PWS_FCDAS OM_DRAFT.pdf

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

FCDAS Operations and Maintenance Services

Table of Contents

I. INTRODUCTION

II. OVERVIEW

III. LOCATION

IV. SATELLITE OPERATIONS

V. FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE

VI. SUPPORT ACTIVITIES

VII. STATION CHALLENGES

1. CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

2. CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT

3. IT SECURITY

4. PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

5. ACQUISITION PLANNING

6. INFORMATION MANAGEMENT

7. COOPERATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES

8. ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANCE

VIII. SCOPE OF WORK

1. MISSION SYSTEMS OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE

2. RISK MANAGEMENT

3. IT SYSTEM SUPPORT REQUIREMENTS

4. IT SECURITY

5. FACILITIES SYSTEMS OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

6. ENVIRONMENTAL, SAFETY, AND HEALTH

7. PROPERTY MANAGEMENT AND LOGISTICS

8. SECURITY GUARD SERVICES

9. MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS

10. MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

11. TRANSITION PHASES

IX. OFFICIAL RELATIONSHIPS

X. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS SUMMARY

XI. PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS SUMMARY

XII. LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

I. INTRODUCTION

This Performance Work Statement (PWS) describes the work to be performed and other services and materials to be supplied by the Contractor providing operations and maintenance (O&M) services to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Services (NESDIS) Fairbanks Command and Data Acquisition Station (FCDAS), Fairbanks, AK (also known herein as the “Station”). The Government maintains FCDAS for the primary purpose of acquiring meteorological and environmental satellite mission data from polar-orbiting satellites managed and/or operated by NOAA, an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC).

The characteristics of high northern latitude and semi-remote location all combine to set FCDAS aside as the premier data acquisition site for polar-orbiting satellite missions.

This is a performance-based service contract, wherein the success of the O&M Contractor depends on satisfaction of the technical requirements as well as responsiveness to continually evolving operational requirements and changes in technology. All efforts under this contract go toward furthering NOAA’s strategic objectives and are carried out within the context of the NOAA Business Operations Manual.1

The U.S. Government (Government) encourages creative, cost-effective innovations to maintain FCDAS’ high level of performance, availability, adaptability, and affordability. The Government places particular emphasis on maintaining an optimal balance of necessary skills and their utilization by the workforce. Efficiency gains in local processes through streamlining, automation, or standardization are also essential. Furthermore, performance-based services demand a high level of effective communication and collaboration between the Government and Contractor. Key characteristics of this partnership are joint quality management and proactive cost control.

II. OVERVIEW

Historically, FCDAS has been a Government-Owned, Contractor-Operated facility. As such, the Contractor shall provide personnel with appropriate skills to install, operate, and repair highly specialized satellite ground station equipment. Contractor personnel also carry out essential services to ensure the site’s buildings, vehicles, roads, and infrastructure are maintained in good condition in support of the satellite operations requirement.

The Contractor shall also provide administrative and other support duties which include management and supervision of contractor staff; Information Technology (IT) administration and security; shipping and receiving; property management; document development and management; environmental, safety, health management; configuration management; preparation of acquisition-related documents;

performance and administrative reporting; planning assistance for future missions and site upgrades.

Security guard, facility maintenance, and housekeeping services are also required.

FCDAS is a National Critical Asset and, therefore, must remain in operation 24x7x365, including periods of inclement weather and emergencies such as natural and man-made disasters. Mission-essential functions must be maintained at all times, provided no serious hazards to personnel exist. Mission-essential functions include the operation of satellite ground systems as well as maintenance of power, environmental, and communications infrastructure necessary to operate all spacecraft designated as

1 https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/10138 primary for the site. The Contractor is a key partner with the Government in disaster response and recovery plan development, exercise, and execution.

III. LOCATION

The Station is located at 64°58.6'N 147°31.3'W, 12 miles northeast of the city of Fairbanks, Alaska, in a radio-quiet valley on approximately 7300 acres of federally-owned land withdrawn from public use under Public Land Order (PLO) 3708 dated July 2, 1965, as modified by PLO 6709 dated February 15, 1987. PLO 7710 went into effect on June 24, 2008, and extended the withdrawal for an additional 20 years. The facility is accessible via the Steese Highway, a combination of four-lane divided highway and two-lane undivided highway. Highways to the facility are paved and maintained by the State of Alaska Department of Transportation.

IV. SATELLITE OPERATIONS

FCDAS is NOAA’s primary command and data acquisition facility for its polar-orbiting operational environmental satellites. The station also collaborates with other Government and international partners to provide routine and contingency support for non-NOAA polar-orbiting spacecraft. Each day, the Station averages approximately 135 satellite contacts, including those conducted through remotely-operated systems located in Utqiagvik, Alaska.

As of 2021, the site’s mission portfolio includes:

● Polar Operational Environmental Satellites (POES)

● Suomi-NPOESS Preparatory Project (S-NPP)

● Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS)

● Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP)

● METOP-1 and -2 and -3

● Windsat/Coriolis

● Ocean Surface Topography Mission (OSTM)/JASON-3 and JASON-CS

● AQUA

● AURA

● LANDSAT-8 and LANDSAT-9

● Scatterometer Satellite-1 (SCATSAT-1)

● Korea Multi-Purpose Satellite-5 (KOMPSAT-5) / Arirang-5

● Hisdesat Servicios Estratégicos PAZ

● Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite – West (GOES-W)

● Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR)

OceanSat-3/A will be included in FCDAS operations after launch in early 2022. The Government anticipates significant increases in antenna utilization in the near-term as new partnerships mature with foreign earth observation satellite operators, the US Space Force, and other US government agencies.

Operational antenna systems include three 13-meter Datron antennas; two five-meter Datron antennas;

one RSI-Vertex 21-meter antenna; one five-meter CPI-Malibu antenna; one Blau-Knox 26-meter antenna; one four-meter Datron Ka-band antenna; one three- meter SeaSpace antenna; one 2.4-meter Orbital Systems antenna; and two Search-and- Rescue Satellite (SARSAT) LEO-LUTS terminals. Most antenna systems and associated ground equipment are controlled using Epoch IPS software by Kratos- Integral Systems.

New antenna systems in the process of being commissioned for operation are two 2.4-meter Search-and- Rescue Satellite (SARSAT) MEO-LUTS, and one ARGOS 3.0-meter Orbital Systems antenna.

V. FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Buildings at FCDAS range in age from five to over fifty years old. Operations and most administration personnel transitioned to the Fairbanks Satellite Operations Facility (FSOF) in 2011. Other occupied structures include the Facilities Building, which houses offices and workshops for electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and vehicle maintenance personnel; the Contingency Operations Area (COA), which contains the site’s calibration and repair laboratory as well as storage and overflow office space; the Guard House; and the Power House, where generators, switchgear, and uninterruptible power supply systems are located. The Gilmore Creek Geophysical Observatory (GCGO) houses third-party experiments and is also used for warm storage. Large items are stored in one of two warehouses, and a water storage building for the fire suppression system of adjacent buildings. The former operations center, known as the Alaska Building, is planned for demolition in the next several years.

Heating, cooling, and water treatment systems are largely automated, but to varying degrees in accordance with the particular age of the buildings. Most heat is provided by oil-fired boilers with circulating hot water loops. COA and GCGO heat is electric baseboard.

FSOF incorporates a sophisticated building automation system (BAS). Zone valves and area thermostats are used elsewhere. Most cooling systems are electric direct expansion type.

Golden Valley Electric Association (GVEA) cooperative provides commercial electricity service to FCDAS. FCDAS electrical distribution includes medium voltage (4,160 Volts) underground cables, pad-mounted equipment throughout the site; and low voltage (600 Volts and below) wiring and equipment in buildings. Two uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems protect critical systems in the event of brief commercial power outages. Three diesel engine-generators and new switchgear, installed in late 2013, are programmed to take over power generation for longer outages. FCDAS normally stores enough fuel to run for four to six weeks without commercial power.

Roads run throughout the 7,300-acre site, and most are unpaved. Approximately six lane miles of paved roads are used for access to buildings and antennas within the central campus. These roads and building parking lots must be kept clear of debris, potholes, and other hazards. The Contractor may be called upon to make minor repairs. Snow removal and ice mitigation are essential to safe vehicular and pedestrian access. An unpaved road to the west collimation tower traverses approximately three miles of steep terrain. This road must be accessible year-round due to the occasional need to maintain communications equipment and scientific instruments at that location. Other roads outside the central campus provide seasonal access to more remote parts of the station. Grading, brush cutting, and culvert clearing are routine summer activities for road maintenance.

VI. SUPPORT ACTIVITIES

Essential functions for “total operation and maintenance” also include management and contractor employee supervision; IT administration and security; shipping and receiving; property management;

engineering, operations, and system documentation development; environmental, safety, and health management; configuration management; preparation of acquisition-related documents; performance and administrative reporting; and planning assistance for future missions and site upgrades. Armed security guards, facility maintenance, housekeeping, and groundskeeping services are also required.

VII. STATION CHALLENGES

1. CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

The Station has automated and upgraded all of its satellite tracking antennas, as well as the monitoring and control equipment. This modernization continues routinely through technical refresh of systems and increasing automation. The contractor plays an essential role in planning and executing site upgrades.

These upgrades will occasionally require support from the Contractor to perform system integration, testing, and training. The Contractor shall prioritize and schedule these tasks without compromising FCDAS’ core mission responsibilities.

Facilities and infrastructure improvements are also on-going. Major activities are coordinated and funded through the NESDIS Facilities Management Branch in Silver Spring, MD. Projects are designed and executed through an agreement with the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Alaska District. As subject matter experts, the FCDAS O&M staff are frequently called upon to provide information to assist in developing design requirements and determining suitability of changes for the FCDAS mission and concept of operations.

2. CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT

Configuration management (CM) and documentation of system configurations, interconnections, and procedures are crucial for maintenance, repair, and engineering. System upgrades and other changes shall be documented and approved formally in accordance with the Office of Satellite and Product Operations (OSPO) Configuration Management Plan. This plan describes the CM requirements for the developmental and operational phases of the NOAA/NESDIS satellite programs, including ground station and data processing systems. Additional agency or program-specific CM requirements may arise for cooperative missions not operated by OSPO but otherwise supported by the Station.

3. IT SECURITY

IT security requirements have increased significantly due to evolving threats. Continuous monitoring, regular vulnerability scanning, and patching of all computer-based equipment are key tasks. NOAA’s Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) often requires rapid responses to data calls related to IT security. On-going authorization and accreditation activities include developing and maintaining system documents such as system security and contingency plans; writing interconnection and service level agreements; and resolving issues in accordance with plans of action and milestones (POA&Ms) levied against the FCDAS networks.

4. PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

Property management requires detailed, cradle-to-grave tracking of non-capital and capital accountable property. This includes entering property description, acquisition cost, inventory control numbers, user, location, and property disposition into NOAA’s Sunflower Enterprise asset management system.

Policies and procedures are promulgated by the NESDIS Personal Property Management Branch and implemented locally by the FCDAS Property Custodian (PC) and Property Accountability Official (PAO). Both PC and PAO are Government employees. The Contractor is responsible for property tagging, data entry, property disposal, and annual wall-to-wall inventories. The contractor shall work with the PAO to resolve all discrepancies.

Commencing in FY23 FCDAS will assume responsibility for managing OSPO property at remote sites in Svalbard, Norway, and McMurdo Base, Antarctica. Contractor travel to these locations may be required annually to perform touch inventories. Contractor personnel maybe screened and be required to meet the United States Antarctic Program (USAP) and National Science Foundation (NSF) physical health requirements prior to travelling to the Antarctic. The USAP and NSF physical health requirements can be found at:

https://www.nsf.gov/geo/opp/documents/policy/PESH-POL_2000.09_PQ_Policy.pdf.

5. ACQUISITION PLANNING

There is a general lack of local vendors in the immediate vicinity capable of supplying electronic components and services of the type, quality, and quantity required by the station. The challenge is to anticipate long lead-times for spares, replacements, and repair services requiring performance from vendors located outside Alaska.

Purchase of supplies and services at FCDAS follow federal and DOC acquisition regulations as well as procedures specified by the DOC and the NOAA Acquisitions and Grants Office (AGO). The Contractor prepares documents in support of acquisitions as appropriate for the type and value of the items or services. A purchase may require a clear statement of need, market research, brand-name and sole-source justifications, a cost estimate, and an IT security checklist. A significant change in the acquisition process occurred in 2014 with the implementation of Supply Chain Risk Management procedures for IT purchases, which added additional documentation and approval requirements. In light of inherent procedural delays and the administrative burden of preparing purchase packages, the Contractor shall do careful planning well in advance and consolidate orders as much as possible, particularly for routine expendable supplies, spares, and regularly scheduled services. Acquisition planning as referred to in this PWS shall not include any activities related to the award of FCDAS O&M Services contract.

6. INFORMATION MANAGEMENT

FCDAS has a wide variety of documentation and information needs, which will require a focused effort to intake, update, organize, and distribute. Types and format of information include paper and electronic https://www.nsf.gov/geo/opp/documents/policy/PESH-POL_2000.09_PQ_Policy.pdf versions of architectural blueprints and survey drawings; system drawings; technical and operator manuals; standard operating procedures; policies; and outreach, educational, and public relations materials. FCDAS does not have a unified system for organizing and tracking information, and the Government subsequently desires a multi-year plan to achieve an effective information management system.

7. COOPERATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES

NOAA has established FCDAS as a “proprietary research facility.” Tenants, typically universities or other government agencies, occasionally use this facility for hosting experiments. Costs of supporting these efforts are generally absorbed by the Station. The support provided typically consists of planning, space allocation, power usage, and minor technical assistance. Other non-NOAA customers may require ad hoc services, which are performed under reimbursable or similar agreements between NOAA and other agencies. Again, the Contractor shall prioritize and schedule these tasks without compromising FCDAS’ core mission responsibilities. The Contractor shall also track activities and expenses associated with these projects separately and report them to the COR.

8. ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANCE

An on-going reorganization of the Government staff requires administrative assistance to track purchases; answer routine data calls; draft correspondence; maintain records and files; and to direct action items to the appropriate representative, VIII. SCOPE OF WORK

The Contractor’s overarching mission is to ensure that the systems, subsystems, and assemblies on Station are operationally available for the maximum sustained period, and to execute established procedures in accordance with spacecraft support requirements. The Contractor shall staff the FCDAS with appropriate technical, administrative, management, security, and housekeeping personnel in order to maintain the ground station support services for the assigned, Government-managed and -operated satellite constellations and the respective mission operations and data processing centers.

1. MISSION SYSTEMS OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE

The Contractor shall provide labor to configure, operate, test, calibrate, and perform preventive and corrective maintenance on all systems and equipment used to support satellite missions serviced at

FCDAS.

1.1 Ground Systems Operation

The FSOF control room shall be staffed around the clock with a sufficient number of skilled personnel to operate and to maintain all FCDAS ground system equipment used in support of the assigned spacecraft for command, control, tracking, telemetry and science data reception, and transfer to appropriate data processing and distribution centers. Personnel shall be able to configure and to operate complex, automated satellite ground station equipment from a keyboard interface or front panel, and to troubleshoot this equipment when an anomalous condition exists. “Operate” includes:

● Executing standard automated and manual procedures in accordance with specific mission or spacecraft support profiles;

● Monitoring equipment status, tracking errors, uplink and downlink signal qualities, and data transfer connections;

● Maintaining voice communications, as required, with mission controllers; and

● Taking immediate corrective action(s) in the event of an anomalous condition or procedural error.

The current mission systems O&M staffing profile utilizes four, three-person satellite operations crews on 12-hour rotating shifts for 24/7 coverage as well as three daytime O&M technicians, who work normal business hours (i.e 0700-1500) Monday through Friday. The cadence of mission support operations requires a minimum of three O&M technicians to be present for each crew shift, with no exceptions for planned or unplanned personnel absences. Staffing surge needs for major planned events such as launch support or significant system upgrades shall be communicated to the CO and COR in writing no later than one week prior to the requirement’s commencement.

1.1.1 Satellite Pass Scheduling

Each polar-orbiting spacecraft pass currently has a duration of 5-15 minutes. Successive passes of a given spacecraft are separated by approximately 1.3 hours. Due to spacecraft orbital dynamics and multiple spacecraft scheduling, there may be as little as 5-10 minutes between the time one pass ends with one spacecraft and another begins on another spacecraft. All station antenna assets, including Utqiagvik (Utqiagvik), can and are often in use simultaneously.

NESDIS is in the process of transitioning from mission specific scheduling software to an Enterprise solution: Enterprise Automated Scheduling Implementation (EASI). Rollout will begin in mid-2021.

The Enterprise solution will include most, if not all, NESDIS antenna assets and ground station resources. Most routine scheduling of FCDAS assets is currently carried out by OSPO personnel at NSOF, and completed approximately three weeks in advance. Antenna schedules are updated at least daily. NASA sends scheduling requests for AQUA and AURA directly to FCDAS. Until the rollout of EASI is complete, scheduling satellite contacts will be coordinated with the responsible agency and verified by FCDAS Contractor staff. Near-term schedule changes occur frequently, and FCDAS personnel shall de-conflict schedules and assign appropriate assets in accordance with the latest OSPO mission priority list.

Routine Utqiagvik operations do not require intervention by operations personnel at Utqiagvik aside from monitoring and scheduling tasks. In the event minor intervention is required (e.g., computer reboot or power cycle), Fairbanks personnel are able to contact the Utqiagvik observatory personnel by telephone and request they perform the required action. Major Utqiagvik subsystem failures such as failed computers, antenna motors, or radio frequency (RF) components must be repaired by Fairbanks CDA Station personnel dispatched to Utqiagvik. The Contractor shall perform regular preventive maintenance visits to Utqiagvik. A minimum of two trips to Utqiagvik per year for PMs are required due to the frequency of IT security patching and antenna checks.

1.1.2 GOES-W and DSCOVR Operations

FCDAS is the backup ground station to the GOES-14 & 15 spacecraft (“GOES-West”). In this role, the Station is required to assume primary command and control of either spacecraft within 20 minutes in the event of an outage at the Wallops CDA Station (WCDAS) located at Wallops Island, VA. The GOES ground system consists of a 26-meter receive only, and 21-meter transmit and receive antenna system, Telemetry, Tracking, and Command (TT&C) equipment, and data processing equipment that are used to process the GOES data to a usable format so it can be uplinked to the GOES transponder and re-broadcast to users within the spacecraft’s footprint. Calibration and tracking files must remain current, so that in the event of a need to fail over to FCDAS, FSOF technicians only need to bring up the transmit carrier when directed to assume primary GOES-West operations. As the GOES-R series spacecraft replace legacy GOES, FCDAS will use its high-gain 21-meter antenna to support more space weather missions orbiting at L1

DSCOVR operations utilize the 26 and 21-meter antennas. The spacecraft orbits at L1, approximately

1.6 million km from earth, monitoring space weather conditions. Sensor data is provided to the Space Weather Prediction Center in Boulder, CO. DSCOVR requires a limited degree of operator monitoring and antenna adjustments. GOES-West supersedes DSCOVR in priority should GOES backup procedures be invoked. Changes in antenna pointing and ground equipment configurations will require operator intervention.

1.1.3 Launch and Early Operations

The Contractor shall publish a FCDAS-specific spacecraft support plan (SSP) for each new mission added to the station mission list. The final SSP shall be published not later than 45 days prior to launch or formal operations transition to FCDAS, depending on mission concept of operations. The final SSP shall be published not later than 45 days prior to launch or formal operations transition to FCDAS, depending on mission concept of operations. Contractor support for spacecraft launch and early operations may require parallel support utilizing two or more antenna systems during the launch and for a period specified by the mission’s support plan. Up to 11 passes per day may be scheduled during the launch and early orbit phase of a mission. The Contractor should plan to support up to two launches per year.

1.1.4 Daily Satellite Operations Reporting

The Contractor shall record in the shift log activities, including system states, maintenance actions, and significant events. The log is intended to convey complete information between technical personnel for continuity. The shift log is particularly important for tracking anomaly resolutions, wherein indications, analysis, actions, and test results are documented in detail. The Contractor shall ensure all satellite operations personnel are diligent in reporting system status and personnel activities prior to hand-over to the next crew. Shift log entries are permanent station records and must be maintained and backed up on the administrative LAN.

The Contractor shall report daily O&M activities in the Ground System Operations and Maintenance Summary (GOMS), which is distributed by email to all stakeholders, including satellite operators, engineers, and managers. The GOMS provides a list of satellite passes, activities associated with them, and any issues encountered.

The Contractor shall report any significant anomaly or degraded capability at FCDAS in an Equipment Status Report (ESR) within 30 minutes of detection. “Significant” implies an event or condition has occurred or is at risk of manifesting to hinder the Station’s ability to meet full mission requirements.

Antenna outages, site power problems, or loss of redundancy of critical equipment are examples of items to be reported via ESR. The ESR shall contain a detailed description of the issue, actions taken or needed to be taken for resolution, and the estimated time for resolution.

1.2 Communications Security

Ground system operations also include use of cryptographic systems to support encrypted uplinks and downlinks. Subsequently, the Contractor shall ensure the proper function of encryptors and decryptors, including loading cryptographic key material.

The Station Manager serves as the site’s communications security (COMSEC) manager, and the FCDAS COMSEC Plan specifies the management and handling of this sensitive material in accordance with

NSA/CSS POLICY MANUAL 3-16, CONTROL OF COMMUNICATIONS SECURITY (COMSEC)

MATERIAL. Most of this material and equipment are designated unclassified controlled cryptographic items (CCI). However, one mission requires the use of cryptographic material classified as SECRET.

The Contractor shall ensure at least one staff member cleared to SECRET is present for each shift to carry out COMSEC user functions such as loading cryptographic keys or resolving COMSEC-related alarms 24/7.

Designated Contractor personnel shall be responsible for handling COMSEC documentation and materials assigned to them; controlling personnel entry to sensitive areas; and operating and maintaining command encryption equipment and devices. The Contractor shall provide personnel qualified to load and to operate KIT-223, MYK-15, KG-144, KOI-18, and AN/CZY-10 cryptographic devices. Due to expansion of US Space Force operations at FCDAS, additional cryptographic equipment support services may be required.

Cleared Contractor personnel will also respond immediately to any alarms indicating unauthorized intrusions or technical faults within areas containing classified information to determine the validity of alarms and, if needed, to keep the area secure until the COMSEC custodian or alternate can investigate further.

1.3 Ground System Maintenance

Ground system maintenance activities include inspection, test, replacement, and repair (where possible) of hardware, including antennas, network and other support equipment; carrying out configuration changes to hardware and software as directed; verifying software and database settings; updating operating systems and software applications; and coordinating test activities after repairs or configuration changes.

1.3.1 Preventive and Corrective Maintenance

Preventive maintenance (PM) activities are crucial to maintaining high availability of antenna systems and associated equipment. Specific actions may be required by equipment manufacturers to maintain warranties or otherwise to ensure proper function and performance. Other PM actions also may be derived from industry best practices, mission- specific requirements, or recommendations from FCDAS personnel. The Contractor shall perform periodic maintenance activities and tests on the antennas and associated ground systems equipment. These include, but are not limited to, alignments, calibrations, test measurements, and system performance testing. Preventive maintenance must be coordinated with NSOF or other agencies, as deemed necessary by the COR, and carried out in a manner that will minimize impact on operational support.

The Contractor shall perform corrective maintenance to identify, isolate, and rectify a fault so that the failed equipment, machine, or system can be restored to an operational condition within the tolerances or limits established for in-service operations. Corrective maintenance may include on-site repairs to board-level components, as well as replacement of line-replaceable units or entire subsystems, as practicable, dictated by warranty constraints, on-hand parts and tools, and operational needs.

1.3.2 Calibration Services

An essential PM function is periodic calibration of precision test equipment and other items. FCDAS maintains a modest calibration laboratory and historically received substantial calibration services through an agreement with the U. S. Air Force (USAF). In the event the USAF agreement lapses, or USAF is unable to perform needed services, the Contractor shall perform routine calibration on site or coordinate this work with commercial calibration facilities or original equipment manufacturers as needed. The Contractor shall maintain electronic records of all calibration activities, whether or not the work is done at FCDAS.

1.3.3 Maintenance Planning and Reporting

The Contractor shall deliver to the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) a proposed ground systems preventive maintenance (PM) plan not later than 60 days after commencement of the initial contract period of performance. The Government will review this document and provide necessary or recommended changes. The Contractor shall deliver a final PM plan within 90 days of start of contract performance. The Contractor shall review and update the PM plan as needed, but not less than annually.

All maintenance actions shall be tracked, scheduled, and reported using the Government- furnished computerized maintenance management system (CMMS). Infor MP2 is the current CMMS at FCDAS, which is no longer supported. The Government is pursuing an enterprise-wide tool for common use at FCDAS and several other locations. However, no solution has been selected. Therefore, the Contractor may propose to use their own CMMS as a solution, provided the alternative meets all associated requirements herein:

The CMMS software must be able to run on a standalone server, physical or virtual, locally, and not be a cloud or web based only solution. It will need to handle the creation, submission, approval, and completion of work orders as well as procurement of all site purchases and inventory management. The software must all be capable of tracking all inventory items and levels.

CMMS REQUIREMENTS SUMMARY

· Local server installation, not web-based solution, but also have the ability for local web connectivity for management and users.

· Software must have concurrent licensing availability as well as support for multiple levels of users. Such as those who may create, approve, and maintain and delete orders of all types.

· Software must be able to operate in a Windows 10 Environment and have capability to operate on mobile platforms, such as tablets, thru local WLANs.

· The current software is running via an MSSQL Database. The new CMMS will need to import all the information and from the old and be able to map the data, so it is usable going forward. A direct export and import would be optimal.

· The CMMS software should be able to pass all security scans required by NOAA CIO office.

· Software must be equipped to define and assign work order tasks, materials needed and used.

· For predictive and preventative maintenance, it should be easily monitored regarding manufacturer metrics and specification which will allow for procedures to be associated with equipment.

· Regarding asset management, it must fulfill the need to make informed decisions regarding replacement or repair and track/control the costs associated with said assets. Inventory should easily be controlled and alert when additional orders should be placed.

· Reporting is important. There must be ease of access and ability to automate some reporting as well as create new ones as needed. Its options must be flexible to fit the needs of the end users as well.

· The system should allow for multiple users while still controlling the features by restricting access where needed.

The Contractor shall deliver a summary of preventive and corrective maintenance actions to the COR weekly. Negative trends such as increasing failures or excessive workload required to perform these actions should be specified and resolutions recommended.

1.4 Ground Systems Performance Metrics

The ground systems operations performance metrics include system operational availability, data capture reliability, data transmission latency, and overall pass success rate.

“System” in the context of operational availability includes collecting all elements within a ground system segment that may be considered stand-alone to perform satellite tracking; data reception, recording, and playback; raw data processing and formatting; temporary storage in preparation for off-site data transfer; radio frequency transmission; as well as equipment control, monitoring, and integrated support equipment. For example, an “antenna system” would consist of the aggregate of all components from the antenna assembly to the control room equipment such as a file server used for staging data transmissions to end users.

“Availability” is generally defined as the probability of a system being able to perform its mission or function under specified conditions when called upon to do so at a random time. This term is applicable to systems that can be repaired or have other maintenance and associated actions performed. Downtime will not include periods in which the system is undergoing planned upgrades and associated testing, nor for Government-mandated outages for the purposes of depot level or other major maintenance outside the direct control of the Contractor.

Operational availability (“Ao”) is computed as a function of mean time between maintenance2 (MTBM) and mean down time3 (MDT):

𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 =

𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀

𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀 + 𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀

The Contractor shall ensure minimum antenna system operational availability (specified in Table 1-1:

Minimum Antenna System Availability) or better as computed on an annual basis. The Contractor shall compute and report system operational availability to the COR monthly as well, taking care to identify risks, issues, and concerns that may impact annual system operational availability requirements.

Negative trends must be analyzed and corrected.

Table 1-1: Minimum Antenna System Availability (C.2.1-1) System Minimum Ao Comments Datron 13-meter A/B/C 0.98 Applicable to each antenna system Datron 5-meter A 0.98 Fairbanks Datron 5-meter C 0.96 Utqiagvik Malibu 5-meter B 0.98 Fairbanks 26-meter 0.96 Fairbanks 21-meter 0.98 Fairbanks Orbital 2.4 meter 0.96 Utqiagvik

“Data capture reliability” is the measure of the amount of actual science observation data received and recorded from the spacecraft divided by the expected amount of science observation data to be received.

Depending on the mission, the quantity of data may be measured in different ways; e.g., file size in bytes, frame counts, or virtual channel counts.

The Contractor shall maintain data capture reliability of 99.5% or better, computed monthly, for each polar-orbiting spacecraft supported at FCDAS. Data metrics for non- polar-orbiting spacecraft are not measured in terms of expected frames or bytes. Therefore, data capture reliabilities for non-polar-orbiting spacecraft may be specified in successfully completed activities such as the total time telemetry and science data are received for a given session and the number of scheduled commands transmitted to the spacecraft. The Contractor shall report monthly and annual data capture reliabilities by spacecraft to the COR.

Data transmission latency can specify the time between (a) initial transmission from the spacecraft and completion of relay to the end user; (b) data capture completion and data transfer completion to the end user; or (c) variations. Each satellite mission has different latency requirements, which may even vary according to data subtypes. In the case of NOAA-19, for example, the requirement is to have the first GAC data set transferred within 10 minutes of the support ending. In other cases, data latency times for delivery to the end user may be from ten minutes or less to several hours.

2 MTBM is the mean time between all maintenance activities, both corrective and preventative, resulting in the system to be unavailable.

3 MDT is the mean system downtime, accounting for the time required to do the maintenance as well as any delays getting required parts, personnel on site, etc.

The Contractor shall report to the COR monthly latency performance by spacecraft, data types and subtypes for missions levying specific latency reporting requirements on FCDAS. A successful pass is one in which all operational objectives were met during the scheduled contact period. Polar-orbiting satellite passes are on the order of 10 minutes duration, while GOES-W and DSCOVR contacts may be hours or even days long. A failed or “non- nominal” pass occurs when one or more objectives are not met; e.g., insufficient time to complete a command load or failure to acquire all scheduled downlink data. These issues can be caused by equipment or software anomalies, procedural or configuration problems, or operator error. The overall pass success rate is the percentage of successful contacts for a given satellite over a specified reporting period.

The Contractor shall track and report daily, weekly, and monthly to the COR the number of operational scheduled contacts for each satellite, the number of non-nominal passes, and the overall success rate.

The reason for each non-nominal contact shall be documented and attributed in these reports. Passes cancelled due to FCDAS ground system or scheduling issues must also be reported. The Contractor shall report and analyze all negative trends and provide recommendations to the Government for their resolution.

1.5 Ground Station Engineering Support

The FCDAS Senior Systems Engineer is a Government employee responsible for coordinating all engineering activities between the station, external stakeholders, and the Contractor. Engineering activities include requirements development and validation, planning for new missions, technical studies, design work, integration planning, ground system testing, operational procedure development, and technology research. The Contractor shall provide engineering support to these activities to ensure specified operational and technical requirements are met, and changes to FCDAS ground systems are documented in accordance with CM policies and procedures. The Contractor shall also assist third parties performing upgrades or other engineering work at FCDAS to minimize any disruptions to satellite operations or FCDAS-caused delays to the third-party activities.

2. RISK MANAGEMENT

FCDAS embraces a formal risk management program in accordance with the OSPO Risk Management Plan (See Appendix A). When risks and issues arise, the Contractor shall recommend to the Government in writing strategies for mitigation or resolution.

To this end, the Contractor shall track equipment failures and malfunctions as well as obsolescence and supportability issues from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and suppliers, including their ability and responsiveness to re-supply products. The Contractor shall coordinate with the COR to maintain a level of spare parts to ensure against equipment outages due to the unavailability of parts required for repair of equipment. The Contractor shall ensure that adequate stocking levels of critical and non-critical spares are maintained and replenished. Factors involved in deciding the appropriate inventory levels must take into consideration the restocking time, cost of the inventory, shelf life, the components’ failure rates, sources and shipment lead-times, mean-time-to-repair (MTTR), the criticality of the component(s) to continue operations, and the potential obsolescence of the parts.

The Contractor shall also assess and recommend equipment upgrades, facility improvements, skill enhancements, logistical support changes, and administrative changes that can be implemented over a period of up to five years. These recommendations will be considered for implementation in the yearly budget request for the Station. The Contractor shall conduct reviews with the COR not less than quarterly to evaluate risks and recommendations.

3. IT SYSTEM SUPPORT REQUIREMENTS

The Contractor shall provide a sufficient number of skilled personnel to administer the operating systems of all components of all FCDAS IT systems, which include satellite operations networks, as well as building control and security systems. “Administer” encompasses user account management;

security implementation such as patch management and deployment as well as anti-virus implementation and updates; network performance management; IT asset inventory control and peripheral device management; network documentation; and the configuration and deployment of new equipment. All system administrators shall meet and maintain training requirements specified in Commerce Interim Technical Requirements (CITR) CITR-006: Information System Security Training for Significant Roles.

The Contractor will offer assistance to teams configuring/developing IT networks at FCDAS. One such network is the Partner Antenna Access Network (PAAN: NOAA 5047). PAAN is a multi-mission system, connecting NESDIS antennas and TT&C systems with multiple Partners’ systems. The NOAA5047 network currently supports the Korea Multi-Purpose SATellite-5 (KOMPSAT-5), HISDESAT (Spain) PAZ, and India’s Scatterometer Satellite-1 (SCATSAT) missions. Partner traffic will enter NESDIS systems through a Trusted Internet Connection (TIC) and through NOAA5047 firewalls. The PAAN architecture includes digital to analog and analog to digital signal converters, firewalls, Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs), file servers, Anti-Malware, and other IT security monitoring/vulnerability detection capabilities.

NOAA benefits by gaining access to partner mission data that serves the national and global weather enterprise. Partner missions are supported on a “best-effort” basis without any guarantees for availability.

NESDIS has begun negotiations for Partner use of these NESDIS satellite antennas in exchange for real-time access to their weather data.

3.1 Information System Administration and Maintenance

Typical IT administration duties may include:

a. Develop and implement procedures for managing user accounts.

b. Develop and document common system management procedures (adding additional workstations, adding or deleting user accounts, performing periodic backups). Document procedures for troubleshooting common problems.

c. Provide backup and restore functionality, by automated means, of all configurations provided and provide a backup of the installed configuration on electronic media.

d. Assist in the specification and procurement of new workstations and related peripherals and software.

e. Install workstations, peripherals, operating system and other software.

f. Install printers and configure printing services.

g. Operate and maintain station communications systems, including the station commercial telephone switching system, NOAA-owned data communications equipment, station intercommunications and paging systems, Internet access equipment, and two-way radio equipment.

h. Carry out configuration control of station computer systems and equipment. This includes recommendations for improvement in station capabilities; modification development, control, and implementation; documentation control and updating; and desktop/laptop computer hardware and software configuration control.

i. Install and maintain configuration control of station desktop/laptop computers and local area network LAN servers (Non Admin LAN systems). Perform software installation and maintenance on desktops/laptops.

j. Provide technical assistance, as required, to vendors maintaining the security and building control systems.

k. Provide technical support for the Station’s security systems including cameras, access control system and motion detectors. The Station has a Technical Support Program with the OEM in the event the Contractor staff at the station cannot correct a system defect.

3.2 Telecommunications Provisioning, Management and Support

Operations and maintenance of existing telephone, radio, and wide-area LAN equipment at FCDAS falls within the scope of this contract. FCDAS currently uses an Avaya PBX for phone service; a VHF radio repeater system with mobile and handheld units for on-site radio communications; and multiple fiber-optic communications networks. Contractor personnel also shall assist outside vendors in preparing for and assisting the provisioning of new telecommunications circuits, systems, and devices.

4. IT SECURITY

The contractor must comply with the IT Security requirements of the Department of Commerce as outlined in Commerce Acquisition Regulation (CAR) 1352.239-72, Security Requirements For Information Technology Resources (April 2010). CAR 1352.239-72, section (d) includes the DOC IT Security Program Plan, the NOAA IT Security Manual, and the NESDIS IT Security Handbook. The contractor must also comply with FAR Clauses 52.204-21, 52.224-1, 52.224-2 and 52.239-1.

Contractor personnel will be screened in accordance with the requirements for Moderate Risk contracts as specified by CAM 1337.70 section 2.2 (Oct 2015); specifically, in accordance with CAR 1352.237- 70, Security Processing Requirements—High or Moderate Risk Contracts (April 2010). Any access by contract personnel who are Foreign Nationals must be in accordance with the requirements of CAR 1352.237-73, Foreign National Visitor and Guest Access to Departmental Resources (APR 2010).

The contractor must submit security forms required by CAR clause 1352.237-70 two (2) weeks prior to each new contract employee’s start of work so that the NOAA staff has sufficient time to process requests for background checks, NOAA badges, and network access.

4.1 Information Systems Security Officer

The FCDAS Information Systems Security Officer (ISSO) develops and monitors compliance with OSPO information security control policies and procedures for the systems within OSPO. The ISSO plays an active role in coordinating the development and update of the System Security Plans, equipment and software updates for the FCDAS Partner Antenna Access Network (PAAN). The ISSO also coordinates with the System Owner and other stakeholders any changes to the system and assesses the security impact of those changes. The ISSO will interact extensively with other line offices and partners for planning, implementation, and maintenance of PAAN.

The ISSO will serve as principal staff advisor to the System Owner for OSPO-owned networks at FCDAS on all matters involving the security of the information systems. Other duties include management of the security aspects of the assigned information systems and oversee the day-to-day security operations of the assigned systems; assisting the system owner (SO) in developing and enforcing security policies for the information system; maintaining the security authorization package in the Cyber Security Assessment and Management (CSAM) system; updating the system security plan (SSP) and supporting documents referenced in the SSP; monitoring execution of plans of action and milestones (POA&Ms) and updating POA&M status in CSAM; executing and documenting continuous monitoring activities; and managing and controlling changes to the information system and assessing the security impacts of those changes.

The Contractor shall provide the ISSO function. This is a Critical-Sensitive National Security position requiring a U.S. Secret security clearance. As required by CITR-006: Information System Security Training for Significant Roles, the ISSO shall be required to obtain and maintain professional certification (e.g., Certified Information Systems Security Professional). Therefore, the training hours are dictated by the certifying organization’s annual renewal requirements for the professional certification held.