N0018918QZ763_SOW_-_USNO_VLBA_Network_Connectivity.docx

Performance Work Statement (PWS)

Project Title: Maintenance and Support necessary to maintain high speed network connectivity to the point of presence (PoP) at the VLBA radio telescope stations at Pie Town, NM and Mauna Kea, HI.

1. Background.

The mission of the U.S. Naval Observatory (USNO) is to determine time, both atomic and astronomical, determine and predict the positions of celestial objects, determine the precise orientation and rotation of the Earth, and provide this data to the Department of Defense (DoD). The USNO also carries out research to meet future needs of the DoD in these areas. Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) observations are used by the USNO to determine and predict the variable orientation of the Earth in three-dimensional space as well as to maintain the positions of the extragalactic radio sources which form the basis for the quasi-inertial celestial reference frame within which the Earth Orientation Parameters (EOP) are determined. The USNO is developing a state-of-the-art electronic VLBI (eVLBI) capability to take advantage of advances in the electronic transmission of observational VLBI data over the Internet to enable near real-time operations in support of GPSIII. A major requirement is that all the data collection sites must be located on CONUS, Hawaii, and U.S. held territories in order to guarantee uninterrupted data flow to support daily GPS operations.

The VLBA is a unique facility operated by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation (NSF) and Associated Universities, Inc. The VLBA consists of 10 VLBI radio telescopes located within CONUS, Hawaii and the US Virgin Islands. In FY 2011, NRAO was under contract to develop and implement a new capability at the VLBA radio telescopes located at Pie Town, NM and Mauna Kea, HI. NRAO successfully developed this capability. The new hardware and software presently installed, provides access to VLBI data obtained by these radio telescopes in electronic format via the high-speed Internet. The data are available to the Washington Correlator located at USNO. The USNO uses this VLBI data for EOP estimation and maintenance of the celestial reference frame. Data from these two radio telescopes is now available at a point of presence (PoP) on the high-speed Internet such that USNO personnel are able to remotely initiate and perform electronic transfer between the PoP and the Washington Correlator at USNO.Because of their unique geographic locations, USNO requires the continued use of the VLBA radio telescopes located at Pie Town, NM and Mauna Kea, HI.

In addition to the present capabilities there is the opportunity to support a similar high-speed connection to the Saint Croix station in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The longer baseline length between Saint Croix and Mauna Kea would provide increased accuracy over the current Mauna Kea, Pie Town baseline and be a wholly U.S.-based baseline on par with the present Kokee Park, Wettzell Germany intensive. This would in turn further improve the VLBI data used for EOP estimation and maintenance of the celestial reference frame.

2. Tasks. The specific tasks to be performed are described below.

a. Maintenance and support of the fiber connection to the Pie Town, NM VLBA site

The contractor will be responsible for ensuring high-speed network connectivity between the VLBA station at Pie Town, NM and the Internet PoP at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, NM. This maintenance and support will include the fiber connection between the Pie Town VLBA station and the nearby Very Large Array (VLA), plus shared network links from the VLA to the Domenici Science Operations Center (DSOC) in Socorro, NM and from the DSOC to the 10 Gbps Internet PoP at the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque. The supported network links will allow for the continued transfer of VLBI data obtained with the Pie Town VLBA station to the Washington Correlator at the USNO.

b. Maintenance and support of station recording and networking equipment at the Pie Town, NM and Mauna Kea, HI VLBA sites

The contractor will be responsible for supporting and maintaining the existing recording and networking equipment inside the VLBA facilities at Pie Town, NM and Mauna Kea, HI necessary to ensure the continued delivery of VLBI data from the stations to the Washington Correlator at the USNO.

c. Option of connection of Saint Croix VLBA site to and maintenance of its high-speed connection to the PoP

The contractor will be responsible for ensuring high-speed network connectivity between the VLBA station at St. Croix, USVI M and a suitable nearby Internet PoP. The supported network links will allow for the transfer of VLBI data obtained with the St. Croix VLBA station to the Washington Correlator at the USNO.

3. Facilities and Equipment.

a. All necessary planning, procurement and support for the completion of these tasks can be performed at the contractor’s place of work. Maintenance activities for the recording and networking equipment can take place at the contractor’s place of work and at the VLBA sites at Pie Town, NM and Mauna Kea, HI.

b. Meetings related to the project shall take place via teleconference and in person at the contractor’s facility and/or at the USNO’s DC facility.

4. Contractor Qualifications.

The USNO requires the continued use of the VLBA radio telescopes located at Pie Town, NM and Mauna Kea, HI because of their unique geographic locations. The USNO requires a contractor capable of maintaining the equipment, firmware, and software necessary for the continued flow of VLBI data from these stations. In addition, USNO requires the contractor to provide high-speed network connectivity to the VLBA station at Pie Town, NM.

5. Period of Performance and Payments.

The period of performance should extend from the contract award date through 12 months. Additionally, four (4) 12-month option periods will be a part of the resultant contract.

6. Point of Contact

Technical point of contact is [to be determined]

7. Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP):