NOAA: ASOS Blowers for the NWS National Logistics Support Center

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) intends to award a firm fixed price contract as a 100% small business set-aside for KOOLTRONIC ASOS Blowers (P/N: KP701A) for the National Logistics Support Center in Grandview, MO. The Government intends to make an award to the responsive responsible quoter providing the best value in accordance with FAR12.203(c)(2).

This is a Brand Name Requirement. Vendors must be an authorized reseller of Kooltronic, Inc.

Brand Name Justification:

This particular brand name is essential to the requirement and market research indicates similar products do not meet or cannot be modified to meet agency needs. Market research indicates that while other commercial blower products exist, several manufacturers have discontinued production of comparable units to support ASOS sustainment requirements. As a result, many alternative sources are no longer viable for procurement. Kooltronic is the only known manufacturer currently able to provide compliant blower units to support operational requirements. These units are readily available, previously utilized within ASOS applications, and capable of meeting system performance requirements without additional engineering effort. 

A brand name or equal description cannot be used because alternate products would require engineering evaluation, compatibility assessment, and potential system modification to determine suitability for the existing ASOS baseline. Such efforts would introduce additional cost, schedule delay, and operational risk. Given existing backorders and reduced inventory levels, delays in procurement would prolong system outages, increase the risk of thermal-related equipment failure, and degrade the continuity of meteorological observations. Maintaining a reliable supply of Kooltronic KP701A Blower ACU units is essential to ensure continued environmental control within ASOS enclosures, preserve system reliability, and sustain uninterrupted weather data collection critical to aviation safety and forecasting operations. The potential use of alternative products would require engineering review, compatibility testing, and potential system modifications, resulting in increased cost, schedule impacts, and operational risk. Based on the results of market research, Kooltronic remains the only known source capable of providing compliant units within the timeframe necessary to support ASOS sustainment operations.

DOC, Eastern Acquisition Division requires that all contractors doing business with this office be registered with the System for Award Management (SAM). No award can be made to a company not registered in SAM. Contractors active in SAM have a unique entity identifier (UEI) that is used to do business with the federal government. The Government has moved to a free new, non-proprietary identifier that will have to be requested in, and assigned by, the System for Award Management (SAM.gov). You can register and access the site by going to www.sam.gov.

Please see Instructions to Offerors and full Solicitation as attached.
**Contractors who do not respond to items 1 through 9 included in the "Instructions to Offerors" may be considered non-compliant with the requirements of the solicitation and no further consideration shall be given for award.