Updating forecasting model for HAB research

NRMAF000-23-00640

***NOAA'S ACQUISITION & GRANTS OFFICE, WESTERN ACQUISITION DIVISION-BOULDER, GREAT LAKES ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LABORATORY (GLERL), INTENDS TO NEGOTIATE, ON A SOLE SOURCE BASIS, UNDER AUTHORITY OF FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO, OUT OF TOLEDO, OHIO, FOR FORECAST SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT TO EXTEND THE HAB FORECAST TO BE PERFORMED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO AS WELL AS THE GREAT LAKES ENVIROMENTAL RESEARCH LABORATORY IN A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT. 

***THE SOLE SOURCE DETERMINATION IS BASED ON THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION'S (NOAA) REQUIREMENT THAT THE UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO IS THE ONLY VENDOR THAT PROVIDES THIS SERVICE IN COORDINATION WITH THE PROJECT LIFE CYCLE. THE UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO, IN PARTICULAR, DR. SONG QIAN, HAS BEEN DEVELOPING MODELS FOR HABS TRACKING WITHIN THE LAKE ERIE BASIN FOR GLERL IN A COLLABORATIVE SCIENCE CONSORTIUM FOR THE PAST 6 YEARS. THE EFFORT REQUESTED HERE WILL EXPAND ON WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DEVELOPED, AND WILL DEVELOP UPDATES AND INCORPORATE CHANGES THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BASIC MODELS, TO BETTER ENHANCE GLERL’S UNDERSTATING OF HABS AND THE PREDICTABILITY OF BLOOMS AS THEY MAY OCCUR. THERE IS NO OTHER SOURCE WITHIN THE GREAT LAKES BASIN, IN PARTICULAR LAKE ERIE, THAT HAS DEVELOPED OVER AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME MODELS THAT WILL COVER THE WORK REQUESTED. THUS, IF WE PROVIDED THIS STATEMENT OF WORK TO ANOTHER UNIVERSITY, THEY WOULD HAVE TO REINVENT WHAT THE UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO HAS TAKEN YEARS TO DEVELOP.

WITHIN THE GREAT LAKES REGION, AND IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO OUR LABORATORY, THERE ARE ONLY TWO RESEARCH LABS THAT COULD POTENTIALLY PROVIDE GLERL THE RESEARCH AND RESULTS THEY ARE SEEKING – BOWLING GREEN STATE UNIVERSITY (BGSU) AND THE UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO. BGSU DOES NOT HAVE THE EQUIPMENT, STAFF, NOR THE BASIC MODELS ALREADY DEVELOPED TO PERFORM SUCH WORK. AS OUTLINED ABOVE, THIS IS A CULMINATION OF YEARS OF COLLABORATION. TO HAVE ANOTHER SOURCE “START OVER” TO DO THIS IS NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE LABORATORY OR THE GOVERNMENT, AS WE DO NOT HAVE THE TIME OR FUNDING TO REINVENT BASIC MODELING THAT THIS WORK WILL ADD ON TO.

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: 05/01/2023-08/31/2023 

***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.