60 -- Meteorological Observing System

The Government plans to award a sole-source contract to Vaisala, Inc., located in Woburn, Massachusetts, for contractor logistics support of the MAWS201MP Meteorological Observing System. This contract is necessary because Vaisala is the sole manufacturer and service provider with the proprietary knowledge required to support this equipment. The current warranty coverage, which extends through September 30, 2006, will be extended by one year under this new agreement, and this extension is expected to become a recurring requirement. The procurement will be executed as a Firm Fixed Price purchase order by the 55th Contracting Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, under a non-competitive process authorized by regulatory provisions due to the unique capabilities of the vendor. This sole-source acquisition is critical to ensuring timely maintenance and operational readiness of the meteorological system supporting the mission requirements. The Government determined that no other suppliers can fulfill the support needs, which justifies the lack of competition. Questions and communications about the procurement are directed to SSgt Andrew L. Peterson, the contracting officer at Offutt AFB. The contract solicitation number is F3HRA16209A100, and it falls under the NAICS code 334519, covering navigational, measuring, electromagnetic, and control instruments manufacturing.