J&A 6.302-1-Kodiak Archipelago Brown Bear Diet Study

Contract No. 701819M279 TAS: 14 1261 0000 United States Department of the InteriorJustification of Other than Full and Open Competition Under $25,000 1) Briefly, a description of the supplies or services required to meet the agency's needs and include the estimated value. Purchase report of annual research progress associated with the multi-year study "Estimating the Diet of Brown Bears Across the Kodiak Archipelago, Alaska" from the Bear Center, Department of Natural Resources, Washington State University (WSU) for $11,000.00. The report will be prepared by and purchased from Washington State University. 2) Statutory Authority permitting other than full and open competition. Identify the statutory authority permitting with the FAR citation and FAR citation Title. FAR 6.302-1: Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. 3) WHY are the proposed contractor's unique qualifications for the nature of the acquisition requiring the use of the authority cited in item (2). This is a follow-on contract, allowing the study to continue and be completed in its entirety by December 31, 2010. The original contract (70181-7-M316) was award to the Washington State University. The Bear Center of Department of Natural Resource, Washington State University (WSU), in collaboration with Alaska Department of Fish and Game, initiated study of food use by Kodiak brown bear in 2007. This purchase would support an established study. WSU is the only entity that is currently researching this specific topic. WSU has the demonstrated expertise and technical resources required to complete scientific analysis and interpretative relative to this specific topic. To switch contractors would not be beneficial to the Service or this particular study. The scope of the study includes analysis of tissue samples acquired from brown bears harvested throughout the Kodiak Archipelago, two-thirds of which is managed by Kodiak Refuge. The Refuge has a vital interest in facilitating successful completion of the study to improve management and conservation of bears it manages, in cooperation with the State. 4) WHAT effort was made to ensure that offers were solicited from as many potential sources as is practical. WSU's Bear Center is the only entity that is currently researching this topic. To achieve the same objectives, the Refuge would have to undertake a new study, identify new cooperators and pay additional costs. Results would be irrelevant because the objectives had been previously accomplished in the WSU study. 5) A Description of the Market survey conducted and the results. Our biologists assessed whether any other entity has engaged, or is currently engaged, in research of this topic. None were identified. WSU' Bear Center is the only entity that is currently researching this topic. To achieve the same objectives, the Refuge would have to undertake a new study, identify new cooperators and pay additional costs to start for scratch again. All actions have been taken to remove barriers to competition.