VEMCO_Brand_Name_Justification.pdf

BRAND NAME JUSTIFICATION

1. Contracting Agency and Activity. The Department of the Interior, United States Geological Survey plans to contract by means other than full and open competition. This document sets forth the justification and approval for award of brand name Innovasea acoustic telemetry equipment on a limited source basis as required by FAR 13.106-1.

2. Nature of Action Being Approved. Firm Fixed Price award for purchase of Telemetry Equipment manufactured from Innovasea Vemco.

3. Description of Supplies or Services. U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center requires acoustic transmitting tags and receivers for ongoing, multi-agency telemetry studies with Asian carp and native species in the Illinois River, Mississippi River, Tennessee River, and Cumberland River. Effective telemetry systems are required to monitor behavior around a deterrent and at locks and dams.

4. Statutory Authority. The proposed action may be awarded through a Brand Name Justification in accordance with FAR 13.106-1.

5. Rationale Supporting Use of Citation in No. 5. The USGS Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (UMESC) is partnering with a number of federal and state agencies and universities (including the US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Army Corps of Engineers, MO Dept. of Conservation, Southern Illinois University, Tennessee Tech University. Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Tennessee Valley Authority, and Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife) to monitor the behavior of invasive Asian carp in the Mississippi, Illinois, Cumberland, Tennessee, and Ohio Rivers, and also the Great Lakes Acoustic Telemetry Observation System (GLATOS). To date, these partner agencies have invested several million dollars in Innovasea telemetry equipment to address this task. This investment has resulted in a telemetry monitoring network of Vemco telemetry receivers that cover most of the lengths of these large river systems (Illinois, Mississippi, Cumberland, Tennessee, and Ohio Rivers) and includes hundreds of fish implanted with Vemco transmitters that are currently being monitored by this network. It is imperative that the supplies referenced in Paragraph 3 integrate seamlessly with the existing network of Innovasea HTI-Vemco telemetry equipment in the rivers and GLATOS. Innovasea telemetry receivers and transmitters used in the existing network use proprietary coding of the transmitter signal to communicate important data (e.g., individual fish identification, sensor information). Whereas, equipment manufactured by other vendors can detect or be detected by the existing Innovasea network, critical information contained in the transmitter signal (e.g., individual fish identification) cannot be decoded by the existing Innovasea network and therefore cannot meet study objectives. No other vendor can supply telemetry equipment compatible with the existing Innovasea equipment network. In addition, equipment will be used with Innovasea receivers supplied by the US Army Corps of Engineers to monitor the use of deterrent techniques (i.e., complex sound) for efficacy at Brandon Road Lock and Lock and Dam 19. We intend to make use of the existing Innovasea telemetry network in order to meet the objectives of the funded study.

UMESC requires the additional telemetry equipment (i.e., ultrasonic telemetry receivers, hydrophones and transmitters) specified above in Paragraph 3 in order to successfully complete objectives for this study. Currently, no other vendor can supply receivers or transmitters that are compatible with the existing Innovasea equipment already owned by the US Government, which is valued at approximately $1,000,000. If the Government were to purchase equipment other than Innovasea, the continuity of data would be lost since there is no way to track already existing fish that have been tagged due to the proprietary coding.

6. Other Information. N/A

7. The Efforts to Identify Additional Sources Including the Market Research Conducted.

Market research via the Internet indicates competition will be available among Innovasea resellers. Extensive market research, field testing of available products, and consultation with other agencies was conducted prior to the recommendation of the equipment specified. The telemetry transmitter coding architecture of the specified telemetry systems is proprietary, and no other manufacturer can provide compatible receivers or transmitters. The immediate need for telemetry systems to address ongoing studies already underway prevents the consideration of new systems or technologies not already available on the market.

8. Actions to Overcome Barriers to Competition. The products specified are proprietary and must be compatible among all study participants. No other manufacturer can provide these items.

Other components of studies that use telemetry, not yet implemented will continue to examine existing and emerging technologies in the application of focused investigations. The products required are proprietary and must work in concert with existing equipment.

9. Recommendation and Certification from Program Office

Based on the above, I recommend this acquisition be conducted on a limited source basis. I certify that technical data which form a basis for this justification, that are the responsibility of technical or requirements personnel are complete and accurate.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) considers employee signatures to be Personal Information, and therefore all employee signatures have been redacted. By posting this document, the Contracting Officer attests all appropriate signatures have been obtained.