NWS - Aerological Sounding Balloons
Awarded Limited / Sole Source Justification Posted
- Solicitation number
- REQUIREMENTS-25-3653
- Agency
-
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Department of Commerce
- Set-aside
- No set-aside
Opportunity facts
- Contract number
- 1305M226D0038 Federal IDV award
- NAICS code
- 326299 All Other Rubber Product Manufacturing
- PSC
- 9320 Rubber Fabricated Materials
- Place of performance
- Norfolk, Virginia, United States
- Points of contact
Notice details come from SAM.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, through the Acquisition and Grants Office Eastern Acquisition Division, intends to award a sole-source IDIQ contract to Kaymont Consolidated Industries, Inc. for up to 94,800 GP20 Aerological Sounding Balloons for the National Weather Service Surface and Upper Air Division.
Kaymont is the only vendor able to produce and deliver GP20 balloons meeting the NWS GP20 Balloon Specification at the required rate of 4,680 balloons per month with a 90-day lead time. The balloons are manufactured by Totex Corporation and are essential to the NWS Upper Air Program, which conducts approximately 78,000 radiosonde observations annually across 102 upper air sites. The balloons must perform across extreme environmental conditions (-60°C to +60°C), maintain a 5 m/s ascent rate, achieve a 20-kilometer burst height, support payloads up to 600 grams, and meet a 90% minimum lot success rate while composed of biodegradable natural materials. Market research conducted through a Sources Sought Notice posted March 5, 2026, and a Notice of Intent to Sole Source posted May 4, 2026, identified limited alternative vendors, all of whom failed to meet performance requirements, capacity constraints, or material specifications.
The period of performance runs through July 2031 (five-year ordering period from July 2026). The statutory authority is RFO 12.201-1 (Simplified Procedures) in accordance with 41 U.S.C. 1901 and 10 U.S.C. 3204(f). The justification was posted within 14 days of the award date of August 14, 2026, in compliance with RFO 6.301 and 41 U.S.C. 3304(f). Proprietary pricing information has been redacted.
Notice text
The US Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Acquisition and Grants Office, Eastern Acquisition Division and the National Weather Service (NWS), using the procedures set forth in the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) Part 12, intends to negotiate on a sole source basis with Kaymont, for a firm-fixed unit price on an Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity contract for up to 94,800 GP20 Aerological Sounding Balloons for the Surface and Upper Air Division. Kaymont is the only vendor able to produce and deliver GP20 balloons that meet the NWS GP20 Balloon Specification at a rate that meets the NWS 4,680 per month usage rate, with a 90-day lead time. The statutory authority for other than full and open competition is RFO 12.201-1, “Simplified procedures,” in accordance with 41 U.S.C. 1901 “Simplified acquisition procedures.”
This Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition is being posted within 14 days of the date of award in compliance with RFO 6.301 as required by 10 U.S.C. 3204(f) and 41 U.S.C. 3304(f). Proprietary information has been redacted.
Awarded contract 1305M226D0038 to unknown vendor for unknown amount on 2026-08-14.
Files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| JOFOC - GP20 Balloons - Redacted.pdf |
Notice history
| Notice | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| This notice | Limited / Sole Source Justification | |
| NWS - Aerological Sounding Balloons | Special Notice | |
| NWS - Aerological Sounding Balloons | Pre-Solicitation |
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