Sole Source Notice-Groom Analytics

The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) is pursuing a sole source procurement with Groom Analytics for a specialized research project titled "Estimation of Tree Species Range Shift Rates due to Climate Change using FIA Plot Revisit Data, Phase II." The project involves complex data processing and analysis of Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) dataset to measure climate change impacts on forests in Oregon, California, and Washington. ODF has determined that Groom Analytics is uniquely qualified for this contract due to their prior work in Phase I, their developed proprietary code for accessing and cleaning FIA data, and their established collaborative partnership with the U.S. Forest Service for obtaining restricted data access. The solicitation is being conducted under OAR 125-247-0275, which allows for sole source contracting when a vendor possesses unique expertise. Interested parties who believe they can provide comparable services must submit a protest by April 5, 2024, at 2:00 PM PT, after which ODF will proceed with awarding the contract to Groom Analytics if no viable alternative is identified.

The procurement appears to have no specific set-aside designations or restrictions on organizational respondents. Groom Analytics' unique qualifications stem from their specialized data processing capabilities, prior project work, and exclusive access to restricted U.S. Forest Service data, which effectively limits competitive bidding. While a specific contract value is not disclosed in the documentation, the project represents a continuation of previous collaborative research focused on climate change forest analysis. The sole source notice suggests that the contract will be awarded directly to Groom Analytics absent a successful protest, indicating a targeted, specialized procurement approach. No incumbent vendors or existing technology integration requirements beyond the FIA dataset and Groom Analytics' proprietary analytical framework are mentioned in the available documentation.