Notice of Special Procurement: Umatilla Hatchery Well Pump #4 Inspection & Repair

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife issued a Notice of Special Procurement by Rule (#S-63500-00016769) on April 28, 2026, for the inspection and repair of Pump #4 in the Ranney Well at Umatilla Hatchery. This special procurement authorizes the agency to procure equipment repair services outside standard competitive bidding procedures under ORS 279B.085 and OAR 125-247-0288(6). The scope of work involves the comprehensive removal, inspection, and repair of a fifty-foot deep well pump, including crane extraction of the pump and pump shaft, dismantling of the building roof and electric motor, and piece-by-piece extraction of the column pipe to bring the pump to the surface for detailed inspection and repair. The procurement period extends from April 22, 2026, through July 31, 2026, with the special procurement approval granted on April 27, 2026. A seven-calendar-day protest period from the first publication date is available for any affected person to submit written protests to the ODFW Designated Procurement Officer. No competitive bidding process, site visits, or bidders' meetings are specified, as this is a non-competitive special procurement notice rather than a standard solicitation. Questions regarding the special procurement should be directed to Luca Wittenberg, the agency's designated point of contact.

The special procurement justification is based on the specialized nature of the work and the critical operational urgency to the hatchery's water supply infrastructure. The procurement was approved because the pump failure occurred during routine operations, repair costs cannot be determined without extensive preliminary dismantling and testing of submerged components, and only two vendors in the region provide this specialized service. The selected vendor was chosen based on ongoing performance issues with the alternative provider and the vendor's essential knowledge of the facility's complex water supply system. The estimated project cost is $50,000, with the contracting method designated as a Trade Services Contract. The special procurement substantially promotes the public interest because the hatchery depends entirely on groundwater sources for fish-rearing operations, and loss of this pump during peak production season in August would jeopardize the facility's water supply and potentially result in the loss of an entire salmon return to the Umatilla River, thereby affecting mitigation goals and harvest opportunities across recreational, commercial, and tribal fisheries in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and coastal ocean fisheries. No set-asides, disadvantaged enterprise restrictions, or incumbent vendor preferences are mentioned in the procurement documentation.