The speaker for the September Mississippi Enterprise for Technology (MSET) Lunch & Learn will be Frank Henry, chief of the field service section at the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility (HIF). Henry is responsible for the warehouse equipment sales and rental programs, customer service activities and technical procurement support programs. A graduated in petroleum engineering from Mississippi State University in 1893, he has worked at HIF for more than 30 years. Henry will also discuss the Support Services Contract.

The meeting will be held in Logtown Conference Room # 11161 of Building 1100 at the Stennis Space Center.

About USGS and HIF:
The USGS is a federal agency within the U.S. Department of Interior with a science mission that is independent of regulatory or resource-management activities. The HIF is located at Stennis Space Center and has a staff of approximately 55 employees. HIF’s mission focuses specifically on instruments and equipment that are used to collect hydrologic data at thousands of USGS monitoring locations across the United States and its territories. To accomplish this mission, HIF provides quality assurance testing, equipment evaluations, sales, rental, repair of instruments and equipment, and technical support to the Water Mission Area of the USGS.

With an annual equipment and supplies budget of approximately $12 million, HIF procures a wide variety of environmental sensors, data acquisition/telemetry systems, specialty cables, and mechanical and electromechanical components to replenish its warehouse each year. A portion (approximately 10%) of the equipment procured is acquired through open market competitions using USGS developed drawings and specifications. Thus, HIF continually seeks new local partners (fabrication, machine, assembly, welding and electronic shops) that can fabricate, assemble and supply various types of mechanical and electromechanical equipment.

Contact Belinda Gill at belinda.n.gill@nasa.gov or 228-688-3144 for more information.