Statement of Work

STATEMENT OF WORK

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC) for the EOS Data and Information System (EOSDIS)

August 2017

Table of Contents

1 Introduction 3 1.1 The Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) 3 1.2 The Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS) Project 3 1.3 The Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC) 3 1.4 Goals 4 2 Scope 4 3 Task Descriptions 6 3.1 Data Set Acquisition & Processing 6 3.2 External Interfaces 8 3.3 Information and Data System Management 8 3.4 Operations and Maintenance 9 3.5 User Services 10 3.6 Web Presence and Support 11 3.7 Mission Support 11 3.8 Special Projects Support 12 3.9 Institutional Support 12 3.10 Facility Services 13 3.11 Reporting 14 3.12 Additional Information 15 4 Applicable Documents 16 5 General Contract Deliverables 16 6 INFORMATION AND COMMUNNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY (ICT) 17

Introduction

The Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS)

The EOSDIS is a key core capability in NASA’s Earth Science Data Systems Program. It provides end-to-end capabilities for managing NASA’s Earth science data from various sources such as satellites, aircraft, field measurements, and various other programs. It provides the research and educational communities with easy and reliable access to the full suite of Earth science data from NASA instruments on U.S. and international platforms. It promotes an understanding of the interactive physical, geological, and social processes that regulate the total Earth system.

As NASA's Earth science data system, EOSDIS provides command and control, scheduling, data processing and data archiving and distribution services for the Earth Observing System (EOS) missions. The EOSDIS science operations uses a distributed architecture with functions performed at many interconnected nodes including Science Investigator-led Processing Systems and multiple NASA Earth science distributed active archive centers located across the US with specific responsibilities for producing, archiving, and distribution of Earth-science data products.

The Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS) Project

The NASA Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS) Project is a part of NASA’s Earth Science Projects Division under the Flight Projects Directorate at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). The ESDIS Project is responsible for: The development and operation of the EOSDIS. Processing, archiving, and distributing Earth-science satellite data (e.g., land, ocean, and atmosphere data products). Providing tools to facilitate the processing, archiving, and distribution of Earth-science data. Collecting metrics and user-satisfaction data to learn how to continue improving services provided to users. Ensuring scientists and the public access to data to enable the study of Earth from space to advance scientific understanding and to meet societal needs

The Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC)

NASA and EOSDIS support a very large, inter-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary research community for Earth science. Supporting this research community is a fundamental task of the Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) DAAC. The SAR DAAC will need to communicate regularly with Earth research science and instrument teams. A committee of experts in the field of Earth science serves to monitor and provide recommendations to NASA’s ESDIS Project and the SAR DAAC on current and future performance at the DAAC. As one of the EOSDIS DAACs, the SAR DAAC is responsible for collecting, processing, archiving, and distributing a wide variety of space-borne and airborne radar data, including synthetic aperture radar data, as assigned by NASA necessary for Earth science research.

SAR data products assigned to and/or archived at the SAR DAAC includes:

NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) L-Band Radar (launch expected Dec. 2021) European Space Agency Sentinel 1A, 1B (2014 - present). NASA Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) Radar (2015 - present). JAXA Advanced Land Observing Satellite PALSAR (2006 – 2011). JAXA Japanese Earth Resources Satellite JERS-1 (1991 – 1998). European Space Agency ERS-1 (1991 – 1997). European Space Agency ERS-2 (1995 – 2011). Canadian Space Agency RADARSAT-1 (1995 – 2008). NASA JPL Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AIRSAR). NASA JPL UAVSAR Polarimetric SAR (PolSAR) and Interferometric SAR (InSAR) products. NASA JPL Seasat.

The SAR DAAC currently maintains an archive of nearly 3 petabytes of synthetic aperture radar data and related products for discovery, search and download by the earth science community and is expected to grow at a rate in excess of 50 petabytes per year during the life of the NASA- ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission. This wide variety of SAR data products supports NASA-sponsored scientific applications including oceanography, geology, glaciology, hydrology, ecology, studies of polar processes, ice motion and kinematics, geo-hazards, crustal dynamics research and biomass mapping.

Goals

The contractor for the SAR DAAC shall meet basic NASA and EOSDIS program goals by:

Supporting NASA’s Earth science objectives and the broad SAR user community by providing access (e.g. discovery, search, browse and download) to SAR data and products archived at the DAAC. Providing operations support for acquiring, processing, archiving and distributing data for current and future missions. Providing operations support for ingesting, archiving and distribution of PolSAR and InSAR type products, e.g. UAVSAR and AIRSAR data processed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Managing the needs of the DAAC users, improving the exchange of data and information between Earth scientists and SAR data users, sharing DAAC expertise with the user community, assisting in locating and manipulating related data not archived at the DAAC, recommending to NASA data formats as well as the development and implementation of new algorithms to derive value-added SAR data products, applications and services that better serve broad user community needs. Providing support to the research and educational communities engaged in the use of SAR data products. Providing preservation content to ensure long-term stewardship of NASA data assets.

Scope

This Statement of Work (SOW) specifies the mission, performance objectives, and performance standards of the Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC),

and the role of this DAAC as an institutional element within the Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS). Under the scope of this SOW, the contractor shall manage and operate the SAR DAAC. In doing so, the SAR DAAC contractor shall provide such provide capabilities necessary for and perform activities required to continue the operations and development of the supporting data and information system as an interoperable element of the distributed EOSDIS. Activities to be performed include systems engineering, operations and maintenance, development, user services, product generation, data and information management, data acquisition, data processing, archive and distribution of science data and products, information technology security and related science support and research activities. These activities allow the SAR DAAC to acquire, ingest, process, archive and distribute space-borne and airborne SAR data needed for NASA Earth science research, as well as related data products generated from Earth science instruments which are useful to the broader science community and educational institutions. Implementation also includes participation in the development of additional tools and capabilities needed to meet the EOSDIS requirements at all DAACs and to participate in the EOSDIS infrastructure. In the performance of tasks and activities detailed in this SOW, the SAR DAAC contractor is required to coordinate task related activities with the ESDIS Project, and as necessary, integrate efforts with ESDIS sponsored initiatives, other related activities being undertaken by EOSDIS DAACs, science data systems and other data providers, science investigator teams, the user community, as well as other EOS contractors. Since these activities are essential to the success of NASA Earth Science programs, they must be performed by an entity with demonstrable abilities and capabilities for developing and operating a science data archive and distribution center (at multi-petabyte scales); these include but are not limited to, ingesting, processing, archiving, distributing and providing user support for a broad variety of SAR data and products derived from space-borne and airborne platforms, that are useful in a large and diverse range of scientific disciplines and applications including but not limited to oceanography, geology, glaciology, hydrology, ecology, studies of polar processes, ice motion and kinematics, geo-hazards, crustal dynamics research and biomass mapping.

Task Descriptions

The SAR DAAC contractor shall provide all required capabilities and undertake all activities necessary to manage, maintain and provide continued operations of the SAR DAAC including, but not limited to dataset acquisition and processing, information and data system management, operations and maintenance, user services, mission support, external interfaces, special projects support, institutional support, facilities services, and reporting as detailed in the following tasks.

Data Set Acquisition & Processing

The SAR DAAC contractor shall maintain the capability to acquire, ingest, process, archive and distribute SAR data sets and products, as directed, to further the goals and objectives of the NASA and the ESDIS Project. Acquisition of new datasets includes development of documentation, guides, metadata and incorporation of the data sets into the SAR DAAC holdings for archive and distribution, as well as populating the EOSDIS Common Metadata Repository (CMR). The SAR DAAC contractor shall provide configuration control of the data set baseline. This task includes planning for new products and data from designated field campaigns, products generated from other ingested data, special NASA Earth Science products received from instrument teams, and products received from NASA Earth Science interdisciplinary science teams. The contractor shall provide data system enhancements as required including but not limited to product reformatting and data quality assessments to support the acquisition of new datasets). The SAR DAAC contractor shall maintain the capability to search, order, ingest, process, archive and distribute data and products from historical SAR missions (e.g. ALOS, RADARSAT-1, JERS-1, ERS-1, ERS-2 and Seasat) necessary to support approved NASA-affiliated research projects and investigators. The SAR DAAC contractor shall maintain the capability to perform on-demand processing of data from historical SAR missions to supported levels (e.g. ALOS JL1.1) as needed to support approved NASA-affiliated research projects and investigators. The SAR DAAC contractor shall develop and document processes for detecting and reporting calibration issues for all SAR data and processors supported under this contract. The SAR DAAC contractor shall perform quality assurance efforts by implementing and performing visual Quality Control (QC) for all SAR image products processed at the DAAC, developing QC mechanisms for Level 0 (L0) and ALOS JL1.0 data products and troubleshooting product processing failures. The SAR DAAC contractor shall process SAR data to higher-level products necessary to support the needs of the user community as approved and directed by NASA. The SAR DAAC contractor shall develop and support the adoption of new data products (e.g. radiometrically terrain corrected (RTC) SAR data, interferometric SAR (InSAR) products, or community-developed SAR products, etc.) as approved and directed by NASA. The SAR DAAC contractor shall provide all necessary, hardware, software, systems, processes and development support necessary to acquire, ingest, archive and distribute data sets from new NASA or international missions assigned to the SAR DAAC by NASA. This may include but is not limited to current on-premise systems, as well as potential future commercial cloud-based systems and/or hybrid combinations of on-premise and commercial cloud solutions.

The SAR DAAC contractor shall participate in all ground system tests and component testing for end-to-end dataflow as required by missions. The SAR DAAC contractor shall ingest the SPL0AA (Level L0A Raw Radar Instrument Telemetry) and the SPL1AA (Level L1A Parsed Radar Instrument Telemetry) SMAP Radar data sets from the launch date until end of mission. The SAR DAAC contractor shall ingest SMAP data using the EOSDIS Core System Science Investigator-led Processing Systems (SIPS) protocol interface with the SMAP Science Data System SDS data provider. This includes operating and maintaining a SIPS interface (in accordance with the Interface Control Document between the SMAP SDS and the ASF and NSIDC DAACs). The SAR DAAC contractor shall send SMAP metadata to CMR in accordance with CMR requirements. The SAR DAAC contractor shall provide to the ESDIS Metrics Systems (EMS) all necessary logs, files and metrics for ingested, archived and distributed SMAP data in accordance with the EMS Interface Control Document (ICD). The SAR DAAC contractor shall provide SMAP guide documents for all ingested products. The SAR DAAC contractor shall develop and maintain the capability to distribute all ingested, SMAP products. The SAR DAAC contractor shall keep no more than 2 versions of SMAP data at a time unless directed differently by the ESDIS Project. The SAR DAAC contractor shall ingest all available Sentinel 1A and 1B data sets from the launch date until end of mission. The SAR DAAC contractor shall ingest Sentinel 1A and 1B data products data using the SIPS protocol interface with the NASA Sentinel Gateway (NSG). This includes operating and maintaining a SIPS interface (in accordance with the Interface Control Document between the NSG SDS and the DAAC). The SAR DAAC contractor shall send Sentinel 1A and 1B metadata to CMR in accordance with CMR requirements. The SAR DAAC contractor shall provide to the EMS all necessary logs, files and metrics for ingested, archived and distributed Sentinel 1A and 1B data in accordance with the EMS ICD. The SAR DAAC contractor shall provide Sentinel 1A and 1B guide documents for all ingested products. The SAR DAAC contractor shall develop and maintain the capability to distribute all ingested, Sentinel 1A and 1B products. The SAR DAAC contractor shall ingest all NISAR standard data products sets, such as Level 0, Level 1, and Level 2 (including forward and reprocessed data) and corresponding metadata, scientific algorithm software source code for algorithm software, Algorithm Theoretical Basis Documents, coefficients and ancillary data used to generate the products, from the launch date until end of mission. The SAR DAAC contractor shall ingest NISAR data and products using a protocol established and agreed upon by the NISAR Mission Science Data System, NASA and the NISAR Mission SDS, and documented in a future to be developed ICD. The SAR DAAC contractor shall send NISAR data product metadata to CMR in accordance with CMR requirements. The SAR DAAC contractor shall provide to the EMS all necessary logs, files and metrics for ingested, archived and distributed NISAR data in accordance with the EMS ICD.

The SAR DAAC contractor shall provide guide documents for all ingested NISAR products. The SAR DAAC contractor shall develop and maintain the capability to distribute all ingested, NISAR products. This may include the capability to deliver future on-demand products as directed by NASA. External Interfaces The SAR DAAC contractor shall coordinate with other organizations, agencies, DAACs, NASA Centers, and institutions in order to accomplish the goals and objectives of this contract. This task includes developing and maintaining interfaces with other EOSDIS organizational elements, other agencies with which EOSDIS must cooperate, and NASA’s international partners with whom EOSDIS will be interoperable. Information and Data System Management The SAR DAAC contractor shall manage the information and data collection of the SAR DAAC. The SAR DAAC contractor shall conduct software and system development activities necessary to support the SAR DAAC’s capabilities. The SAR DAAC contractor shall develop the software and system components, and processes needed for the interoperability of DAAC data and metadata with that of other DAACs, government agencies and university consortiums. The SAR DAAC contractor shall provide all metadata in the approved standard format that includes EOSDIS Core Metadata format, the ISO 19115 format and GCMD DIF format The SAR DAAC contractor shall participate in approved EOSDIS-wide prototyping efforts and technical studies, such as activities for scaling ingest, archive and distribution capabilities to multi-petabyte scales; enhancing the quality of data products and the overall performance and usability of the data system and increasing access to data and information across all DAACs and discipline data. The SAR DAAC contractor shall collaborate with ESDIS, as directed, in the definition and implementation of EOSDIS standard data formats and developing format conversion software to transfer existing SAR data into other EOSDIS endorsed formats. The SAR DAAC contractor shall coordinate user services with other NASA Earth science archive centers and other ESDIS contractors, including defining and standardizing user services provided across all ESDIS archive centers, communicating user- and user-services-related issues to the ESDIS Project, and developing recommendations for policies and procedures relevant to user services. The SAR DAAC contractor shall coordinate operations with other elements of EOSDIS, which includes participating in working groups who define and standardize operations required across all the EOSDIS DAACs, communicate operations-related issues to the ESDIS Project, and develop recommendations for policies and procedures relevant to DAAC operations. The SAR DAAC contractor shall collaborate with other DAACs and ESDIS contractors, as directed, with other data centers in development of EOSDIS-wide capabilities, including development and implementation of common user interfaces, web services and search and browse functions. Where specifically requested, the contractor shall implement, integrate, and operated Earth Science software systems prepared by external projects, such as the NASA ACCESS program. The SAR DAAC contractor shall manage the interface with approved new missions. This includes developing, operating and maintaining interfaces, such as the Science Investigator-led Processing Systems (SIPS) interface, in accordance with the Interface Control Documents

between the new mission and the other elements in the organization. Also included is preservation of mission data and information in accordance to NASA specifications. The SAR DAAC contractor shall develop and implement ESDIS-approved DAAC system architecture changes that: satisfy multi-mission requirements, improve overall systems reliability, improve the performance of and reduce the risk associated with capabilities to backup and restore archived data and services, reduce maintenance and operations costs, provide improved services to users, and optimize data downlink services, data capture services, data archive services, data processing services, and data distribution services.

Operations and Maintenance Sustaining Engineering and Maintenance

The SAR DAAC contractor shall perform all network administration and data system operations (e.g., computer and peripheral device operations, system backups) associated with data ingest, data maintenance, product generation, maintaining and updating metadata, and other data and information services for users. The SAR DAAC contractor shall be responsible for the sustaining engineering and maintenance of all DAAC-developed or procured hardware, software, operational components and processes that are required to perform the work covered by this contract. The SAR DAAC contractor shall acquire the data storage media and consumables required to operate the DAAC The SAR DAAC contractor shall plan, manage, and implement hardware and software systems, processes and maintenance activities (including fixing software errors, applying system maintenance patches, updating vendor software and other related activities) on a routine basis to ensure system security, increase user satisfaction, improve reliability, increase system availability and reduce costs. The SAR DAAC contractor shall document design and software systems for the DAAC operational system and provide them to the COR. The SAR DAAC contractor shall be able to encrypt information as necessary and be able to provide the COR encrypted IT security plans and other related documents. The SAR DAAC contractor shall support security initiatives, including onsite systems inspections, and data calls issued from ESDIS Project Office.

Configuration Management and Testing

The SAR DAAC contractor shall develop, document, and implement a configuration management plan for all systems. This plan shall be used to control changes to DAAC systems and functional requirements. This plan shall be kept current and provided to the NASA COR upon request. The SAR DAAC contractor shall manage the configuration for all DAAC subsystems using standardize configuration management systems and processes, The contractor shall manage, collect and address problem reports. These reports shall be made available for review by the COR. The SAR DAAC contractor shall develop and maintain a systems test plan. This test plan shall describe procedures to be taken when testing new software and hardware components at the DAAC. These tests shall be made available for review by the COR.

The SAR DAAC contractor shall participate in all external NASA integration tests, as required as a DAAC, e.g. Mission Operations End-to-End tests.

Metrics Gathering and Testing

The SAR DAAC contractor shall maintain the DAAC system extensions and components necessary for collection and reporting of user access and dataset statistics including parameters that measure system performance such as when a dataset is acquired, when it is archived, when products are generated, when users access the user interfaces at the DAAC, products requested and delivered, date of product delivery, internal quality assessments, user reported issues and comments, etc. The SAR DAAC contractor shall provide all metrics in electronic form as defined by the EOSDIS Metrics System (EMS) processes. The SAR DAAC contractor shall report on the performance of the SAR DAAC using collected metrics on a monthly basis and provide the ESDIS project with any information regarding differences in interpretation, variances or discrepancies between metrics reported and those available from the EMS. The SAR DAAC contractor shall provide, within 15 days of request by the COR, a listing of citations of publications and presentations referring to the use of SAR data, products and services available from and provided by the SAR DAAC in pursuit of NASA related research.

User Services Science Support The SAR DAAC contractor shall provide scientific expertise to support the needs of the SAR data and applications user community, and shall provide scientific and technical data management support for the SAR data products handled by the DAAC. The SAR DAAC contractor shall interact directly with users, such as, taking data and information orders, checking on the status of pending orders, resolving any problems with data orders, gathering and documenting feedback from users, maintaining user accounts and billing and collection activity that might be required, checking status of user accounts. The SAR DAAC contractor shall advise on the interpretation and use of data products and data quality assessments. The SAR DAAC contractor shall provide information regarding SAR instruments and dataset applicability to science studies for the science community. The SAR DAAC contractor shall prepare and review DAAC system documentation including search and download user interfaces, data formats, on-demand sub-setting, reformatting, any other data services, and other related documents. The SAR DAAC contractor shall acquire, modify and maintain software and algorithms to enable the user community to manipulate the SAR image data and derived products. The contractor shall be cognizant of the Algorithm Theoretical Baseline Documentation (ATBD) provided by the missions and shall be able to either provide the actual ATBD documents or inform users of the location of the ATBD. The SAR DAAC contractor shall implement and/or test existing and new algorithms to derive geophysical products from satellite imagery as approved by NASA. This includes determining and reporting deficiencies and limitations of algorithms.

For NASA Earth science standard products designated by the ESDIS Project, the SAR DAAC contractor shall make a repository of source code that was used to create products. This repository shall be available to all users.

Outreach Activities

The SAR DAAC contractor shall develop and document processes for detecting and reporting calibration issues for all SAR data and processors supported under this contract. The SAR DAAC contractor shall support NASA outreach activities, such as staffing of booths at major conferences, preparation and distribution of brochures and other methods of publicizing SAR DAAC activities as requested by the ESDIS Project. The SAR DAAC contractor shall develop SAR data and information products targeting specific segments of the user community, such as the education community. The SAR DAAC contractor shall provide science outreach support in response to changing needs of NASA and the project. The contractor shall provide science writing, graphic design, and Web programming support as required to fulfill EOSDIS outreach efforts. This shall include but is not limited to:

Working with scientists and data visualizers, as well as independently, to select and prepare images for feature stories. Using Web programming languages to mark up and publish written content for the SAR DAAC website. Layouts will adhere to NASA style guidelines established by NASA. Researching and writing feature articles for Science Outreach. Ensuring factual accuracy and give key contacts a chance to preview and revise articles before releasing articles to the public. Proposing ideas for new feature stories. Providing sample SAR data sets, on-line tutorials and FAQs.

Web Presence and Support The SAR DAAC contractor shall design and maintain a website for the DAAC. At a minimum, the website shall describe all of the services provided by the DAAC, provide contact information, describe the data products available from the DAAC, and provide a access to a DAAC-developed search, browse and order interface that can be used to access data archived at the DAAC. The SAR DAAC contractor shall provide textual updates to the NASA ESDIS coordinated websites (e.g. Earthdata). The SAR DAAC contractor shall develop a web-accessible search, browse and order system that provides users access to all data and products archived at the SAR DAAC. The contractor shall use the Common Metadata Repository (CMR) to provide the base information for SAR data and products presented on the website. The SAR DAAC contractor shall utilize EOSDIS common user interface fonts, style and look- and-feel for all their websites.

Mission Support The SAR DAAC contractor shall perform science mission support activities as required of the SAR DAAC. The contractor shall coordinate, as necessary, data management activities with

instrument teams and interdisciplinary science teams responsible for developing the standard scientific data products to be archived at the DAAC. This task includes but is not limited to the following: Developing and maintaining any necessary Inter-project Agreements (IPAs) or Operational Agreements. Supporting the development and maintenance of any necessary Interface Control Documents (ICDs). Developing and maintaining any necessary data management plans. Providing guidance on data formats, media, metadata, and documentation. Planning for the transfer of data and metadata into the DAAC.

In some cases, product generation software will be delivered in stages for the science software integration and test at the DAAC. In particular, the SAR DAAC contractor shall be responsible for acceptance and operation of integrated science software. The contractor may also be required to validate the science integrity of test and data products.

Special Projects Support The SAR DAAC contractor shall provide support, as directed, to special projects that utilize SAR data and products. This may include but is not limited to:

Competitively awarded NASA ACCESS, AIST, ROSES or Earth Ventures (EV) proposals. NASA Making Earth Science data records for Use in Research Environments (MEaSUREs) collaborators during MEaSUREs project activities and supporting the integration and permanent archival of products that are approved through the MEaSUREs review process. Ingesting, archiving and distributing MEaSUREs products, as requested. Supporting other projects as directed, including the development of new websites, new user interfaces, new datasets, advances in techniques in data management and data stewardship, as requested.

Institutional Support Institutional Management and Systems Engineering The SAR DAAC contractor shall operate and maintain DAAC facilities, systems, hardware and software systems, components and processes. This includes:

Operating within an established budget and funding (which may fluctuate). Providing project management. Providing plans, schedules, and cost projections. Providing necessary mission support. Adherence to NASA and ESDIS Earth science data policies, specifications, standards, and requirements (reference Attachment A - Section 4, Applicable Documents). Adherence to NASA security, health and safety regulations (reference Attachment A - Section 4, Applicable Documents). Maintaining access controls for restricted access data and products. Tracking user requests and user needs to assess resources in greatest demand, and to identify resources and capabilities needed for future operations. Managing and maintaining the existing SAR data collections.

The SAR DAAC contractor shall provide the line management and technical staff to effectively and efficiently manage and operate the DAAC. This includes personnel necessary to interact with other institutions and agencies involved with EOSDIS, to coordinate with the DAAC’s user community, to provide scientific support to the user community on the use of the DAAC’s data, and to conduct the system engineering tasks required to ensure that all of the DAAC’s systems are functional and properly enabled. The SAR DAAC contractor shall provide management and technical staff to manage and maintain the DAAC facilities and institutional services. The SAR DAAC contractor shall provide the science oversight and system engineering for the DAAC, including the coordination of software, hardware, network and science infrastructure work between other EOSDIS elements and the DAAC.

DAAC User Working Group

The SAR DAAC contractor shall participate in the DAAC User Working Group (UWG) activities. The DAAC arranges regular meetings of the UWG. The DAAC participates at the meeting by preparing status information for the group, addressing issues raised by the group, and preparing meeting minutes for the group. The UWG meets no more than twice a year at a site selected by the chairman of the UWG, the DAAC Manager and the COR. Typically, the site of the meeting will be at the contractor’s site, near the Goddard Space Flight Center, at one of the UWG member’s institutions, at another DAAC, or at the site of a national/ international conference. The number of members on the UWG will vary from year to year, but will not exceed twenty members. The SAR DAAC contractor shall review and report on all recommendations made by the UWG and NASA personnel.

Travel Arrangements

The SAR DAAC contractor shall provide the travel arrangements required by the DAAC staff to interact with the NASA ESDIS Project and the other groups involved with the operation and development of the EOSDIS. This includes, but is not limited to attendance at yearly EOSDIS DAAC User Working Group (UWG) meetings, ESDIS DAAC Manager meetings, Systems Engineering Technical Interchange (SE TIM) meetings, Earth Science Data Systems Working Group (ESDSWG) meetings, Earth Science Information Partnership (ESIP), American Geophysical Union (AGU) and other technical conferences, as well as occasional trips such as IEEE Geoscience & Remote Sensing Society (IGARRS) meetings). Additionally, the SAR DAAC’s work may require representation at Science Team meetings, Mission Design Reviews, technical interchange meetings with Science Data Systems teams and the like. This includes travel to institutions and agencies where users reside, as well as travel to other sites to perform other defined tasks, such as user outreach. The SAR DAAC contractor shall provide travel arrangements for non-government UWG members in conjunction with the SAR DAAC UWG activities.

Facility Services

The SAR DAAC contractor shall provide all facility preparations including space, power and air conditioning required to accommodate the DAAC systems, including the existing SAR DAAC equipment. The SAR DAAC contractor shall maintain an inventory of NASA-owned equipment and its configuration so that they may be easily transitioned to other archives or other contractors prior to the completion of the contract. The SAR DAAC contractor shall provide both local networking and connections to the appropriate national networking infrastructure to provide needed connectivity to other elements of EOSDIS and to support user access to SAR data and information services. The SAR DAAC contractor shall work with the EOSDIS Network Staff and the EOSDIS Backbone Network to provide appropriate network service for the DAAC activities. The SAR DAAC contractor shall provide office space and furnishings for the DAAC staff. The contractor shall ensure that SAR DAAC facilities (including the security, electrical, cooling and network infrastructure) are properly managed and effectively accommodate the full complement of SAR data and applications, DAAC staff and computer systems. The SAR DAAC contractor shall provide office space and furnishings for visiting scientists and engineers that are temporarily assigned to the DAAC. This requirement will not exceed five full-time equivalents at any given time. The SAR DAAC contractor shall provide necessary measures to insure the safety and security of the NASA assets at the SAR DAAC. Reporting The SAR DAAC Manager assigned by the SAR DAAC contractor shall provide the primary point-of-contact between the contractor and the COR designated under this contract. The DAAC Manager shall provide overall coordination of the entire contract effort. The contractor's performance of the services described herein shall be subject to the technical direction and monitoring of the COR and monitoring by any assigned Assistant Technical Representatives (ATRs). The SAR DAAC contractor shall effectively communicate the operational status to the COR. The SAR DAAC contractor shall integrate and coordinate task schedules with overall ESDIS Project schedules. The SAR DAAC contractor shall electronically submit a weekly and monthly status report of accomplishment highlights, work planned for following period, user outreach, and any issues that arise. The SAR DAAC contractor shall maintain the SAR DAAC data set baseline. The data set baseline includes currently supported data sets, future data sets for which funding has been identified, and candidate data sets for which funding has not yet been identified, as well as services provided for each data. The SAR DAAC contractor shall submit an annual report and work plan following guidelines presented by the ESDIS Project. The document shall include:

A summary of the technological and scientific accomplishments (with respect to the SOW) achieved at the SAR DAAC that have contributed to NASA’s Earth science goals, as well as, the programmatic and technical issues that confront the DAAC. An outline of activities planned for the next year, including the DAAC’s updated long-term planning schedule, as well as a discussion of requirements, implementation approach, manpower allocation, and delivery schedule. The SAR DAAC contractor shall submit a separate seven-year

operating budget projection for the SAR DAAC that reflects overall program guidance for sustaining NASA’s SAR data archival and services needs.

Additional Information

The facility where work is to be performed should have a strong partnership with a university to encourage education outreach, academic involvement and scientific research. The facility where work is to be performed must be located within the United States of America and be able to receive and process data acquired at ground stations located in Alaska in near-real time. The facility where work is to be performed should already exist and require little modification. High-speed data networks and communication systems should already be in place and available for use at the facility where work is to be performed. Management and personnel should already be experienced with planning and managing efforts associated with a petabyte scale scientific data archive, including: data acquisition, processing, archiving, calibration and distribution of SAR data from multiple satellite systems. Management must have experience coordinating and conducting operations with NASA and foreign agencies.

Applicable Documents

Interface Control Document between the SMAP SDS and the ASF and NSIDC DAACs. Requirements for Archiving, Distribution and User Services in EOS Data and Information System (Earth Science Data Information System Project CCR #423-10-69, dated March 2017). NASA Procedural Requirement (NPR) 2810.1A for the Security of Information Technology, dated May 16, 2006. Memorandum of Understanding Agreement between NASA and European Space Agency (ESA) concerning the Direction Reception, Archiving, Processing and Distribution of European Remote Sensing satellite (ERS-2) Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Data. NASA Earth Science Data Policy found at: http://science.nasa.gov/earth-science/earth-science-data/data-information-policy/ Operations Agreement (OA) between the Earth Observing System (EOS) ClearingHOuse (ECHO) and the Alaska Satellite Facility (ASF) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC) ESDIS Metrics System (EMS) Guideline and Informational Documents which can be found at: http://earthdata.nasa.gov/about-eosdis/system-description/esdis-metrics-system- ems/documentation

General Contract Deliverables

DR No. Deliverable Date DR-1 Data Center Metrics Weekly, monthly and quarterly (Per SOW Section 3.3) throughout the contract performance period DR-2 Status Reports (per SOW Section Weekly and the 15th of every 9.4) month DR-3 Annual Report, Work Plan and November 15 annually Budget (per SOW Section 9.6) DR-4 Data Set Baseline Updates January 15 annually (Per SOW Section 9.5)

INFORMATION AND COMMUNNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

The contractor is required to comply with all standards and guidelines as addressed by the US Access Board issued under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and Section 255 of the Communications Act. Please see https://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and- standards/communications-and-it . The contractor should be aware of the planned refresh of the ICT rules and guidelines as specified in https://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and- standards/communications-and-it/about-the-ict-refresh/overview-of-the-final-rule

Since this contract will require electronic and information technology in the course of completing tasks, the contractor should review all chapters, revisions, and refresh plans to ensure compliance. As new requirements are provided in 508, this section of the SOW will be changed.

Background On January 18, 2017, the U.S. Access Board published a final rule updating accessibility requirements for information and communication technology (ICT) covered by Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and Section 255 of the Communications Act. The Board’s Section 508 Standards apply to electronic and information technology procured by the federal government, including computer hardware and software, websites, phone systems, and copiers. They were issued under section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act which requires access for both members of the public and federal employees to such technologies when developed, procured, maintained, or used by federal agencies. The Section 508 Standards are part of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and address access for people with physical, sensory, or cognitive disabilities. They contain technical criteria specific to various types of technologies and performance-based requirements which focus on functional capabilities of covered products. Specific criteria cover software applications and operating systems, web-based information and applications, computers, telecommunications products, video and multi-media, and self-contained closed products. In performance of this effort, the following standards are applicable and should be especially noted:

Subpart B -- Technical Standards

§ 1194.21 Software applications and operating systems.

(a) When software is designed to run on a system that has a keyboard, product functions shall be executable from a keyboard where the function itself or the result of performing a function can be discerned textually.

(b) Applications shall not disrupt or disable activated features of other products that are identified as accessibility features, where those features are developed and documented according to industry standards. Applications also shall not disrupt or disable activated features of any operating system that are identified as accessibility features where the application programming interface for those accessibility features has been documented by the manufacturer of the operating system and is available to the product developer.

(c) A well-defined on-screen indication of the current focus shall be provided that moves among interactive interface elements as the input focus changes. The focus shall be programmatically exposed so that assistive technology can track focus and focus changes.

(d) Sufficient information about a user interface element including the identity, operation and state of the element shall be available to assistive technology. When an image represents a program element, the information conveyed by the image must also be available in text.

(e) When bitmap images are used to identify controls, status indicators, or other programmatic elements, the meaning assigned to those images shall be consistent throughout an application's performance.

(f) Textual information shall be provided through operating system functions for displaying text. The minimum information that shall be made available is text content, text input caret location, and text attributes.

(g) Applications shall not override user selected contrast and color selections and other individual display attributes.

(h) When animation is displayed, the information shall be displayable in at least one non- animated presentation mode at the option of the user.

(i) Color coding shall not be used as the only means of conveying information, indicating an action, prompting a response, or distinguishing a visual element.

(j) When a product permits a user to adjust color and contrast settings, a variety of color selections capable of producing a range of contrast levels shall be provided.

(k) Software shall not use flashing or blinking text, objects, or other elements having a flash or blink frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz.

(l) When electronic forms are used, the form shall allow people using assistive technology to access the information, field elements, and functionality required for completion and submission of the form, including all directions and cues.

§ 1194.22 Web-based intranet and internet information and applications.

(a) A text equivalent for every non-text element shall be provided (e.g., via "alt", "longdesc", or in element content).

(b) Equivalent alternatives for any multimedia presentation shall be synchronized with the presentation.

(c) Web pages shall be designed so that all information conveyed with color is also available without color, for example from context or markup.

(d) Documents shall be organized so they are readable without requiring an associated style sheet.

(e) Redundant text links shall be provided for each active region of a server-side image map.

(f) Client-side image maps shall be provided instead of server-side image maps except where the regions cannot be defined with an available geometric shape.

(g) Row and column headers shall be identified for data tables.

(h) Markup shall be used to associate data cells and header cells for data tables that have two or more logical levels of row or column headers.

(i) Frames shall be titled with text that facilitates frame identification and navigation.

(j) Pages shall be designed to avoid causing the screen to flicker with a frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz.

(k) A text-only page, with equivalent information or functionality, shall be provided to make a web site comply with the provisions of this part, when compliance cannot be accomplished in any other way. The content of the text-only page shall be updated whenever the primary page changes.

(l) When pages utilize scripting languages to display content, or to create interface elements, the information provided by the script shall be identified with functional text that can be read by assistive technology.

(m) When a web page requires that an applet, plug-in or other application be present on the client system to interpret page content, the page must provide a link to a plug-in or applet that complies with §1194.21(a) through (l).

(n) When electronic forms are designed to be completed on-line, the form shall allow people using assistive technology to access the information, field elements, and functionality required for completion and submission of the form, including all directions and cues.

(o) A method shall be provided that permits users to skip repetitive navigation links.

(p) When a timed response is required, the user shall be alerted and given sufficient time to indicate more time is required.

Note to §1194.22: 1. The Board interprets paragraphs (a) through (k) of this section as consistent with the following priority 1 Checkpoints of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 (WCAG 1.0) (May 5, 1999) published by the Web Accessibility Initiative of the World Wide Web Consortium:

Section 1194.22 Paragraph WCAG 1.0 Checkpoint

(a) 1.1 (b) 1.4 (c) 2.1 (d) 6.1 (e) 1.2 (f) 9.1 (g) 5.1 (h) 5.2 (i) 12.1 (j) 7.1 (k) 11.4

2. Paragraphs (l), (m), (n), (o), and (p) of this section are different from WCAG 1.0. Web pages that conform to WCAG 1.0, level A (i.e., all priority 1 checkpoints) must also meet paragraphs (l), (m), (n), (o), and (p) of this section to comply with this section. WCAG 1.0 is available at http://www.w3.org/TR/1999/WAI-WEBCONTENT-19990505.

§ 1194.24 Video and multimedia products.

(a) All analog television displays 13 inches and larger, and computer equipment that includes analog television receiver or display circuitry, shall be equipped with caption decoder circuitry which appropriately receives, decodes, and displays closed captions from broadcast, cable, videotape, and DVD signals. As soon as practicable, but not later than July 1, 2002, widescreen digital television (DTV) displays measuring at least 7.8 inches vertically, DTV sets with conventional displays measuring at least 13 inches vertically, and stand-alone DTV tuners, whether or not they are marketed with display screens, and computer equipment that includes DTV receiver or display circuitry, shall be equipped with caption decoder circuitry which appropriately receives, decodes, and displays closed captions from broadcast, cable, videotape, and DVD signals.

(b) Television tuners, including tuner cards for use in computers, shall be equipped with secondary audio program playback circuitry.

(c) All training and informational video and multimedia productions which support the agency's mission, regardless of format, that contain speech or other audio information necessary for the comprehension of the content, shall be open or closed captioned.

(d) All training and informational video and multimedia productions which support the agency's mission, regardless of format, that contain visual information necessary for the comprehension of the content, shall be audio described.

(e) Display or presentation of alternate text presentation or audio descriptions shall be user- selectable unless permanent.

§ 1194.26 Desktop and portable computers.

(a) All mechanically operated controls and keys shall comply with §1194.23 (k) (1) through (4).

(b) If a product utilizes touchscreens or touch-operated controls, an input method shall be provided that complies with §1194.23 (k) (1) through (4).

(c) When biometric forms of user identification or control are used, an alternative form of identification or activation, which does not require the user to possess particular biological characteristics, shall also be provided.

(d) Where provided, at least one of each type of expansion slots, ports and connectors shall comply with publicly available industry standards.

Subpart C – Functional Performance Criteria

§ 1194.31 Functional performance criteria. (a) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require user vision shall be provided, or support for assistive technology used by people who are blind or visually impaired shall be provided. (b) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require visual acuity greater than 20/70 shall be provided in audio and enlarged print output working together or independently, or support for assistive technology used by people who are visually impaired shall be provided. (c) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require user hearing shall be provided, or support for assistive technology used by people who are deaf or hard of hearing shall be provided. (d) Where audio information is important for the use of a product, at least one mode of operation and information retrieval shall be provided in an enhanced auditory fashion, or support for assistive hearing devices shall be provided. (e) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require user speech shall be provided, or support for assistive technology used by people with disabilities shall be provided. (f) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require fine motor control or simultaneous actions and that is operable with limited reach and strength shall be provided.

Subpart D -- Information, Documentation, and Support

§ 1194.41 Information, documentation, and support.

(a) Product support documentation provided to end-users shall be made available in alternate formats upon request, at no additional charge.

(b) End-users shall have access to a description of the accessibility and compatibility features of products in alternate formats or alternate methods upon request, at no additional charge.