Intent to Sole Source OTT HYDROMET CORP for Pluvio2 400 precipitation gauge with mounting equipment

The University of Montana Climate Office is pursuing a sole source procurement for specialized precipitation measurement equipment from OTT HYDROMET CORP. The solicitation (UOM-SolSour-2025-0302) seeks to acquire 40 OTT PLUVIO 2 400 750MM SDI-12 RS-485 IMPULSE units, accompanied by 40 Mesonet Pluvio L rim heaters, 40 OTT PWS150 wind shields, and 180 OTT PLUVIO 2 installation cables with shielded power and communications capabilities. The procurement is specifically targeted at obtaining high-precision environmental monitoring equipment for meteorological data collection. The solicitation opened on November 20, 2024, at 2:00 PM MST and will close on December 4, 2024, at 2:00 PM MST, with payment terms set at Net 30 with 0% discount. While this is a sole source procurement, vendors believing they can provide equivalent products are invited to submit written challenges to Chris Newlon, detailing how their products meet the specified requirements.

The solicitation does not explicitly indicate specific set-aside designations or restrictions on responding organizations. The procurement falls under commodity codes 4006 (Recording Devices - Weather Devices) and 5010 (Transportation Goods & Services - Electrical Machinery & Instruments), suggesting a technical and specialized procurement process. Any challenges to the sole source designation must be submitted with the heading "REQUEST TO CHALLENGE" to be considered. While a specific budget range is not provided, the procurement involves 40 primary units and associated mounting and communication equipment, indicating a significant investment in meteorological monitoring infrastructure. The sole source nature of the procurement suggests that OTT HYDROMET CORP has unique capabilities or specifications that make their equipment the preferred or only suitable solution for the University of Montana Climate Office's data collection needs.