OMAO Renewal of Shiploc SSAS Tracking Services

NOAA'S ACQUISITION & GRANTS OFFICE, EASTERN ACQUISITION DIVISION-NORFOLK, OFFICE OF MARINE AND AVIATION OPERATIONS (OMAO) MARINE OPERATIONS CENTER NEGOTIATED, ON A SOLE SOURCE BASIS, UNDER AUTHORITY OF RFO FAR 12.102(a), WITH THE WOODS HOLE GROUP, INC. OUT OF BUZZARDS BAY, MA TO RENEW SHIPLOC SSAS TRACKING SERVICES.

THE SOLE SOURCE DETERMINATION IS BASED ON THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION'S (NOAA) REQUIREMENT THAT THE SHIPLOC SSAS TRACKING SERVICES ARE ONLY CAPABLE THROUGH THE WOODS HOLE GROUP. THE SHIPLOC SYSTEM PROVIDES TRACKING OF ALL NOAA SHIPS 50 TIMES PER DAY DISPLAYED ON A DEDICATED WEBSITE WITH COMPLETE MARITIME MAPS. THE SYSTEM MONITORS THE EXACT LOCATION OF NOAA VESSELS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD AT ANY TIME. CLS OPERATORS MONITOR INCOMING ALERTS 24/7 365 DAYS A YEAR.

DATA MESSAGES ARE COMPLETELY TAMPER-PROOF, SECURE AND RELIABLE. THEY CANNOT BE FALSIFIED IN ANY WAY. NOAA HAS STANDARDIZED THE INSTALLATION AND SUPPORT OF ALL SSAS HARDWARE AND SERVICE ARGOS POSITION INFORMATION WITH THE WOODS HOLE GROUP INC. (FORMALLY CLS AMERICA), SINCE 2005. ADDITIONALLY, THERE IS CURRENTLY NO INDEPENDENT, GOVERNMENT CONTROLLED CAPABILITY TO PROVIDE POSITIVE, COVERT, HANDS-OFF LOCATION & CONDITION INFORMATION TO NOAA'S FLEET MANAGERS AND SENIOR MANAGEMENT.

AS UNARMED US GOVERNMENT ASSETS, NOAA RESEARCH PLATFORMS CONSTITUTE A SIGNIFICANT TARGET FOR POTENTIAL TERRORISTS TO 'EMBARRASS' THE US GOVERNMENT. SHIPLOC'S INDEPENDENT, SEMI-COVERT CAPABILITIES ALLOW US TO ADDRESS THIS THREAT. SHIPLOC IS THE ONLY SHIP SECURITY ALERT SYSTEM APPROVED BY THE INTERNATIONAL MARITIME BUREAU (IMB). THE WOODS HOLE GROUP, INC. IS THE ONLY VENDOR CAPABLE OF PROVIDING SHIPLOC SSAS TRACKING SERVICES AND IS THE ONLY VENDOR TO MEET THE NECESSARY REQUIREMENTS. THE WOODS HOLE GROUP HAS NO AUTHORIZED PARTNERS OR RESELLERS WHO CAN PROVIDE SHIPLOC SSAS TRACKING SERVICES.