Notice of Intent to Single Source - Lolingo

NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD SOLE SOURCE: Pursuant to FAR Subpart 13.106-1(b)(1), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Science Center, EFS Division, Ecotoxicology and the Office of Management & Budget Field Delegates intends to negotiate on a sole source basis with Loligo Systems, Toldboden 3, 2d floor, DK-8800 Viborg, Denmark for four Loligo Systems Swim Tunnel Respirometers as required to measure the swim performance and oxygen consumption of juvenile steelhead, an ESA-listed species. The NWFSC Ecotoxicology Program is investigating the sublethal impacts of 6PPD-q on survival behaviors of juvenile salmonids. The Government requires 4 swim tunnel respirometry systems to study how swim performance and the ability to use oxygen are impacted by low levels of this stormwater component. Loligo Systems is the only company world-wide producing swim tunnel respirometers that will fit our needs for a complete and fully integrated system that measures both oxygen consumption rates and swimming performance. Loligo Systems provides an easy to calibrate system that measures oxygen, controls swim speed, and analyzes the data. Their systems include the swim tunnel, optical dissolved oxygen sensors, hardware controllers, and automated data collection software. A - brand name or equal description cannot be used because Loligo Systems is the only authorized dealer of their equipment and there is no equivalent system available on the market. Other companies sell swim tunnels without respirometry systems, without the capability to use their tunnels with a respirometry system, don't have the correct parameters, and/or are not sized appropriately for our fish. Swim tunnels are custom manufactured to hold fish of a specific size and cannot be modified for use with animals outside of this range. The swim tunnel must also reach a speed capable of exhausting our fish. Based on previous research, we will need speeds above 50 cm/s, which isn't achieved by other swim tunnels. Other swim tunnels, found during market research, do not have the integrated ability to measure respirometry and cannot be retrofitted with a separate system to measure oxygen consumption rates across multiple chambers simultaneously. The Ecotoxicology program requires a fully integrated swim tunnel respirometry system to study the sublethal effects of environmental contaminants, including the newly emergent stormwater contaminant, 6PPD-q, on the oxygen consumption rates and swim performance of juvenile salmonids, such as ESA-listed steelhead. The program recently received Inflation Reduction Act funding to investigate the effects of co-stressors on Pacific salmon. The combined effects of thermal stress (climate change) and toxic stormwater runoff will be evaluated in juvenile steelhead, and is relevant to NOAA Fisheries mission as these stressors are increasingly converging on salmon spawning and rearing habitats throughout the western states. The Ecotoxicology Program's targeted research will address several critical data gaps at the interface between the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act and is expected to impact fisheries resource management decisions and drive policy at the local, state, tribal, and federal levels. Without these swim tunnels, the Ecotoxicology Program would not be able help fulfill NOAA Fisheries mandate of salmon conservation and recovery. Loligo Systems has no authorized distributors. Hence, they deal directly with customers from all territories, and only authorized staff from Loligo Systems in Denmark can carry out any technical support, service, or repairs. The North American Industry Classification Code (NAICS) for this acquisition is 334516 with a business size standard of 1,000 employees. This notice is not a request for quote/proposal and no solicitation will be issued. A determination by the Government not to compete the proposed procurement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Any response to this notice must show clear and convincing evidence that demonstrates their products capabilities and specification. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement in the future. Information can be sent to Contracting Specialist, Andrea Talbert at andrea.m.talbert@noaa.gov. No telephone or facsimile requests will be accepted. This procurement will be prepared in accordance with FAR Part 13, using Simplified Acquisition Procedures and has an estimated value under $150,000.00.