2026 EdgeTech_Single Source Determination__Redacted.pdf

This is a Single Source Determination (SSD) document using Simplified Acquisition Procedures (SAP) for a federal contract action not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold.

The Department of Commerce, NOAA Fisheries Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), Protected Species Division, is procuring specialized EdgeTech acoustic release hardware and components to support the deployment and recovery of five acoustic recorders in the Mariana Archipelago for humpback whale monitoring. The required items include five Port MFE Push off Release Transponders, one PACS deck unit, and various Low Frequency Push Off Release Transponder replacement parts (batteries, end caps, and housings), with a delivery schedule of September 29, 2026. EdgeTech, located at 4 Little Brook Road, West Wareham, MA 02576, is identified as the sole source to be solicited. The single source justification is based on compatibility requirements—PIFSC has exclusively used EdgeTech acoustic releases on bottom-mounted acoustic recorder moorings since 2007, and the existing mooring design and inventory are based on this brand. EdgeTech's equipment is proprietary and paired with existing systems; no competitor equipment can communicate with the in-house gear, and replacement parts are custom-made by EdgeTech only. The specific equipment requirements mandate EdgeTech Port MFE Push Off Release models with mechanical drive systems, an EdgeTech-manufactured PACS deck unit compatible with Medium and Low Frequency transducers, and replacement parts that exactly match existing EdgeTech hardware specifications. The certification and determination were signed on May 6, 2026, and July 30, 2026, respectively.