R--Operation and Maintenance of Automated Weather Stations

The Bureau of Reclamation, Boulder City Regional Office, Boulder City, Nevada, intends to award on a sole source basis a contract to the University of Arizona, 888 N. Euclid Ave., Tucson, AZ 85721-0001. This notice represents the only official notice of this solicitation. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals; however, all submittals received by July 28, 2008 may be considered by the Government. A determination by the Government not to compete this requirement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. The Government has made the determination that it would be in the best interest to sole source this effort to the University of Arizona. It is the Government's belief that only University of Arizona can provide the required services for the following reasons: The University of Arizona possesses the unique qualifications which are required for this acquisition and the University of Arizona established, owns, operates, and maintains Arizona Meteorological Network (AZMET) which collects and reports the majority of the meteorological data Reclamation requires. No other vendor has access or permission to access these weather stations, nor does the University of Arizona subcontract this effort. Reclamation requires daily and annual Standardized Reference Evapotranspiration values from AZMET, as well as the California Irrigation Management Information System (CIMIS), stations located along the Lower Colorado River to support monitoring and accounting of consumptive use of water from the lower Colorado River. Reclamation must monitor and account for the consumptive use of water from the lower Colorado River. One of the programs Reclamation has developed is the Lower Colorado River Accounting System (LCRAS). The LCRAS program calculates evapotranspiration values for crops and riparian vegetation, and evaporation from open water surfaces along the lower Colorado River and adjacent areas to which Colorado River water is diverted and consumed. These evapotranspiration and evaporation values are used to monitor water use and the efficiency of water use, water exchange programs between water users, and to facilitate consumptive use calculations. The tasks to be accomplished include: Task 1: Operate and maintain eight automated weather stations in Arizona located along the lower Colorado River and adjacent areas to which Colorado River water is diverted and used. As part of the operation and maintenance functions, the University shall provide quarterly on-site maintenance, preventative maintenance, emergency maintenance, and data processing on a daily basis. Task 2: Compute daily standardized reference evapotranspiration values from the meteorological data sets obtained from the AZMET and CIMIS stations and prepare the meteorological data sets from all weather stations operated. Anticipated award date is September 30, 2008. For questions, please contact Marge Schafer at (702) 293-8394 or email [email protected]. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 541620 - Environmental Consulting Services, the size standard is $6.5M.