SOURCES SOUGHT
B -- Large Pelagic Fish: Using hard parts to conduct age validation and characterize stock structure and population dynamics
- Notice Date
- 6/23/2015
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541690
— Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Western Region Acquisition Division, 7600 Sand Point Way, Northeast, Seattle, Washington, 98115-6349
- ZIP Code
- 98115-6349
- Solicitation Number
- WAD-NFFR7000-15-03182
- Archive Date
- 7/15/2015
- Point of Contact
- Maria L Mendoza, Phone: (206)526-6671
- E-Mail Address
-
Maria.L.Mendoza@noaa.gov
(Maria.L.Mendoza@noaa.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- This is a SOURCES SOUGHT SYNOPSIS and is not a presolicitation announcement. The purpose of this Market Research and Sources Sought Notice is to gain knowledge of potential qualified Small Business, HUBZone, 8(a), Service Disabled Veteran owned, and Women owned Small Business firms. Responses to this Sources Sought Synopsis will be used by the Government in making appropriate acquisition decisions. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce (DOC), has a requirement for analytical work on hardparts (otoliths and vertebrae) of large pelagic fish to obtain critical life history and population level information for a number of species including bluefin (Thunnus orientalis) and albacore tunas (Thunnus alalunga), thresher sharks (Alopias vulpinus) and swordfish (Xiphias gladius). These species are all important components of regional commercial and/or recreational fisheries along the U.S. West Coast and are federally-managed. Despite their regional importance there are data gaps for all species. For thresher sharks, there has been no validation of vertebral band pair periodicity. The SWFSC has been injecting thresher sharks with oxytetracycline and collecting vertebrae. Some analyses have begun, but more work on interpretation of the vertebrae is needed. For northern bluefin tuna, the dynamics of movements from two separate spawning grounds in the western Pacific across the Pacific and the relative importance of the eastern Pacific as a foraging ground are not known. This type of information will enable the use of a more spatially explicit stock assessment and inform appropriate management strategies. For north Pacific albacore and swordfish, there is some suggestion that two substocks exist for each species in the eastern Pacific; however, it is still not clear whether the populations are simply separating to distinct foraging grounds or if patterns actually reflect two different substocks. Description of Work and Services The contract goal is to conduct the hard-part analysis for the species listed above in support of questions related to age, population dynamics and stock structure. The contractor will conduct, oversee and support the research as well as report regularly to NMFS personnel via phone or e-mail and attend meetings to present the work. The contractor will also work with NOAA on the preparation and submission of manuscripts to peer reviewed journals at the appropriate time. Task 1. The project contractor will oversee all aspects of the sample processing, data analysis, compilation, and distribution to SWFSC staff. Task 2. The contractor will use vertebral ring counts on thresher sharks injected with oxytetracycline to characterize band deposition rates. Task 3. The contractor will use microchemistry analysis of otoliths to characterize movement patterns of swordfish to help characterize stock structure in the eastern Pacific. Up to 100 otoliths should be used in the analysis if available. Task 4. The contractor will use daily and annual rings in otoliths and microchemistry analysis to characterize the population dynamics of Pacific bluefin. A total of 90 otoliths should be used in the analysis if available. Task 5. The contractor will meet (or correspond by phone or email) with the NMFS project officer on a bi-annual basis to discuss progress and provide a brief written report on results to date. Task 6. The contractor will participate in a final project meeting (dates and location TBD) to review the data collected and decide on next steps in regards to utilizing the information for stock assessment and conservation and management objectives. A complete report will be provided at the meeting including materials and methods, all data collected, results and discussion. Period of Performance: The contract period will be September 1, 2015 through August 31, 2017, which includes one base year and one option year Base award: Sept 1, 2015- Aug 31, 2016 Option Year 01: Sept 1, 2016-Aug 31, 2017 Deliverables All deliverables will be submitted to the Government Project Officers. Invoices may be submitted intermittently based on partial completion of the work. 1. Semi-annually the contractor will prepare a written summary that includes data from the hard part analyses and a description of the efforts to date. Progress and plans will be discussed with the Government Project Officers. 2. At the end of the contract period the contractor will provide a detailed project summary report to include a project description, material and methods, data collected, results, and discussion as well as an outline of additional work needed to bring the projects to completion. SWFSC staff will collect and provide the necessary vertebrae and otoliths. All data generated will be property of the U.S. Government. The C&A requirements of clause 73 do not apply and a Security Accreditation Package is not required. Contractor must meet the following requirements: a. Must have experience working with both shark and teleost hard parts including conducting age validation using vertebrae, ageing tuna using daily and annual rings and conducting isotope and trace elements analysis on tuna and swordfish otoliths using laser ablation and mass spectrometry. b. Must have specialization in tuna, swordfish and shark age and growth and microchemistry analyses to oversee the scientific aspects of the project. c. Must have analytical instrumentation maintained in working order to ensure that all analyses meet quality control standards and be able to provide services at a competitive overhead rate. The North American Industry Classification Code (NAICS) is 541690 with a size standard of $15.0 M. Interested firms shall provide, in writing, a brief narrative (no more than 3 pages in length) and documentation to support your firm's capability and experience meeting the requirements herein and include your firm's name, address, point of contact, telephone number, DUNS Number, CCR Cage Number, business type and size, i.e., small, large, non-profit, educational, and so forth. Any response that does not include this information will not be considered. The Government will review your response to determine if your firm has the experience, knowledge and capability to perform the services as specified above. This request for information does not constitute a commitment, implied or otherwise, that a procurement action will be issued. Nor does this request for information constitute a commitment, implied or otherwise that any procurement action that may be issued for the Government's requirements. No entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by the Government will arise as a result of the submission of contractor's information. The Government shall not be liable for or suffer any consequential damages for proprietary information not properly identified. Proprietary information will be safeguarded in accordance with the applicable Government regulations. All contractors doing business with the Government are required to be registered with the System for Award Management (SAM). NOTE: THIS SYNOPSIS IS NOT CONSIDERED A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL BUT A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ONLY. No solicitation document is available. No contract will be awarded on the basis of responses received to this notice. Detailed information must be submitted by email to the Purchasing Agent Maria L. Mendoza at maria.l.mendoza@noaa.gov by 0900 AM local Seattle time (PST), on Tuesday,June 30, 2015. Questions of any nature must be addressed in writing as TELEPHONE INQUIRIES WILL NOT BE HONORED.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DOC/NOAA/WASC/WAD-NFFR7000-15-03182/listing.html)
- Record
- SN03773859-W 20150625/150623235817-610ea07f13435fddea7774432abde75c (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
| FSG Index | This Issue's Index | Today's FBO Daily Index Page |