The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Eastern Region Acquisitions Division-Kansas City office intends to award, on a sole source basis, under the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), with Teledyne RD Instruments, Inc., for an Underway Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth (CTD) Profiler and accessories for the Office of Exploration and Research(OER) in Kingstown, RI.

A Sources Sought notice was posted to the Federal Business Opportunities website on July 16, 2015 and closed on July 24, 2015. No responses were received.

The following equipment is required:
• Underway CTD/SV Winch System
• Rewinder Power Supply
• Universal Davit and Anillaries. Arm, block, dummy probe, probe holder, and swivel base
• Training probe
• Probe and tail spool assembly
• Rapid probe and tail spool assembly

The equipment must meet the following requirements:
• Can accurately measure sound velocity profiles of the water column to a depth of 600-800 meters while underway at a vessel speed of 8 knots
• Uses reusable (non-expendable) sampling probes
• Requires no deck space footprint on the vessel

Sole Source Justification
OER requires durable scientific sampling equipment that can obtain sound velocity profiles of the water column to a depth of 600-800 meters while the ship is underway at 8 knots. Eight knots is the ship's normal ocean mapping survey speed, so OER requires an instrument that can sample the water column while continuously mapping and maintaining 8 knots. Stopping the ship to conduct a sound velocity profile measurement via a traditional CTD device is not acceptable due to the loss of several hours of mapping time that would be required for every cast. Water column sound speed characteristics vary substantially in depths less than 600 meters, so equipment is needed that can obtain sound velocity profiles to at least this depth. The ship currently obtains sound velocity profiles using expendable probes (XBTs) rated to 776 meters. Thus the ship requires a durable re-usable probe that can obtain sound velocity profiles between 600-800 meters.

XBT's are expensive consumable supplies and leave behind plastic, copper, and plastic waste in the ocean due to the one-time use of each probe. OER requires a sound velocity profile measurement device that does not use expendable probes or leave behind waste in the ocean.

The Okeanos Explorer utilizes an extremely complex and expensive two-body remotely operated vehicle (ROV) system as mission-critical ocean exploration equipment. The ROVs require all available deck space on the fantail of the Okeanos Explorer not already occupied by essential crane equipment. Due to this constraint, there is zero deck space available on the fantail to accommodate space for a sound velocity profiling piece of equipment that requires deck floor space to be occupied. Therefore, only equipment that can be mounted to the stern railing of the ship can be accommodated on the vessel.

The UnderwayCTD device is the only scientific equipment on the market that meets the program's requirements. Teledyne Oceanscience is the exclusive manufacturer and authorized source for repair and recalibration of UnderwayCTD devices and associated UCTD and SV probes.

 

Bid Protests Not Available