Non-Personal Services For Follow-On Redesign of the Balloon-Borne Electric Field Meter NOAA OAR NSSL, Norman OK

****NOAA’s Acquisition & Grants Office, Western Acquisition Division-Boulder, intends to negotiate, on a sole source basis, under authority of FAR 13.106-1(b)(1) with Leeman Geophysical, LLC.

 ****The sole source determination is based on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Oceanic & Atmospheric Research (OAR) National Severe Storms Lab (NSSL) has a need for non-personal services for continued redesign services of their Electric Field Meter (EFM).

This acquisition is for the continued redesign of the internal electronics of the balloon-borne Electric Field Meter (EFM) and modification of new capabilities to make operation and data analysis easier. Additional redesign measures were identified during a previous award.  This acquisition is to incorporate the additional redesign measures identified by the vendor and will be beneficial to the Government. The redesign will be housed within a basic external structure, provided by NSSL, and should not cause the EFM to violate FAA regulations for free-flying balloons outside of protected air space.

Only one company has experience with the current prototype EFM components: Leeman Geophysical. Leeman built the original EFM that NSSL has used for many years. Leeman Geophysical was awarded the contract to redesign the EFM in FY 2019. During that redesign, additional features and technology were suggested to be incorporated to the design upgrade that were not included in the initial redesign award. The purpose of this acquisition is to include the new technology as a follow on to the original award. The continued modernization of electronics must meet the criteria for the instrument to remain the standard of in-situ electric field measurements.

Period of Performance:

120 days from date of award.

***This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals and no solicitation package is available.  However, firms that believe they can provide the service as described that fully meets 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.