Notice of Intent to Sole Source - Laser Range Finder Binoculars.

This is a notice of intent to award a sole source contract and is not a request for competitive proposals. The government intends to solicit a bid and enter into a contract with Ashbury International Group, Inc., 84 BUSINESS PARK CIR, RUCKERSVILLE, VA to provide Laser Range Finder Binoculars for Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, Gustavus, AK 99801. Please see the below Justification for other than Full and Open Competition for further details. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. However, the Government shall consider all responses received prior to the close date of this announcement. Written responses to this notice shall contain sufficient documentation to establish bonafide capability to fulfill the requirement. A solicitation is not available. Please-mail contract specialist, Jordan Gunn with responses or questions regarding this requirement at [email protected]. JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPENCOMPETITION (or SOLE SOURCE) BACKGROUND: Vector IV 7x42 Laser Range Finder binoculars to use as part of the Shipboard Observer project, quantifying interactions between humpback whales and cruise ships in Glacier Bay. The sole distributor for this equipment, based on my research, is Ashbury International Group, Inc. Ashbury International Group, Inc., is the sole and exclusive US distributor of the Vector binocular range finders. They are the most powerful of the available rangefinder binoculars, they are waterproof, and accurate out to 4km which is the distance we are studying whale-ship interactions. It is absolutely critical to have the same equipment to minimize impacts of measurement error on study quality and inferences. 1) FAR Statutory Authority cited: 6.302-1, Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. Ashbury International Group, Inc., 84 BUSINESS PARK CIR, RUCKERSVILLE, VA is the sole and exclusive US distributor of the Vector binocular range finders. 2) Nature and description of the supplies or services required to meet the agency's needs Vector IV 7x42 Laser Range Finder binoculars. 3) A demonstration that the proposed contractor is the only source available to provide these services or goods (i.e. unique qualifications, proprietary rights, etc.): Based on extensive research, Ashbury International Group, Inc., is the sole and exclusive US distributor of the Vector binocular range finders. 4) A description of the market research that was conducted and the results, or a statement of the reason a market research was not conducted: In order to minimize measurement errors during studies it is vital to have the same equipment and therefore Vector IV 7x42 Laser Range Finder binoculars is the only binoculars that Glacier Bay National Park can use. 5) Any other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition: . We need these binocs because they are the most powerful and accurate of the range finder binocs and we have used an identical pair for the past five years, one pair that we purchased and one pair on loan from the National Marine Mammal Lab (NOAA). NMML took the loaner pair back this year necessitating this purchase. Again, it is critical that the binoculars used among observers be consistent in power and accuracy. 6) A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services required: There is no competition, there is no other supplier. Scott Gende Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve Approved JORDAN W. GUNN Contracting Officer