SOLICITATION NOTICE
J -- Aircraft to Computer Survey Recording Interface Harness
- Notice Date
- 9/22/2014
- Notice Type
- Presolicitation
- NAICS
- 541330
— Engineering Services
- Contracting Office
- Interior Business Center, AQDDivision 4/ Branch 1300 East Mallard DriveSuite 200BoiseID83706
- ZIP Code
- 83706
- Solicitation Number
- D14PS00745
- Response Due
- 10/7/2014
- Archive Date
- 11/6/2014
- Point of Contact
- Helen Watson
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- THIS NOTICE IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE QUOTES OR A SOLICITATION FOR OFFERS. However, any firm that believes it can meet the requirements, as outlined above may give written notification prior to the response due date. Responses are required to be submitted by October 7, 2014. Responses shall be submitted via e-mail to Helen_Watson@ibc.doi.gov and supporting evidence must be furnished in sufficient detail to demonstrate the ability to perform work required. Responses received will be evaluated; however, 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. Telephone requests or inquires will not be accepted. JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION PART 1 - Requisitioning Office 1. Identification of the agency and the contracting activity, and specific identification of the document as a "Justification for other than full and open competition." Agency / Contracting Activity: Department of the Interior, Interior Business Center, Acquisition Services Division, Boise Branch 2. Nature and/or description of the action being approved. FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)(i) Justification and Approval for procurement - only one source reasonably available. 3. A description of the supplies or services required to meet the agency's needs (including the estimated value). Services required are aerospace engineering and computer design services to support U.S. Fish and Wildlife Migratory Bird Management program in development, testing, upgrades, and support of a Survey Recording Interface Harness and a mobile application that simultaneously records data retrieved from the aircraft systems and from the biologists' observations. Estimated value is $60,000.00. 4. An identification of the statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition. Citation: 41 U.S.C. 253(c) - This acquisition is being conducted in accordance with the provisions of: FAR Part 13 Simplified Acquisition Procedures and FAR 13.106-1 (b) Soliciting from a single source. 5. A demonstration that the proposed contractor's unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited. The mission of the Fish and Wildlife Service's Migratory Bird Program is to conserve migratory bird populations and their habitats for future generations, through careful monitoring, effective management, and by supporting national and international partnerships that conserve habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife. The Branch of Migratory Bird Surveys uses various aircraft to fly low level aerial survey missions in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The aerial surveys are conducted to monitor the status and trends of North American bird populations. Throughout the year several different types of surveys are conducted with aircraft and ground crews. The largest annual survey, the Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat survey, is conducted throughout the northern United States and Canada. The Breeding Population survey follows specific geo-referenced routes identified by different Strata, Transects, and Segments. Certain points on the route are also covered by ground crews for data comparison. Other surveys however, may have a less specific flight path in which a pilot may follow a shoreline or look for a specific nest or breeding ground that was found in a previous year. Additionally those surveys may or may not have ground crews. In using aircraft to perform migratory bird surveys, Survey Pilots and Observers need to be able to observe bird habitat and movement and to simultaneously record observation data in multiple fields, including visual observation data, voice recordings, and GPS position locations at times of observation. Observers also need the ability to instantly playback audio recordings through aircraft intercom system. An aircraft-computer interface box is required to allow the aircraft and computer to work together to share data and to provide continuous power to the computer. A wiring harness is required to bundle the wires together for safety and for efficiency in connecting aircraft to computer. The system used must be lightweight because of stringent aircraft weight requirements. The system used must also use an aircraft avionics system because aircraft instrument panel space is limited and does not allow space required for installation of a separate survey recording system. Because the pilot must always maintain aircraft communications, the aircraft audio system must be able to convert aviation audio to PC audio through an interfaced convertor system. Aircraft GPS position needs a computer interface so that survey GPS position can be recorded for survey data. Aero Designworks engineered and designed the prototype Survey Recording Interface Harness configured for the Quest Kodiak aircraft and delivered the prototype harness and designs to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Migratory Bird Management program in 2013. When the harness was being designed, a FWS employee partially developed a mobile application to record aircraft data and biologists' observations. The mobile application was never fully developed before the employee left the Service. FWS then contracted with a developer to finish designing the mobile application, but the project was temporarily suspended because the developer could not satisfactorily finish the mobile application as they were unable to load aircraft data without using the mobile device touch screen. The Developer's lack of knowledge in the area of the survey harness design and aircraft engineering contributed to the failure. A harness designed to interface mobile devices, aircraft headset, and aircraft power has been developed but remains untested because of the lack of a fully functioning mobile application. In designing the harness, Aero Designworks worked closely with FWS biologists to create the interface and has demonstrated a thorough understanding of (1) manufacturer's aircraft engineering requirements, (2) the data required in the surveys, (3) the limitations encountered in data collection in the survey environment, and (4) computer functionality necessary to record the various data sets. The need is urgent for a viable mobile device application solution to replace aging laptop computers because current laptop computers in use to record survey data are reaching their end of life. Replacing the laptops in order to continue required mission surveys would be an added, unnecessary expense when development of a successful mobile application is so close to being successfully deployed. When a successful interface harness and mobile application have been delivered for the Quest Kodiak, the concepts will be adapted to other aircraft models also used to conduct migratory bird surveys. Award to any other source would result in a duplication of cost to the Government that could not be expected to be recovered through competition; i.e. additional time and costs would be required to educate and familiarize a new contractor with aircraft design and the methods used to (1) interface the avionics system with the computer system design and (2) to develop a thorough understanding of the migratory bird survey recording requirements and the constraints existent in the survey environment. Award to a new contractor could also result in unacceptable delays in fulfilling the agency's mission requirements while the replacement contractor learns what is required and expends effort needed to develop solutions. The specification data presently available reflects the minimum needs of the Government. /s/ Requisitioner, 9/19/14 Justification for Other Than Full and Open Competition - PART 2 - Contracting Office 6. A description of efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as is practicable, including whether a notice was or will be publicized as required by Subpart 5.2 and, if not, which exception under 5.202 applies. A competitive solicitation was conducted in 2013 for engineering design, development, and support of a prototype Survey Recording Interface Harness. Current requirement will be posted on FedBizOpps website for government wide point of entry. 7. A determination by the contracting officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable. The contracting officer determines that the anticipated cost to the Government is fair and reasonable and is comparable to cost paid for similar requirements. 8. A description of the market research conducted and the results or a statement of the reason market research was not conducted. Because there is little or no demand for the Survey Recording Interface Harness outside of those required by the Migratory Bird Management program, the Government has been unable to identify any commercial off-the-shelf product that could be used with or without modification. 9. Any other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition. None 10. Contracting Officer Certification The data supporting the recommended use of other than full and open competition is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief. /s/ Contracting Officer, 9/19/14 /s/ Concurrence /s/ Branch Chief, 9/22/14 /s/ Concurrence /s/ Division Chief, 9/22/14
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