National Weather Service International Activities

National Weather Service International Activities The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Weather Service (NWS), intends to negotiate on a sole-source, fixed-price basis, contracts with several organizations to develop programs and provide services to support the mission of the NWS' International Activities Office (IAO). The mission of the IAO (IAO) of the U.S. National Weather Service is to promote the international interests of the U.S, meteorological and physical community to improve the levels of science, technology, operations, and services worldwide. In fulfilling this mission, the IAO focuses on the following: It represents the relevant interests of the NWS and other parts of NOAA in international activities, especially those that advance short-term warning and forecast services. It serves as the focal point in the United States for national meteorological and physical services of other countries through the development of bilateral agreements. The Office administers assistance to other countries in crisis with meteorological and physical support in line with this mission. It seeks to improve international observing and telecommunications networks and to build national capabilities (through capacity building and technology transfer) in developing countries as a means to improve overall levels of products and services. The IAO participates actively in the activities and meetings of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and supports the Permanent Representative to the WMO from the United States. The IAO supports the transfer of NWS technologies to countries throughout the world to advance the capabilities of foreign governments in the areas of meteorology and hydrology. IAO staff evaluates, designs, implements, and manages projects worldwide. In this role, the IAO organizes and manages project teams from the NWS, other U.S. government agencies or the private sector. Many of these projects are funded directly by other U.S. government agencies (e.g., U.S. Agency for International Development, USAID), international banks, or the countries themselves. Therefore, IAO works closely with both funding agencies and countries when developing policies. In this instance, NOAA has an agreement with the World Meteorological Organization, a legal entity under the General Authority of the United Nations, to implement the Voluntary Cooperation Program (VCP), the purpose of which is to provide a range of hydro meteorological services to developing countries. The National Weather Service has the authority to participate in this arrangement through 33 U.S.C. 883d, 33 U.SC. 883e, and 49 U.S.C. 44720. Each of the contracts to which the NWS endeavors to enter fulfills one or more of the mission requirements stated above. In accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 5.203, the purpose of this notice is to inform the public of the Government's intentions with respect to upcoming acquisitions: 1. Online Meteorological and Hydrological Training Course Development The international meteorological community continues to have a pressing need for readily available training materials that can be accessed globally. This project will include seven activities focused on developing on-line training courses that cover a broad spectrum of topics from climatology to volcanism, with both global and region specific focus. Courses range from basic to advanced level, should use a variety of presentation methods, from Power Point slides to recorded lectures, supported by case studies, on-line resources, and student assignments, and must be backed by an online testing and certification capability. The project will also include a train-the-trainer program to improve online course delivery, targeted at international universities wanting to offer courses in their region. To expand the global reach of the courses, the project will also provide Spanish language translation for appropriate materials. The project must be closely coordinated with the Education and Training office of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) to ensure that the courses meet their Education and Training (ETR) and Capacity Development (CD) objectives. UCAR/COMET 3085 Center Green Drive Boulder, CO 80301 Phone: (303) 497-8470 Fax: (303) 497-8491 2. Multi-Hazard Early Warning System for El Salvador and Mexico This project includes the third phase of a program to install Flood Early Warning Systems (FEWS) on the Ilapongo basin and the Rio Lempe in El Salvador, and the Rio Sabinal in Mexico, and the third phase of a program to expand flood mapping to additional sites on the Rio Grande, which will include updating topographic information. The FEWS systems are now operational in both countries and the objective of this phase is the continuing implementation of a comprehensive Community Hydrologic Prediction system (CHPS) training program that will allow local professional to manage installations of new systems on other rivers in the future without outside assistance. In addition the project will work with staff from OCFS (Mexico) and SNET (El Salvador) to upgrade the existing CHPS/FEWS system. Proposed upgrades to the system include incorporating data from observing systems (radar, etc.); adding improved hydraulic models such as HES-RAS, or others; incorporating a verification tool for both the weather and hydrologic forecasts; and addition of improved long range hydrologic forecast tools. Riverside 2950 East Harmony Rd., Ste. 390 Fort Collins, CO 80528 USA Tel: (970) 484-7573 Fax: (970) 484-7593 3. Design and Installation of Communication Systems This project will design, procure and install a variety of data, information and emergency management communications systems in Africa, Central and North America and the Pacific. In Mexico, the project will procure and install up to eight GEONETCast stations, as part of a near real time, global network of satellite-based data dissemination systems designed to distribute space-based, air-borne and in situ data, metadata and products to diverse communities. In an African country to be determined, the project will establish demonstration networks designed after the NOAA All Hazards Weather Radio to provide highly localized alerts for hydro-meteorological hazards. The system will typically operate in a standby mode to allow individuals to be alerted at night or at other times when there is not - active listening'. The project will establish 5 - 6 transmitter sites in a demonstration region where there is a chronic risk of flash floods or similar hydro-meteorological hazard, and will include in-country training on system maintenance and operation. In a South Pacific island to be determined, this project will establish a region wide, operational digital High Frequency (HF) radio hub that allows meteorological services to send e-mail in support of collection of observations, emergency response, and other applications. In addition, the project will refresh and bolster the existing HF radio hub in New Zealand. In Central America, the project will provide further support to the Central America Flash Flood Guidance (CAFFG) system so that it is established as an integral part of the routine operational procedures for issuing flash flood warnings in the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services. In addition, the project will also evaluate the communications platform used to meet the goals of a Flash Flood Early Warning System. UCAR JOSS 3300 Mitchell Lane P.O. Box 3000 Boulder CO 4. The International Pacific Training Desk This project will fund a restructured International Pacific Training Desk in association with the Weather Forecast Office (WFO) Honolulu which will serve as a training fellowship program for meteorologists and observers from the South West Pacific Regional Association of the WMO. The Desk will contain four elements: 1) Organization and provision of an e-learning program, both as preparation for students wishing to receive the six-week basic training course and for general use. 2) Provision of a six week basic training course, conducted at the providers facility, which will allow participants to achieve competency in basic forecasting and will include the provision of a new laptop computer system equipped with websites, tools, and software needed for better forecasting. 3) Provision of occasional week-long "short courses" on selected topics of interest and value for the advanced meteorologists in the region; and 4) Provision of communications training related to products and programs currently supported by the United States Agency for International Development/Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) funded PAPA program. Joint Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research University of Hawai'i at Manoa 1000 Pope Road, Marine Science Building 312 Honolulu, HI 96822 USA tel: (808) 956-8083 fax: (808) 956-4104 Accordingly, pursuant to FAR 6.302-4 International agreement, NOAA will negotiate with the organizations identified in this announcement for the awards. Notwithstanding the Government's intent to negotiate on a sole source basis, responsible sources may submit a response which, if timely, will be considered by NOAA. Responses must be submitted by Thursday June 20, 2013 at 12:00 PM Eastern Time.