Sole Source Justification signed by CO.pdf
PDF 74 KB Posted
- Attached to
- Satellite and Cell Air Quality Modems Federal contract opportunity
- Solicitation number
- 127EAS23Q0092
- Issued by
- Department of Agriculture Forest Service
About this file
This document is a sole source justification signed by a contracting officer for the Forest Service. It seeks to purchase new iridium and cell modems from Oceaneering Inc. to communicate air quality data from environmental beta attenuation monitors to a website maintained by Oceaneering. The monitors use software and modems developed by Oceaneering to transmit data via satellite communication, which is necessary due to remote monitor locations. The modems are not compatible with other systems. Developing a new system with another vendor would require a new website and modems, and render the current ones obsolete. Potential competitors lack specialized knowledge of the monitors and communication software. The Forest Service has tried annually to find alternative data transfer methods but none have been identified. The contracting officer determined only Oceaneering can fulfill the requirement due to the existing system.
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Other files for this federal contract opportunity
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| 127EAS23Q0092 1449 Modems.pdf | ||
| 127EAS23Q0092 RFQ Commercial Supplies Satellite and Cell Air Quality Modems.pdf |
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Text version
SOLE SOURCE or BRAND NAME JUSTIFICATION (FAR 13 Under the SAT)
1. DESCRIPTION OF THE SUPPLIES/SERVICES REQUIRED
The air quality monitors Environmental beta attenuation monitor (EBAM) have software that communicates with the iridium and cell modems used by Oceaneering Inc. Oceaneering Inc., which provides a real time uplink to a website maintained by them, along with data transfer to the FS airfire website and EPA air now.
Summary of our needs:
1. Purchase new modems for the EBAM-WF
2. JUSTIFICATION FOR SOLICITING FROM A SINGLE SOURCE or FOR A BRAND NAME
The iridium and cell modems used and developed by Oceaneering Inc., have the software to communicate with our monitors EBAMs. The data from the monitors is capture by the iridium modems and sent to a website established by Oceaneering Inc. The website is set to receive data only from the iridium and cell modems and provide information about the air quality in a community affected by smoke. We have worked with Oceaneering Inc., in the past. Oceaneering Inc., were the ones that established the website used by our monitors to transmit the data using iridium modems developed by Oceaneering Inc.
The iridium and modems were designed and manufactured by Oceaneering Inc. The airtime is a recurring cost for use of the satellites and cell data transfer. Satellite communication is necessary for sites because of the remote locations often used for smoke monitoring by the FS. The modems are not compatible with other communication systems. Therefore, to obtain the air quality data used for our smoke management program would require another source to design and manufacture a new system and make the current modems obsolete.
Also, Oceaneering Inc., has already developed the hardware for an iridium/cell trimode AQEB system for EBAM-WF. This system allows us to measure three sensors, the PM, ozone and CO.
3. EFFORTS TO OBTAIN COMPETITION
Potential vendors for this work need specialized knowledge of these air quality monitors (EBAMs) and the software needed to communicate with the website that is already established to receive the data from these monitors and modems. If another vendor is found, then we would have to pay for a new website and new modems that will need to be compatible with our monitors.
4. STEPS TO PRECLUDE FUTURE SINGLE SOURCE (or BRAND NAME) AWARDS We have tried to look for other ways to have our data be transferred but have not found a different way but we look every year for something different. So, because Oceaneering Inc. modems are used by the FS national smoke management program along with all other regions. These units are also the product of choice with other agencies and partners in smoke monitoring including the EPA, NPS, California Air Resource Board (CARB), and all the air districts in CA.
5. CONTRACTING OFFICER’S DETERMINATION
I have determined, in accordance with FAR 13.106-1(b) that the circumstances of this contract action deem only a single source is available for the required services.
Requesting Office: R5 Regional Air Quality
NAME: Guadalupe Amezquita Title: Air Resource Specialist
Concur/Does Not Concur:
NAME
Contracting Officer
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