Li-Cor SingleSourceUnderSAT LI-7810.pdf

Template for Single Source or Brand Name Justification under SAT, March 2019

Single Source/Brand Name Justification United States Department of Agriculture

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

1. Identification of the agency and the contracting office.

USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station

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

We need a portable, low energy demand, highly accurate CH4/CO2/H2O analyzer to interface directly with our Li-COR automated gas sampling system. System must also have:

o CH4 detection limit of ≤ 0.1 ppb o Operating temperature range from ≤ -25°C to ≥40° C.

o Low power consumption (≤ 20W steady-state) allowing for portability and use in the field.

o hot swappable lithium ion batteries

3. The rationale or circumstances for limiting competition.

We need to interface the analyzer with our existing LI-COR automated gas sampling system in order to take multiplexed automatic soil gas samples. As it is also built by LI-COR with the explicit intent to interface with our existing system, only the LI-7810 system is uniquely and explicitly designed to interface directly with our existing system. The other analyzers would not function smoothly or properly in the integrated analytical system. The components of the LI-7810 are designed to interface with all of our existing hardware from LI-COR:

o LI-8100a Automated Soil CO2 Flux System o LI-8150 multiplexer o Four LI-8100-104 Long-Term Chambers

For these reasons we request sole source acquisition of the LI-7810.

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

We searched all online resources and scientific literature, and queried colleagues working in the area, for gas analyzers that are portable and analyze for carbon dioxide, methane, and water. Based on our research, there are three portable gas analyzer on the market that analyze gas fluxes of methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2), and water (H2O).

Company Model Price

LI-COR LI-7810 $25,440

Los Gatos Research U-GGA-915 > $40,000 Picarro GasScouter (G4310) $45,700

LI-7810 met all of our specifications and is designed to interface with our existing system.

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

$25,440

6. Recommended source(s).

LI-COR, Inc.

4647 Superior St.

Lincoln, NE 68504 USA Phone: 402-467-3576 U.S. & Canada: 800-447-3576 Fax: 402-467-2819

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.

Insert Name of Program or Technical Personnel Insert Title of Program/Technical Personnel

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.

Insert Name of Contracting Officer Contracting Officer

Erik Lilleskov, Research Ecologist

Notes and Guidance. Delete these Notes prior to finalizing document for signature

For acquisitions greater than the micro-purchase threshold but less than the Simplified Acquisition Threshold (SAT) the Contracting Officer may solicit from one source only if the Contracting Officer determines that the circumstances of the contract action deem only one source reasonably available (e.g., urgency, exclusive licensing agreements, brand name, etc.). Contracting Officers must document the rationale for soliciting from a single source, including brand name in accordance with FAR 13.106- 1(b)(1)(i) and FAR 13.106-3(b)(3)(i).

Program personnel are advised to work with contracting personnel early on in order to promote and provide for full and open competition to the maximum extent practicable. In circumstances permitting other than full and open competition, program personnel shall provide necessary information to contracting personnel to support and document the circumstances limiting competition through the use of this form

Advance planning. Contracting without providing for full and open competition shall not be justified on the basis of (1) a lack of advance planning by the requiring activity or (2) concerns related to the amount of funds available to the agency or activity for the acquisition of supplies or services.

Brand Name. Items peculiar to one manufacturer can be a particular brand name, product, or feature of a product, peculiar to one manufacturer. A brand name item, whether available on one or more schedule contracts, is an item peculiar to one manufacturer. Brand name specifications shall not be used unless the particular brand name, product or feature is essential to the Government’s requirements and market research indicates other companies’ similar products, or products lacking the particular feature, do not meet, or cannot be modified to meet the Agency’s needs.

Posting. When an acquisition contains brand name specifications, the Contracting Officer shall include the justification required by FAR 13.103-1(b) with the solicitation when synopsizing in the GPE (actions exceeding $25,000) or displaying in a public place (actions exceeding $15,000 but not expected to exceed $25,000), as required by FAR 5.102(1)(6).

Screening. Before posting the justification, in accordance with FAR 6.305(e) and 24.202, the Contracting Officer is responsible to redact any information that is exempt from disclosure under Freedom of Information Act or information proprietary to the contractor.

Signatures. After review and completion by the Program Office and Contracting Officer, the Word document shall be converted to an Adobe PDF file and routed for electronic signatures. Signature blocks shall include dates.