Smart Buoys

***NOAA'S ACQUISITION & GRANTS OFFICE, WESTERN ACQUISITION DIVISION-BOULDER, NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE (NMFS), PROTECTED SPECIES DIVISION, INTENDS TO NEGOTIATE, ON A SOLE SOURCE BASIS, UNDER AUTHORITY OF FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), WITH BLUE OCEAN GEAR OUT OF REDWOOD CITY, CA FOR 15 FARALLON SMART BUOYS, THE ACCOMPANYING SINGLE BUOY CHARGERS AND THE DATA & SOFTWARE SUBSCRIPTIONS WITH FOUR SUBSEQUENT OPTION PERIODS FOR THE PURCHASE OF UP TO 30 ADDITIONAL UNITS PER YEAR.

***THE SOLE SOURCE DETERMINATION IS BASED ON THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION'S (NOAA) REQUIREMENT THAT BLUE OCEAN GEAR IS THE SOLE ENTITY IN THE UNITED STATES THAT CAN MEET AND PROVIDE THE REQUIRED SMART BUOYS. THE BLUE OCEAN GEAR’S SMART BUOY DEVICE TO LOCATE ROPELESS FISHING GEAR HAS BEEN DEVELOPED UNDER NOAA’S GRANT #NA21OAR0210101. THIS UNIT IS DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY TO WORK WITH THE ROPELESS SYSTEMS TO BOTH ALERT FIRSHERMEN WHEN THE GEAR SURFACES AND TO IF THE GEAR MOVES IN A MANNER THAT IS INDICATIVE OF AN ENTANGLEMENT. THE BLUE OCEAN GEAR SMART BUOY HAS BEEN TRIALED WITH MULTIPLE FISHERMEN TESTING ROPELESS SYTEMS. IT IS A TRUSTED DEVICE THAT HAS PROVEN EFFECTIVE AT PROVIDING FISHERMEN WITH AN IMMEDIATE LOCATION SIGNAL UPON SURFACING, ALLOWING THEM TO FIND AND HAUL THEIR GEAR MORE RELIABLY AND EFFICIENTLY AND PROVIDING FISHERMAN WITH AN ALERT, ALONG WITH RETRIEVAL COORDINATES IF THEIR GEAR HAS TO COME TO THE SURFACE WITHOUT BEIING SGNALED DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE HOLD-DOWN MECHANISM OR AN INADVERTENT ACTIVATION OF THE RELEASE MECHANISM. THESE SYSTEMS ARE NEEDED TO APPEASE CONCERNS REGARDING ROPELESS FISHING IN CLOSED AREAS. BECAUSE THESE SYSTEMS HAVE BEEN EXTENSIVELY TESTED BY THE NEFSC GEAR TEAM AND OTHERS, IT IS BOTH THE ONLY SYSTEM THAT WILL PROVIDE THE NEEDED INFORMATION AND IS THE ONLY SYSTEM WE HAVE CONFIDENCE WILL PERFORM AS DESCRIBED. THERE ARE VARIOUS COMPANIES THAT CURRENTLY PROVIDE SMART BUOYS – WALSH MARINE BUOYS, LIMNO TECH, ESSI CORPORATION, SOFAROCEAN.COM, NOTILO PLUS, PARTNER PLAST, ETC. – BUT THESE ARE NOT SUBMERSIBLE WITH COMMUNICATION AND CHART MAPPING CAPABILITIES.

***THIS NOTICE OF INTENT IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS AND NO SOLICITATION PACKAGE IS AVAILABLE. HOWEVER, FIRMS THAT BELIEVE THEY CAN FULLY MEET THE GOVERNMENT'S REQUIREMENTS MAY SUBMIT SUBSTANTIATING DOCUMENTATION IN WRITING TO THE IDENTIFIED POINT OF CONTACT WITHIN 15 DAYS AFTER PUBLICATION OF THIS SYNOPSIS. SUCH DOCUMENTATION WILL BE EVALUATED SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF DETERMINING WHETHER TO CONDUCT THIS PROCUREMENT ON A COMPETITIVE BASIS. A GOVERNMENT DETERMINATION NOT TO CONDUCT A COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENT BASED UPON RESPONSES TO THIS NOTICE IS SOLELY WITHIN THE DISCRETION OF THE GOVERNMENT. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE IN RESPONSE TO THIS NOTICE.