SOURCES SOUGHT
B -- VAQUITA SUMMARY REPORT
- Notice Date
- 7/31/2009
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541690
— Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), NOAA/National Marine Fisheries Service, James J. Howard Marine Sciences Lab, 74 Magruder Road, Highlands, New Jersey, 07732, United States
- ZIP Code
- 07732
- Solicitation Number
- SWFSC114
- Archive Date
- 8/25/2009
- Point of Contact
- pamela.g.jones, Phone: 8585467009
- E-Mail Address
-
pamela.g.jones@noaa.gov
(pamela.g.jones@noaa.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- Total Small Business
- Description
- We are looking for someone with the knowledge and capability as follows. SECTION C - DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/WORK STATEMENT The Contractor shall furnish the necessary personnel, material, equipment, services, and facilities (except as otherwise specified) to perform the following Statement of Work/Specifications. STATEMENT OF WORK/SPECIFICATION I. BACKGROUND The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is collaborating with La Coordinacion de Investigacion y Conservacion de Mamiferos Marinos, Instituto Nacional de Ecologia (INE). The Vaquita Expedition 2008 collected acoustic recordings of the porpoise in order to develop the ability to monitor trends in abundance for vaquita using autonomous acoustic monitoring equipment. Current acoustic and visual methods lack sufficient precision to monitor trends in the now very low abundance. Autonomous acoustic devices should increase precision because they can record for long periods of time, however, such devices have yet to be developed and characterized. To characterize the abilities of such devices to detect vaquita the initial research will require visual validation of porpoise densities that can best be attained with a large ship equipped with high power binoculars. There is also the question of how many devices are needed and where they should be placed that will require a better description of current vaquita distribution than now exists. II. PURPOSE The objective of the Vaquita Expedition 2008 was to develop a method to monitor trends in abundance using autonomous passive acoustics. Data gathered from the Vaquita Express, a 24' sailing vessel needs to be analyzed in order to create a detection function. The detection function will be used to determine the feasibility of using a sailing vessel to monitor vaquita acoustically. The specific objective of the research covered by this contract includes the following: 1) To perform acoustic validation of porpoise densities attained using IFAW Rainbow Click software and other acoustic devices towed from the Vaquita Express, a sailing vessel. The data will be used to describe the vaquita demographic structure in the upper Gulf of California area during the Vaquita Expedition 2008 research cruise. a. Reprocess recordings: Reprocess Vaquita 2008 high frequency (HF) recordings made in the field using a set of standard detection parameters for consistency. HF recordings need to be reprocessed using the vaquita detection software in a controlled office environment on a PC with greater processing power. b. Noise analyses: Noise impairs the detection process and must be factored into calculations of relative and absolute abundance. For the analysis of the Vaquita 2008 data; the following need to be calculated: (i) the detection algorithm threshold level; (ii) trigger band noise levels and; (iii) 1/3rd octave noise levels for a random subset of files. The spatial and temporal distribution of the detection algorithm threshold level needs to be modeled and described to determine areas where detection thresholds may need to be adjusted during future surveys. c. Reprocess click data: Click files generated from recordings made in the field need to be reprocessed using improved species classifiers and bearing and amplitude calculations. d. Review reprocessed click files for detections: Reprocessed click files will then need to be reviewed for vaquita click trains to allow a final number of vaquita detections to be calculated. HF recordings associated with vaquita detections will need to be reprocessed using a series of increasing trigger thresholds to determine the impact of using different trigger levels on detection rates. e. Prepare data for analysis: Data will be prepared in a format determined by the Vaquita Acoustics Team: transects need to be split into 0.1km effort segments and covariates will be assigned to each segment. 2) Training of staff from NOAA and CICESE in the analysis and reprocessing of high frequency click data using vaquita detection software. Training will take place at NOAA Fisheries, 3333 N. Torrey Pines Court, La Jolla, CA or CICESE, Km. 107 Carretera Ensenada-Tijuana, Ensenada, BC 22860 (actual location to be determined by 15 September 2009). a. Introduction to the fundamentals and post processing using vaquita detection software: This training session would be open to a maximum of eight (8) persons with a basic knowledge of cetacean vocal behavior and how acoustic data is collected in the field; all must be computer literate. The teaching will allow participants access to the software and field data files to become familiar with them. Attendees will need to have access to a computer. b. Advanced analysis of data in using vaquita detection software, Access, and MatLab: This course would be restricted to a maximum group size of 4. Those attending this module would then be able to train others, and could expect support by phone and email after finishing the course. This course will focus on analyzing data using a combination of software. 3) Deliverables: The Contractor will analyze recordings of vaquita made in the upper Gulf of California and produce a Summary Report of Vaquita Recordings and Analysis: The summary of the analysis will be produced in a white paper format for evaluation at the Vaquita Workshop in Ensenada, Mexico in October 2009. 4) Government-Provided and Contractor-Provided Property: The Contractor will provide the acoustic equipment, computer systems and all other equipment and supplies required for the contracted tasks above. 5) Reporting Requirements and Deliverables: The Contractor shall be required to complete and submit a summary report. The format of the report shall be white paper to allow for review. 6) Budget: The Government does not provide insurance to the Contractor and, under most circumstances, is not liable for injuries suffered by the Contractor during the performance of duties. The Contractor is responsible for travel. Travel shall include all costs associated with getting the Contractor from his/her home to San Diego, CA and return, including airfare, ground transportation, lodging, food, and miscellaneous expenses associated with this travel. III. EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS The Contractor will be assessed on technical skill, ability to complete the deliverables within the time frame of the contract, knowledge of relevant datasets, demonstrated ability to do the work, and price. More importance will be placed on technical skill and demonstrated ability than price when evaluating different contractors.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DOC/NOAA/NMFSJJ/SWFSC114/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: SOUTHWEST FISHERIES SCIENCE CENTER, 3333 N TORREY PINES COURT, LA JOLLA, California, 92037, United States
- Zip Code: 92037
- Zip Code: 92037
- Record
- SN01895243-W 20090802/090801000217-d4ad3712b4bac88945c381bf0d8378fd (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
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