NOTICE OF INTENT TO NEGOTIATE A SOLE-SOURCE CONTRACT

The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Acquisition and Grants Office (AGO), Eastern Acquisition Division (EAD) and the Office of Marine and Aviation Operation (OMAO), Platform Acquisition Executive (PAE) will solicit and award the requirement herein on a sole source basis to the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) to provide essential engineering, research, and development capability in the following areas: Climate Adaptation and Mitigation, Weather-Ready Nation, Healthy Oceans and Resilient Coastal Communities, and Economies. The authority permitting other than full and open competition is 41 U.S.C. 3304(a)(1) as implemented by Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Overhaul (RFO) 6.103-3(b)(2), Industrial mobilization;

engineering, developmental, or research capability; or expert services, “To establish or maintain an essential engineering, research, or development capability to be provided by an educational or other nonprofit institution or a federally funded research and development center.”

The research and scientific capability provided by UCAR is essential and necessary for NOAA to meet its long-term strategic goals in the following areas: climate, weather forecasting, oceans, and coasts, and in sharing that knowledge and information with others. Among the types of research, services and systems that NOAA/PAE may order are: (a) Specialized research, development, testing and evaluation of airborne systems and sensor; (b) Analysis of data sets from weather and climate simulations or data repositories to determine sampling strategies, measurement capabilities and instrument tradeoffs; and (c) Use of unique UCAR instrumentation, facilities, and data products in the conduct of NOAA experiments and as reference data sources for evaluation and intercomparison. UCAR operates advanced research aircraft with unique data systems that can provide critical information for NOAA experiments as well as the technical support to service and maintain the facilities and equipment.

The North American Industry Classification System Code (NAICS) is 541715- Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment with a corresponding size standard of 1,250 employees. This notice does not constitute a solicitation, Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quotation (RFQ), or an Invitation for Bid (IFB) and it does not restrict the Government in any way regarding its ultimate acquisition approach. However, if any other interested party believes that it can meet the requirements, it may submit a statement of capabilities, which if timely received, will be considered by NOAA. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed requirement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement in the future. Evidence must be provided of ability to provide the required services. The capability statement and any other information furnished must be in writing and must contain material in sufficient detail to allow NOAA to determine if the party can meet all of the requirements. Capability statements and related materials must be e-mailed to the Contract Specialist, Jennifer Peters, at Jennifer.peters@noaa.gov by 10 AM, ET on Thursday, November 5, 2026.

mailto:Jennifer.peters@noaa.gov