***NOAA'S ACQUISITION & GRANTS OFFICE, WESTERN ACQUISITION DIVISION-BOULDER, ALASKA FISHERIES SCIENCE CENTER (AFSC)  INTENDS TO NEGOTIATE, ON A SOLE SOURCE BASIS, UNDER AUTHORITY OF FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), WITH IXBLUE(EXAIL) OUT OF DENVER, CO TO INSTALL AND INTEGRATE A SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM (STARLINK) ON AN IXBLUE DRIX UNCREWED SURFACE VEHICLE (USV).

***THE SOLE SOURCE DETERMINATION IS BASED ON THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION'S (NOAA) REQUIREMENT THAT IXBLUE (EXAIL) IS THE SOLE PROVIDER WHO CAN PROVIDE INSTALLATION AND INTEGRATION ON THEIR PROPRIETARY AND PATENTED DRIX USV’S.

RESEARCHERS AT NOAA FISHERIES/ALASKA FISHERIES SCIENCE CENTER (AFSC) CONDUCT ACOUSTIC-TRAWL SURVEYS ON VESSELS USING CALIBRATED SCIENTIFIC ECHOSOUNDERS. THIS PROVIDES A LONGTERM INDEX OF FISH ABUNDANCE USED DIRECTLY TO MANAGE COMMERCIALLY IMPORTANT FISHERIES IN THE US ECONOMIC EXCLUSIVE ZONE. NOAA'S UNCREWED SYSTEMS CENTER HAS RECENTLY FUNDED THE ACQUISITION OF AN IXBLUE DRIX UNCREWED SURFACE VEHICLE OR USV (SEA-GOING ROBOT) THAT WILL BE USED TO COLLECT ACOUSTIC MEASUREMENTS OF FISH IN TANDEM WITH NOAA SHIPS CONDUCTING ACOUSTIC-TRAWL SURVEYS. A PILOT STUDY INCORPORATING THIS USV INTO AN ACOUSTIC-TRAWL SURVEY IN THE GULF OF ALASKA IS PLANNED IN SUMMER 2023. IF SUCCESSFUL, THIS APPROACH HAS THE POTENTIAL TO INCREASE THE EFFICIENCY OF NOAA'S ACOUSTIC-TRAWL SURVEYS.

THIS PROCUREMENT IS INTENDED TO SUPPORT OPERATION AND UPGRADED CAPABILITY OF NOAA'S EXISTING DRIX UNCREWED SURFACE VEHICLE (USV). THE REQUIRED SUPPLIES AND SERVICES MUST BE COMPATIBLE IN ALL ASPECTS (FORM, FIT, AND FUNCTION) WITH THE EXISTING SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT IN THE DRIX USV, AND IXBLUE (EXAIL) IS UNIQUELY QUALIFIED TO MEET THE REQUIREMENT. A GOVERNMENT-SUPPLIED STARLINK SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS TERMINAL MUST BE INTEGRATED WITH NOAA'S EXISTING DRIX 12 UNCREWED SURFACE VEHICLE. IT MUST BE INTEGRATED WITH ALL VEHICLE SUBSYSTEMS INCLUDING THE PRIMARY ROUTER, ONBOARD COMPUTER AND CONTROL SYSTEMS, AND THE ONLINE CLOUD PORTAL USED FOR REMOTE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. SPARE PARTS, SOME OF WHICH ARE CUSTOM MADE BY THE MANUFACTURER MUST BE DESIGNED, CONFIGURED, AND CERTIFIED TO FIT THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE. USE OF A VEHICLE FRON A DIFFERENT VENDOR WOULD BE COST-PROHIBITIVE AS IT WOULD REQUIRE REPLACEMENT OF NOAA'S DRIX USV WITH ANOTHER SYSTEM.

IXBLUE (EXAIL) IS THE ONLY COMPANY ON THE MARKET CAPABLE OF SERVING NOAA'S NEED TO INTEGRATE A STARLINK HIGH-BANDWITH LINK INTO THE DRIX USV AND PROVIDE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURER CERTIFIED SPARE PARTS TO MAINTAIN THE WARRANTY OF NOAA'S DRIX 12 VEHICLE.. THIS IS A NEW, EMERGING CAPABILITY IN THE MARITIME FIELD AND THE CAPABILITY IS NOT WIDELY OFFERED ON A COMMERCIAL BASIS. WE HAVE CONSULTED WITH USV AND INSTRUMENT MANUFACTURERS, SCIENTIFIC COLLEAGUES, AND HAVE REVIEWED WEBSITES, AND THE SCIENTIFIC AND TRADE LITERATURE AND NO OTHER VENDOR OFFERS THIS FUNCTIONALITY OR ANYTHING CLOSE.

***THIS NOTICE OF INTENT IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS AND NO SOLICITATION PACKAGE IS AVAILABLE. HOWEVER, FIRMS THAT BELIEVE THEY CAN FULLY MEET THE GOVERNMENT'S REQUIREMENTS MAY SUBMIT SUBSTANTIATING DOCUMENTATION IN WRITING TO THE IDENTIFIED POINT OF CONTACT WITHIN 15 DAYS AFTER PUBLICATION OF THIS SYNOPSIS. SUCH DOCUMENTATION WILL BE EVALUATED SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF DETERMINING WHETHER OR NOT TO CONDUCT THIS PROCUREMENT ON A COMPETITIVE BASIS. A DETERMINATION BY THE GOVERNMENT NOT TO CONDUCT A COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENT, BASED UPON RESPONSES TO THIS NOTICE, IS SOLELY WITHIN THE DISCRETION OF THE GOVERNMENT. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE IN RESPONSE TO THIS NOTICE.