Glider-Integrated Wideband Echosounders

The Antarctic Ecosystem Research Division (AERD) of the NOAA Fisheries has developed a glider-based program to assess the status and trends of Antarctic krill in the Southern Ocean using active acoustics. This autonomous sampling program has replaced standard ship-based net and acoustic surveys. The AERD has acquired several Teledyne Webb Research (TWR) Slocum G3 electric gliders (each rated to 1000m) to accomplish its programmatic goals.  Scientific echosounders are integrated into the science bays of these gliders to enable biomass estimation of krill and other acoustic scatterers.

The AERD has a requirement for the procurement and integration of four (4) low power, low weight (4 kg (in air)), wide-band echosounders capable of resolving the frequencies between 70 and 120 kHz using a single wideband transducer for installation in existing gliders. The procurement will include appropriate software for both onboard- and post-processing, data visualization, and data conversion and will include a module for calibration of the transducers using established protocols in fisheries research. The successful vendor will work with TWR to ensure that integration of each echosounder into its respective science bay includes utilization of power (battery) and computing resources already onboard the AERD G3 gliders without compromising glider integrity, mission capability, or communications.

 It is anticipated that award will have a one year period of performance beginning on the date of award occurring on/about May 18, 2020.

The Contractor shall meet the technical specifications outlined in the statement of work/specifications.  These requirements include, but are not limited to:

• Have a depth rating at least 1500 m.;
• Have a minimum sampling range of 100 m at 120 kHz;
• Consist of an acoustic transducer, including its housing, that is less than or equal to 11.5 cm in diameter;
• Have a maximum weight (in air) of less than 4 kg including the transducer, the aluminum housing, and internal electronics;
• Be mounted at an approximately 23 degree angle to the hull of the glider and oriented so that the acoustic signal is approximately perpendicular to the sea surface when the glider dives;
• Capability to be mounted in an upward looking or downward facing mode by mounting echosounder in different ecoports on the science bay;
• Have an external power and communications port to be used during calibration;
• Have a clock that will lose less than 1 second per month;
• A pressure sensor capable of measuring 0.0001dBar;
• Have a user-customizable transmit sampling interval with a minimum sample interval 6 seconds, and      maximum sample interval of 4 hours;
• Operate sequentially in wideband and narrowband modes, with narrowband transmissions at 70 and 120 kHz;
• Use wideband (broadband) signal processing to collect and record both continuous wave and pulse compressed, frequency-modulated, broadband data, including the  digitized quadrature-sampled complex voltage time series of the received signals (“raw IQ data”), at time intervals specified by the operator, with a minimum digitization rate of 45000 samples;
• By default, wideband data shall be recorded into at least five equal frequency bands spanning from nearly 70 to 120 kHz;
• Include onboard processing of acoustic data that enables quality assurance of acoustic data collection by telemetering metadata to glider pilots via Iridium;
• Include acoustic data processing software for data summarization, QA and QC that outputs data in a variety of formats including MATLAB, TEXT files, and native formats;
• Ensure that data files stored by the system are compatible for processing with existing professional post-processing software, and by MATLAB code based on templates provided by the manufacturer.

Integration, power, and control:

• Power (approximately 14 VDC unregulated) must be obtained from the existing glider battery power;
• Programmable control of the echosounder (on/off; sequencing; sampling interval; etc.) must be integrated into the ‘proglets’ code used by the TWR G3;
• Onboard data processing shall summarize information regarding acoustic performance and acoustic returns to the glider for transmittal by the glider computer for communication by iridium satellite communications;
• An external power and communications port must be included for in-tank calibrations and laboratory work.

A comprehensive list of actual requirements will be included in the Statement of Work within the solicitation package document.

The proposed contract action is unrestricted.  The NAICS code for this procurement is 334511 and the business size standard for this requirement is 1,250 employees.  It is highly encouraged that any small business meeting this size standard and desiring to be considered for award be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) using this NAICS code or a NAICS code with an equivalent size standard.   It should be noted that offerors must be registered in SAM prior to submission of an offer.  For additional information and to register in SAM, please access the following web site: www.sam.gov.  In order to register with the SAM, all offerors must also have a Dun & Bradstreet Number. A Dun & Bradstreet number may be acquired free of charge by contacting Dun & Bradstreet on-line at https://iupdate.dnb.com/iUpdate/viewiUpdateHome.htm or by phone at (866) 969-8491. It is also preferred that offerors to complete the electronic representations and certifications at the SAM website.

Solicitation documents will be made available for download on or about February 17, 2020 at https://beta.sam.gov/. Paper copies of this solicitation will not be issued. Interested parties may use the “follow” feature to monitor changes to this notice, including Request for Quote (RFQ) posting as well as all postings of information associated with this solicitation thereafter. Each potential offeror is responsible for checking the beta.sam.gov website to gain all current information related to the solicitation. The solicitation and any further announcements regarding the solicitation will be posted only at https://beta.sam.gov/.  The date offers are due will be stated within the solicitation documents and will be adjusted based upon the actual release date of the solicitation.  All questions of any nature regarding this procurement should be sent in writing to Contract Specialist, Carina Topasna at Carina.Topasna@noaa.gov or via fax at (206)526-6025.