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

D -- NATIONWIDE RADAR DATA ACCESS NETWORK SOL DTRS57-95-R-00037 DUE 021996 POC Donna J. Waldron, Contract Specialist, (617) 494-2482 Donna M. Brickley, Contracting Officer, (617) 494-3661. The Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center) intends to negotiate on a non-competitive basis with WSI, Corp. 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 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 results of the sources sought snopsis which was published on August 16, 1995 as amended by the September 1, 1995 addition supports our decesion that WSI is the only known source that has demonstrated ability to provide the requisite services meeting the following requirements: 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 types 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 contract shall povide 24 hours per day data services. For lightning detection data, the contractor shall have access to a national lightning detection network that provides detection capabilities over the contiguous 48 states and adjoining coastal area. The network accessed by the contractor shall employ technology that uses a network of direction finder sensors and time-of-arrival sensors. 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 10 km 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. This synopsis is for informational purposes only. 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 availavle under the DOT Short Term Lending Program (STLP) at prime interest rates to provide accounts receivagle 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. (0348)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0029 19951215\D-0001.SOL)