66--Award 140G0126D0006 Justification for Other Than Full and Open Competition

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has awarded a five-year, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract to YSI, Inc. under a sole-source justification based on Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) 6.103-1, with an estimated total value of $34,600,000. This acquisition supports the Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility (HIF) in Reston, Virginia, and is limited to YSI, Inc. due to its proprietary technology and unique compatibility with existing USGS water monitoring systems, which include multiparameter sondes, radar water level systems, bubbler systems, rain gauges, acoustic Doppler velocity meters, and associated cabling and flotation equipment. All deliverables must meet stringent USGS performance and accuracy standards with strict adherence to SDI-12 interface requirements, ensuring seamless integration into legacy networks that cannot be replicated by alternative vendors. The contract encompasses not only equipment procurement but also repair, maintenance, calibration, and technical support services critical to maintaining uninterrupted nationwide hydrologic data collection. The contract is managed by the USGS Office of Acquisition and Grants, with Daniel Galvin serving as the primary point of contact and Scott Morton as the contracting officer whose digital signature formalized the award on May 28, 2026. Performance is centered at the HIF in Reston, VA, and while task orders will be issued on a fixed-price basis, no specific delivery schedules, FOB terms, or invoicing methods are detailed. No standard FAR Part 52 clauses, packaging or marking requirements, inspection criteria beyond USGS-specific performance thresholds, or offeror certifications were included in the documentation, as the procurement's foundation rests entirely on statutory sole-source authority. The absence of competitive evaluation, pricing line items, or special contract requirements such as security clearances or key personnel designations reflects the narrowly tailored nature of this acquisition, which prioritizes operational continuity over traditional procurement processes. The agency’s reliance on YSI’s established ecosystem renders competitive sourcing impractical, and no alternatives were considered due to mission-critical dependencies on interoperable, field-proven instrumentation.