Sole Source Purchase - InnovaSea Products

Other / Unclassified

This document is a Single Source Determination using Simplified Acquisition Procedures (SAP) for an action not exceeding the Simplified Acquisition Threshold. It justifies procuring supplies and services from a single source, Innovasea, for the NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center's Fish Ecology (FE) Division.

This document indicates a sole-source procurement. Potential bidders should note that the government requires specific Innovasea transmitters (170-V8-4x-A69-1604, 21-VR2AR-LUG-KITS, 8-V8-4x-A69-1601) and an external cap (Reference Tag) for assessing the impact of invasive European Green crab. The estimated cost is redacted, and the delivery date is May 1, 2026.

The rationale for a sole source is based on:

• Compatibility: The Innovasea transmitters are compatible with 38 previously acquired hydrophones (valued over $120,000) and over 10 years of collected data, ensuring data integrity and consistency.
• Proprietary Technology: Innovasea produces proprietary coded tags and receivers. Other systems are incompatible, and attempting to use non-Innovasea transmitters could lead to litigation due to the use of proprietary technology.
• Exclusive Licensing/Agreements: NOAA has invested significantly in Innovasea equipment and analysis protocols, which are incompatible with other systems.
• Market Research: Internet searches and investigations of other vendors (e.g., Lotec, Sonotronics) confirmed that their systems are incompatible, and Innovasea is the only vendor offering a receiver with an automated release required for this research. No resellers exist.

This determination implies that opportunities for this specific requirement will likely be limited to Innovasea or its authorized distributors.

Other / Unclassified

This document is a "Single Source Determination Using Simplified Acquisition Procedures (SAP)" for an action not exceeding the Simplified Acquisition Threshold, authorized by FAR 13.106-1(b)(1). It details the agency's need for telemetry supplies for a project to measure and quantify the residence and habitat use of sandbar sharks related to shark depredation.

This document indicates a sole source procurement for specific telemetry equipment from Innovasea. The supplies include:

• (1) VR100 – Surface Transponder and Manual Tracking Acoustic Receiver
• (1) VHTx 69kHz Transponding Hydrophone (25-meter waterproof cable)
• (190) V16-4x-A69-2801; Rounded Case
• (27) NexTrak AR - Transponding Acoustic Release Receiver with battery
• (3) Magnetic Activation Probe for acoustic receivers

The total estimated cost is provided, subject to reduction after trade-in evaluation. The expected delivery date for the first supplies is November 15, 2026. The rationale for sole source is based on compatibility with existing systems, proprietary rights to InnovaSea's software and hardware, and the unique capability of their transmitters to link with current receivers. The agency also notes that InnovaSea is the sole manufacturer of a specific underwater positioning system required for fine-scale fish movement tracking and that previous studies utilized their equipment.

Statement of Work (SOW) / Performance Work Statement (PWS)

To address the growing issue of shark depredation, which causes economic losses and degrades fishing experiences, by conducting experimental analysis to understand and potentially mitigate shark behavior associated with fishing activities.

• Develop and deploy electronic animal tagging technologies (biologging, telemetry) to monitor shark movements and residency.

• Utilize passive acoustic arrays and acoustic tags equipped with sensors (pressure, temperature, acceleration) to study a range of behaviors.

• Contract commercial shark longline vessels to capture sharks in identified high depredation risk areas.

• Insert acoustic pinger tags into captured sharks.

• Deploy a listening station array at each site to monitor shark movements and residency for one year.

• Monitor depredation rates simultaneously in control and experimental sites using cooperating for-hire or recreational fishermen who will report rates via electronic reporting applications.

• The contractor will provide specific electronic tagging equipment, including transponders, receivers, and activation probes.

• Period of Performance: September 1, 2026 - August 31, 2027

• Place of Performance: InnovaSea, 20 Angus Morton Drive, Bedford, Nova Scotia, Canada B4B 0L9

• All equipment will be delivered by January 15, 2027.

• Contractor may be required to sign a Non-disclosure Agreement (NDA) due to potential access to Privacy Information.

• All deliverables are the property of the U.S. Government. Data must be stored exclusively on Government-owned equipment.

• All Electronic and Information Technology (EIT) must comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Statement of Work (SOW) / Performance Work Statement (PWS)

This document details edits and additions to a Statement of Work (SOW) related to acoustic telemetry equipment.

• Equipment Compatibility: The specified equipment is compatible with already purchased VR2AR-69kHz receivers (V8-4x-A69-2801).

• Delivery: Delivery is scheduled for six weeks after the order date, accounting for manufacturing time.

• Proprietary Systems: Information regarding Innovasea's proprietary acoustic telemetry system, including its use of closed, encrypted hardware "code spaces" and a unique Pulse Position Modulation (PPM) encoding method, is available via a provided link: https://support.fishtracking.innovasea.com/s/article/How-do-VEMCO-coded-tags-work.

• Pricing: The price is confirmed as stated in the price quote.

• Contact Information: Additional contact information has been provided, including a specific delivery address.

• Delivery date: Six weeks after award (due to manufacturing time).

• Delivery address specified.

• Innovasea secures its proprietary acoustic telemetry system using closed, encrypted hardware "code spaces" paired with a unique Pulse Position Modulation (PPM) encoding method that restricts signal decoding exclusively to its own receivers.