IRIS/SIGMET Annual Support for the Program Branch in Norman, OK

The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Eastern Acquisition Division – Kansas City office intends to award, on a sole source basis, under the authority of FAR 13.106(b)(1), with Vaisala Inc. in Louisville, CO a purchase order for IRIS/SIGMET Annual Support for the Program Branch in Norman, OK.

The Government intends to utilize the authority under the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 13.106(b)(1), Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services will satisfy agency requirements, unless, as a result of this announcement, acceptable responses to this notice are received and a determination is made by the Government to issue a competitive solicitation. The Government intends to award a purchase order to Vaisala Inc.

Sole Source Justification:

This software is unique and highly specialized. The ROC has invested many man years in the development, verification, and maintenance of the WSR-88D system based on the IFDR to ensure the highest data quality is available from the device to meet the mission of the radar to protect lives and property by supporting advanced severe weather warning for government meteorologists. The ROC has developed extension to the specialized Vaisala software to enhance WSR-88D system operation. No other software has this specialized level of development making it the required software for use in the radar. No other vendor makes compatible software updates and patches, or provides the advanced specialized and proprietary information about the IFDR.

Without this software and engineering support, there is increased risk of WSR-88D radar downtime. Without the software support the ROC may not be able to update the WSR-88D radar operating system to Redhat Enterprise Linux version 9. The operating systems must be updated, and regularly patched for the ROC to maintain the system ‘Authority to Operate’. This software support is needed to support the operating system update effort due to be undertaken in the next year.

IRIS software used with the NEXRAD radar has been specialized to provide several engineering calibration outputs that are required in evaluating the performance of the WSR- 88D radar and the IFDR units. No other software is designed to both interface with these units and provide this data.

Attempts to modify the WSR-88D to not use Vaisala proprietary hardware components and software are not possible. Modification of the WSR-88D to use a component other than the IFDR, and software other than the Vaisala IRIS software would take approximately $80 million, and 5 or six years. Only this sole source purchase can provide the government the needed software and engineering support for the WSR- 88D radar.

This special notice is not a request for competitive offerors and no solicitation package is available. However, firms that believe they can provide this supply may submit substantiating documentation in writing within fifteen business days of this notice. Responses can be sent via e-mail to Abigail.green@noaa.gov. Documentation will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. A determination by the Government not to conduct a competitive procurement, based upon response to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government. Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice. If no documentation is received, award will be made directly to Vaisala Inc.

DOC, Eastern Acquisition Division requires that all contractors doing business with this office be registered with the System for Award Management (SAM). No award can be made to a company not registered in SAM. Contractors active in SAM have a

unique entity identifier (UEI) that is used to do business with the federal government. The Government has moved to a free new, non-proprietary identifier that will have to be requested in, and assigned by, the System for Award Management (SAM.gov). You can register and access the site by going to www.sam.gov.