This Government Contract opportunity from Department Of Commerce was posted on May 19, 2026. The submission period has ended. Browse the details below for market research, or find similar active opportunities.
NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE MCIDAS-X SOFTWARE LICENSES AND SUPPORT
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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), through its Western Acquisition Division under the National Weather Service’s NCEP Central Operations, intends to award a sole source contract for MCIDAS-X software licenses and support to the Space Science and Engineering Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, as it is the sole entity in the United States capable of providing this specialized software. MCIDAS-X is a mission-critical, proprietary system used to visualize and analyze a broad range of geophysical data including satellite imagery from geostationary and polar-orbiting platforms, NEXRAD radar, surface and upper-air observations, numerical weather forecasts, NOAAPORT products, and other specialized observing networks. The software supports the National Centers for Environmental Prediction’s weather forecasting operations and is integrated into the IDP system, with no alternative system available that provides equivalent functionality, real-time data access, or its unique historical database of meteorological parameters. This sole source determination is justified under FAR 13.501(a) and FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), which authorize noncompetitive procurement when only one responsible source exists. The procurement encompasses 54 licensed installations of MCIDAS-X software supporting both Windows and Linux platforms, with a requirement for next-business-day technical support to ensure uninterrupted operations at the National Weather Service’s NCEP Central Operations in College Park, Maryland. The delivery and activation date is set for July 21, 2026, and while the contract value is not disclosed, the action is managed under Solicitation Number REQUIREMENTS-26-0137 with the NAICS code 541519. No competitive bidding is anticipated unless compelling evidence is submitted by an alternative vendor by the response deadline of June 3, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. EST, directed exclusively via email to the designated contracting specialist and contracting officer. The notice explicitly prohibits oral communications and does not solicit formal proposals. Packaging, delivery, and marking requirements are not applicable due to the digital nature of the software, and no formal evaluation factors, cost breakdowns, or contract type are specified as this is a pre-solicitation notice grounded in sole source authority without a competing market.
General Info
Agency
NAICS
Place of Performance
College Park, MD, 20740, USASet-Aside
Timeline
Submission Closed
Organization & Contact Information
Full Description
***This notice is being published in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 5.101 requiring dissemination of information for proposed contract actions. This is a notice of intent to award a sole source contract, and is not a request for competitive quotes/proposals. The statutory authority for this sole source procurement is prescribed by FAR 13.501(a).
***OAA'S ACQUISITION & GRANTS OFFICE, WESTERN ACQUISITION DIVISION, NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE (NWS) NCEP CENTRAL OPS, PLANS TO NEGOTIATE ON A SOLE SOURCE BASIS UNDER AUTHORITY OF FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), WITH SPACE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING CENTER OUT OF MADISON, WI FOR MCIDAS-X SOFTWARE LICENSES AND SUPPORT
***THE SOLE SOURCE DETERMINATION IS BASED ON THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION'S (NOAA) REQUIREMENT THAT THE SPACE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING CENTER IS THE SOLE ENTITY IN THE UNITED STATES THAT CAN MEET AND PROVIDE THE REQUIRED MCIDAS-X SOFTWARE LICENSES AND SUPPORT. MCIDAS-X IS A SOPHISTICATED SOFTWARE PACKAGE USED FOR VISUALIZATION AND MANIPULATION OF GEOPHYSICAL DATA IN A WIDE VARIETY OF FORMATS. TYPICAL DATA TYPES INCLUDE GEOSTATIONARY AND POLAR-ORBITING METEOROLOGICAL SATELLITES, NEXRAD RADAR, SURFACE AND UPPER AIR OBSERVATIONS, GRIDDED NUMERICAL FORECASTS, NOAAPORT TEXT PRODUCTS, AND DATA FROM SPECIAL OBSERVING NETWORKS. MCIDAS-X SOFTWARE IS LEVERAGED WITHIN NWS TO SUPPORT THE NCEP’S SATELLITE DATA PROCESSING REQUIREMENTS IN ORDER TO MEET THEIR FORECAST MISSION. ALSO, IT IS USED BY APPLICATIONS RUNNING ON THE IDP SYSTEM. MCIDAS-X IS THE ONLY SOFTWARE SYSTEM THAT PROVIDES A TIMELY DISPLAY AND ANALYSIS OF METEOROLOGICAL DATA. MCIDAS-X ALSO CONTAINS A HISTORICAL DATABASE OF METEOROLOGICAL PARAMETERS UNAVAILABLE FROM ANY OTHER SOURCE. MCIDAS-X SOFTWARE HAS BEEN IN USE AND UNDER CONTINUAL DEVELOPMENT BY THE SPACE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING CENTER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN- MADISON SINCE 1973. THERE IS CURRENTLY NO OTHER SOURCE CAPABLE.
***THIS NOTICE OF INTENT IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS AND NO SOLICITATION PACKAGE IS AVAILABLE. HOWEVER, FIRMS THAT BELIEVE THEY CAN FULLY MEET THE GOVERNMENT'S REQUIREMENTS MAY SUBMIT SUBSTANTIATING DOCUMENTATION IN WRITING TO THE IDENTIFIED POINT OF CONTACT WITHIN 15 DAYS AFTER PUBLICATION OF THIS SYNOPSIS. SUCH DOCUMENTATION WILL BE EVALUATED SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF DETERMINING WHETHER TO CONDUCT THIS PROCUREMENT ON A COMPETITIVE BASIS. A GOVERNMENT DETERMINATION NOT TO CONDUCT A COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENT BASED UPON RESPONSES TO THIS NOTICE IS SOLELY WITHIN THE DISCRETION OF THE GOVERNMENT. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE IN RESPONSE TO THIS NOTICE.
Interested vendors must respond to this notice on or before June 3, 2026 at 2:00pm EST by sending an email to Taylor Abrassart, Contract Specialist, at taylor.abrassart@noaa.gov and Vicki Keen, Contracting Officer, at vicki.keen@noaa.gov.
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