RockFLEET Satellite Tracker

The US Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Eastern Acquisition Division, Simplified Acquisition Branch intends to negotiate on a sole source basis with Ground Control Systems, Inc., 3100 El Camino Real, Atascadero, Ca 93422, using the procedures in FAR Part 13. The Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO) has a requirement to provide the entire fleet of NOAA ships with a simple-to-use solution that is easy to install, tamper-proof, Federally-certified, and provides customizable reports. The Global Positioning System (GPS) device must be waterproof, ruggedized, and support a variety of mounting options to suit OMAO needs. Furthermore, the solution must be compatible with the Army Space and Missile Defense Command, Army Forces Strategic Commands’ Joint Friendly Force Tracking architecture using either the global Iridium satellite network or the Global System for Mobile (GSM) communication. This particular brand name is essential

to the requirement and market research indicates similar products do not meet or cannot be modified to meet agency needs. Through market research working with other U.S. Government Departments and Agencies, OMAO determined RockFLEET is used across many public and private scientific communities. Unlike other industry hardware and services that are not compatible with the OMAO infrastructure, RockFLEET is tailorable and meets the requirement to operate over satellite and enable the ability to send automated notifications, and administer program resources before, during, and after a project. Due to NOAA’s complex maritime operations and prolonged maintenance periods, RockFLEET’s internal battery backup is beneficial allowing up to 5-months of unpowered operation. Likewise, the optional serial integration add-on may provide connectivity to other NOAA approved devices. Since NOAA ships are federally funded, the ability to leverage the RockFLEET devices to send automatic positioning feeds to the Joint Friendly Force Tracking (JFFT) will enable Network-Centric Operations (NCO), and reduce the risk of loss of life and the cost associated with sharing positioning data with combatant U.S. military commands. The requirement is for the purchase of fourteen (14) Ground RockFLEET devices with built in Iridium and optional GSM capability, steel mounts and data service for 1-year for eighteen (18) devices (four devices are currently in service on NOAA ships). The statutory authority for other than full and open competition is FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)(i), Only one responsible source.Delivery of the devices is 30 days after contract award. The Period of Performance for service is 1 year after activation of each device. The North American Industry Classification Code (NAICS) for this acquisition is 517410, Satellite Telecommunications with a business size standard of $44M.This is not a solicitation for competitive quotes, nor will one be posted on SAM.gov (Contract Opportunities).Although a determination by the Government not to compete this proposed requirement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. However, if any interested party believes that it is capable of meeting the requirements, and in an effort to comply with the requirements outlined in FAR 5.102, a firm may request an electronic copy of the solicitation from the Contract Specialist, Wendy Culbreth (Wendy.Culbreth@noaa.gov). All electronic correspondence shall have the subject line read: 1305L223NMAN0144, RockFLEET Satellite TrackerAll responsible sources may submit a Capability Statement and/or a quote in accordance with the solicitation, which shall be considered by the agency if received on or before 3:00 PM EST on March 30, 2023. The Capability Statement must contain material in sufficient detail to allow NOAA to determine if the party can meet all of the requirements. The solicitation will remain open from March 15 2023 to March 30, 2023 (3:00 PM EST).