ESBD_428954_1750264495017_SIGNED_ProprietaryPurchaseJustification042325.pdf
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The document is a Proprietary Purchase Justification submitted by the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts' Statewide Procurement Division on April 23, 2025. The TWDB's Coastal Science department is seeking to purchase NexSens CB-650 scientific monitoring buoys and In-Situ water quality monitoring and transmission equipment to expand data acquisition in Texas estuaries. The agency currently owns 10 NexSens CB-650 buoys for environmental monitoring in Texas reservoirs and coastal waters and aims to purchase backup and replacement equipment to maintain a consistent and compatible monitoring system.
The purchase is being justified as a sole-source procurement, with the NexSens CB-650 monitoring buoy and associated equipment exclusively available from Fondriest Environmental, Inc., and the In-Situ equipment to be purchased directly from the manufacturer. The buoys have specific technical specifications tailored for shallow coastal bay systems, including a 650 lbs. buoyancy, 40" tower height, solar power capabilities, and a design that allows for sensor maintenance without exposing sensitive equipment. The TWDB argues that purchasing these specific proprietary items is critical to maintain data quality, minimize maintenance costs, and ensure compatibility with their existing monitoring infrastructure.
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P.O. Box 13231, 1700 N. Congress Ave.
Austin, TX 78711-3231, www.twdb.texas.gov Phone (512) 463-7847, Fax (512) 475-2053
Our Mission
Leading the state’s efforts in ensuring a secure water future for Texas
Board Members
L’Oreal Stepney, P.E., Chairwoman │Tonya R. Miller, Board Member
Bryan McMath, Executive Administrator
PROPRIETARY PURCHASE JUSTIFICATION
(TEX. GOV’T CODE § 2155.067)
April 23, 2025
Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts Attn: Statewide Procurement Division P. O. Box 13186 Austin, Texas 78711-3186
Re: Proprietary Purchase Justification for NexSens CB-650 scientific monitoring buoys and In-Situ water quality monitoring equipment
The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) Coastal Science department proposes the purchase of NexSens CB-650 scientific monitoring buoys and In-Situ water quality monitoring and transmission equipment. The TWDB is expanding data acquisition in Texas estuaries by co-locating new meteorological sensors with existing water quality sensors.
The TWDB already has a fleet of NexSens CB-650 buoys and a suite of In-Situ monitoring equipment and has the budget to purchase backup and replacement equipment this fiscal year. Maintaining a consistent suite of matching equipment ensures compatibility with existing program equipment.
The requested buoys have the following specifications needed for deployment in shallow coastal bay systems:
a. With a buoyancy of 650 lbs., the stability of the CB-650 models allows for a higher tower height of 40” relative to smaller models. This increases the height of meteorological sensors above the water, thus increasing their life expectancy and quality of data and decreasing their required maintenance.
b. Buoys larger than the CB-650 model require a greater minimum water depth for deployment that is not applicable for shallow Texas estuaries.
c. The solar tower is equipped with three 30W solar panels and allows two batteries to fit in the data well. This allows monitoring to continue without power for up to two weeks, should the solar panels become compromised.
d. The battery harness is designed to fit inside the data well, which secures and protects batteries, and includes the charge controller and connections for the solar panels.
Docusign Envelope ID: 059A5235-B23F-41B4-B486-9C6CA5C35577
P.O. Box 13231, 1700 N. Congress Ave.
Austin, TX 78711-3231, www.twdb.texas.gov Phone (512) 463-7847, Fax (512) 475-2053
Our Mission
Leading the state’s efforts in ensuring a secure water future for Texas
Board Members
L’Oreal Stepney, P.E., Chairwoman │Tonya R. Miller, Board Member
Bryan McMath, Executive Administrator
e. The radar reflector ensures visibility to larger ships which is important for stations located near navigational channels.
f. The data well lid and wet-mateable plugs and ports allow for the swapping of sensors for repair or maintenance without exposing non-waterproof items located in the data well (i.e., dataloggers, modems, and batteries).
The TWDB owns 10 NexSens CB-650 buoys to conduct environmental monitoring in Texas reservoirs and coastal waters. Significant planning and fabrication are underway for the successful, long-term deployment of these buoys. Staff have standardized the monitoring equipment to facilitate configuration, deployment, and maintenance of all buoys. Without the authorization to purchase proprietary equipment the TWDB will incur
a) an inability to interchange existing TWDB equipment,
b) added cost of instrument maintenance and replacement for alternatives,
c) decreased data quality, particularly if specifications are not met, e.g., buoyancy, height above water surface, and water exclusion, and
d) increased personnel costs associated with configuring and maintaining alternatives.
The TWDB also adopted and possesses a full suite of In-Situ water quality monitoring and telemetry equipment that is standardized across its coastal monitoring program.
Purchasing the same make and model of equipment is critical because
a) most of these water quality sensors have a defined lifespan and need regular replacement. Most of the sensors initially purchased are nearing the end of their serviceable life span.
b) The TWDB already has a system in place for retrieving and uploading the data for public use based on In-Situs proprietary software and telemetry service.
c) water quality sondes and sensors from different manufacturers are NOT cross compatible with each other
The recommended purchase of the buoys is sole source, because the NexSens CB-650 monitoring buoy and associated equipment is exclusive to Fondriest Environmental, Inc.
The recommended purchase of the In-Situ equipment is direct from the manufacturer itself, In-Situ.
Bryan McMath Executive Administrator
Docusign Envelope ID: 059A5235-B23F-41B4-B486-9C6CA5C35577
| 2025-04-24T05:21:11-0700 | |
| Digitally verifiable PDF exported from www.docusign.com |
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