Williamson & associates technologies shadowgraph underwater imaging camera system

***NOAA'S ACQUISITION & GRANTS OFFICE, WESTERN ACQUISITION DIVISION-BOULDER, SOUTHWEST FISHERIES SCIENCE CENTER (SWFSC) ANTARCTIC ECOSYSTEM RESEARCH DIVISION (AERD)  INTENDS TO NEGOTIATE, ON A SOLE SOURCE BASIS, UNDER AUTHORITY OF FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), WITH WILLIAMSON & ASSOCIATES TECHNOLOGIES INC (WASSOC) OUT OF SEATTLE, WA FOR WILLIAMSON & ASSOCIATES SHADOWGRAPH UNDERWATER IMAGING CAMERA SYSTEMS.

***THE SOLE SOURCE DETERMINATION IS BASED ON THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION'S (NOAA) REQUIREMENT THAT WASSOC IS THE SOLE PROVIDER OF THE WILLIAMSON & ASSOCIATES SHADOWGRAPH UNDERWATER IMAGING SYSTEM. THE REQUIREMENT IS TO PROVIDE FOUR (4) WILLIAMSON AND ASSOCIATES, INC. GLIDER CAPABLE SHADOWGRAPH CAMERAS FOR INTEGRATION ONTO FOUR TELEDYNE WEBB RESEARCH (TWR) SLOCUM GLIDERS. THE WILLIAMSON AND ASSOCIATES SHADOWGRAPHS ARE ALREADY FULLY INTEGRATED WITH SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE FOR COMMAND AND CONTROL DEVELOPED BY TWR.

THE SWFSC HAS PREVIOUSLY INVESTED IN DEVELOPING THESE INSTRUMENTS WITH WILLIAMSON AND ASSOCIATES INC AND ALL DATA PROCESSING AND INTEGRATION COSTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN AMORTIZED FOR THESE INSTRUMENTS. GIVEN THE PROPRIETARY NATURE OF THE INSTRUMENTATION, CONTROL SOFTWARE AND OTHER COMPONENTS, NO OTHER COMPANY CAN MEET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS SUPPLY AND DEVELOPING A NEW INSTRUMENT FROM OTHER COMPANIES WOULD BE COST PROHIBITIVE. 

WILLIAMSON & ASSOCIATES TECHNOLOGIES INC HAS CONFIRMED THAT THEY ARE THE ONLY SOURCE OF THE SHADOWGRAPH UNDERWATER IMAGING CAMERA SYSTEM AND THEY DO NOT HAVE ANY AUTHORIZED RESELLERS OR PARTNERS IN THE UNITED STATES.

***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 OR NOT TO CONDUCT THIS PROCUREMENT ON A COMPETITIVE BASIS. A DETERMINATION BY THE GOVERNMENT 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.