7G--AK DIV OF MIG BIRDS SAT SERVICES

The contract is a sole-source award under the Simplified Acquisition Threshold for Ornitella GPS/GSM tracking devices to support migratory bird research conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Alaska Division of Migratory Birds. The procurement, managed by the Department of the Interior through its office in Falls Church, Virginia, is justified under FAR Part 13 due to the unique technical suitability of the OrniTrack-2.8, OrniTrack-6.0, and OrniTrack-10 tags, which are exclusively distributed by Vertebrate Systems, LLC. These devices, weighing between 2.8 and 10 grams, provide high-precision GPS location data at 15-minute intervals with less than 10-meter accuracy via 4G LTE Cat-M1 transmission and are powered by solar rechargeable batteries, making them the only viable option for long-term monitoring of small shorebirds and short-billed gulls. The decision to forgo competition centers on the necessity of maintaining data continuity across multiple years of ongoing ecological studies, the proven field reliability of the Ornitella system over four years, and the higher risk associated with alternative systems such as CTT Gen2, which are heavier, less tested, and incur recurring data fees. No formal pricing information, line items, or contract value is disclosed, but the acquisition is constrained within the Simplified Acquisition Threshold, implying a total value below $250,000. Performance is expected to occur in Alaska, though the official place of performance is listed as Falls Church, VA, with the Government responsible for inspection and acceptance based on technical specifications rather than formal military or industry standards. No contracting officer’s representative, payment details, invoicing method, accounting codes, or formal evaluation factors are documented, and while the contracting officer and program officer are identified, there are no completed representations, certifications, or socioeconomic status disclosures from the vendor. The award relies entirely on the uniqueness of the technology and the imperative of data consistency for scientific integrity, with no competitive bidding process or alternative sourcing explored.