Gamma Radiation Spectrometers

The U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Acquisition & Grants Office, Western Acquisition Division - Boulder, negotiated, on a sole source basis, under authority of FAR 13.501(a)(1), with Radiation Solutions Inc. of Ontario, Canada, for the purchase three RSX-5/RS-500 digital airborne gamma radiation spectrometers. The National Weather Service (NWS), National Water Center (NWC) Airborne Gamma Survey Program conducts aerial snow survey operations in the snow-affected regions of the United States and Canada. During the snow season (January-April), snow water equivalent measurements are gathered over a number of the 2000+ pre-surveyed flight lines using a gamma radiation detection system mounted in the cabin of the aircraft. In the fall season, the same equipment is used to measure the soil moisture before snowfall is expected, and to measure the background radiation signature of new flight lines. During survey flights, this system is flown at 500 feet above the ground at ground speeds ranging between 100 and 120 knots. Gamma radiation emitted from the earth is attenuated by soil moisture in the upper 20 cm of soil and water mass in the snow cover. Through careful analysis, differences between airborne radiation measurements made over bare ground are compared to that of snow-covered ground. The radiation differences are corrected for airmass attenuation and extraneous gamma contamination from cosmic sources. The airmass correction is calculated using the output from precision temperature, radar altimeter, and pressure sensors mounted on and within the aircraft. Output from the Snow Survey system results in a mean areal snow water equivalent value within +/- one centimeter. Data collected during snow survey missions, including observed ground and weather conditions, are used by the NWS and other agencies to forecast river levels and potential flooding events due to snowmelt water runoff. Hydroelectric power interests and other water supply managers also use the data to regulate water storage and delivery. This action was completed as a sole source award. Radiation Solutions, Inc. is uniquely qualified to provide these products and services to the NWS NWC based upon the following: The required gamma radiation spectrometers have been integrated into the aircraft used to fly this equipment. Such integration includes data inputs to the aircrafts pressure, temperature, radar altimeter, and Geographic Positioning System (GPS) components. In addition, custom racks used to house the spectrometers have been engineered into the aircraft and approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Changes would be subject to custom design and FAA approval, a process which is both time consuming and costly. Further, any changes to the power supplies or data feed locations would require new wiring and further alteration to the aircraft. Finally, all associated software and hardware have evolved or been customized to fit the spectrometers currently in use. The current software program, Airborne Gamma Data Acquisition Software (AGDAS), is designed to work with Radiation Solutions Inc.'s RadAssist software. Introducing a new spectrometer would result in an additional requirement to procure a completely new software program. To ensure operational integrity, any new system would then be subject to testing. All NOAA aircraft are operational, and aircraft are not available for pure testing purposes. As such, it is not feasible to replace the gamma radiation spectrometers with a product other than what can be provided by Radiation Solutions Inc. In addition, NOAA knows of no other vendor capable of providing equipment with the salient characteristics provided below. A JOFOC was completed and signed by the Contracting Officer on September 3, 2015.