United States - Notice of Intent to Sole Source - Installation and Testing of NASA's Goddard Lidar

Description

Added: Jun 05, 2019 9:32 am

This is a Notice of Proposed Contract Action Synopsis. There is no solicitation available at this time. Requests for a solicitation will receive no response. This Proposed Contract Action is published to notify potential sources that The Rocky Mountain Research Station intends to award a sole source firm-fixed price contract, on behalf of the USDA Forest Service, to the Dynamic Aviation Group for the installation and testing of NASA Goddard's Lidar, Hyperspectral and Thermal (G-LiHT) airborne imager on an A90 King Air project for the Moscow Lab located in Moscow, ID.

 
This procurement is for the 1) installation and testing of NASA Goddard's Lidar, Hyperspectral and Thermal (G-LiHT) airborne imager on an A90 King Air operated by Dynamic Aviation (Bridgewater, VA), and 2) aircraft ferrying and approximately 100 hours of science flights for 3 post-fire data collections at 3 fires located in central UT, northern CA, and southwestern OR in late June 2019.
The following are additional reasons why only this aircraft provider and platform are suitable for the mission:
1) A twin engine platform with up to 4000 lb payload and 1000 nm range is required for a non-stop transit from New Mexico to Oregon. The central Utah collection is conveniently situated at the midpoint of the transit route, and it is small, such that it can be accomplished en route and in conjunction with a refueling stop.
2) A large (23 x 25 inch), nadir-looking camera port is required to accommodate the field of view of G-LiHT's instruments.
3) A custom mount on top of the aircraft is required for the GPS antenna and cosine diffusor that is used to measure downwelling solar irradiance spectra.
4) Aircraft provides up to 800 W of auxiliary power to power G-LiHT instruments and data acquisition system.
5) Integration hardware, test flights, and airworthiness and safety approvals will be completed for use of G-LiHT on this aircraft. (NOTE: Instrument installations and NASA airworthiness and safety approvals are linked to specific providers, aircraft and tail numbers).
6) Provider must be FAA Part 135 Certified, as required by NASA Procedural Requirements for Aircraft Operations and Management (NPR 7900.3D).
7) Aircraft provider must maintain and operate multiple aircraft of this type (Dynamic Aviation has a fleet of twelve, A90 King Air) as part of the campaign's risk reduction plan (i.e., avoiding scheduling conflicts and maintenance issues).
8) Provider must have prior experience flying remote sensing campaigns for NASA, including approval by NASA following an on-site inspection and flight readiness and safety review.
9) Pilots must have Class 1 medicals and experience with flight line following for remote sensing acquisitions.
10) Close proximity to NASA GSFC (<200 mi) is required so sensitive instruments to be hand carried and supervised by G-LiHT instrument scientists.
 
The proposed contract action is for services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under the authority of FAR 6.302. Interested persons may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement or submit proposals. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. Date posted to FedBizOpps: 05 JUN 2019. Date posting will close: 15 JUN 2019. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 541360. The Size Standard is $15 million. The desired period of performance for the services described herein is anticipated to be from June 2019 through July 2019. The responses to this synopsis will be used to confirm that this is a sole source requirement. This notice is not a Request for Proposals (RFP); it is a market research tool being utilized to determine the availability and adequacy of potential sources prior to awarding the contract. Any information submitted by respondents to this synopsis is strictly voluntary. The Government will not pay for any information that is submitted by respondents to this notice of proposed contract action. Contractors who believe they possess the expertise and experience shall submit technical capabilities in writing to Anthony Salas, RMRS Acquisition Management, USDA Forest Service, 240 West Prospect Road, Fort Collins, CO 80526, or electronically to: anthony.salas@usda.gov. Responses must be received no later than 11:00 a.m. MDT 15 JUN 2019. All documentation shall become the property of the Government. Firms responding must indicate the following information: Indicate the business size: small business or disadvantaged business, veteran owned small business or HUB Zone certified, and indicate the appropriate NAICS code. This synopsis neither constitutes a Request for Proposal, nor does it restrict the Government to a particular acquisition approach. This synopsis should not be construed as commitment by the Government for any purpose other than market research.

Opportunity closing date

15 June 2019

Value of contract

to be confirmed