SON_1333MH23QNWWT0015.pdf

STATEMENT OF NEED

Helium for NWS Salt Lake City, UT

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 Salt Lake City, UT launches weather balloons routinely twice a day at 3am and 3pm MST (4am and 4pm MDT). Each balloon requires approximately 85 cubic feet (CF) of helium. 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.

2. OBJECTIVE

The objective of the NWS is to receive and keep on-hand an adequate supply of helium (between 1,190 CF and 3,910) to perform the weather balloon launches on schedule. The supply will be re-stocked every other week.

3. SCOPE

The Contractor is responsible for supplying helium to the NWS Weather Forecast Office (WFO) located at 2242 West North Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84116.

The total amount of helium to be delivered for this requirement is between 62,050 CF and 70,210 CF, achieved with deliveries every other week of between 2,380 CF and 3,060 CF per delivery. There may be up to six additional unscheduled deliveries during the period.

4. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The base period of performance for this requirement is twelve months, beginning April 17, 2023 and ends April 16, 2024. There are no option periods included with this requirement.

5. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

All deliveries are to be made to the NWS office at 2242 W North Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84116. The point of delivery is at the Upper Air Inflation building, located north (behind) of the main building.

6. REQUIREMENTS

Site Storage and Usage: This site is capable of storing up to 18 cylinders of helium at a time.

All helium must be provided in individual cylinders as the facility is not arranged to allow for other configurations, such as 6-packs. Each cylinder shall contain a minimum of 217 CF of helium. The Government has space at the delivery point to receive and store up to 18 cylinders of helium at a time.

This site uses a minimum of 170 CF of helium per day, every day of the year. Actual use and the correlated number of cylinders per delivery depends on how many cubic feet of helium is provided in each cylinder, and also has the potential to vary if we have to launch extra balloons. Over an average two week period, with no extra launches, we will use approximately 2,380 CF. However, we need to keep an additional store of 1,190 CF of helium on site in case of additional unforeseen launches or delayed deliveries. The intent is that we will be replenished to our maximum of 3,910 CF after each completed delivery.

Initial Delivery: The contractor shall supply 3,910 CF of helium on or shortly after April 17, 2023, with the actual delivery date coordinated with one of the Points of Contact listed in Section 8, below. We understand the exact amount supplied will vary based on the size of the cylinders. The helium will be contained in no more than 18 individual cylinders.

Delivery Schedule: After the initial delivery, the Contractor will replenish back to 3,910 CF of helium every other week. The delivery schedule shall be arranged upon contract award with one of the NWS points of contact listed in Paragraph 8, below. In accordance with the arranged schedule, the Contractor shall replace all empty helium cylinders with full helium cylinders. The Contractor shall pick up the empty cylinders in the same trip. The Contractor shall provide the NWS point of contact at least three business days advance notice of a scheduled delivery. The NWS may opt to cancel or reschedule the delivery if needed.

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.

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 and shall communicate the change in advance to the NWS points of contact. The Contractor will contact the NWS office if a delivery is going to be delayed for any other reason.

In the event of a helium shortage by the Contractor or their supplier, the Contractor is responsible for communicating the shortage to the NWS as soon as possible, but no less than two days prior to the next scheduled delivery. If the Contractor is unable to find a reasonable supply in time to fill the requirement, the NWS reserves the right to purchase helium from another supplier outside of this contract.

Performing Deliveries: The Contractor shall contact NWS personnel at this location when arriving for a delivery.

NWS personnel will accompany the driver to the delivery point to unlock the storage area. NWS personnel will not assist with loading or unloading of cylinders. This location does not have a lift gate, platform, or forklift to assist with unloading; all equipment necessary for loading and unloading the helium shall be provided by the Contractor. 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.

The Contractor shall perform the pickup of empty cylinders and delivery of full cylinders in the same trip. 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.

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 or more than replenishment of helium to 3,910 CF, 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 day of the contract, the new Contractor and one of the NWS points of contact, listed in Paragraph 8 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 helium 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 telephone number for the Salt Lake City WFO is 801-524-4378. The WFO contacts for helium are:

Observation Program Leader (OPL) Administrative Support Assistant (ASA) Meteorologist In Charge (MIC)

9. INVOICING

The Contractor will invoice on a monthly basis in arrears for that month’s helium deliveries and related surcharges (i.e. cylinder rental fee, etc.). 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, but see “Invoicing Processing Platform—Alternate 1 (Dec 2022)” in Clauses contained herein for critical information about a future transition to new invoicing procedures.

National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office Attention: ASA 2242 W North Temple Salt Lake City, UT 84116

It is strongly preferred that invoices be sent via standard mail until the transition to the new invoicing platform.

Invoices shall not be emailed unless approved in writing by the Contracting Officer. If approved, at least two people, one of which must be the Contracting Officer, shall be included on all emails containing an invoice or requesting payment.