MICROWAVE TRANSMISSION ATTENUATION

NASA/GSFC is hereby soliciting information from all potential sources for retrieving precipitation rate information from satellite-ground microwave link signals. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) GSFC is seeking capability statements from all interested parties, including all socioeconomic categories of Small Businesses and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU)/Minority Institutions (MI), and members of the underserved communities as defined by Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity And Support For Underserved Communities Through The Federal Government, for the purposes of determining the appropriate level of competition and/or small business subcontracting goals for microwave power attenuation data from satellite-to-ground and ground-to-satellite transmissions. The Government reserves the right to consider a Small, 8(a), Women-owned (WOSB), Service-Disabled Veteran (SD-VOSB), Economically Disadvantaged Women-owned Small Business (EDWOSB) or HUBZone business set-aside based on responses received. BACKGROUND NASA goals include the development, analysis, and use of global, high accuracy, high spatial and temporal resolution, near real time (within 2 hours of acquisition) precipitation information. Current research in the international Earth science community indicates that microwave power attenuation data from satellite-to-ground and ground-to-satellite transmissions have strong potential for enhancing current NASA precipitation data products (ref. https://gpm.nasa.gov/). Our understanding is that the data required for precipitation rate retrieval from such transmissions may include (but may not be limited to): satellite transmitted power density, ground terminal received power density, ground terminal transmitted power density, satellite received power density, time of signal transmission and/or receipt, signal transmission location information, signal receipt location information, identification information for the satellite used in the signal transmissions, and calibration information for the transmitting and receiving power density sensors. Additionally, technical support to interpret the data and derive time-stamped and geo-located precipitation rate estimates is expected to be required. There are indications from the research mentioned above that measurement of signal attenuation during very high rates of precipitation (which are of high interest for our research), and the sensitivity of power density measurements (which is critical for high accuracy precipitation retrievals) may be limiting factors for some existing systems. We believe that the microwave transmission frequency range most applicable to this use is 10 GHz - 50 GHz, that data should be provided with a specified sampling rate on the order of 1 sample every 10 seconds and that the period over which each sample is averaged must be known and less than or equal to 1 second. Broadly distributed and dense coverage is desired and may of necessity include more than one satellite constellation. Based to a large extent on what is learned from responses to this RFI, NASA may release a Request for Proposals (RFP) to provide sample data and technical support needed for a pilot study to derive precipitation rate on the line-of-sight between a satellite (or satellites) and at least two ground locations. The RFP may also contain provisions for Indefinite Delivery/ Indefinite Quantity procurement of near real time data. In order to use the data to be purchased under such an RFP for scientific research, NASA would require data rights preferably extending to the public (reference attached file, - NASA Notional Public Release EULA) , but at a minimum to the international not-for-profit research community (see attached NASA Notional USG Plus EULA). NASA would also require unlimited rights to the distribution of derived data products that cannot be reverse engineered to reproduce the original data. Proposed exceptions to these data rights would be considered on a case by case basis. Based on the results of the pilot study, NASA may request additional data and consider efforts toward a global system. Alternatively, NASA may in the future seek partnerships with commercial industry to enhance current and/or future satellite-based systems to provide the desired data. RESPONSE CONTENT REQUIREMENTS We request information related to NASA's interest in the type of data described above. Responses by commercial industry with regard to how current and near future capabilities may be used to advance the stated goal are of particular interest. Requested information includes: a description of systems currently operational and of systems which will be capable within the next 2 years of providing this data; satellite and ground terminal transmission frequency ranges; satellite and ground station transmitted and received power density accuracies, sampling temporal frequencies and sampling periods; satellite and ground station transmitted and received power density measurement resolutions and calibration information; satellite and ground station signal transmission location accuracies; maximum and minimum measurable attenuation; and satellite minimum elevation angle during transmission. A major goal of this RFI is to solicit specific capability information from any experienced source. Interested offerors/vendors having the required specialized capabilities to support advancing NASA capabilities toward the stated goal are requested to submit a capability statement indicating the ability to perform all aspects of the effort to provide the necessary data. Science publications and other relevant information can be referenced in the narrative to provide examples of the source's expertise, facilities, and prior work, especially regarding hardware and/or test results from the instrumentation to be used for providing the necessary data. NASA also requests comments to the attached draft Statement of Work. Additionally, NASA requests (1) the price of non-recurring engineering required to provide this data, (2) the price for sample data described in the following, and (3) the price for near real time data on a per ground station per year basis. Sample data does not need to be provided on a near real time basis and must include at least 24 hours of data with at least 1 period of rain and 1 dry period, each with a minimum duration of 1 hour. Sample data must be provided with temporally coincident data from a USGS rain gauge (ref. https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/current/?type=precip&group_key=state_cd) or other rain gauge data collected in accordance with National Weather Service Instruction 10-1302 (ref. https://www.nws.noaa.gov/directives/sym/pd01013002curr.pdf) and located within 5 km of the ground station. Near real time data per item (3) above does not require coincident rain gauge data. The restrictions on use of the data are also requested. Finally, NASA requests information with regard to the current and/or near future (within 2 years) global distribution of ground locations from which similar data can be provided. NASA also welcomes comments, recommendations, and questions related to achieving the stated goals using the type of data sought. Responses that recommend use of received signal to noise ratio (SNR) are requested to include a detailed explanation of how signal attenuation can be derived from this single measurement, and if transmitted power modulation would affect the accuracy of the attenuation measurement. No solicitation exists; therefore, please do not request a copy of the solicitation. If a solicitation is released it will be synopsized on SAM.gov. Interested firms are responsible for monitoring this website for the release of any solicitation or synopsis. DATA SECURITY The information provided will be maintained on NASA GSFC-maintained computers, and accessed only by civil servants, or contractors that have signed Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) that preserve vendor proprietary and competition sensitive data. It is not NASA's intent to publicly disclose vendor proprietary information obtained during this RFI, including any price information provided. To the full extent that it is protected pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act and other laws and regulations, information identified by a respondent as "Proprietary or Confidential" will be kept confidential. Interested firms having the required capabilities necessary to meet the above requirement described herein should submit a capability statement of no more than 15 pages indicating the ability to perform all aspects of the effort. Responses must also include the following: name and address of firm, size of business; average annual revenue for past 3 years and number of employees; ownership; whether they are large, small, small disadvantaged, 8(a), Woman-owned, Veteran Owned, Service Disabled Veteran Owned, Historically Underutilized Business Zone and Historically Black Colleges and Universities)/Minority Institutions; number of years in business; affiliate information: parent company, joint venture partners, potential teaming partners, prime contractor (if potential sub) or subcontractors (if potential prime). All responses shall be submitted electronically via email to Shadonna Minnis at Shadonna.D.Minnis@nasa.gov no later than October 10, 2021 12:00 PM standard eastern time. Please reference (0821Transmit) in any response. This synopsis is for information and planning purposes only and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government nor will the Government pay for information solicited. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation. Respondents deemed fully qualified will be considered in any resultant solicitation for this requirement,