Redacted SSJ.pdf

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SOLE SOURCE

FOR AN ACTION EXCEEDING THE SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION THRESHOLD

USING SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURES FOR CERTAIN COMMERCIAL ITEMS

(AUTHORITY: FAR 13.501(a), 41 U.S.C. 1901)

PR#: NM-AN0000-23-00924

1. Agency and contracting activity. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration (NOAA) Acquisition and Grants Office (AGO), Eastern Acquisition Division and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC).

2. Nature and/or description of the action being approved.

The government anticipates the solicitation and award of a firm fixed price type contract to the following vendor:

Advanced Navigation Corp

North America Office (UEI# E61DPJCMGHH7) 863.777.0224 1420 Kettner Blvd, Suite #100 San Diego CA 92101 United States

3. Description of supplies or services required to meet the agency’s needs (including the total estimated value).

As mandated by the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000, and its recent reauthorization in the 2022 Omnibus bill, NOAA is required to assess the status and trends of US Coral Reef Ecosystems under the National Coral Reef Monitoring Program. For the 20-year history of this legislatively mandated, long-term marine resource survey, we have performed our benthic assessments relying on highly trained ecologists scuba diving in the field. This manner of survey requires many months of fieldwork, and is dependent on the availability of NOAA research vessels in the pacific region. Over the past 5 years, we have managed a technology transfer to generate our benthic data from benthic imaging technology, but have still been relying on scuba divers to collect the imagery. By successfully transitioning to autonomous underwater vehicles, we expect to provide efficiency and flexibility to fulfill the mandated mission using less NOAA research vessel time.

This requirement includes data acquisition, and processing services, as well as marine equipment to conduct, and evaluate the effectiveness of, benthic surveys of coral reef habitat using an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) in Hawaii and Florida habitats. The Base Year services will consist of the Hawaii Field Trials conducted in the near-shore waters of Oahu, Hawaii. The contractor will conduct no less than ten (10) operational days within a 14 day window. Also in the base year, there will be an additional option to purchase separately priced items and equipment.

Option Year One (1) will consist of a follow-on 14-day mission returning to Hawaii and an additional 14-day mission in Florida, where the contractor will conduct not less than ten (10) operational days at each location within a prospective 14-day window. Option Year One (1) will also consist of an option to purchased separately price items and equipment. Option Year Two (2) will consist of the options to purchase additional equipment for continued utilization supporting this program. After operational days are conducted in the Base Year and Option Year One (1) the reminder of the option year will consist of compiling collected information, shipping of data and equipment as well as analyzing the data collected.

A set of field challenges will directly test the underwater drone’s ability to address situations common to imagery collection for coral reef monitoring including image quality, color balancing, vehicle velocity during image acquisition, operational endurance (as # of sites/day), ability to resist ocean currents, scale accuracy of resultant models, orientation, and geo-localization. Each element will be evaluated by comparison to NOAA’s existing diver-generated imagery collection and data products. The field work aims to simulate multiple days of operational benthic National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) surveys in both Hawaii and Florida using the AUV. The team will revisit multiple, existing, geo-located NCRMP survey belts (4x20m) and fixed plots (12 m diameter circles) to test the AUV’s ability to maintain multiple days of field effort, and to directly compare the AUV’s imagery to diver-collected imagery of the exact same plots. The effort will focus on evaluating the AUV in terms of operational efficiency and endurance (# sites/per day, failure rates, etc), individual image quality (white balance, focus, resolution), quality of resulting point clouds, orthomosaics, and digital elevation models, and accuracy of scaling, orientation, and geo-location.

The Base Year will consist of a period of performance of July 6, 2023 - July 5, 2024, with three (3) Option Years following and an ultimate end date of July 5, 2027, should all options be exercised.

The total estimated value of this requirement is $740,068.00, including all options.

4. Statutory authority permitting the sole source (including brand name) acquisition.

X 41 U.S.C. 1901, using SAP up to $7.5M as authorized by FAR 13.500(a) and implemented by

FAR 13.501(a).

41 U.S.C. 1903, using SAP up to $15M for contingency operations as authorized by FAR 13.500(c) and implemented by FAR 13.501(a).

5. Demonstration that the proposed contractor’s unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited. The contracting officer has determined the following circumstances justify the use of a sole source as supported below:

Only one source - The Hydrus AUV, manufactured by Advanced Navigation, is uniquely positioned to provide the highly specialized technical capabilities necessary to assess and monitor coral reef habitats using photogrammetric techniques and is compatible with the logistical constraints of the NCRMP as implemented in the Pacific.

The Hydrus AUV is the only AUV on the market capable of meeting the required minimum specifications of an operating depth of 300 meters while also having the ability to acquire 4K resolution videos. The Hydrus is also equipped with low light cameras, and has the ability to provide positional data for research and deployment purposes. The Hydrus’ ability to support connector-less charging, and the ability to be carried and deployed by a single person also meets the required minimum specifications. The single person deployment capability of the Hydrus is imperative to this requirement as it enables this technology to support small “fly in” teams with only

Austin.Salmon Sticky Note Accepted set by Austin.Salmon

Austin.Salmon Sticky Note None set by Austin.Salmon small boat support, without special shipping and launching of a full team using either a ship-based crane or truck and boat trailer. The program has spent the last five (5) years cross calibrating their photogrammetry process to provide the same quality data as a human diver making real-time observations. The Hydrus AUV meets this requirement by being able to take imagery at 0.70 meters from the substrate. Due to work primarily occurring all day, and in small boats, with splashing salt water, rain and other acts of nature - any unit’s capabilities in both battery life and data storage will be tested past its abilities. By having connector-less charging and data transfer it allows units to be recharged and transfer data without being exposed to those conditions. The Hyrdus allows for charging and data transfer without physical connectors. The Hydrus is also rated to 300 meter survey depths; this extended range of the Hydrus allows surveys to be conducted on mesopthotic coral reef ecosystems that run at least 150 meters as well as surveying in closer proximity to bottom fish that can extend to 300 meters.

Failure to transition successfully to this technology, given increasing limitations on NOAA research vessel seatime, presents a real potential of failure to execute the entirety of the mandated survey in the years to come and will impact the long term efficiency of NOAAs coral reef monitoring efforts in the Pacific.

6. Description of efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as practicable, including whether a notice was or will be publicized as required by FAR Subpart 5.2 and, if not, which exception under FAR 5.202 applies.

As detailed above, market research and the responses to the Sources Sought revealed the Hydrus AUV, manufactured and sold by Advanced Navigation, is the only AUV within the industry capable of meeting all required minimum specifications. The Hydrus AUV is proprietary to Advanced Navigation and there are no authorized small business resellers or service providers. In addition, the data collected by the Hydrus AUV is proprietary to Advanced Navigation The instant requirement is for a brand specific supply that can only be procured through a single source, the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), therefore; as required by FAR Subpart 5.2 Synopsis of Proposed Contract Actions, an approved and redacted copy of the this SSJ will be posted to the Government Point of Entry (GPE), SAM.gov, 14 days after award for 30 days per FAR 13.501(a)(1)(iii).

7. Determination by the contracting officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable.

The Contracting Officer will determine the anticipated cost to the Government as fair and reasonable in accordance with FAR 13.106-3(a)(2)(ii), Comparison of the proposed price with prices found reasonable on previous purchases, and FAR 13.106-3(a)(2)(vi), Comparison to an independent Government estimate.

8. Description of the market research conducted (see Part 10) and the results or a statement of the reason market research was not conducted.

Market research was conducted to identify AUV manufacturers whose product met the required minimum specification through conversations with the requirement’s technical experts, review of previous purchases for similar items, and a Sources Sought Notice posted to the government wide point of entry, SAM.gov. Research revealed the Hydrus AUV, manufactured and sold by Advanced Navigation, is the only AUV on the market capable of meeting the required minimum specifications. The Triton AUV, manufactured and sold by IBSS, did not meet the required minimum specifications in multiple areas. The Triton does not have the ability to support connector-less charging and data transfer without a second AUV, and an associated additional cost for each data transfer occurrence. The Triton AUV also does not have the capability to be carried and deployed by a single person. For the above reasons, the Hydrus AUV is the only AUV product capable of meeting the minimum required specifications.

9. Any other facts supporting the use of a sole source (including brand name), such as:

There are no additional facts or information in addition to those listed in Section 5 herein.

10. List of the sources that expressed a written interest in the acquisition.

Two (2) vendors provided capability statements in response to the Sources Sought Notice posted to SAM.gov, IBSS and Advanced Navigation. OMAO Technical Experts examined both responses and determined the Hydrus AUV, manufactured and sold by Advanced Navigation, was the only vendor that produced a product that met the required minimum specifications. This analysis is document in the attached Appendix I - Sources Sought Evaluation of Reponses.

11. A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services required.

The Government will continue to monitor the market and evaluate new technologies and new AUVs available within the industry, as well as continue to post publically available Sources Sought Notices for future similar requirements, inclusive of the required capabilities, to ensure a thorough review of any new market entrants.

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12. 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.

Date

PaTrina Gregory Contracting Officer’s Representative

13. Office of General Counsel Concurrence

Concur

Rebecca Jacobsen Date Office of General Counsel

14. Contracting Officer’s Certification and Approval I certify this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Approve

Jennifer Peters Date Contracting Officer