Sole Source for Engineering Support for the Washington Interagency VLBI Correlator

The U.S. Naval Observatory is seeking engineering support for the Washington Interagency VLBI Correlator through a sole source contract with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Haystack Observatory. The procurement will focus on specialized data support services for Earth Orientation Parameters (EOP) determination, specifically involving data translation, validation, and processing for potentially compromised international Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) data sources. The contract will require MIT to provide engineering support across five primary areas: correlator post-processing software, correlation of special projects, electronic VLBI transfer, VLBI data storage and transfer, and Mark6 system support. The government will evaluate quotes based on technical and price factors, with the intent to award to MIT after obtaining Small Business Administration approval. Key dates include a question submission deadline of April 24, 2025, at 3:30pm EST and a quote submission deadline of April 28, 2025, at 10:00am EST.

The contract is not set aside for any specific business category and will be solicited under NAICS code 541512 for Computer Systems Design Services, with a small business size standard of $34.0M. The estimated contract value is under $250,000, representing a one-year firm-fixed-price agreement from May 1, 2025, through April 30, 2026. This procurement is a follow-on to a previous agreement (N0018924P0241) and aims to mitigate risks associated with foreign data sources while supporting the Department of Defense Continuity of Operations Plan. The place of performance will be Washington, DC 20392, with MIT's Haystack Observatory providing the specialized engineering support. The contract will assist with legacy S/X VLBI and support the transition to the VLBI Global Observing System (VGOS), focusing on maintaining critical data processing capabilities for international VLBI observations.