20 -- Notice of intent to procure on sole source basis

The Department of Commerce, through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), intends to procure a Dual-Frequency Identification Sonar (DIDSON) system on a sole source basis from Ocean Marine Industries Inc. This sonar system operates at 1.1 MHz and 1.8 MHz frequencies and is specifically designed to be compatible with existing systems currently used by the Northwest Fisheries Science Center in Newport, Oregon, and the Alaska Fisheries Science Center in Seattle, Washington. The procurement aims to ensure that the two systems are identical, facilitating the collection of comparable data, enabling cross training, and supporting collaborative research projects by applying lessons learned from both field and laboratory experiments. This acquisition, identified under solicitation number WASC-04-0876 and NAICS code 334519, reflects the critical need for consistency and interoperability in NOAA's fisheries research operations. The purchasing process is managed from Seattle, Washington, and the primary point of contact is Shannon McIlroy, Purchasing Agent. The alignment of specifications is essential to maintaining the integrity and comparability of research data, enhancing scientific collaboration across regional fisheries science centers.