SOLAR OBSERVATORY - San Vito, Italy

PRE-SOLICITATION NOTICE APPROXIMATE SOLICITATION ISSUE DATE: No sooner than 15 days after this notice. The 55th Contracting Squadron will be conducting the solicitation and award of a full and open competition, non-personal services, firm-fixed price, follow-on contract for operations and maintenance services for the 557 Weather Wing (557 WW)/2 Weather Wing (2 WW) Solar Observatory located at San Vito, Italy. The Government anticipates issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a five year contract consisting of one base year and four one year option periods. The anticipated contract start date is 1 October 2016, subject to availability of funds. The RFP will also include a six (6) month transition period with an anticipated start date of 1 October 2016 (if required). The transition period is also subject to availability of funds. This requirement is for operation and maintenance of all solar observatory equipment at San Vito, Italy. A summary of the primary tasks to be performed by the contractor is as follows: Provide solar optical and radio observations, analyses and reports using the Solar Observing Optical Network (SOON) (AN/FMQ-7) telescope and Radio Solar Telescope Network (RSTN) systems. The RSTN comprises the Radio Interference Measuring Set (RIMS) (AN/FRR-95), The Solar Radio Spectrograph (SRS) (A/F24U-10) and their associated computer subsystems. Conduct integrated, continuous (weather permitting) optical and radio solar observations. Perform preventative, scheduled, and unscheduled maintenance of all equipment. Manage and supervise the observing, analysis, tools, materials, supervision, and other items and services necessary to provide solar observation, maintenance services, as well as management of Government Furnished Property and Services. Provide communications assistance on the Next Generation Ionospheric Network (NEXION) system. Please reference draft Performance Work Statement entitled SOLAR OBSERVATORY SAN VITO, ITALY, dated 6 April 2016, also posted with this notice. A pre-proposal conference and site visit is scheduled to be held at San Vito, Italy, 10 June 2016. Interested parties must register to attend the conference by sending an e-mail to Paul.Loede.1@us.af.mil NOT LATER THAN 5 May 2016. Attendance is limited to two persons per firm. This acquisition will be conducted using non-commercial procedures and negotiated procedures per FAR Part 15. The RFP and all associated document, when issued, will be posted on http://www.fedbizopps.gov. No solicitation is available at this time. Hard copies of the solicitation WILL NOT be issued. Offerors are encouraged to register through http://www.fedbizopps.gov to receive notices for documents posted for solicitation number FA4600-16-R-0009. The NAICS code is 541990, and the size standard is $25 Million. Address questions via e-mail to the contract specialist and contracting officer only. No discussions will be conducted telephonically. Points of Contact Paul Loede, Contract Specialist, Phone 402-294-5494, FAX 402-294-0430, e-mail Paul.Loede.1@us.af.mil Stacy Mazurek, Contracting Officer, Phone 402-294-6203, FAX 402-294-0430, e-mail Stacy.Mazurek@us.af.mil