Sole Source Justification - 098-26-AFWA_abl.pdf

Sole-Source Determination_rev01-31-24 Page 1 of 4

SOLE-SOURCE DETERMINATION AND JUSTIFICATION FOR

SUPPLIES AND SERVICES

Date: 07/28/2026 To: April Brenden-Locke, Designated Procurement Officer, Contract Services, Administrative Services Division

From: Seth Urbanski, Program Manager, Economist-Data Analyst, Directors Office

Luca Wittenberg, Procurement and Contract Specialist 2

RE: Sole Source Determination pursuant to Oregon Revised Statute (ORS) 279B.075 and Oregon Administrative Rule (OAR) 125-247-0275

CSR: 098-26, Buy-In to 2027 USFWS National Survey of Hunting, Fishing, and Wildlife-

Associated Recreation

Part A

1. Authority to enter into a Sole-Source Contract: OAR 125-246-0170(2)(c)(H)

2. Estimated Total Value of the Procurement: $124,000

3. Background:

It is the Agency’s (ODFW) intent to enter into a contract with the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) for the provisioning of collecting and utilizing Oregon state-level data as part of the 2027 USFWS National Survey of Hunting, Fishing, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation (Survey).

The Survey has been conducted since 1955, collecting information on the number of anglers, hunters, and wildlife watchers, how often they participate, and how much they spend on their activities in the United States. The Survey is conducted every 5 years. AFWA partners with the United State Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) on the survey and has contracted the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) to be the sole administrator of the Survey since 2020. Starting with the 2022 Survey, state agencies have been offered the opportunity to “buy-in”, contracting with AFWA for the collection and provision of state-level data as part of the Survey. Under the proposed contract, AFWA’s sub-contractor NORC would administer the 2027 Survey at a state-level in Oregon, conducting additional interviews to gather representative data from Oregon residents on hunting, fishing, and wildlife-watching participation and expenditures.

NORC will provide:

1) a final weighted dataset that includes all Oregon data collected on the 2027 Survey to ODFW no later than October 31, 2028;

2) a report that synthesizes the 2027 Survey findings for a non-technical audience to ODFW no later than October 31, 2028;

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3) an accompanying slide deck that can be used to share results to ODFW no later than October 31, 2028;

4) access to analytic support from researchers at both NORC and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service through December 31, 2028. The estimated cost is $124,000.

The Agency is requesting reconsideration for a Sole Source Procurement with AFWA rather than contracting directly with NORC. States participating in the national survey may contract either through AFWA or with NORC directly. While the Agency initially pursued a contract with NORC, the scope and nature of the changes requested by NORC would require additional review and approval by the Oregon Department of Justice (ODOJ). This added review would introduce significant delays and additional costs to ODFW, making a direct contract with NORC not feasible. AFWA is the only alternative organization through which Oregon can participate in the survey, and therefore the only viable sole-source option.

Contracting through AFWA provides substantial cost and programmatic advantages. Through this partnership, the Agency will receive data from approximately 900 interviews at no cost, in addition to supplemental probability interviews, nonprobability interviews, and licensee interviews. These data deliverables substantially reduce the overall project costs compared to contracting with any other provider for equivalent data collection and analysis.

Furthermore, the Oregon-specific data generated through the 2027 Survey will be uniquely designed for direct comparability with data collected by other states and at the national level, as well as with historical Survey data. This comparability is essential for analyzing wildlife-associated recreation patterns and long-term trends. It will allow ODFW to evaluate Oregon’s performance and participation relative to national benchmarks and to draw meaningful, statistically consistent insights that support policy, program planning, and legislative reporting.

Given the operational efficiencies, cost savings, and critical importance of nationally comparable data, contracting with AFWA represents the only practical and strategically beneficial option for ODFW’s participation in the 2027 Survey.

5. Findings:

A. Market Research Overall Finding.

There are currently no alternative sources for state-level hunting, fishing, and wildlife-associated recreation participation survey data which is both directly comparable across states/at the national level, and which is collected on a regular schedule (every 5 years for the Survey). The Survey is also unique for collecting and reporting representative state-level data on wildlife watching participation rates, participant demographics, and participant expenditures.

The Agency has conducted internet searches for “hunting survey”, “fishing survey”, and “wildlife-watching survey” to identify potential alternatives to contracting with AFWA for the 2027 USFWS National Survey.

The closest alternative yielded by the “hunter survey” and “fishing survey” searches would be the Hunter Survey/Shooter Survey and Angler Survey conducted quarterly by Southwick Associates. Based on the sample “annual reports” provided by Southwick Associates to illustrate their survey

Sole-Source Determination_rev01-31-24 Page 3 of 4 deliverables, the Hunter Survey/Shooter Survey and Angler Survey are sampled/reported at a regional level rather than a state level, wherein Oregon’s data would be aggregated to the “West Region” level which also includes Washington, Idaho, California, Nevada, Alaska, Hawaii, and New Mexico. As such, the Hunter Survey/Shooter Survey and Angler Survey would not be appropriate substitutes for the 2027 USFWS National Survey which would yield representative hunting and fishing participation data specific to Oregon that can then be compared and analyzed relative to neighboring states’ participation and national participation numbers.

The “fishing survey” search also identified the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fishing Effort Survey as a potential alternative; however, the NOAA survey lacks the crucial dimension of collecting participant expenditures data alongside participation and demographics data.

There were no alternatives yielded by the “wildlife-watching survey” search. Gathering data on wildlife watching participation rates, participant demographics, and participant expenditures in Oregon is of particular interest to ODFW. This is because ODFW has a limited capacity to survey and collect data from this user group through in-house surveys given that wildlife watchers are often not represented in the Oregon hunting and fishing license holder databases used for ODFW in-house survey sample selection. The design of the 2027 USFWS National Survey is unique for collecting data on wildlife-watching participation in Oregon.

B. Findings of Fact pursuant to OAR 125-247-0275(2) must include, at a minimum, one of the following:

1. Pursuant to OAR 125-247-0275(2)(a): Compatibility. Provide findings supporting your determination that the efficient utilization of existing goods requires the acquisition of compatible goods or services from only one source.

n/a

2. Pursuant to ORS 279B.075 (2)(b): Exchange of Software or Data. Provide findings supporting your determination that the goods or services required for the exchange of software or data with other public or private agencies are available from only one source.

n/a

3. Pursuant to ORS 279B.075 (2)(c): Pilot or Experimental Project. Provide findings supporting your determination that the goods or services are for use in a pilot or an experimental project.

n/a

4. Pursuant to ORS 279B.075 (2)(d): Other findings that support the conclusion that Supplies and Services are available from only one source may include but are not limited to considerations of:

unique design, availability, geographic location, exclusive authorized representative, cost of conversion, and warranty services.

States participating in the national survey may contract either through AFWA or with NORC directly.

While the Agency initially pursued a contract with NORC, the scope and nature of the changes requested by NORC would require additional review and approval by the Oregon Department of Justice (ODOJ). This added review would introduce significant delays and additional costs to ODFW, making a

Sole-Source Determination_rev01-31-24 Page 4 of 4 direct contract with NORC not feasible. AFWA is the only alternative organization through which Oregon can participate in the survey, and therefore the only viable sole-source option. No other source can provide Oregon-specific, nationally comparable, and regularly collected data on hunting, fishing, and wildlife‑watching participation, demographics, and expenditures. Alternative vendors survey services lack equivalent state‑level, nationally comparable data or the full scope of information needed by the Agency.

Part B - Conditions of Approval will be inserted by ODFW-DPO.

April Brenden-Locke, Contract Services Manager, ODFW Date

7/31/2026