1305M323RNRMA0015 - Attachment 1 - Performance Work Statement.pdf

1305M323RNRMA0015 Attachment 1 – Performance Work Statement

Department of Commerce (DOC) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL)

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

Phased Array Radar Test Article For Weather Observation Risk Reduction Activation

13 June 2023

Contents

APPENDICES 3

1. INTRODUCTION 4

2. BACKGROUND 4

3. SCOPE 5

4. OBJECTIVES 5

5. TECHNICAL TASKS AND REQUIREMENTS 5

5.1. TASK 1: RADAR TEST ARTICLE (RTA) 5

5.2. TASK 2: RADAR TEST FACILITY (RTF) CONSTRUCTION 9

5.3. TASK 3: INSTALLATION AND INTEGRATION OF RTA 10

5.4. TASK 4: DOCUMENTATION AND TRAINING 11

5.5. TASK 5: SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE (5 OPTION YEARS) 12

6. PRELIMINARY AND CRITICAL DESIGN REVIEWS 12

6.1. Preliminary Design Reviews 12

6.2. Critical Design Reviews 13

6.3. Review Timeline 13

7. DELIVERABLES 13

8. KEY PERSONNEL 15

8.1. Program Manager 15

8.2. Construction Project Manager 15

8.3. Radar Systems Engineer 15

8.4. Software Systems Engineer 16

9. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE 16

10. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE 16

11. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED EQUIPMENT / INFORMATION 16

12. PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENT SUMMARY (PRS) 16

APPENDICES

Appendix A - NOAA Readiness Levels https://www.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/legacy/document/2020/Mar/Handbook_NAO216-105B_03-21-17.pdf

1. INTRODUCTION

The Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) has a need for a Phased Array Radar (PAR) test article (aka Radar Test Article or RTA). NSSL will conduct risk reduction activities that will support the National Weather Service (NWS) Analysis of Alternatives (AoA) for the next operational radar system.

NOAA OAR’s NSSL will conduct risk reduction activities on an acquired PAR test article to investigate the feasibility and capability of a dual linear polarized, S-band, PAR system that can:

● Serve as a proof-of-concept of a single face rotating PAR weather surveillance radar;

● Provide rapid volume update times (~1.5 minutes) through a combination of electronic and mechanical scanning rather than traditional mechanically rotating parabolic antennas; and

● Provide a scanning capability allowing multiple simultaneous beams to test various advanced operational modes (scanning methods) and assess data quality tradeoffs.

The technical knowledge learned from the test article risk reduction research and development (R&D) will be shared with the NWS to support their AoA for the next operational weather radar system.

2. BACKGROUND

NOAA, OAR, and NSSL have been investigating PAR technology since 2003 to meet mission-driven expanded radar requirements that support improved and enhanced weather warnings. PAR is a promising technology that has demonstrated great potential to improve warnings for various types of severe weather, primarily through the use of faster updates and adaptive scanning capabilities. However, there are many technological challenges that must be addressed before PAR technology can serve as a replacement for the current weather radar fleet consisting of the Weather Surveillance Radar – 1988 Doppler (WSR-88D) radar system. Chief among these technological challenges is the inclusion of dual polarization within the PAR technology.

To address these challenges, NOAA, in partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), developed the Advanced Technology Demonstrator (ATD), which is the first dual-polarization, S-band PAR developed specifically for weather applications. The ATD is a first-of-its-kind test system that was installed at NOAA’s NSSL in Norman, Oklahoma in 2018. Its primary objectives are to evaluate the calibration and performance of dual polarization on PAR technology and to demonstrate advanced scanning techniques for weather radars using PAR. The ATD achieved initial operating capability (IOC) in 2021 and is currently being used to conduct experiments. Development of the ATD has moved PAR technology to a NOAA Readiness Level (RL) 5 for dual polarization meteorological applications (Appendix A). Further research and development is needed before NOAA can make a decision regarding PAR technology as an appropriate replacement for the WSR-88D radar system.

In much of the work outlined above, NOAA was engaged with other Government agencies exploring a stationary, multi-face planar array or cylindrical array to satisfy weather surveillance requirements as well as aircraft surveillance. The multi-agency requirements for disparate update rates precluded a rotating planar array architecture.

However, a multi-agency solution is no longer being considered, and NOAA is now pursuing the procurement of a rotating planar PAR system for weather surveillance only. To be advantageous over conventional weather radars, a rotating planar array would need to incorporate some advanced technologies with multiple simultaneous beams to achieve the desired rapid volume updates for weather surveillance.

NOAA NWS’ Radar Operations Center (ROC) is engaged in a Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) and ongoing information technology refresh and sustaining engineering programs to extend the operational capability of the WSR- 88D system into the 2030s. NOAA anticipates making a key decision in 2028 whether to continue to maintain the current system or to replace it. NOAA has developed a research plan to enable the technological progress needed to prepare for a formal AoA to include cost-benefit analysis of:

1) Sustaining the current system through an additional SLEP;

2) Replacing WSR-88D with a new reflector dish, mechanically rotating radar system; or

3) Replacing WSR-88D with the PAR technology.

Considering the many benefits for operation already demonstrated by PAR technology, NOAA is exploring a next-generation PAR as an option to replace the WSR-88D system. Critical to NOAA is whether the technology can be matured in time to serve its need. This acquisition–and the subsequent years of research using it–will fill in a key gap in NWS’ AoA to help NOAA make an informed decision.

3. SCOPE

The Contractor shall furnish all necessary personnel, equipment, materials, supplies, and services, except as otherwise specified, to provide and install a turn-key PAR system in central Oklahoma. Scope to include construction of the radar tower, support infrastructure, training, and operational and maintenance support post installation. Real estate is not included in the scope.

4. OBJECTIVES

NOAA will acquire an azimuthally rotating, single-faced planar, dual-polarized, S-band PAR for the purpose of conducting research on the types of advanced scan strategies this architecture would enable. These scan strategies involve multiple simultaneous beams, requiring an active electronically-scanned array with a high degree of digitization. The PAR shall be an S-band radar with a broadside circular beamwidth of less than or equal to 1.75° (with a beamwidth of <1.5° preferred). The PAR shall be elevated from the surrounding ground level such that the center of the radar antenna will nominally be 15 meters in height [finalized height will be suggested by the vendor after performing the siting analysis at the proposed radar location and then confirmed by the Government at the Critical Design Review]. To be of benefit within NOAA’s timeline, the system shall be delivered and functional within 24 months of the award.

5. TECHNICAL TASKS AND REQUIREMENTS

This PWS is organized into five (5) tasks: radar test article, construction of the radar facility, installation of the radar test article, training and documentation, and support/maintenance.

5.1. TASK 1: RADAR TEST ARTICLE (RTA)

Task 1 is the development and delivery of a Radar Test Article (RTA). The RTA is defined as the rotating PAR antenna assembly, along with any associated electronics, computer servers, radio frequency (RF) equipment, mechanical equipment, cooling equipment, etc. to compose a complete functional radar system. (Note: There is some understood overlap between Task 1 and Task 2. For example, the rotating mechanism may conceptually be included in the Radar Test Facility (RTF) or RTA, depending on the design. The important point is not the breakdown of Task 1 and Task 2, but that all functional requirements are covered by the proposal.)

RTA requirements:

5.1.1. The RTA shall include an active electronically scanned array (AESA) capable of scanning ±45° off broadside in elevation and azimuth (independently) without grating lobes. It shall also be capable of scanning within the entire range of ±45° azimuth and 0-20° elevation (Earth relative) without grating lobes (simultaneous azimuth and elevation scanning).

5.1.2. The RTA shall be capable of mechanical azimuthal rotation, with a configurable rate from 0° per second to at least 25° per second.

5.1.3. The RTA shall allow continuous azimuthal rotation in either direction (clockwise or counterclockwise) through the full 360° (i.e. not tethered).

5.1.4. The RTA shall be designed to operate in the frequency range of the S-band (2.7-3.1 gigahertz GHz).

5.1.5. The RTA shall be capable of dual-linear (horizontal and vertical) polarization with a minimum of the three (3) following modes of operation:

● Transmission of horizontal polarization only or vertical polarization only;

● Simultaneous transmission of horizontal and vertical polarizations; and,

● Alternating transmission of horizontal and vertical polarizations.

The RTA shall be capable of simultaneous receive of horizontal and vertical polarizations when operating in all of the above transmission modes.

5.1.6. The RTA shall have a sensitivity of >11.0 decibels (dB) Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) for a 1 meters squared (m2) target at 100 kilometers (km) when steered electronically within ±45° azimuth, 0-20° elevation (equivalent minimum detectable signal of <10.0 decibels of Z (dBZ) at 100 km with 0.0 dB SNR).

● This sensitivity requirement is specified for conventional, single-beam operation and shall be simultaneously met with range resolution and antenna pattern requirements for this mode. It is understood that possible user-defined configurations (e.g., short pulse width, low duty cycle) and modes of operations described in this PWS (e.g., spoiled transmit, multiple simultaneous transmit) will reduce the sensitivity with respect to conventional single-beam operation.

5.1.7. The RTA antenna shall meet or exceed the following antenna pattern characteristics, for the entire range of

3.0 - 3.1 GHz:

● Beamwidth (3 dB): ≤ 1.75° at broadside, with a preferred beamwidth of ≤ 1.50°. This refers to the one-way equivalent1 circular beamwidth, which can be expressed as follows given a transmit (Tx) beamwidth 𝜃𝜃𝑡𝑡 and receive (Rx) beamwidth 𝜃𝜃𝑟𝑟:

𝜃𝜃𝑒𝑒 = √2𝜃𝜃𝑡𝑡𝜃𝜃𝑟𝑟 �𝜃𝜃𝑡𝑡2 + 𝜃𝜃𝑟𝑟2

Note: For the purpose of this requirement, only the intrinsic beamwidth of the antenna, including any tapering applied in operational conditions, should be considered. Unweighted patterns exceeding sidelobe specifications or signal processing techniques to recover resolution do not suffice for the purpose of this requirement;

● Receive Sidelobes (one-way): first sidelobe ≤ -25 dB off peak, Mean Squared Sidelobe Level (MSSL) ≤ -50 dB off peak;

● Cross-pol isolation (on transmit): > 40.0 dB at broadside for Tx; and,

● Cross-pol isolation (on receive): > 35.0 dB at broadside for Rx.

5.1.8. The RTA shall have a range resolution of <250 m.

5.1.9. The RTA shall include a means to calibrate:

● Absolute range offset: a scalar to establish a relation between received echo timing and absolute range (km);

● Absolute reflectivity offset: a scalar to establish a relationship between received echo power and absolute reflectivity (dBZ);

● Broadside differential reflectivity (ZDR) bias: a scalar to correct for the difference in power between horizontal and vertical beams at broadside;

● Scan loss: a correction for the change in gain as function of steering angle; and

● Horizontal (H)/ Vertical (V) beam peak offset: a correction for any mismatches between H and V beam peaks (both amplitude and pointing angle) as function of steering angle.

5.1.10. The RTA antenna shall be all-digital or highly digital on receive, with highly digital defined as no more than

16 receive elements per digital channel.

5.1.11. The RTA shall be capable of operating in the following modes:

● Electronic scanning while stationary;

● Electronic scanning while mechanically rotating 360° in azimuth;

● Support single-beam operation;

● Support spoiling (intentional broadening) of the transmit beam and packing of multiple simultaneous narrower receive beams within the transmit beam geometry. The RTA shall support spoiling/packing in both azimuth and elevation, with a minimum of three (3) simultaneous receive beams;

● Support multiple simultaneous transmit pulses in different directions followed by simultaneous receive (sometimes referred to as “shotgun” mode in literature), with a minimum of three (3) transmit/receive beams. Simultaneous transmit pulses and simultaneous receive beams spanning up to at least 60° in azimuth and up to at least 20° in elevation shall be supported. Flexible beamforming to align the peak of each beam with a null of the others shall be supported; and

1 Conventionally, beamwidth is understood to be the 3 dB width of a one-way antenna pattern based on the assumption of transmit/receive reciprocity. In the case of a PAR antenna, the transmit and receive patterns may not be reciprocal due to techniques employed such as thinned transmit arrays and tapering. Therefore, the conventional definition is ambiguous, and it is useful to define an unambiguous “one-way equivalent” to keep language consistent across antenna architectures. The one-way equivalent may be thought of as the one-way pattern of a hypothetical reciprocal antenna yielding the same two-way pattern as the PAR’s non-reciprocal transmit/receive combination.

● Support multiple concatenated transmit pulses in different directions followed by simultaneous receive (sometimes referred to as “machine gun” mode in literature), with a minimum of three (3) transmit/receive beams. Concatenated transmit pulses at the same center frequency and different center frequencies (to improve the ability to distinguish on receive) shall be supported. Concatenated transmit pulses and simultaneous receive beams spanning up to at least 60° in azimuth and up to at least 20° in elevation shall be supported. Flexible beamforming to align the peak of each beam with a null of the others shall be supported.

o Without blind range mitigation, multiple concatenated transmit pulses will have an adverse impact on the blind range. For demonstration of this mode, the blind range for three (3) pulses without blind range mitigation should not exceed 20 km. Blind range mitigation may be employed to more easily meet the sensitivity specifications.

5.1.12. The RTA shall support arbitrary user-defined waveforms from 0.5 to 150 microsecond (µs).

5.1.13. The RTA shall support pulse compression.

5.1.14. The RTA shall support pulse-to-pulse phase coding. That is, it shall support an arbitrary user-specified phase on a pulse-to-pulse basis and per polarization (horizontal and vertical).

5.1.15. The RTA shall support duty cycle up to at least 8 percent simultaneous dual-linear or 16 percent single polarization.

5.1.16. The RTA shall provide a real-time display of spectral moments (reflectivity, velocity, spectrum width) and dual-polarization variables (differential reflectivity, differential phase, specific differential phase, correlation coefficient).

5.1.17. The RTA shall allow recording of weather spectral moments and dual-polarization variables in CfRadial 2, a self-describing World Meteorological Organization (WMO)-approved radar data format in native polar (or radial) coordinates.

5.1.18. The RTA shall allow recording of beamformed I/Q data (i.e., the amplitude of the in-phase (I) and quadrature

(Q) signals) for each polarization channel.

● Data storage for a minimum of eight (8) hours continuous duration.

5.1.19. The RTA shall have a well-documented external interface or Application Programming Interface (API) for integration of customer command and control, signal processing, product generation, and visualization software.

5.1.20. The RTA shall be operable in instantaneous rain rates of at least 300 millimeters per hour (mm/hr) and hourly accumulations of at least 100 millimeters (mm) without damage to equipment.

● The effect of water on the radome should be taken into consideration during system design.

Electronic scanning within a wet (i.e., reflective) spherical radome can create localized areas of excessive electric field magnitude due to coherent summing (spatial focusing) of reflections. The RTA antenna must be resilient to localized reflections from water on the radome, including (but not limited to) preventing damage to Tx/Rx elements.

5.1.21. Array cooling shall be sufficient to allow operation of the radar without overheating or losing calibration (e.g., ceasing to meet sensitivity, beamwidth, or sidelobe requirements due to temperature or thermal gradients across the array) in outdoor temperatures between -30°C and +45°C.

5.1.22. The RTA shall provide active monitoring of critical system status, which at a minimum shall include an automated real-time monitoring display of critical thresholds needed to satisfy PWS 5.1.21.

5.1.23. The RTA shall have a minimum 10 percent sparing model of any known high failure rate items.

5.1.24. The RTA antenna face shall have a mechanical elevation angle between 0.0° and +3.0° if fixed. An adjustable mechanical elevation angle (i.e., a means to change the mechanical tilt) between 0.0° to +3.0° or greater is preferred. The intent of this preferred requirement is to evaluate rotating PAR performance at various fixed elevation angles.

5.1.25. The RTA development shall include native IPv6 support with a dual stack that can also connect to legacy IPv4 devices.

5.1.26. The Government shall have ownership of the delivered RTA and rights to modify hardware and software for internal Government use only.

● Modifiable source code shall be provided for all software developed under this contract, including software developed under this contract by subcontractors.

● Modifiable source code shall be provided for software required to control and operate the radar, with limited exceptions, such as:

o Firmware on embedded devices that will not be changed.

o Embedded software that is part of a COTS or third party product.

o Software for which the release of source code is not possible AND whose function cannot be reasonably replicated with releasable source code.

The Contractor requirements:

5.1.27. The Contractor shall deliver a RTA antenna report that validates the antenna patterns to provide, at a minimum:

● Validation of the broadside antenna characteristics in PWS 5.1.7;

● Horizontal polarization transmit and receive beam patterns, copolar and cross-polar, for a representative sampling of steered beam angles within ±45° azimuth and 0-20° elevation;

● Vertical polarization transmit and receive beam patterns, copolar and cross-polar, for a representative sampling of steered beam angles within ±45° azimuth and 0-20° elevation; and

● Conduct validation using the established far field calibration tower on site. The Calibration tower is considered Government Furnished Equipment (GFE); therefore, the tower details and diagrams will be provided in Government Furnished Information (GFI).

5.1.28. The Contractor shall perform the initial calibration of the RTA and deliver a RTA calibration report confirming that the RTA is within the following tolerances:

● Absolute range offset: ≤25 m

● Absolute reflectivity offset: ≤1 dB

● Broadside ZDR bias: ≤0.1 dB

● Scan loss: ≤0.5 dB flatness within an electronic scanning range of ±45° azimuth, 0-20° elevation. See

PWS 5.1.9 for the definition.

● H/V beam peak offset: ≤1 dB amplitude difference, ≤0.5° pointing angle difference across an electronic scanning range of ±45° azimuth, 0-20° elevation

5.1.29. The Contractor shall deliver RTA calibration procedures that provide procedures for obtaining new calibration values and a recommended schedule for performing calibrations.

5.1.30. The Contractor shall conduct a radiation hazard survey and deliver a RTA radiation hazard report that consist of, at a minimum:

● Validation of public/uncontrolled exposure compliance in areas accessible to the public and in/on nearby buildings and radar towers not controlled by NSSL;

● Validation of occupational/controlled exposure compliance in areas accessible to NSSL personnel while operating; and,

● Validation of functionality of RF safety features such as interlocks and sector blanking.

● Validation that the RTA meets applicable regulatory and consensus standards (e.g. from the current

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) C.95 series, maximum permissible exposure (MPE) for employees and the general public), and in consideration with contributions from other RF sources from within the restricted access areas. Power density estimates shall be validated by the Contractor through power density measurements over averaging times specified in IEEE C.95 and compared with the current IEEE C.95 MPE’s for occupational exposure estimates within the restricted access area and at areas accessible to the public such as outside of the fence line of a restricted access area or an elevated area with public access nearest to a main lobe or side lobe when the radar is operational to validate employee and public exposure estimates

5.1.31. The Contractor shall conduct a radiation emissions survey and deliver a written report of results validating compliance with Radio Frequency Authorization (RFA) and applicable Radio Spectrum Engineering Criteria (RSEC), including the ultimate suppression level for out-of-band emissions over ±500 megahertz (MHz) from the center frequency.

5.1.32. The Contractor shall conduct RTA milestone meetings with NOAA, including but not limited to the following items listed below:

● RTA Preliminary Design Review (PDR);

● RTA Critical Design Review (CDR);

● RTA Factory Test Review; and

● RTA Factory Test Report.

The scope and content of these reviews will depend on the maturity of the system in the proposal (i.e., modifications to existing product versus full custom build).

5.2. TASK 2: RADAR TEST FACILITY (RTF) CONSTRUCTION

Task 2 is the construction of a Radar Test Facility (RTF) in Norman, OK at a location approximately 200 to 225 meters southwest of the Advanced Technology Demonstrator (ATD) near the University of Oklahoma’s Max Westheimer Airport. The RTF is inclusive of the radar tower; enclosures for equipment and personnel; and all power, communications, and other support infrastructure for housing and operating the RTA (see 5.1). Electrical, natural gas, network, and non-potable water utilities will be available on-site, but it is the responsibility of the vendor to confirm all utilities, obtain necessary permits, and facilitate any necessary connections and integrations

The Contractor requirements:

5.2.1. The Contractor shall construct the RTF to house the RTA at a location 200 to 225 meters southwest of the

Advanced Technology Demonstrator (ATD) near the University of Oklahoma’s Max Westheimer Airport in Norman, OK.

5.2.2. The Contractor shall obtain all necessary permits and manage subcontractors.

● Permits shall include, but are not limited to:

■ US EPA National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Systems (NPDES); and

■ Section 438 of the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA).

5.2.3. The Contractor shall conduct RTF milestone meetings with NOAA, including but not limited to the following items listed below:

● RTF PDR; and

● RTF CDR.

○ Construction activities shall be broken into various phases: site preparation, to include site clearing, excavation, and grading; extension and installation of utility systems; installation of foundation piles and concrete foundation slab; erection of structural skeleton; and paving of the parking lot and access road.

RTF requirements:

5.2.4. The RTF shall be designed such that the center of the radar antenna will nominally be 15 meters in height above the ground [finalized height will be negotiated with the vendor after performing the siting analysis at the proposed radar location and confirmed by the Government at the Critical Design Review].

5.2.5. The RTF shall include a Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system that is capable of heating and cooling the building in all Oklahoma weather conditions. The HVAC system shall also take into consideration the heat generated by the equipment located in the building while the radar is operating.

5.2.6. The RTF shall:

● Provide an HVAC-controlled space for maintainers to access the RTA and associated equipment.

This may be satisfied, for example, by enclosing a rotating pedestal within a radome or by a rotating superstructure with the antenna on one face. Temperature shall be maintained within 15-25° C;

relative humidity shall be maintained between 20-60%.

● HVAC system shall have redundant capacity to maintain operations in the event of primary system failure; and

● Include an environmentally controlled space for local operation of the RTA.

5.2.7. The design and construction of all components of the RTF shall be in compliance with the Unified Facilities

Criteria (UFC) 1-200-01 and all of its applicable series for this type of construction. In addition to the codes and standards listed in UFC 1-200-01, the design and construction must be in accordance with the following design criteria:

● The RTF is classified as a Risk Category III building;

● The RTF shall be constructed to survive without critical damage, and protect the RTA from typical environmental extremes in central Oklahoma: temperatures of -30° C to 50° C, wind loading per ASCE 7-16 utilizing a 3-second gust of 120 mph, rain rates up to 300 mm/hr, up to 3-inch hail. Note this is a specific to the survivability of the facility including a radome, and is intentionally a separate and higher standard than that of the RTA operating conditions specifically in PWS 5.1.20 - 5.1.21;

● Seismic, snow and ice loading per the requirements of UFC 3-301-01 shall be considered; and

● Design service life for the RTF is 50 years.

5.2.8. The use of construction materials that interfere with the operation of the RTA are not permitted.

5.2.9. The RTF shall include a backup generator for powering the entire RTF and RTA if commercial power is unavailable. If the generator requires a fuel tank (as opposed to utility natural gas), capacity shall be sufficient to operate the RTF and RTA for at least forty-eight (48) hours continuously.

5.2.10. The RTF shall include an automatic transfer switch to start the generator and transfer power in the event of commercial power loss.

5.2.11. The RTF shall include a double-conversion uninterruptible power supply (UPS) sufficient to power the RTF and the RTA until the backup generator assumes the power load.

5.2.12. The RTF shall include a fire suppression system that will not cause damage to the radar equipment.

5.2.13. The RTF shall include a lightning protection system.

5.2.14. The RTF shall include lockout safety mechanisms to ensure that radiation or mechanical hazards may be removed during maintenance.

5.2.15. The RTF shall include interlocks to automatically disable radiation and motion as necessary to protect equipment and personnel.

5.2.16. The RTF shall be International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) compliant.

5.2.17. The RTF shall include a perimeter 3 meters chain link fence topped with 45 degree barbed wire arms at least

10 meters from the RTF with at least one 4 meters (vehicle/equipment access) gate and one single (pedestrian) entry gate. All gates shall be manual swinging gates. The design of the fence shall be in accordance with International Building Code (IBC) 2021.

5.2.18. Pedestrian and vehicular access gates shall consist of a locking chain link swing gate. The gate lock shall be key operable with additional security features such as padlock guard and/or hidden shackle.

5.2.19. Inside the fence should be a gravel covering with raised concrete sidewalks from the parking lot to all doors.

The design of the sidewalks shall be in accordance with IBC 2021. The gravel covering should provide a maintenance free landscape surface.

5.2.20. The RTF shall include a secure double door entry in accordance with IBC 2021 and wide enough to allow for a forklift and any spare parts or LRUs using a mortise key lock assembly to the facility suitable to allow passage of equipment needed for the maintenance of the system. A continuous paved surface (free of steps) from the parking lot to double doors, capable of supporting forklift activities, shall also be provided.

5.2.21. The RTF shall include any additional safety components as required by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

5.2.22. The RTF construction shall include an access road ~200-240 meters long [site dependent] and no less than 7 meters wide composed of asphalt to access the site from existing roads.

5.2.23. The RTF shall include a no less than 560 sq meters asphalt parking lot adjacent to the RTF to provide access for deliveries, maintenance operations, and temporary parking. The parking lot is to be located outside of the security fence. The parking lot construction shall include exterior lighting, continuous perimeter curb, and any additional bollards or curbs as necessary for protection of pedestrians and equipment from vehicular traffic.

5.2.24. The design of the access road and parking lot shall take into consideration vehicles of the size and weight required to deliver parts and components for the maintenance of the RTA and radome. Example vehicles include but are not limited to semi-trucks, forklifts, and scissor lifts.

5.2.25. All entry doors to the RTF shall be secured with CAC readers with backup physical key access.

5.2.26. The Government shall have ownership of the delivered RTF.

5.3. TASK 3: INSTALLATION AND INTEGRATION OF RTA

Task 3 is the installation/integration of the RTA within the RTF.

5.3.1. The Contractor shall be responsible for the installation of the RTA within the RTF.

5.3.2. The Contractor shall be responsible for ensuring the end-to-end operational capability of the RTA within the

RTF.

5.3.3. The Contractor shall conduct RTA/RTF integrated system milestone meetings with NOAA on-site, including but not limited to the following items listed below:

● RTA/RTF Integrated System Test Readiness Review

● RTA/RTF Integrated System Test; and

● RTA/RTF Integrated System Test Report, including but not limited to the following;

i. the RTA requirements outlined in sections 5.1.1-5.1.8; 5.1.11-5.1.19; 5.1.22; 5.1.25;

ii. the RTF requirements outlined in sections 5.2.9-5.2.11; 5.2.14-5.2.15; and the RTA/RTF integrated system requirements outlined in section 5.3.2.

5.3.4. The Contractor shall include the development and implementation of the capability for moderate impact IT security controls.

5.3.5. The RTA shall meet all aforementioned PWS specifications (i.e., from 5.1.1-5.3.4) with no more than 5% failed Tx/Rx elements after integration of the RTA with the RTF.

5.4. TASK 4: DOCUMENTATION AND TRAINING

Task 4 is the creation of documentation and training to facilitate the transfer of operations and support to the Government.

5.4.1. The Contractor shall develop a Project Management Plan, in accordance with the Project Management Book of Knowledge (PMBOK), Seventh Edition, to include deliverables and milestones for construction, design, production of the RTA, the RTF, and documentation / training materials.

5.4.2. The Contractor shall provide summarized and bulleted monthly progress reports delivered by an electronic means in a PDF format by the last business day of the month.

5.4.3. The Contractor shall deliver a formal set of documentation thoroughly describing all aspects of the RTF and RTA, including but not limited to the following:

● Operations manual describing startup, local and remote operations, and troubleshooting guide;

● System drawings and diagrams including, but not limited to the following:

i. Mechanical drawings of major mechanical systems (e.g., radar pedestal, facility infrastructure, physical assembly of equipment within the facility);

ii. Drawings and/or photos depicting physical layout of components;

iii. Block diagram(s) of the radar system and major subcomponents, including connections for power, communications, and RF equipment. Each major component should be represented and uniquely identified. The block diagram(s) and supporting text should depict functional relationships among components;

● Interface control documentation including, but not limited to the following:

i. Separate interconnection diagram(s) for major subcomponents featuring jack identifiers, physical jack types, and cable types. The interconnection diagram(s) and supporting text should depict physical relationships among components;

● Maintenance Schedule and Instructions including, but not limited to the following:

i. List of recommended periodic maintenance actions (preventative or otherwise);

ii. Identification of the intended Line Replaceable Units (LRUs) within the radar system and serviceable subcomponents;

iii. List of recommended spares, including single points of failure, LRUs, and items that are proprietary and/or not readily available as commercial off-the-shelf (COTS). The list should include the current cost, estimated cost five years after delivery, and expected time to receive parts after ordering;

iv. Remove-and-replace procedures for all LRUs;

v. Corrective maintenance and repair instructions, including troubleshooting guides for all systems;

vi. A list of single points of failure;

● System Test procedures and results; and

● As-built RTF record drawings documenting any and all changes made during construction.

Documentation shall be created with the intent of transitioning operation, maintenance, support, and enhancement of the radar platform to the Government. Maintenance documentation should be organized to help the maintainer start from a high level and locate the appropriate low-level documentation.

5.4.4. The Contractor shall provide modifiable software source code, software installation procedures, software build instructions, and related documentation for all modifiable source code as described in PWS section

5.1.26. For exceptions to PWS 5.1.26, the Contractor shall:

● Provide a description of the non-modifiable software’s function;

● Provide a justification explaining why the use of this software is necessary and provides a clear benefit to the Government;

● Provide a mitigation plan to address the need for software bug fixes and extension/enhancements; and

● Receive Government approval for the proposed exception and mitigation plan.

5.4.5. The Contractor shall provide training to the Government customer on site at the Government facilities in

Norman, OK. The training shall cover aspects of RTA/RTF operation and maintenance, including but not limited to the following:

● Operation of the radar including startup, shutdown, local operation, remote operation, command and control, live visualization, recording of data, and playback of data;

● Operation of RTF systems such as generator, uninterrupted power supply, interlocks, water chiller (if applicable);

● Performance of preventative and corrective maintenance procedures;

● Performance of calibration procedures; and

● Developer training providing an overview of customer-maintainable software and integration of customer software via application programming interface

5.4.6. The Government shall have ownership of the delivered documentation and training materials.

5.5. TASK 5: SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE (5 OPTION YEARS)

NOAA will use the RTA for risk reduction R&D and may require additional/ongoing support from the Contractor to troubleshoot the system and/or support hardware and software modifications necessary to support NOAA’s PAR R&D program. Task 5 is a support and maintenance option for the first five (5) years of operation after the date of system acceptance, on an as-needed basis.

5.5.1. The Contractor shall provide support and maintenance for up to five (5) years (Option CLINs); a 12 month

(one year) parts, labor, and initial support and maintenance warranty shall be included in the first year after delivery and acceptance by the government. This support and maintenance option shall include, at a minimum:

● An established price list for additional spares or replacement items;

● Established labor rates for hardware and software troubleshooting, technical support, fixes, and/or enhancements;

● Contractor will provide immediate off-site (virtual) support as needed by the Government. If contact with the Contractor cannot be made immediately, the Contractor is required to respond to any request for support service within one (1) business day. Business hours will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central time Monday-Friday (excluding federal holidays);

● If off-site support is unable to rectify the support and/or maintenance issue, the Contractor will provide on-site support when deemed necessary by the Government. The response time for Contractor personnel to be on-site shall not exceed one (1) calendar week from the official notification by the Government;

● The RTA and RTF shall be constructed in a manner that would allow maintainability, serviceability, modifiability and upgradeability by the Government beyond the service plan period; and

● Ongoing training and documentation for updated hardware and/or software modifications implemented over the course of the option years.

6. PRELIMINARY AND CRITICAL DESIGN REVIEWS

NOAA will require a Preliminary Design Review and a Critical Design Review as part of the acceptance criteria during the design and development phase of Task 1 and Task 2.

6.1. Preliminary Design Reviews

The PDR will commence no later than 13 weeks after award and will consist of a virtual or in-person meeting with the Key Personnel from the Contractor and the Government.

PDR deliverables, at a minimum:

● Computer generated conceptual design drawings (examples as Revit or AutoCAD) of the RTA and RTF highlighting how the design meets the functional and performance requirements within the cost and schedule constraints;

● Preliminary cooling scheme architecture;

● Preliminary RTA/RTF Power consumption numbers;

● Preliminary overall height of the RTF with clear annotation of the three dimensional specifications in the conceptual drawings; and

● Identification of risks associated with the design and mitigation approaches.

6.2. Critical Design Reviews

The CDR will commence no later than 26 weeks after award. The CDR will be required to be performed at the Government facility and will be an in-person meeting with the Key Personnel.

CDR deliverables, at a minimum:

● Computer generated actual design drawings (examples as Revit or AutoCAD) of the RTA and RTF;

● Implementation and expected performance of the operating modes described in PWS 5.1.11;

● Actual cooling scheme architecture;

● Actual power consumption numbers of the RTA/RTF; and

● Actual overall height of the RTF; with clear annotation of the three dimensional specifications in the conceptual drawings.

6.3. Review Timeline

● The Government will have 10 business days to either provide approval to proceed or provide an official feedback response after commencement of the reviews

● If applicable, the Contractor will have 10 business days to address any review concerns and resubmit

PDR and/or CDR documentation to the Government.

● The Government will have five (5) business days to review the revised documentation and either provide approval to proceed or provide a secondary official feedback response.

● If applicable, all subsequent iterations of Contractor revisions and official feedback responses from the

Government shall be completed within five (5) business days upon receipt of the revision or response.

7. DELIVERABLES

All deliverables shall follow requirements provided in Section 12 Performance Requirement Summary (PRS), which also provides performance standards, methods of surveillance and incentives for deliverables. Therefore, PRS items shall be reflected in Section 12.

Task /

PWS

section

Deliverable Time Medium/ Format/ # of Copies Submit To

5.4.1 Project Management Plan 45 days after

award

Electronic / PDF or MS Office Format

COR/PM

5.4.2 Project Monthly Progress Report Monthly after

award

Electronic / PDF or MS Office Format

COR/PM

5.1.32; 6.1 RTA Preliminary Design Review

13 weeks after award

Virtual or In person meeting in Norman, OK with electronic / PDF or MS Office Format materials

COR/PM

5.2.3; 6.1 RTF Preliminary Design Review 13 weeks after award

Virtual or In person meeting in Norman, OK with electronic / PDF or MS Office Format materials

5.1.32; 6.2 RTA Critical Design Review 26 weeks after award

In person meeting in Norman, OK with electronic / PDF or MS Office Format materials

COR/PM

5.2.3; 6.2 RTF Critical Design Review 26 weeks after award

In person meeting in Norman, OK with electronic / PDF or MS Office Format materials

COR/PM

5.1.32 RTA Factory Test Review 78 weeks after

award

Electronic / PDF or MS Office Format

COR/PM

5.4.3 System Operations Manual 80 weeks after

award

Electronic / PDF or MS Office Format

COR/PM

5.4.3 System Drawings and Diagrams 80 weeks after

award

Electronic / AutoCAD or PDF

COR/PM

5.4.3 Interface Control Documentation 80 weeks after

award

Electronic / PDF or MS Office Format

COR/PM

5.4.3 Maintenance Schedule and

Instructions

80 weeks after award

Electronic / PDF or MS Office Format

COR/PM

5.1.32 RTA Factory Test Report 82 weeks after

award

Electronic PDF or MS Office Format

COR/PM

5.5.1 Annual Support Agreement 84 weeks after

award

Electronic / PDF or MS Office Format

COR/PM

5.4.3 Delivery of System Test Procedures 88 weeks after

award

Electronic / PDF or MS Office Format

COR/PM

5.3.3 RTA/RTF Integrated Test Readiness

Review

92 weeks after award

Electronic / PDF or MS Office Format

COR/PM

5.4.4 Modifiable software source code and

related documentation

100 weeks after award

Electronic / PDF or MS Office Format

COR/PM

5.4.5 Training Materials & Documentation 100 weeks

after award

Electronic / PDF or MS Office Format

COR/PM

5.1.19 Software Application Programming

Interface (API) documentation

100 weeks after award

Electronic / PDF or MS Office Format

COR/PM

5.1.27 RTA Antenna Pattern Report 104 weeks

after award

Electronic / PDF or MS Office Format

COR/PM

5.1.28 RTA System Calibration Report 104 weeks

after award

Electronic / PDF or MS Office Format

COR/PM

5.1.29 RTA System Calibration Procedures 104 weeks

after award

Electronic / PDF or MS Office Format

COR/PM

5.1.30 RTA Radiation Hazard Report 104 weeks

after award

Electronic / PDF or MS Office Format

5.1.31 RTA Radiation Emission Report 104 weeks

after award

Electronic / PDF or MS Office Format

COR/PM

5.3.3 RTA/RTF Integrated System Test

Report

104 weeks after award

Electronic / PDF or MS Office Format

COR/PM

5.3.1 Deliver the integrated RTA within

the RTF

104 weeks after award

Electronic / PDF or MS Office Format

COR/PM

5.4.5 Conduct the training of the

RTA/RTF operations and maintenance (including delivering training materials)

104 weeks after award

In-person with media selected by vendor

COR/PM

5.1.26, 5.2.26, 5.4.6

Rights and ownership turned over to the Government (all necessary legal documentation)

104 weeks after award

Electronic / PDF or MS Office Format

8. KEY PERSONNEL

8.1. Program Manager

The Contractor shall designate a Program Manager (PM) for the contract, preferably with a system engineering background and/or experience. The PM should have experience supervising contract execution and providing overall oversight.

Minimum Qualifications:

● Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification or Federal Acquisition Certification Project/Program

Management (FAC P/PM).

● Senior level PMP or FAC P/PM Certification without lapse in certification for the past five (5) years.

● B.A/B.S. degree from an accredited institution.

● Experience with Government contracts of similar scope, size, and complexity.

● Proven track record delivering on time and under budget.

● Some experience providing oversight on projects that include a construction component.

● Management experience.

8.2. Construction Project Manager

The Contractor shall designate a Construction Project Manager for the contract, preferably as a registered Professional Engineer or required to be certified to manage construction from the Construction Management Certification Institute (CMCI) with a certification in Construction Management (CCM), certified by the American National Institute (ANSI) National Accreditation Board (ANAB). The Construction Project Manager shall plan, direct, manage and provide oversight of the design and construction of the project to ensure compliance with the Radar Test Facility (RTF) requirements, to include accomplishing the objectives within the prescribed schedule and the project milestones.

Minimum Qualifications:

● B.A/B.S. degree from an accredited institution.

● Registered Professional Engineer or evidence of being a Certified Construction Manager (CCM).

● Minimum ten years of experience with new construction of commercial or industrial facilities.

● Effective written and oral communication skills to address a wide variety of audiences.

● Minimum five years of experience as a Project Management on Government construction projects.

8.3. Radar Systems Engineer

The Contractor shall designate a Radar Systems Engineer for the contract, preferably with experience in weather radar and/or phased array radar. The Radar Systems Engineer shall have direct radar hardware project experience involving design, development and implementation. Dual polarization radar calibration experience is preferred.

Minimum Qualifications:

● B.S. degree from an accredited institution in Science or Engineering (e.g., Applied Sciences, Physics, Geosciences, Mathematics) or closely related field.

● Experience with engineering processes and working with industry.

● Direct hardware and/or software engineering experience.

8.4. Software Systems Engineer

The Contractor will be required to designate a Software Systems Engineer for Task 5 of the contract, preferably with experience in weather radar and/or phased array radar, three (3) months prior to Task 5 commencement. The Software Systems Engineer shall have direct radar software project experience involving design, development, and implementation of software, preferably for dual polarization phased array radar systems.

Minimum Qualifications:

● B.S. degree from an accredited institution in Science or Engineering (e.g., Applied Sciences, Physics, Geosciences, Mathematics, Computer Science) or closely related field.

● Direct software engineering experience.

9. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

The place of performance is at the discretion of the Contractor to fulfill the requirements of this contract. The construction of the RTF and the Integration of the RTA shall be located in Norman, OK, 200 to 225 meters southwest of the Advanced Technology Demonstrator (ATD) near the University of Oklahoma’s Max Westheimer Airport. The GPS coordinates of the site are 35°14'06.8"N 97°27'55.6"W.

10. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance of the resulting contract is estimated to be seven (7) years, with a two (2) year base period, and five (5) one-year option periods. In order to meet the aforementioned timeline, the Government anticipates receipt of the RTA (task one (5.1)), RTF (task two (5.2)), integration and installation of the RTA (task three (5.3)), and documentation and training (task four (5.4)) to occur within the two (2) year base period. The subsequent five (5) one-year option periods are for required support and maintenance services on an as-needed basis (task five (5.5)) to ensure proper use and management of the rotating PAR test article asset.

11. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED EQUIPMENT / INFORMATION

The Government will allow the Contractor to access and integrate the RTA/RTF with the far field calibration tower.

The Government will provide Interface Control Documentation for the calibration tower equipment.

12. PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENT SUMMARY (PRS)

This Performance Requirement Summary (PRS) provides performance standards, methods of surveillance and incentives for deliverables.

Task /

PWS

Section

Requirement Performance Standard Method(s) of Surveillance

Incentive

5.4.1 Project

Management Plan

Provide specifics for this requirement consistent with the PWS and free of misspellings and grammatical errors.

Quality Review of the document prior to submission.

100% inspection by the PM, COR

Past Performance Review

5.4.2 Project Monthly

Progress Report

Provides updates on project status. Updates cover at a minimum: scope (completed and future tasks), achievements, timeline, project risks, issues, mitigation plans, budget, and communication plan.

Consistent each month and free of misspellings and grammatical errors.

100% inspection by the PM, COR

Past Performance Review

5.1.32;

6.1

RTA Preliminary Design Review

RTA design is consistent with requirements in section 5.1.

Provides detailed design information.

Ability to respond to technical questions regarding the design.

Milestone meeting/review meets deliverable timeline.

100% inspection by the PM, COR

Past Performance Review

5.2.3;

6.1

RTF Preliminary Design Review

RTF design is consistent with requirements in section 5.2.

Provides detailed design information.

Ability to respond to technical questions..

Milestone meeting/review meets deliverable timeline.

100% inspection by the PM, COR

Past Performance Review

5.1.32;

6.2

RTA Critical Design Review

RTA design is consistent with requirements within the PWS.

Ability to respond to technical questions..

Milestone meeting/review meets deliverable timeline.

100% inspection by the PM, COR

Past Performance Review

5.2.3;

6.2

RTF Critical Design Review

RTF design is consistent with requirements within the PWS.

Ability to respond to technical questions.

Milestone meeting/review meets deliverable timeline.

100% inspection by the PM, COR

Past Performance…