1305M325R0002 - Attachment 1 - PAR Performance Work Statement.pdf

PAR PWS 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

December 2024

Table of Contents

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 10

5.3. TASK 3: INSTALLATION AND INTEGRATION OF RTA 12

5.4. TASK 4: DOCUMENTATION AND TRAINING 13

5.5. TASK 5: SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE (5 OPTION YEARS) 14

6. PRELIMINARY AND CRITICAL DESIGN REVIEWS 15

6.1. Preliminary Design Reviews 15

6.2. Critical Design Reviews 15

6.3. Review Timeline 15

7. DELIVERABLES 15

8. KEY PERSONNEL 18

8.1. Program Manager 18

8.2. Construction Project Manager 18

8.3. Radar Systems Engineer 18

8.4. Software Systems Engineer 19

9. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE 19

10. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE 19

11. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED EQUIPMENT / INFORMATION 19

12. PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENT SUMMARY (PRS) 20

APPENDICES

Appendix A - Site Information

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 turn-key rotating Phased Array Radar (PAR) system, with which NSSL will conduct risk reduction activities supporting the National Weather Service’s (NWS) investigation of the future operational radar system. In particular, NSSL will use the acquired radar 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 NSSL’s research activities using the acquired system will be shared with the NWS Radar Next Program to support their development of the future operational weather radar network.

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 option 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 demonstrated application of dual polarization PAR technology for meteorological applications. Further research and development is needed before NOAA can make a decision regarding PAR technology as an appropriate replacement option 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. The volume update time is a function of many configurable factors outlined in section 5 (Technical Tasks and Requirements).

NOAA NWS’ Radar Operations Center (ROC) completed a Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) in 2024 and is engaged in ongoing information technology refresh and sustaining engineering programs to extend the operational capability of the WSR-88D system into the 2030s. The NWS will design and deploy the next generation of weather surveillance radar technology to improve environmental data and products, and will be partnering with OAR to evaluate all modern technologies to enhance the NWS’s ability to observe and predict weather accurately and support emergency response to mitigate the impacts of severe weather events. 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. NOAA’s PAR research and development (R&D) activities are expected to provide continuous and iterative feedback that will inform future NWS acquisition activities. This rotating PAR acquisition–and the subsequent years of research using it–will help NOAA make informed decisions as the next generation of radars are developed, tested, and deployed for the national radar network

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 rotating PAR system in central Oklahoma. The delivered system must be capable of the operating modes (described herein) to support NSSL’s rotating PAR research. Research applying these operating modes to weather observation is not within the scope of this PWS. The scope includes the radar, construction of the radar facility, support infrastructure, training, and operational and maintenance support post installation. The real estate lease is already in place for this activity, but the vendor will be responsible for all permits unless otherwise noted.

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 2.00° (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 36 months of the award.

5. TECHNICAL TASKS AND REQUIREMENTS

This PWS is organized into five (5) tasks: radar test article, construction of the radar test 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) which will be used by NSSL to conduct risk reduction research for a rotating PAR concept of operations.

The RTA is inclusive of 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. It is understood that the exact boundary between the RTA and the Radar Test Facility (RTF, Task 2) may be dependent on the proposed design. The RTA shall be constructed in a manner that allows the government to service, maintain, modify or upgrade beyond the contract's period of performance.

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 for and capable of operating in the frequency range of the S-band (2.7-3.1 gigahertz GHz). [Note: For the purpose of this requirement, an RF Authorization will be requested by the Government.]

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 (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 assuming a pulse width of 60 microseconds (µs) or less 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 at 2.9 GHz. Although other performance requirements must be met within the entire operating range of 2.7-3.1 GHz, the following antenna pattern characteristics will be evaluated at 2.9 GHz:

● Beamwidth (3 dB): ≤ 2.00° 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 support range resolution of <25m, while meeting sensitivity and antenna pattern requirements as indicated in PWS 5.1.6 and 5.1.7. It is understood that range resolution is configuration-dependent and may be greater than 25 m for some user-defined settings (e.g., low modulation bandwidth).

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);

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.

● 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. For a highly digital design, the Government does not require a specific orientation, provided that the design meets the requirements for scanning without grating lobes (see

PWS 5.1.1).

5.1.11. The RTA shall be capable of operating in the following modes2:

● 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 (beam-to-beam, still within the -45 to +45 azimuth scanning range) and up to at least 20° (i.e., the entire elevation scanning range) in elevation shall be supported. Flexible beamforming to align the peak of each beam with a null of the others shall be supported; and

● 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 (beam-to-beam, still within the -45 to +45 azimuth scanning range) and up to at least 20° (i.e., the entire elevation scanning range) 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.

● The RTA operation shall allow modifiable and configurable radar scanning parameters in order to evaluate a variety of scan strategies for these various operating modes.

5.1.12. The RTA shall support user-defined Pulse Repetition Frequencies (PRFs) spanning from 500 Hz to 2000 Hz.

The RTA shall support varying the PRF on a CPI-to-CPI (Coherent Processing Interval) basis or pulse-to-pulse basis.

5.1.13. The RTA shall support arbitrary user-defined waveforms from 0.5 to 150 microsecond (µs). [Note: The ranges in this requirement and the previous requirement should be considered independently. It is understood that certain combinations of pulse width and PRF may exceed practical duty cycle limits.]

5.1.14. The RTA shall support pulse compression for both linear frequency modulated (LFM) and nonlinear frequency modulated (NLFM) waveforms spanning up to at least 6 MHz in bandwidth. The pulse compression replica shall be adaptable to account for system distortions.

5.1.15. 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). The user-specified phase shall be adjustable in increments not exceeding 3.0°, and the true transmitted phase shall be known within 1.5°.

2 It is required that the RTA hardware and software support operation of the RTA in each of these modes, which NSSL intends to evaluate for risk reduction research. The application of these operating modes to weather observation is not implied in this requirement.

5.1.16. The RTA shall provide a display capability that produces images of spectral moments (i.e., reflectivity, Doppler velocity, spectrum width) and dual-polarization variables (i.e., differential reflectivity, differential phase, correlation coefficient). The display capability shall at a minimum:

● Include a plan position indicator (PPI) viewer;

● Process radar data based on configurable scan parameters (i.e., pulse repetition frequency, or PRF;

rotation rate; number of samples) to a maximum altitude of 20 km;

● Provide basic clutter filtering (e.g., notch filter) to remove ground clutter and verify that the radar data are realistic; and

● Have the ability to disable any quality control algorithms and/or techniques applied so that the raw data may be visualized.

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 (in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) signals) for each polarization. Individual digital channel data storage is not required.

● Data storage for a minimum of sixteen (16) hours continuous duration.

● I/Q recorded separately for H and V polarizations for each simultaneous receive beam.

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 10 percent sparing model (rounded up to the nearest whole number) of the array electronic Line Replaceable Units (LRUs), other LRUs or components that are proprietary and/or not readily available as commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS), customer serviceable items, and any high failure rate items (i.e., Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) less than 2 years). High failure rate spares shall include components of the supporting infrastructure (e.g., electrical, cooling, data, computing) required to operate the

RTA.

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 the Government shall have rights to modify the hardware and software for internal Government use. [Note: This does not imply that the Government will own previously developed Intellectual Property.]

● 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.

● For any exceptions as allowed above, the Contractor shall:

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

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

o Provide a mitigation plan to address the need for software bug fixes and extensions/enhancements; and o Receive Government approval for the proposed exception and mitigation plan.

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). (Fiber connections between the RTA and the calibration tower will be the responsibility of the vendor.)

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 RF Authorization 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) and associated compound 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 location is in close proximity to the University of Oklahoma’s Max Westheimer Airport, and the contractor shall adhere to all Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements and regulations pertaining to construction on the leased premises.

The RTF is inclusive of the radar tower and/or structure; enclosures for equipment and personnel; and all power, communications, cooling source, and other support infrastructure for housing and operating the RTA (see 5.1). The RTF compound consists of the site surrounding the RTF, including fences and parking. Electrical, natural gas, network, and non-potable water utilities will be available on-site through OU Facilities, but it is the responsibility of the vendor to confirm all utilities, obtain necessary permits, and facilitate any necessary connections and integrations.

Payment of utilities is the responsibility of the vendor until formal Government acceptance of the RTF.

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. See Appendix A for additional site information.

● The Contractor is responsible for verifying the bounds of the lease before work starts.

● All staging, equipment, and work must remain within the lease boundary.

● The layout of the RTF compound shall be designed to locate the RTA, within the RTF, at the farthest southwest corner practical of the lease.

5.2.2. The Contractor shall obtain all necessary permits, related approvals 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); and

■ Any and all approvals, permits, and/or notifications required by the FAA (reference:

oeaaa.faa.gov).

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 a hoist or other means for maintainers to safely lift equipment to the RTA level.

● Provide enclosed access from the ground level to RTA level to protect equipment while lifting and personnel while accessing the RTA.

● Provide an HVAC-controlled space for maintainers to work on 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%. This applies to spaces where sensitive equipment resides and where maintainers may be performing maintenance activities.

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

● The RTF shall be constructed in a manner that allows the government to service, maintain, modify or upgrade beyond the contract's period of performance.

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 115 mph, rain rates up to 300 mm/hr, up to 1-inch hail.

(Large hail up to 3 inches may damage the radome and require replacement but shall not pose a risk to the electronic systems and components or survivability of the RTA.) Critical damage is defined as damage that poses environmental risk to or prevents operation of the RTA. It is understood that the structure or radome materials themselves may require maintenance, including repair or replacement.

Note this requirement is 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 (assuming normal maintenance activities, such as roof repair).

● Adhere to all local zoning requirements, including but not limited to:

■ Oklahoma Construction General permit (OKR10); and

■ Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan.

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 be serviced by 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 an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) for power conditioning and to maintain sufficient power to the RTF and the RTA to protect sensitive electronic systems and components during power spikes or a power outage until the backup generator assumes the power load.

● If the backup generator fails to start or becomes unavailable, the RTA shall be automatically shut down gracefully prior to loss of UPS power without damage to the system.

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

● The agent(s) used for the fire suppression system shall not cause bodily harm and/or death to personnel when deployed.

● The fire suppression system shall contain a warning system to personnel within the RTF to vacate prior to the deployment of the agent(s) (with some specified time interval as determined by local fire codes).

● The fire suppression system shall be equipped with an emergency shutoff switch.

● The total volume of the RTF, to include the area occupied by the RTA, shall be protected by a fire suppression system. The RTA may employ a separate fire suppression system than that protecting the rest of the RTF.

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 compound 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 with appropriate grading (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 compound construction shall include an access road ~200-240 meters long [site dependent] and no less than 24 feet (7.315 meters) wide composed of asphalt to access the site from existing roads. The constructed access road shall not impede the established drainage ditch.

5.2.23. The RTF compound shall include a no less than 560 square 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. On-site RF testing cannot occur until an RF Authorization is officially approved.

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 Contractor shall ensure that the RTA meets 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.

5.3.6. The Contractor shall provide a 12 month (one year) parts, labor, and initial support and maintenance warranty in the first year after delivery and acceptance by the Government to ensure that the delivered system is free from defects in manufacturing and production. The vendor shall be responsible for any hardware replacement and spares needed to keep the system operating within the specifications outlined in the PWS (i.e., from 5.1.1- 5.3.5) during the warranty period (including maintaining the necessary spares as described in PWS 5.1.23).

● The Contractor shall perform all corrective maintenance during the warranty period whereas the

Government will perform routine/preventive maintenance following the training and documentation provided by the Contractor. Any questions or support that arise with respect to these items shall be covered by the warranty period at no cost to the Government.

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 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 other customer serviceable items;

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, at a minimum, the expected time to receive parts after ordering;

iv. Remove-and-replace procedures for all LRUs and customer serviceable items;

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.

5.4.2. 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 5.1.26. For exceptions allowed under PWS 5.1.26, the software documentation shall include the description, justification, and mitigation information required for exceptions in PWS 5.1.26.

5.4.3. 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

5.4.4. 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 Contract Line Items

[CLINs]). This support and maintenance option shall include, at a minimum:

● The first option year is concurrent with the 12 month parts and labor warranty and would be for any changes or modifications beyond those described in PWS 5.1.1-5.4.4 (i.e. which constitute the delivered capability of the system);

● An established price list for additional spares or replacement items valid throughout the option years;

● Established labor rates for hardware and software troubleshooting, technical support, fixes (outside of and after the initial 12 month (one year) parts, labor, support and maintenance warranty), and/or enhancements (i.e., to allow capabilities beyond the existing PWS requirements);

● Contractor shall 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; and

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

6. EARNED VALUE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS

6.1. BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

6.1.1. Financial Management

● The Contractor shall establish, implement, and maintain a comprehensive cost management system for planning, authorizing, and controlling the total expenditures for each task and for providing visibility into cost performance.

● The Contractor shall provide financial cost reporting documentation. The Contractor shall report financial and cost data as a part of each Project Management Review (PMR).

● The Contractor shall implement an Earned Value Management System (EVMS) that complies with the Industry Guidelines for EVMS (ANSI/EIA748) for all cost-based CLINs.

● The Contractor shall develop and maintain on a monthly basis a Staffing Plan, as part of the PMR Package [See Deliverables Table], and brief as appropriate at a suitable forum.

6.1.2. Baseline Management

● 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.

● The Contractor shall define and implement a Contract Work Breakdown Structure (CWBS) categorizing the tasks to be performed in accordance with the contract level Project Management Plan.

● The Contractor shall establish/conduct the Integrated Baseline Review (IBR) within 60 days of contract award. [See Deliverables Table]

● The Contractor shall deliver an IBR Data Package. [See Deliverables Table]

● The Contractor shall obtain prior approval from the Government before adjusting contractual milestones, establishing Over Target Baseline (OTB), or implementing a Single Point Adjustment

(SPA).

● The Contractor may adjust cost performance data from prior months only for a) the correction of administrative errors, b) routine accounting adjustments, or c) customer-directed changes. All such prior months’ adjustments shall be implemented in the current month and addressed in that month’s Contract Performance Report (CPR), included as a part of the Integrated Program Management Report (IPMR). [See Deliverables Table]

6.1.3. Schedule Management

● The Contractor shall provide and maintain a resource loaded Integrated Master Schedule (IMS) as a part of the IPMR. [See Deliverables Table]

● The Contractor shall obtain approval from the Government prior to making changes which affect scheduled deliverables, integration/test activities, or key milestones.

● The Contractor shall provide summarized and bulleted monthly progress reports delivered by an electronic means in a PDF format by the fifteenth day of the following month. Weekly status meetings shall be held between the Contractor and the Government to share progress updates and issues. Site visits will be coordinated between the Contractor and the Government as deemed necessary by the Government.

6.2. SUBCONTRACT MANAGEMENT

● The Contractor shall be responsible for all performance, including technical, cost, and schedule performance, of all subcontractors.

● The Contractor shall make available to the Government information necessary to determine that the subcontractor is in compliance with the Project Management Plan.

● The Contractor shall ensure flow down of all Earned Value Management requirements to non-firm fixed price subcontract tiers with a period of performance (POP) greater than one year and greater than $25M value or that have been assigned a critical task as determined by the Government.

● The Contractor shall ensure that all subcontracts with a POP greater than one year and greater than $25M value or that have been assigned a critical task as determined by the Government report their monthly data for consolidation in the Integrated Program Management Report submitted to the Government.

7. 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. The Contractor shall propose the PDR and CDR schedule to the Government.

7.1. Preliminary Design Reviews

The PDR will consist of a virtual or in-person meeting with the Key Personnel from the Contractor and the Government. The final PDR schedule will be identified upon award.

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…