ROCKET PROPULSION AND SONIC BOOM ACOUSTIC PROPAGATION MODEL

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items, issued as a Request for Quotation (RFQ) under FAR Part 12. The U.S. Department of Transportation's Volpe Center intends to award a sole source, firm-fixed-price purchase order to The National Center for Physical Acoustics (NCPA) at the University of Mississippi. The objective is to develop or modify infrasonic tools to model rocket propulsion and sonic boom acoustic propagation. This will enable increased launch cadence for rocket-propelled air and spacecraft while minimizing noise exposure increases, by providing planners with new noise modeling software.

• Develop or modify infrasonic tools to model rocket propulsion and sonic boom acoustic propagation.

• Create a comprehensive database of noise exposure maps covering various meteorological conditions and acoustic sources.

• Evaluate one study site for one vehicle with two launch trajectories using the developed tool.

• The tool should quantify noise, produce topological noise maps, show impact extents under different conditions, identify data gaps, and inform monitoring station locations.

• Deliverables include:

  • Monthly Progress Reports (CLIN 00100)
  • Initial Design and Documentation (Metrics, Algorithms, Workflow, SRS) (CLIN 00200)
  • Code Base Development (prototype, alpha, beta, release code with unit tests) (CLIN 00300)
  • Testing (Unit test results) (CLIN 00400)

• Contract Type: Firm-fixed-price purchase order.

• Period of Performance: Date of award through March 15, 2027.

• NAICS Code: 541715 (exception 3).

• Small Business Size Standard: 1,250 employees.

• Quotes must be submitted via email to carl.chin@dot.gov by June 22, 2026, 12:00 PM ET.

• Evaluation Criteria: Award will be made to the vendor whose quote is deemed the lowest price technically acceptable (LPTA).

• Required quote information: Firm-fixed price quotation, Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), Complete Business Mailing Address, and Contact Name, Phone, and Email Address.

• This is a sole source solicitation to NCPA.

• Contractors must maintain active SAM registration.

• All questions must be submitted in writing via email to Carl Chin (carl.chin@dot.gov) no later than June 18, 2026, 12:00 PM ET.

• Electronic submission of payment requests is required via iSupplier (DELPHI).

• Deliverables are to be emailed to the Volpe Center technical point of contact (TPOC), Aaron Hastings (aaron.hastings@dot.gov), and the Contracting Officer (CO), Carl Chin (carl.chin@dot.gov).

Other / Unclassified

This document is a Sole Source Justification for a procurement related to rocket propulsion and sonic boom acoustic propagation modeling. It outlines the need for specialized software development tools to enable planners to increase launch cadence while minimizing noise exposure. The model will quantify propulsion and sonic boom noise, produce topological noise maps, show impact extents, identify data gaps, and inform monitoring station locations.

This justification is relevant to potential bidders as it explains the rationale behind a sole-source procurement. It details the specific capabilities and expertise of the National Center for Physical Acoustics (NCPA) at the University of Mississippi, highlighting their unique, decades-long development of acoustic modeling tools and datasets. The document emphasizes that any other vendor would require significant time and resources to replicate this capability, making NCPA the only responsible source for this specialized work. This information helps bidders understand the competitive landscape and the specific technical requirements that led to this sole-source decision.