Notice of Intent to Sole Source

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in association with the National Water and Climate Center (NWCC) intends to negotiate a sole source fixed price purchase order with ETI Instrument Systems, 1317 Webster Ave., Fort Collins, CO, 80524-2756, for the NOAH 120- Weight Measurement Assembly with SDI112 Communications. The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition for a simplified acquisition is FAR 13.106-1(b)(1): For purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold (SAT), contracting officers may solicit from one source if the contracting officer determines that the circumstances of the contract action deem only one source reasonable available (e.g. urgency, exclusive licensing agreement, brand name or industrial mobilization). The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has a need for replacement electronic pressure transducers for use in the automated SNOwpack TELemetry (SNOTEL) network operated by the Oregon Data Collection Office (ORDCO). Due to temperature dependencies of pressure and gauge electronics a daily swing in the NRCS precipitation data exists called "diurnal fluctuation." This diurnal fluctuation can be upwards of two inches of precipitation each day depending on the amount of fluid in the gauge, the extremity of the temperature swing, and the individual properties of the pressure transducer. This diurnal variation can be confusing to users accessing the data through the internet. Further long term shifts in data can be observed when cold or warm air fronts move through causing the overall accuracy to be at best plus or minus one inch. NRCS data editors make their best estimate at what the data values actually should be. These estimates may be off by more than an inch of precipitation which could have significant impact on the water supply forecast for a basin. ETI has developed, the NOAH 120- Weight Measurement Assembly with SDI112 Communications, a highly accurate precipitation measurement system that is capable of detecting, measuring, and recording precipitation events to the nearest 0.01 inches after a 0.03 inch onset. For the past three years ETI has utilized an NRCS Rocket gauge at their facility to provide direct testing under actual outdoor environmental conditions. The design of the ETI system is such that existing NRCS 120-inch precipitation gauge structures can be retrofitted with ETI's components and redeployed to the field. There is no other known weighing module currently manufactured that can meet the specifications for the NRCS Rocket gage. THIS NOTICE IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. To compete this award would create substantial duplication cost. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed order is at the sole discretion of the Government. Oral Communications are not acceptable in response to this notice. This is a notice and a solicitation will not be issued. NRCS will not respond to requests for solicitation copies and will not pay for information received in response to this announcement.