This is a Sources Sought Notice and is for market research purposes only. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, QUOTATION OR BID. NO SOLICITATION IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District is conducting market research to identify sources (Small Businesses and Other-than-Small Businesses) that have the knowledge, skills and capability to perform the work concerning the potential projects described below. The Government will use the responses to this sources sought announcement to make appropriate acquisition decisions for this project.
Responses are to be sent via email to Karen.L.Caskey@usace.army.mil and Nadine.L.Catania@usace.army.mil no later than 2:00 p.m. Central Time, 22 August 2025. Please include the Sources Sought Notice Identification Number in the Subject line of the email submission.
PROJECT BACKGROUND:
After the historic 2011 Flood, and in response to one of the six recommendations from the Independent Review Team, the Corps and various basin agencies developed a framework (2013 Recommendation) for the establishment of an Upper Missouri River Basin Soil Moisture and Plains Snow and Soil Moisture Monitoring Network (UMRB Monitoring Network). The Corps is collaborating with federal and state partners to implement the 2013 recommendation.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
The Corps uses plains snowpack and soil moisture data in its runoff forecasting for reservoir operations. The Corps and other federal agencies have found limitations in this data. For example, the independent technical review panel which assessed the Corps operation of the Missouri River mainstem reservoir system during the 2011 flood found that modeled information on snow water equivalent is available, but observational data is sparse and not always representative of basin-wide conditions. The Water Resource Development Act of 2014 included a requirement that the Secretary of the Army, in coordination with other specified agencies, carry out snowpack and soil moisture monitoring in the Upper Missouri Basin (UMB). The Water Infrastructure Improvement for the Nation Act of 2016 Section 1179(b) designated the Corps as the lead agency for this effort.
The data obtained from the network will be available for all federal, state and local agencies to improve existing products and/or the development of new products (e.g., National Weather Service (NWS) river forecasts and flood outlooks, National Drought Mitigation Center drought monitor and outlooks, United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) and National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) water supply forecasts, various federal and state fire hazard reports). Specifically for the Corps, the data will be used by the National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center (NOHRSC) office to improve the plains snow map. That map is a direct input into the river and runoff models used by the NWS and the Corps. Those river and runoff models also use soil moisture data to model the impacts of melted plains snow and rainfall to estimate the inflows in the Corps’ reservoir projects.
The plains area of the UMRB (above Sioux City, IA) in the U.S. totals 270,000 square miles. Ongoing discussions with the soil moisture experts (United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) -NRCS and USDA-National Soils Lab) and plains snow and river forecasting experts at the National Weather Service’s NOHRSC and Missouri Basin River Forecast Center (MBRFC) has revealed that a soil moisture and plains snow monitoring site should be installed in every watershed at a density of 1 in every 500 square miles (540 monitoring sites total). A monitoring site includes all sensors – soil moisture and temperature, snow depth, wind speed and direction, solar radiation, relative humidity, precipitation, and air temperature. In addition, during the December-March period, onsite weekly snow depth and snow water equivalent measurements should be collected at each site and conveyed to the USACE, NWS-NOHRSC and NWS-MBRFC offices for integration into their respective models.
There are approximately 368 existing soil moisture (NOTE: these do NOT include plains snow monitoring equipment) sites in the upper basin. The Corps is actively working with the five Mesonet offices to modify their existing sites to be part of the UMRB Monitoring Network and install new sites. The Corps is also working with the NRCS and NOHRSC to develop a site selection methodology for new sites for each watershed. To complete the 540-site network, approximately 24 new sites will need to be installed in WY, 62 new sites will need to be installed in SD, and 76 new sites will need to be installed in MT new sites will need to be installed.
If no additional sources capable of completing this work are submitted, USACE – Omaha District anticipates awarding an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) Single Award Task Order Contracts (SATOCs) to the state Mesonet offices for implementing the Upper Missouri Basin (UMB) Soil Moisture and Snowpack Monitoring Network (Monitoring Network).
Contractors that would be capable of completing this work would be required to purchase and install equipment for installation on existing and new sites. Coordination with the state Mesonets would be required for all existing sites and for identifying new sites. All tools, instruments, and equipment purchased for the contract shall remain the property of the state Mesonet offices at the conclusion of the contract. The required instruments will include, but may not be limited to, sonic snow depth sensors, weighing precipitation gauges, and impedance/capacitance soil sensors. A fence is also suggested, but not required, and the fence type can be determined by the contractor. Other instruments may be substituted if approved by the Government. Prior to installation of soil sensors, the contractor would meet with the state Mesonet and NRCS at a site chosen by the state Mesonet. This meeting will involve a training session on how NRCS requires soil sensors to be installed. Expect one full day for this meeting.
The contractor would be responsible for maintenance for a period of time stated in the contract, which may require new instrumentation or equipment to be installed due to inoperable, damage, stolen, in obsolete items. The contractor may determine if it is feasible to repair equipment or if it must be replaced. The contractor will be responsible for providing any instruments or equipment needed to maintain the required uptime.
The contractor will be responsible for sufficient documentation. All tasks should be well documented. Documentation should include, but is not limited to, soil observations from initial soil sampling, a list of existing equipment at each site, equipment that will be purchased for each site, land use agreements, photos of completed sites, and reports on O&M and any difficulties installing a site.
An annual coordination meeting will be a part of this contract. This meeting would include contractors, all 5 states in the UMB Monitoring Network, and other federal agencies involved in this project. This meeting will allow for sharing of knowledge on installing and maintaining all sites. For planning purposes, the meeting will be held at one of the locations for a state Mesonet or Omaha.
Services that may be required include, but are not limited to:
a) Site selection based on the National Environmental Policy Act requirements and 106 compliance, topography, access, and other issues.
b) Purchasing of approved equipment.
c) Installation of equipment, and connection to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)-approved database (currently Synoptic Data).
d) Retrofitting a site to conform to the instrumentation requirements in the contract
e) Operations and Maintenance on the site, which may include travel, labor, lodging, and equipment.
f) Reporting and Documentation on implementation, operation and maintenance, and lessons learned.
g) A formal meeting with other Contractors and the United States Army Corps of Engineers to discuss ideas for wider implementation.
SUBMISSION DETAILS:
All interested, capable, qualified and responsive contractors are encouraged to reply to this sources sought notice. Interested contractors should submit a narrative demonstrating their experience with installation of similar equipment stated in this notice. Narrative should also demonstrate knowledge of the UMB Soil Moisture and Snowpack Monitoring Network and Synoptic Data (or other meteorological database compatible with NOAA’s National Mesonet Program (NMP) (ex. Meteorological Assimilation Data Ingest System [MADIS]). Narratives shall be no longer than 10 pages. Email responses are required.
Please include the following information in your response/narrative:
• Company name, address, and point of contact, with phone number and email address
• CAGE Code and DUNS number
• Business size to include any official teaming arrangements as a partnership or joint venture
• Details of similar projects and state whether you were the Prime or Subcontractor
• Start and end dates of similar work
• Project references (including owner with phone number and email address)
• Project cost, duration and complexity of job
Responses will be shared with the Government and the project management team but otherwise will be held in strict confidence.
