Loren Data's SAM Daily™

FBO DAILY ISSUE OF AUGUST 21, 2009 FBO #2827
SOURCES SOUGHT

F -- Gloucester Ocean Literacy Project

Notice Date

8/19/2009
 

Notice Type

Sources Sought
 

NAICS

712110 — Museums
 

Contracting Office

Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Eastern Region Acquisition Division, Norfolk Federal Building, 200 Granby Street, Norfolk, Virginia, 23510
 

ZIP Code

23510
 

Solicitation Number

EM133F09RQ1220
 

Archive Date

9/18/2009
 

Point of Contact

Francena Monell-Simard, Phone: 978-281-9247
 

E-Mail Address

francena.monell-simard@noaa.gov
(francena.monell-simard@noaa.gov)
 

Small Business Set-Aside

N/A
 

Description

The U.S. Department of Commerce ( DOC ), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), located in Gloucester, MA., intends to issue a fixed price purchase order for support of the NOAA/National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Northeast Regional Office's mission to promote ocean education through adoption of the Ocean Literacy Essential Principles in Gloucester public schools. NOAA particularly seeks to improve ocean literacy among students in Gloucester, MA, because it is a key fishing port in New England and is the site of the Northeast Regional Office. NOAA received a broad mandate from Congress to educate the public about ocean and coastal science through the passage of the America COMPETES Act of 2007. The NMFS has established an internal funding opportunity to serve as a catalyst to build education capacity within its programs, focusing on the Ocean Literacy Essential Principles and concepts and/or dissemination of NMFS science. NOAA particularly seeks to improve ocean literacy among students in Gloucester, MA, because it is a key fishing port in New England and is the site of the Northeast Regional Office. To strengthen the working relationship with the Gloucester elementary schools and expand upon efforts already begun to further understanding of ocean systems and functions and ultimately ocean stewardship, the agency is seeking to partner with an informal educational facility to promote place-based educational learning experiences for students. The project includes the following goals: •§ To encourage children, through inquiry-based activities to develop a respect for the natural environment and a sense of their own impact on that environment through first hand exposure to our local marine resources in Gloucester waters. •§ Students participate in real world learning experiences, performing simple investigations that encourage them to formulate questions about their environment. •§ Expose children to scientific tools and experimentation including digital microscopes, plankton tows, underwater cameras, probes, remotely operated vehicles and water testing equipment. We are looking to partner with an informal educational institution with established ties to the Gloucester community. The contractor must be knowledgeable and experienced in teaching and effectively communicating about Gloucester 's unique fishing history and marine/coastal resources and have an established working relationship with local elementary schools. It must be able to deliver place-based ocean science curriculum through a combination of hands on learning experiences and classroom activities. The contractor also must be able to provide at their own facility somewhere on the Gloucester Harbor waterfront, a facility to accommodate the educational hands on training that this requirement calls for. Scope of Work Task 1: Teach NOAA Ocean Literacy principles: The contractor will teach Gloucester elementary students about fisheries biology, marine and estuarine habitats, and marine ecosystem principles...The contractor shall provide opportunities for students to observe living marine organisms in a safe environment that can accommodate a full elementary school class. To ensure an ecosystem approach, students must be able to view planktonic organisms through microscopes as well as interact with macroscopic organisms via touch tanks or similar aquarium-like structures. Students must also be able to explore physical oceanographic principles at the facility. The contractor shall provide adequate staff to ensure the safety and effective education of elementary school students. Task 2: Assist NOAA outreach at local science fairs. The contractor will make a series of presentations at local science fairs. Students participating in Task 1 will present program products and demonstrate accomplishments in Ocean Literacy. The science fair presentations will acknowledge NOAA's support for community education. Task 3: Develop an exhibit designed by Gloucester school students for installation in the main lobby for NERO headquarters in Gloucester, MA. The Exhibit will document the progression of student learning throughout the duration of this program. Exhibit components will include a display of program products that highlight student use of emergent technologies and that showcase seasonal changes in the local marine environment. The exhibit will focus on several themes delineated in NOAA's Education Strategic Plan: incorporating emerging technologies into science education, promoting environmental stewardship, connecting citizens to nature and the community, and facilitating change in education systems. Deliverables : 1) Exhibit designed by Gloucester school students. Exhibit Components may include (but are not limited to): still and video images of plankton samples taken with digital video microscopes that document seasonal changes in populations of native and non-native species and seasonal changes in meroplankton and the abundance of larva identification guides for local marine plankton and non-native species still and video images of seasonal changes in local marine habitats (eelgrass, cobble, rocky shore, and cobble) taken with ROV 's launched in Gloucester Harbor pressed specimens of locally collected algae 2) Final Report: The final report will include (but is not limited to) information on the programs presented to school students, the number of students reached, the dates of presentations, information about science fair presentations, and a list of projects presented at the exhibition. Information Technology (IT) This contractor is not required to use or connect to government IT. The C&A requirements of clause 73 do not apply and a Security Accreditation Package is not required. Period of Performance The contractor shall perform the specified tasks on a part-time basis from the date of award for a period of approximately one-year (12 months), ending by September 30, 2010. Billing The contractor will submit invoices to the Contract Officer's Technical Representative stating the hours worked, the task and/or equipment purchases made. A final invoice should be submitted with the final report, and will be paid when the final report and all tasks are reviewed and deemed to be complete by the Agency. If no qualified responses are received, the Government intends to contract with the Gloucester Maritime Heritage Center of Gloucester MA to provide marine education to Gloucester elementary school students. The purpose of this contract is to strengthen the working relationship with the Gloucester elementary schools and the community and expand upon efforts already begun to further understanding of ocean systems and functions and ultimately ocean stewardship. It requires a contractor who can provide first hand experience with living marine resources and demonstrate physical oceanographic processes at a level appropriate for elementary school students. The Gloucester Maritime Heritage Center is the only facility within a short driving distance of all Gloucester elementary schools that has the equipment and geographic location to make this project a success. The Maritime Heritage Center features a digital microscope laboratory and an outdoor aquarium which includes four large touch tanks, so that students can directly observe living marine resources from a safe facility. It also has a floating pier system where students can conduct plankton tows and board a research vessel to explore Gloucester Harbor using cameras, probes, remotely operated vehicles and water testing equipment. The anticipated performance period is date of award through September 30, 2010. To be considered, firms must furnish detailed information concerning their capability to provide service. Such information shall include, at a minimum, name, telephone number and address of concerns for which you have furnished this service previously. Information should provide sufficient detail that demonstrates the firm's knowledge and ability to perform the requirement. Only affirmative responses to this notice will be evaluated to the extent necessary for the Government to determine whether it is feasible to conduct a competitive acquisition considering demonstrated knowledge and experience. Submissions received in response to this notice shall be evaluated based on demonstrated technical ability to successfully provide the required services as stated herein. This notice is for service for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under authority of FAR 6.302. Interested parties must respond within (10) days after publication of this notice. If no affirmative responses are received, the government intends to issue a purchase order to the Gloucester Maritime Heritage Center. Faxed responses can be sent to 978-281-9117, Attn: Francena Monell-Simard. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed acquisition based upon the response to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. The NAICS code for this action is 5712110. The Eastern Region Acquisition Division (ERAD) requires that all contractors doing business with the Acquisition Office must be registered with the Central Contractor Registry ( CCR ). No award can be made unless the vendor is registered in CCR. For additional information and to register in CCR please access the following website: http://www.ccr.gov/. In order to register with the CCR and to be eligible to receive an award from this acquisition office, all offerors must have a Dunn & Bradstreet number. A Dun & Bradstreet number may be acquired free of charge by contacting Dun & Bradstreet on-line at https://www.dnb.com/product/eupdate/requestOptions.html or by phone at (800) 333-0505. The government now requires all contractors submit their Certification and Representation thru the on-line Business Partner Network (BPN). The BPN is the single source for vendor data for the federal government. Contractors should go on-line at www.bpn.gov. Award will not be made to any contractor that is not registered in CCR and BPN. Responses should be faxed to 978-281-9117 to Francena Monell-Simard.
 

Web Link

FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DOC/NOAA/EASC/EM133F09RQ1220/listing.html)
 

Place of Performance

Address: Gloucester, Massachusetts, 01930, United States

Zip Code: 01930
 

Record

SN01918658-W 20090821/090820001619-73186182ce5890eb60daccc1bf3bb193 (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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