This Sources Sought opportunity from National Aeronautics And Space Administration was posted on June 11, 2026. The submission period has ended. Browse the details below for market research, or find similar active opportunities.
Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) Project
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NASA Goddard Space Flight Center is seeking to establish a sole-source, Firm Fixed Price, Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity contract with CIMEL ELECTRONIQUE for the acquisition of multiple models of the CE318-T Sun-Sky-Lunar Spectral Photometers and associated components required for repair, maintenance, and upgrade of the instruments, tracking robots, and advanced control boxes. This acquisition supports the long-standing Aerosol Robotic Network program, which relies exclusively on CIMEL’s CE318-T photometers to monitor aerosol optical properties and precipitable water in near real-time for global climate change studies and satellite validation. The network’s operational integrity depends on strict standardization across instrumentation, calibration, and data protocols, and no alternative vendor can provide equipment that meets the required technical specifications or schedule. The contract will have a five-year performance period from October 1, 2026, to September 30, 2031, with all units to be manufactured at CIMEL’s facility in Paris, France, and delivered to NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. The photometers must meet exacting performance standards including a signal-to-noise ratio exceeding 10,000:1, full autonomy in sun, lunar, and sky measurements using Almucantar, Principal Plane, and Hybrid Scan protocols, compatibility with GOES, METEOSAT, and HIMAWARI satellite systems via standardized data collection interfaces, and resilience to extreme environmental conditions such as rain, humidity, dust, and sea spray. Power must be provided via battery and solar panel configurations, and the microprocessor must be housed in a sealed enclosure. The Government intends to use FAR Part 12 procedures for acquiring this commercial item and has determined, under 10 U.S.C. 3204(a)(1), that CIMEL is the only responsible source due to the unique, decades-old integration of its technology within the AERONET network. A sources sought notice has been issued to evaluate whether competition is feasible, with responses due by June 23, 2026, at 4:00 PM EST submitted electronically to the designated contracting specialist; the decision to proceed without competition rests solely with the Government. The NASA Ombudsman clause is applicable, and the procurement is classified under NAICS code 334516 with no set-aside provisions.
General Info
Agency
NAICS
Place of Performance
Paris, FR-75, 75011, FRASet-Aside
Timeline
Submission Closed
Organization & Contact Information
Full Description
NASA/GSFC has a requirement for several models of the CIMEL CE318-T family of Sun-Sky-Lunar Spectral Photometers and necessary parts for the repair, maintenance, and upgrade of the photometers; tracking robots; and advanced control boxes. These photometers monitor aerosol optical properties and provide a uniform database for the long-term characterization of aerosol optical properties within NASA’s global climate change and satellite validation programs.
NASA/GSFC intends to issue a sole-source, Firm Fixed Price, Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract to acquire the items from CIMEL ELECTRONIQUE in support of NASA’s Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) program. The period of performance for this contract will be 5 (five) years. This requirement is being is pursuant to 10 U.S.C 3204(a)(1), Only One Responsible Source. The network has been in existence for over 30 years, and no other source is available within the market to provide instrumentation that meets the Government’s needs, other than CIMEL. The AERONET Project has grown due to standardization across all aspects of the program. This includes data processing, data measurement protocols, calibration procedures, and scientific equipment. With respect to the latter, one fundamental photometer produced by CIMEL ELECTRONIQUE, the CE318-T, has been the only instrument used in and designed to the specific requirements of the AERONET program. Award to any other vendor would not meet the Government’s instrumentation schedule requirements.
The Government intends to acquire a commercial product or service using FAR Part 12.
Interested organizations may submit their capabilities and qualifications to perform the effort electronically via email to Kermit Stanbach, Contracting Specialist, at Kermit.S.Stanbach@nasa.gov, not later than 4:00 PM EST on June 23, 2026. Such capabilities/qualifications will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct this acquisition on a competitive basis. A determination by the Government not to compete this acquisition on a full and open competition basis, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government.
NASA Clause 1852.215-84, Ombudsman, is applicable. The Center Ombudsman for this acquisition can be found at: https://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/procurement/regs/Procurement-Ombuds-Comp-Advocate-Listing.pdf.
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