SON_1333MH21QNWWT0004.docx

STATEMENT OF NEED

Hydrogen for NWS San Diego, CA

1. 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 San Diego, California has a separate launch facility in San Diego, California that releases weather balloons routinely twice a day at 3am and 3pm (Pacific Standard Time); and 4am and 4pm (Pacific Daylight Time). Each balloon requires approximately 60 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.

This site uses an Automated Radiosonde Operation System (AROS), also known as “autolauncher” to launch the weather balloons. There are two cabinets to contain the four six-packs required; two packs per cabinet. One cabinet is the operational cabinet that is actively used by the system to fill the balloons. The other cabinet is the storage cabinet. The Contractor will only be accessing the packs in the storage cabinet, not the operational cabinet.

This is a secure, unstaffed facility, and a key cannot be issued to the delivery driver. An NWS employee will have to drive to the site to meet the driver. This means deliveries must be exceptionally well coordinated and communicated. Points of Contact are listed in Section 8, below.

2. OBJECTIVE

The objective of the NWS is to receive and keep on hand an adequate supply of hydrogen (up to 6,264 CF, but not less than 1,566 CF) to perform the weather balloon launches on schedule. The supply will be re-stocked approximately every four weeks, depending on how much gas is contained in each six-pack. Deliveries will occur after two six packs are empty.

3. SCOPE

The Contractor is responsible for supplying hydrogen to the NWS Upper Air Facility located at the Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS), Miramar, Upper Air Facility, 6125 Kearny Villa Road, San Diego, CA 92123.

The total amount of hydrogen to be delivered for this requirement is between 43,800 CF and 49,560 CF per year. Deliveries will be approximately every four weeks, swapping two empty six-packs for two full six-packs. There may be up to 6 extra unscheduled deliveries during each period of performance.

The supply of hydrogen shall include rental of the cylinders affixed within a cradle in a six-pack configuration (see Figure 1). Each cradle unit must also come with a manifold connecting the six cylinders into a single common connection point. Each six-pack cradle unit shall contain a minimum of 1,230 CF of hydrogen and no more than 1,800 CF of hydrogen. The NWS prefers closer to 1,800 CF per cradle over 1,230 CF per cradle, in order to minimize how frequently the cradles need to be swapped on site. There will be four six-pack cradles at the NWS site at all times.

This requirement includes the option to increase quantity by no more than 50% of the base contract quantity. This option is not a separately priced line item and will be funded only if exercised in accordance with the terms of the purchase order.

4. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The base period of performance for this requirement is 12 months, beginning February 1, 2021 and ending January 31, 2022, with the option to extend up to four additional periods of one year each:

· Option 1: February 1, 2022 – January, 31, 2023

· Option 2: February 1, 2023 – January, 31, 2024

· Option 3: February 1, 2024 – January, 31, 2025

· Option 4: February 1, 2025 – January, 31, 2026

5. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

All deliveries are to be made to the NWS Upper Air Facility located at the Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS), Miramar, Upper Air Facility, 6125 Kearny Villa Road, San Diego, CA 92123. The point of delivery is at the Auto-sonde delivery cabinet.

This site is not staffed, except to receive deliveries, and a key to the facility will not be provided to the Contractor. Deliveries must occur within two hours of the time scheduled and agreed upon when the NWS calls to place the delivery order. It is the responsibility of the Contractor to pass this information on to any sub-contractors/drivers that may perform the deliveries.

This site does not have a loading/unloading capabilities such as a lift gate or a forklift. The delivery of the hydrogen cylinders will occur at the ground level where there is a concrete pad. All equipment necessary for safely loading and unloading the hydrogen shall be provided by the Contractor.

6. REQUIREMENTS

Cradle Specifications: The NWS will rent four 6-pack hydrogen cradles from the Contractor. The cradles shall conform to the general shape and design as the cradles shown in Figure 1, to include the common manifold and supply valve. The maximum allowable size of each cradle shall be 31 inches wide by 38 inches long by 78 inches tall. The cradle shall have sturdy casters (with at least two that can swivel) suitable for rolling on an asphalt driveway. The wheels shall fit inside the maximum allowable length and width dimensions of the cradle.

The six cylinders contained within each cradle shall be connected via a common manifold to a supply valve located near the top of the cradle, as shown in Figure 1. The valve shall be located 68±6 inches above the ground. The hydrogen outlet connection port shall conform to Compressed Gas Association (CGA) connection type 350 specification.

Site Storage and Usage: All hydrogen shall be provided in the above specified 6-pack cradles with manifold, with each 6-pack containing a minimum of 1,230 standard cubic feet of gas. There will be four 6-packs stored on site at a time. The facility is not arranged to safely allow for other configurations.

This site uses a minimum of 120 CF of hydrogen per day, every day of the year. Actual use has the potential to vary if additional observations are required. We will expend the gas of two 6-packs approximately every 4 weeks if no extra launches or unforeseen circumstances arise. The intent is that NWS personnel will request a delivery once two of the four cradles on site are empty. Each completed delivery will supply two full cradles to swap with the two empty cradles.

Initial Delivery: The contractor shall coordinate the initial delivery of four 6-pack cradles with one of the Points of Contact listed in Section 8, below.

Delivery Schedule: After the initial delivery, the NWS will contact the Contractor when two 6-packs are empty, and request the pickup of the empty 6-packs and delivery of an identical number of full 6-packs of hydrogen. Deliveries will occur approximately every 4 weeks. The Contractor shall perform the pickup and delivery in the same trip and within three business days of being contacted. The date and time of the delivery must be arranged at the time of order as this site is not staffed except to accept deliveries. Deliveries must occur within two hours of the scheduled time. If the scheduled time cannot be met for any reason, the Contractor must contact the NWS as soon as possible to notify us of the delay and possibly reschedule the delivery.

In the event of a hydrogen shortage by the Contractor or their supplier, the Contractor is responsible for communicating the shortage to the NWS as soon as possible. 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.

Performing Deliveries: This is a locked facility on the base of MCAS, Miramar. It is not a staffed facility. The NWS shall arrange to allow the vendor onto the property and unlock the gas storage cabinet. Keys will not be provided to the Contractor. If any delivery is outside the coordinated two-hour window, NWS personnel will not be on site to allow the driver access and delivery will need to be reattempted at another time, without additional delivery fees.

The point of delivery is at the Autosonde Delivery Cabinet, which requires access through a locked gate, followed by a drive down a dirt drive to a turnaround area with a sidewalk drop off area.

The Contractor shall replace the two empty cradles with full cradles, each containing a minimum of 1,230 CF of hydrogen, removing the empty cradles in the same trip. The Contractor shall ensure the cradles are placed inside the storage cabinet and secured there. NWS personnel will not assist with the delivery and pickup beyond providing access to the storage areas. 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.

Evidence of Delivery: The Contractor shall provide evidence of delivery by way of receipt signed by the Driver and NWS representative at the time of delivery. The NWS will retain the bi-laterally signed receipt and will provide a copy to the Contractor if requested and not otherwise available (such as via carbon copy).

Compliance: If any of the deliveries do not conform to contract requirements (i.e. a delivery results in less than 1,230 CF of hydrogen per cradle), 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).

Transition Period: 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.

7. SAFETY AND SECURITY

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

Safety Data Sheets (SDS) must be provided by the Contractor to one of the NWS points of contact, 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.

8. POINTS OF CONTACT

The Government contacts at the NWS office in San Diego are:

Administrative Support Assistant – 858-675-8700 ext. 221 Meteorologist In Charge – 858-675-8700 ext. 222

9. INVOICING

The Contractor will invoice on a monthly basis in arrears for that month’s hydrogen deliveries and related surcharges (i.e. cylinder rental fee, etc.). Invoices shall be provided within 30 days of the end of the billing period. The invoice must include the following items:

a. Name and address of the contractor, which must be the same as that on the Purchase Order

b. Invoice date and invoice number

c. Purchase Order number and associated line item number from the Purchase Order

d. Description, quantity, unit of measure, unit price and extended price of supplies delivered, and date of delivery

e. Evidence of delivery by way of receipt signed by NWS representative at the time of delivery

f. Name (where practicable), title, phone number, and mailing address of person to notify in the event of a defective invoice (a defective invoice is one that does not meet all the above requirements)

The invoices shall be sent to the following address:

National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office Attention: ASA 11440 W. Bernardo Court, Suite 230 San Diego, CA 92127

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