A16__Single_Source_Justification_PCH_Airtime_NOI_1.pdf
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- DOIFFBO260088
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This is a Single Source Justification (SSJ) form (FWS Form 34034, Rev. 10/2020) submitted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Joint Administrative Operations Acquisitions Operations division for a sole source acquisition under the Simplified Acquisition Threshold (SAT) pursuant to FAR subpart 13.106-1(b)(1)(i) and (ii).
The acquisition concerns continuous satellite airtime and data hosting services for GPS wildlife collars deployed on the Porcupine Caribou Herd in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The collars provide real-time GPS locations, mortality alerts, and activity data essential for monitoring herd movements, calving success, and habitat use. The justification establishes that Vectronic Aerospace Inc. is the sole capable source, as it is the original equipment manufacturer of all currently deployed collars and the only vendor capable of providing two-way Iridium/Globalstar airtime, remote configuration capability, and access to the proprietary Vectronic Wildlife API and web portal. Market research confirmed no alternative telemetry vendors can provide compatible airtime or data services due to exclusive proprietary control of the firmware, communication protocols, and associated networks. Switching vendors would require physical recapture and recollaring of wild caribou, which is cost-prohibitive, logistically infeasible, creates unacceptable wildlife welfare risks, and would jeopardize continuity of critical wildlife management data. The contracting officer determined pricing to be fair and reasonable based on previous similar purchases. The Program/Project Officer (Timothy Knudson) and Contracting Officer (Melissa Niemi) certified approval of the sole source acquisition on March 5 and March 10, 2026, respectively.
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FWS Form (Rev. 2020) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
JOINT ADMINISTRATIVE OPERATIONS
Acquisitions Operations
No other capable sources were identified. Due to exclusive proprietary systems, Vectronic Aerospace Inc. is the only vendor capable of providing two way Iridium/Globalstar airtime, remote configuration capability, and access to the Vectronic Wildlife API and web portal used by the USFWS for these deployed collars. There are no alternative service providers capable of delivering communications services on Vectronic collars due to exclusive proprietary control of the associated airtime network, API, and data management platform.
Market research confirmed that no other telemetry vendors can provide compatible airtime or data services for the collars currently deployed on the Porcupine Caribou Herd. The collars operate using Vectronic Aerospace’s proprietary firmware and communication protocols, which are not interoperable with any other airtime platform.
Switching vendors would require physical recapture and recollaring of wild caribou, which is cost prohibitive, logistically infeasible, and creates unacceptable wildlife welfare risks. Recapture and replacement of collars cannot be completed within the operational timeline and would jeopardize continuity of critical wildlife management data.
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge requires continuous satellite airtime and data hosting services for GPS wildlife collars deployed on the Porcupine Caribou Herd. These collars provide real time GPS locations, mortality alerts, and activity data essential for monitoring herd movements, calving success, and habitat use. Airtime is necessary to maintain uninterrupted telemetry data flow from collars that are already deployed on free ranging caribou. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service must ensure ongoing functionality of the equipment and retain the ability to remotely adjust collar fix schedules, retrieve data, and manage collar performance. In order to maintain uninterrupted GPS, mortality, and activity data transmissions essential for managing the Porcupine Caribou Herd, Competition is restricted because the collars currently deployed in the field are manufactured by Vectronic Aerospace Inc. and operate exclusively on the contractor’s proprietary hardware, firmware, and communication protocols. Replacement of collars to allow competition is not practical, as it would require physically recapturing wild caribou, which is cost prohibitive, logistically complex, and poses unnecessary risk to animals and personnel.
These collars rely on Vectronic’s two-way satellite configuration capability, required to adjust fix schedules and conserve battery. Only Vectronic can provide access to the Wildlife API and associated web portal that deliver data in real time.
Program / Project Officer
Contracting Officer
Price is determined to be fair and reasonable based on previous similar purchases.
TIMOTHY KNUDSON Digitally signed by TIMOTHY KNUDSON Date: 2026.03.05 09:28:55 -09'00'
MELISSA NIEMI Digitally signed by MELISSA NIEMI Date: 2026.03.10 12:36:46 -05'00'
Vectronic Aerospace Inc. is the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for all telemetry collars currently deployed on the Porcupine Caribou Herd and is the sole entity capable of providing required airtime, data hosting, and two way configuration services for these units. The collars operate using proprietary Vectronic firmware, communication protocols, and satellite network integrations that are not compatible with any other service provider.Only Vectronic Aerospace Inc. can deliver fully compatible two way satellite communication,
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