North Umpqua Telemetry Study - Radio Tags and Receivers

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) is executing a sole source procurement for specialized telemetry equipment to support a spring Chinook research study on the North Umpqua River. The procurement involves purchasing 100 Lotek MCFT2-3EM VHF radio tags, 100 Lotek MCFT3-EM-TA VHF radio tags with temperature and accelerometer sensors, 2 Lotek SRX1200-MD1 VHF receivers, 4 Lotek AN-4YG-150 four-element Yagi antennas, and 2 coaxial cables. This procurement is being conducted in collaboration with Oregon State University and is specifically designed to enable precise tracking and data collection for the research project. The contract opportunity was posted on February 6, 2024, with a proposal due date of February 13, 2024. The procurement is being conducted as a sole source contract under Oregon Administrative Rule 137-047-0275 and Oregon Revised Statutes 279B.050(6)(m) and 279B.075, which allows for direct procurement when unique technical specifications are required. The jurisdictional scope includes Marion County and the City of Salem.

The sole source procurement is specifically limited to Lotek Wireless Inc., which is the sole manufacturer worldwide producing radio transmitters and receivers compatible with their proprietary coding system. No specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises are mentioned in the documentation. The procurement does not appear to have competitive bidding requirements due to the unique technical specifications of the equipment. While no specific budget range is explicitly stated, the procurement involves specialized scientific research equipment that typically represents a significant investment. The contract is explicitly tied to existing infrastructure, as ODFW and Oregon State University already own Lotek VHF receivers and antennas that are only compatible with Lotek's proprietary VHF radio tags. The procurement is driven by technical compatibility requirements that necessitate continued use of Lotek's specific technology for consistent and reliable data collection in the North Umpqua River telemetry study.