Apex covers NOAA field office

***NOAA'S ACQUISITION & GRANTS OFFICE, EASTERN ACQUISITION DIVISION-NORFOLK, FIELD OPERATIONS DIVISION (FOD) INTENDS TO NEGOTIATE, ON A SOLE SOURCE BASIS, UNDER AUTHORITY OF FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), WITH APX ENCLOSURES INC OUT OF CHESAPEAKE, VA TO PURCHASE APEX COVERS WITH BACK PANELS.

***THE SOLE SOURCE DETERMINATION IS BASED ON THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION'S (NOAA) REQUIREMENT THAT APEX ENCLOSURES IS THE SOLE PROVIDER OF THE APEX COVERS. CO-OPS ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING SYSTEMS COLLECT DATA IN A WIDE RANGE OF ENVIRONMENTS AND NEED TO FUNCTION CONTINUOUSLY DURING EXTREME ENVIRONMENTAL EVENTS. TO ACHIEVE THIS, CO-OPS HAS INVESTED SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF TIME AND FUNDING TO DESIGN AND FABRICATE SUPPORT STRUCTURES THAT CAN SURVIVE THE EXTREME ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS THAT CAN BE EXPOSED TO IN A COASTAL AREA. THESE DESIGNS WERE BASED AROUND THE SPECIFICATIONS OF THE ENCLOSURES IN THIS PROCUREMENT, TO SUPPORT AND PROTECT THEM IN HARSH ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS SO THAT THE DELICATE ELECTRONICS EQUIPMENT CONTAINED WITHIN THEM CAN CONTINUE TO FUNCTION WITHOUT INTERRUPTION.

NOAA’S REQUIREMENTS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
THIS PURCHASE IS FOR (7) APX NEMA 4X ENCLOSURES 60 INCHES HIGH X 60 INCHES WIDE X 15 INCHES DEEP, .125 5052 ALUMINUM CONSTRUCTION ITEM NUMBER: 1002210. (1) APX NEMA 4X ENCLOSURE 48 INCHES HIGH X 24 INCHES WIDE X 12 INCHES DEEP, .125 5052 ALUMINUM CONSTRUCTION ITEM NUMBER: 1-650-000565. (10) ¾” PLYWOOD BACKING BOARDS TO MOUNT CO-OPS ELECTRONICS EQUIPMENT.

THIS ACQUISITION REQUIRES THE SHIPPING OF (6) ENCLOSURES TO 672 INDEPENDENCE PARKWAY, CHESAPEAKE, VA 23320 ((5) 60X60X15 AND (1) 48X24X12) AND (2) TO 1 SABINE ISLAND DR, GULF BREEZE, FL 32561 ((2) 60X60X15).

MARKET RESEARCH
EXTENSIVE RESEARCH INTO THE AVAILABILITY OF SYSTEMS THAT MEET ALL OF THE MISSION REQUIREMENTS ABOVE WAS CONDUCTED AND NO COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE ALTERNATIVES WERE FOUND. THE DESIGNS OF THE ENCLOSURES IN THIS PROCUREMENT ARE THE PROPERTY OF APX ENCLOSURES, INC. SINCE CO-OPS IS UNABLE TO PROVIDE ENGINEERING DRAWINGS FOR THESE ENCLOSURES, THE PURCHASE OF PRODUCTS FROM ANOTHER MANUFACTURER WILL RESULT IN ADDITIONAL COSTS AND THE EXPENDITURE OF ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO IMPLEMENT.

UNDER THE CURRENT CO-OPS OPERATING SYSTEM, ALL NEWLY IMPLEMENTED STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS MUST UNDERGO A RIGOROUS ENGINEERING REVIEW PROCESS TO ENSURE THAT THEY MEET THE REQUIREMENTS TO ENSURE LONG-TERM SURVIVABILITY IN THE CONDITIONS THEY EXPERIENCE WHEN DEPLOYED IN THE FIELD. THIS PROCESS CAN TAKE A LARGE AMOUNT OF TIME AND RESOURCES TO IMPLEMENT.

SLIGHT VARIATIONS IN THE DESIGN OF THE ENCLOSURES WILL RESULT IN THE NEED TO ALTER EXISTING FABRICATED STRUCTURES TO ACCOMMODATE THE VARIATIONS. ANY ALTERATIONS WILL REQUIRE ENGINEERING REVIEW TO ENSURE THE INTEGRITY OF THE STRUCTURE WILL NOT BE COMPROMISED BY THE CHANGES. ANY ALTERATIONS WILL ALSO NEED TO BE DOCUMENTED AND THE DESIGNS OF THE FABRICATED STRUCTURE WILL NEED TO BE UPDATED TO REFLECT THE CHANGES. THERE ARE NOT ANY AUTHORIZED RESELLERS AS CONFIRMED BY THE VENDORS REPRESENTATIVE.   

***THIS NOTICE OF INTENT IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS AND NO SOLICITATION PACKAGE IS AVAILABLE. HOWEVER, FIRMS THAT BELIEVE THEY CAN FULLY MEET THE GOVERNMENT'S REQUIREMENTS MAY SUBMIT SUBSTANTIATING DOCUMENTATION IN WRITING TO THE IDENTIFIED POINT OF CONTACT WITHIN 15 DAYS AFTER PUBLICATION OF THIS SYNOPSIS. SUCH DOCUMENTATION WILL BE EVALUATED SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF DETERMINING WHETHER OR NOT TO CONDUCT THIS PROCUREMENT ON A COMPETITIVE BASIS. A DETERMINATION BY THE GOVERNMENT NOT TO CONDUCT A COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENT, BASED UPON RESPONSES TO THIS NOTICE, IS SOLELY WITHIN THE DISCRETION OF THE GOVERNMENT. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE IN RESPONSE TO THIS NOTICE.