1.04 SSJ_Redacted.pdf

This document is a Justification for Sole Source (SSJ) for the United States Naval Academy's Department of Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences. The procurement is for one (1) YSI Xylem, Inc. EXO2 multiparameter water quality sonde with a handheld logger, water-quality sensors, and a 15-meter deployment cable. The specific EXO2 sonde will be configured for use in shallow water to collect water quality profiles from a YSI Pontoon Profiler or small boat, supporting research activities at the Severn River Watershed Observatory, faculty-led courses, and Midshipmen hands-on project-based learning in coastal and estuarine oceanography.

The justification for sole source is based on the requirement for compatibility with the existing YSI Pontoon Profiler and environmental monitoring network at the United States Naval Academy. The department already owns multiple YSI Xylem instruments and has associated software and supplies to operate them. Specifically, the USNA purchased a custom Pontoon Profiler System using YSI equipment in 2016 and 2023, and the EXO2 multiparameter water quality sonde is the only system that meets the minimum requirements for their research needs. The document indicates the sonde will measure parameters such as temperature, pressure, pH/ORP, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll, and other water quality indicators, with the ability to be powered by external +12VDC power and rated to 100 meters depth.