20--ELECTROFISHING BOAT SAFETY UPGRADE

The USGS is seeking the procurement of Safety upgrade to rewire our 15+ year electrofishing boat and purchase a new generator and safety pads. Updating all the wiring and replacing safety switch pads as well as adding an inverted (quiet) generator will get us below OSHA standards for wearing ear protection and makes it far easier for boat drivers and netters to communicate, especially in the event of an emergency. Inspection of wiring and the other electrofishing infrastructure (e.g., connections between generator and control box, pressure switches, kill switches) by the equipment manufacturer will include operational and safety tests to ensure equipment users can operate and fulfill sampling obligations safely.Service and equipment needs: Honda 7000 inverter generator that is custom cut and milled for existing boat specifications. EFI, super quiet design. Redundant ground bonding wire and lug. Custom MWL Inverter Generator Stabilizer module system paired with Honda inverter generator

and onboard charger, battery switch, breakers, automatic charging relay and installation. Boat safety evaluation of preexisting MWL wiring, replacement parts, supplies, and labor.The USGS intends to sole source this award to equipment manufacturer Midwest Lake Management Inc. in order to safely integrate the new generator with the Midwest lake stabilizer system. Vendors who believe they may be able to provide similar services are invited to contact the Contract Specialist, Miranda Blankenship, via email at mblankenship@usgs.gov no later than 12:00PM EST, Wednesday, June 19, 2023, with an affirmative answer.Sole Source Justification States the Following Part:Contracting Agency and Activity: The Department of the Interior, United States GeologicalSurvey, plans to contract on a sole source basis. This document sets forth the justification andapproval as required by FAR 13.106-1(b)(1).Nature of Action Being Approved: Safety upgrade to rewire our 15+ year electrofishing boat and purchase a new generator and safety pads. Updating all the wiring and replacing safety switch pads as well as adding an inverted (quiet) generator will get us below OSHA standards for wearing ear protection and makes it far easier for boat drivers and netters to communicate, especially in the event of an emergency. Inspection of wiring and the other electrofishing infrastructure (e.g., connections between generator and control box, pressure switches, kill switches) by the equipment manufacturer (Midwest Lake Management Inc.) will include operational and safety tests to ensure equipment users can operate and fulfill sampling obligations safely.Description of Supplies or Services: The U.S. Geological Survey (Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit) requests award of a non-competitive procurement to Midwest Lake Management Inc. for a Honda 7000 inverter generator, inverter generator stabilizer module system to pair with Honda inverter generator, evaluation of electrical system, replacement parts, supplies and labor to update old wiring. Thegenerator and the generator stabilizer module system need to work together. Midwest Lake Management built their stabilizer to work with the Honda 7000 inverter generator. Without these components working together the electrofishing safety system would be compromised and or a new stabilizing system would need to be developed.Statutory Authority: The proposed action may be awarded on a sole source basis under theauthority of FAR 13.106-1(b)(1) ¿ only one source reasonably available.Rationale Supporting Use of Citation in No. 5: We are seeking a safety upgrade to rewire our 15+ year electrofishing boat and purchase a new quiet generator and pressure pads (on-switches). Updating all the wiring and replacing pressure switch pads as well as adding an inverted (quiet) generator will get us below OSHA standards for wearing ear protection and makes it far easier for boat drivers and netters to communicate, especially in the event of an emergency. Inspection of wiring and the other electrofishing infrastructure (e.g., connections between generator and control box, pressure switches, kill switches) by the equipment manufacturer (Midwest Lake Management Inc.) will include operational and safety tests to ensure equipment users can operate and fulfill sampling obligations safely.The boat currently uses a Midwest Lake Management Inc. control box system. For the new (inverted)generator to safely integrate with the system we need to use the Midwest Lake stabilizer system that onlyMidwest Lake Management Inc can install. Midwest Lake Management Inc. will also conduct a safetycheck and replace all parts that are wearing on the boat.Future Plans to Permit Competition: Future requirements for same/similar items will be competed to the maximum extent practical. Program Office will conduct continuous market research in an effort to identify solutions that meet specifications/requirements in the future.