Industry Day_slides QA.pdf

National Weather Service

Radar Next BAA Industry Kickoff Meeting

Frank W. Gallagher III, Jessica Schultz, and Mat Grow

NOAA/NWS/OBS

Jennifer Hildebrandt, Kevin Buum, and Holly Ferguson

NOAA/NWS/AGO

05 December 2024

Office of Observations

• Network of 158 S-band Doppler weather radars jointly operated by NWS, USAF, FAA

• Provides mosaic coverage of most of the Continental United States

• Most impactful NOAA observational asset supporting severe weather, flash floods, and air traffic management.

• Installed in the 1990s with a 20-year expected design life

• Dual Polarization Upgrade completed 2013 and Service Life Extension Program 2015 - 2024

NEXRAD Program: Current Operational Weather Radar

KGLD - Goodland, KS

WSR-88D KLIX 8/29/2021WSR-88D KGLD

Why an Investment in Future Radar is Needed Now

NEXRAD has exceeded its original design life

• Aging infrastructure leading to reduced reliability, availability, and maintainability

• Obsolescence/Unavailability of commercial parts

• Third-party supply chain disruptions

• Inflationary pressures (e.g., NEXRAD optical position encoders increased in price from ~$4K to $44K)

Availability will fall below requirement by mid 2030s

NWS Operating Model

OAR Phased Array Research (PAR) Research Activities

The National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) issued a pre-solicitation [SAM.Gov Pre-solicitation link] for a PAR Test Article to support continuing research:

• Improved data performance using PAR unique methods

• Exploring PAR capabilities including adaptive scanning and spoiled transmit beams

• Helping address PAR’s operational viability

• Demonstrating PAR’s benefits to operational end-user community

The work of NSSL and the PAR Test Article will inform the NWS’ Radar Next Acquisition https://sam.gov/opp/f08d96c3728d472480058bf7ead7ccae/view

Radar Next - Program Drivers

● Data Continuity

○ Continue to provide the nation with high availability dual-polarization

Doppler radar data

● Improve Data Performance

○ Integrate new science

○ Data quality

○ Spectrum congestion

○ Sidelobes / Ground Clutter / Wind Farms

● Improve Coverage and Equity

○ Improved Low level coverage

○ Greater geographic coverage

○ Improved update rate

○ Inclusion of traditionally underserved communities

Data Continuity

Improve Coverage and

Equity

Improve Data Performance

BAAs will Support Acquisition Alternative Development

Expected Outcome Description

Broaden Scope of Solutions By soliciting ideas from a wide audience, BAAs introduce novel technologies and methodologies and diverse and innovative solutions that might not be considered otherwise

Cutting-edge Research BAAs often attract proposals that incorporate the latest research and technological advancements, enriching the AoA process

Foster Collaboration BAAs foster collaboration between agencies and the research community, leading to a rich exchange of ideas and expertise

Flexibility and Adaptability The open-ended nature of BAAs allows for flexibility in exploring unconventional solutions

Questions Challenges

BAA

BAA

BAA

Risks Knowledge Gaps

What We Are Looking For in BAA Tier One

● PAR Technology and Costs

○ ROM Cost estimates to build and maintain an operational weather PAR

○ Level of effort and schedule to mature existing PAR technologies for weather applications

● Other Maturing Technologies

○ Mechanical, rotating dish

○ Advantages, disadvantages, risks, technical readiness levels and estimated efforts to mature

Weather Radar Technology

● Recommendations on Radar Operations (including use of AI and advance scanning strategies)

● Centralized Command & Control

● Maintenance & Logistics Improvements

● Alternative Deployment Concepts (i.e., hybrid options)

○ Applications for PAR technology for the most beneficial uses

○ Novel concepts for expansion of coverage

● Integration of Data from Various Sources (example: federal, state, local, international, commercial)

● Novel Concepts for Commercial operations and/or data integration

Operational Concepts

What We Are Looking For in BAA Tier Two and Three

● Frequency Bandwidth Implications for PAR

● Future Radar Architecture

● Use of PAR Systems (non-Tier 1 interests)

● Radar Networking and Infrastructure

● Weather Radar Tech Advancements in Weather Detection

● Application of AI in Radar Technology

● Mobile Radar Technology and Operations

● Weather Radar Technology Maturation

Weather Radar Technology and Capabilities

Industry Engagement

Subject to FAR 52.232-18 Availability of Funds

11Note: These dates are notional and subject to change as Program evolves.

Radar Next Notional Timeline

Design and Development

Initiation and Planning

Production

Operation and Maintenance

Prototypes and Initial Production

Requirements and Alternatives

Full Production and Deployment

Full Operations and Tech. On-ramps

Acquisition and Grants Office (AGO)

Introductions and Description of the BAA Process

NOAA Acquisition and Grants Office (AGO)

• Jennifer Hildebrandt, Branch Chief

• Kevin Buum, Contracting Officer

• Holly Ferguson, Contract Specialist

Request for Information (RFI)

• A RFI was posted on 8/6/24 to better understand technological capabilities of vendors to support the next generation NWS Doppler weather radar surveillance system

• The RFI closed on 9/20/24; however, it will remain active for any late submissions until 12/31/24

• The Government reviewed and analyzed responses and provided follow-up questions back to several vendors

• Moving forward, the program may release an additional RFI(s). Announcements and/or updates will be posted to sam.gov

RFI Topics

● Doppler Weather Radar

Capability

● Improved Radar Technologies

● PAR Technology

● PAR Antenna Technology

● (Other) Antenna Technology

● Improved Radial Velocity Measurements

● Faster Volume Scanning

● Maintenance and Repair Concepts

● Operational Use of PAR

● Mobile Radar Technology and Operations https://sam.gov/opp/cc3436a8011e4f7da30acac733184a0d/view

BAA Process Overview

Subject to FAR 52.232-18 Availability of Funds

A tiered BAA is planned for release in late December 2024 for research and exploratory development of new technologies to improve detection of severe weather using radar

BAA (Tier 1): One Step Process

● Solicit proposals from industry on concepts responsive to technical content of the BAA

● Proposals reviewed by a technical evaluation board

● Selection based on strength of concept and available funding

BAA (Tier 2 and 3): Two-Step Process

● Solicit white papers from industry on concepts responsive to technical content of the BAA

● White Papers reviewed by a technical evaluation board

● Sub-set of White Papers selected to receive Invitations for Proposals

● Selection based on strength of concept and available funding

One-on-One Opportunities

• One-on-one Q&A breakout sessions will be available to interested parties after the release of the BAA

• 30 minute sessions will be available between 12:00 - 3:00 pm EST January 21 - 30, 2025

• Instructions will be provided in the BAA

• Registration will be similar to Industry Day registration via link provided in the Attachments/Links section of the BAA and as an amendment posted to the industry day notice on SAM.gov https://sam.gov/opp/753859e51f464afb862cb49bb56b466c/view

What to expect next…

January 21 - 30, 2024

Broad Agency Announcement Release

Tier Two & Three: Response Due

Industry 1:1 Sessions

Tier One: Response Due

December 20, 2024

February 28, 2025

March 31, 2025

Note: These dates are notional and subject to change as Program evolves.

Tier Two & Three: Potential Awards

Tier One: Initial AwardApril 2025

May - September 2025

Questions and Answers Radar Next Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) Industry Day

December 5, 2024

Are you open to bi-static using any available transmitter of opportunity at all frequencies between 100KHz and 10 GHz?

We are open to bi-static and multi-static radars if they are listing on any of these frequencies. We are primarily focusing on transmitting in the traditional S-band, C-band, and X-band radar weather bands. However, we would be interested in hearing your concept.

Do we have any information on the available budget for the BAAs and contract types?

The contract types will be firm-fixed price. The budget is approximately $1M - $6M, which will be facilitated between the tiers of priority, and based on availability of funding.

Could you expand on the data integration and quality modernization needs? What in comparison to today needs to change? Visual or actual data metrics in what you just described?

We have radars that are dispersed all across the country and typically flows into the National Weather Service program called Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System or AWIPS. These are all S-band radars and very similar in capability. We can envision having multiple radar types such as S-, C-, and X-band, mobile radars, portable radars, and commercial data. All of these needs to be integrated into a single display that allows us to create products off of the singular or singular/combined data set. We want to make sure that the data we collect is something that is meteorological relevant and useful.

As far as data quality, we are looking to mitigate challenges that are very much an issue now, but may not have been an issue 30 years ago. For example, wind turbine mitigation, frequency issues, and other issues that a future radar system will need to address.

There is not a set answer on what we are looking for. We are looking for a number of different ideas.

What is the anticipated length of the POP for each of the studies?

When you’re submitting your response, it needs to fit within the needs of the study.

Ultimately, it depends on the tier, response, and need at the time. We are not looking for long-term studies based on our notional timeline (page 11 of the slide deck).

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

OFFICE OF ACQUISITION AND GRANTS

Eastern Acquisition Division