SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION.docx

SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION

For purchases made under FAR Part 13, Simplified Acquisition Procedures (Under $250,000)

Name and Location of the organization making the purchase:

Federal Highway Administration Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division 21400 Ridgetop Circle Sterling, VA 20166

Describe supplies and/or services being procured:

Acquisition and installation of 13 bicycle/pedestrian counters at a group of eight (8) national wildlife refuge units of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the states of Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia. The locations of these eight (8) national wildlife refuges and the number of bicycle/pedestrian counters to be installed at each refuge unit are described on the attached table.

Name and Contact Information of Required Source:

Eco-Counter 604-3981 Boul. Saint-Laurent Montreal, Quebec H2W 1Y5, Canada

Rationale supporting the sole source acquisition (Authority under FAR 13.106-1(b)) Since 1998, Eco-Counter has provided counters to over 50 countries and in 49 U.S. states. They are leaders in designing, developing, and manufacturing pedestrian, cyclist, and automobile counters for parks and natural areas. Eco-Counter has the widest equipment range and longest track record in our field. Their systems have been thoroughly tested by multiple organizations such as Texas A&M, Portland State University, Minnesota DOT, North Carolina DOT, and TRB (NCHRP 797).

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), in collaboration with the Federal Highway Administration – Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division, would benefit from several unique advantages by selecting Eco-Counter as a sole source supplier for pedestrian and cyclist counting systems:

• A range of counting solutions to adapt to the current and future needs of the FWS in wildlife refuge sites including the possibility of data studies if desired

• Counters are rigorously tested in extreme climates over multiple years

• A user-friendly software program designed specifically for the analysis of wildlife refuge unit visitation data is provided for free, with the ability to freely share data with other agencies

• Twenty years of experience counting site visitors with clients such as the Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, Parks Canada, and many state and national park organizations across the United States including agencies in the states of New York, Maryland, Delaware, Oregon, Texas, and Arkansas. Eco-Counter also works with other state agencies throughout the northeastern states of the Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division region such as Virginia DOT, MassDOT, and the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey.

• Key partner to organizations like the National Pedestrian and Bicycle Documentation Project, the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, the Trans Canada Trail, and American Trails Should the FWS count program under guidance of FHWA-EFLHD expand in the coming years, Eco-Counter will be able to provide a range of mobile counting systems, cyclist counters, and horseback rider counters, giving the FWS the ability to use a variety of technologies on a single platform. The PYRO infrared sensor will count all trail users. ZELT inductive loops can be used to count cyclists or even vehicles on park roads. MULTI counters can combine sensors to distinguish between pedestrians and cyclists. It is important to note that direction of travel will also be recorded for both pedestrians and cyclists – a key element in understanding the recreational trends of a park.

These counters are designed to be versatile, autonomous, discrete, and rugged. In addition, the counters have a 2 or 10-year autonomy, wireless connectivity (Bluetooth and Cellular), water-proof housing (IP 66 or IP 68), and the ability to provide accurate counts in both urban and rural areas. Eco-Counter offers the capability to send data via cellular network, sending the data to Eco-Visio daily with no need to send a technician or ranger to the site to download data. Additionally, the FWS can be alerted when unusual data is detected if desired. No other company can meet these standards of reliability, longevity, or ease of use.

All Eco-Counter systems are compatible with the Eco-Visio online data analysis software. This web software is included with all our counters at no extra cost. Eco-Counter provides free training on request for all hardware and software and offers a designated training session with FWS, FHWA-EFLHD and refuge staff for the installation and use of software.

Below is a summary of Eco-Counter’s technology information:

PYRO range: PYRO-Box and PYRO-Sensor in a recycled plastic or wooden post or custom housing:

A great permanent or temporary pedestrian and cyclist counter; commonly used on trails. This unit is self-contained, easy to install, and blends in well with the natural environment. The standard model has a 15-foot movement detection range. The battery life for the counter is up to 10 years and is compatible with the Eco-Visio Web Service. The sensor is housed within the PYRO-Box, a wooden post, or a recycled plastic post.

Eco-Visio software:

Our proprietary online platform dedicated to bike & pedestrian data, Eco-Visio, allows for movement data collected by a fleet of counters to be compiled and analyzed down to the hourly or 15-minute intervals. The Eco-Visio platform makes it possible to easily customize dashboards and share data with different jurisdictions thanks to the ability to create numerous user accounts with different rights and workspaces. It is also possible to share data across accounts with the multiple other jurisdictions using Eco-Counter products and services. In addition, our software can superimpose weather data on top of pedestrian and cyclist data to integrate weather indicators into your analyses.

Eco-Counter Inc. is the sole source provider for these products in the USA and does not sell through any third-party dealers or distributors.