Redacted Sole Source Justification NMFS Acoustic Recorders to Support Passive Acoustic Monitoring Operations_Redacted.pdf

PDF 437 KB Posted Sep 25, 2020

Attached to: Acoustic Recorders to Support Passive Acoustic Monitoring Operations
Solicitation number: 1305M320RNFFR0012
Issued by: Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

About this file

Written by GovTribe AI · Dec 29, 2023

This document provides details on a sole source justification notice for acoustic recorders to support passive acoustic monitoring operations. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration requires underwater acoustic recorders from Ocean Instruments NZ to record ocean noise and marine animal vocalizations. Specifically, NOAA requires SoundTrap 300, 500 and 4300 recorders to carry out marine mammal and ocean noise monitoring projects. These recorders offer factory-calibrated hydrophones, lightweight and durable designs, extensive battery life up to 180 days, high sampling rates, and flexibility in acoustic recording schedules and deployments. Interested parties were to submit capabilities by August 25, 2020. The government intends to award a single five-year indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract to Ocean Instruments NZ for acoustic recorders and accessories to facilitate ongoing marine research.

View the file

On GovTribe

Work with this file

Download the original file
Contacts named in this file
Similar government files
Ask GovTribe AI about this file

Try for free Login

Text version

The file's text, extracted by GovTribe without its formatting.

'��#��()��*+,-.*'/01�2*��,�,�,�*3.*0��

�4567 8��9�:4�8;�<==9>�??@A?@?A��B�

*,��CDEFG�/EH�FIEJK/FJLEC�/FJLMLJG,�

N7��O�P

5;Q�R;��S�QQ�56��TOUSVW�<

;X�R Y�U6�

RX6�Z;Q�8P7�5X6�Z[QXRX8;5

;X�R�T<UZZVW�

Z6:4X8X;X�R� R[�\5

R;8�U��X6��TZ\UVW�]�8;�5R�Z6:4X8X;X�R�OX̂X8X�RW�<

;X�R Y�_

5XR��=X87�5X�8�

�̀5̂X6�8�T<_=̀ VW�XR�84PP�5;��;7��<UZZ@<_=̀ ��

6X�X6�a8Y R[8�=X87�5X�8�̀6X�R6��S�R;�5� T�a=̀ SVW��5�;�6;�[�̀P�6X�8�OX̂X8X�Rb� c,��/JdKD�/EHeIK�HDfFKLgJLIE�Ih�JiD�/FJLIE�jDLEC�/ggKIMDH,� N7X8�X8� �8�Y��8�456��k48;X�X6 ;X�R��5� �R�l�5�:4X5�Q�R;��5�

6�48;X6�5�6�5[�58�;��84PP�5;�P

88X̂��

6�48;X6�Q�RX;�5XR��P�5

;X�R8� ;�<UZZb�N7��PY

RR�[�6�R;5

6;�;mP��X8� �n@m�

5�8XR�Y��

l 5[� aR[��XRX;��O�YX̂�5moaR[��XRX;��p4 R;X;m�TaOapV�6�R;5 6;�lX;7��X5Q@�Xq�[@P5X6��[�YX̂�5m��5[�58b� S�R;5 6;�5r� U6� R�aR8;54Q�R;8�<s�tXQX;�[� uv��̀

R[8PX;�9�

5wl�5;7W�Z46wY R[� <�l�s� Y R[�

+,�xyz{|}~�}��z�~~�}yz��|�zy|�}{yz�|y��}|y��yy��y��y�{��z��yy�z��}�{��}��y�� DfJL�/JDH�M/�dD0,�

N7��XR8;54Q�R;8��XR��

6:4X5�[�XR6Y4[��8�̂�5

Y�Q�[�Y8��̀�4R[N5 P�5�6�5[�58� R[� 66�88�5X�8� [�̂�Y�P�[� ;�U6� R�aR8;54Q�R;8�<s�tXQX;�[��5�Y�R�@;�5Q�Q�RX;�5XR��R ;45 Y� R[�Q R@Q

8�4R[8�XR�;7��6�

Rb�� N7��<_=̀ �48�8�4R[�5l ;�5� 6�48;X6�5�6�5[�58�;��5�6�5[��6� R�R�X8�� R[�Q

5XR��

RXQ

Y� �̂6

YX�

;X�R8��5�;7��P45P�8�8��Q�RX;�5XR��;7�X5�[X8;5X�4;X�R�

R[� �4R[ R6�W�l7XY��

XRXR��

��;;�5�4R[�58;

R[XR��;7��̂�5

YY�8�4R[86

P�b�N7X8�Q�RX;�5XR��l�5w�4;XYX��8�P 6w ��8� R67�5�[� ;��;7��8�

�Y��5W�6�R�X�45�[�XR;��

4;�R�Q�48�[5X�;�58W� R[� 5X�;m��;7�5�6 8�@8P�6X�X6�48�8W� 8467�

8�4RX;8�

67�[�;��X87XR��

5W�̂�88�Y8W��5� 4;�R�Q�48�̂�7X6Y�8b�N7�8��

PPYX6

;X�R8� 5�:4X5�� Y�qX�Y�W� R[�7X�7Ym�;�67RX6 YYm�6 P �Y��5�6�5[XR��4RX;b�<� 5Ym�

YY�

PPYX6

;X�R8�5�:4X5�� 48�5@P5��5

�Y��

6�48;X6�5�6�5[XR��867�[4Y�8�

R[�8

QPYXR��5

;�8� R[�Q48;��6 P �Y�� 867�[4Y�[��P�5 ;X�R��5�48�5@�5X�R[Ym�5�Q�;��P�5 ;X�Rb�̀�Q��P�5 ;X�R8�5�:4X5��̂�5m�7X�7@ �5�:4�R6m� 6�48;X6�8

QPYXR�W�Q4Y;X@67

RR�Y�5�6�5[XR�W�

R[o�5�8l

�Y��7m[5�P7�R�8�8P�6X�X6�;�� P5�k�6;�5�:4X5�Q�R;8b�� N7��

R;X6XP

;�[�P�5X�[��P�5��5Q R6��X8��5�Q�̀�P;�Q��5��W�A?A?�;��Z4�48;��W�A?An� R[�;7��

R;X6XP

;�[�6�R;5 6;�6�XYXR��lXYY�� b�

Purchase Request NFFR7400-20-02148

4. Statutory authority permitting the sole source (including brand name) acquisition.

41 U.S.C. 1901, using SAP up to $7M as authorized by FAR 13.500(a) and implemented by FAR 13.501(a).

5. Demonstration that the proposed contractor’s unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited. The contracting officer has determined the following circumstances justify the use of a sole source procurement as supported below:

The manufacturer, Ocean Instruments NZ, is the only distributor of its equipment, and is the only firm offering hydrophones that meet the specific technical requirements for these supplies, including minimum sampling rates, number of recording channels, and maximum depth. Multiple NMFS Science Centers and National Marine Sanctuary offices have purchased and currently use SoundTrap recorders to carry out marine mammal and ocean noise monitoring projects throughout US and international waters. These units have been used with great success in remote and harsh field conditions. Continued use of SoundTraps will facilitate cross-project/site comparisons by enabling direct comparison of like data collected by these units with data collected in other locations and for other purposes. Additionally, these units are the only hydrophone recorders on the market that utilize an automated click detector, enabling prolonged battery life resulting in longer deployment time, while still detecting and recording higher frequencies produced by odontocetes (toothed whales) when they are present. Failing to obtain recorders that meet all required specifications will result in incomplete or low quality recordings, hindering the mission goal to improve abundance estimates and study cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) and other marine mammals.

Ocean Instruments NZ recorders are well-tested and perform well in a variety of applications and are the only small, lightweight recorder available that can meet the deployment duration, sampling rate, and deployment depth capabilities required. The recorders are the only available devices capable of meeting NOAA’s research goals, and are only manufactured and sold/distributed by this company. The acquisition office confirmed the sole manufacturer and distributor status for this equipment on June 15, 2020.

6. Description of efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as practicable, including whether a notice was or will be publicized as required by FAR Subpart 5.2 and, if not, which exception under FAR 5.202 applies.

SoundTraps are the only recorders capable of meeting the program’s needs and the manufacturer has confirmed that there are no authorized dealers. In accordance with the posting requirements in FAR 5.2, a synopsis of the proposed single-source contract action will be posted prior to issuance of the solicitation and upon award, the award notice will be transmitted to the Government-wide point of entry at the beta.SAM.gov website. A redacted justification will be included with this notice. A sources sought was not issued; however, any response to the synopsis will be reviewed and considered prior to moving forward with award to Ocean Instruments NZ.

File details come from the government source that posted it. Updated Sep 25, 2020.