B09_ATCH_4_Corrected_J_A_Brand_Name_Mount_Sopris_Redacted_08-26-2024_0001.pdf

BRAND NAME JUSTIFICATION FOR ACQUISITION UNDER THE

SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION THRESHOLD

1. Contracting Agency and Activity. The Department of the Interior, United States Geological Survey Caribbean Florida Water Science Center (USGS CF WSC), Bayamon, PR office plans to contract on a brand name basis. This document sets forth the justification and approval as required by FAR 13.106-1(b)(1).

2. Nature of Action Being Approved. This request is for a fixed price award for brand name Mount Sopris Instruments equipment. The purchase includes a specialized geophysical logging winch with accessories and Matrix Acquisition System which is fully compatible with existing logging probes systems in the Center.

3. Description of Supplies or Services. The USGS CF WSC, Bayamon, PR office requests to buy one 5MXA-1000-120 Matrix Acquisition System, one PF-1-1-2 Pathfinder Winch 120v, and one 4PFA-1000 Pathfinder accessory kit manufactured by Mount Sopris Instruments.

4. Estimated Dollar Value. The estimated dollar amount of this requisition is .

5. Statutory Authority. The proposed action may be awarded on a brand name basis under the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b)(1) only one source reasonably available.

6. Rationale Supporting Use of Citation in No. 5. Operation of the winch and data acquisition system requires compatibility with the geophysical probe already in government inventory valued at $22,000, along with other equipment identified in paragraph 7. The winch and data acquisition systems that the CFWSC owns are manufactured by Mount Sopris, and buying the equipment guarantees that the winch and data acquisition systems will be compatible. Changing brands would represent a major investment of new equipment and skew the long-term data continuity with new equipment measurements and adjustment of operational protocols.

7. Other Information. Over the past 30 years, the CFWSC has gradually acquired about $300,000 worth of completely compatible borehole geophysical logging equipment through many small projects by buying a few pieces of equipment from time to time. It would not be feasible to replace all this equipment with another system so that we could use a winch created by another manufacturer.

8. The Efforts to Identify Additional Sources Including the Market Research Conducted. Market research did not identify another brand manufacturer that has an equipment combability with the geophysical probe in the CFWSC inventory. Competition will be obtained among Mount Sopris resellers.

9. Future Plans to Permit Competition. At the present, the instrumentation requested is uniquely qualified to meet our technical requirements, equipment combability and data continuity concerns, and other constraints. Future requirements will be completed to the maximum extent possible if conditions and our requirements change.

BRAND NAME JUSTIFICATION FOR ACQUISITION UNDER THE

SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION THRESHOLD

10. Recommendation and Certification from Program Office

Based on the above, I recommend this acquisition be conducted on a brand name basis and certify the above statements are true and accurate.

Supervisory Physical Scientist

11. Certifications from the Contracting Officer:

a. Price reasonableness will be established through receipt of competitive proposals.

b. All of the requirements of the Competition in Contracting Act, (41 U.S.C. 253), as implemented in the Federal and Interior Acquisition Regulations, have been considered in preparing this justification. This justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

12. Approvals

Date

Required signatures have been obtained.