SAM #REQUIREMENTS-26-0137

Sole Source Procurement of MCIDAS-X Software Licenses and Support for NOAA NWS NCEP Central Operations

NOAA's National Weather Service NCEP Central Operations is seeking to procure MCIDAS-X software licenses and support services through a sole source contract with the Space Science and Engineering Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. - Sole source procurement for MCIDAS-X software licenses and support - Space Science and Engineering Center (University of Wisconsin-Madison) is the only provider - MCIDAS-X is used for meteorological data visualization and analysis - Supports geophysical data from satellites, radar, and forecast models - Includes a unique historical database - Requirement covers 54 software licenses - Support includes next business day service for Windows and Linux operating systems - Place of performance is College Park, Maryland - Contracting office is located in Seattle, Washington - Delivery scheduled for July 21, 2026 - No competing vendors or OEMs identified; sole source justification based on unique capabilities

Description

***This notice is being published in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 5.101 requiring dissemination of information for proposed contract actions. This is a notice of intent to award a sole source contract, and is not a request for competitive quotes/proposals. The statutory authority for this sole source procurement is prescribed by FAR 13.501(a).

***OAA'S ACQUISITION & GRANTS OFFICE, WESTERN ACQUISITION DIVISION, NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE (NWS) NCEP CENTRAL OPS, PLANS TO NEGOTIATE ON A SOLE SOURCE BASIS UNDER AUTHORITY OF FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), WITH SPACE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING CENTER OUT OF MADISON, WI FOR MCIDAS-X SOFTWARE LICENSES AND SUPPORT

***THE SOLE SOURCE DETERMINATION IS BASED ON THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION'S (NOAA) REQUIREMENT THAT THE SPACE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING CENTER IS THE SOLE ENTITY IN THE UNITED STATES THAT CAN MEET AND PROVIDE THE REQUIRED MCIDAS-X SOFTWARE LICENSES AND SUPPORT. MCIDAS-X IS A SOPHISTICATED SOFTWARE PACKAGE USED FOR VISUALIZATION AND MANIPULATION OF GEOPHYSICAL DATA IN A WIDE VARIETY OF FORMATS. TYPICAL DATA TYPES INCLUDE GEOSTATIONARY AND POLAR-ORBITING METEOROLOGICAL SATELLITES, NEXRAD RADAR, SURFACE AND UPPER AIR OBSERVATIONS, GRIDDED NUMERICAL FORECASTS, NOAAPORT TEXT PRODUCTS, AND DATA FROM SPECIAL OBSERVING NETWORKS. MCIDAS-X SOFTWARE IS LEVERAGED WITHIN NWS TO SUPPORT THE NCEP’S SATELLITE DATA PROCESSING REQUIREMENTS IN ORDER TO MEET THEIR FORECAST MISSION. ALSO, IT IS USED BY APPLICATIONS RUNNING ON THE IDP SYSTEM. MCIDAS-X IS THE ONLY SOFTWARE SYSTEM THAT PROVIDES A TIMELY DISPLAY AND ANALYSIS OF METEOROLOGICAL DATA. MCIDAS-X ALSO CONTAINS A HISTORICAL DATABASE OF METEOROLOGICAL PARAMETERS UNAVAILABLE FROM ANY OTHER SOURCE. MCIDAS-X SOFTWARE HAS BEEN IN USE AND UNDER CONTINUAL DEVELOPMENT BY THE SPACE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING CENTER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN- MADISON SINCE 1973. THERE IS CURRENTLY NO OTHER SOURCE CAPABLE.

***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 TO CONDUCT THIS PROCUREMENT ON A COMPETITIVE BASIS. A GOVERNMENT DETERMINATION 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.

Interested vendors must respond to this notice on or before June 3, 2026 at 2:00pm EST by sending an email to Taylor Abrassart, Contract Specialist, at taylor.abrassart@noaa.gov and Vicki Keen, Contracting Officer, at vicki.keen@noaa.gov.

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