DOT/RSPA/Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, 55 Broadway, Kendall Square, Cambridge, MA 02142

D -- D-- NATIONWIDE RADAR DATA ACCESS NETWORK SOL DTRS57-95-R-00037 DUE 092795 POC Donna Waldron, Contract Specialist, (617)494-2482/Donna Brickley, Contracting Officer, (617)494-3661. The Volpe National Transportation Systems Center intends to negotiate on a noncompetitive basis with WSI, Inc., for continuous access to the radar weather data base, lightning data, alphanumeric text data, high resolution gridded model data and the distribution licenses of the data. The Government has been receiving NOWRAD and NOWRAD PLUS data from WSI, Inc., using radar data formats and communications protocols which have been implemented by the Government. This data is important for the mission of the Federal Aviation Administration traffic flow management. The nationwide radar data access network includes all operational National Weather Service (NWS) network radars, available warning radars, and available NEXRAD radars. The Mosaic radar data consists of data regions of 480 x 756 pixels consisting of 2 km radar data per pixel from all available NWS radar sites within the area. The master Mosaic data base shall be available for the U.S. (48 states) which has NWS radar coverage. The data is to be made available for at least five different regions with center points which can be selected. In addition, an entire U.S. data set at 8 km resolution is to be made available. The data is to have 16 levels of radar reflectivity intensity which is consistent with the NEXRAD levels of reflectivity. The data is to be quality controlled prior to delivery to the Government. Two different typses of Mosaic data sets are to be available. One is the NOWRAD Mosaic radar which is available every 15 minutes and has human quality control editing, as well as automated computer quality control. The other is the NOWRAD PLUS Mosaic radar which is available every five minutes and has only computer quality control. The Mosaic radar weather data shall be provided over a minimum of 9.6 Kbps communication circuit. The contractor shall provide for 24 hours per day data services. For lightning detection data, the contractor shall have a national lightning detection network that provides detection capabilities over the contiguous 48 states and adjoining coastal area. The contractor shall have the technology that uses a network of direction finder sensors and time-of-arrival senors. The data includes lightning flashes, strike location (latitude/longitude) and polarity in near real-time, allowing only for processing and distribution time. The flash location data shall be accurate to within 10km or less over the contiguous 48 states. The data must be provided 24 hours a day, seven days a week. One year base period and two, one year options. In the absence of responses from firms who can demonstrate their capability to perform this requirement, the Volpe Center intends to negotiate with WSI, Inc., on a noncompetitive basis under the authority of 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1). All responsible sources may respond to the synopsis and all responses will be fully considered by the agency. Interested firms are requested to submit 2 copies of descriptive documentation in sufficient detail to allow evaluation of a bonafide capability to satisfy the stated requirement within 15 calendar days of publication of this notice. No contract will be made on the basis of offers/proposals received in response to this synopsis since this notice is not a request for offers/proposals.For Minority, Women-Owned and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises: The Department of Transportation (DOT), Office of Small and Business and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU), has a program to assist minority, women-owned and disadvantaged business enterprises to acquire short-term working capital assistance for transportation-related contracts. Loans are available under the DOT Short Term Lending Program (STLP) at prime interest rates to provide accounts receivable financing. The maximum line of credit is $500,000. For further information and applicable forms concerning the STLP, please call the OSDBU at (800) 532-1169. See Numbered Note(s): 22. (0226)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0024 19950815\D-0001.SOL)