Description

NOAA's Marine Operations Center, Acquisition Branch, intends to negotiate, on a sole source basis, under authority of FAR 6.103-1 Kongsberg EK-80 Calibration Kit PURPOSE: The Marine Operations Science Branch requires a Kongsberg EK80 calibration kit to support calibration of EK80 scientific echosounder systems installed across the NOAA fleet. Routine calibration of the EK80 is required to ensure the accuracy and reliability of acoustic data used in NOAA fisheries surveys and other scientific missions. Currently, access to calibration equipment is limited and often requires external coordination, which can delay calibration activities and impact survey readiness. Procuring a fleet-owned EK80 manual calibration kit with downriggers will allow Marine Operations to conduct calibrations during pre-season readiness periods and other scheduled maintenance windows. This capability will enable ships to complete required system calibrations prior to survey operations, ensuring acoustic data quality and compliance with established fisheries survey standards. The kit will be maintained centrally and shipped throughout the fleet as needed to support vessels conducting EK80 calibration activities. Providing a shared calibration kit improves operational efficiency, reduces reliance on external equipment availability, and supports timely readiness of NOAA vessels conducting fisheries acoustic surveys. This investment ensures the fleet can maintain calibrated EK80 systems and continue delivering high-quality scientific data in support of NOAA’s fisheries assessment and ecosystem monitoring missions. BACKGROUND: NOAA vessels supporting fisheries and ecosystem monitoring missions rely on Kongsberg EK80 scientific echosounder systems to collect acoustic data used for stock assessments and ecosystem research. Many of these stock assessments are congressionally mandated and require high-quality, scientifically defensible acoustic data to support fisheries management decisions. Accurate acoustic measurements require routine system calibration to ensure that the transmitted and received signals are properly characterized and that the resulting data products meet established scientific standards. These calibrations are typically conducted using specialized calibration spheres and rigging equipment to verify system performance and ensure the integrity of collected acoustic data. Currently, calibration activities are often dependent on coordinating access to calibration equipment from external partners or individual programs, which can create scheduling challenges and limit the ability to conduct calibrations during key readiness periods. As EK80 systems continue to be deployed across multiple NOAA vessels, the need for a readily available calibration capability that can support multiple ships has increased. Conducting calibrations during pre-season readiness periods and maintenance windows helps ensure that acoustic systems are properly configured and verified prior to th…

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