NASA/Langley Research Center, Mail Stop 144, Industry Assistance Office, Hampton, VA 23681-0001

A -- ENGINEERING & SCIENTIFIC SUPPORT FOR THE NATIONAL POLAR-ORBITING OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENT SATELLITE SYSTEM AIRBORNE SOUNDER TESTBED-INTERFEROMETER (NAST-1) INSTRUMENT SOL 1-116-RFJ.1032 DUE 050500 POC Shirley D. Evans, Contracting Officer, Phone (757) 864-2478, Fax (757) 864-7709, Email s.d.evans@larc.nasa.gov -- David H. Jones, Contracting Officer, Phone (757) 864-2421, Fax (757) 864-8863, Email D.H.JONES@larc.nasa.gov WEB: Click here for the latest information about this notice, http://nais.msfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/EPS/bizops.cgi?gr=D&pin=23#1-116-RFJ .1032. E-MAIL: Shirley D. Evans, s.d.evans@larc.nasa.gov. NASA/LaRC plans to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) for Engineering Support and Scientific Data Analysis of the National Polar-Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite Systems (NPOESS) Airborne Sounder Testbed Interferometer (NAST-I) Instrument. The NAST-I instrument is used to provide airborne infrared spectral radiances during field experiments, such as the Third Convection and Moisture Experiment (CAMEX-3) and the Winter Experiment (WINTEX). The proposed contract will require testing algorithms on NAST/SHIS (Scanning High-Resolution Interferometer Sounder) flight data, validating analyses from existing flight data, and participating in Operational Algorithm Team (OAT) meetings and reviews. In addition, analyses of the SHIS validating function for NAST-I to determine risk reduction for future sounder instruments; performance evaluation of the NAST-I instrument in the PROTEUS aircraft environment; scientific analysis of NAST-I data obtained in field deployments in or near California during fiscal year 2000; onsite participation in data gathering by NAST-I and SHIS during the Water Vapor Intensive Observing Period (IOP) III (WVIOP3) field deployment in the mid-western United States; onsite participation in data gathering by NAST-I and SHIS during the Cloud IOP field deployment in the mid-western United States and during the SAFARI field deployment in South Africa in the latter part of fiscal year 2000; and initializing some improvements to the on-line storage of NAST-I data in the NOAA meteorological database, thus making the NAST-I data available to the weather community via the internet. NASA/LaRC intends to purchase the support from the University of Wisconsin -- Madison (UW) under the authority of 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1) pursuant to FAR 6.302-1(a)(iii). The applicability of this statute is based on the fact that UW developed and owns the SHIS instrument that is required for validating the NAST-I instrument during field deployments. UW has extensive experience in FTS instruments, including design,construction, and algorithm development and is the only known entity to have designed, built, and deployed aircraft FTS instruments with the required absolute calibration for validation of the NAST-I instrument being deployed under this program. These are absolute calibration references which enable the absolute calibration of NAST-I necessary to meet IPO's goals. In addition, the continuity that is provided by the same suite of instruments in multiple field experiements enhances the data value to the IPO, by providing consistent data sets from multiple weather conditions. The Government does not intend to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12. See Note 26. See Note 22. An Ombudsman has been appointed. See Internet Note "B". Any referenced notes can be viewed at the following URL: http://genesis.gsfc.nasa.gov/nasanote.html Posted 03/23/00 (D-SN437533). (0083)

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