RFQ_Brand_Name_Justification.docx

Brand Name Justification

The National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) is purchasing 30 of the GILL MetPak and 30 of the GILL MaxiMet all inone sensors for an estimated $108,600. The all-in-one weather sensors are the primary weather sensors for the new Self Contained Ocean Observations Payload (SCOOP) marine weather observation system. This procurement is to purchase 30 of the MetPaks that are in the process of being commissioned with the SCOOP for deployment in 2017 and the purchase of 30 MaxiMet sensors that were identified as a possible substitute in 2016 to expand their field deployments to verify its operational readiness.

This procurement is for the brand name Gill Instruments MetPak and MaxiMet all-in-one sensors. During the initial development of the SCOOP system all of the commercially available all-in-one weather sensors were evaluated for use on the SCOOP system (see attached evaluation). A very limited number of sensors met the NDBC technical requirements. The NDBC had previous experience with the Climatronics Tacmet sensor with the 1.8 meter buoys and these sensors failed within 4 months of deployment due to water intrusion. The NDBC also had experience with the Airmar WX200 from the WaveGlider project and the sensors reliability and data accuracy after several months of deployment was lacking. The NDBC identified two other possible candidates for testing the Vaisala WXT520 and the Gill MetPak. The NDBC purchased a set of sensor of both type for laboratory testing. Upon successful completion of laboratory testing additional units were purchased for field testing and both the Vaisala WXT520 and the Gill MetPak are in the process of being commissioned for operational use with the SCOOP system. After one year of field testing the NDBC identified data outages on the WX520 that appear to be design related to a cable interface. While the NDBC is working with Vaisala to see if we can correct the design such that the wind sensor cable does not become loose with the constant motion of the NDBC buoys the NDBC is proceeding with deploying the Gill MetPak sensor. Since the inception of the SCOOP project the Gill MaxiMet sensor was developed and the published specifications matched the original NDBC requirements. In fiscal year 2016. NDBC purchased several units for laboratory testing. After successful laboratory testing one unit was deployed in the Gulf of Mexico and one unit was deployed in Canada for field testing. Initial field testing indicates that MaxiMet sensor is a suitable substitute for the MetPak as the primary sensor on the SCOOP system. This procurement includes the purchase of additional MaxiMet sensors for deployment in 2017 to gather a significant data set for possible operational commissioning on the SCOOP system.

At the initiation of the SCOOP project all-in-one sensor requirements were developed and the NDBC did a market research on all commercially available units at that time. This market research is attached. The NDBC previously had experience going back to 2005 with commercially available all-in-one sensors with our 1.8 meter buoy effort. The NDBC also had significant work with Liquid Robotics and the all-in-one sensor they used on their WaveGlider. Based on the NDBC previous experience and the market research the NDBC purchased two different models (one Viasala and one Gill) of all-in-one for testing with the SCOOP system. Both of these units are currently in the process of being operationally commissioned with the SCOOP system. The NDBC continues to do market research for other available all-in-one weather sensors. In calendar year 2015 the NDBC identified a new Gill model of all-in-one sensor that meets our technical requirements. This is the MaxiMet and one of the units being procured in this effort for field testing.

RFQ# EA-133W-17-RQ-0191