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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), Cold Regions Research Laboratory (CRREL) intends to award a contract on a sole source basis Geophex, LTD upon the basis of the authority provided at FAR 13.106-1(b).

ERDC-CRREL intends to procure one (1) GEM-2 Electromagnetic (EM) Sensor System to be used mobile surveys of frozen ground / ground-ice profiling and other surveys of sea ice, glacier ice, and snow in cold regions with highly accurate waveform analysis.

Specifications: The sensor should specifically be able to detect total snow and ice thickness, or ground ice thickness, by inducing an EM field, emitting multiple frequencies to interrogate the subsurface in multiple depths, and logging precise time and GPS position information along with waveform returns and meet the following specifications:

1. The EM sensor shall be field capable, handheld capable (under 10 pounds that employs frequencies between 30 Hz and 93kHz, capable of being used for ice thickness measurements in austere conditions down to -40F. Sensor should specifically be able to:
   
   
   
   1. Detect total snow and ice thickness by inducing an EM field. Emit multiple frequencies to interrogate the subsurface in multiple depths.
   
   
   2. Log precise time and GPS position information along with waveform returns.
   
   
   3. Have a published, peer reviewed literature supporting its use for ice thickness observation.
   
   
   
   


2. Cold Climate Capable: Operational Characteristics
   
   
   
   1. Operating temperature: -40–0 °C (-40–32 °F)
   
   
   2. Humidity: 100% and splash proof.
   
   
   
   


3. Size/Weight – the system shall be capable of being “person portable” in remote field areas.
   
   
   
   1. The system must be light weight and compact, weighing less than 10 pounds for the multi-frequency system.
   
   
   2. The system must come with a UAV kit for mounting on a UAV.
   
   
   
   


4. Mobile and stationary applications: must be capable of being used in the field under cold, remote, extreme conditions for mobile surveys via a ground-based vehicle such as a snowmachine or tracked vehicle, as well as stationary field surveys (detections in one location such as mounted on a tower or platform), and also able to function under laboratory situations (to include cold room temperatures ranging as low as – 30 degrees Celsius) where the system must be capable of attaching to a stand for lab/bench experiments


5. The system shall record the position of each measurement (accuracy to 3 meters)


6. Capable of several Ghz of sweeping frequency band (minimally covering 1 to 30 Ghz range)


7. The transmit functionality shall include the ability to construct arbitrary waveforms containing multiple frequencies and operate in either frequency or time domains.


8. Data analysis and interpretation would be performed post-acquisition by scientific personnel. The data generated by the system shall be exportable to csv or dat formats (minimally) and shall minimally include export capability via a windows laptop with a USB connection.


9. The hardware for the system shall include rugged design packaging: meaning that the system is ruggedized so that it will be fully functional under and impervious to cold conditions (see item 2), wet conditions such as driving rain or working in slushy wet ponding snow, as well as extreme wind-driven dust conditions.


10. The vendor shall provide three (3) hours of technical support for initial familiarization training, provided remotely via computer based remote meetings (no travel).

Geophex, LTD, has been identified as the only source capable of fulfilling the Government’s requirement. Geophex’s GEM-2 multifrequency EM is the only EM system on the market to support flexible sampling capabilities across multifrequency domains, in a portable format, and with extreme cold weather capabilities. Other EM exploration systems on the market are single frequency EM systems able to work in warm-weather operations, and capable of frequency ranges of only up to 50 kHz, while the GEM-2 System Integration multi-frequency platform is capable of using various frequencies at low temperatures, and collecting multifrequency waveforms which are critical to CRREL’s research needs for surveying of harsh, extremely cold regions, snow, and ice. Due to the unique nature of the requested specialized equipment that will enable researchers to conduct non-intrusive subsurface surveys of extreme cold sea ice, Geophex, LTD is deemed the only provider reasonably capable of fulfilling the Government's requirements.

This Notice of Intent is not a request for competitive quotations. However, interested parties may identify their interest and capability to respond to this requirement. Any interested party that believes they can fulfill this requirement should submit a capability statement to be reviewed. All submissions will be considered, however there is no guarantee that submissions in response to this notice will in any way alter the Government's acquisition strategy.

Responses to this notice shall be submitted NLT 12:00 PM CDT, 24 October 2023 to Lisa.A.Bernard@usace.army.mil and ERDC-CRREL-QUOTES@usace.army.mil

Telephone responses will not be accepted.

Responses to this notice will not be considered as a response to any solicitation, a request to be added to a prospective offerors list, or to receive a copy of any solicitation. A determination by the Government not to compete the contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement.

Note: In order to be eligible for award of a Government contract, vendors must be actively registered in the System for Award Management (SAM), have no active exclusions, and complete the FAR and DFARS representations and certifications.