SOURCES SOUGHT
R -- Conduct Flights with Chemically and Meteorologically-Instrumented Aircraft to Provide Data on Trace Gas Species
- Notice Date
- 3/1/2016
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541990
— All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Western Acquisition Division-Boulder, 325 Broadway - MC3, Boulder, Colorado, 80305-3328, United States
- ZIP Code
- 80305-3328
- Solicitation Number
- 16-00540
- Archive Date
- 3/25/2016
- Point of Contact
- Susan L Labovitz, Phone: (303) 497-7943
- E-Mail Address
-
susan.labovitz@noaa.gov
(susan.labovitz@noaa.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION. The Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL), Chemical Sciences Division (CSD) is seeking sources capable of performing the requirements necessary to provide chemically- and meteorologically-instrumented light research aircraft services to support the CSD's airborne trace gas measurement program. These aircraft services will complement the capabilities of the heavy NOAA research aircraft regularly used by CSD, and provide additional schedule flexibility to respond to opportunities arising. These aircraft services are needed to provide data on trace gas species to improve our understanding of emissions location, source strength, and seasonality in support of air quality and climate science studies in support of the NOAA mission. The Government is especially interested in responses from SBA certified small business concerns that are capable of performing the work described within this notice. SCOPE OR MISSION: The Government is looking for a contractor with a light research aircraft that can be sent on scheduled research flights downwind of large, concentrated agricultural sources, and oil and gas production areas, to quantify emissions to the atmosphere. Further, the contractor will need to rapidly respond to unscheduled or accidental atmospheric releases, such as the Aliso Canyon blowout, to enable the Government to provide quantified leak rate information to responders, stakeholders, and the public. REQUIREMENTS: A candidate contractor must have an aircraft that has the capability to respond to the U. S. Department of Commerce, Boulder location for joint work with the CSD instrumented mobile laboratory. Response time may be within 2-3 hours for the required service. A candidate aircraft must be able to be temporarily redeployed within the CONUS in response to accidental releases. The candidate aircraft must be instrumented for meteorological data (at a minimum, vector winds, ambient temperature, and ambient pressure, all measured once per second with uncertainties equal to or better than ± 1 m s-1, ±1 K, and ± 10 mb), aircraft position and attitude, and for 1-second or faster measurements of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4). Total uncertainties on these 1-second data must equal to or better than ± 0.4 ppm and 100 ppt, respectively. These data must be provided electronically in quick-look form within 24 hours of each flight for prompt evaluation. Upon consultation, the candidate aircraft must be able to carry CSD-provided flight-ready chemical measurement instruments, subject to aircraft space, weight, power, and safety-of-flight constraints. The contractor will conduct research flights as requested to acquire data suitable for emissions source quantification using mass-balance methods. Flight plans will be developed in consultation with CSD and tailored to safely achieve mission objectives taking into account source strength, its expected variability in time, geographic location, terrain, and wind direction. Flight plans will require low horizontal transects at minimum safe altitudes, typically beginning at 200 m above ground level (AGL) or in accordance with FAA-permitted minima, through a maximum height of 6 km above mean sea level (MSL). Following each flight, processed first-look data will be provided electronically to CSD along with a flight summary within 24 hours of landing. Following a flight, additional calibrations and/or analysis of the flight data at the request of CSD may be provided at additional hourly rates specified in the contract. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: A 1- year base period of performance with four (4) 1-year option periods is anticipated. Initial flights are desired by May 2016, with exact dates subject to contractor availability, CSD scheduling, and weather. The Contractor shall complete all work with 30 days after receipt of a task order with appropriate adjustments for weather and aircraft and instrument readiness as needed. TYPE OF CONTRACT: An IDIQ contract is anticipated. Task orders will be issued that define specific missions. The NAICS code for this requirement is 541990 All other Professional, Scientific and Technical Services and the small-business size standard is $15M. This request for information does not constitute a commitment, implied or otherwise, that a procurement action will be issued. No entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by the Government will arise as a result of the submission of contractor's information. The Government shall not be liable for or suffer any consequential damages for proprietary information not properly identified. Proprietary information will be safeguarded in accordance with the applicable Government regulations. Please submit information to include: 1) Your firm's DUNS number & CAGE code; 2) Your firm's SBA certified small business concern status. Specifically identify if your firm is HUBZone certified, Service Disabled Veteran Owned, or SBA 8(a) program certified; 3) A brief description of your firm's recent past performance (within past 3 years) performing similar research flights describing the chemical measurements that were performed. Please provide a list of chemical and metrological measurements offered, their 1-sigma uncertainties, and note how uncertainties on the chemical and meteorological data were determined. 4) Your firm's capabilities, specifically whether your firm has an aircraft with the needed equipment. Please provide a description of the aircraft platform, its altitude range (minimum and maximum altitudes for sustained horizontal flight), endurance, and airfield requirements. Does your company have a CO2/CH4/H20 Analyzer? 5) Describe your firm's availability and flexibility. Please describe the typical time horizon for scheduling aircraft flights, and describe how many pilots are available, how many instrumented aircraft are available, and where these aircraft are located, for scheduling purposes. If aircraft are based further than 20 miles from the NOAA Chemical Sciences Division (CSD) laboratories in Boulder, CO, please indicate whether ferry fees would be incurred to reposition the aircraft to Boulder, CO prior to work commencing. 6) Identify from the performance requirements whether your firm would likely subcontract out. Any subsequent contract will contain the mandatory FAR Clause 52.219-4, Limitations on Subcontracting, which limits subcontracting costs to 50% of the price of the contract. Information must be received by the Contracting Officer, Ms. Susan Labovitz, at susan.labovitz@noaa.gov by close-of-business on Thursday, March 10, 2016. Do not call regarding this sources sought notice. Any questions or responses regarding this notice must be submitted in writing via e-mail to the above e-mail address. Firms that are interested in sub-contracting opportunities related to this project should contact interested contractors directly with inquiries, not the Contracting Officer.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DOC/NOAA/MASC/16-00540/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: Aircraft will start missions in or near Boulder, CO, Boulder, Colorado, 80305-3328, United States
- Zip Code: 80305-3328
- Zip Code: 80305-3328
- Record
- SN04035073-W 20160303/160301234249-237a420b599fdab3a57be72433c0fa3c (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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