***NOAA'S ACQUISITION & GRANTS OFFICE, WESTERN ACQUISITION DIVISION-BOULDER AND THE OFFICE OF ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH (OAR) GREAT LAKES ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LABORATORY (GLERL) INTENDS TO NEGOTIATE, ON A SOLE SOURCE BASIS, UNDER AUTHORITY OF FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), WITH NORTEK USA OUT OF BOSTON, MA FOR THE PURCHASE OF AWAC ACOUSTIC DOPPLER CURRENT PROFILERS.  

***THE SOLE SOURCE DETERMINATION IS BASED ON THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION'S (NOAA) DETERMINATION THAT NORTEK USA IS THE ONLY SOURCE AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE THE REQUIRED ACOUSTIC DOPPLER CURRENT PROFILERS. NORTEK USA IS THE ONLY VENDOR THAT PROVIDES A PROLOG BOARD AND NECESSARY FIRM WARE TO COMPUTE THE LARGE AMOUNT OF RAW DATA AND OUTPUT ONLY THE FINAL VALUES. THIS IS A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF DATA WHICH IS REQUIRED FOR COMMUNICATIONS. OTHER SUPPORT EQUIPMENT WITHIN OUR ARRAY OF INSTRUMENTATION HAS NORTEK SOFTWARE THAT IS USED TO PROCESS THE INFORMATION RETRIEVED FROM THE EQUIPMENT, AND RENDER KNOWN RESULTS. WERE WE TO GO WITH ANOTHER VENDOR OTHER THAN NORTEK, WHOSE SOFTWARE IS PROPRIETARY, WE WOULD HAVE TO REPROGRAM A MULTITUDE OF EQUIPMENT, AS WELL AS PURCHASE SOFTWARE FOR THE EQUIPMENT. OUR ENTIRE RECON NETWORK FOR THE GREAT LAKES IS BUILT AROUND AND COMPATIBLE WITH NORTEK EQUIPMENT AND SOFTWARE. DELIVERY IS REQUIRED BY 5/31/2021.

***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.