***NOAA'S ACQUISITION & GRANTS OFFICE, WESTERN ACQUISITION DIVISION-BOULDER, NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE (NMFS), ALASKA FISHERIES SCIENCE CENTER (AFSC), MARINE MAMMAL LAB INTENDS TO NEGOTIATE, ON A SOLE SOURCE BASIS, UNDER AUTHORITY OF FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), WITH DRONE AMPLIFIED OUT OF LINCOLN, NE FOR FREEFLY ASTRO AMPLIFED UASs AND ACCESSORIES.

***THE SOLE SOURCE DETERMINATION IS BASED ON THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION'S (NOAA) REQUIREMENT THAT DRONE AMPLIFIED IS THE SOLE PROIVDER OF THE FREEFLY ASTRO AMPLIFIED UAS WHICH IS A CUSTOMIZED VERSION OF THE FREEFLY ASTRO UAS. THE ASTRO, MANUFACTURED BY FREEFLY, IS THE ONLY UAS ON THE MARKET THAT IS SMALL ENOUGH TO CATCH ON A SMALL BOAT WHILE STILL CAPABLE OF COLLECTING 30 MP STILL IMAGES AT A RATE OF 2 PER SECOND (THE MINIMUM RATE REQUIRED FOR OUR WORK). HOWEVER, THE ASTRO FREEFLY STILL REQUIRES THE INTEGRATION OF A LASER ALTIMETER THAT COLLECTS ACCURATE AND PRECISE ALTITUDE DATA UP TO 150 FT AND LANDING SKIDS FOR HAND CATCHES FROM A SMALL BOAT.

FREEFLY DOES NOT DO THE MODIFICATIONS THEMSELVES BUT RATHER WORKS WITH A SMALL BUSINESS ‘DRONE AMPLIFIED’ THAT HAS EXPERIENCE INTEGRATING INSTRUMENTS WITH FREEFLY SYSTEMS SINCE THEIR DEVELOPMENT.

MARKET RESEARCH CONSISTED OF CONSULTING WITH NMFS SCIENTISTS AND EXPERTS IN THE FIELD AND INVESTIGATING ALTERNATE COMPANIES. ONE ALTERNATIVE IS AERIAL IMAGING SOLUTIONS APH28 WHICH WE ARE CURRENTLY USING BUT HAS SHOWN TO BE PROBLEMATIC AND HAS BECOME OUTDATED. THE DJI INSPIRE ALSO HAS POTENTIAL TO MEET OUR NEEDS BUT DOES NOT HAVE A FULL FRAME SENSOR AND ONLY CAPABLE OF COLLECTING HIGH RESOLUTION VIDEO (NOT STILL IMAGES) WHICH WOULD RESULT IN LOWER RESOLUTION AND LOWER QUALITY IMAGES THAN THE ASTRO FREEFLY.

DRONE AMPLIFED HAS NO AUTHORIZED RESELLERS/PARTNERS WHO CAN PROVIDE THE FREELY ASTRO AMPLIFIED AND THEY ARE A FREEFLY PREFERRED SYSTEM INTEGRATOR.

***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.