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***NOAA'S ACQUISITION & GRANTS OFFICE, WESTERN ACQUISITION DIVISION-BOULDER, NORTHWEST FISHERIES SCIENCE CENTER (NWFSC) INTENDS TO NEGOTIATE, ON A SOLE SOURCE BASIS, UNDER AUTHORITY OF FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), WITH OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY (OSU), HATFIELD MARINE SCIENCE CENTER OUT OF NEWPORT, OR TO DETERMINE THE DISTRIBUTION OF ACOUSTICALLY TAGGED PACIFIC SALMON IN NEARSHORE ENVIRONMENTS OF WASHINGTON STATE USING AN AUTONOMOUS TAG DETECTOR THAT REPORTS DETECTIONS IN NEAR-REAL TIME.

***THE SOLE SOURCE DETERMINATION IS BASED ON THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION'S (NOAA) REQUIREMENT THAT OSU IS THE SOLE PROVIDER WHO CAN INSTALL AND DEPLOY TWO VEMCO 69 KHZ ACOUSTIC RECEIVERS, PROVIDED BY THE NWFSC, TO BE MOUNTED ON A PERENNIALLY MAINTAINED, INTEGRATED OCEAN OBSERVING SYSTEM (IOOS) BUOY IN COASTAL MARINE WATERS NEAR GRAYS HARBOR IN WASHINGTON STATE. THE COASTAL ENDURANCE WASHINGTON SHELF SURFACE MOORING (CE07SHSM) IS A HIGHLY SPECIALIZED AND UNIQUE SYSTEM, DESIGNED TO WITHSTAND THE HARSH CONDITIONS OF SHALLOW COASTAL ENVIRONMENTS AND TO PROVIDE VALUABLE DATA ON UPWELLING DYNAMICS IN THE CONTINENTAL SHELF-SLOPE AREA OFF THE WASHINGTON COAST. OSU IS THE ONLY SOURCE THAT CAN PROVIDE THE REQUIRED SERVICES AT THE LEVEL OF QUALITY NECESSARY DUE TO THE FOLLOWING REASONS:

EXPERTISE: OSU HAS EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE IN DEPLOYING, MAINTAINING, AND MONITORING THE SOPHISTICATED EQUIPMENT INVOLVED IN THE COASTAL ENDURANCE WASHINGTON SHELF SURFACE MOORING. THE SYSTEM CONTAINS NUMEROUS INSTRUMENTS FROM VARIOUS MANUFACTURERS, EACH WITH ITS UNIQUE REQUIREMENTS, MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES, AND DATA COLLECTION METHODS. OSU'S FAMILIARITY WITH THESE INSTRUMENTS AND THEIR INTEGRATION INTO THE OVERALL SYSTEM IS ESSENTIAL FOR ENSURING THE QUALITY AND RELIABILITY OF THE DATA COLLECTED.

RESEARCH COLLABORATION: OSU HAS AN ESTABLISHED TRACK RECORD OF RESEARCH COLLABORATION WITH THE OCEAN OBSERVATORIES INITIATIVE (OOI), WHICH SEEKS TO GAIN BETTER INSIGHT INTO UPWELLING DYNAMICS IN THE CONTINENTAL SHELF-SLOPE AREA. THIS COLLABORATION ALLOWS OSU TO HAVE A DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF THE RESEARCH GOALS AND REQUIREMENTS OF THE PROJECT, WHICH IS CRITICAL FOR THE DESIGN, IMPLEMENTATION, AND MAINTENANCE OF THE CE07SHSM SYSTEM.

INFRASTRUCTURE AND LOGISTICS: THE DEPLOYMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF THE CE07SHSM SYSTEM REQUIRE SPECIALIZED INFRASTRUCTURE, SUCH AS VESSELS, UNDERWATER VEHICLES, AND SUPPORT EQUIPMENT. OSU HAS ACCESS TO THESE RESOURCES AND THE LOGISTICAL CAPABILITIES NECESSARY TO MANAGE THE COMPLEX OPERATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CE07SHSM SYSTEM.

DATA MANAGEMENT AND ANALYSIS: OSU HAS THE NECESSARY EXPERTISE AND INFRASTRUCTURE TO MANAGE AND ANALYZE THE VAST AMOUNTS OF DATA COLLECTED BY THE CE07SHSM SYSTEM. THIS INCLUDES THE ABILITY TO PROCESS, VALIDATE, STORE, AND DISSEMINATE THE DATA TO THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS IN A TIMELY AND EFFICIENT MANNER.

MISSION IMPACT- IF OSU DOES NOT PERFORM THE WORK, THE MISSION IMPACTS WOULD INCLUDE:

LOSS OF CONTINUITY: ENGAGING A DIFFERENT PROVIDER WITH LESS FAMILIARITY WITH THE SYSTEM COULD LEAD TO DISRUPTIONS IN DATA COLLECTION, REDUCED DATA QUALITY, AND DELAYS IN MAINTENANCE AND UPGRADES. THIS WOULD NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE RESEARCH OBJECTIVES OF THE OOI AND THE BROADER SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY STUDYING UPWELLING DYNAMICS IN THE REGION.

INCREASED COSTS AND DELAYS: ENGAGING A DIFFERENT PROVIDER WOULD LIKELY RESULT IN INCREASED COSTS AND DELAYS ASSOCIATED WITH KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER, TRAINING, AND SETTING UP NEW INFRASTRUCTURE AND LOGISTICAL ARRANGEMENTS. THIS WOULD DIVERT RESOURCES AWAY FROM THE CORE RESEARCH OBJECTIVES OF THE OOI.

REDUCED COLLABORATION: OSU'S ESTABLISHED RESEARCH COLLABORATION WITH THE OOI ENABLES THEM TO CONTRIBUTE VALUABLE INSIGHTS AND EXPERTISE TO THE PROJECT. SOLICITING SERVICES FROM ANOTHER SOURCE COULD REDUCE THE LEVEL OF COLLABORATION AND POTENTIALLY HINDER THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE OOI'S RESEARCH GOALS.

IN CONCLUSION, GIVEN THE HIGHLY SPECIALIZED AND UNIQUE NATURE OF THE CE07SHSM SYSTEM, OSU IS THE ONLY SOURCE CAPABLE OF PROVIDING THE REQUIRED SERVICES AT THE LEVEL OF QUALITY NECESSARY. ENGAGING A DIFFERENT PROVIDER WOULD RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT MISSION IMPACTS, INCLUDING DISRUPTIONS IN DATA COLLECTION, INCREASED COSTS AND DELAYS, AND REDUCED COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE OOI AND ITS RESEARCH PARTNERS.

A COMPREHENSIVE ONLINE SEARCH WAS CONDUCTED TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL SOURCES CAPABLE OF PROVIDING THE SERVICES REQUIRED FOR THE COASTAL ENDURANCE WASHINGTON SHELF SURFACE MOORING (CE07SHSM) SYSTEM. THE EXTENT OF MARKET RESEARCH WAS COMMENSURATE WITH THE TOTAL ESTIMATED VALUE OF THE PROJECT. THE GOAL WAS TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL PROVIDERS WITH EXPERIENCE IN DESIGNING, DEPLOYING, MAINTAINING, AND MONITORING SIMILAR COASTAL MOORING SYSTEMS. THIS RESEARCH INCLUDED REVIEWING INDUSTRY PUBLICATIONS, RELEVANT FORUMS, AND ONLINE DATABASES TO GATHER INFORMATION ON POTENTIAL VENDORS, THEIR CAPABILITIES, AND EXPERIENCE.

BASED ON MARKET RESEARCH CONDUCTED, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT OSU IS THE ONLY SOURCE CAPABLE OF PROVIDING THE REQUIRED SERVICES AT THE LEVEL OF QUALITY NECESSARY FOR THE CE07SHSM SYSTEM. THE RESEARCH REVEALED THAT WHILE THERE ARE OTHER PROVIDERS IN THE MARKET WITH EXPERIENCE IN COASTAL MOORING SYSTEMS, NONE POSSESS THE UNIQUE COMBINATION OF EXPERTISE, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND RESEARCH COLLABORATION NECESSARY TO MEET THE SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS OF THE CE07SHSM PROJECT. AS A RESULT, OSU WAS DEEMED THE MOST SUITABLE PROVIDER FOR THIS PROJECT, AND ENGAGING A DIFFERENT SOURCE WOULD LIKELY RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT MISSION IMPACTS.

WHILE PREVIOUS MARKET RESEARCH INDICATED THAT OSU IS THE ONLY SOURCE CAPABLE OF PROVIDING THE REQUIRED SERVICES AT THE LEVEL OF QUALITY NECESSARY FOR THE CE07SHSM SYSTEM, WE DID IDENTIFY SEVERAL OTHER PROVIDERS WITH EXPERIENCE IN DESIGNING, DEPLOYING, MAINTAINING, AND MONITORING COASTAL MOORING SYSTEMS. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE EXPERTISE, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND RESEARCH COLLABORATION MAY NOT BE DIRECTLY COMPARABLE TO OSU IN THE CONTEXT OF THE CE07SHSM PROJECT. SOME OF THESE POTENTIAL PROVIDERS INCLUDE:

WOODS HOLE OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTITUTION (WHOI): WHOI IS A LEADING OCEANOGRAPHIC RESEARCH ORGANIZATION WITH EXPERIENCE IN DESIGNING AND DEPLOYING COASTAL MOORING SYSTEMS. THEY HAVE A DEDICATED TEAM OF ENGINEERS AND TECHNICIANS WHO WORK ON MOORING SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT, DEPLOYMENT, AND MAINTENANCE.

SCRIPPS INSTITUTION OF OCEANOGRAPHY: SCRIPPS IS A RENOWNED OCEANOGRAPHIC RESEARCH CENTER WITH A LONG HISTORY OF DEPLOYING AND MAINTAINING COASTAL MOORING SYSTEMS FOR VARIOUS RESEARCH PROJECTS. THEY HAVE EXPERIENCE IN DEVELOPING CUSTOM MOORING SOLUTIONS AND MANAGING THE ASSOCIATED DATA.

OCEAN SCIENTIFIC INTERNATIONAL LTD (OSIL): OSIL IS A COMPANY SPECIALIZING IN THE DESIGN, MANUFACTURE, AND SUPPORT OF OCEANOGRAPHIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL EQUIPMENT. THEY HAVE EXPERIENCE IN PROVIDING CUSTOM COASTAL MOORING SYSTEMS FOR VARIOUS RESEARCH AND MONITORING APPLICATIONS.

METOCEAN TELEMATICS: METOCEAN TELEMATICS IS A GLOBAL PROVIDER OF MARITIME MONITORING SOLUTIONS, INCLUDING THE DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE OF COASTAL MOORING SYSTEMS. THEY OFFER A RANGE OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES TO SUPPORT COASTAL RESEARCH AND MONITORING ACTIVITIES.

AXYS TECHNOLOGIES: AXYS TECHNOLOGIES IS A PROVIDER OF ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING SOLUTIONS, INCLUDING THE DESIGN, MANUFACTURE, AND SUPPORT OF COASTAL MOORING SYSTEMS. THEY HAVE EXPERIENCE IN DEVELOPING CUSTOM MOORING SOLUTIONS FOR A VARIETY OF RESEARCH AND MONITORING APPLICATIONS.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THESE PROVIDERS MAY NOT POSSESS THE UNIQUE COMBINATION OF EXPERTISE, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND RESEARCH COLLABORATION NECESSARY TO MEET THE SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS OF THE CE07SHSM PROJECT TO THE SAME EXTENT AS OSU. AS A RESULT, ENGAGING WITH THESE PROVIDERS MAY RESULT IN VARYING LEVELS OF MISSION IMPACT COMPARED TO WORKING DIRECTLY WITH OSU.

***THIS NOTICE OF INTENT IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS AND NO SOLICITATION PACKAGE IS AVAILABLE. HOWEVER, FIRMS THAT BELIEVE THEY CAN FULLY MEET THE GOVERNMENT'S REQUIREMENTS MAY SUBMIT SUBSTANTIATING DOCUMENTATION IN WRITING TO THE IDENTIFIED POINT OF CONTACT WITHIN 15 DAYS AFTER PUBLICATION OF THIS SYNOPSIS. SUCH DOCUMENTATION WILL BE EVALUATED SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF DETERMINING WHETHER OR NOT TO CONDUCT THIS PROCUREMENT ON A COMPETITIVE BASIS. A DETERMINATION BY THE GOVERNMENT NOT TO CONDUCT A COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENT, BASED UPON RESPONSES TO THIS NOTICE, IS SOLELY WITHIN THE DISCRETION OF THE GOVERNMENT. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE IN RESPONSE TO THIS NOTICE.

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