Notice Information

Solicitation: 951700-21-R-T002 ETHIOSAT

Agency/Office:

U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) Office of Contracts

Title: NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE – High Definition (HD) Video and Audio Ku-Band Transmission on Ethiosat (NSS-12 @ 57 ° East)

Description(s): THIS IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY.

Under the authority of FAR 6.302-1, the U.S Agency for Global Media intends to award, on a sole source basis, a contract to:

SES Government Solutions, Inc.

11790 Sunrise Valley

Reston, VA 20191-1440

The U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), in support of the Voice of America (VOA) requires one (1) High Definition (HD) video and one (1) Standard Definition (SD) video channel with associated program audio and six (6) radio, stereo digital audio pair to be transmitted on the Ethiosat mux platform on NSS-12 @ 57° east.

The USAGM/VOA/RFA requires Satellite Capacity and Managed Teleport Services for uplinking the following: VOA AFNet HD and VOA AFNet SD videos with a total of eight (8) stereo digital audio pairs in the MPEG1, Layer II format. The target downlink coverage area for this service is the Horn of Africa region.

The Contractor shall provide satellite capacity on a Ku-band frequency on NSS-12 @57° east on an Ethiosat mux platform to accommodate the following services and minimum bitrates:

VOA AFNet HD video with program audio                          4.000 Mb/s

VOA AFNet SD video with program audio                          1.800 Mb/s

Six (6) Radio Channels (stereo digital audio pairs)              0.768 Mb/s

Total (including overhead):                                                6.568 Mb/s

The period of performance for the contract award will be one year from 07/01/2021 through 06/30/2024.

No substitution of this service can be accepted. This is a commercial item that will be acquired in accordance with FAR Part 12 and 13 procedures.

THIS NOTICE IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETTIVE QUOTES. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract requirement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government.

Interested parties who believe they possess the capability to satisfy this requirement should submit documentation that clearly demonstrates their capability. Responses to this notice shall be received no later than June 22, 2021 at 12:00 PM Eastern Time. All responses must be in writing only via email to the point of contact(s) specified in this notice.

Telephone requests or inquiries will NOT be accepted. Any cost associated with the preparation and submission of data or information or any other costs incurred in responding to this notice is the sole responsibility of the respondent and will not be reimbursed by the Government.

Contracting Office Address:

330 Independence Ave, S.W.

Washington, D.C. 20037

Places of Contract Performance:

U.S. Agency for Global Media

Locations in: Washington D.C.