI should be directed to the above-mentioned POCs via email.
- Record
- SN00462879-W 20031102/031031213230 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
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