Meteosat Second Generation Software Support and Maintenance

The U.S. Dept of Commerce, NOAA, Wallops CDA Station, Wallops Island, Virginia, intends to negotiate on a sole source basis with VCS Aktiengesellschaft, Borgmannstrasse 2, 44894 Bochum, Germany, for the following: Maintenance and Support contract for Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) Relay System. Period of performance is one (1) year from date of award. In order to comply with the debt collection improvement act of 1966, all contractors must be registered in the central contractor registration (CCR) to be considered for an award of a federal contract. For information regarding registration in CCR contact the CCR Website at www.ccr.gov/index.cfm. Authority: 41USC 253(c)(1). The FSC for this is D399 and the NAICS code is 518210. The Government intends to award a firm fixed price purchase order for this requirement. Only one responsible source is available to satisfy the agency requirement for a maintenance support contract to maintain the integrity of the Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) U.S. Relay System. The MSG Relay System and software was developed and installed by VCS in 2003 and NOAA has engaged their services for software and hardware support since that time. NOAA requires the continuity of the on-call expertise that only the developer of the software code can offer during system problems. This relay system provides critical world-wide data for use in environmental forecasting. If this equipment and software were not properly maintained and the transmission of this data is interrupted, there could be a serious threat to life and property. Several of the MSG Relay System supporting applications are owned and licensed to NOAA by VCS. Work performed by anyone other than VCS will invalidate the license agreement and jeopardize the integrity of this important data collection service and dissemination of its data. The proposed contract action is for supplies or services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under the authority of FAR 6.302 (a)(2). Interested persons may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement or submit a proposal. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. However, all proposals received by 12pm, EST, December 30th, 2009, will be considered by the Government. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed requirement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement in the future. Responses to this notice, if any, must show clear and convincing evidence that competition would be advantageous to the Government. Inquiries will only be accepted via email to Terri.L.Ford@noaa.gov