MCH Pheromone Capsules

JUSTIFICATION & APPROVAL FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION SOLE SOURCE REQUIREMENT: MCH Pheromone Capsules 1. CONTRACTING ORGANIZATION: Coronado National Forest (CNF), Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). 2. DESCRIPTION OF ACTION: Sole source acquisition for the procurement of MCH (methylcyclohexane) pheromone capsules to Synergy Semiochemicals Corp. 3. DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES: MCH pheromone treatment of Douglas-fir and spruce fir inhabited by the Mount Graham red squirrel, an endangered species. Treatment involves placement of MCH pheromone capsules on trees in the area to prevent infestation of bark beetles which would kill or damage the red squirrel's habitat. 4. AUTHORITY: 41 U.S.C. 3304(a)(1) and Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1, Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. 5. APPLICABILITY OF AUTHORITY: The CNF contracting office performed online searches seeking other companies who manufacture MCH pheromone capsules. Three companies were contacted from the online research who appeared to have similar products; each stated they did not manufacture this product. Additionally, this product was procured by CNF contracting in September 2017 as a sole source procurement. The contracting officer received no rebuttals to the posted justification and approval. 6. EFFORTS TO OBTAIN COMPETITON: In addition to online searches and phone calls, the CNF contracting office also performed an SBA Dynamic Small Business search using the NAICS code 325320, Pesticides and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing, with search criteria "methylcyclohexane", which revealed no vendors. 7. PRICE FAIR AND REASONABLE: Pricing for the current requirement was compared to the MCH pheromone procurement from September 2017 and was found to be $0.01 cheaper per capsule. Additionally, an article written by the Oregon Department of Forestry, MCH for Doug-fir Beetle Management (March 2017), prices the MCH capsules between $2 and $4 per capsule. Pricing for this requirement is within those values. 8. MARKET RESEARCH: Market research for this requirement included online searches, vendor calls, an SBA Dynamic Small Business search, and a search of the IAS contract writing system as outlined in sections of this justification and approval. 9. ANY OTHER FACTS SUPPORTING THE USE OF OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION: A search of the IAS contract writing system revealed numerous contracts awarded to Synergy Semiochemicals Corp. The CNF contracting office tried contacting several buyers with no success, then ultimately spoke to a buyer at Ouachita National Forest whose research led her to recently award a sole source contract to Synergy Semiochemicals Corp for the same MCH pheromone capsules. 10. INTERESTED SOURCES: Synergy Semiochemicals Corp is the only known interested source at this time. 11. STEPS TO FOSTER COMPETITION: The CNF contracting office thoroughly investigates each procurement request to ensure maximum competition. If this requirement should arise again in the future, market research will again be performed to see if additional organizations have entered this marketplace. 12. CONTRACTING OFFICER'S CERTIFICATION: I hereby certify that the above justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief. //SIGNED// JOLEEN DEDMON Contracting Officer 26 March 2018