SSA - The Beneficial Use Reconnaissance Program

The Idaho Department of Administration, Division of Purchasing, is publishing notice of intent to approve a sole-source authorization for the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality to procure fish identification and vouchering services from Dr. Donald Zaroban for the Beneficial Use Reconnaissance Program, with a challenge-filing deadline of October 21, 2026 (five business days after the October 16 posting).

This is a sole-source procurement under Idaho Code section 67-9221. Dr. Zaroban is the only vendor determined qualified to provide the services. Any interested vendor may challenge the sole-source determination by October 21, 2026, by filing notice with purchasing@adm.idaho.gov.

The scope consists of laboratory verification and identification of fish voucher specimens collected through BURP, which monitors wadeable streams using fish data, macroinvertebrate data, and habitat data. Dr. Zaroban will identify difficult-to-discern species including Brook/Bull Trout hybrids, Cutthroat/Rainbow Trout hybrids, sculpin species, dace species, suckers, chub, juvenile salmonids, and invasive species such as Black and Brown Catfish and Oriental Weatherfish that regional staff cannot reliably identify in the field. His qualifications rest on 32 years of involvement with BURP since its inception in 1993, employment with IDEQ from 1995 through 2002 coordinating fish and amphibian identification, concurrent service since 1995 as Curator of Fishes at the Orma J. Smith Museum of Natural History at The College of Idaho, and co-authorship of "Native Fishes of Idaho" (2013) and "Fishes of Idaho - A Natural History" (2018). He has access to museum reference materials and collections and holds prior contracts with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and the City of Boise for fish voucher identification work.

The anticipated total cost for the five-year contract term beginning Fiscal Year 2027 is $50,000. The DEQ researched alternative sources, including genetic analysis and otolith aging, but found them either cost-prohibitive or unsuitable for project requirements.