SOURCES SOUGHT
R -- POPULATION, STRUCTURE/BIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF KRILL SAMPLES
- Notice Date
- 6/26/2009
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- 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
- NFFR7000-9-12999
- Archive Date
- 7/22/2009
- 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
- NOTICE: THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ONLY. The information provided in response to this notice will assist the Government in determining the extent of the small business and socio-economic market for the type of work described herein. The intent of the announcement is to identify sources that are qualified small business concerns capable of furnishing the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) with a: MARINE BIOLOGIST -- or a related field (biological or fisheries oceanography, fisheries science or ecology). Must have a Master's Degree in Marine Biology. The objectives of the plankton and finfish and benthic demographic technical field support biologist shall include the following: 1. Description of the population structure and biological characteristics of krill collected throughout the AMLR study area and over the duration of the cruise. 2. Identification of macro-zooplankton and micro-nekton from all net samples obtained during the cruise surveys. 3. Description, interpretation, and comparison of zooplankton composition and abundance within each season and between seasons. 4. Identification of finfish and plankton and their demographic structure collected during finfish and benthic trawl surveys. I. BACKGROUND The Antarctic Marine Living Resources Convention Act of 1984 (Title III of Pubic Law 98-623, 16 U.S.C. 2431 et seq.) provides the legislative authority necessary to implement, with respect to the United States, the Antarctic Living Marine Resources (AMLR) program. The AMLR program, which is managed by the Antarctic Ecosystem Research Division (AERD) at the SWFSC, provides information to the U.S. delegation to the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), part of the Antarctic treaty system. CCAMLR is an international treaty that seeks to manage Antarctic fisheries with the goal of preserving species diversity and stability of the entire Antarctic marine ecosystem. In keeping with this objective, CCAMLR has designated areas of research that member nations are obligated to pursue. The AMLR program has identified specific datasets that must be collected to respond to CCAMLR's research directives. In doing so, the AMLR program supports the U.S. Government's commitment to CCAMLR. The AMLR program has defined a study area in the vicinity of the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica, the northern Antarctic Peninsula, and periodically other regions of the southern Scotia Sea. Each austral season, the AMLR program conducts two research cruise legs in the study area. Within the study area, the program has defined a large-area survey grid of approximately 108 stations around Elephant, Clarence, King George, and Livingston Islands, which will be occupied once on each cruise leg. In addition, station transects across hydrographic features, directed net sampling, fine-scale acoustic surveys, and other specialized studies are conducted. In some years, a single "krill" leg and a "fish" leg is conducted. In all other years, two "krill" legs are conducted. Owing to the diversity of the cruise goals (krill only, krill, finfish and benthic fauna), the experience and knowledge of the Contractor is vital to the successful accomplishment of the mission objectives. The Contractor shall operate as the lead technician providing a supervisory role to other zooplankton technicians and volunteers. Therefore the Contractor must be capable of working both independently and as part of a team, and be able to maintain favorable relations with scientific support personnel. As described below (see methodologies section), the Contractor must possess significant experience in at sea processing of zooplankton, finfish and benthic invertebrate megafauna. The Contractor must have at least 5 years experience identifying Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) salps and other Antarctic zooplankton. The Contractor must be able to demonstrate that they can identify the sex, and maturity stages of Antarctic krill and measure krill. The Contractor must also demonstrate at least two years (need not be consecutive) experience of supporting finfish trawl surveys in the Antarctic. The Contractor must demonstrate that this experience is on a similar scale to that prescribed in this statement, in terms of the physical environment of the AMLR study area. The Government will provide a vessel to be used as a research platform. The Contractor shall be responsible for shipping gear and supplies to the SWFSC in La Jolla in early November of each contract year (November 2009 for Cruise Year I), at which time the Government will ship the gear and supplies to Punta Arenas, Chile. The Government will also be responsible for shipping the Contractors gear and supplies back to the Contractor at the completion of the cruise. The Contractor shall fly to Punta Arenas, Chile, to meet the vessel in early January 2010 (and the same time period of Cruise Years II-V, if the Government exercises the optional years). Proposals should include cost of travel to and from Punta Arenas, Chile. A. Tasks 1. Krill demography and zooplankton composition analyses shall be accomplished during a research cruise in the vicinity of the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica, during the months of January, February, and March 2010 (and the same months of Cruise Years II-V, if the Government exercises the optional years). The cruise will consist of two legs (approximately 30 days in length), with port calls (2-3 days in duration) in Punta Arenas, Chile before and after each leg. 2. Finfish species composition, size, diet, sex and maturity analyses shall be accomplished during finfish trawl surveys that will occur no more than three times over the entire Contract duration (up to 5 years; if the Government exercises Optional years). The cruise will consist of two legs (approximately 30 days in length), with port calls (2-3 days in duration) in Punta Arenas, Chile before and after each leg. 2. The Contractor shall perform duties as specified in the statement of work and in project instructions and shall be accurate in recording all data. All data and samples collected will remain the sole property of the U.S. Government. 3. When operating under specific scientific research or foreign research permits held by the U.S. Government, the Contractor shall strictly adhere to all permit provisions. 4. Because cruise participants must fly in and out of Chile, the Contractor must possess valid personal passports and shall be responsible for obtaining any necessary visas and travel medicines. 5. The Contractor shall certify that they have no health problems that would jeopardize the safe and satisfactory performance of their duties. The Contractor must complete an SF-93, Medical History Form, or similar form, to be held by the Medical Officer aboard the vessel for the duration of the cruise. Workers may be disqualified from participating on the cruise based on the Medical Officer's evaluation of this form. 6. The Contractor shall have sufficient accident and health insurance for the period they are performing work for the U.S. Government. The accident and health insurance requirement is to provide coverage for workers injured while on the job in the performance of their duties and need not necessarily include general health benefits. The Contractor shall maintain an insurance program for its workers that adequately cover the Contractor's liability for workers injured on the job, under applicable federal and state laws. Period of performance is a base year from date of award through September 30, 2010 and four (4) option years. The North American Industry Classification Code (NAICS) is 541712 with a size standard of 500 employees. All contractors doing business with the Government are now required to be registered with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR). In addition, completion of the online representation and certifications application (ORCA) is required. 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. All interested parties must respond to this announcement by July 7, 2009. Documentation to support the contractor's capability, education and experience must be in writing and include the contractor's name, address, point of contact, telephone number, DUNS Number, CCR Cage Number, business type and size, i.e., small, large, non-profit, educational, etc.; and a brief narrative regarding its capability to provide the services as described above. Any response that does not include this information will not be considered. The Government will review each response to determine if the contractor has the experience, knowledge, and capability to perform the services as specified above. Detailed information must be submitted by email to the address noted below by 1:00 PM local Seattle time (PDT), July 7, 2009. Email Address: john.d.cooley@noaa.gov. Questions of any nature must be addressed in writing as NO TELEPHONE INQUIRIES WILL BE HONORED.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DOC/NOAA/WASC/NFFR7000-9-12999/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: La Jolla, California, United States
- Record
- SN01857833-W 20090628/090626235459-a11480a596f875d203ba5a406bf48eeb (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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