Opportunity
SAM #REQUIREMENTS-26-4191
NOAA Sole Source Procurement of Innovasea Acoustic Telemetry Equipment for Steelhead Research
Buyer
DEPT OF COMMERCE NOAA EAD-NORFOLK-SAP
Posted
July 24, 2026
Respond By
July 31, 2026
Identifier
REQUIREMENTS-26-4191
NAICS
334513, 334511
This notice announces NOAA Fisheries' intent to award a sole-source contract to Innovasea Marine Systems Canada, Inc. for specialized acoustic telemetry equipment to support steelhead survival research in Puget Sound. - Agency: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries, Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC) - Sole-source procurement to Innovasea Marine Systems Canada, Inc. (Innovasea) - Purpose: Quantify steelhead survival, migration, and predator identification in Puget Sound - Required equipment includes: - 200 transmitters for steelhead smolts - 2 test tags for detection efficiency - 14 hydrophones for monitoring - 27 acoustic-release rope canisters (various line lengths) - 1 surface transponder (VR100) - ARC-150 and ARC-300 Mooring recovery systems - NexTrak AR Transponding Acoustic release receiver - V7T-2x-A69-2951 and V7T-2x-A69-2801 rounded case transmitters (including delay programming and range test variants) - Only Innovasea equipment is acceptable; interested vendors must provide an authorized reseller letter from Innovasea - Delivery required within 90 days after award - No additional services are included in this procurement - Estimated contract value is not specified, but likely in the low to mid six-figure range based on quantities and equipment type - Competing products may exist from other telemetry and marine instrumentation OEMs, but NOAA asserts only Innovasea meets requirements
Description
NOTICE OF INTENT TO NEGOTIATE A SOLE-SOURCE PURCHASE ORDER
THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR QUOTE. THIS IS A NOTICE OF THE GOVERNMENT’S INTENT TO ISSUE A SOLE SOURCE PURCHASE ORDER. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries, hereby gives public notice of the intent to negotiate a sole-source purchase order pursuant to the authority of 41 U.S.C. 1901, using simplified procedures up to $9M, in accordance with Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Overhaul (RFO) 12.201-1, as the supplies required by the agency are available from only one responsible source and no other services will satisfy agency requirements The government seeks products from INNOVASEA MARINE SYSTEMS CANADA, INC (INNOVASEA) for the acquisition of purchase acoustic telemetry equipment and supplies to quantify steelhead survival in Puget Sound. The delivery date is 90 days after award. The reason justifying this sole source procurement is that the Government believes only one responsible source can provide the equipment that will satisfy the agency's requirement.
Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC), located at 7305 Beach Drive East Port Orchard, WA 98366, has an urgent need for scientific evidence describing the magnitude of pinniped impacts on Endangered Species Act (ESA) listed salmonids, and for analyses demonstrating the effects of proposed pinniped management actions. NWFSC is required to provide survival estimates for ESA listed steelhead in the Nisqually River to monitor effects of potential pinniped management actions. NWFSC needs to purchase 200 transmitters to implant into steelhead smolts and two (2) test tags to estimate detection efficiency. NWFSC needs 14 hydrophones to detect the tagged steelhead in order to monitor migration, estimate survival, and identify steelhead predators (13 additional receivers are being provided by a project partner for a total of 27 moorings). NWFSC also needs to purchase 27 acoustic-release rope canisters for yearly hydrophone retrieval and download, and a surface transponder to communicate with the receivers. NWFSC needs three (3) different rope canister line lengths to accommodate the various mooring depths in Puget Sound.
The following VEMCO INNOVASEA products are required:
ARC-150 Mooring recovery system (rope canister)
ARC-300 Mooring recovery system (rope canister)
NexTrak AR Transponding Acoustic release receiver
VR100 Surface Transponder
V7T-2x-A69-2951 Rounded case
V7T-2x-A69-2951 Rounded case - delay programming
V7T-2x-A69-2801 Rounded case - range test
Responses to this notice must be provided within eight (8) calendar days from the date of this notice. This is a sole source notice published for informational purposes only and not a request for competitive quotes. Therefore, no solicitation document exists for this requirement. Vendors who believe they can meet this requirement are required to submit in writing an affirmative response demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the requirement. All written responses must include a capabilities statement that determines the ability to provide an authorized reseller letter from INNOVASEA. The response must be sufficient to permit agency analysis to establish a bona fide capability to meet the requirement. Failure to submit such documentation will result in the Government proceeding as previously stated. A determination by the Government not to open the requirement to competition based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Affirmative written responses must be received no later than 2:00 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, July 31, 2026. The responses must be submitted via e-mail the Contracting Officer, Rachel Stone, at Rachel.Stone@noaa.gov.