Ground control rockfleet GPS tracker devices air time data subscription

***NOAA'S ACQUISITION & GRANTS OFFICE, EASTERN ACQUISITION DIVISION-NORFOLK, OFFICE OF MARINE AND AVIATION OPERATIONS (OMAO) AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS CENTER (AOC) INTENDS TO NEGOTIATE, ON A SOLE SOURCE BASIS, UNDER AUTHORITY OF FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), WITH GROUND CONTROL TECHNOLOGIES UK LTD, OUT OF GLOUCESTER, UNITED KINGDOM FOR ROCKFLEET GPS TRACKER DEVICES AIR TIME DATA SUBSCRIPTION.

***THE SOLE SOURCE DETERMINATION IS BASED ON THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION'S (NOAA) REQUIREMENT THAT GROUND CONTROL TECHNOLOGIES UK LTD IS THE SOLE OWNER, DEVELOPER AND DISTRIBUTOR OF THE ROCKFLEET GPS TRACKER DEVICES AND AIR TIME SUBSCRIPTIONS. OMAO ESTABLISHED THE CURRENT ROCKFLEET GPS TRACKER DEVICE AIR TIME DATA SUBSCRIPTION ACCOUNT WITH GROUND CONTROL TECHNOLOGIES UK IN AUGUST OF 2020 AND THE AIR TIME DATA SUBSCRIPTION MUST REMAIN WITH GROUND CONTROL TECHNOLOGIES UK LTD IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS.

THROUGH MARKET RESEARCH WORKING WITH OTHER U.S. GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES, OMAO DETERMINED ROCKFLEET IS USED ACROSS MANY PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITIES. UNLIKE OTHER INDUSTRY HARDWARE AND SERVICES THAT ARE NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE OMAO INFRASTRUCTURE, ROCKFLEET IS TAILORABLE AND MEETS THE REQUIREMENT TO OPERATE OVER SATELLITE AND ENABLE THE ABILITY TO SEND AUTOMATED NOTIFICATIONS, AND ADMINISTER PROGRAM RESOURCES BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER A PROJECT. DUE TO NOAA COMPLEX MARITIME OPERATIONS AND PROLONGED MAINTENANCE PERIODS, ROCKFLEET’S INTERNAL BATTERY BACKUP IS BENEFICIAL ALLOWING UP TO 5-MONTHS OF UNPOWERED OPERATION. LIKEWISE, THE OPTIONAL SERIAL INTEGRATION ADD-ON MAY PROVIDE CONNECTIVITY TO OTHER NOAA APPROVED DEVICES. SINCE NOAA SHIPS ARE FEDERALLY FUNDED, THE ABILITY TO LEVERAGE THE ROCKFLEET DEVICES TO SEND AUTOMATIC POSITIONING FEEDS TO THE JOINT FRIENDLY FORCE TRACKING (JFFT) WILL ENABLE NETWORKCENTRIC OPERATIONS (NCO), AND REDUCE THE RISK OF LOSS OF LIFE AND THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH SHARING POSITIONING DATA WITH COMBATANT U.S. MILITARY COMMANDS

THERE ARE VARIOUS VENDORS THAT OFFER FLEET GPS SOFTWARE, HOWEVER THE GROUND CONTROL ROCKFLEET AIR TIME DATA SUBSCRIPTION HAS CURRENTLY BEEN IN USE SINCE AUG 2020 ON ALL OF OUR LARGE NOAA SHIPS WHICH STANDARDIZES THE HARDWARE AND SERVICE. THE AIR TIME DATA SUBSCRIPTION CONTINUATION PROVIDES CONTINUOUS, UNINTERRUPTED POSITIONING NOTIFICATIONS.

***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.