SPECIAL NOTICE
B -- EXTRACTION AND ANALYSIS OF DNA FROM DIET SAMPLES OF STELLAR SEA LIONS
- Notice Date
- 3/1/2012
- 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
- WAD-NFFS7300-12-01842
- Archive Date
- 3/31/2012
- Point of Contact
- Maria L Mendoza, Phone: (206)526-6671
- E-Mail Address
-
Maria.L.Mendoza@noaa.gov
(Maria.L.Mendoza@noaa.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- This publication serves as notice of intent to procure services for the Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Marine Mammal Laboratory located in Seattle, WA on a sole source basis with SMRU Ltd. The government intends to acquire services using FAR Part 13, Simplified Acquisition Procedures. The objective of this agreement is to extract and analyze DNA from diet samples (scats; N=1000) of Stellar sea lions collected in the Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska, Alaska, and identify prey species consumed. The contractor will provide prey occurrence data for calculating diet models and indices, and assess causes and consequences of observed differences between genetic (provided the contractor) and hard part (provided by the government) prey identifications. Proposed contractor will perform the following tasks: 1. Extract and analyze DNA from scat soft part matrix following the protocols described in Deagle et al (2005) and Tollit et al (2009) 1. Begin by working with 243 samples collected by AFSC in April 2008 2. Review and validate effectiveness of primers for tissue of key prey (supplied by AFSC) not presently in GenBank database 3. Use group-specific nested primers followed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) to identify prey species 4. Provide prey occurrence data for calculating diet models and indices and assess causes and consequences of observed differences between genetic and hard part prey identifications. Hard part prey identifications will be provided by AFSC. This is a specialized study that will use denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) technique to identify prey species consumed by Stellar Sea Lions from soft parts of scat material. The DGGE techniques was developed and perfected by SMRU LTD doctors Tollit and Miller. The methods described in Tollit et aI. (2009) were developed specifically for Stellar sea lions and prey consumed in Alaska and BC. Dr. Tollit will oversee all DNA analyses conducted during this project and provide prey occurrence data for calculating diet models and indices, and assess causes and consequences of observed differences between genetic (provided the contractor) and hard part (provided by the government) prey identifications. Dr. Tollit is uniquely qualified to conduct this work, since he pioneered it in the early 2000s, and has worked on pinniped foraging ecology since 1991, concentrating on improving stellar sea lion diet estimates since 2000. He has to date published five papers using DNA to assess diet, 12 papers on assessing diet from hard remains and led the diet chapter of a new marine mammal ecology and conservation handbook. The actual DNA analyses will be conducted by Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Nanaimo BC, (lab of Dr Kristi Miller) as a subcontract with SMRU Ltd. Dr Miller's molecular genetics lab is a center of excellence and is the key partner in developing the successful DGGE prey identification techniques outlined in Deagle et al (2005) and Tollit et al (2009). We are aware of no other administrative/laboratory partnership in the world that has the combination of experience with the technique, unique ability to analyze the results and put them into context with complementary hard part analyses, and capability to begin the analyses in June 2012 with no start-up expenses or personnel training requirements. This partnership provides a value to the government that no other laboratory in the world, even those operated by the government, can match. The Government intends to negotiate a firm fixed price contract that will commence from date of award through June 1, 2012. The North American Industry Classification System code for this acquisition is 541990 with a corresponding size standard of $7.0M. It is the Government's belief that only SMRU Ltd. can complete this project. This notice represents the only official notice. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals; however, all submittals received by the due set forth in this notice will be considered by the Government. A determination by the Government not to compete this requirement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Responses must be faxed to Maria Mendoza at (206)527-7513 or provided by e-mail to maria.l.mendoza@noaa.gov. This is a simplified acquisition. ****The Western Acquisition Division, requires that all contractors doing business with this Acquisition Office be registered with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR) as of October 1, 2003. After this date, NO award can be made unless the vender is registered in CCR. For additional information and to register in CCR please access the following web site: 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 Dun & Bradstreet Number. A Dun & Bradstreet number may be acquired free of charge by contacting Dun & Bradstreet on-line at www.dnb.com/eupdate or by phone at (800) 333-0505. All contractors are required to complete online Representations and Certifications at http://www.orca.bpn.gov to be eligible to receive an award.
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