The Utah Procurement Code provides that a procurement may be made without competition when the University determines that there is only one source that can reasonably meet the University’s need for the required supply or service, as described in Utah Code Ann. § 63G-6a-802.
The Purchasing Department has received the following request for sole source procurement
Current date: 20250409
Product and/or Service to be purchased: Ground Penetrating Radar
Sole Source Supplier: Sensors & Software
Earliest Proposed Purchase Date: April 09, 2025
Buyer Name: Kayla McMullen
Sole Source Justification:
The PulseEKKO Pro from Sensors and Software is the only company that provides GPR units with 50 and 100 MHz antennas because this frequency range is regulated by the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The FCC in the USA has regulations around ultrawide band (UWB) devices such as GPR systems. The regulations restrict the radio frequency emission into the air and vary by frequency. The FCC limits GPR system emission power such that GPR manufacturers can sell only GPR systems in the United States that meet these regulations. The company we are purchasing this unit from (Sensors & Software) has a unique system that uses lower power, but stacks many signals, to comply with FCC regulations. So they offer a unique solution that meets the FCC regulations while also allowing the use of 50 and 100 MHz antennas. The Sensors & Software system bears a FCC ID sticker as a proof of compliance with FCC regulations.
Low frequency antennas are necessary for the research that this instrument is intended for as they allow for radar penetration and reflection in snow and ice. The intended purpose for this unit is to research surface glaciers and subsurface glaciation.