SON_1333MH21QNWWT0034.pdf

STATEMENT OF NEED

Hydrogen for NWS Oakland, 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 Upper Air Facility in Oakland, CA launches weather balloons routinely twice a day at 3am and 3pm (Pacific Standard Time); and 4am and 4pm (Pacific Daylight Time). Each balloon requires approximately 70 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.

2. OBJECTIVE

The objective of the NWS is to receive and keep on hand an adequate supply of hydrogen (up to 4,920 CF, but not less than 2,364 CF) to perform the weather balloon launches on schedule. The supply will be re-stocked approximately every three to four weeks.

3. SCOPE

The Contractor is responsible for supplying Hydrogen to the NWS Oakland Upper Air Facility located at 6100 Old Earhart Rd. Oakland, CA 94614. The total amount of hydrogen to be delivered for this requirement is a minimum of 29,040 CF, up to a maximum of 38,360 CF.

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 1,182 CF of hydrogen. There will be four six-pack cradles at the NWS site at all times.

Deliveries will be approximately every three to four weeks, swapping two empty six-packs for two full six-packs (total of 2,364 CF per delivery).

4. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The base period of performance for this requirement is nine months, beginning September 3, 2021 and ending April 30, 2022, with the option to extend up to four additional periods of one year each:

• Option 1: May 1, 2022 – April, 30, 2023

• Option 2: May 1, 2023 – April, 30, 2024

• Option 3: May 1, 2024 – April, 30, 2025

• Option 4: May 1, 2025 – April, 30, 2026

5. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

All deliveries are to be made to the NWS Upper Air Facility located at 6100 Old Earhart Rd. Oakland, CA 94614. The point of delivery is at the Auto-sonde delivery cabinet, which requires access through locked gates. The vendor shall unload the truck, remove the empty cradles, place the filled cradles inside the gas storage cabinet, and reload the truck, without any assistance from NWS personnel. A key for this area will be provided to the Contractor upon contract award. The key shall be returned to the NWS upon contract completion.

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 1,182 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 140 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 3 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 3 to 4 weeks. The Contractor shall perform the pickup and delivery in the same trip and within three business days of being contacted. If a delivery cannot be performed 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: The point of delivery is not a staffed facility. The Contractor will be provided a key to the fenced area. The Contractor is responsible for ensuring the gates are properly secured upon departure.

The key will be returned to the NWS upon completion of the contract. All equipment necessary for loading and unloading the Hydrogen shall be provided by the Contractor.

In accordance with the arranged time scheduled, the Contractor shall replace two empty cradles with full cradles. The Contractor shall pick up the empty cradles in the same trip. The Contractor shall ensure the cradles are placed inside the delivery cabinet and secured there. The Contractor shall perform the deliveries in such a manner that there will be minimal interruption of or interference to the normal operation of Government business on the premises.

Evidence of Delivery: The Contractor shall leave a signed and dated delivery slip with the full cradles.

Compliance: If any of the deliveries do not conform to contract requirements (i.e. a delivery results in less than 1,182 CF of hydrogen per cradle, or delivery results in unsafe conditions on-site, etc), 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: If this contract is awarded to other than the incumbent Contractor, then prior to the first delivery, the new Contractor and one of the NWS points of contact, listed in Paragraph 8 below, shall coordinate 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.

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.

COVID-19 Certificate of Vaccination In accordance with Federal COVID-19 protocols, all contractor employees who perform any work on or at a Department of Commerce (DOC)-operated facility are required to complete the non-Federal Employee and Visitor Certification Form and carry a copy with them when reporting to any DOC worksite; see Appendix A. Those who do not certify they are fully vaccinated, or who decline to provide vaccination status, must obtain a negative COVID-19 test within the three calendar days prior to on-site work in order to access a DOC-operating location or facility. Contractors are required to attest to the contracting officer, in writing, that all on-site contractor employees are following this guidance. This mandate applies to gas delivery drivers as they technically perform the delivery at a government-operated facility.

8. POINTS OF CONTACT

The Government contacts at the NWS office in Monterey, CA are:

Observation Program Leader (OPL) – (831) 656-1710 x225 Administrative Support Assistant (ASA) – (831) 656-1710 x221 Meteorologist in Charge (MIC) – (831) 656-1710 x222

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 contractor at the time of delivery. This should be a copy of the signed receipt left at the balloon launch facility.

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 21 Grace Hopper Avenue, Mail Stop 5 Monterey, CA 93943

10. SECURITY BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION

Due to the Contractor being permitted unsupervised access to the site, a basic security background investigation must be completed for all personnel who will have access to the gate key. The Contractor is required to designate at least one, but no more than three, contractor personnel to perform the Hydrogen deliveries. Prior to the key being issued, the designated personnel must pass a fingerprint check performed by the Department of Commerce Western Region Security Office (WRSO).

The Contractor is responsible for providing, at its own expense, all information necessary to complete the security investigation, including official fingerprint charts. The fingerprint charts shall be provided to the ASA for submission to the WRSO. The NWS will bear the expense of conducting the actual background investigation(s).

The Contractor shall not assign any personnel that do not receive a favorable result of the security investigation to perform deliveries to this site.

Figure 1