SARSAT United States Mission Control Center (USMCC) Operations, Maintenance, and Technical Support

Overview This is a Request for Information (RFI). This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a commitment for an RFP in the future and it is not considered to be a commitment by the Government to award a contract. The Government will not pay for any information or administrative cost incurred in response to this announcement. No basis for claim against the Government shall arise as a result from a response to this RFI or Government use of any information provided. Disclaimer and Important Notes The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is not at this time seeking proposals and will not accept unsolicited proposals. No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response to this RFI. The Government reserves the right to use any information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate, including using technical information provided by respondents in any resultant solicitation. The purpose of this RFI is to improve the understanding of Government requirements and industry capabilities. This allows potential offerors to participate and provide information on how they can satisfy the Government's requirements. Responses will assist the Government in determining the availability of potential solutions in the marketplace. It is the responsibility of the potential offerors to monitor Beta.SAM.gov for additional information pertaining to this requirement. For information regarding this acquisition, contact the Contracting Officials listed herein. This exchange of information must be consistent with procurement integrity requirements (See FAR 3.104). Interested parties include potential offerors, end users, Government acquisition and supporting personnel, and others involved in the conduct or outcome of the acquisition. General Scope of Requirement The contemplated award is for the Operations, Maintenance, and Technical Support of the Search and Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking (SARSAT) United States Mission Control Center (USMCC), which is managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service's (NESDIS) Office of Satellite and Product Operations (OSPO). The SARSAT system relays distress signals from emergency beacons carried by aviators, mariners and land-based users to search and rescue (SAR) services. The mission of the SARSAT program is fulfilled by: collecting and distributing reliable and accurate distress alert data in a timely fashion using satellite receiving stations and a mission control center; coordinating with national and international organizations on frequency management, satellites, emergency beacons and search and rescue issues; maintaining a national register for 406 MHz emergency beacons; and, serving as the lead for SARSAT within the United States, and representing the United States in the international Cospas-Sarsat Program. Background The SARSAT program is part of the international Cospas-Sarsat System. Cospas is a Russian acronym that stands for - Cosmicheskaya Systyema Poiska Aariynyich Sudov which translates loosely into - Space System for the Search of Vessels in Distress. The basic concept of the system involves the use of emergency beacons, satellites, and ground equipment to relay distress location and identification information (referred to as distress alerts) to SAR authorities. SAR instruments are flown on Low-Earth polar orbiting (LEO), Mid-earth orbiting (MEO), and Geostationary-orbiting (GEO) satellites provided by the United States, Russia, India and the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT). For MEO satellites, the United States provides SAR/GPS MEO satellites, Russia provides Global Navigation Satellite System (Glonass) MEO satellites, and the EU provides Galileo MEO satellites. Canada and France provide the SAR instruments which fly onboard the satellite. The search and rescue instruments on any of these satellites (LEOSAR, GEOSAR or MEOSAR) are capable of detecting signals on the Earth's surface transmitted from emergency beacons. Emergency beacons include Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELTs), Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs), Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs), and Ship Security Alerting System (SSAS) beacons. ELTs are primarily used by aircraft, EPIRBs by maritime vessels, PLBs by individuals on land, and SSAS beacons are used by ships to alert authorities of piracy/terrorism activity. Emergency beacons operate on the 406 MHz frequency, which transmit a digital code that contains information about the type of beacon and possibly the location of the beacon. Location can be transmitted in the beacon message if the beacon has GPS capabilities. Each 406 MHz beacon in the world has a unique identifier. The unique identifier allows for additional information called registration data to be linked to each beacon. After receipt of ELT, EPIRB or PLB signals by the satellite, the satellite relays the signals to earth stations referred to as Local User Terminals (LUTs). The LUT transmits location information to its respective Mission Control Center (MCC) via a data communication network. The MCC performs matching and merging of alert messages with other received messages, geographically sorts the data, and transmits a distress message to an appropriate search and rescue authority such as a national Rescue Coordination Center (RCC) or a foreign SAR Point of Contact (SPOC). The distress message may also be sent to another MCC. SARSAT USMCC Detailed Requirements Description See Draft Performance Work Statement (PWS) for NOAA's anticipated technical requirements and specifications for the SARSAT USMCC requirement. RFI Response Requirements Sources intending to respond to this RFI should thoroughly review the aforementioned and submit the following information: Identification of your firm's business size and identification of your firm's CAGE Code and DUNS number. Note: The contemplated NAICS Code for this requirement is 541715 - Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology). You are encouraged to provide feedback on NAICS Codes that you may feel are more appropriate for this requirement. Capability statements should reveal your firm's presence (if any) on Government-Wide Contract Vehicles (e.g. NASA SEWP, GSA Advantage, etc.) that can support the SARSAT USMCC effort. Capability statements should also reveal your firm's presence (if any) on NOAA-awarded Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity contracts that can support the SARSAT USMCC effort. Capability statements expressing your firm's interest in this requirement, describing your company and its capability to meet the minimum requirements stated in this RFI with a description of your proposed services and/or supplies that would meet the requirements. Interested parties should provide sufficient detailed information which demonstrates the technical capability of the proposed solution to: Validate a detailed knowledge and expertise of the International Cospas-Sarsat program and the domestic, US SARSAT program, Operationally staff the 24/7/365 operation of the USMCC with subject matter expertise in collecting and distributing reliable and accurate distress alert data, which includes; monitor and operate remote satellite receiving stations and a mission control center; maintain and operate a national register for 406 MHz emergency beacon database and provide customer support and quality assurance for new and existing beacon registrations. Demonstrate a detailed working knowledge of the DOC and NOAA IT security requirements for maintaining,operating, and possibly transitioning a critical national system. Coordinating with national (NASA, USCG, USAF, FAA, FCC, etc.) and international (COSPAS-SARSAT, ITU, IMO, ICAO, EUMETSAT, RTCM, RTCA, etc.) organizations on frequency management, satellites, emergency beacons and search and rescue issues and, Technically and programatically supporting the lead agency for the US SARSAT program within the United States, and representing the United States in the international Cospas-Sarsat Program. e.g., providing meeting support on-site and remotely, including the logistics for hosting international and domestic meetings on behalf of the US. Response Time Please send your submission via email to the attention of Contact Specialist (CS) Darrin Holland, darrin.holland@noaa.gov, and Contracting Officer (CO) Elizabeth Abraham, elizabeth.abraham@noaa.gov, no later than October 21, 2021 4:00 pm Eastern Time. The response shall be no more than 20 single-sided, single-spaced pages, and use a minimum font of 12 point (Times New Roman) on 8 - x 11-inch paper. Each page should be separately numbered.