A16_20250624_-_3-0034_Single_Source_Justification_for_Biomark_Products__Unsigned_1.pdf
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- NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD A SOLE SOURCE Federal contract opportunity
- Solicitation number
- DOIFFBO250126
About this file
This document is a Single Source Justification (SSJ) form for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Klamath Falls National Fish Hatchery, justifying a sole source procurement from Biomark for monitoring equipment. The procurement includes 57,500 PIT tags with 245 KBRA funding, 8 new submersible antennas, 2 replacement IS1001 nodes, two serial data loggers, and additional exciter cables for spare parts. Biomark is the sole source due to its unique product specifications and existing contract pricing, with no other known sources capable of meeting the specific technical requirements for fish and wildlife monitoring equipment.
The justification highlights that Biomark has been a supplier of radio frequency technology for 30 years, was previously purchased by Merck Animal Health, and continues to support fisheries science. The procurement will be conducted under an expired IDIQ contract, with pricing quoted directly from a Biomark representative. The document includes certifications from the Program/Project Officer (Mark Yost) and Contracting Officer (John Skogen), both digitally signing the document, affirming the sole source determination meets federal acquisition regulations under the Simplified Acquisition Threshold.
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Text version
FWS Form 3-0034 (Rev. 10/2020) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
1. Description of Need
3. Other Capable Sources
2. Market Research Conducted
Pursuant to FAR subpart 13.106-1(b)(1)(i) and (ii), for purchases not exceeding the Simplified Acquisition Threshold (SAT), Contracting Officers may solicit from only one source if the circumstances deem only one source is reasonably available (e.g., urgency, exclusive licensing agreements, brand name, or industrial mobilization).
Instructions: The information in the text boxes are provided as sample language or to indicate a needed fill-in. Sample language should be removed from the final document. All text boxes require information and shall not be left blank.
SINGLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION
(UNDER SAT)
JOINT ADMINISTRATIVE OPERATIONS
Acquisitions Operations
4. Barriers to Competition
5. Contractor's Qualifications
6. Determination of Fair and Reasonable Cost
7. Recommendation and Certification by Program Office
Based on the above justification, I recommend this acquisition to be conducted using sole source acquisition procedures. I hereby certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.
Program / Project Officer
8. Contracting Officer Certification and Approval: Under SAT
Based on the above justification, I hereby certify and approve the use of sole source acquisition procedures under FAR Part 13 for this purchase.
Contracting Officer
| Text3: I am not aware of any other sources for PIT tags, submersible antennas, litz array systems, and replacement IS1001 nodes for a Biomark submersible antenna and replacement nodes, data loggers, and exciter cables for litz array antennas that are approved for use in fish and wildlife population monitoring that meet the needs of our office or program. | |
| Text2: There are only a few companies that that make PIT tags for use in fish and wildlife and Biomark Inc. Merck Animal Health has the cheapest options under an IDIQ contract, at a price point of $2.32 per preloaded tag, sold in boxes of 100 per flat for $232 each. Biomark products are used extensively by a variety of our partners for sucker population and recovery work. UID also makes PIT tags for similar use but they are at a price point of over $5 per preloaded and a pack of 100 costing about $558. As for PIT tag litz arrays and submersible antenna replacement nodes, these are unique to BioMark equipment we already have or for the application whereby we'll be using these, allowing us to detect both full duplex and half duplex PIT tags. The only other company that I am aware of that sells components to build litz arrays is Oregon RFID, which makes receivers for half duplex tags only and the litz antennas need to be fabricated seperately. The BioMark litz array systems are all inclusive for use without fabricating antennas and running into engineering issues with such. | |
| Text1: The Klamath Falls National Fish Hatchery would like to purchase 57,500 PIT tags with 245 KBRA funding earmarked for monitoring equipment from Biomark, along with 8 new submersible antennas and two replacement IS1001 nodes for submersible antennas, four new litz array stationary antenna systems and two extra litz nodes, two serial data loggers, four additional exciter cables for spare parts to repair existing litz arrays within our office. While no current IDIQ contract is in place, Biomark has agreed to honor the old and expired IDIQ contract pricing for many of these items (IDIQ# 140R4018D0012). The PIT tags proposed are the APT12 preloaded needles, 12mm full duplex tags, sold in flats of 100 tags per tray. These tags are generally used to mark all wild reared Lost River and Shortnose Suckers reared on station and then repatriated to Upper Klamath Lake and it's tributaries for population monitoring purposes. We are currently low on tags and need to acquire tags for this coming fall work to tag our 2025 cohort of production fish. In addition, we need some new submersible and litz array systems, as these will be used to monitor these endangered suckers in the wild, post stocking, at additional designated sites in Upper Klamath Lake where pilot work with submersible antennas has already been conducted to enhance population monitoring efforts and improve data collection. Lastly, the two replacement nodes are for BioMark submersible antennas that we already have but were damaged this past season and are needed to get this infrastructure working again. And the additional litz nodes and data loggers, as well as the additional exciter cables are to have spare parts to repair existing infrastructure that is currently deployed in the lake. | |
| Text4: The USFWS Klamath Falls Fish and Wildlife Office supports competition in vendors. However, this item meets all the specification needed to collect PIT tag data and there are no other products that meet the needs based upon market research and price point. | |
| Text6: These PIT tags are being purchased under some honored prices from an old but expired IDIQ contract (#140R4018D0012). The submersible and litz array systems and replacement nodes and other parts have been quoted to us from a BioMark representative. There are some new but pending IDIQ contracts for all of these components but I believe these are still being negotiated and/or developed at the Department level. | |
| 2025-07-29T07:50:58-0700 | |
| MARK YOST |
| 2025-07-29T09:57:18-0500 | |
| JOHN SKOGEN |
Text5: Biomark has been a supplier, product consultant, and fabricator of radio frequency technology for 30 years. In 2019 they were purchased by the reputable company Merck Animal Health and continue to support fisheries science through top notch equipment and support. Most of the employees have been on staff for 8-10 years and the company remains loyal to it's employees and purchasers. And most, if not all, of our partners within the Klamath Basin utilize their PIT tags, antennas, and array systems for sucker recovery work.
File details come from the government source that posted it. Updated .