D.1 Justification and Approvals SnapTrack - Redacted.pdf

UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

MARINE CORPS INSTALLATIONS NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO

3250 CATLIN AVENUE

QUANTIC QUANTICO VIRGINIA 22134 5001

Determination that Only One Source is Reasonably Available (Including Brand Name) – FAR Part 13 Acquisitions under the SAT

MEMORANDUM TO THE FILE

Subj: DETERMINATION THAT ONLY ONE SOURCE IS REASONABLY AVAILABLE FOR A FAR

PART 13 ACQUISITION UNDER THE SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION THRESHOLD

I. BACKGROUND:

1. FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)(i) states for purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold, Contracting Officers may solicit from one source 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 or industrial mobilization).

2. As required by FAR 13.106-3(b)(3)(i), this memorandum explains the absence of competition for this acquisition, as only one source will be solicited for this requirement (or for a portion of the requirement) and the requirement (or portion of the requirement to be sole-sourced) is not expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold.

II. DESCRIPTION OF ITEM OR SERVICE:

The United States Marine Quantico G-6 ISB has a requirement for five (5) SnapTrack 10-watt kit 001-00900-00, a specialized locating devices to support its mission of keeping all infrastructure safe from damage and outages due to construction being performed on QMCB property. These services must have the specialized equipment described herein and all accessories to ensure the safe protection of all communication infrastructure. Item required must be a brand name, product, or feature of a product, particular to one manufacturer to deliver the necessary performance needed to complete this mission requirement.

Rycom is widely recognized as the industry leader in locating devices specialized for the industry. The company provides high-performance locators, field-tested equipment, and specialized instructional training for infrastructure locating equipment tailored to the demands of the needs of the industry.

The Government intends to issue a single Firm Fixed Price (FFP) order with fixed-price award. The required base performance start date is 45 days after date of award.

The total value for this procurement is $, inclusive of all option periods. FY25 Marine Corps Operations and Maintenance (O&M) appropriations will be used to fund the base year of performance as outline in the table below:

FY25 Base O&M $ $

Manufacturer Item Description Quantity Unit Price Extended Price Rally Instruments SnapTrack 10-watt kit 001-00900-00 5 N/A Ground Shipping Charge 1 Total:

V 1.6 (20 December 2023)

III. THE DETERMINATION FOR USE OF OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION IS BASED ON THE FOLLOWING (select all that apply):

A. ___ ONLY ONE RESPONSIBLE SOURCE (select all that apply):

1. ___ RESTRICTIVE RIGHTS. The source has established proprietary rights, limited rights in data, patent rights, copyrights or secret processes in the item or service required.

2. ___ EXCLUSIVE LICENSING AGREEMENTS. The item or service is only available from the

Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), or there is only one authorized distributor or technical representative for the OEM.

3. ___ OTHER REASONS.

B. X BRAND NAME

The United States Marine Corps Base Quantico (MCBQ) G-6 Information Systems Branch (ISB) has an operational requirement for five (5) SnapTrack® 10 Watt Kits (Part No. 001-00900-00), manufactured by Rycom Instruments, Inc. These specialized underground utility locating systems are essential to the G-6 ISB’s mission of safeguarding critical communications infrastructure from accidental damage and service disruption caused by ongoing construction activities across MCBQ property.

Due to the high volume and concurrent nature of construction projects occurring throughout the base, precise and reliable cable location is imperative. The SnapTrack® system provides advanced dual-frequency transmission, fault-locating capabilities, and real-time depth and current measurement—features that are uniquely suited to the complex and varied infrastructure present at MCBQ. This equipment enables G-6 ISB personnel to accurately identify and monitor underground assets, ensuring safe excavation practices by authorized construction crews in accordance with approved work plans.

The SnapTrack® 10 Watt Kit is the only known system that meets the technical and operational requirements of the G-6 ISB, including compatibility with existing accessories and fault-finding probes. Its deployment is a critical component of the base’s infrastructure protection strategy and directly supports the continuity of operations for mission-essential communications.

A comparative evaluation of underground utility locators was conducted to assess suitability for government use.

While alternative models such as the RIDGID SeekTech SR-20 and NaviTrack Scout offer general locating capabilities, they do not meet the specific performance thresholds required by MCBQ G-6 ISB. The SnapTrack® system’s high-power output, dual-frequency operation, and integration with Rycom’ s proprietary accessories make it the only viable solution for this mission.

Feature SnapTRACK® 10 Locator RIDGID SeekTech SR-20 RIDGID NaviTrack Scout

Transmitter Power 10 watts (high power for deep locates) 5 watts (with ST-305 transmitter) No separate transmitter; uses

SeeSnake sonde

Frequency Range 512 Hz to 480 kHz (wide, flexible)

10 Hz to 35 kHz (limited but sufficient)

Optimized for sonde locating;

fewer active freqs

Signal Modes Active, Passive, Fault locating Active, Passive, Sonde Sonde and energized line locating only

Depth Capability Up to 25 feet; through cast iron Up to 15 feet typical ~12 feet typical; continuous depth readout

V 1.6 (20 December 2023)

Feature SnapTRACK® 10 Locator RIDGID SeekTech SR-20 RIDGID NaviTrack Scout

Display Interface Backlit digital with signal strength meter

Visual mapping display with directional cues Simple signal strength display

Antenna Technology Standard directional antennas Omnidirectional + gradient antennas Omnidirectional antennas

Interoperability Proprietary to Rycom Instruments Integrates with SeeSnake cameras and ST transmitters

Designed for SeeSnake sonde locating

Procurement Availability

May require brand-name or sole-source justification

Commonly available via GSA Advantage

Also available via GSA; lower cost option

Best Use Case Deep utility locates, fault detection

Utility line tracing, mapping, SeeSnake integration

Sonde locating, plumbing inspections

Based on the unique technical capabilities, proven reliability, and compatibility with mission-critical operations, the SnapTrack® 10 Watt Kit (001-00900-00) by Rycom Instruments is the only known equipment that meets the specific requirements of the MCBQ G-6 ISB. Its use is essential to ensure the safe and accurate identification of underground infrastructure during high-volume construction activity across Marine Corps Base Quantico. This equipment directly supports the Marine Corps’ infrastructure protection strategy, enabling safe excavation and uninterrupted communications. Substituting alternative products would introduce unacceptable risk to mission continuity, increase training and integration costs, and compromise the effectiveness of infrastructure safeguarding operations. Therefore, it is in the best interest of the government to authorize this brand-name acquisition to fulfill the stated mission requirements without compromise.

C. ___URGENT AND COMPELLING. The supplies or services are of such unusual and compelling urgency that the Government would be seriously injured unless the agency is permitted to limit the number of sources from which it solicits bids or proposals. Urgent requirements are supplies or services that will result in a work stoppage or are mission critical and the routine processing time would result in injury to the Government. The determination that the procurement for the above item/service is an urgent and compelling requirement is based on the following:

1. Date on which the requirement was first identified:

2. Required delivery date/period of performance:

3. Explanation of why delivery/commencement of services by the date mentioned above is required:

The total value for this procurement is $, inclusive of all option periods. FY25 Marine Corps Operations and Maintenance (O&M) appropriations will be used to fund the base year of performance as outline in the table below: