D -- NOAA Site License for COTS IDL software

This is a special notice as the Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration(NOAA) intends to negotiate a single source contract with the Research Systems, Inc., Boulder, Colorado under the authority of 41 U.S.C. 253c(1) as implemented by FAR 6.302-1. This contract will be procured in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Part 12, through Federal Acquisition Circular(FAC) 2005-4. The purpose of this contract is to purchase COTS IDL software for site licensing, data analysis, visualization and cross-platform application development, and maintenance thereof. Transition away from the IDL software to another visualization software tool is impractical given the number of lines of already existing NOAA code and high costs associated with an alternative. The NOAA has approximately 1500 installations of the COTS IDL software that is currently used by approximately 1000 research and support personnel. A substantial investment, estimated to be $1 million, has been made to train NOAA personnel to use the IDL software. The Research Systems, Incorporated is the direct supplier of this software and does not use resellers in the U.S. For the above reasons it would be untimely and too costly for any other firm to provide the services of this requirement. A three(3) year contract is planned. A justification for other than full and open competition (JOFOC) is on file. Reference number: NEEA7000-5-00080mac.