Purchase Order 140FS126P0003

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 8, awarded a $249,670 firm fixed-price purchase order to Merkel & Associates, Inc., a certified woman-owned small business based in San Diego, California, to conduct eradication-level surveys for Caulerpa prolifera, an invasive marine algae species, in South San Diego Bay. The contract, designated as a total small business set-aside, requires specialized SCUBA diving operations and NOAA-certified Caulerpa surveyors to systematically survey approximately 100 acres of marine habitat across the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge and Port of San Diego submerged lands. Work will be performed in Chula Vista, California, with contract performance extending through December 7, 2026, and will include survey design development, invasive species identification and treatment, and weekly status reporting to support the agency's environmental protection objectives.

Merkel & Associates is well-positioned to execute this effort given its established expertise in marine habitat assessment and invasive species management for federal clients. The firm holds a significant $15 million indefinite delivery contract with Naval Facilities Engineering Command for marine habitat services across California and Hawaii and has completed numerous eelgrass surveys, marine ecosystem monitoring projects, and environmental assessments for the Department of Defense and Army Corps of Engineers. The Fish and Wildlife Service engaged this contractor to address Caulerpa prolifera infestations discovered in April 2024, which require prompt eradication to prevent rapid spread and displacement of critical native marine ecosystems essential to endangered salmon and migratory bird populations along the Pacific Flyway.