Sole Source Justification to Purchase VEMCO MAP-112 Sonic Fish Tags for Yellowstone National Park

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION for SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITIONS OVER $3,000 AND UP TO $100,000 (See FAR 13.106-1) Date: 14 July 2011 PR Number: R1580110343 1. Nature and/or description of the item/service being procured and its intended use (include the anticipated cost):Items to be procured are 71 sonic (acoustic) VEMCO MSP-112 fish tags to be surgically implanted in lake trout from Yellowstone Lake. The tags are uniquely coded and transmit a signal that is picked up (tracked) by highly specialized receivers. Strategically placed receivers will be used to track lake trout to spawning areas in September. YELL has acquired 26 receivers as an in-kind loan from the USGS, Cook, WA. These receivers are VEMCO brand, MAP-112 compatible. These receivers can only be used to track VEMCO MAP-112 sonic tags, and will not track tags made by other companies. Anticipated cost is $350 per tag, approximately $24,945 total. 2. Sole Source Justification rationale (Check one and explain below): __X__ Only one responsible source. _____ Urgent and compelling circumstances exist. Include critical delivery or performance dates, and when you became aware of the requirement. Provide a specific statement of the impact on Government operations, financial or otherwise, if the required delivery or performance dates are not met. Explain: YELL has acquired 26 receivers as an in-kind loan from the USGS, Cook, WA. These receivers are VEMCO brand, MAP-112 compatible. These receivers can only be used to track VEMCO MAP-112 sonic tags, and will not track tags made by other companies. VEMCO is the only manufacturer of fish sonic tags that can be used with the highly sophisticated receivers 3. Market Research. Please explain the results or why one was not performed. State whether any other offers were received or anyone expressed interest:Internet searches and phone calls to other companies in the industry have indicate that VEMCO is the only manufacturer of fish sonic tags that can be used with the highly sophisticated receivers YELL has acquired to conduct this work. 4. If this is a determination for sole source, the Contracting Officer certifies: a. Only one source is available, or urgent and compelling circumstances exist. b. The anticipated price will be determined fair and reasonable using the price analysis techniques described in FAR Part 13.106-3(a). Todd Koel 7/14/11Project Officer Date Stacy Vallie 7/14/11Contracting Officer Date