Single Source (24-333) Redacted.pdf

Version 2.0 19Aug2020

SINGLE SOURCE DETERMINATION USING

SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION PROCEDURES (SAP)

FOR AN ACTION NOT EXCEEDING THE SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION THRESHOLD (AUTHORITY:

FAR 13.106-1(b)(1))

PR#: 143031-24-0165

1. Agency and contracting activity. Department of Commerce, NOAA Acquisition and Grants Office (AGO),MB Field Delegate and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC), Population and Ecosystem Monitoring (PEM) Division, Oceanic and Coastal Pelagics (OCP) Branch.

2. Description of supplies or services required to meet agency needs (including the estimated value). The purpose of the proposed work is to utilize unoccupied aircraft systems to search for and detect manta rays in the coastal waters around the West Delta and Southeast Pass of the Mississippi River in Louisiana and to deploy satellite tags on said mantas for habitat use, movement, and connectivity studies. Due to the nature of these areas, flights will be performed from a small shallow draft vessel. The SEFSC requires contractor research vessel charter and support services. The contractor shall provide a shallow draft vessel capable of navigating the shallow coastal waters characteristic of the areas detailed above. This vessel must have ample room for all scientists and gear, an open bow for deployment and catch of UAS, and a captain knowledgeable of the environment and the species, particularly knowledge of the specific areas in which they are usually found at different times of the year. The vessel must not be a commercial fishing vessel, as the government will not perform fishing activities. In addition, the vessel operator needs to be well acquainted with the general area and the specific areas where the manta rays are prevalent during particular times of the year. The base period of performance (POP) for this work will be from September 1st, 2024, through August 31st, 2025. The charter will be for 5 days of operation, with an optional five additional days dependent on the availability of funding, during the base period.

Depending on the weather, the trips will likely occur in early to mid-September but possibly in October/November. The optional days during the base period would be at a yet to be determined time, either in October/November 2024 or the following Spring, possibly April/May 2025. The requirement includes two option years, with up to 10 days of operation per performance period.

Option year 1 Period of performance is September 1st, 2025 – August 31st, 2026, and Option year 2 is September 1st, 2026 – August 31st, 2027. We intend to award a firm-fixed price purchase order to the vendor described below. The total estimated value with all options will be approximately $60,000.00.

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

Fisheries Research Support Brett Falterman brett@fishresearchsupport.com 504-430-9851

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

□ Other - Only one source is capable – While many fishing charters exist in the region, Fisheries Research Support is, to our knowledge, the only known research-specific charter operation. The owner/operator is familiar with the areas we need to access as well as the seasonality and behavior of the mantas inhabiting these areas. He has regularly communicated sightings of manta rays during his trips to the region to the PI over the past several years. In addition, one of the vessels he operates, a thirty-foot center console, is ideally suited to haul all of our gear and personnel and still provide a suitable platform for operations. Based on our experience, the platform this vendor provides is ideal for these operations. In addition, the vendor’s knowledge of the area and the animal’s behavior in this area was integral to our successful tag deployments last year. Our recent market research still indicates that there are no known charter operations in the region that embody all of these necessary requirements. Failure to use the recommended vendor would hamper the operations as the new vendor would require significant training in operations and may not have the level of knowledge of the area and species required. So there may be a significant learning curve that would delay operations and decrease productivity during operations.

5. Market Research.

Using updated searches of the internet and SAM to locate additional research (not fishing) charters that are local to the area and fit the conditions described in the background section, no suitable alternatives to the potential source named above could be identified. Although LUMCON (see attached internet search results) has several small vessels that would be appropriate to the work, the vessels would either have to be operated by ourselves, which requires training and certification, or would require hiring of one of LUMCON’s operators. LUMCON’s operators would not necessarily come with the detailed knowledge of the area/fauna required to make the best, most productive use of the limited time allowed for field operations. Furthermore, these operators would likely require training in uncrewed aircraft systems deployment and operations, costing limited and valuable time.

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.

sssss ___ss__________________________________ ________________

Christian Jones / Date Research Fisheries Biologist, SEFSC

SEFSC Deputy Director for Science and Operations / Date

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.

_xxx____________ Contracting Officer/Date