U.S. Department of Commerce/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, PGAS, Procurement Operations Division, General Contracts Branch, 1325 East-West Highway - Station 4301, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910-3283

66 -- GPS APPLICATION FOR RADIOSONDES NOAA/National Weather Service (NWS) currently operates a radiosonde upper air observing network comprised of 103 sites which cover the conterminous United States, Alaska, the Caribbean, and parts of the Pacific. This network collects profiles of temperature, pressure, relative humidity, wind speed, and wind direction from surface to heights exceeding 30 kilometers by use of radiosondes that are borne aloft by hydrogen or helium filled balloons. The radiosonde data is transmitted down to a ground-based system that receives and processes atmospheric data. The NWS intends to develop a new network using Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to track the radiosondes and to determine wind speed and direction. The NWS, Observing Systems Branch, Office of Systems Operations, will conduct a briefing for the industry to more fully describe its plans and to request information from industry sources regarding private sector capabilities in applying this GPS technology in the upper air observing system. This information will be considered in preparation of solicitations for this technology. Any sources interested in the plans and in supplying any portion of this replacement system are invited to attend a one day briefing by the NWS on May 31, 1995, at 10:00 am. The location of this briefing will be in the Silver Spring Metro Center IV Auditorium at 1305 East West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland. Those interested in attending may contact Mary Watson, (301) 713-0823, General Contracts Branch, to request an information package in advance of the meeting. The Government will not award a contract on the basis of this notice. (0083)

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