U. S. Department Of Commerce, NOAA, Central Administrative Support Center, 601 East 12th St., CC31, Rm. 1756, Kansas City, Missouri 64106

B -- PREPARATION OF NON-LINEAR STATISTICIAL MODELS SOL NFFN6020900103 POC Sheila Anderson, Contract Specialist, 816-426-7267, ext. 240 Sources Sought. The U. S. Department of Commerce, National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC), intends to contract services with Dr. Darlene Johnson of Miami, Florida, to prepare non-linear statistical models for 24 species of fish and macro-invertebrates. The work is in support of a multi-agency and multi-governmental planning effort to protect and restore South Florida's living marine resources by means of redesigning the Central and Southern Florida (C&SF) project, a vast network of canals, levees, and control structures that has radically changed the hydrology of watersheds upstream of coastal waters. Florida Bay, at the extreme southern end of the system, is a particular concern because of the ecologic, economic, and recreational importance of this area. The quantity, timing, and location of freshwater flow to Florida Bay has been substantially altered by water management activities. Florida Bay is a major nursery ground for major commercial species such as pink shrimp, spiny lobster, and gray snapper, as well as many gamefish species such as spotted seatrout, red drum, and snapper. The Tortugas shrimp fishery is dependent on Florida Bay. Declines in sea-grass coverage, game fish species, and pink shrimp were observed from the mid 1980's to the early 1990's before a series of years with wetter than average rainfall in South Florida gave the Bay ecosystem a reprieve and planners a head start on preventing further serious damage. Redesigning the C&SF project involves a decision-making process that depends upon predictive models and performance measures, with targets. Thus far, the performance measures have almost all been hydrologic measures, however the objectives of the redesign effort are almost all ecological. Therefore, ecological performance measures must be developed. Ecological performance measures and indicators (PM&Is) are particularly needed for Florida Bay. As part of its role in the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Initiative and the Florida Bay Interagency Science Effort, the SEFSC is required to identify PM&Is in the forage fish and predator communities of Florida Bay and develop statistical models to represent their relative abundance under various water management system design alternatives. The proposed contractor shall assist with data preparation, data management, data analysis and model development and assist in the preparation of meetings with cooperators. This is not a request for proposal and there is no solicitation available at this time. The Government reserves the right to solicit bids based on receipt of affirmative responses to this notice or issue an order to Dr. Darlene Johnson whichever is determined to be more advantageous to the Government without further notice. All interested parties must respond to this announcement within 15 calendar days of its publication. All responses to this announcement must include the following: 1)contractor name and phone number, 2) a brief statement detailing capabilities to provide such items, 3) a list of the names and phone numbers of three references whom you have provided like or similar services. Failure to provide the information identified above when responding shall be considered non-responsive to the requirements of this announcement. You may fax your responses and information required to 816-426-7530 to the attention of Sheila Anderson. The SIC code for this action is 8733. This requirement is 100% set-aside for small business. Posted 08/18/99 (W-SN369441). (0230)

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