****NOAA’s 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 Purdue University.

 ****The sole source determination is based on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Oceanic & Atmospheric Research (OAR) National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) has a need for Purdue University’s services to deploy Purdue’s proprietary instruments, observe, and collect data. 

Purdue University is the only known entity with all of the following characteristics: 1) has a history of operating, and currently operates, a suite of deployable disdrometer systems with demonstrated usefulness for the needed observations in VORTEX-SE; 2) is able to locate suitable instrument deployment sites in the general southeastern U.S. region based on previous experience; 3) can reliably maintain and operate temporary deployable disdrometers providing continuous observations over extended periods of time; 4) perform data quality control and archival compatible with existing VORTEX-SE data collection efforts.  Purdue University designed and built the instruments in collaboration with the National Severe Storms Laboratory.  Purdue University has demonstrated these capabilities in two previous field campaigns in VORTEX-SE. In monitoring activities across the severe weather research community,

Purdue University has collaborated with NSSL for over five years in the development, maintenance, and use of the disdrometer systems. Purdue has deployed these systems in 2016 and 2017 under grants from the VORTEX-SE program. Purdue is fully involved in the planning process for the PERILS campaign. Any other awardee can not achieve the economy and efficiency afforded by the history of interaction with NSSL and ongoing involvement in VORTEX-SE field campaigns.

Period of Performance:  09/01/2020 – 08/30/2021

***This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals and no solicitation package is available.  However, firms that believe they can provide the service as described that fully meets 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.