Paroscientific Barometers for the National Data Buoy Center at Stennis Space Center, MS

The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Eastern Region Acquisitions Division-Kansas City office intends to award, on a sole source basis, under the authority of FAR 13.106(b)(1), with Paroscientific Inc. in Redmond, WA a purchase order for seven Met 1-2 Barometers (P/N 1488-002) for the National Data Buoy Center at Stennis Space Center, MS. The Government intends to utilize the authority under the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 13.106-1(b)(1), Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services will statisfy agency requirements, unless, as a result of this announcement, acceptable responses to this notice are received and a determination is made by the Government to issue a competitive solicitation. The Government intends to award a purchase order to Paroscientific Inc. Sole Source Justification: During the TAO technology refresh cycle all available high accuracy serial barometers were considered. At that time the Paroscientific MET1-2 intelligent barometer was selected as the best sensor that met the TAO barometric pressure sensor requirements and was already fully capable of external marine installation without additional engineering. Major deciding factors included its high accuracy and resolution (0.01% and 0.0001% of full scale respectively), repeatability of +/- 0.003% of reading, marine ruggedization, and high reliability. The MET1-2 barometer is already in a housing designed for external installations with a built in static pressure port that prevents dynamic events such as wind or movement from the buoy from affecting the barometric pressure reading. The NDBC has not identified another serial barometer that meets the accuracy, resolution, repeatability, hysteresis, or acceleration sensitivity in internet market research. There would be considerable re-engineering and testing costs for the NDBC if another vendor were selected. The NDBC would have to perform all of the laboratory testing again to verify the new sensor met the published specification. Then the TAO system would have to undergo considerable re-engineering to interface to the new barometer. If the new model barometer didn't match the +6 VDC to +16 VDC power input of the MET1-2 then the power system of the TAO buoy would have to be modified. The NDBC has found no other high precision barometers delivered in exterior housing with built in static pressure ports so mechanical changes would have to be made to either install the barometer in the TAO tube or make an exterior housing for the barometer. Cabling would have to be changed to address the new barometers. Finally, if the barometer doesn't respond to the same command set and output the same data format the TAO firmware would have to be re-written to accommodate the new barometer. After all of this re-engineering of the electrical, mechanical, and firmware the TAO system would have to go through rigorous testing to ensure no other sensors or algorithms were impacted. Then the field evaluation would begin. This field testing would require side-by-side testing with a current TAO configuration. Side-by-side testing would require a complete test buoy with the same configuration, less the barometer, be deployed in close proximity to an operational buoy for approximately a year. The cost for this side-by-side testing would be several hundreds of thousands of dollars. After the year-long side by side testing, data analyst would have to develop transfer functions for the sensor change. Then the NDBC would have to keep track of tooling, mounting, and firmware for two different versions of the TAO buoy that support two different barometers. This would cause increased sparing levels, increased field errors, and increase the complexity of field work. The Paroscientific Met 1-2 was previously selected as the barometer of choice during the initial development of the TAO buoy by PMEL. As such the Met 1-2 barometer has been in use on the climate array for over two decades. As such they are accepted by the Climate community and do not require the development of a transfer algorithm for a change in the sensor. The Paroscientific Met 1-2 were commissioned for operational use with the TAO Refresh system in 2010 and the transition of the TAO array to the Refresh buoys was complete in 2015. This special notice is not a request for competitive offerors and no solicitation package is available. However, firms that believe they can provide this service may submit substantiating documentation in writing within fifteen business days of this notice. Responses can be sent via e-mail to contact@example.gov. Documentation will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. A determination by the Government not to conduct a competitive procurement, based upon response to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government. Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice. If no documentation is received, award will be made directly to Paroscientific Inc. DOC, Eastern Region Acquisition Division requires that all contractors doing business with this office be registered with the System for Award Management (SAM). No award can be made to a company not registered in SAM. For additional information and to register in SAM, please access the following web site: www.sam.gov. To register, all contractors must have a Dun and Bradstreet number. A Dun and Bradstreet number may be acquired free of charge by contacting Dun and Bradstreet on-line at http://www.dnb.com/eupdate or by telephone at (844) 229- 9757.