Updated PWS Towers (2).docx

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEXRAD WSR-88D

RADAR TOWER MAINTENANCE

REQUIREMENTS-25-3257

1. INTRODUCTION

The Contractor shall furnish the necessary personnel, material, equipment, and facilities (except as otherwise specified) to perform the following Performance Work Statement. The Government requires Contractor technical evaluation and support for life-cycle maintenance and catastrophic recovery of the existing radar towers in the Government’s weather radar network.

2. BACKGROUND

The Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) program is a tri-agency joint effort of the Department of Commerce (DOC), the Department of Defense (DOD), and the Department of Transportation (DOT). The operational user agencies involved are: DOC, National Weather Service (NWS); DOD, United States Air Force (USAF); and DOT, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The NEXRAD Program has deployed 160 operational and 2 non-operational (training, test, and repair) towers supporting the Weather Surveillance Radar - 1988 Doppler (WSR-88D) weather radar systems throughout the United States and various overseas locations. Currently, only NEXRAD radar sites operated by the DOC and DOD are participating in this tower restoration contract. DOT has an internal depot team conducting tower maintenance on their towers.

The WSR-88D Radar Operations Center (ROC) has support management responsibility for these radars for the tri-agency NEXRAD program. Part of the support management responsibility associated with these radars is the maintenance of the tower structure in a fully operational condition to ensure the mission of the tri-agency radar network can be continuously met. Timeliness of tower repairs, both routine as well as catastrophic failure recovery, is critical to the successful completion of the NEXRAD mission.

Since the WSR-88D tower is a rigid structure which supports the critical transmit and receive equipment, the structural integrity of the tower must be maintained to ensure the availability of weather radar data under all circumstances. Factors such as corrosion, loose fasteners, damaged structural components or tower foundations, and others can contribute to the weakening of the tower system and may result in failure of the system to perform its lifesaving function. It is necessary to periodically inspect the soundness of the tower at all WSR-88D sites, which are constantly exposed to the environmental extremes. It may be necessary to conduct impromptu inspections of radar towers, which have been damaged or are suspected to have been damaged by a catastrophic event. Additionally, some towers are located at remote mountainous sites with severe weather environments where the wind and ice loading are excessive. These sites are only accessible at certain times of the year for a limited period of time and require frequent maintenance. Timeliness of inspection and subsequent repair are critical in these situations to restore the WSR-88D tower to its original operational condition. WSR-88D radars must be 96% operationally available in order to meet the diverse meteorological missions of the NEXRAD tri-agency partners.

The Government does not own complete data rights associated with the WSR- 88D Tower. The design and engineering data for the WSR-88D Towers are the proprietary property of Valmont-Microflect (CAGE: 29189). The Government does have data rights to the unique as-built drawings for each tower and detailed bills of material for each tower configuration. The Government has available, a set of installation drawings and detailed bills of material to reconstitute any tower height contained within the WSR-88D network for both the Limited Phase Production and Full-Scale Production configurations. These drawings contain references to all Valmont-Microflect part numbers and parts/quantities required to install any tower configuration in the NEXRAD network. All necessary data and drawings currently available to the government will be provided following contract award.

The list of all 160 WSR-88D sites and their locations is provided in Attachment 6.

3. SCOPE

This Performance Work Statement provides for initial WSR-88D tower inspection and engineering evaluation. Based on the results of these evaluation services, this work statement provides for the WSR-88D tower repair services for timely restoration of the inspected tower to a like new condition. Restoration may include, but is not limited to, replacement of structural components, replacement of fasteners, repair/replacement of lightning protection system components, corrosion removal, cleaning, painting, and repair/replacement of galvanic coatings, and tower foundation replacement/repair. Preventative measures to protect the tower from other issues besides weather related ones may also be required, e.g., bird proofing and power washing chloride deposits. Although the government does not require the use of Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts, the contractor must specify any proposed replacement components which are not OEM parts and demonstrate to the government’s satisfaction that the substitute part is interchangeable and of the same quality as the OEM part. Finally, this performance work statement provides for the delivery of WSR-88D Tower Engineering Data and Engineering Change Proposals resulting from any modifications to the documented tower configuration.

4. WSR-88D TOWER STATEMENT OF WORK

5.1 WSR-88D TOWER INSPECTION AND ENGINEERING EVALUATION

Upon receipt of a task order (marked ROUTINE or URGENT) with a Contract Line Item Number (CLIN) 0001 for a specific WSR-88D Tower site or sites, the Contractor shall provide WSR-88D Tower Inspection and Engineering Evaluation on location at each Tower specified, and provide a written Inspection Report in a format of the Contractor’s choosing of the original installation and current conditions of each inspected Tower and its associated hardware including foundations, waveguides, supports, ladders, conduits, power and control circuits/conductors, lightning arrest system, and fasteners.

The written report shall be submitted within 30 calendar days of completion for a ROUTINE task order, within 7 calendar days of completion for an URGENT task order at a site within the Continental United States (CONUS), or within 10 calendar days of completion for an URGENT task order at a site Outside the Continental United States (OCONUS) of each Tower Inspection and/or Engineering Evaluation. The report shall include the Contract and Task Order number, CLIN, date of completion, and the Government’s Point of Contact (POC) while on site. The report shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) electronically via email.

An urgent task order may be initiated in response to a catastrophic event, a suspected corrective maintenance requirement, or a government engineering concern requiring Contractor engineering evaluation. An urgent task order for Inspection and Engineering Evaluation requires the Contractor on site for inspection within a 48-hour period for CONUS sites and 96-hour period for OCONUS sites.

As part of the inspection process, the Contractor shall perform galvanic coating thickness measurements, structural member thickness measurements, ground resistance measurements, and provide an overview of the tower electrical conduits, electrical boxes, tower base perimeter fence, stair treads, stairwell lights-assemblies, and concrete foundation condition as part of its corrosion evaluation. Inspections shall be based on the engineering data as specified by the original OEM Valmont- Microflect for the specific towers under evaluation. Inspection results shall be provided in the written report and include requirements for correction, if any, of the existing tower condition to restore it to a serviceable, operational and like new condition. Evaluations of corrosion must include a statement addressing the extent of the corrosion and its effect, if any, on the structural integrity of the tower or component(s) under evaluation. The Contractor shall also provide photographs, which illustrate the severity and extent (i.e. widespread, localized, etc.) of the tower corrosion if corrosion is present. The Contractor shall address the extent and method of corrosion removal required, tower encapsulation requirements, and other environmental issues related to any proposed repair. The Contractor shall also select the proposed method(s) of galvanic coating restoration from the methods described in American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) A-780, A Standard Practice for Repair of Damaged and Uncoated Areas of Hot-Dip Galvanized Coatings dated 9/16/2020. Since these towers are highly visible symbols of the National Weather Service, the aesthetic appeal of the completed repair must be considered in addition to the effectiveness of the recommended technique. An Inspection and/or Engineering Evaluation at a site shall address and propose repair or replacement of components regardless of the cause of the damage (severe weather, earthquake, flood, wildfire, corrosion, material failure/fatigue, etc.). The specific tower installation and proposed repairs can range from the replacement of a complete tower to the replacement/repair of any combination of tower components.

The Contractor shall indicate in its written report all parts (repairable, consumables, expendables), tools and test equipment, personnel, technical procedures and data, repair time, lead time for parts availability and a detailed pricing proposal to restore the tower to a like new condition.

The report shall also indicate the urgency of each proposed corrective action(s). All estimates provided by the Contractor shall be based on the Contractor performing all of the maintenance required and providing all materials and parts required. The Contractor's safety plan shall be submitted with each task order proposal.

The Government will provide a POC for each Tower site coordination at the time of a CLIN 0001 task order issuance. Government assistance to the Contractor will include directions to and admittance to the Tower site as well as turning the WSR-88D Radar system off and on as required.

5.2 WSR-88D TOWER STRUCTURAL REPAIR, REPLACEMENT, AND RESTORATION OF GALVANIC COATING

Upon receipt of a task order (marked ROUTINE or URGENT) with a CLIN 0002, the Contractor shall provide WSR-88D Tower Structural Repair, Replacement, and Restoration of Galvanic Coating for a specific WSR-88D Tower site or site(s) as indicated in the task order.

The Contractor shall provide all labor, materials, equipment, and supplies required to dismantle, remove, install, replace, or repair damaged components of the WSR-88D Tower including restoration of the galvanic coatings. All required installation and repair parts and materials shall be provided by the Contractor.

Each site specified in a task order shall be based on the corresponding results provided by the Tower Inspection and Engineering Evaluation in CLIN 0001 described in section 5.1. The method of restoration of the galvanic coating shall be selected from those methods meeting the ASTM A-780 standard practices which include the application of paints containing at least 65% zinc dust, application of zinc solder, and/or metalizing of zinc deficient areas.

The Contractor shall deliver all parts and materials required in a new, unused condition, to the WSR-88D tower site specified in the task order. Although the Government does not require the use of OEM parts, the Contractor shall specify any proposed replacement components, which are not OEM parts, and provide sufficient engineering documentation to fully specify each part and support comparison between the two. It is the Contractor’s responsibility to demonstrate to the Government’s satisfaction that the recommended part is interchangeable, and of the same quality as the OEM part.

The Government currently has a complete tower kit in storage; it is set aside for reconstitution of a tower in the event of catastrophic loss. In the event that an urgent tower repair or replacement is required, the Government will provide the Contractor the components necessary to support the performance of CLIN 0002 in order to minimize the delay in acquisition of required materials if necessary. In this case, the Contractor shall replenish the exact parts and quantities of Government Furnished Material (GFM) utilized for the performance of CLIN 0002. The Contractor shall replenish the GFM with identical new and unused material within 120 calendar days of completion of an urgent tower repair. The Contractor shall provide an acceptance document (similar to the Department of Defense Form DD250 acceptance document) to the Government when the material is available and ready for transition to the Government’s designated storage facility.

During execution of CLIN 0002, the Contractor shall have quality control procedures in place to ensure tower repair and restoration services are consistently and correctly performed, and that the tower is restored to a like new condition. The Contractor shall submit a written Repair Services Completion Report in contractor format within 30 calendar days of completion for each Tower repair site specified in the task order. The report shall include the Contract and Task Order number, CLIN, the dates on location including the completion date, and the Government’s Point of Contact (POC) while on site. This report shall be certified by a professionally registered structural engineer and must state that the installation/repair services completed have restored the WSR-88D Tower to a serviceable, operational and like new condition.

In addition to this report, the Contractor shall conduct a quality assurance site completion checklist with the local Government POC. At a minimum, the checklist shall indicate that all tasks and replacement parts that were identified in the task order were accomplished, a soluble salt test was conducted, the site was cleaned up to the same condition as when the Contractor arrived on site, and all residue is properly disposed of including hazardous materials. This checklist shall be submitted with the certified written report with signatures of both the Contractor and the on-site Government Official. A copy of all documentation including the written report shall be submitted digitally to the COR via email.

The Government will provide a POC for Tower site coordination at the time of a CLIN 0002 task order issuance. Government assistance to the Contractor will include directions to and admittance to the Tower site and turning the WSR-88D Radar system off and on as required.

5.3 WSR-88D TOWER ENGINEERING DATA AND ENGINEERING CHANGE PROPOSALS

Upon receipt of a task order (marked ROUTINE or URGENT) with a CLIN 0003, the Contractor shall provide the Government WSR-88D Tower Engineering Data and/or Engineering Change Proposals reflecting modification or proposed modification of the current configuration of a given WSR-88D Tower.

Each task order will be task specific. The Contractor may be required to submit a combination or all of the following reports in the format of their choosing: Engineering Change Proposal (ECP), Specification Change Notice, Notice of Revision, Product Drawings and Associated Lists, or Configuration Status Accounting Information.

If a modification must be made to a documented tower configuration as a result of the Contractor’s election to use other than OEM parts, the Contractor shall be responsible to generate all associated technical documentation changes (as mentioned above) at no expense to the Government.

If necessary, the Government will provide a POC for Tower site coordination at the time of a CLIN 0003 task order issuance. Government assistance to the Contractor will include directions to and admittance to the Tower site and turning the WSR-88D Radar system off and on as required.

5. COORDINATION OF ON-SITE INSPECTION AND REPAIR ACTIVITIES

Tower maintenance and repair shall be planned to minimize downtime of the radar as long as the safety of personnel and property is not compromised. The maximum downtime for the WSR-88D system shall be indicated in the task order and shall not exceed 30 calendar days for total tower replacement unless the tower foundation and base plate require replacement. In the event that the tower base plate and foundation require replacement, the downtime of the WSR-88D shall not exceed 45 calendar days. Other repairs are anticipated to take considerably less time. Certain weather events may require the work to be delayed by the site’s Meteorologist in Charge (MIC). If this situation occurs, the Contractor shall immediately contact the COR. The Contractor is responsible for complete site clean-up and restoration including removal and disposal of used tower components and materials, restoration of anything (i.e. fencing) that was dismantled to gain access to the tower, and landscaping following any excavation work.

The Contractor shall provide at least a minimum of seven (7) calendar days advance notice to the COR prior to the date of arrival of work crews at a WSR-88D site, unless an urgent situation exists under section 5.1. The Government will provide a POC for tower site coordination at the time of a task order award. Government assistance to the Contractor will include directions to and admittance to the Tower site and turning the WSR-88D Radar system off and on as required.

6. CONTRACTOR’S PERSONNEL REQUIREMENTS

All Contractor personnel that are proposed to climb the WSR-88D towers in the accomplishment of this PWS shall be certified by a climbing course that follows, meets, and/or exceeds the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 1910-268, the American Standards Institute (ANSI) Z359 and Z490, and the National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) Tower Climber Fall Protection Training Standard (NATE CTS) industry standards as it pertains to authorized climbers, and shall use OSHA CFR 1926.954 compliant personal protective equipment. The Contractor’s safety plan as well as copies of certifications for climber personnel and equipment shall be submitted to the Government’s CO and COR with the Contractor’s proposal.

7. PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS SUMMARY

PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS SUMMARY

Disincentive

1. Section 5.1 Inspection and Engineering Evaluation

RFO 52.246-4

2. Section 5.2 Installation and Repair

100% COR inspection and acceptance.

Past Performance Reports, and Contractual remedies

RFO 52.246-4

3. Section 5.2 Installation and Repair High quality, timely completion of installation and repairs using proper materials and written certification of restoration.

Report submitted per section 5.2.

Installation and repairs completed timely with no defects. Identified problems corrected as agreed upon with COR.

Timely submittal of quality reports.

No defects 95% of the time.

Defects corrected as agreed upon with COR.

Less than 2 corrections per report.

4. Section 5.3 Engineering Data and Engineering Change Proposals

Prepare and submit reports as per section 5.3 and as required per Task Order and/or Tower conditions.

100% COR review and acceptance.

Past Performance Reports, and Contractual remedies