Scientific, Engineering, and Technical Support Services   3

Background
The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Western Acquisition Division (WAD), Boulder, CO, on behalf of the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), issues solicitation 1305M321RNRMA0003 as a competitive 8(a) set-aside for Scientific, Engineering, and Technical Support Services (SETSS).

NOAA OAR provides the research foundation for understanding complex Earth systems and supports better forecasts, warnings for natural disasters, and ocean/coastal resource management. This IDIQ contract will provide SETSS to multiple OAR programs, laboratories, and offices across the themes of Climate, Weather and Air Quality, and Ocean and Coastal Resources.

Work Details
The contractor shall provide the following services under the SETSS IDIQ contract:

Scientific, Engineering, and Technical Support (PWS Section 2.1):
- Provide observing, modeling and analysis services for atmospheric trace gases and aerosols and their impacts on climate, ecosystems and health.
- Support studies of chemical reactions and radiative processes and their impact on atmospheric change.
- Conduct research on space environment physics, monitoring of Earth and solar particle, radiation and magnetic field environments, and analysis of satellite observations for space weather modeling and prediction.
- Develop improved model representations of cloud-radiative feedback for climate change assessments.
- Identify and evaluate climate “drift” sources in high-resolution coupled climate models, including deep ocean circulation effects.
- Support research on hurricanes, ocean currents, chemical exchanges, and coastal ocean processes using ships, aircraft, remote sensing, models, radar, acoustics and drifters.
- Investigate ocean carbon uptake, ocean acidification, coral reef impacts, coastal pollution, pathogen monitoring and sensor development.
- Conduct interdisciplinary investigations of ocean physics, extreme weather, and ecosystem dynamics.
- Support research on physical and geochemical ocean processes for seasonal-to-centennial climate predictions and short-term ocean forecasting.
- Develop advanced modeling, assimilation, data integration and decision support tools for severe convective storms and other severe weather phenomena.
- Build and sustain the global climate observing system, including long-term indicators and standard data sets for climate forecast mode evaluation.
- Perform process-level observation, modeling and field studies to improve climate models by elucidating land-atmosphere-ocean-ice interactions, carbon source/sink variability, ecosystem impacts, and aerosol/greenhouse gas effects.
- Enhance Earth System models, integrated analysis capabilities, regional prediction methodologies, and decision-maker oriented assessment tools.
- Support interdisciplinary climate services development, risk characterization for water and coastal resources, and knowledge transfer across climate service efforts.
- Develop indicator frameworks and prototype indicators for the USGCRP Global Change Information System (GCIS).
- Manage indicator development, data analysis, calculations and technical documentation.
- Manage and develop scientific content for program websites, coordinating with managers and investigators to communicate and integrate research results.
- Organize NOAA laboratories, operational centers, cooperative institutes and external collaborators to maximize research investments and integrate results.
- Develop Earth systems model prototypes including terrestrial and marine biosphere interactions for ecosystem-based forecasting.
- Develop and evaluate computer models of trace gas and aerosol emissions, transport, chemistry and sinks using in situ and remote sensing observations.
- Advance fundamental understanding of atmospheric processes governing climate variability and improve model representations.
- Improve decadal-to-century climate projections based on emission scenarios and global coupled ocean-atmosphere models.
- Develop next-generation coupled research models for seasonal-interannual prediction and El Niño-Southern Oscillation process elucidation.
- Advance Hurricane Prediction System for improved track, wind, precipitation, surge and intensity forecasting.
- Conduct observational and modeling studies of climate variability focusing on radiative forcing, biogeochemical and geophysical processes.
- Provide integrated environmental research in coastal, estuarine and Great Lakes waters, including long-term observations and remote sensing data database development.
- Improve existing observing systems and develop new technologies for monitoring ocean acidification and early warning.
- Examine species-specific physiological responses and develop comprehensive models for ocean carbon cycle and ecosystem impacts.
- Conduct hydrographic survey equipment operation, sonar data acquisition, processing, management, product generation, archiving and ROV support.
- Support mapping applications, cartographic product development, data management, expedition planning, strategic planning products, outreach tools and web services.
- Provide telepresence engineering support: design, development, operations, upgrades, troubleshooting, documentation and outreach event support for shipboard and shore-based telepresence systems.
- Support NOAA National Earth System Prediction Capability (ESPC) and coordinate with National Unified Operational Prediction Capability (NUOPC) for project planning, performance assessment and risk management.
- Coordinate and facilitate mission-related training for NOAA and OAR operations.

Programmatic Support (PWS Section 2.2):
- Provide programmatic and administrative support for project development, planning, implementation, issue monitoring and solution identification.
- Support coastal resources management research, decision-making processes and stakeholder engagement.
- Assess benefits of uncrewed observing technologies, develop transition and communication plans, and support prototype implementation for severe weather prediction.
- Develop concepts of operations for uncrewed systems including staffing, training, maintenance, data dissemination, visualization and management.
- Provide information management recommendations, review real-time data assimilation and delivery protocols, and support portal development for real-time data delivery and archival.
- Perform technical clerical and administrative support in scope with professional technical services.
- Coordinate and facilitate mission-related training for NOAA and OAR operations.

IDIQ Management & Transition (PWS Section 3):
- Provide IDIQ program management and task order project management: planning, structuring, coordinating, scheduling, managing, communicating, reporting and stewardship.
- Prepare IDIQ Program Management Plan (PMP) and Task Order Management Plans (OMP) including management approach, organizational structure, staffing plans, WBS and communication diagrams.
- Produce monthly status reports: previous month activities, deviations, upcoming plans, risks and mitigations, staffing status and action item tracking.
- Participate in project meetings: prepare agendas, distribute materials, track minutes, issues, risks and action items.
- Maintain risk registries at IDIQ and task order levels detailing issue tracking, severity, dates, status, assignments and resolutions.
- Conduct transition-in: develop plans, transfer knowledge from incumbent, coordinate access to data, equipment and systems, certify staff understanding.
- Conduct transition-out: develop plans, provide documentation and inventories, support technical exchange and shadowing for successor contractor.

Personnel Management (PWS Section 4):
- Ensure all personnel meet expertise, education and experience requirements in PWS Appendix A labor category descriptions.
- Designate a Program Manager with authority to commit the contractor, responsible for supervision, management, reporting, cost, schedule and technical performance, and participation in contract negotiations.
- Program Manager minimum qualifications: PMP certification, BA/BS in management/business or scientific/engineering/technical discipline, minimum 10 years of full-time professional experience (advanced degrees/certifications may reduce experience requirement).
- Implement a personnel replacement process with COR review and approval of candidates meeting minimum qualifications.

Performance Oversight (PWS Section 5):
- Comply with performance locations, hours (Mon–Fri, 8 hours/day, 40 hours/week), telework policies, quality control and quality assurance processes using the Performance Requirement Summary (PRS).
- Submit deliverables electronically, obtain COR inspection and acceptance within 10 calendar days, and correct deficiencies within 30 days or propose corrective action within 10 days.
- Utilize government-furnished resources as identified at the task order level and respect rights associated with government data and materials.

Security (PWS Section 6):
- Ensure contractor personnel complete an online IT security awareness course within one week of start and provide evidence to the COR.
- Safeguard all government property and information daily and comply with export control regulations and facility access requirements for non-U.S. citizens.

Travel Support (PWS Section 7):
- Manage local and non-local travel per task order requirements.
- Obtain COR approval for unplanned travel at least 10 calendar days in advance.
- Maintain detailed travel logs and support documentation.

Period of Performance
September 15, 2021 through September 14, 2026 (IDIQ ordering periods: Period I: September 15, 2021 – September 14, 2022; Period II: September 15, 2022 – September 14, 2023; Period III: September 15, 2023 – September 14, 2024; remainder through September 14, 2026).

Place of Performance
Primarily at NOAA OAR Headquarters, SSMC3, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910; task orders may require performance at various NOAA OAR laboratories, programs and offices located throughout the United States.

Bidder Requirements
Set-aside: 8(A) Competed (8A) small business. Offeror must designate a Program Manager holding PMP certification, a BA/BS in management/business or scientific/engineering/technical discipline, and a minimum of 10 years of full-time professional experience managing staff and programs (advanced degrees or certifications may reduce the experience requirement).

All contractor personnel must meet education and experience requirements defined in PWS Appendix A – Labor Category Descriptions. Contractor staff must complete an online IT security awareness course within one week of starting work. Non-U.S. citizens must possess an I-551 Permanent Resident Card or be approved by the CO/COR. Contractor shall conduct background checks and onboarding investigations to facilitate system access.