Iridium Transmitter

THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT ANNOUNCEMENT. IT IS NOT A SOLICITATION, NOR DOES IT GUARANTEE A SOLICITATION WILL BE ISSUED. REQUESTS FOR A SOLICITATION WILL NOT RECEIVE A RESPONSE. Any information submitted in response to this Sources Sought Announcement is strictly voluntary. The Government will neither award a contract solely based on this notice, nor pay for any information submitted by respondents. This notice is a request by the Government to collect information from interested vendors for the purpose of market research. Failing to provide a response to this announcement will not prohibit/exclude an interested vendor from participating in a future solicitation. The Government is looking for vendors who can provide the following requirement: Overview: National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service NMFS, PIFSC Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Cetacean Research Program requires Iridium transmitters for tracking drifting buoys at sea in the central Pacific Ocean. PIFSC will deploy 15 drifting buoys as part of a passive acoustic research project. Deliverables: PIFSC requires iridium transmitter with the following specifications: An Iridium satellite tracker, as opposed to trackers using a different satellite constellation, is required for this project due to the complete global satellite coverage of the Iridium constellation. Other satellite constellations have incomplete coverage to provide for accurate location reports in the remote central Pacific. The Iridium trackers must have an internal Iridium antenna, GPS antenna, USB connector port and battery, all in a self-contained unit. The entire unit must be no larger than 9.5 x 5.5 x 3.1cm and weigh no more than 227 g. The small size and weight ensures that the drifting buoys will not require any reconfiguration to incorporate the transmitter or the addition of any extra flotation. The requested transmitter must also have battery life sufficient to transmit 1500 tracking reports on one charge. Tracking report interval must be user-configurable including possible intervals from 10 minutes to one day and a total battery life capable of extending to 6 months or more (depending on transmit frequency). The unit must also be capable of 2-way transmission via the Iridium system to allow for real-time modifications to the transmission schedule. We have additionally developed data protocols that require the transmitter be capable of communicating with SatTerm software and download of short burst messages via the Server for Trackers software. The requested transmitters must be compatible with these software systems. Interested Contractors are requested to provide the following information in response to this Sources Sought Announcement: 1) A statement that you believe your firm has the capability to meet all above stated requirements. 2) Your firm's DUNS number & CAGE code; 3) Your firm's SBA certified small business concern status. Specifically identify if your firm is HUBZone-certified, Service Disabled Veteran Owned, or in the SBA's 8(a) program, etc. If your firm is not small, please state that it is a large business. 4) A brief description of your firm's past experience (within past 3 years) providing similar product. The information provided in response to this announcement is limited to five pages or less. All information shall be provided free of charge to the Government. The Government will not return any data provided in response to this announcement. This request for information does not constitute a commitment, implied or otherwise, that a procurement action will be issued. The Government shall not be liable for or suffer any consequential damages for proprietary information not properly identified. Proprietary information will be safeguarded in accordance with the applicable Government regulations. Responses shall be provided to Contracting Officer, Karen Beck via email at contact@example.gov no later than 10:00 AM (Hawaii Time) on Tuesday, May 23, 2017.