Special Notice of Intent to Sole Source Award

Notice of Intent to Sole Source Award THIS IS A NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD A SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT AND IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE QUOTES. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Communications Branch intends to award a firm fixed price sole source under the authority of FAR subpart 13.106-1(b)(1)(i) and (ii), for purchases not exceeding the Simplified Acquisition Threshold (SAT), Contracting Officers may solicit from only one source if the circumstances deem only one source is reasonably available (e.g., urgency, exclusive licensing agreements, brand name, or industrial mobilization).: YSI, INC.1725 Brannum LNYellow Springs, Ohio45387-1107, United StatesThe North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this requirement is 334516, Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing, and the Product Service Code (PSC) for this requirement is 6640, Laboratory Equipment and Supplies. The object of this sole source award is to require the purchase of SonTek RS5 Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) to enable accurate and defensible measurement of streamflow in a wide range of field conditions. This device supports the direct collection of discharge data in both shallow and deep channels, including high velocity environments, and includes integrated quality assurance features that allow staff to review and document measurements in the field for regulatory and water rights purposes. The system must be fully portable, self contained, and field ready, as staff have limited time for equipment assembly or configuration prior to deployment and routinely conduct measurements at multiple sites in a single day. The device must also be compatible with the current program inventory of existing hydroboards, GNSS equipment, and established hydrologic workflows which are required to produce output files that can be incorporated into the WISKI database without custom programming. Accurate and repeatable streamflow measurements are required for National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and National Fish Hatchery (NFH) water rights protection, ecological water management, and compliance with state mandated monitoring requirements. Without this equipment, WRB risks delays or inaccuracies in required flow measurements, which could lead to violations of state water rights conditions at significant cost to the government. The SonTek RS5 is the only ADCP that meets WRB operational and integration needs because it offers integrated RTK/GNSS, confirmed GPS compatibility, broad depth suitability, lightweight deployment, and a fully self contained design with built in power and communications. All other vendors researched, were determined to not be suitable for meeting WRB needs. This synopsis does not constitute a solicitation; however, if any interested party believes they can meet the above requirement, it may submit a statement of capabilities. The statement of capabilities must be submitted in writing and must contain clear and convincing evidence that competition of this requirement would be advantageous to the Government. If parties choose to respond, any cost associated with preparation and submission of data or any other cost incurred in response to this announcement are the sole responsibility of the respondent and will not be reimbursed by the Government. Capability statements shall be submitted by e-mail ONLY as a Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF attachment to the following address: carter_duke@ios.doi.gov. NO TELEPHONE REQUESTS/OFFERS WILL BE HONORED