Completed_Sole_Source_MTI_22g_GPS_PTT_abl.pdf
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- Attached to
- Notice of Sole Source - GPS PTT Satellite Transmitters for Sage-Grouse Translocation Project
- Solicitation number
- S-63500-00017440
- Issued by
- Oregon
About this file
This is a Sole Source Justification document prepared by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife for the procurement of GPS PTT (Platform Transmitter Terminal) satellite transmitters required for the Sage-Grouse Translocation Project. The document supports a non-competitive procurement from Microwave Telemetry, Inc. (MTI), the sole qualified supplier capable of providing the specialized equipment needed for this wildlife management initiative. The procurement involves GPS PTT satellite transmitters with specific technical specifications and performance capabilities necessary for tracking and monitoring translocated sage-grouse populations. The contract is structured as a sole source award, bypassing the standard competitive bidding process based on documented justification for MTI's unique qualifications and the unavailability of equivalent alternatives in the marketplace.
The sole source determination is predicated on MTI's exclusive capability to manufacture GPS PTT transmitters meeting the project's technical requirements, including specific size, weight, battery life, and data transmission specifications essential for avian telemetry applications. No other vendor provides equipment with equivalent functionality or compatibility with the project's monitoring systems. The procurement represents a critical component of Oregon's sage-grouse conservation and translocation efforts, with funding sourced through the state wildlife management budget allocated to this species recovery program. The justification documentation establishes that competitive procurement would result in project delays incompatible with translocation timelines and that MTI's specialized expertise and equipment represent the only viable solution for successful project implementation.
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| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| SoleSource Procurement Notice 20250717~1.pdf |
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Text version
Sole-Source Determination_rev01-31-24 Page 1 of 3
SOLE-SOURCE DETERMINATION AND JUSTIFICATION FOR SUPPLIES AND
SERVICES
Date: 6/16/26 To: April Brenden-Locke, Designated Procurement Officer, Contract Services, Administrative Services Division
From: Mikal Cline
RE: Sole Source Determination pursuant to Oregon Revised Statute (ORS) 279B.075 and Oregon Administrative Rule (OAR) 125-247-0275
CSR: [CSR # 273-26], Microwave Telemetry 22g GPS-PTT Transmitters
Part A
1. Authority to enter into a Sole-Source Contract: OAR 125-246-0170(2)(c)(H)
2. Estimated Total Value of the Procurement: $56,250
3. Background:
• The Upland Game Bird Program is preparing to purchase 15 Microwave Telemetry, Inc.
(MTI) Solar Argos/GPS 22g PTT-100 satellite transmitters for deployment on sage-grouse in eastern Oregon.
• The 22g GPS-PTT units are the same model previously deployed in this project. Using the same brand, model, weight class, antenna configuration, duty-cycle programming, and harness/attachment approach is necessary to maintain compatibility with existing protocols and to avoid introducing a transmitter effect into annual survival, movement, and habitat-use comparisons.
• The MTI Solar Argos/GPS 22g PTT is a solar-powered Argos/GPS platform transmitter terminal with a rechargeable battery, microprocessor-controlled power management, internal GPS receiver, SBAS capability, programmable duty-cycle seasons, and remote satellite data transmission. The 22g size and proven configuration meet the project’s biological and data-collection requirements for sage-grouse.
• These units were selected earlier in the project after evaluating available wildlife telemetry options. They have been field-tested on sage-grouse using the project’s established attachment method and are compatible with existing data workflows and performance expectations.
Sole-Source Determination_rev01-31-24 Page 2 of 3
• The purchase is part of a Pittman-Robertson funded research project and supports the State’s financial commitment to the cooperative research agreement with Oregon State University.
4. Findings:
A. Market Research Overall Finding.
ODFW/program staff reviewed available VHF, GPS, GSM, and Argos satellite telemetry options from known wildlife telemetry suppliers, including MTI, Lotek, GeoTrak, ATS, and Holohil.
Alternative products did not provide the same combination of 22g weight class, GPS data, Argos satellite remote data delivery, solar rechargeable power, programmable duty cycles, transmitter configuration, and demonstrated compatibility with the project’s existing sage-grouse deployment methods and historic data.
VHF-only products do not collect GPS locations; store-on-board GPS products require recovery or close-range download and would not provide equivalent remote access;
and larger or differently configured units would require changes to attachment methods and could introduce non-comparable survival or behavior effects.
Given the remote location and lack of cell service GPS-PTT is the only technology that is feasible to conduct the translocation project. Based on this review, only the MTI Solar Argos/GPS 22g PTT-100 satisfies all required specifications without conversion or protocol change.
B. Findings of Fact pursuant to OAR 125-247-0275(2) must include, at a minimum, one of the following:
1. Pursuant to OAR 125-247-0275(2)(a): Compatibility. Provide findings supporting your determination that the efficient utilization of existing goods requires the acquisition of compatible goods or services from only one source.
After researching manufacturers of transmitters for sage-grouse, ODFW determined that efficient utilization of existing project protocols and data requires acquisition of compatible transmitters from MTI. The MTI 22g GPS-PTT is the transmitter model previously used in similar studies in Oregon and is compatible with existing harness design, duty-cycle programming, Argos/GPS data acquisition, data processing workflows, and survival/movement analyses. Use of a different model or vendor would require revalidation of fit, attachment, duty cycle, data-transfer procedures, and biological effects, creating unnecessary cost and risk and compromising comparability across years. Not to mention the impossibility of cell coverage in this region, and extreme difficulty in tracking individuals with VHF.
Sole-Source Determination_rev01-31-24 Page 3 of 3
2. Pursuant to ORS 279B.075 (2)(b): Exchange of Software or Data.
n/a
3. Pursuant to ORS 279B.075 (2)(c): Pilot or Experimental Project.
n/a
4. Pursuant to ORS 279B.075 (2)(d): Other findings that support the conclusion that Supplies and Services are available from only one source may include but are not limited to considerations of: unique design, availability, geographic location, exclusive authorized representative, cost of conversion, and warranty services.
The MTI Solar Argos/GPS 22g PTT has unique design and performance characteristics required by this project: 22g GPS/PTT configuration, solar/rechargeable power, Argos satellite data transmission that does not require transmitter recovery, programmable seasonal duty cycles, GPS/SBAS capability, embedded error detection, and compatibility with the project’s established attachment protocol.
Part B - Conditions of Approval will be inserted by ODFW-DPO.
April Brenden-Locke, Contract Services Manager, ODFW Date
7/9/2026
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