Justification for Other Than Full and Open Competition Sofar Redacted 1

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

LIMITED SOURCE JUSTIFICATION

FOR FEDERAL SUPPLY SCHEDULE (FSS) AWARD

1. Contracting Agency and Activity. The Department of the Interior, Reston Science Acquisition Branch.
2. Nature of Action Being Approved. The establishment of single award FSS BPA under Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) contract 47QSMS25D00AX Sofar Ocean for one year with four option periods.
3. Description of Supplies or Services. The USGS St. Petersburg Coastal Marine Center requires Sofar Ocean’s Spotter platform, related hardware, maintenance, and access to application programming interface (API) Spotter Dashboard.

4. Estimated Dollar Value. $250,000.00

5. Statutory Authority. The proposed action is justified on a sole-source basis under the statutory exception at 10 U.S.C. 3406(c)(2) in accordance with the procedures of GSAR 538.7104-3(a).
6. Rationale Supporting Use of Citation in No. 5 Since 2021, the SPCMSC has collected marine data using the Sofar Ocean Spotter platform. The Center has procured ten Spotter buoys, each valued at $10,400, representing a total investment of $104,000 in hardware that is fully integrated with Sofar Ocean’s proprietary data ecosystem. Spotter buoys transmit real-time ocean observations via cellular or satellite links directly to Sofar Ocean’s marine weather prediction model, after which the data is delivered to the Spotter Dashboard for user access. All associated data, analytics, and custom dashboards are stored within Sofar Ocean’s cloud environment, enabling immediate access from any internet-connected location. Use of any alternative sensing platform would result in the Government losing its existing investment, as Spotter buoys are not compatible with third-party software systems and cannot interface with non-Sofar data networks. Transitioning to another platform would also introduce methodological inconsistencies, including differences in sensor calibration, data collection, and data processing standards. These discrepancies would compromise the continuity and comparability of long-term datasets, undermining the accuracy of environmental monitoring and trend analysis. Continued reliance on the Spotter system ensures uniform data quality, consistent methodology, and preservation of the historical dataset’s integrity. Sofar Ocean has confirmed in writing that there are no authorized third-party distributors, service providers, or entities with access to the Spotter API. As the original equipment manufacturer, Sofar Ocean is the sole source capable of supplying compatible hardware, system maintenance,