A17__BNJ_redacted.pdf

BRAND NAME JUSTIFICATION

PR: 40654839

1. Contracting Agency and Activity. The Department of the Interior, United States Geological Survey, Lake Ontario Biological Station plans to contract by means other than full and open competition. This document sets forth the justification and approval for an expansion of our Marport system, large fishing vessel trawl monitoring system on a limited source basis, as required by FAR 13.106.1.

2. Nature of Action Being Approved. Contract to expand trawl monitoring system by purchasing trawl wing sensors, software, and maintenance package for use on fisheries surveys conducted by the R/V Kaho on Lake Ontario.

3. Description of Supplies or Services. The expansion of trawl monitoring system requested by the USGS Lake Ontario Biological Station (LOBS) is integral to maintaining the scientific integrity of USGS Great Lakes fish stock assessments and ecological research across the USGS Great Lakes Science Center (GLSC). It is required for multiple reasons: 1) for data compatibility with the current trawl monitoring system, 2) to expand the capacity of real-time data acceptability and quality assurance, 3) to ensure safe and effective operation of fishing trawls from USGS ships in the Great Lakes, 4) to increase knowledge of net geometry and bottom contact time to provide more accurate biomass estimates, 5) for future studies that require different trawling techniques, and 6) for ship operators and scientists require knowledge of trawl location to avoid damage to the trawl net and ship. The purchase will supplement the current system by providing bridge and sensor software, wing sensors, configuration cable, and maintenance package.

[1] 1 unit: Maintenance on existing system sensors

[2] 2 units: Trawl positioning software upgrade to existing door sensors

[3] 1 unit: Sensor configuration cable

[4] 2 units: Wing sensors (110khz transducer) with depth and temperature software

4. Estimated Dollar Value.

5. Statutory Authority. The proposed action may be awarded on a limited source basis under the authority of FAR 13.106-1.

6. Rationale Supporting Use of Citation in No. 5. Marport is the only vendor that can supply the requested equipment for the following reasons:

• Marport technology and software are currently being used for successful data acquisition on USGS Research Vessel Kaho. The R/V Kaho is part of a coordinated monitoring program surveying fish populations across the Great Lakes that relies on data compatibility to achieve federally legislated obligation through the Great Lakes Fishery Research Authorization Act (signed in 2019). Currently, the R/V Kaho is equipped with the Marport trawl monitoring system. The new Marport wing sensors and software are essential to integrate into the current system. Additionally, the Marport trawl monitoring system is currently equipped on several GLSC vessels, as well as collaborating partners. The expansion of a Marport system on the R/V Kaho will provide data consistency in net mensuration systems with GLFC large research vessels and collaborating partner vessels, supporting necessary interlaboratory data analyses and support when maintenance or repair of the systems are required.

• Marport will provide remote technical support as needed for system configuration and troubleshooting. Successful and efficient purchasing and configuration of equipment is ensured through procurement directly from the manufacturer. In addition, vendor configuration will ensure that the system will be compatible with data flow and database requirements for continuity of reporting and analyses of data throughout the GLSC and with resource management partners, mitigating risk of mission failure.

7. Other Information.

• Failure to expand our Marport net monitoring system will negatively impact interlaboratory and internal data compatibilities and comparisons with other USGS field stations and collaborating partners. GLSC field stations currently use Marport trawl net mensuration systems to integrate data streams from various hardware and electronic measuring devices. This ensures both cross-lake compatibility in data collection as well as support in case an application or hardware component requires maintenance or repair.

• Data acquisition systems for fish community assessments are greatly needed and are not currently manufactured based on an open standard, which inhibits development of a standard competitive marketplace. Each net mensuration system manufacturer is the sole developer, manufacturer and supplier of its own equipment and software, so there is no cross-compatibility among brands. Until a large effort is initiated to create open-source software, agencies will need to strive for consistency in the equipment being used to collect data.

8. The Efforts to Identify Additional Sources Including the Market Research Conducted.

The Research Vessel Kaho is part of a fleet of vessels that conduct similar fish assessment work on the Great Lakes. The proposed upgrade to Marport ensures our systems are compatible with systems currently in use by vessels in the Great Lakes Science fleet, which allows for sharing of data compilation supporting analyses and cross-vessel electronics support should a component fail during completion of a mission.

The proposed contract to expand our system will meet all our trawl monitoring needs for the foreseeable future. We worked to develop a quotation for customized system expansion with Marport as the only manufacturer of a compatible net mensuration system (included).

Furthermore, there are authorized resellers of the Marport Trawling system, justifiying an open market solicitation.

9. Actions to Overcome Barriers to Competition.

This procurement is expected to be a one-time procurement. It is expected that the equipment will have a life-span of approximately 10 years. If during this lifespan the technology changes and improves in a manner that would significantly impact the USGS mission in the Great Lakes, every effort will be made at that time to seek an upgrade through a competitive process.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) considers employee signatures to be Personal Information and therefore all employee signatures have been redacted. By posting this document, the Contracting Officer attests all appropriate signatures have been obtained