Notice of Intent to Sole Source Custom GPS Tracking Collars for Racoons and Opossums

Notice of Intent to Award Sole Source 12639521Q0069 Custom GPS Tracking Collars for Racoons and Opossums The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) Wildlife Services in Fort Collins, CO, is issuing this Notice of Intent to Award Sole Source Contract. This is not a request for proposal. This Notice does not represent a commitment by the government to pay costs incurred from the preparation and/or submission of data in response to this notice. USDA APHIS WS intends to issue a noncompetitive contract to Telemetry Solutions Inc. 5051 Commercial Circle, Suite A, Concord, CA 94520 in accordance FAR 6.302-1(a)(2) Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements. Information regarding the intended sole source award is listed below. Description: Wildlife research frequently requires documenting locations of study animals to determine where they live, forage, and reproduce as a basis for further determination of their activities on the landscape. When researching important details such as potential for disease transmission or damage to agriculture or other resources, accurate and precise locational information is essential to answering these questions. Traditionally, VHF radio collars were used to collect this type of information, though have been replaced by collars providing far less locational uncertainty by incorporating global positioning system (GPS) technology. By using traditional VHF collars, combined with GPS technology, animal locations are obtained with much less effort and are more reliable and spatially accurate. Most recently, radio collar and GPS technology has advanced further to the point of allowing one-way and two-way communications (i.e., UHF transmission, Iridium satellites) between collars and researchers collecting information. These communications enable researchers to acquire locational information remotely without recapturing the animal to retrieve data on the collar. Researchers are also able to change GPS location recording schedules and collar drop-off dates remotely, and as needed throughout a study to get more information or even less information to extend the battery life of the collar. Additional desired features such as temperature and activity sensors, and remote drop-off mechanisms enhance the ability of researchers to provide more answers. A virtual fence option is also available which can alert researchers to wildlife movements and automatically provide additional information when a collared animal enters a pre-determined area, such as a baiting area. The virtual fence is ideal for documenting activity within an area of concern such as a crop field where damage by target animals is occurring. Testing the efficacy of bait delivery devices and baiting strategies is key to registering a new toxic bait for wildlife. Nontarget access to bait delivery devices can be problematic, especially if nontargets are threatened or endangered species. Raccoon and opossums are nontargets that frequently try to access our bait deliver boxes and are susceptible to toxic bait if enough is consumed. Realtime or near real-time locational data that VHF/GPS collars provides are key to measuring bait delivery box effectiveness at excluding nontargets such as raccoons and opossums. TYPE OF CONTRACT Purchasing custom electronics at firm fixed price REQUIREMENTS Item Description To achieve the goals of the USDA APHIS WS NWRC Management of Ungulate Disease and Damage Project, we request the purchase of the following equipment, with specific options, to help accomplish documenting raccoon and opossum movements in relation to placement of toxic bait study sites. Raccoon and opossum movement data is vital to initial placement of bait stations and to determine if these 2 species attempt to open bait delivery devices to gain access to placebo and/or toxic bait. 15 raccoon and 15 opossum GPS/VHF collars: Unique VHF beacons for each collar Collars compatible with base stations for remote download of GPS data Mortality mode Incorporation of breakaway material in collars for later release Collar circumference and weight: 30 collars to fit necks of raccoon and opossums (TBD when ordering) Base stations are standalone and do not need on-site operator or laptop Base stations must also be portable and able to be attached to a drone to increase range of remote download Other Requirements - 15 Collars must be designed for use on racoon of 4-9 kg in size 15 Collars must be designed for use on opossum of 3-6 kg in size Depending on final collar programming, if need be collars must be able to log GPS data 24 hrs/day and transmit VHF 24 hrs/day > 1 year warranty Shipping Instructions The collars must be shipped within 2 months of receiving the contract The contractor will provide thirty (30) 4000ER Small GPS Collars and twelve (12) Base stations for long range download. See attached justification for other than full and open competition for more information. The Government contemplates the award of a firm-fixed-price contract. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotations. However, all responsible sources may submit capability information/quotations which shall be considered by the agency in its sole source determination. Responses must be submitted by e-mail to Rita Fish-Whitlock at contact@example.gov no later than January 10, 2021. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. Respondents should ensure the information provided is detailed, current, accurate and complete. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based on the responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the government.