Weather Forecasting

The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) has issued a Single Feasible Source (SFS) solicitation for a comprehensive weather forecasting service, specifically seeking a website and smartphone application that will provide highly detailed winter weather predictions for all counties in Missouri. The contract requires a vendor to deliver 72-hour winter precipitation forecasts and 24-hour pavement and bridge temperature, frost, and winter precipitation accumulation forecasts, with services available 24 hours a day, seven days a week from November 1 to April 30. The vendor must have at least four qualified, full-time meteorologists on staff and provide an automated alert system capable of sending customizable notifications via text or email about varying percentages of forecasted frost or winter precipitation. The solicitation, identified as SFS605CO21000909, was posted on December 2, 2020, with responses due by December 9, 2020. Proposals will be evaluated using a three-part criteria: price (40%), experience (30%), and demonstration of the forecast website and application (30%). The contract period will run from the Notice to Proceed through April 30, 2021.

MoDOT has determined that DTN is the single feasible source provider for these services, in accordance with Missouri Code of State Regulation 7 CSR 10-11.020. No specific set-aside designations or restrictions on responding organizations were explicitly mentioned in the solicitation documents. The procurement allows both electronic submissions through MissouriBUYS and hard copy submissions via mail or courier services. While a specific contract value was not disclosed, payment will be made monthly based on actual services performed during the winter service period, with MoDOT exempt from Missouri sales tax, use tax, and federal excise tax. The solicitation indicates that vendors must demonstrate experience providing similar services in the Midwestern United States over the past 24 months and provide documentation verifying the professional credentials of their meteorologists. MoDOT reserves the right to obtain similar services from other providers if deemed in their best interest, suggesting flexibility in the procurement approach.