PR15385769 - Kenwood Radios and accessories

The Department of State has published a Special Notice regarding the award of contract PR15385769 for Kenwood radios and accessories to the U.S. Embassy in Praia, Cabo Verde. The notice, posted on July 1, 2025, announces that the embassy is awarding this procurement to KL Whyte Trading Inc based on a sole-source justification under Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The contract value is $9,982.39 and involves the procurement of communication equipment specifically for embassy security personnel. The notice was issued by Leslie Boweser, the Contracting Officer, and includes an attached justification document. This represents a completed procurement action rather than an open solicitation for bids.

The primary objective of this procurement is to provide uniform communication equipment for embassy guards across multiple posts, including the New Embassy Compound, to ensure operational consistency and effectiveness. The sole-source award is justified based on brand-name compatibility requirements, as all security personnel must use identical radio equipment on the same communication channels to facilitate proper radio checks, routine communication, and emergency response coordination. The embassy conducted market research and received quotes from three vendors: Xpressgov Supply, KL Whyte Trading Inc, and Federal Communication Consulting, with the Regional Security Officer team emphasizing the critical operational need for standardized radio systems. Since this is an award notice rather than an open solicitation, there are no participation opportunities for contractors, and the due date of July 3, 2025, likely relates to administrative processing rather than proposal submissions. The procurement demonstrates the embassy's commitment to maintaining secure and reliable communication systems for diplomatic security operations.