FDA-21-NOI-1243269 Satellite Data Acquisition

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Office of Acquisitions and Grant Services intends to award a sole source, firm fixed-price contract to Planet Labs Federal, Inc for Satellite Data Acquisition. The potential vendors for satellite imagery was searched in Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps). The research shows that the similar acquisition was awarded to the Planet Labs on sole source contract primarily because the unique specifications of the images generated by the Planet Labs. The project manager has conducted an extensive market research to fulfill the FDA-CFSAN need for this acquisition. Initially six vendors were found to be qualified for this acquisition: NASA, MAXAR, Digital Globe, Planet, LandInfo, and Harris. The quality of images varies by a range of factors: spatial resolution, number of bands, frequency of image coverage per week, compatibility with GIS and easy to use. With over 200 satellites on orbit, Planet Labs has been taking images from the entire earth on daily basis. Furthermore, Planet Lab’s satellite images provide 4-7 bands at ~3-meter resolution. Using the high frequency of temporal images, the FDA-CFSAN will be able to detect any changes in the area of the interest and to adjust operations as necessary. In addition, the Planet Labs’ has a powerful cloud processing infrastructure that facilitate to offer a real-time daily global mosaic of data. Uniquely provided by the Planet Labs, through its SkySat constellation of multiple satellites, this vendor is capable to provide images twice per 24 hours as per request. The proposed simplified acquisition action is for services for which the government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source in accordance with FAR 13.106-1(b). Interested parties may identify their interests and capabilities to respond to the requirement prior to the response date of this notice. A determination by the government not to compete this proposed simplified acquisition based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive requirement. No further solicitation is available. FDA will consider all responses received prior to the closing date of this notice and will use responses in determining whether it is necessary to use full and open competition for this requirement. Reponses shall be emailed to Rodney D. Aytch at [email protected] no later than 12:00pm EST on June 18, 2021 .