--STEELHEAD ACOUSTIC TAG PURCHASE

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plans to award a sole source contract to Vemco Limited for the purchase of ultrasonic steelhead tags to monitor the movements of steelhead in the Sacramento River. This project will use an extensive existing network of hydroacoustic receivers, primarily Vemco Limited devices, already deployed across the Sacramento River system to collect data on fish migration and distribution patterns. Fourteen additional receivers, acquired from a previous study, will be strategically positioned to complement this monitoring effort. The choice of Vemco Limited tags is driven by the need to maintain compatibility with the established array, as their proprietary coding technology is unique and no alternative manufacturers provide compatible tags. The contract, identified by solicitation number F14PS01237, is managed by the Department of the Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters based in Falls Church, Virginia. The purchase falls under the NAICS code 335999 and is intended to support ongoing research efforts without future updates to the notice. The point of contact for the contract is Troy Mobley, reachable at [phone hidden]. This initiative supports the broader effort to gather detailed, real-time information critical for understanding and managing steelhead populations in the Sacramento River ecosystem.