SOLE SOURCE: YSI Integrated Water Quality Monitoring System

The US Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Eastern Region Acquisition Division, Simplified Acquisition Branch intends to negotiate on a sole source basis with YSI, Inc., using the procedures in FAR Part 13, to provide an Integrated Water Quality Monitoring System to support research by the Ecotoxicology Branch in the mesocosm testing facility.

The Government is seeking a complete system, installed on site- the ‘TurnKey’ System(equipped with a datalogger, 4 sondes with probes, and all of the necessary enclosures, cables, connections, software, and the capability transmit the data through wired and wireless networks) made by Xylem YSI Inc., Yellow Springs, OH. The purpose of this system is to provide real-time water quality observation data during long-term challenge experiments in the mesocosm facility. Supporting rationale.

Compatibility to existing systems or equipment - The required supplies or service must be compatible in all aspects (form, fit, and function) with existing systems or equipment and the source is uniquely qualified to meet the requirement. Currently, NOAA NOS NCCOS owns and operates four (4) multiparameter sondes (of the EXO2 series manufactured by Xylem YSI) and the software to acquire data and calibrate those instruments.

These units and software are used in field and mesocosm applications to collected water quality observational data for the Ecotoxicology Branch during contaminant exposures. The new requested system is specified out to support a total of eight (8) EXO2 series sondes – four (4) of which, mentioned above, are already owned by NCCOS and an additional four are being requested as part of the contract.

This contract would allow for the best use of 2 instrumentation already owned by NCCOS and give expanded capabilities above the four units to eight. The existing sondes are directly compatible with the requested system. Integrated/Data logger platforms (or systems) or components of such by other manufacturers may not be directly compatible with the existing EXO2 sondes from Xylem YSI without some modification.

Operating the existing EXO2 sondes on a custom-designed platform from another vendor with a mix of sondes from other manufacturers could result in a lack of consistency in operation, calibration, data acquisition, data quality, and maintenance. Based on current market research, the required Xylem YSI “TurnKey System” is custom-made by only that company and similar systems/components provided by other companies do not completely meet NOAA’s needs.

The statutory authority for other than full and open competition is FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)(i), Only one responsible source. The North American Industry Classification Code (NAICS) for this acquisition is 334519, Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing, with a business size standard of 600 employees. This is not a solicitation for competitive quotes, nor will one be posted on the Contract Opportunities website.

The determination by the Government not to compete this proposed requirement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. However, if any interested party believes that it is capable of meeting the requirements, and in an effort to comply with the requirements outlined in FAR 5.102, a firm may request an electronic copy of the solicitation from the Contract Specialist, Chelsea Vera, Chelsea.vera@noaa.gov. All electronic correspondence shall have the subject line read:

Announcement Number: 141013-24-0121. All responsible sources may submit a Capability Statement in accordance with this notice, which may be considered by the agency if received on or before 12:00 PM EST on September 11, 2024. The Capability Statement must contain material in sufficient detail to allow NOAA to determine if the party can meet all of the requirements. This notice will remain open from August 27, 2024 to September 11, 2024