[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 159 (Wednesday, August 19, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41865-41866]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-19819]


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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_[email protected]; 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: 
[email protected]; 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]
BILLING CODE 3510-JE-P