Maximum Minimum Temperature System (MMTS) Radiation Shield

Request for Information for National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Weather Service (NWS), Office of Observation (OBS) Maximum Minimum Temperature System (MMTS) Radiation Shield NWWG0000-00-RFI-00136 Disclaimer and Important Notes: This is a Sources Sought notice/Request for Information (RFI) only. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes - it does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP), a Request for Quotation (RFQ), or an indication that the Government will contract for any of the items and/or services discussed in this notice. This RFI is issued in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 52.215-3. Further, NOAA is not at this time seeking proposals or quotes and will not accept unsolicited proposals or quotes. The purpose of this notice is to: Determine if sources exist that are capable of satisfying the agency's requirements; and/or Determine if commercial items suitable to meet the agency's needs are available or could be modified to meet the agency's requirements Submission of a response to this RFI is entirely voluntary. The voluntary submission of a response to this RFI shall not obligate NOAA to pay or entitle the submitter of information to claim any direct or indirect costs or charges or any other remuneration whatsoever. Further, no proposals or quotes are sought at this time. Respondents are advised that the Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI; all costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the potential respondent's expense. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future formal solicitation, if any is issued. No telephone calls will be accepted requesting a bid package or solicitation. There is no bid package or solicitation at this time. In order to protect the integrity of any future procurement, additional information will not be given and no appointments for presentations will be made in reference to this RFI. Issuance of this notice does not constitute any obligation on the part of the Government to procure these items or to issue a solicitation. No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response to this RFI. If included, any information should be clearly marked as such. All information received shall be safeguarded from unauthorized disclosure. NAICS Code: 334519- Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing; corresponding size standard of 500 employees. 1.0 Overview of Capabilities The National Weather Service (NWS) is seeking a new solution for a radiation shield that allows for observation of daily max/min temperature to replace the currently deployed Maximum Minimum Temperature System (MMTS) radiation shield (NWS ASN: C450). In addition, the radiation shield shall be durable and introduce minimal bias when compared to the existing MMTS radiation shield. The radiation shield must meet the requirements of the NWS for temperature according to the requirements listed in NWS Directives. A list these directives and instructions most relevant to the Cooperative Observer Program (COOP) can be found here: https://www.weather.gov/coop/standards. All applicants are encouraged to review these prior to submitting information. The full list of NWS Directives can be found here: https://www.nws.noaa.gov/directives/. The program objective is to acquire an off-the-shelf radiation shield that, at a minimum, is substantially compliant with the meteorological performance requirements contained in NWSI-10-1302, and that can be modified to be fully specification-compliant with minimal developmental effort or risk. The Government requires a low-maintenance system that meets the performance requirements and meteorological conditions outlined in this document. As such, the system should not require drilling or long runs of wire with instillation. All instrument parts, where applicable, must be traceable to NIST for accuracy and possess documentation to prove this claim. Responses to the RFI may be a single vendor or a team. If interest is found in a particular solution or solution set, the vendor may or may not be asked to offer a demonstration of their solution for evaluation by NWS technical staff at a later date. 2.0 Specification of Solution The Cooperative Observer Program is the premier and longest running program at the National Weather Service for national measurement of climate and weather. Formally created in 1890 under The Organic Act, its mission is two-fold: To provide observational meteorological data, usually consisting of daily maximum and minimum temperatures, snowfall, and 24-hour precipitation totals, required to define the climate of the United States and to help measure long-term climate changes To provide observational meteorological data in near real-time to support forecast, warning and other public service programs of the NWS. Coop observational data supports the NWS climate program and field operations. The program responsibilities include: Selecting data sites Recruiting, appointing and training of observers Installing and maintaining equipment Keeping station documentation observer payroll Collecting data and its delivering it to users Maintaining data quality control Managing fiscal and human resources required to accomplish program objectives. There are currently over 4,500 active stations in the continental United States, with a total exceeding 8,100. The intent is to rehabilitate as many as possible as funding becomes available. 2.1 Measurement Details The radiation shield will be able to house a temperature sensor (Vishay Dale Part Number A1140P) that measures ambient temperature over a range from -56.2 - F (-49 - C) to 165.2 - F (74 - C), and keep a running record of the high and low temperature over a 24 hour period, Figure 1. The radiation shield shall be constructed from a durable, UV resistant material that will shield the sensor from external elements: precipitation, direct and reflected sunshine, and direct and reflected thermal energy (i.e., infrared). The radiation shield must be able to accommodate the Vishay Dale A1140P sensor which is 2 - inches in length, and ~9 mm in diameter with a length of Teflon wire exiting from the bottom. Figure 1. COOP Observation Requirements for Reporting Elements 2.2 Operational Environment The shelter shall provide accurate reporting of temperature without degradation of performance in severe outdoor environments consistent with all U.S. locations. 2.3 Environmental Requirements The environmental conditions which all COOP systems must withstand are listed in WS-STD-2 NWS Standard Environmental Criteria and Test Procedures. Table 1 is provided for convenience and lists the range of required outdoor environmental limits under which the sheild will be tested. Table 1: Environmental Limits for Temperature Sensor Environmental Condition Operational Test Limit Withstanding Test Limit High Temperature 120 - F (49 - C) 130 - F (54 - C) Low Temperature -60 - F (-51 - C) -80 - F (-62 - C) Temperature Shock 70'F/-60'F (21'C/-51'C) 80'F/120'F (27'C/49'C) 70'F/-80'F (21'C/-62'C) 80'F/130'F (27'C/54'C) Temperature Cycling 100 - F/45 - F (38'C/7'C) @ 20% RH 50 - F/0 - F (10'C/-18'C) @ 60% RH Same as operational Humidity 95 - F (35'C)/74% RH to 80 - F (27'C)/100% RH 110 - F (43'C)/45% RH to 84 - F (29'C)/100% RH Freezing Rain Ice accretion to 1.0 with 20 kts wind Rate: /hour Ice accretion to 3.0 with 30 kts wind Salt Fog N/A Exposure to coastal marine environment Low Pressure 14,000 feet altitude low pressure extreme Insolation 90 watts/ft2 at 120 - F (49 - C) 104 watts/ft2 at 130 - F (54'C) Submission of Information: Interested parties are encouraged to submit a response which supports the company's claim that it presently has the qualifications and experience to provide a Radiation Shield that will satisfy the requirements above. If there are areas of the requirement that your company and/or perspective team cannot meet, please identify those areas in your response along with amplifying information as to why your team cannot meet the government's request. Specifically, any interested parties are requested to provide the following information: 1. Name of Company, address, and DUNS number 2. Point of contact name, email, and phone number 3. Size of Business according to NAICS Code: 334519- Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing; size standard, 500 employees. 4. Any General Service Administration (GSA) schedule, Government Wide Acquisition Contract (GWAC) or Multiple Award Contract numbers and information that allow for the ordering of radiation shields. 5. Positive statement of your interest in this procurement as a prime contractor. 6. Description of your capabilities, qualifications, and experiences that might fill this requirement: a. Organized by the requirements areas listed above b. What radiation shield system has your company provided within the last three (3) years? c. Do you currently have a contract with any other Federal Agency for this type of requirement? d. Do you have a commercial catalog for related radiation shields? e. What new radiation shields do you plan to offer in the future that might affect this requirement? f. What experience does your company have as a prime contractor managing the efforts of one or more sub-contractors supporting a Federal Agency? g. Do you offer discounts to your customers? h. Describe your capabilities, knowledge and expertise in radiation shields and meteorological monitoring. i. Describe your capabilities, knowledge and expertise in meteorological requirements j. Identify any risks or impediments to successful performance of the requirements that you anticipate. k. Describe your testing process to ensure the accuracy and durability of your radiation shields. m. What is the life expectancy of your radiation shield? n. How many years of logistical support do you plan for your radiation shield? o. Do you offer a maintenance contract for repairs or radiation shield upgrades? q. What warranty do you provide for the radiation shield? Please state the terms. r. In what country is your system radiation shield manufactured? s. Provide a price list of your radiation shields and if they are on GSA schedule. Responses are to be submitted electronically (not to exceed 25 pages; including appendices, diagrams, and examples using one inch margins, and pages numbered consecutively). Submit responses electronically (using PDF or Microsoft Word) no later than 12:00 pm eastern, June 01, 2020 to the Contract Specialist Maggie Williams, contact@example.gov. The Government reserves the right to use any information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate, including using technical information provided by respondents in any resultant solicitation. All data received in response to this RFI notice that are marked or designated as corporate or proprietary information will be fully protected from release outside the Government. Proprietary information and trade secrets, if any, must be clearly marked on all materials. All information received that is marked Proprietary will be handled accordingly. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. The Government shall not be held liable for any damages incurred if proprietary information is not properly identified. At this time no solicitation exists. Therefore, DO NOT REQUEST A COPY OF THE SOLICITATION. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation notice and solicitation may be published on Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps) website, FBO.gov. It is the potential offeror's responsibility to monitor FedBizOpps for release of any future solicitation that may result from this Sources Sought Notice. However, responses to this RFI will not be considered adequate responses to any resultant solicitation.