MODIFICATION
V -- Beaked Whale Tagging Charter
- Notice Date
- 11/8/2005
- Notice Type
- Modification
- NAICS
- 487210
— Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water
- Contracting Office
- Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Western Administrative Support Center, 7600 Sand Point Way, Northeast, Seattle, WA, 98115-6349
- ZIP Code
- 98115-6349
- Solicitation Number
- ab133f-06-rp-0013
- Response Due
- 12/5/2005
- Archive Date
- 12/20/2005
- Small Business Set-Aside
- Total Small Business
- Description
- ****The purpose of this Request for Information is to survey the industry on your ability to perform the services required in the attached statement of work. If you feel you are capable of providing the services, please email Contract Specialist, Stephanie Kyles at stephanie.m.kyles@noaa.gov no later than November 18, 2005. Please include the following information in your response: 1. Company name 2. Company size status (i.e. small business, not for profit entity, etc...) 3. Your ability to perform the work 4. Whether your company has the required Marine Mammal Protection Act permits currently in place. BEAKED WHALE TAGGING AND DIVE STUDIES IN HAWAII STATEMENT OF WORK I. BACKGROUND Under the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA), the Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is required to periodically assess the status of marine mammal populations in waters under U.S. jurisdiction. Population size and trends in population size are some of the most valuable data used for this purpose. Large-scale ship surveys were conducted in 2002 around the Hawaiian Islands; however, there is no data on beaked whale diving in this area on which to base abundance correction factors. In addition to general population assessment, NMFS has a mandate to monitor and mitigate human-caused impacts on marine mammal population. Recently, the strandings of beaked whales has been associated with loud anthropogenic sounds, such as military sonars. NMFS is working with the U.S. Navy to determine what factors are involved in causing these strandings. Lack of knowledge about the normal diving behavior of beaked whales is an impediment to understanding the cause of strandings. The intent of this contract is to improve information beaked whale diving behavior, near-shore distribution, and population structure around the Hawaiian Islands. The contract is organized into an initial one-year project and one optional year of additional work. II. TASKS The contractor will conduct studies of the diving behavior of beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris and/or Mesoplodon sp.) in the vicinity of the Hawaiian Islands between 1 Jan 2006 and 1 Nov 2006. This will include collecting information on the distribution of dive times, dive depths, and surface times collected using recording tags attached to the animals. Work is expected to be done from small boats (to be provided by the contractor). Analyses should include cumulative distributions plots of time spent at each depth for each tagged individual. In addition to studies of diving behavior of beaked whales, the contractor shall document all sightings of other marine mammals seen while conducting dive-behavior studies and shall obtain genetic samples (small tissue biopsies) from as many of these sightings as possible. OPTION YEAR: Upon successful completion of the first year of field sampling, the Government may, at its discretion, choose to fund a second year of this work (between 1 Nov 2006 and 1 Nov 2007) to increase the sample size and collect additional data. The contractor?s proposal should include a plan and budget for this option year. III. METHODOLOGIES The contractor will be allowed latitude to develop methods for radio/TDR tagging of beaked whales. Biopsy samples will be taken by standard, accepted methods. The contractor will be responsible for obtaining Marine Mammal Protection Act permits required for tagging activity as well as any permits that might be required by the State of Hawaii. IV. SPECIFICATIONS AND STANDARDS The estimates of population parameters from this contract will be used in evaluating threats to the population and may be used as evidence for taking management actions. For these reasons, it is necessary that the research be scientifically credible. The quality of the final reports should be equivalent to that of published articles in scientific journals. Genetic tissue samples shall be maintained in a fresh condition by chilling on ice onboard the boats used for this study and should be frozen as soon as they can be returned to land. V. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE Field work 1 Jan 2006 through 1 Oct 2006 Analysis, report writing: 1 Oct 2006 through 1 Nov 2006 OPTION YEAR Field work: 1 Nov 2006 through 1 Oct 2007 Analysis, report writing: 1 Oct 2007 through 1 Nov 2007 VII. DELIVERABLES AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS The contractor shall submit a final report presenting a summary of the methods and results. Genetic tissue samples shall be transported in a frozen state to the SWFSC tissue archive in San Diego, CA. End of RFI ********The National Marine Fisheries Service, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, requires a charter to conduct studies of the diving behaviors of beaked whales in the vicinity of the Hawaiian Islands between 15 December 2005 and 1 October 2006. The charter contract will include one option to be exercised at the Government?s sole discretion, to charter the vessels again for the same period and purpose in 2006 through 2007. At the end of the contract, the contractor shall submit a final report presenting a summary of the methods and results. A Request for Proposals providing detailed technical and performance specifications will be issued electronically on the FedBizOpps (FBO) website on or about November 3, 2005. For a copy of the solicitation, you must register at FBO to ?receive notification?. Upon release of the solicitation to the FedBizOpps for download, you will receive an email notifying you that the solicitation is now available. To receive further information, please contact Contract Specialist Stephanie Kyles at (206) 526-4425. This procurement is 100% set aside for small business concerns. The NAICS code for this procurement is 487210 with a Size Standard of $5.0 million. See Numbered Note 1. Mandatory Clause: The Western Administrative Support Center, Acquisition Management Division, requires that all contractors doing business with this acquisition office must be registered with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR) before October 1, 2003. After this date, NO award can be made unless the vendor is registered in CCR. For additional information and to register in CCR please access the following web site: http:///www.ccr.gov/. In order to register with the CCR and to be eligible to receive an award from this acquisition office, all offerors must have a Dun & Bradstreet Number. A Dun & Bradstreet number may be acquired free of charge by contacting Dun & Bradstreet on-line at https://www.dnb.com/product/eupdate/requestOptions.html or by phone at (800) 333-0505.
- Place of Performance
- Address: Hawaiian Islands
- Record
- SN00928558-W 20051110/051108212048 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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