Redacted_Brand_Name_Determination_Using_FAR_part_13_(24-171).pdf

Version 2.0 19Aug2020

BRAND NAME DETERMINATION USING

SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION PROCEDURES (SAP)

FOR AN ACTION NOT EXCEEDING THE SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION THRESHOLD

(AUTHORITY: FAR 13.106-1(b)(1))

(REQ 143031-24-0100 )

1. Agency and contracting activity. Department of Commerce, Field Delegate and NMFS

SEFSC

2. Description of supplies or services required to meet agency needs (including the estimated value).

Underwater acoustic high-precision tracking systems are required to observe movement and log position of paired, underwater research platforms in relation to each other. The required tracking system is an ultra-short-baseline (USBL) that uses paired receivers and beacons to georeference their positions. Requirements are listed below.

● Shall include two small beacons to allow for two platforms to be georeferenced in relation to each other

● Shall be capable of logging compass heading, roll, pitch, and depth of a platform in real-time and logged on software interface

● Shall allow user to view basemaps for situational awareness and monitoring of platform movements

● Data must be in a format to allow for use in other software packages

● Must provide 1000 m horizontal and 1000 m vertical detection range

● Must have depth rating up to 2000 m

● Must have less than 0.1 m range accuracy and less than 2 degree angle accuracy

● Beacons must be compact and report heading, depth, and altitude to surface receiver modem

● Beacon size must be less than 6 inches in length for integration

● Estimated value is $11,500 per unit

Altimeters measure the range of research platforms to hard surfaces and the seafloor.

Altimeters are essential components of CTD profilers and are required to successfully profile water column properties that feed into the calibration and data analysis process. Requirements are listed below.

● Shall have an operational range of 0.1m to 100m

● Shall have a resolution of 1mm

● Shall be self contained and configurable with SeaBird CTD profilers

● Shall meet the requirements and recommendation of OMAO standard operating procedures

● Data streams must be capturable with existing systems on NOAA small boats

● Estimated value is $3,900 per unit

Total estimated value of the firm-fixed price Base and Optional Quantities order is $91,404.00 https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ERcVdQzrrHDwcZSxE1DOa3RizWSXXgQW&usp=drive_copy

143031-24-0100

These base quan��es of 2 Blueprints and 3 Valeports are to be included in a feasibility test during the ini�al period of a 5-year contract which includes addi�onal op�onal CLINs for the acquisi�on of up to four USBLs and three Al�meter systems ( FAR 52.217.7) .

3. Identification of the single source or the brand name to be solicited.

Blueprint Subsea SeaTrac Standard System USBLs part number BP00902 Blueprint Subsea Clock Tower Business Center Low Wood, Ulverston, Cumbria, LA12 8LY, United Kingdom

Valeport Altimeters part number 0430003-SBE1 Valeport Ltd St. Peters Quay Totnes TQ9 5EW United Kingdom +44 1803 869292 sales@valeport.co.uk

4. Supporting rationale. Only one source or brand name is reasonably available as detailed below:

□ Brand Name – This particular brand name is essential to the requirement and market research indicates similar products do not meet or cannot be modified to meet agency needs.

o Market research has indicated Blueprint Subsea Seatrac Navigation system is the only system that fulfills mission requirements including:

- 1000m horizontal and 1000m vertical range detection

- Less than 0.1m range accuracy and less than 2 degree angle accuracy

- Beacon reports heading, depth, attitude to surface receiver modem

- Software user interface compatible with existing software and equipment

- 2000m depth rating; compact and less than 6 inch beacon

- Compatible with existing engineering at NOAA o Market research has indicated that Valeport VA500 500kHz Altimeters is the only system that fulfills mission requirements including:

▪ Shall have an operational range of 0.1m to 100m

▪ Shall have a resolution of 1mm

▪ Shall be self contained and configurable with SeaBird CTD profilers

▪ Shall meet the requirements and recommendation of OMAO standard operating procedures

▪ Data streams must be capturable with existing systems on NOAA small boats

□ Compatibility to existing systems or equipment - The required supplies must be compatible in all aspects (form, fit, and function) with existing systems or equipment, and the source is uniquely qualified to meet the requirement.

o SEFSC currently has a collaboration with Florida International University in order to facilitate the incorporation of Blueprint Subsea SeaTrac Navigation systems into video-acoustic mooring platforms. Additionally, collaborators within NMFS have incorporated these systems within remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), which are the same ROVs that will be a part of this project and future work.

Extensive engineering time has already been dedicated to this effort. Thus, the selection of Blueprint Subsea SeaTrac as a brand will reduce the time-associated costs of engineering the incorporation of other systems which do not fulfill the criteria listed above in section 2. The institutional knowledge and compatibility with existing systems is essential to ensure comparable results are generated.

The current project is funded with IRA-Red Snapper funds which are supplemental funds set to expire in upcoming fiscal years. The project is mandated to classify red snapper in underwater imaging sonar and active acoustic data to improve our ability to survey red snapper abundances in low visibility habitats. Currently, these habitats are considered data poor, thereby limiting our ability to effectively estimate abundances and reduce uncertainty in stock assessments of red snapper. Given the institutional and scientific record of Blueprint Subsea SeaTrac, the inclusion of these instruments is deemed necessary to georeference numerous instruments co-deployed as part of this project. The exclusion of this brand in this project will hinder the project from achieving its goals in a timely fashion and therefore might not be able to advance our surveys of red snapper in challenging environments within the timeframe of this project, which will cascade upwards by reducing our certainty in estimates of red snapper biomass and limit data available to resource managers.

o Valeport VA500 500kHz Altimeters are recommended for research vessels by NOAA OMAO and are currently utilized on NOAA research vessels. As the methods for data collection, data storage, and data processing have been established within NOAA at a national level, the selection of Valeport VA500 500kHz as a brand name is essential to mitigate variation from NOAA standard operating procedures and ensure data compatibility across NOAA’s fleet of research vessels, both large and small.

5. Market Research.

USBLs

We have consulted the researchers of NOAA who work with the integration of tracking systems, including ultra-short-baseline (USBL) underwater acoustic tracking systems, GPS tracking systems. The SeaTrac Blueprint USBL systems were identified as the most appropriate technology to meet our requirements. Web-based market research was used to determine any additional manufacturers of USBL systems. Other manufacturers were discovered, but market research indicated deviations from strict requirements and specifications. The following two other manufacturers of similar systems were found:

Tritech MicroNav USBL. Size permits integration. Vertical range does not meet requirements at 150 meters and accuracy is greater than 0.1meter.

Tracklink 1500LC USBL. Beacon exceeds 8 inches and cannot be integrated into our systems.

Therefore, Blueprint systems were identified as the only system capable of meeting strict requirements and specifications for incorporation into research platforms and expected uses.

Altimeters

We have consulted the researchers of NOAA who work with the integration of altimeter systems on CTD profilers. The Valeport VA500 500kHz systems were identified as the most appropriate technology to meet our requirements and align with the recommendations of OMAO.

USBLS

Blueprint Subsea Seatrac systems are sold in the US by:

Cardinal Point Captains 5005 Texas Street Unit 104 San Diego, CA 92108 USA Alex.Dowell@CPCperforms.com

Subsea 2020 2503 4 th Ave N Seattle WA. 98109 eric@subsea2020.com

Valeport systems are sold in the US by:

Telestra Technologies mailto:eric@subsea2020.com

1775 Westborough Drive, Suite B Katy TX 77449 USA Contact : Alan Craig Phone : (+1) 832 793 0604 Web : http://www.telestratechnologies.com/

SUBSEA 20/20 Inc.

2503 4th Avenue North Seattle 98109 Washington USA Contact : SUBSEA 20/20 Inc.

Phone : (+1) 206 963 6369 Web : https://www.subsea2020.com/ eric@subsea2020.com

Seatronics Inc 1319 West Sam Houston Parkway Houston Texas, 77043 USA Contact : Conway Thibodeaux Phone : (+1) 713 464 3311 Web : https://seatronics-group.com/

Oceanographic & Geophysical Instruments 1 Magnusson Ct Sandwich Massachusetts MA 02537 USA Contact : Paul Igo Phone : +1 508 888 4510 Web : http://www.oginstruments.com/

Ocean Marine Industries, Inc.

2810 Hudson Street Chesapeake Virginia 23324 USA Contact : Summer Dorsey Phone : (+1) 757 382 7616 Web : https://www.oceanmarineinc.com/

Seafloor Systems Inc 4475 Golden Foothill Pkwy El Dorado Hills CA 95762 USA Contact : Noah Williams Phone : (+1) 530 677 1019 Web : https://www.seafloorsystems.com/

Measutronics Corporation 4020 Kidron Road http://www.telestratechnologies.com/ https://www.subsea2020.com/ mailto:eric@subsea2020.com https://seatronics-group.com/ http://www.oginstruments.com/ https://www.oceanmarineinc.com/ https://www.seafloorsystems.com/

Suite #9 Lakeland FL 33811 USA Contact : Lou Nash Phone : (+1) 863 644 8712 Web : http://measutronics.com/

6. Technical/Requirements Representative Certification

I certify that this requirement constitutes the Government’s minimum needs and the supporting data provided herein is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Timothy Rowell Date Supervisory Fish Biologist

7. Determination I hereby determine that the circumstances of this action deem only one source is reasonably available. This determination is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Shawana Randolph Date Contracting Officer http://measutronics.com/