MODIFICATION
R -- Bycatch and Mortality Reduction Research in Hawaii-Based Fishery
- Notice Date
- 7/23/2015
- Notice Type
- Modification/Amendment
- NAICS
- 541990
— All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), PIFSC, 1845 Wasp Boulevard, Building 176, Honolulu, Hawaii, 96818, United States
- ZIP Code
- 96818
- Solicitation Number
- NFFR7400-15-03880
- Archive Date
- 8/12/2015
- Point of Contact
- STEPHANIE M. GARNETT, Phone: (808) 725-5356
- E-Mail Address
-
STEPHANIE.M.GARNETT@NOAA.GOV
(STEPHANIE.M.GARNETT@NOAA.GOV)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT ANNOUNCEMENT. IT IS NOT A SOLICITATION, NOR DOES IT GUARANTEE A SOLICITATION WILL BE ISSUED. REQUESTS FOR A SOLICITATION WILL NOT RECEIVE A RESPONSE. Any information submitted in response to this Sources Sought Announcement is strictly voluntary. The Government will neither award a contract solely based on this notice, nor pay for any information submitted by respondents. This notice is a request by the Government to collect information from interested vendors for the purpose of market research. Failing to provide a response to this announcement will not prohibit/exclude an interested vendor from participating in a future solicitation. The Government is looking for vendors who can perform the following: The International Fisheries Program within the Fisheries Biology and Stock Assessment Branch of Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center is working collaboratively to identify mechanisms to reduce fisheries bycatch and mortality, primarily of protected species such as sea turtles, sharks, marine mammals and seabirds. NOAA seeks a contractor to assist with bycatch and mortality reduction research aimed at species such as elasmobranches and sea turtles. Two main projects include A) Post-release assessment of marine species in a Hawaiian based fishery, AND B) Development of bycatch reduction devices aimed at reducing incidental capture of sharks and other bycatch (e.g. sea turtles, marine mammals, sea birds). A) Post-release assessment of marine species in a Hawaiian based fishery: Bigeye thresher sharks (Alopias superciliosus) are the target of a burgeoning catch and release sport fishery in Kona, Hawaii. The major underlying assumption of catch and release (CR) fishing is that released fishes enjoy high survivorship and continue to grow and reproduce. However, physiological stress associated with struggling during capture may be sufficient to cause mortality after fish are released, raising concerns about the true sustainability of CR fishing particularly for long lived species with low reproductive output. In addition, although bigeye thresher sharks have a broad geographic range there is no data on the basic stock structure or migration patterns of bigeye thresher sharks around Hawaii. B) Development of bycatch reduction devices: Coastal gillnet fisheries are one of the most common forms of fishing throughout the world and have high rates of bycatch of multiple species. Despite the ubiquitous nature gillnets and their associated levels of bycatch, there are few bycatch reduction technologies (BRTs) available. Recent research has shown that Illuminating gillnets with battery powered lightsticks resulted in a significant reduction of bycatch of multiple taxonomic groups. Such findings demonstrate the potential utility of using battery powered LED lights throughout a variety of global fisheries. A major hurdle to the broader adoption of this bycatch reduction strategy has been the design of the lightsticks and the cost of such lights. Battery powered LED lights currently on the market were developed for industrial scale longline fisheries and meant for deployment on the branch lines. While these lights can be adapted for gillnet fisheries, there design creates operational difficulties such as requiring slower deployment time, increased entanglement of gear, and difficult with use in gillnet reels. V. Objectives and Scope of Work A) Post-release assessment of marine species in a Hawaiian based fishery: NOAA seeks a contractor to initiate and carry out an investigation into the movements and post release survival rates of bigeye thresher sharks around Hawaii. This will require the successful deployment of 12 satellite tags on bigeye thresher sharks caught off Kona, Hawaii, as approved by NOAA scientists as well as a measurement of fight times of each shark. B) Development of bycatch reduction devices NOAA seeks a contractor to initiate the development of LED lightsticks designed specifically to reduce bycatch in gillnet fisheries. The ideal design would be cost effective in order to help fisheries in developing countries afford such bycatch reduction technologies. A minimum of 3 different designs will be manufactured in sample quantities for fishermen to examine and provide comments. VI. Tasks to be completed by contractor A) Post-release assessment of marine species in a Hawaiian based fishery: (1) The contractor will provide logistical support and transportation to the fishing grounds of bigeye thresher sharks during December 2015 through April, 2016 in order to catch and tag 12 bigeye thresher sharks around Kona, Hawaii. It is estimated that at a minimum of 14 one-day trips will be required. The contractor will coordinate with NOAA PIFSC scientists with regards the best time frames. Tags and ARGOS time will be purchased separately. (2) In coordination with NOAA scientists, the contractor will determine the relationship between fight time and survivorship of released sharks using satellite tag survival data. (3) Provide a final report describing dates of successful tag deployments and outlining the relationship between fight times, mortality rates and movements patterns based from telemetry data. B) Development of bycatch reduction device: (1) The contractor, in collaboration with NOAA scientists, will develop 3 potential battery powered LED lightsticks designs each consisting of housing designs and the needed electronic components to maximize LED brightness and power consumption. The contractor will provide all CAD designs of housing and circuit board designs for the 3 protoype LED lightsticks. (2) Produce sample quantities (minimum of 10) of each of the 3 designs. (3) Aid in the distribution of these sample LED lightsticks to small scale gillnet fisheries based in Indonesia, Mexico, and Peru and generate feedback from fishermen. VII. Special Requirements (1) The contractor must have a proven record of developing bycatch reduction technologies aimed at reducing shark and sea turtle bycatch for a variety of fisheries such as longline, gillnet, and trawl fisheries. (2) The contractor must have experience working in Indonesian, Mexican, and South American small-scale fisheries. The North American Industry Classification Code (NAICS) is 541990 with a size standard of $15.0 million. Interested Contractors are requested to provide the following information in response to this Sources Sought Announcement: 1) A statement that you believe your firm has the capability to meet all above stated requirements. 2) Your firm's DUNS number & CAGE code; 3) Your firm's SBA certified small business concern status. Specifically identify if your firm is HUBZone-certified, Service Disabled Veteran Owned, or in the SBA's 8(a) program, etc. If your firm is not small, please state that it is a large business. 4) A brief description of your firm's past experience (within past 3 years) performing similar services. The information provided in response to this announcement is limited to five pages or less. All information shall be provided free of charge to the Government. The Government will not return any data provided in response to this announcement. This request for information does not constitute a commitment, implied or otherwise, that a procurement action will be issued. 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. Responses shall be provided to Contracting Officer, Stephanie Garnett via email at Stephanie.M.Garnett@noaa.gov no later than 10:00 AM (Hawaii Time) on Tuesday, July 28, 2015.
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