Nepal Geospatial and Geographic Information System (GIS) Integration Project
Added: Jan 15, 2015 9:25 am
The US Army Corps of Engineers intends to award a Sole-Source, Firm-Fixed-Price Type Professional Services contract to The Pacific Disaster Center (PDC), University of Hawaii, to provide applied information research, analysis and support for the development of more effective, policies, institutions, programs and information products for Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance to the country of Nepal. The project is a Joint effort with USACE. USACE will perform 35% of the work and PDC (through the contract) performing 65% of the work. This requirement in not expected to exceed the Simplified Acquisition Threshold. USACE has been tasked with executing the Nepal GIS Integration project on behalf of the U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM), Office of Defense Cooperation (U.S. Embassy - Kathmandu), and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). A broad set of international organizations and donors have been and are currently identifying and funding disaster preparedness programs in Nepal with a minimum of coordination. A quote mark common denominator quote mark to the value of these programs and the effectiveness of disaster preparedness and resilience efforts in general, is the development and use of geospatial information to support project activities and outcomes. Through the development and application of a unified and accessible geospatial and geographic information system (GIS) capability such an approach will enhance planning and decision making by the Government of Nepal. The PDC is a unique research organization with many federal, international and non-profit partnerships. PDC has been working with USACE on the Nepal GIS Integration project since 2011. Through this partnership, the Nepal Government has requested USACE and PDC implement a DisasterAWARE solution for the country, entitled quote mark NepalAWARE. quote mark The objective of this initiative is to improve disaster planning, preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery in Nepal. USACE will be working collaboratively through an existing partnership with the Ministry of Home Affairs' (MoHA) National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) in Nepal and the Pacific Disaster Center (PDC). The University of Hawaii is the Managing Partner of the PDC, through a Cooperative Agreement (#HQ 0034-07-2-0012) awarded by the Washington Headquarters Services. The contractor will work with governmental and non-governmental agencies/organizations for in-country support. The contractor will support U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in the completion of the 4 Tasks listed below: Task 1- Coordination Support: Current activities have focused on engaging the Nepalese Army (NA), the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) and other non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with the intention of establishing an operational collaborative network to collect and sharing key geospatial information. Proposed FY15 activities will include coordination support that will continue these efforts and expand the development of operational concepts that will include government and non-governmental organizations. Activities will include: Coordination meetings - Supporting USACE/NA/MoHA Coordination meetings with collaborating agencies, Meetings to address outreach, requirements development/understanding data access/use. Concept of Operations (CONOPs) development - Formulate initial Concept of Operations (CONOPS) for the use of the Pacific Disaster Center's (PDC) DisasterAWARE (All-hazard Warning, Analysis and Risk Evaluation) platform within the existing Nepalese disaster management context. CONOPS will factor in continuation of (1) populating in-country data server with GIS data identified to-date, (2) incorporation of PDC-hosted DisasterAWARE Emergency Operations (EMOPS) system, and (3) usage by collaborating agencies and institutions. CONOPS will address (1) disaster monitoring, and (2) planning use cases. The CONOPS forms a basis for deployment of national DisasterAWARE capability - NepalAWARE -in the future. Strategic Engagement Support - support USACE/NA/MoHA in development and execution of strategic engagement activities addressing data sharing, agency collaboration/participation, and operational planning. Deliverables: Coordination Meetings/Summaries Concept of Operations (CONOPS) Document Travel: A total of two (2) trips, comprised of eight (8) in-country days, are budgeted to accommodate the above outcomes. Task 2 - Data Sharing and Collaboration: A key element of regional collaboration is the collection, conditioning and sharing of relevant and high value data. The project team is implementing an information sharing methodology that will enable access to geospatial and attribute data using a robust decision support technology that may be used by a cross-section of Nepalese and international organizations. Proposed FY15 activities will include continued collaboration with in-country organizations that play leading roles in the collection, management and sharing of data related to earthquake hazards, baseline regional infrastructure and population and risk factors impacting the severity of a major earthquake event in the Kathmandu Valley. Activities will include: Coordination with in-country data providers - Supporting USACE/NA/MoHA in the development of data sharing agreements/technical implementation (Government of Nepal (GoN) agencies, National Emergency Operations Center, the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and other International and Non- Governmental Organizations, etc.) Data Provider Technical Exchange - Conduct a Data Provider Technical Exchange Workshop to facilitate additional information content development. Data layer selection/access/ingest - Incorporate prioritized set of resulting data into EMOPS via combination of in-country data server(s) and PDC-hosted data servers. Deliverables: Coordination Meetings/Summaries Data Provider Workshop/Summary Travel: A total of one (1) trip, comprised of four (4) in-country days, is budgeted to accommodate the above outcomes. Task 3 - Decision Support System ('NepalAWARE') Planning/Preparation: The PDC has deployed versions of its web-based software, DisasterAWARE, in Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre). Developed under DoD funding, this uniquely valuable capability is an event-based decision support system, which provides access to a variety of data/information resources from local, regional and global sources. In planning for the implementation of a similar national capability, proposed FY15 activities will determine the most effective means of providing operational access to a regional DisasterAWARE capability. This will include assessing the best means to leverage current regional capabilities consistent with current institutional/system/data sharing environments. Activities will include: Requirements vs. Existing Capabilities - Inventory existing IT and staffing capacity (data addressed above). Approach - Compare against DisasterAWARE requirements and produce 'gap assessment' as needed. Submission requirements - milestones, review process, coordinating with potential donor organizations and resources (USAID, Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster, and Civic Aid Appropriation (OHDACA), other donors). Deliverables: NepalAWARE Development Roadmap Travel: Travel, if any, to support IT activities is factored into the tasks discussed above. Task 4 - Training/Workshop Support: DisasterAWARE training and associated workshops have been used in other settings to promote the effective use of geospatial based tools and methodologies addressing disaster management. These events also ensure ongoing collaboration and engagement with local and regional organizations. The contractor's 'train the trainer' approach to DisasterAWARE instruction will be used to promote in-country continuing education in the use of DisasterAWARE and associated assessment/analysis methodologies. Proposed FY15 activities will include training and workshop sessions. Activities will include: Training for in-country organizations a) DisasterAWARE functionality b) Use case based exercises c) Best practices training sessions (user driven). Workshop/Exercise Support - addressing use cases/scenarios identified in (b) above Deliverables: Training Session and Materials Training Session Summary/Lessons Learned Travel: A total of one (1) trip, comprised of four (4) in-country days, is budgeted to accommodate the above outcomes. This is a special notice prepared in accordance with the format in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.302-1(a) (2)(iii)(A), Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. However, any firm that believes it can meet this requirement may give written notification to the Contracting Officer within 15 days from the date of publication of this announcement. Supporting evidence must be in sufficient detail to demonstrate the ability to comply with the requirement. Responses received will be evaluated; however, a determination by the Government to compete the proposed procurement based on the responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. If no responses are received, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will proceed with awarding a Firm-Fixed-Price type contract to PDC for Development of NEPAL GIS Integration Project. These services will be provided to the Institute for Water Resources, Alexandria, VA. Point of Contact for this requirement is Mr. Richard J. Pecoraro at richard.j.pecoraro@usace.army.mil, Telephone: (703) 428-6318. Address: US Army Corps of Engineers, Humphreys Engineer Center Support Activity, 7701 Telegraph Road, Alexandria, VA 22315.
W912HQ15R0003 Department of the Army Corps of Engineers National Capitol Region Humphreys Engineer Center Support Activity
1/15/15, 9:25 AM Water Resources Professional Consulting Services
Added: Jun 10, 2015 9:31 am
The U.S. Army Engineer Institute for Water Resources (IWR) was formed in 1969 to provide the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Civil Works (CW) Program with the capability to analyze and anticipate emerging water resources trends and issues facing our nation. From its beginning, responding to the sweeping changes in water resources development policies and the passage of the National Environmental Policy Act in 1969, IWR has been tackling the water resources challenges coming from an ever increasing public demand for water projects and the policy and technological challenges of the 21st Century. As such, there remains a compelling need for analytical and professional support to pursue innovative approaches to solving these new problems.USACE intends to negotiate Multiple Award Task Order Contracts on a competitive basis. Because future Task Order requirements may be satisfied by both Large and Small Businesses, USACE plans to incorporate both an unrestricted and a set-aside track for small businesses. With regard to the set-aside track, all contractors must meet the small business size standard of $15,000,000.00 under the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 541618 (Other Management Consulting Services).The scope of this effort is intended to encompass all of the Civil Works mission areas (i.e. Navigation, Flood Risk Management, Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration, Hydropower, Regulatory, Recreation, and Water Supply) The expected work will focus on the following:a. Analysis of emerging trends and issues in anticipation of changing water resources management conditions to inform the strategic direction of the CW Program and the corporate development of policies, programs and investment decision strategies.b. Systems-based planning methodologies, tools and training across CW business areas, analysis, economic and socio-economic assessments, and enterprise capacity development.c. Leadership of the USACE Economics Community of Practice, with a focus on project level, regional and national economic analysis, multi-criteria and risk-informed analysis, economic and socio-economic assessments, and enterprise capacity development.d. Development of results-oriented CW Program and project information through the management of national data systems, and application for investment decision support to USACE CW on an enterprise level.e. State-of-the-art hydrologic and hydraulic engineering methodologies, models and management systems, and associated planning and environmental methods, models and training.f. Advanced engineering risk management expertise for dam, levee and infrastructure safety, and the development, application and stewardship of the engineering practice involving contemporary risk-related methods and models.g. Assistance to USACE on anticipating, preventing or minimizing water conflicts and ensuring the interests of the public are addressed in Corps decision making, and leadership of the USACE Community of Practice for Conflict Resolution and Public Participation.h. Globally-recognized expertise on water security and Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) applied via partnerships with USACE Major Subordinate Commands (MSCs), Department of Defense (DoD) geographic Combatant Commands (COCOMs), the U.S. State Department, United Nations and other U.S. and international institutions and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), to address water and natural resources planning, water policy and governance, water management, trans-boundary water conflict mitigation, and other water-related challenges within the U.S. and around the world.i. Assistance to HQUSACE, Army, and DoD, working in partnership with USACE MSCs and DoD COCOMs, for strengthening theater security cooperation by facilitating civilian and military collaborations, emphasizing multi-national force capacity development on the life-cycle planning of the humanitarian response and consequence management across all forms of extreme water events and other natural and technological disasters.j. A critical mass of knowledge on the engineering and scientific aspects of global change and the adaptation to climate change and other risk factors in collaboration with interagency partners.k. Enterprise-level financial analysis expertise in support of the CW mission and USACE intergovernmental collaboration on public works infrastructure investment decisions.l. Policy and technical advice to USACE and Army senior leaders on a wide range of water resources, marine transportation, flood/coastal storm risk reduction, conflict resolution, international water, natural resources stewardship and ecosystem management issues.The Point of Contact for this Presolicitaiton Notice is Mr. Richard J. Pecoraro, Email: richard.j.pecoraro@usace.army.mil, TEL: (703) 428-6485.
W912HQ-15-R-0003 Department of the Army Corps of Engineers National Capitol Region Humphreys Engineer Center Support Activity
6/10/15, 9:31 AM