Source Sought: Radio Frequency Interference Monitoring System (RFIMS) Operations, Maintenance and Sustainment (OM&S)

In preparation for an upcoming anticipated procurement, the Satellite and Information Acquisition Division (SIAD) of the Acquisitions and Grants Office (AGO) is conducting market research to identify potential sources and determine the optimal procurement strategy for acquiring operations, maintenance, and sustainment (OM&S) support services as further detailed below and in the attached Performance Work Statement (PWS). In 2017, SIAD competitively selected and awarded a research and development (R&D) contract on behalf of NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS), Office of Satellite and Ground Services (OSGS), RFIMS Program Management Office (PMO) to develop and deploy Radio Frequency Interference Monitoring System (RFIMS) units to certain NOAA Earth Stations; and provide associated operations, maintenance and sustainment services. The RFIMS is a highly specialized system based on new radio frequency interference and spectrum sharing technology that captures over the air communications of radio frequency signal energy between cellular telephones and commercial wireless carrier transmission/receiver towers. To date, L3Harris has built and deployed one (1) RFIMS Remote Monitoring System (RMS) unit each to the Table Mountain Test Range in Colorado and the Wallops Command and Data Acquisition Station (WCDAS) Earth Station in Virginia; and one (1) Central Monitoring System (CMS) to the Amazon Web Services (AWS) GovCloud. The RFIMS PMO requires a contract for continued operations, security accreditation and continuous monitoring, maintenance, sustainment, and enhancement support for the existing RFIMS units after the R&D contract ends on January 7, 2023. In addition, the RFIMS PMO also intends to procure one (1) additional system and component spares. NOAA is seeking capable sources to perform the following three (3) requirements which must be accomplished under a single contract because the requirements are interconnected and disaggregation will introduce additional risks and negatively impact cost, schedule, and quality: (1) The operations, maintenance, and sustainment of the RFIMS which will require a vendor to have the appropriate rights to the patented algorithms design and the ability to modify the software defined architecture of the RFIMS developed using the patented algorithms design (The patent was developed and is currently owned by L3Harris Technologies, Inc. (L3Harris)); (2) Rapidly upgrading and adapting the RFIMS within 9-12 months to meet potential commercial wireless carrier operational network changes which relies upon the key knowledge of the L3Harris patented algorithms design; and (3) Deliver and deploy one (1) additional system using comparable specialized antenna manufacturing and test capability which was designed and developed by L3Harris, and tested and approved by NOAA. In order for another vendor to manufacture additional systems, a comparable manufacturing, test setup, and anechoic test chamber would be required. A comparable manufacturing and test capability would need to be currently placed or immediately available to meet the 9-10 months lead to develop and deploy an additional system. The proposed contract will have a period of performance of one (1) base year with four (4) one-year option periods; and the Government anticipates award in January 2023. INFORMATION REQUESTED: Interested companies should provide a tailored capability statement limited to no more than 5 pages demonstrating their ability to satisfy the above mentioned requirements, including their ability to access the necessary patents and specialized antenna manufacturing and test capability in order to build the additional RFIMS unit within the Government's required timeline. Capability statements should also clearly demonstrate a minimum of five (5) years of related experience as it relates to the above mentioned requirements and also managing similar systems. In addition to addressing technical capabilities, responses must include the following: Name and address of firm CAGE Code DUNS Number Size of business (i.e., small, small disadvantaged business, woman-owned,etc.) Point of contact (address, email, and phone number) Parent company, joint venture partners, potential teaming partners, prime contractor (if potential subcontractor) or subcontractors (if potential prime contractor) List of customers covering the past six (5) years (highlighting relevant work performed, contract numbers, and contract type). Identify the customer, contract number, and points of contact for any experience listed. [Note: In order to be deemed capable, interested companies must be able to perform 50% of the work themselves and demonstrate how they will successfully perform all three (3) requirements. Provide information of any government-wide contract vehicles which your company owns that covers the scope as described in the PWS. SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS: Telephone responses are NOT solicited and will not be accepted. Responses are due no later than 4:00 PM EST on Wednesday, April 13, 2022 via email to jane.bu@noaa.gov and gion.lalican@noaa.gov. DISCLAIMER: This notice is not a request for competitive quotes or proposals. No solicitation exists; therefore, do not request a copy of the solicitation. This synopsis is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to award a contract, nor will the Government pay for the solicited information. The draft PWS is provided for informational purposes only. Information contained herein is subject to change. Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by SIAD to form a binding contract. Respondents are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this Sources Sought notice. Responses to this notice will not be returned. Respondents will not be notified of the result of the review. Any information that a vendor considers proprietary should be clearly marked as such. Failure to submit a response to this notice in no way precludes a vendor from participating in any competitive solicitation the SIAD may issue in the future. Information received will be considered solely to make an informed decision regarding a potential procurement.