Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC) for the EOS Data and Information System (EOSDIS)

NASA/GSFC has a requirement for a five year contract with the University of Alaska at Fairbanks (UAF) for the continued operation of the Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC) for NASAs Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) pursuant to FAR 6.302-3, Industrial mobilization; engineering, developmental or research capability; or expert services. Specifically, the effort will include systems engineering, operations and maintenance, development, user services, identification and generation of value-added products and services, data and information management, archive and distribution, information technology security, participation in the development of additional tools and capabilities needed to meet the EOSDIS requirements at all DAACs, general user support services, and related science support and research activities. The SAR DAAC acquires, processes, archives, and distributes SAR data and products needed for NASA Earth science research, as well as the broader science community and educational institutions. These activities are essential to the success of a major NASA program (NASA's Earth Science Data Systems (ESDS) Program) and must be performed by an entity with demonstrable abilities and capabilities for developing and operating a science data archive (with annual growth expected to exceed 50 petabyte yearly for future missions) and distribution center; and providing user support for a broad variety of SAR data and products derived from space-borne and airborne platforms. The scientific data is used by a large and diverse range of scientific disciplines and applications including but not limited to oceanography, geology, glaciology, hydrology, ecology, studies of polar processes, ice motion and kinematics, geo-hazards, crustal dynamics research and biomass mapping. There can be no interruption of service after the current contract expires September 30, 2018. According to FAR 6.302-3(b)(2)(ii), the use of the authority at (a)(2)(ii) is appropriate when it is necessary to: Establish or maintain an essential capability for engineering or developmental work calling for the practical application of investigative findings and theories of a scientific or technical nature. The current sets of capabilities possessed by UAF are essential to NASA in that the combination of technological skills, scientific and theoretical knowledge and practical hands-on experience are necessary to operate and manage the SAR DAAC. NASA requirements include the following: 1. Ingest, archive and distribute Earth Science data designated for the EOSDIS SAR DAAC. 2. Provide operation and maintenance of the SAR DAAC systems for acquiring, processing, archiving and distribution of data and ancillary data for new and future missions as well as supporting/validation of data from various sources. This may include a broad variety of activities such as systems engineering, operations and maintenance, development, user services, identification and generation of value-added products and services, data and information management, archive and distribution, information technology security, participation in the development of additional tools and capabilities needed to meet the EOSDIS requirements at all DAACs, general user support services, and related science support and research activities. 3. Provide documentation and user support on SAR data and services. Keep abreast of uses of the data. Ensure data is archived and served in a way that facilities its use. Recommend to NASA data formats or additional data products and services that might better serve community needs. 4. Provide leadership in the SAR community on data formats, strategic services, data interoperability, data usability, and data capabilities. 5. Provide tools, services, user interfaces, web infrastructure components for the broad SAR community. 6. Coordinate with other organizations, agencies, DAACs, NASA Centers, and institutions in order to accomplish the goals and objectives of this contract. This includes developing and maintaining interfaces with other EOSDIS organizational elements, other agencies with which EOSDIS must cooperate, NASA's international partners with whom EOSDIS will be interoperable, and a broad variety of international organizations and working groups. The UAF facility is necessary because it is the only facility in the U.S. that meets the geographic requirements for the collection and processing of SAR data. The UAF ground station is located above Latitude 64N, allowing the greatest number of opportunities to acquire data (in terms of satellite passes) from the RADARSAT, sALOS and data from other polar orbiting spacecraft NASA may acquire data from in the future. A processing facility elsewhere would require the costly and technically difficult transmission of data from the ground station. As a result, this facility is the only facility that can meet the Governments requirements for the collection and processing of SAR data with low data latency. The Government does not intend to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12. Interested organizations may submit their capabilities and qualifications to perform the effort in writing to the identified point of contact not later than January 05, 2018 at 4:30pm Eastern Standard Time. Such capabilities/qualifications 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 compete this proposed effort on a full and open competition basis, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government. All contractual and technical questions must be submitted in writing via email to the attention of: Rogenia M.B. Dean, Email: contact@example.gov no later than December 29, 2017.