Statement_of_Work_-_Lightning_Detection_in_Alaska_2026_final.pdf

Statement of Work

1.0 Background

The Alaska Fire Service (AFS) is located at 1541 Gaffney Road, Fort Wainwright, Alaska. For a brief background statement on the mission of AFS please visit, https://www.blm.gov/office/alaska-fire-service .

AFS currently operates and maintains the Alaska Lightning Detection System (ALDS). This system is comprised of the following components:

• Multiple lightning detection sensors strategically located across the state of Alaska.

• A server collects and processes sensor data to generate calculated strike locations. This server is hosted onsite at the Alaska Fire Service.

• The lightning location data is archived in a relational database and made available to the firefighting community in Alaska. This includes multiple federal agencies, the state of Alaska, and the public. The output can be viewed here: https://fire.ak.blm.gov . Click on “AK Wildland Fire and Lightning Dashboard”.

• The system performs real-time lightning detection and reporting.

2.0 Objective

To determine the options for upgrading or replacing the existing real-time ALDS. For example, some options being considered are:

1. Replace the system with a data service that maintains the infrastructure necessary to perform real-time lightning detection and reporting in the State of Alaska. At a minimum the data service would provide the calculated lightning location data to the Alaska Fire Service and its cooperators in real-time. AFS and its cooperators would pay an annual subscription fee for the service.

2. Upgrade or replace the existing hardware and software of the ALDS. A new system would provide secure authenticated encrypted connections between sensors and the central processing server. Provide a secure authenticated encrypted connection to AFS software for the retrieval of real-time lightning location data to be stored in the AFS relational database. AFS would purchase the hardware and software solution and maintain the instate infrastructure necessary for the system to function. AFS would also maintain ownership of the data collected and generated by the system. AFS would maintain an annual support agreement with the vendor for sensor support, sensor firmware updates, hardware and software support, and upgrades.

https://www.blm.gov/office/alaska-fire-service https://fire.ak.blm.gov/

3.0 Requirements

The system must do the following:

1. Be operational April 1st through September 30th of each year.

2. Lightning sensor data must be collected in real-time.

3. The calculated strike locations must be distributed and viewable in real-time.

4. The system should distinguish between cloud-to-ground (a negative or positive flash) and intra-cloud lightning. The symbology used to plot the location on a map should be visually distinctive for each type.

a. https://www.weather.gov/safety/lightning-science-types-flashes

b. https://www.nssl.noaa.gov/education/svrwx101/lightning/types

5. When an end user is viewing the calculated strike location data the geographic window of interest should be adjustable by the user.

6. When a user is viewing lightning, the view should automatically refresh with the latest lightning detected every ten minutes. The user should not be required to manually initiate the refresh. A refresh-range of 10 to 15 minutes is acceptable.

7. Users need to be able to view lightning that has occurred in the following time frames:

a. Last 24 hours – This time frame includes real-time lightning for the current day. The refresh rate only applies to this time frame. The refresh rate is optional for the other time frames and not required.

b. Last 48 hours

c. Last 72 hours

d. Last 7 days (1-week)

e. Last 14 days(2-weeks)

8. The system should provide detection coverage for the geographic window defined as:

a. Minimum Latitude: 50 degrees

b. Minimum Longitude: -170 degrees

c. Maximum Latitude: 75 degrees

d. Maximum Longitude: -129 degrees

9. To ensure the integrity of the sensor data, communication between the sensor and the central processing server should be authenticated and encrypted. Please document the method(s) used.

10. Communications between the viewing client and the service hosting the lightning location data should be encrypted at a minimum.

https://www.weather.gov/safety/lightning-science-types-flashes https://www.nssl.noaa.gov/education/svrwx101/lightning/types

4.0 Deliverables

All proposals should be submitted in electronic form as a PDF document and include at a minimum the following information.

• Explain how the proposal will satisfy all the 3.0 Requirements.

• Include an estimated initial cost for the solution. The cost estimate should be broken out in detail showing how the estimate was derived.

• Project the annual cost for the next five years. The cost estimate should be broken out in detail showing how the estimate was derived.

• Describe the technique (Time-of-Arrival (TOA), Direction Finding (DF), etc…) used to calculate strike locations in the system.

• Include the minimum number of sensors necessary to calculate a strike location.

• Describe how the system determines the accuracy of individual strike locations.

• What is a strike? For example, is it a flash with a multiplicity for the number of strokes associated with the flash?

• Specify the make and model of all lightning sensors used in the proposed detection network.

• Specify the proposed location for each sensor in the state of Alaska and therefore the number of sensors to be deployed.

• Specify the detection range of each sensor model (For example: miles or kilometers)

• Provide a specific definition of real-time for the proposed solution. For example, how long does it take from the time a sensor detects a flash until a location is calculated and then viewable by an end user.

• Describe what hardware/software a user will be required to use to view lightning activity.

• How many concurrent users will the system support?

• Where will the system be hosted?

• Are you offering a data service that AFS will subscribe to annually?

• Are you offering a solution that AFS can purchase and then contract for annual maintenance support for the hardware and software?

• Describe the attributes that will be included along with the calculated strike location.

• Specify any data use and distribution restrictions.

5.0 Contacts

Project Manager Bill Beach Northern Alaska IT Section (NAK-IT) Supervisor Technical Systems Section (AK9F3200)/DOI-IT HQ-563 Phone: 907-356-5592 Email: bbeach@blm.gov

Project Owners

Jason Dollard Acting Manager Bureau of Land Management Alaska Fire Service Phone: 907-356-5506 Email: jdollard@blm.gov

Aleshia Purcell Branch Chief Business and Technology Bureau of Land Management Alaska Fire Service Phone: 907-356-5591 Email: apurcell@blm.gov mailto:bbeach@blm.gov mailto:jdollard@blm.gov mailto:apurcell@blm.gov