Maintenance, service, upgrades and technical support on a micro-g lacoste gravimeter TAGS7 unit.

***NOAA'S ACQUISITION & GRANTS OFFICE, EASTERN ACQUISITION DIVISION-NORFOLK, NATIONAL GEODETIC SURVEY (NGS) OFFICE INTENDS TO NEGOTIATE, ON A SOLE SOURCE BASIS, UNDER AUTHORITY OF FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), WITH MICRO-G LACOSTE INC OUT OF LAFAYETTE, CO FOR MAINTENANCE, SERVICE, UPGRADES AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT ON A MICRO-G LACOSTE GRAVIMETER TAGS7 UNIT.

***THE SOLE SOURCE DETERMINATION IS BASED ON THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION'S (NOAA) REQUIREMENT THAT MICRO-G LACOSTE IS THE SOLE PROVIDER OF MAINTENANCE, SERVICE, UPGRADES AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT ON TAGS7 UNITS. GRAVIMETER TAGS7 (S/N 224) IS THE MOST CURRENT ITERATION OF THE MICRO-G LACOSTE TURNKEY AIRBORNE GRAVITY SYSTEM. NGS MUST SERVICE THE INSTRUMENT WITH THEM BECAUSE NO OTHER COMPANY IS ABLE TO PROVIDE MAINTENANCE, SERVICE, AND REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR THIS METER DUE TO PROTECTED PROPRIETARY INFORMATION. THE EQUIPMENT IS MANUFACTURED BY MICRO-G LACOSTE. THEIR PROPRIETARY KNOWLEDGE ENCOMPASSES THE INTRICATE DETAILS OF THE SYSTEM'S DESIGN AND FUNCTIONALITY, ENSURING THAT THE EQUIPMENT OPERATES AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF ACCURACY AND RELIABILITY. INTRODUCING A DIFFERENT SERVICE PROVIDER WOULD COMPROMISE THE INTEGRITY OF THE INSTRUMENT DUE TO A LACK OF ACCESS TO THE PROPRIETARY INFORMATION AND SPECIALIZED PARTS AS WELL AS VOIDING THE EQUIPMENT’S WARRANTY BY BEING SERVICED BY ANOTHER COMPANY. GIVEN THE UNIQUE AND SPECIALIZED NATURE OF THE TAGS7 GRAVITY METER AND THE PROPRIETARY EXPERTISE HELD BY MICRO-G LACOSTE, NO OTHER SOURCE IS CAPABLE OF PROVIDING THE REQUIRED MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE AT THE NECESSARY LEVEL OF QUALITY. THE IMPACT OF NOT PROCURING SERVICES FROM MICRO-G LACOSTE WOULD INCLUDE SIGNIFICANT RISKS TO DATA ACCURACY, OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY, AND OVERALL MISSION SUCCESS. MICRO-G LACOSTE IS THE SOLE SOURCE CAPABLE OF MEETING THESE CRITICAL REQUIREMENTS. MICRO-G LACOSTE HAS NO AUTHORIZED SERVICE PROVIDERS/PARTNERS WHO CAN PROVIDE THESE SERVICES.

***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.