NE-EP000-22-01379_Single Source Determination Using SAP REDACTED.pdf

SINGLE SOURCE DETERMINATION USING

SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION PROCEDURES (SAP)

FOR AN ACTION NOT EXCEEDING THE SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION THRESHOLD

(AUTHORITY: FAR 13.106-1(b)(1))

NE-EP000-22-01379

1. Agency and contracting activity. Department of Commerce, NOAA Acquisition and Grants

Office (AGO), Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS), Headquarters Field Delegate and NESDIS Program Offices.

2. Description of supplies or services required to meet agency needs (including the estimated value). NOAA requires engagement with key stakeholders and the public in order to assess the value of proposed satellite systems, including the value of information from sensor configurations, on human health. We are seeking a single source purchase order for services to Arizona State University (ASU) to develop and conduct a collaborative assessment with the local air-quality stakeholder community in central Arizona. Services shall include as assessment of the value of information derived from future NOAA satellite instrument packages on the GeoXO satellite. The performer will develop a series of engagements with stakeholders, identify public health interventions related to satellite information on health-seeking behavior and outcomes, and evaluate the relative and absolute monetary value of these interventions on human health. This project will require substantial involvement with NOAA staff scientists.

Scope:

● Identify and roster key government and industry stakeholders in central Arizona including but not limited to Maricopa County, the City of Phoenix, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, NOAA staff and federal inter-agency stakeholders.

● Conduct a minimum of two collaborative stakeholder sessions with senior leadership from stakeholder organizations to present results of assessments and participate in first-person experiential decision-making sessions (exercises) to identify potential interventions to avoid/limit health-related air quality exposure to particulate matter and ozone.

● Review technical parameters of proposed satellite instrumentation for proposed sounder instrument; develop assessment of predictive value of information streams from those instruments in notional terms.

● Develop ‘value of information’ assessment to link national GeoXO satellite information streams into publicly understandable information products that could be delivered through digital information systems based on air-quality readings.

● Develop a risk-based valuation model of potential savings from cost of health detriments that could be prevented or mitigated.

● Evaluate the relative and absolute efficacy of interventions identified in stakeholder sessions in monetary units.

Period and Place of Performance:

All in-person stakeholder meetings will occur within central Arizona (Maricopa County).

Period of Performance: 12 months from date of award.

Cost:

The IGCE for this award is $XXXX. There are no options.

(Insert PR/RFQ number, as applicable)

3. Identification of the single source or the brand name to be solicited.

Arizona State University Knowledge Enterprise 300 E University Dr Tempe AZ, 85281

Point of Contact:

Tim Lant, Ph.D.

Director of Program Development Knowledge Enterprise Email: XXXX@asu.edu

(XXX)XXXXXXX

4. Supporting rationale. Only one source or brand name is reasonably available as detailed below:

X Other - Only one source is capable - Arizona State University is uniquely qualified to provide the services identified in the Statement of Objectives (SOO) to NOAA based on the following considerations:

Arizona State University is uniquely qualified to provide the services identified in the Statement of Objectives (SOO) to NOAA. ASU is the only source capable of executing these services in central Arizona based on the following considerations:

a. The Phoenix-Mesa area, located within Maricopa County, Arizona, ranks within the top 11 worst polluted cities in the United States for all three metrics tracked by the American Lung Association 2022 State of the Air Report1: ozone, year-round particle pollution, and short-term particle solution.

b. The Statement of Objectives requires a local, research-intensive university with prior specialized expertise in stakeholder research methods, air-quality studies, health outcomes, and economic assessments. Arizona State University is the only research university located within the study location with this experience.

c. Arizona State University conducts research projects with the state government air quality agency, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), using sensor platforms developed in coordination with ADEQ and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

d. Due to the important and sensitive nature of air-quality impacts on health outcomes, it is a requirement that the contractor be from a non-profit educational institution. Arizona State University is the only qualified non-profit research university headquartered in Maricopa County, AZ.

e. Arizona State University employs the technical subject matter experts in air quality, econometrics, and remote sensing technology assessment needed to assess the satellite technology, and specifically the proposed sounder device.

If this requirement is not solicited from ASU there will be multiple negative impacts to the NOAA program including:

1 https://www.lung.org/research/sota/city-rankings/most-polluted-cities mailto:XXXX@asu.edu

a. The USG will not have access to local experts with existing knowledge of air-quality programs in Arizona, resulting in additional time and cost to the government to establish outside experts

b. Additional time and cost would be anticipated to identify and communicate with existing professional networks that are already curated at ASU

c. The government would incur additional travel costs and delays to schedule to conduct any meetings or events in Arizona

d. Community-focused research has been shown repeatedly to produce more robust outcomes when conducted by members of those communities with a vested interest in outcomes. ASU is the only research university that can fulfill this role, while external research teams would face additional challenges negatively affecting accuracy and relevancy of the assessments.

5. Market Research.

NOAA is seeking a Purchase Order. We will collaborate with the local AZ air-quality stakeholder community in central Arizona on the value of information derived from future NOAA satellite instrument packages on the GeoXO satellite. The performer will develop a series of engagements with stakeholders, identify public health interventions related to satellite information on health-seeking behavior and outcomes, and valuate the relative and absolute monetary value of these interventions on human health. This project will require substantial involvement with NOAA staff scientists. The Contracting Officer recommends that a purchase order with Arizona State University is the best way to procure the air pollution requirement. See attached for more details.

The entity must have the unique capability to work with satellite data specifically targeting air quality information and use it in city scaled air quality modeling, PM2.5 analysis and epidemiological assessments of air quality impacts on health. We used NAICS code 541620 to identify other AZ companies that might provide equal or similar services but after reaching out to 27 companies in Arizona, no other companies could provide the same or a similar service.

Twenty-four (24) of the companies contacted were out of business or out of the area and unable to do air quality work in Phoenix that would lend itself to AQ warnings in the Phoenix Metro Area. The other 3 firms are described as environmental not covering AQ modeling and analysis of PM 2.5.

This search supports why we need ASU for this effort. ASU is unique in providing the necessary analysis, modeling and facilitation for the use of AQ data used in AQ warnings.

6. Technical/Requirements Representative Certification

I certify that this requirement constitutes the Government’s minimum needs and the supporting data provided herein is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Kesha Hayes, OSAAP, COR Date

7. Determination (Required)

I hereby determine that the circumstances of this action deem only one source is reasonably available. This determination is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Joel Perlroth Date Contracting Officer