Synthetic Aperture Radar Distributed Active Archive Center

NASA/GSFC is hereby soliciting information about potential sources for the operation of the Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC) for Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data for the Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS) Project of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)'s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC).No solicitation exists; therefore, do not request a copy of the solicitation. If a solicitation is released it will be synopsized in FedBizOpps and on the NASA Acquisition Internet Service. It is the potential offeror's responsibility to monitor these sites for the release of any solicitation or synopsis.The EOSDIS SAR distributed active archive center is currently located at The University of Alaska Fairbanks' (UAF's) Alaska Satellite Facility (ASF), which is a part of the UAF Geophysical Institute (GI).The SAR DAAC is responsible for collecting, processing, archiving, and distributing a wide

variety of space-borne and airborne radar data, including synthetic aperture radar data, as assigned by NASA, necessary for Earth science research and of use to the broader science community and educational institutions. This DAAC is responsible for managing SAR data products from NASA missions and instruments such as, Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) Radar, Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) UAVSAR Polarimetric SAR (PolSAR) and Interferometric SAR (InSAR), JPL Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AIRSAR), JPL Seasat and the future NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) L-Band Radar. Additionally, the DAAC manages SAR products from foreign partners such as European Space Agency Sentinel 1A/B, JAXA Advanced Land Observing Satellite PALSAR and Japanese Earth Resources Satellite JERS 1 and European Space Agency ERS 1 and ERS-2.The SAR DAAC currently maintains an archive of nearly 3 petabytes of synthetic aperture radar data and related products and is expected to grow at a rate in excess of 50 petabytes per year during the life of the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission. This DAAC makes these data and products available for discovery, search and download by the earth science community. This wide variety of SAR data products supports NASA-sponsored scientific applications including oceanography, geology, glaciology, hydrology, ecology, studies of polar processes, ice motion and kinematics, geo-hazards, crustal dynamics research and biomass mapping. This DAAC will support its user community by providing specialized SAR data and information services, assisting in locating and manipulating related and ancillary data, developing new techniques and tools for the NASA SAR user community and serving as a point of contact for the development and implementation of new value-added products and services.NASA is interested in awarding a contract for acquiring, processing, storing and distributing Synthetic Aperture Radar data and products with a group that would work cooperatively with the ESDIS Project and the other Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAACs); the current contract is a cost, no-fee type. The period of performance is five years starting in October 2018. The functions of this facility would include, but are not limited to (see the Statement of Work): 1. Ingest, archive and distribute Earth Science data designated for the EOSDIS Synthetic Aperture Radar Distributed Active Archive Center.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. Coordinating 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.For an understanding of the scope of the operation and maintenance of this DAAC respondents should review the provided references. These documents serve as a backdrop against which respondents must frame and pose the appropriate advanced information technology topics for further consideration:Reference                                URL1. ASF Website                         https://www.asf.alaska.edu2. ESDIS Project Website           https://earthdata.nasa.gov/about/esdis-project3. EOSDIS Earthdata Website     https://earthdata.nasa.gov/Directions to Responders:The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) is seeking capability statements from all interested parties, including Small, Small Disadvantaged (SDB), 8(a), Woman-owned (WOSB), Veteran Owned (VOSB), Service Disabled Veteran Owned (SD-VOSB), Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) businesses, and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU)/Minority Institutions (MI) for the purposes of determining the appropriate level of competition and/or small business subcontracting goals for the Synthetic Aperture Radar Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC) for the Earth Observing System (EOS) Data and Information System (EOSDIS). The Government reserves the right to consider a Small, 8(a), Woman-owned (WOSB), Service Disabled Veteran (SD-VOSB), or HUBZone business set-aside based on responses hereto.Responses should demonstrate the operational reliability and robustness of the proposed approach, as well as simplicity and straightforwardness for users and the DAAC. The responses should show how the system could adapt to growth in the user community, changes in systems interfaces, and changes in technology.Interested offerors/vendors having the required specialized capabilities to meet the above requirement should submit a capability statement of five (5) pages or less indicating the ability to perform all aspects of the effort described herein, which conforms to Annex 1, "Template For SAR DAAC Continuing Maintenance and Operation Submittal". ANNEX 1 TEMPLATE FOR SAR DAAC CONTINUING MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION SUBMITTAL1. Background and Description of Proposed ApproachDescribe in adequate detail the specific approach to implementing the Synthetic Aperture Radar DAAC, which is being proposed for ESDIS Project consideration and the current state of development approach. Describe how interfaces to DAAC-based systems would be implemented in your approach. Provide a comparison of your approach with or the use of current and near future approaches. You should provide an Operations Concept ("a day in the life" scenario) illustrating the use of your approach. Describe how your experience enables you to manage, process, and maintain the data within the collection.2. Operational Robustness and Flexibility for Growth and Evolution of Proposed ApproachAddress the operational reliability and robustness of your proposed approach, as well as simplicity and straightforwardness for Earth science users and the DAACs. Describe how your approach to providing the system could adapt to growth in the user community, changes in the systems interfaces, and changes in technology.3. Science Support for the Earth Science User CommunityDescribe specific details how the Earth science community will benefit from the support your approach to the SAR DAAC will provide. Describe the research organizations available to provide discipline expertise and services in place to assist the Earth science community to perform disciplinary and interdisciplinary science.4. Cost to OperateProvide a typical year of the cost to operate the SAR DAAC on an annual basis, and transitional cost for hardware migration to a potential new site.SCHEDULE:Deadline for Submission:September 20, 2017; due at 4:30pm EasternResponses may be sent via electronic mail (in either Microsoft Word or ADOBE PDF format) or regular mailto: Rogenia M.B. Dean, Email: Rogenia.M.Burton-Penderga@nasa.gov, Regular Mail: Goddard Space Flight Center, Mail Stop 210.6, Greenbelt, MD 20771.If you respond via regular mail or fax, please also provide an electronic copy in the above formats in addition to the printed version of your submission.Technical questions should be directed to:Mr. Drew KittelESDIS Project, Code 423Goddard Space Flight CenterTel. (301) 614-6582E-mail: Drew.H.Kittel@nasa.govProcurement related questions should be directed to: Rogenia.M.Burton-Penderga@nasa.govThis synopsis is for information and planning purposes and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government nor will the Government pay for information solicited. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation. Respondents deemed fully qualified will be considered in any resultant solicitation for the requirement.