SPECIAL NOTICE
R -- WHITE ABALONE CULTURE AND RECOVERY SERVICES
- Notice Date
- 6/11/2009
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- NAICS
- 541990
— All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical 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
- AB133F-09-RP-0108
- Archive Date
- 9/1/2009
- Point of Contact
- John D. Cooley, Phone: 206-526-6032, Sharon S. Kent, Phone: (206) 526-6035
- E-Mail Address
-
John.D.Cooley@noaa.gov, sharon.s.kent@noaa.gov
(John.D.Cooley@noaa.gov, sharon.s.kent@noaa.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition Solicitation No. AB133F-09-RP-0108, Professional/Scientific/Technical Services for the Research, Culture, and Recovery of White Abalone In accordance with the requirements of the Competition in Contracting Act (41 U.S.C. 253) as implemented by Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.303, the following information is being provided to support justification for other than full and open competition: 1. AGENCY AND CONTRACTING ACTIVITY U.S. Department of Commerce NOAA, Western Acquisition Division, (WAD) 2. DESCRIPTION OF ACTION BEING APPROVED The WAD proposes to negotiate a sole-source contract with Bodega Bay Laboratory, U.C. at Davis, in order for it to provide research, culture, and recovery of the white abalone for the Protected Resources Division at Long Beach, California. The estimated amount of the contract is $320,000.00. 3. DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES REQUIRED TO MEET THE AGENCY'S NEEDS NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service, Protected Resources Division (NMFS, PRD) requires the implementation of the recovery of white abalone, a species listed by the NMFS, as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 2001. Contract awards must go to an ESA permitted entity that can maintain white abalone brood stock and captive raised animals in a healthy and safe environment. Crucial elements for recovering endangered white abalone are: (1) developing the best methods for achieving reproduction in a captive setting; (2) ensuring the animals remain disease free in the laboratory and in nature once out-planted; (3) examining the growth and survival of young life stages in a laboratory and natural setting; (4) and initiating restoration of natural populations. White abalone was listed as the first federally endangered marine invertebrate under the ESA in 2001. As required by the ESA, a recovery plan, which outlines the actions that must be taken in order to recover the species, was developed and finalized in the fall of 2008. One of the required actions is to establish methods for captively propagating white abalone so that laboratory generated animals may be used to enhance and restore natural populations until they have met particular criteria (e.g., achieving certain densities, size ranges, etc.). In accordance with section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, this recovery action must be carried out at an ESA permitted facility where staff with expertise in marine invertebrate reproductive biology, pathology and ecology exists. 4. STATUTORY AUTHORITY PERMITTING OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION Pursuant to 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1), as implemented by paragraph 6.302-1 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), full and open competition is not required when only one responsible source and no other will satisfy the agency's requirements. 5. PROPOSED CONTRACTOR'S UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS The proposed project is crucial for implementing the NMFS recovery plan for the federally endangered white abalone. White abalone will be maintained at the Bodega Bay Laboratory, U.C. Davis, in a healthy and safe environment. The optimal methods for achieving reproduction in a captive setting, ensuring that these animals remain disease free, examining the growth and survival of young life stages in a laboratory setting, and initiating a plan for future out-planting will be achieved during the course of the contract. Due to the uniqueness of this project, the requestor has attested that to her knowledge, there are only a few qualified persons to conduct this kind of work. • Dr. Gary N. Cherr, PI: Professor, Departments of Environmental Toxicology and Nutrition, Bodega Bay Laboratory, U.C. Davis. Professor Cherr is the Principal Investigator and the designated Responsible Person for the ESA permit now held by U.C. Davis. Professor Cherr is an expert in reproductive and developmental biology of marine invertebrates and fish, and also investigates impacts of environmental stress on reproductive and developmental success. He has previously published cryopreservation methods for aquatic animals and will oversee that effort with white abalone. He would oversee the maintenance component of the proposed work as well as the reproductive biology research program. • Dr. Jim Moore, co-investigator: Associate Clinical Professor at the U.C. Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and a Senior Fish Pathologist at the California Department of Fish and Game. Dr. Moore is the Manager of the Shellfish Health Laboratory at the Bodega Marine Laboratory, with extensive experience in abalone disease research. Dr. Moore is an expert in the fields of pathology, health management, conservation, and culture of marine invertebrates. Dr. Moore has been working with the white abalone recovery team and is aware of the goals of the recovery plan that NMFS is currently developing. • Dr. Laura Rogers-Bennett, co-investigator: Research Associate in the School of Veterinary Medicine, U.C. Davis, and Senior Biologist Specialist (Marine/Fisheries), California Department of Fish and Game. Dr. Rogers-Bennett serves as the lead of the Resource Assessment Laboratory at the Bodega Marine Laboratory. Dr. Rogers-Bennett has extensive experience with abalone fisheries, and larval abalone biology using both sub-tidal research and mathematical modeling techniques. 6. EFFORT MADE TO ENSURE THAT OFFERS WERE SOLICITED FROM AS MANY POTENTIAL SOURCES AS POSSIBLE A Sources Sought Notice was posted on the FedBizOpps website, with no responses. A "Notice of Intent to Sole Source" with Bodega Bay Marine Laboratory of U.C. Davis will be posted on the FedBizOpps website. All interested concerns will be encouraged to submit a capability and performance statement by the required due date. The notice will also state that all submittals received by the due date set forth in said notice, will be considered up to thirty (30) days from the notice date. 7. DETERMINATION THAT FAIR AND REASONABLE PRICES WILL BE OBTAINED NOAA will obtain Independent Government Estimate (IGE) based on the labor rates and compare the rates to other contracts for the same/similar North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code. Based on the above, the Government can be assumed to be able to establish reasonable pricing. 8. DESCRIPTION OF MARKET SURVEY CONDUCTED A "Sources Sought" notice was posted on the FedBizOpps website on May 7, 2009. All interested concerns were encouraged to submit a capability and performance statement by May 22, 2009. No responses were received. Extensive research was performed using the "Dynamic Small Business Search" feature of "CCR.gov" on NAICS code 541990, and there are people and companies that offer services under said NAICS but none having experience with white abalone. 9. OTHER FACTS SUPPORTING THE USE OF OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION In this era of shrinking federal budgets, it is essential that NMFS seek new and innovative ways to carry out its mission of protecting and enhancing living marine resources. This project will help accomplish the goals of the NMFS' White Abalone Recovery Plan by employing the services and expertise of Drs. Cherr, Moore and Rogers-Bennett. This kind of expertise does not currently exist at NMFS and therefore carrying out this research at BML is essential in helping NMFS achieve its goal of conserving, protecting, and recovering marine species. Without partnerships like this, the ability of NMFS to carry out the goals of the White Abalone Recovery Plan and the ESA would be severely limited. Multiple research groups can receive authorization to work with the same endangered/threatened species, but typically these different entities would not be performing the same type of research as cited herein; instead, they would be proposing to accomplish different unique tasks. There are so many research efforts available, that once a permit is issued for a specific task for a particular project, usually another entity will not want a permit for the same activity/study/research effort. Over a period of time, the efforts of professionals who have been permitted to work on the white abalone project gain more expertise and knowledge in same. The professionals mentioned above are the only persons known to have the knowledge and expertise required to fulfill the unique duties required of the project. 10. LIST OF SOURCES THAT EXPRESSED, IN WRITING, INTEREST IN THIS ACQUISITION None. 11. ACTION TO OVERCOME BARRIERS TO COMPETITION IN FUTURE PROCUREMENTS Future procurements for services will be advertised in FedBizOpps; however, competition for this procurement may continue to be limited due to the fact than in order to perform the requirement, the contractor must maintain an ESA permit. 12. CONTRACTING OFFICER'S CERTIFICATION The justification for other than full and open competition has been certified as accurate and complete by the Program Office through a signed CD-492, Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition, as well as obtaining authorization from John Oliver as required per Memorandum dated 9/4/02.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DOC/NOAA/WASC/AB133F-09-RP-0108/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: LONG BEACH, California, 90802, United States
- Zip Code: 90802
- Zip Code: 90802
- Record
- SN01841850-W 20090613/090611234812-e3e69f738c164ed36a916fd9c866aa9e (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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