[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 84 (Tuesday, May 3, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22851-22852]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-8816]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Contracting Policy for Mapping and Charting Services
AGENCY: National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice and request for comment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The NOAA National Ocean Service (NOS) established a
contracting policy for mapping and charting services in 1996 that the
NOAA Hydrographic and Shoreline Mapping Programs have followed since
that time. NOAA seeks public comment on this policy in accordance with
the FY 2005 Consolidated Appropriations Act request to work with the
private mapping community to develop a strategy for expanding
contracting with private entities to minimize duplication and take
maximum advantage of private sector capabilities in fulfillment of
NOAA's mapping and charting responsibilities. Comments on the
contracting policy and strategies to expand contracting will be
factored into the NOAA Hydrographic Services Review Panel (http://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/ocs/hsrp/hsrp.htm) Federal Advisory Committee's
(HSRP FAC) recommendations to NOAA on the same issues. NOAA will
consider both HSRP FAC recommendations and comments from the public in
its update of the current contracting policy. NOAA will publish a draft
revised policy and seek a second comment period before publishing the
final contracting policy by March 2006.
DATES: Comments must be submitted within 60 days of the date of this
notice.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted to Ashley Chappell,
Office of Coast Survey, National Ocean Service, NOAA (N/CS), 1315 East
West Highway, Station 6113, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Written comments
may be faxed to (301) 713-4019, Attention: Ashley Chappell. Comments by
e-mail should be submitted to [email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ashley Chappell, Office of Coast
Survey, National Ocean Service, NOAA (N/CS), 1315 East West Highway,
Station 6113, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910; Telephone: (301) 713-2770
ext. 148.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following documentation is the current
[[Page 22852]]
contracting policy for surveying and mapping within the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service
(NOS): National Ocean Service, Contracting Policy for Surveying and
Mapping Services, June 4, 1996.
Background
A National Ocean Service (NOS) mission, as authorized by the Coast
and Geodetic Survey Act of 1947 (33 U.S.C. 883a-i)1 is to provide
nautical and aeronautical charts and other information products that
support safe navigation for marine and air commerce, and to establish
and maintain a high precision national coordinate system to provide
basic reference data products for engineering and scientific purposes
in support of commerce and industry.
This mission encompasses those activities associated with the field
collection of surveying and mapping data, the analysis and compilation
of the data, and the dissemination of the data in useful products for
the full public benefit. For the purposes of this policy, the term
``surveying and mapping'' is defined as including, but not limited to,
the following activities; geodetic control, hydrography,
photogrammetry, topography, remote sensing, geophysical (gravity,
seismological, geomagnetic) measurements, tide and current
observations, and specialized data compilation processes.
The Coast and Geodetic Survey Act also authorizes NOS to utilize
state-of-the-art technology to improve the efficiency, as well as the
scientific and engineering knowledge, of surveying and mapping
activities.
NOS recognizes that qualified commercial sources can provide
competent, professional, cost-effective surveying and mapping services
to NOS in support of the above mission. In general, it is the intent of
NOS to contract for mapping and surveying services when qualified
commercial sources exist, and when such contracts are the most cost
effective method of conducting these functions. This policy statement
documents the framework and conditions under which contracting for
surveying and mapping services will be employed to ensure an open,
consistent, approach. To support this policy, NOS will maintain a
dialogue with professional and business organizations and constituent
groups.
Policy
Private Sector Role
It is NOS policy to procure surveying and mapping services from
qualified commercial sources in accordance with Federal acquisition
regulations and other applicable laws when such procurement is the most
cost effective source, unless (l) A product or service is inherently
governmental in nature; (2) there is no commercial source capable of
providing a needed product or service to NOS at the required standard
of performance, and at a price equal to or less than existing
government services; (3) Government production, manufacture, or
provision of a product or service is necessary for national defense;
or, (4) the procured services cannot reasonably be quality controlled
to ensure safety of navigation in the national airspace or coastal
waters.
NOS surveying and mapping activities considered inherently
governmental in nature include services necessary to: (l) Monitor the
quality of NOS products; (2) promulgate and promote national technical
standards and specifications; (3) conduct basic research and
development and ensure the rapid transfer to the private sector of the
technology derived therefrom; and (4) maintain the Federal geodetic and
navigational data bases. To carry out the above activities, and to
adequately monitor contracted services, NOS will maintain a core
capability of field and office expertise.
NOS decisions regarding contracting will include consideration of
factors such as (l) Sufficiency of resources appropriated to support
national programs, (2) Federal laws, regulations, policies, and
procedures governing contracting, and utilization of the private sector
for commercial activities, (3) Federal laws, regulations, and
collective bargaining agreements that ensure fair and equitable
treatment for Federal employees, (4) availability of critical in-house
technical and managerial capability needed to use commercial sources
effectively, (5) Federal policies regarding the liability of
independent contractors for their acts or inactions, and (6) Federal
requirements to regulate and manage the national airspace and coastal
waters.
Contracting Basis
In general, it is NOS policy to award contracts for surveying and
mapping services in accordance with Title IX of the Federal Property
and Administrative Services Act of 1949 (40 U.S.C. 541 et seq.)
commonly known as the ``Brooks Act''. NOS may, however, elect to employ
other contracting methods in accordance with federal acquisition
regulations and other applicable laws when conditions determine that
alternative contracting methods best serve the Government's interest.
The Brooks Act enables the Government to contract for surveying and
mapping services on the basis of demonstrated competence and
qualifications for the type of professional services required, and at
fair and reasonable prices. NOS has determined that the Brooks Act is
the appropriate contract basis for surveying and mapping services
because the professional nature of the services to be procured require
that potential contractors have specialized technical expertise.
Surveying and mapping services are of a highly technical nature, and it
is critical that all activities, from collection through compilation be
performed to high standards of accuracy and quality control to meet the
NOS mission of accurate, reliable products. By employing the Brooks
Act, NOS is able to utilize a selection process that places priority on
potential contractors' qualifications and expertise.
To view the Brooks Act, Pub. L. 92-582 or the Hydrographic Services
Improvement Act (which established the HSRP FAC), visit http://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/ocs/hsrp/archive/library.htm.
Dated: April 28, 2005.
Peter Gibson,
Acting Deputy Director, Management and Budget.
[FR Doc. 05-8816 Filed 5-2-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-ME-P