A16_Single_Source_Justification_BF_1.pdf
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- Attached to
- Special Notice of Intent to Sole Source Award
- Solicitation number
- DOIFFBO240036
About this file
This document is a single source justification for a federal contract award. The US Fish and Wildlife Service La Crosse Field Office requires the purchase of acoustic telemetry transmitters and receivers compatible with its existing equipment to maintain a telemetry network tracking invasive carp movement in the Mississippi River. Key partner agencies have invested millions in the proprietary Vemco telemetry system currently deployed. Only Vemco equipment can integrate with and communicate critical data via the network's proprietary signal encoding. While other vendors' products may detect the network, none can decode the necessary identification and sensor information. The justification recommends a sole source award to Vemco as no alternatives ensure continuity of the multi-agency monitoring program. The contracting officer certification affirms the basis for determining the anticipated Vemco costs as fair and reasonable.
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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: Market research was conducted by examining specifications of the major suppliers of fish telemetry equipment (Lotek, InnovaSea Vemco, and Sonotronics), to determine the compatibility of their products to the existing telemetry equipment. Obtaining competition is not possible due to the proprietary coding used on Vemco equipment. Currently, no other vendor has access to the proprietary design of Vemco telemetry signal coding components. Thus, no other vendor can supply the required ultrasonic telemetry capable of interacting with the existing Vemco telemetry system in the Upper Mississippi River. Vemco does not have authorized resellers. | |
| Text2: The USFWS La Crosse FWCO is partnering with a number of federal and state agencies and universities (including the USGS, US Army Corps of Engineers, Missouri Department of Conservation, Illinois DNR, and Minnesota DNR) to monitor the behavior of invasive carp in the Upper Mississippi River and its largest tributaries. To date, these partner agencies have invested millions of dollars in Vemco telemetry equipment to address this task. This investment has resulted in a telemetry monitoring network of Vemco telemetry receivers that cover most of the lengths of this large river system and include thousands of fish implanted with Vemco transmitters that are currently being monitored by this network. It is imperative that the supplies referenced in the table integrate seamlessly with the existing network of Vemco telemetry equipment in the river. | |
| Text1: The USFWS La Crosse FWCO requires the purchase of acoustic telemetry transmitters compatible with current USFWS/USGS equipment to maintain an existing telemetry network in the Mississippi River. The system of receivers and transmitters are being used for tracking the movement and habitat use of invasive carp. | |
| Text4: USFWS continues to promote competition for procurement. However, in this instance it is necessary that we purchase the required products from the original vendor, InnovaSea Vemco, due to the proprietary nature of the electronics (i.e., the telemetry signal encoding) and compatibility with a large amount of Government and partner-owned InnovaSea Vemco telemetry receivers and transmitter implanted fish currently active. | |
| Text6: (Include a statement by the contracting officer that the anticipated cost will be considered fair and reasonable and provide the basis used for this determination. Examples may include the results of the restricted competition, comparison of proposed costs/prices with costs/prices for similar supplies or services, commercial price lists, prior acquisition history, etc.) | |
| 2023-12-19T07:23:38-0600 | |
| REBECCA NEELEY |
| 2023-12-21T12:05:43-0500 | |
| WILLIAM FLUHARTY |
Text5: Vemco telemetry receivers and transmitters used in the existing network use proprietary coding of the transmitter signal to communicate important data (e.g., individual fish identification, sensor information). Whereas, equipment manufactured by other vendors can detect or be detected by the existing Vemco network, critical information contained in the transmitter signal (e.g., individual fish identification) cannot be decoded by the existing Vemco network and therefore cannot meet study objectives. Currently, no other vendor can supply receivers or transmitters that are compatible with the existing Vemco equipment already deployed by the USFWS and partner agencies. If the Government were to purchase equipment other than Vemco, the continuity of data would be lost.
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