[Federal Register: August 19, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 159)]
[Notices]
[Page 41865-41866]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr19au09-30]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NOAA Ocean and Coastal Mapping Contracting Policy
AGENCY: National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Soliciting Public Comments on Draft Revised NOAA Contracting
Policy.
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SUMMARY: The NOAA National Ocean Service (NOS) is soliciting public
comments on the draft NOAA Ocean and Coastal Mapping Contracting
Policy. Current NOAA contracting policy and relevant legislation are
available for review on the following Web site: http://
www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/ocs/hsrp/hsrp.htm. Written public comments
should be submitted to Roger L. Parsons by September 9, 2009.
Date and Time: Written public comments are due by September 9,
2009.
ADDRESSES: Submit written comments by mail, e-mail, or fax to Roger L.
Parsons using one of the following: (1) Mail--Roger L. Parsons, NOAA
Office of Coast Survey (N/CS), 1315 East West Highway, Silver Spring,
MD 20910; (2) e-mail_Roger.L.Parsons@noaa.gov; or (3) fax (301) 713-
4019.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Roger L. Parsons, NOAA Office of Coast
Survey (N/CS), 1315 East West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910; e-mail:
Roger.L.Parsons@noaa.gov; or phone: 301-713-2776 x205.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a draft NOAA Ocean and Coastal
Mapping Contracting Policy. Current NOAA contracting policy and
relevant legislation are available for review on the following Web
site: http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/ocs/hsrp/hsrp.htm.
Background
The current NOAA Hydrographic Services Contracting Policy was
published in the Federal Register on August 15, 2006. The proposed
revision to this contracting policy (Draft NOAA Ocean and Coastal
Mapping Contracting Policy) is in response to provisions of the Ocean
and Coastal Mapping Integration Act of 2009.
Draft NOAA Ocean and Coastal Mapping Contracting Policy
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
recognizes that qualified commercial sources can provide competent,
professional, and cost-effective ocean and coastal mapping services,
including hydrographic services, to NOAA in support of its diverse
surveying, mapping and charting missions. NOAA also recognizes that
providing mapping services is a core mission requirement of NOAA under
the 1947 Coast and Geodetic Survey Act, Hydrographic Services
Improvement Act of 1998 (as amended), and other laws and authorities.
In the interest of public and environmental safety and the furtherance
of scientific knowledge, the Federal Government's responsibility for
executing its ocean and coastal mapping missions is manifest and non-
delegable. However, it is incumbent upon NOAA, as recommended by the
Hydrographic Services Review Panel, to maintain operational ocean and
coastal mapping core capabilities and supplement its operational
capacity by contracting for mapping services where appropriate and to
the extent of available funding.
This policy statement documents the framework and conditions under
which contracting will be employed to ensure an open and consistent
approach. To support this policy, NOAA will maintain a dialogue with
private sector organizations and constituent groups. As defined in the
Hydrographic Services Improvement Act, the term ``hydrographic
services'' means the management, maintenance, interpretation,
certification, and dissemination of bathymetric, hydrographic,
shoreline, geodetic, geospatial, geomagnetic, current information, and
tide and water level, including the production of nautical charts,
nautical information, data bases, and other products derived from
hydrographic data. The term ``ocean and coastal mapping'' includes
hydrographic services and other activities such as coral, benthic
habitat, and land cover mapping. It is NOAA's intent to advance
contracting and adhere to the principles of this policy to meet its
diverse mapping requirements.
In general, it is the intent of NOAA to contract for ocean and
coastal mapping services when qualified commercial sources exist, when
such contracts are determined to be the most cost effective method of
conducting these functions, and to the extent funding is available.
NOAA will procure ocean and coastal mapping services from qualified
sources in accordance with its legal authorities, the Federal
Acquisition Regulations (FAR), and the Federal Property and
Administrative Services Act of 1949 (40 U.S.C. 541 et seq.). Where
required by law or where otherwise deemed appropriate, NOAA will
procure the acquisition of hydrographic data\1\ in accordance with
Title IX of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act.\2\
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\1\ Hydrographic data means information that is acquired through
hydrographic, bathymetric, photogrammetric, lidar, radar, remote
sensing, or shoreline and other ocean- and coastal-related
surveying; geodetic, geospatial, or geomagnetic measurements; tide,
water level, and current observations; and is used in providing
hydrographic services.
\2\ Commonly known as the ``Brooks Act'' or A&E (Architectural
or Engineering) contracting services, Title IX contracts are
negotiated and awarded on the basis of demonstrated competence and
qualifications (qualification-based selections or QBS) as opposed to
price.
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[[Page 41866]]
NOAA may determine that a particular surveying or mapping activity
is inherently governmental or otherwise not subject to contracting.
NOAA surveying and mapping activities not subject to contracting may
include, but are not limited to, services necessary to: (1) Monitor the
quality of NOAA products; (2) promulgate and promote national and
international technical standards and specifications; (3) conduct basic
research and development and ensure the rapid transfer of derived
technologies to the private sector; (4) maintain the integrity and
accuracy of Federal geodetic and navigational databases; (5) support
coastal stewardship ecosystem applications; and (6) support Maritime
Domain Awareness and Homeland Security preparation and response
activities; as well as (7) services that can only be carried out aboard
a NOAA ship or aircraft because the survey platform possesses unique
operational capabilities not available in the private sector. To carry
out the aforementioned activities and to adequately monitor contracted
services, NOAA will maintain core operational surveying and mapping
capabilities.
To facilitate the leveraging of government mapping resources, NOAA
will continue to make its geospatial and hydrographic services
contracts available to State and local government entities that have a
need for the services provided by these contracts and can provide
adequate funding.
NOAA may task qualified commercial sources with ocean and coastal
mapping services in any part of the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone,
territorial sea, Great Lakes, inland waters, and coastal watersheds for
any mission-related purpose. The government's interests in and
responsibilities for mapping vary broadly and experience has shown that
maintaining flexibility is key to responding to the Nation's changing
needs for geospatial data.
Ancillary Statements and Actions
As recommended by the Hydrographic Services Review Panel, NOAA will
continue to utilize a mix of in-house and private-sector resources to
accomplish its ocean and coastal mapping missions. Costs and
productivity will be monitored within each category (i.e., public and
private) to ensure best use of mapping resources. NOAA will continue to
seek the optimal resource allocation between in-house and private-
sector resources based on the strength of the governmental interest,
the total requirement for ocean and coastal mapping services, and the
particular operational capabilities of either government or private-
sector resources that may make one more suitable for a given situation.
NOAA will continue to examine ways to improve its contracting
process, including minimizing the turnover frequency of contracting
personnel and reducing the length of time required to award contracts
and task orders. NOAA will continue to offer debriefings to successful
and unsuccessful contractors after final contractor selection has been
made in order to assist contractors with identifying significant
weaknesses or deficiencies in their submissions. NOAA will continue
with its efforts to establish a Ocean and Coastal Mapping Training
Center which, as conceived, will support NOAA's in-house hydrographic
and acoustic surveying training requirements. In addition, the Center
would provide training to NOAA and private sector contractors in
techniques, standards and technologies that support NOAA's many
shoreline, coastal and ocean mapping activities. Such training would be
beneficial to current or prospective NOAA contractors seeking to
improve their capabilities and proposal submissions.
Dated: August 5, 2009.
Steven R. Barnum,
NOAA Director, Office of Coast Survey, National Ocean Service, National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. E9-19819 Filed 8-18-09; 8:45 am]
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