SOURCES SOUGHT
W -- Hurricane Surveillance Mission Backup Capability--Gulfstream Aircraft
- Notice Date
- 10/18/2017
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 532411
— Commercial Air, Rail, and Water Transportation Equipment Rental and Leasing
- Contracting Office
- Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Eastern Acquisition Division - Norfolk, Norfolk Federal Building, 200 Granby Street, Norfolk, Virginia, 23510, United States
- ZIP Code
- 23510
- Solicitation Number
- RFI-GIVSP-LEASE
- Archive Date
- 1/31/2018
- Point of Contact
- James Rall, Phone: 757-441-6886, Arthur A. Hildebrandt, Phone: 7574416865
- E-Mail Address
-
James.Rall@noaa.gov, andrew.hildebrandt@noaa.gov
(James.Rall@noaa.gov, andrew.hildebrandt@noaa.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Disclaimer This announcement constitutes a Request for Information (RFI) only, as defined in FAR 15.201(e), for the purpose of determining market capability of sources or obtaining information. It does not constitute a Request for Proposals (RFP), a Request for Quotation (RFQ), or an indication that the Government will contract for any of the items and/or services discussed in this notice. Any formal solicitation that may subsequently be issued will be announced separately through Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps). Submission of a response to this RFI is entirely voluntary. The voluntary submission of a response to this RFI shall not obligate NOAA to pay or entitle the submitter of information to claim any direct or indirect costs or charges or any other remuneration whatsoever. No telephone calls will be accepted requesting a bid package or solicitation. There is no bid package or solicitation at this time. In order to protect the integrity of any future procurement, additional information will not be given and no appointments for presentations will be made in reference to this RFI. All information received shall be safeguarded from unauthorized disclosure. Please do not submit any proprietary or classified information. Purpose The purpose of this RFI is to obtain information about the capability and availability of leasing an aircraft to provide backup capability for NOAA's Gulfstream IVSP (G-IVSP) aircraft to perform the Hurricane Surveillance mission. Introduction The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO) is one of the significant operational arms of NOAA. Through its headquarters office in Silver Spring, MD and Aircraft Operations Center (AOC) in Lakeland, FL, OMAO operates, maintains and manages the aircraft used by NOAA programs to collect the critical airborne environmental observations essential to meeting NOAA's prioritized airborne requirements. Background OMAO operates aircraft in support of various NOAA operational and research projects. One reoccurring mission is the Hurricane Surveillance mission, required by NOAA's National Weather Service (NWS) and its sub-entities, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) and the Environmental Modeling Center (EMC). The Surveillance mission collects wind field and other meteorological data on a synoptic scale in the vicinity of a hurricane. The data from these missions significantly improve life and property-saving information, including tropical cyclone forecasts, watches, warnings, and storm surge products. Since 1996, NOAA has operated one (1) modified and instrumented G-IVSP aircraft (Tail Designation N49RF) to support the Hurricane Surveillance mission. Due to aircraft aging issues, the NOAA G-IVSP is experiencing a decrease in availability and reliability including increased ‘failure to dispatch' when required to execute tasked missions. In the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (H.R. 353), the U.S. Congress directed NOAA to develop a backup capability to execute the Surveillance mission. This RFI is issued to explore options for using a leased aircraft to fulfill that backup capability. Flight Profiles and Concept of Operations The aircraft flight profiles required to capture necessary airborne data of these missions involve flying into most regions of tropical cyclones (up to Category 5 Hurricanes) at altitudes from 35,000 feet above Mean Sea Level (ft. MSL) up to and including the service ceiling of the aircraft. These flights include rainband penetration and flight within heavy convective activity, but do not require eyewall penetration or flying into the cyclone's inner core. Long range (3,500+ miles) and long endurance (8.5+ Hours) capabilities are required to meet the trackline requirements in and around the storm environment within the specified 6-hour synoptic period before returning to staging base. Mission tasking may require up to two flights per day, with specified takeoff times to align data collection with the hurricane computer model runs. Although tasking notice is usually sent 24 hours prior to mission tasking, there are instances of requests made the day of the mission. Missions may be flown from the AOC base at Lakeland, FL, or from a temporary location close enough to the storm to execute a flight pattern within the range capability of the G-IVSP-SP. If a deployment to a forward location is required, the aircraft and crew may deploy the day before a required mission, or execute a mission en-route to the forward location. Similarly, returning to AOC's home base in Lakeland may involve a mission en-route or a dedicated ferry flight. If two flights per day are required, the second crew (including science personnel) may be forward deployed and returned by commercial aircraft, with crew duty day constraints considered. Forward deployment locations are almost always commercial airfields, with FBO or other commercial facilities and services. For each tasked mission, the aircraft takes off, climbs to an initial operating altitude (usually at least 39,000 ft. MSL) and flies to a series of waypoints that are assigned as part of the mission plan received the day before a flight. At each waypoint, a weather instrument (GPS Dropwindsonde, or ‘sonde') is released from the aircraft. The expendable sonde is biodegradable and descends, transmitting data to the aircraft by way of a VHF telemetry link, until it reaches the ocean surface. A typical flight consists of 20-35 waypoints and sonde drops. The telemetry data is received, processed, and stored on a dedicated on-board system (the Airborne Vertical Atmospheric Profiling System, or AVAPS). The data is then either streamed to a ground station for further processing (approximately 1 Mbyte per sonde), or (more commonly) processed by a separate computer station on the aircraft. Either method results in a ‘Temp-Drop' message that is sent to the NOAA NWS Gateway for ingest in the hurricane forecast models. Temp-Drop messages must be sent in close to real-time, so high-speed Satellite Communication (SatCom) capabilities are required on the aircraft. The aforementioned GPS Dropwindsonde, the primary instrument for the hurricane surveillance mission, is a cylinder about 2.75 inches (7 cm) in diameter by 16 inches (40 cm) long. Each sonde is launched from the aircraft through a mechanism that prevents the aircraft from losing cabin pressure. After launch, the sonde deploys a parachute to stabilize the unit's orientation and slow its descent. As the sonde drops through the atmosphere, it relays data back to the aircraft from internal sensors. That data is converted to basic state parameters (pressure, temperature, humidity), 3-dimensional location and 3-dimensional winds (derived from the on-sonde GPS receiver). The sonde takes about 12-15 minutes to descend from launch altitude to the surface. The aircraft has a multi-channel receiver system, so does not need to wait for one sonde to splash before the next launch. Surveillance mission drop points are spaced so that no more than two (2) sondes are in the air at any given time, although post-launch sonde failures can result in an extra sonde (or two) in the air if a backup is launched to capture data at a critical waypoint. AOC maintains a supply of sondes in inventory, and supplies all sondes for the Surveillance missions. More information about the GPS dropwindsonde can be found at the following National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) site: https://www.eol.ucar.edu/node/10082 NCAR was the developer of the GPS Dropwindsonde, and maintains the intellectual property rights for the AVAPS sonde and system. * Note that AOC stocks and launches the RD94 version of the sonde, not the smaller ‘mini' sondes.* A typical minimum crew to execute a mission consists of two (2) pilots, one (1) flight meteorologist, one (1) data system operator, one (1) dropsonde system operator, and one (1) dropsonde meteorologist. If the flight is at night, a third pilot is added to reduce crew fatigue. If the aircraft is deploying to a forward location, a maintenance crew chief is included. The maintenance crew chief flies on ferry missions and science missions en-route to or from a forward location, but stays on the ground to provide dispatch and recovery services when the aircraft takes off and lands from the same location. All crewmembers are trained in emergency procedures, including in-flight emergencies, ground evacuation, and ditching procedures. Flight and mission crew will require reoccurring training in standard and emergency procedures for the backup aircraft, unless the leased aircraft and systems are identical to N49RF. Lease Concept To serve as a backup to the NOAA G-IVSP-SP for the Hurricane Surveillance mission, the following concept is envisioned. * Note that respondents to this RFI can provide information on alternate concepts.* In the following description, the ‘primary' aircraft is NOAA's G-IVSP, and the ‘backup' is the leased aircraft. The contract lease would be for a base year and four (4) one-year option periods with availability that would cover the period of the Atlantic hurricane season, which starts on June 1st and ends on November 30th annually. As described above, the NOAA G-IVSP can be tasked at any time during that 6-month period, normally for a mission the next day, but occasionally for a mission on shorter notice. The backup aircraft would need to be on very short call, ready to launch within 2 hours whenever the primary aircraft has been tasked. This would allow time for fueling and pre-flight checks, so the backup would not need to be fully fueled while waiting in its backup capacity. If the primary aircraft is deployed, the backup aircraft would not deploy, unless the primary aircraft experiences a failure affecting mission tasking. If the primary aircraft is down for an extended period of time (more than 10 days) the backup could potentially be used for other, ancillary missions like pilot training. * Note that while the primary aircraft may fly 400-hours or more during a busy hurricane season, the backup aircraft may fly between zero (0) hours and the maximum Surveillance requirement (if the primary aircraft is completely unavailable).* Due to the hazards of flight, highly specialized crew expertise requirements, and the unique flying environment, the lease concept entails NOAA providing all crew for the mission, including pilots and in-flight technicians. The NOAA pilots are type rated for the G-IVSP, so the lease concept envisions the Lessor providing a G-IV or variant covered by the same type rating. The lease concept envisions the contractor providing all maintenance services and supplies. Deployment of contract maintenance personnel is required when NOAA operates from a location other than Lakeland, FL. * Note that Respondents should include alternate concepts of staffing and maintenance in their responses.* In the lease concept, the Lessor would be responsible for providing an FAA certified and modified aircraft as described below. The Government will likely provide for some fixed and variable operating costs, including flight and mission personnel, fuel, dropwindsondes, and Satcom volume charges. All other expenses would be the responsibility of the Lessor, including, but not limited to, the following: calendar and hourly maintenance, any costs associated with the availability of the aircraft at Lakeland (ferry and/or storage), forward deployed landing and service fees, and all supplies, expendables, and resources not explicitly called out above. Some of the specific features of NOAA's G-IVSP that would be expected in the backup aircraft are: - Gulfstream G-IVSP aircraft, base aircraft and all modifications certified to FAA Part 25, operated and maintained in accordance with FAA Part 91 - Avionics to include VHF, HF and SelCal, high-speed satellite communication (at least 100k bits per second data, in addition to voice), TCAS, ADS-B, FANS-1/A, and any other requirements to operate in the U.S. National Air Space and in Atlantic and Pacific Oceanic regions - Forward-looking nose weather avoidance radar, with display repeater at the flight meteorologist's workstation - Instrumentation to provide the following in-situ measurements and derived parameters. Parameters are sent to the AVAPS system, transmitted through Satcom in a standard format, and archived for post-flight analysis: - Outside (ambient) pressure, temperature and humidity and winds - 3-dimensional position, 3-dimensional velocity, 3-axis attitude, 3-axis rate of change (typically sourced by one or more aircraft inertial navigation units, supplemented by blended or independent GPS) - FAA certified seating for the following personnel, each with 5-point restraint harness and oxygen system (see next). Personnel identified with an asterisk require a mission workstation, addressed below: - 2 pilots - Flight meteorologist * - Data System operator * - AVAPS operator * - AVAPS data processor * - Third pilot - Crew chief/mechanic - Oxygen system with drop-down or quick-don masks at all seats. Masks shall be able to provide pressure-demand breathing if cabin altitude is higher than 40,000 ft. (due to rapid or explosive decompression). Oxygen storage shall be designed to provide all seats with diluter-demand oxygen for at least 4 hours at a cabin altitude of 25,000 ft. This is because the hurricane environment may require significant deviation to reach the nearest safe airfield and the aircraft may need to be operated at higher altitude to extend the range for that deviation. - Mission workstations for personnel identified above. All stations require a Keyboard and Video Monitor (KVM). Other station requirements vary, but typically include one or more computers (tied to the single rack KVM for operator interaction) and specialized equipment for the station's function. Some equipment requires 19" rack mounting per EIA ECA310. For all computer systems, AOC would work with Leaser to install and maintain AOC-developed applications and display utilities. - Infrastructure for scientific data systems, including 60 Hz power generation (both interruptible and uninterruptable) and distribution with cockpit safety override, intra-aircraft network connectivity (at least 100Base-T, with centralized managed switch(es) and network drops at each science station for multiple subnets, Intercom Communication System (ICS) to all stations, GPS and VHF antennas for AVAPS, and a dropwindsonde launch mechanism with pressure interlock. AVAPS operator station shall be located close enough to the dropwindsonde launch mechanism that the operator does not have to remove his/her seatbelt to load and launch a sonde. Information Requested in Responses Please include with your response the following : - Description of ability to meet the requirements of this RFI - Descriptive literature about the capabilities and execution of similar efforts - Suggestions for alternatives or deviations, based on current capabilities or previous experience. If known, respondent should identify impacts and additional resources required for proposed alternatives (e.g. pilot training to be type certified and kept current for a different aircraft than the G-IVSP) - Statement of aircraft availability - Business Size and any socio-economic status under NAICS 532411 Pricing information for budgetary purposes, including : - Price per flight hour - Daily charge - respondent may differentiate charges on days when the leased aircraft is on ‘hot standby' (primary aircraft has been tasked and leased aircraft is on two hour notice), versus just instrumented and available on 24-hours' notice (the remainder of the lease period from June 1 to Nov 30) - Maintenance crew charges per flight hour and per day, if not included in above - Any other charges that would be incurred by the Government for the use of proposed aircraft for stated availability period - Modification costs - Provide a rough order of magnitude (ROM) to equip the aircraft with the capabilities necessary to meet the mission requirements including engineering, hardware, software, modification, FAA-type Certification, labor and parts costs and timeline to complete these modifications. Aircraft must be able to maintain issued FAA Airworthiness Certificate after modifications. Response Requirements Limit RFI responses to 25 pages. Responses must be unclassified and contain no proprietary information. Responses should include the company name, location of home facility, telephone number, and mail and e-mail addresses of a point of contact having authority and knowledge to discuss the submission. RFI responses should be submitted electronically in a pdf format to the point of contact in this notice.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DOC/NOAA/EASC/RFI-GIVSP-LEASE/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: Various locations, but primary location is Lakeland Linder Regional Airport, Lakeland, FL., United States
- Record
- SN04716861-W 20171020/171018231235-a26b0686a0991d7d92d2ce91147887d2 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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