19-00199_SYNOPSIS_FFC_SOW_(FINAL).pdf

STATEMENT OF NEED (SON)

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE (DOC)

NATIONAL OCEANIC ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION (NOAA)

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE (NWS)

PEACHTREE CITY WFO (WEATHER FORECAST OFFICE)

HYDROGEN GAS SUPPLY, DELIVERY AND CYLINDER RENTAL

DELIVERY PERIOD:

Base Year: 9/1/2019 through 8/31/2020 Option Year 1: 9/1/2020 through 8/31/2021 Option Year 2: 9/1/2021 through 8/31/2022 Option Year 3: 9/1/2022 through 8/31/2023 Option Year 4: 9/1/2023 through 8/31/2024

BACKGROUND:

The National Weather Service (NWS) is a 24 hour, 365 day operation, and is a public safety agency. The primary mission of the NWS is the protection of life and property. The NWS in Peachtree City, GA launches weather balloons routinely twice a day at 0500 and 1700 Eastern Time. Each balloon requires approximately 75 cubic feet (CF) of hydrogen. Instrumentation is attached to each balloon which provides measurements of temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, and height. This data is transmitted worldwide and used to make weather forecasts out to 10 days.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the NWS is to receive and keep on-site an adequate supply of hydrogen gas (no less than 600 CF, up to 4,500 CF) in individual cylinders to perform the weather balloon launches on schedule in addition to stocking 1 reserve tank of helium on site.

SCOPE

The Contractor is responsible for supplying hydrogen to the NWS upper air building located at 4 Falcon Drive, Peachtree City, GA 30269. The total amount of hydrogen to be delivered for the 12 month period of this requirement will be a minimum of 54,000 CF, up to a maximum of 70,000 CF. The hydrogen will be supplied at regular intervals throughout the period, provided as individual cylinders, delivered approximately every two weeks. See Delivery Schedule in Section 6, below, for details. The helium tank shall be re-stocked as needed but not to exceed 3 times per year.

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

All deliveries are to be made to the NWS office at 4 Falcon Drive Peachtree City, GA 30269 (yellow lightning bolt at top of image). The point of delivery is at the Upper Air Inflation building, located ¼ mile from Weather office at Falcon field airport (red arrow at bottom of image). The hydrogen truck is permitted to use the airport access road while being escorted by NWS staff; drop off door is located on the East side of the inflation building.

REQUIREMENTS

Site Storage and Usage: All hydrogen must be provided in individual cylinders as the facility is not arranged to allow for other configurations. The Government has space at the delivery point to receive and store up to 22 cylinders of hydrogen at a time. This site uses a minimum of 150 CF of hydrogen, every day of the year. Actual use has the potential to vary if we have to launch extra balloons. We anticipate using 2,100 CF every 2 weeks, but need to keep an additional store of hydrogen on site in case of additional unforeseen launches. The intent is that we will be replenished to our maximum of approximately 4,334 CF after each completed delivery.

Initial Delivery: The contractor shall supply a minimum of 4,334 CF of hydrogen on Sep 1, 2019. The actual amount of supplied will vary based on the size of the cylinders. The hydrogen will be contained in no more than 30, 197 CF capacity individual cylinders. Helium will be contained in 1, 197 CF capacity cylinder.

Delivery Schedule: Deliveries shall be made every other week, Monday through Friday between the hours of 0800 and 1700 local time. This is a strict time slot as the balloon launches must not be delayed or interrupted in order to receive the delivery. Balloon launches occur twice a day, every day of the year, regardless of holidays. Therefore, the delivery schedule needs to be maintained regardless of holidays. If a holiday falls on a scheduled delivery day and the Contractor is not able to complete a regularly scheduled delivery, the Contractor shall make arrangements in advance for an alternate delivery date. The Contractor will contact the NWS office if a delivery is going to be delayed for any other reason. If the Contractor is unable to find a reasonable supply in time to fill the requirement, the NWS reserves the right to purchase hydrogen from another supplier outside of this contract.

If additional deliveries are required prior to the next regularly scheduled delivery, the NWS will contact the Contractor and request the additional delivery, with delivery to be completed within three calendar days of being contacted.

The delivery schedule shall be arranged with the Upper Air Program Point-of Contact, Meteorologist-In- Charge (MIC), or Electronics Systems Analyst (ESA) upon contract award (see section 9 below for contact information).

Transition Period: If this contract is awarded to other than the incumbent Contractor, then prior to the first day of the contract, the new Contractor and one of the agency points of contact, listed in section 9 below, shall establish the delivery schedule, including coordinating the initial delivery to coincide with the pickup of cylinders by the former contractor. Likewise, upon completion of this contract, if the new follow-on contract is awarded to other than the current Contractor, the current Contractor shall participate in the transition coordination efforts in order to minimize the risk of a missed balloon launch due to the hydrogen being unavailable at the launch site. The end-of-contract transition period may include a lighter delivery in the final weeks of the contract.

Recurring Deliveries: The point of delivery is not staffed except for during the balloon launches. The Contractor shall supply hydrogen gas to the Place of Performance in accordance with the coordinated date and time schedule

The Contractor will replenish back to 4,334 CF of hydrogen on a bi-monthly basis in accordance with the arranged schedule, replacing all empty hydrogen cylinders with full hydrogen cylinders. The Contractor shall pick up the empty cylinders in the same trip. If additional deliveries are required prior to the next regularly scheduled delivery, the NWS will contact the Contractor and request the additional delivery, with delivery to be completed within three business days of being contacted.

The Contractor shall contact NWS personnel at this location when arriving for a delivery. The loading area is located on the South side of the inflation building. The loading area will remain clear of obstructions and all safety rules shall be followed. Cylinders can be rolled from a truck lift gate to its delivery point. All equipment necessary for loading and unloading the hydrogen shall be provided by the Contractor.

The Contractor shall ensure the bottles are securely strapped to the stand at delivery and placed in an orderly/neat and clean fashion with cap loose and nozzle facing out. The Contractor shall perform the deliveries in such a manner that there will be minimal interruption to or interference with the normal operation of Government business on the premises. NWS personnel will not assist with loading or unloading of cylinders.

Evidence of Delivery: The Driver shall provide evidence of delivery by way of receipt signed by an NWS representative at the time of delivery. A copy of the signed receipt shall be left with the NWS representative, and a copy shall also be attached to the associated invoice when mailed.

Compliance: If any of the deliveries do not conform to contract requirements (i.e. a delivery results in less than full replenishment of hydrogen to 4,334 CF), the Government reserves the right to require the Contractor to bring the delivery into conformity with contract requirements, at no increase in contract amount (i.e. without additional delivery charges).

SAFETY AND SECURITY

All rules concerning safety, not smoking and the security of the property must be observed at all times.

Materials Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) must be provided by the Contractor to the MIC or ASA at each office, where the information will be kept on file in accordance with applicable guidelines of the OSHA Hazard Communications Standard. Requirements pertaining to recordkeeping will be strictly followed, with copy(s) provided to MIC as necessary and upon request.