Nortek AWAC 400 kHz 2D Profiler

This purchase is to support environmental monitoring stations that are part of Physical Oceanographic Real-Time Systems (PORTS). The Nortek AWAC 400 kHz 2D Profiler is CO-OPS’ standard horizontally mounted current profiler for measuring real-time water way currents at shore-based PORTS stations throughout the United States. The Nortek Aquadopp Profiler 1MHz is CO-OPS’ standard downward facing sensor used for the ATON and iATON waterway current monitoring systems.

The ATON and iATON systems are data collection platforms developed by CO-OPS that mount on to US Cost Guard Aids to Navigation buoys to measure waterway currents in areas of interest within PORTS throughout the US. The Nortel equipment in this purchase are to be used as spare parts to maintain the continued operation of the water way current measurement stations operated by CO-OPS. The equipment in this purchase has been approved for CO-OPS use for the environment and type of measurements being made.

Implementing a different sensor in place of the current sensors will result in additional cost and resources. In addition, there will be resulting delay for testing, training, and purchase of support equipment. Under the current CO-OPS operating system any environmental monitoring equipment that has not previously been approved must be subjected to a series of tests to ensure the quality of the data and the durability of the equipment for the intended use.

These tests usually include bench testing using controlled conditions and physical measurement, controlled environmental testing to check reliability under different conditions, and long-term comparison testing with accepted equipment at multiple real-world locations. These tests and the analysis of the resulting data take a large amount of time, money, and resources to conduct. CO-OPS environmental monitoring systems are designed to operate with the components in this purchase.

Implementing different components will result in compatibility issues and require modifications to the existing systems to accommodate the new components. The estimated cost of modifying CO-OPS existing inventory of systems that implement the components in this purchase to accommodate different components is $317,000.000. Currently, CO-OPS field personnel and contractors are trained in the use and maintenance of the equipment in this purchase.

Additional cost will incur from having to train field personal and contractors on the use and maintenance of new equipment. CO-OPS also have the ability and equipment to test and troubleshoot the equipment in this purchase. If new equipment is purchased additional parts and equipment will need to be purchased to support the new equipment.

The estimated cost of the additional parts and equipment that would be required to support maintenance of the stations in the CO-OPS network that utilize the equipment in this purchase if different equipment is implemented at those stations is $600,000.00. Additional training will also be required for those tasked with testing and repairing this equipment. Nortek does not have any authorized partners/resellers.