Data Value Study nonpersonal services to evaluate the viability of the ownership model and operational structure of the UMRB monitoring network

SPECIAL NOTICE 145044-24-0035SRG

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Acquisition & Grants Office, Western Acquisition Division-Boulder, intends to negotiate, on a sole source basis, under authority of FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), with the Research Triangle Institute (RTI) of Durham, North Carolina for the Upper Missouri River Basin (UMRB) Data Value Study nonpersonal services to evaluate the viability of the ownership model and operational structure of the UMRB monitoring network, including the processes for establishing and operating the network and for acquiring and managing data from the state mesonets. The work would be completed in Durham, North Carolina location.

The sole source determination is based on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA), National Weather Service (NWS), Climate Control Office (CPO), National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) requirement with the RTI for the study.

If RTI is not utilized for this project, NOAA NOAA technically does not know of any other source with both the social science expertise, proprietary information and access as well as the existing familiarity and access with both the subject matter (application of observational data to drought and other natural resource applications) and the stakeholders in the region.

This would set the project back more than a year in loss of continuity, proprietary information access, if not more, when considering the need to address hiring appropriate team members and developing adequate expertise and relationship-building.

Such an approach would entail a significant delay in documenting end user perspectives on the value of the UMRB network, and would jeopardize the ability to meet the Congressional mandate for a Report to Congress documenting the value of soil moisture data from within the Upper Missouri River Basin. The period of performance will be from the date of award through 9/30/2025.

This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals and no solicitation package is available. However, firms that believe they can fully meet the government's requirements may submit substantiating documentation in writing to the identified point of contact within 15 days after publication of this synopsis. Such documentation will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. A determination by the government not to conduct a competitive procurement, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the government. Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice.