The Central Region Acquisition Division announces its intention to procure one  multi-purpose twin engine turbo prop aircraft to support the NOAA, Aircraft  Operations Center requirements for a light operational support aircraft. This  aircraft will fill the urgent AOC requirement to provide scientists with an  airborne platform necessary to collect the environmental and geographic data  essential to their research to promote global environmental assessment,  prediction and stewardship of the Earth's environment. THIS SOURCES SOUGHT IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. It is a market research  tool being used to determine potential and eligible business firms capable of  providing this aircraft prior to determining the method of acquisition and  issuance of a Request for Proposal. Therefore, all interested parties are  encouraged to respond. The Government is not obligated to and will not pay  for any information received from potential sources as a result of this  synopsis. This notice does not commit the Government to awarding a contract.  Respondents to this Sources Sought should describe their ability to provide  the aircraft that meets and/or exceeds the following performance requirements  and objectives: REQUIREMENTS: The aircraft shall be a current Federal Aviation Administration  (FAA) certified, commercial-off-the-shelf/non-developmental, twin engine turbo  prop, fixed wing aircraft that will be modified with essential systems.  Respondents to this Sources Sought should describe their ability to provide  the aircraft that meets and/or exceeds the following performance requirements  and objectives: I. Availability: aircraft should be available immediately upon contract award  if used or delivery within 12 months if new. Estimated time of contract award  is June 2007.  II. Description: aircraft required shall be a new twin engine turbo prop  aircraft or a twin engine turbo prop aircraft manufactured within the past  five years that is still in production. The engines should be turbo prop PT6  with preference given to those engines with or close to zero time on each  since major overhaul or new. All engine overhaul records, including Service  Bulletins, Final Engine Test Results, and Warranties shall be available for  inspection and transferred to the AOC upon contract award. The aircraft shall  be free of any significant damage history, and the maintenance history shall be available for inspection during the evaluation process. The aircraft  maintenance history shall also be transferred to the AOC upon contract award.  The aircraft shall be modified or be capable of being modified for aerial  photography and airborne observation missions. III. Aircraft Capabilities: aircraft shall be capable of the following: A. A service ceiling of at least 24,000 feet International Standard Atmosphere  (ISA). B. Normal maneuvering flight at airspeeds less than 150 knots true airspeed  (TAS) at 1000 feet mean sea level (MSL). C. Seating and carry capacity for at least eight (8) persons excluding crew. D. Flight into known icing conditions. E. Flight into day and night Instrument Flight Rule (IFR) and Visual Flight  Rule (VFR) conditions. F. Capable of carrying sufficient fuel for six (6) hours of flight at maximum  endurance altitude and airspeed without exceeding certified limits. G. Capable of modifications that allow an observer to see forward and down  along the aircraft flight path. H. Capable of modifications that allow for toilet installation. In addition to the above, special consideration will be given to aircraft with  a service ceiling in excess of 24,000 feet, endurance exceeding six (6) hours,  and payload in excess of 15001bs. IV. Aircraft Equipment:  A. Equipment required for day and night, IFR and VFR flight in accordance with  FAA regulations. B. Equipment required for flight in to known icing conditions in accordance  with FAA regulations. C. Anti-collision lights and two or three point strobe light system. D. Cockpit and cabin fire extinguishers. E. Environmental system for cockpit and cabin. F. Taxi Light(s). G. Airline interior to accommodate at least eight (8) persons, with FAA  approved seat belts. H. FAA approved four-point shoulder harness with inertial reels for each front  seat occupant. Shoulder straps and lap belts shall fasten with a single, quick  release mechanism. I. First aid equipment as listed in FAA Regulations, Part 121, Appendix a. J. Dual flight controls. Aircraft offered without the following modifications, as well as modified  aircraft, will be considered and evaluated as to technical quality and overall  cost to the Government. K. Extended range or auxiliary fuel tanks. L. Modification (or capability of modification) of two side ports or window  blanks. M. Modification (or capability of modification) of two upward looking ports  for temporary antenna installation or passive sensors. N. Modification (or capability of modification) of a 7.5 inch diameter  downward looking port aft of the copilots seat in cabin. 0. Modification (or capability of modification) of up to three 18-21 inch  diameter downward looking ports in center of cabin flooring that penetrates  aircraft skin. P. Modification (or capability of modification) of cabin power availability to  provide both AC and DC power. V. Aircraft Avionics: The following radio/electronics equipment is the  preferred configuration for the aircraft to accomplish airborne observation  missions. All equipment must conform to FAA Regulation, Part 37, Technical  Standards Order (TSO) and FCC Type Acceptance where applicable. An FCC station  license will be provided. Aircraft offered with any combination of avionics  equipment will be considered and evaluated as to technical quality and overall  cost to the Government. A. 406 MHz Emergency Locator Transmitter with cockpit remote switch. B. Two (2) 720 channel VHF transceivers with 8.33 kHz frequency spacing. C. One (1) HF transceiver single side band (SSB). D. Two (2) 200 channel VHF navigation receivers. E. Two (2) 40 channel UHF glideslope receivers. F. Two (2) horizontal situation indicators (HSI) and flight director on the  pilot side. G. Two (2) radio magnetic indicators (RMI). H. One (1) altitude alerter system with on/off capability. I. One (1) radar altimeter capable of being linked to a data acquisition  system in the cabin. J. Two (2) transponder systems, selectable with single control head with Mode  C capability. K. Autopilot system with couplers for full approach capability, also capable  of supporting metric aerial photography. L. Pilot flight director system capable of autopilot coupling. M. Pilot and co-pilot station heading bug control of autopilot. N. Distance measuring equipment (DME) with ground speed and time to station. O. One (1) automatic direction finder (ADF) displayed on RMI's. P. Flux gate compass system for pilot (slaved compass system). Q. Electrically driven attitude indicator and directional gyro on co-pilot's  side. R. Digital color weather radar system. The system shall detect and locate  various types of storms within a 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 200, and 300 nm range  ahead of the aircraft, within an arc of approximately 120 degrees, and provide  a visual indication of the turbulence content based on the color display. In  addition the system shall be capable of ground mapping (GMP). S. Static wick discharge system. T. Two (2) marker beacon systems (three lights) displayed on pilot and copilot. U. Pilot and co-pilot audio control system. V. Pilot and co-pilot control wheel push-to-talk/Internal Communication System  (ICS). W. ICS with pilot, copilot and a minimum of six (6) two-way stations in the  cabin. X. Navigation interface system to provide output from GPS to scientific  computer(s). Y. Two (2) IFR certified GPS units. Z. Skywatch/TCAS II collision avoidance system. Upper and lower TCAS antennae  shall be installed. AA. Honeywell MK VII Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS), or  equivalent, installed. RESPONSE: Interested businesses shall submit a brief capabilities statement  package (no more than 5 pages in length, excluding pages of aircraft pictures)  demonstrating ability to perform the requirements listed above. Capability  documentation must address, as a minimum, the following: 1. Indicate any  existing model aircraft being sold by your company that you believe meet these  requirements or that you believe can be modified by your company to meet these  requirements. Development of a new aircraft is not acceptable. 2. Corporate  Experience: provide prior/current corporate experience providing aircraft of  similar size and scope, including contract number, organization supported,  indicate whether a prime or subcontractor, contract value, and Government or  commercial point of contact with current telephone number and e-mail address.  3. Company Profile: provide office location, annual revenue history, include  number of employees, statement indicating business size and if company is  small, small disadvantaged, minority, woman owned, or 8(a) business. 5. Title  Page: The capability package must be assembled with a title page containing  the following information: Company name, address, point of contact, phone  number, cage code, DUNS number, and business size. QUESTIONS: all questions regarding this Sources Sought shall be submitted via  e-mail to Ronald Anielak, contract administrator, at [Please use the link below] RESPOND TO: The capability statement package shall be sent via e-mail to  [Please use the link below]. Proprietary data must be marked as such, on a page  by page basis and will be kept confidential and protected where so designated. RESPONSE DUE DATE: The capability statement package shall be submitted to  CRAD by close of business (CST) on January 12, 2007. All contractors doing business with the Government are required to be  registered with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR) and the On-line  Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA). For instructions on how  to register in CCR and ORCA please access the following web site:  http://www.bpn.gov. In order to register with the CCR and ORCA and become  eligible to receive an award, all offerors must have a Dun & Bradstreet  number. A Dun & Bradstreet number may be acquired free of charge by contacting  Dun & Bradstreet at https://www.dnb.com/prodcut/eupdate/requestoptions.html or  by phone at 1-800-333-0505.