SOLICITATION NOTICE
20 -- Satellite Communication System for NOAA Vessel OKEANOS EXPLORER
- Notice Date
- 7/27/2007
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- NAICS
- 517410
— Satellite Telecommunications
- Contracting Office
- Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Eastern Region Acquisition Division, Norfolk Federal Building, 200 Granby Street, Norfolk, VA, 23510, UNITED STATES
- ZIP Code
- 00000
- Solicitation Number
- EA133M-07-RQ-0616
- Response Due
- 8/20/2007
- Archive Date
- 12/15/2007
- Description
- The U. S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) intends to issue a purchase order for one fully operational shipboard Sea-Tel Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) satellite communication system with 3.7 meter dish operating on global C-band, compatible with the existing Earth-station to NOAA?s Network Operation Center (NOC) connection for the NOAA Ship OKEANOS EXPLORER. Purchase includes integration and installation of the system. The Requirements specify that a Sea-Tel marine stabilized VSAT with 3.7 meter dish be provided. The justification for specifying this brand name item follows at the end of this synopsis. NOAA intends to conduct this procurement in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 12, Acquisition of Commercial Items, and FAR Subpart 13.5, Test Program for Certain Commercial Items. The Government believes the Sea-Tel 3.7 meter dish can only be provided by Sea-Tel dealers, as such the simplified acquisition is issued on a restricted basis for Sea-Tel dealers only on a best value basis. The Request for Quote (RFQ) will be issued on or about August 6, 2007 with quotes due on or about August 20, 2007. NOAA intends to make a single award as a result of this RFQ. The NAIC code is 517410. The RFQ will be issued via electronic posting at Federal Business Opportunity (FEDBIZOPPS) web page www.eps.gov. Hard copies of the RFQ will not be issued. It is incumbent upon interested parties wishing to submit a quote to monitor FEDBIZOPPS for the release of the RFQ, specification, drawings and all subsequent amendments. The specification will be uploaded via www.eps.gov with the RFQ. Vendors must be registered with the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) at www.ccr.gov and obtain (and provide with the offer) a DUNs number. All responsible sources may submit a quote which shall be considered by the agency. For information concerning the acquisition, please forward inquiries via e-mail to Melissa R. Sampson, Contract Specialist at Melissa.R.Sampson@noaa.gov or via telephone at (757) 441-6561. BRAND NAME JUSTIFICATION (1) Contract Agency: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Eastern Region Acquisition Division, Norfolk, VA 23510 has a requirement for one VSAT Satellite Communication System for the NOAA Ship OKEANOS EXPLORER, to include integration and installation. This document covers the justification to include brand name descriptions in the acquisition; specifically, that the VSAT be a 3.7 meter marine stabilized dish from Sea-Tel. (2) Nature of Action being Approved: NOAA intends to procure one Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) Satellite Communication System for the NOAA Ship OKEANOS EXPLORER on a brand name specific basis pursuant to the authority of Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Subpart 6.302-1, entitled, ?Only One Responsible Source And No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements? and paragraph (c) entitled, ?Application for Brand Name Descriptions?. (3) Description of Supplies/Services: This Brand Name Justification covers the purchase of one, fully operational shipboard Sea Tel marine stabilized VSAT system with 3.7 meter dish and 16 foot diameter dome, operating on global circular C-band, compatible with the existing Earth-station to NOAA?s Network Operation Center (NOC) connection. Purchase includes integration and installation of the system. In addition, NOAA intends to purchase any necessary shore-side equipment required to establish a Virtual Private Network (VPN) or dedicated secure connection between the Earth Station Teleport and the NOAA Network (NOAA Net). System shall be integrated to provide satellite connectivity to the ship?s video, Local Area Network (LAN), Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) lines network and Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANS). This justification covers the inclusion of only the satellite communications system including the 3.7 meter dish and tracking/stabilization equipment. (4) Authority Cited: 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1) as implemented by FAR 6.302-1. (5) Reasons for Authority Cited: The NOAA Ship OKEANOS EXPLORER is a dedicated telepresence vessel designed to provide multiple high definition video transmission simultaneously from deep in the ocean. The ship is only 224 feet long with limited mast space available. Mast design and ship stability limits us to a dome of 16 feet diameter or smaller. In order to meet the high bandwidth requirement of 21 mbps ship-to-shore on global circular C-band as cost effectively as possible, NOAA requires the largest stabilized marine VSAT that can fit inside a 16-foot diameter dome. The SeaTel 3.7 meter dish is the largest commercially available stabilized marine VSAT that uses a 16 foot diameter dome. Larger dishes, up to 20 meters diameter, are common for land based application; however, they are not compatible for marine use as they can not track the satellite while the ship is in motion nor compensate for the ship?s heave, roll and pitch. The SeaTel 14600 series (3.7 meter) uses the same dish and dome as their 14400 series, which is used extensively by oil tankers and large cargo ships for television reception while far out to sea. In addition, the system has many parts in common with the SeaTel 9797, 2.4 meter C-band VSAT, which NOAA already uses and supports in the fleet. Because of this compatibility of parts with the 14400 and 9797, spare parts are less expensive and more readily available then they would be for a custom built or comparable system. Also, since NOAA is already supporting SeaTel 9797?s on four of our ships, NOAA maintains a stockpile of spares and has technicians trained in operating and supporting the SeaTel 9797. These existing spares and skills will reduce the annual cost of maintaining the 14600, both by saving time and money in training as well as requiring fewer dedicated spare parts than an incompatible system would require. The 14400 and 14600 SeaTels are proven systems, currently used on civilian and military ships. The series has a proven track record of reliability. A custom built system would have unknown reliability, require buying or building unique spare parts and require specialized training to operate and maintain. A custom built system would also require development time and significant development cost, time and money that can be saved by using this commercial off the shelf product. NOAA does not possess the knowledge and expertise to determine what a suitable equal is for each part that comprises the VSAT ?system?. Without identifiable salient characteristics, for at least the assembly and subassembly parts, NOAA can not ensure quality, form, fit and function. Therefore, procuring on a ?Brand Name or Equal? basis without identifiable salient characteristics would be contrary to NOAA procedures and bring forth latent risks as to the integrity of parts. The SeaTel 14600 is American Made, and SeaTel has an extensive distribution network through out the NOAA area of operations. SeaTel will not sell directly to the U.S. Government, but only through certified dealers. 6) Efforts to Obtain Competition: Although not all Sea-Tel dealers offer the same Sea-Tel products; specifically a 3.7 meter dish, there are at least ten dealers who do offer this size dish commercially. The requirement will be issued on FedBizOpps where all dealers have access and the opportunity to submit an offer. The requirement for a small business to provide products from a small business manufacturer that itself did not manufacture negates conducting a small business set-aside. Competition will however be sought from all Sea-Tel dealers. (7) Fair and Reasonable Determination: It is anticipated, based on competition among dealers that the cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable. (8) Market Research Conducted: Market research was conducted using the Internet to ensure that the most up-to-date data was considered as to availability commercially of a marine stabilized 3.7 meter dish. Research was also conducted at the 2006 and 2007 Satellite Trade Show, which supports the Brand Name Description that Sea- Tel is the only company who manufacturers a commercially available marine stabilized 3.7 meter dish. (9) Any Other Supporting Facts: (10) Interested Sources: Through market research, several Sea-Tel dealers expressed an interest in this requirement. (11) Actions to Overcome Barriers to Competition: The Satellite Communication Community is vast; however, as far as manufacturers of marine stabilized dishes above 2.8 meters diameter, the community shrinks considerably. This is the only VSAT of this size expected to be purchased for the NOAA fleet.
- Record
- SN01354414-W 20070729/070727220536 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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