FAR 13 Single Source or Brand Name Justification_(CO signed)_Redacted.pdf

United States Department of Agriculture

Limited Source/Brand Name Justification

FAR 13.106-1(b)(1) – Simplified Acquisitions

Solicitation No. 12048924Q0149

1. Identification of the agency and the contracting activity.

Agency - USDA Wallowa Whitman National Forest, Wallowa Mountain Office Range Program at 201 east 2nd Street, Joseph, Oregon; Contracting Activity - Procurement & Property Services (PPS) Special

Projects Operations Center (SPOC) Northwest Branch

2. Description of supply or service required to meet the agency’s needs.

Procure 4 virtual fence base stations that will work with the Vence Corporation collars and base stations that are already in use on cows and in adjacent allotments. Our Permittee on the Saddle Creek Allotment where these 4 base stations will be used holds grazing permits on five adjacent allotments where the same cows from the Saddle Creek Allotment graze for a part of the grazing season. The same 700 cows fitted with Vence corporation collars are grazed on all allotments permitted to the Saddle Creek

Allotment Permittee, Lightning Bolt Cattle Company.

In the fall of 2023 the grazing allotment Permittee of this project area of 6 allotments, Lightning Bolt

Cattle Company, proposed to use a virtual fence for management of their cows on these allotments.

The proposal was for 12 base stations located on National Forest lands. Six base stations were provided by the Permittee, Lighting Bolt Cattle Company, two base stations were provided by Vence

Corporation, and 4 base stations were provided by the Forest Service. In addition to the base stations the Permittee, Lighting Bolt Cattle Company, would pay the annual rent for the collars that are fitted to each adult cow.

Virtual fence is a 3-part system. It is made up of base stations, collars worn by each cow, and software supported by a desktop or mobile device. The base stations are purchased as needed to fit the project based on the number needed to provide service to the project area as affected by aspect, terrain, elevation. Each base station may cover 5,000 to 10,000 acres. The collars are rented annually so that the battery may be replaced and the internal components upgraded as improvements are made. The software is supported by Vence on an existing mobile device or desktop.

3. The rationale or circumstances for limiting competition.

We are procuring these base stations for use on the Saddle Creek Allotment. The adjacent allotments of

Grouseline, Dunn, Blackmore, Marr Flat, and Big Sheep already have Vence/Merck virtual fence base stations in place. In use is 8 base stations and 700 collars. This equipment was provided by the

Permittee, Vence/Merck, and grant funding received by the Permittee, Lightning Bolt Cattle Company.

The same cows will graze on all 6 of these allotments so a system that is the same or compatible across all the allotments is necessary. Because of the management requirements and the durability of equipment additional base stations are required to provide the management intensity necessary to contain cows in the upland and away from the Endangered Species Act listed fish and plants.

The virtual fence base stations need to work with the existing virtual fence already in place and work in remote and rugged terrain with a high amount of durability where there is poor cell phone coverage and no electricity.

The minimum salient characteristics for the virtual fence base towers are below:

• Power must be provided by solar and battery.

• System must work in remote and rugged terrain.

• Requires little or no maintenance because of the remote terrain.

• Base stations must communicate with collars to provide data for cattle location and change of grazing area.

• System must interface with existing collars to ensure continued GPS tracking capabilities, the ability to apply stimuli to influence cattle movement, and maintain battery life of 6 months or greater.

• System must have continued product training, support, and troubleshooting.

4. A description of the market research conducted and the results or a statement of the reason market research was not conducted.

Nofence – Contacted Nofence and compared their product to Vence/Merck. Based on limited cell coverage, mountains, valleys, wetlands, and extensive range area Nofence is not available for this location.

Contacted Gallagher about eShephard. Gallagher did not provide a response at this time. Gallagher were initially contacted February 2024; contacts with Gallagher were held from February - September 2024.

Corral Technologies appears to be a start up that is developing a product but is not available for the requested government location.

5. Estimated price, including all options, if applicable.

Quantity of four (4) base stations. each for a base station. Total estimated cost is .

6. Recommended source(s).

Vence/Merck

Certifications

Supporting data that is the responsibility of technical or requirements personnel and which form the basis for this justification are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge.

Shawn Mork

Resident Management Specialist Forest Service

The information contained in this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief and in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 13.106-1(b)(1), I hereby determine the circumstances described above deem only one source, or limited sources, reasonably available and competition is precluded for the reasons indicated in this document.

Jerry Meeks

Contracting Officer