RFQ_1305M218QNFFM0043.pdf

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SOLICITATION/CONTRACT/ORDER FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS

OFFEROR TO COMPLETE BLOCKS 12, 17, 23, 24, & 30

1. REQUISITION NUMBER

NFFM7210-18-03005

2. CONTRACT NO. 3. AWARD/EFFECTIVE

DATE

4. ORDER NUMBER 5. SOLICITATION NUMBER

1305M218QNFFM0043

6. SOLICITATION

ISSUE DATE

JUL 11, 2018

7. FOR

SOLICITATION

INFORMATION

CALL:

a. NAME

Amy McLiverty

b. TELEPHONE NUMBER (no collect calls)

(757) 441-3426

8. OFFER DUE DATE/

LOCAL TIME

JUL 25, 2018

12:00 PM EST

9. ISSUED BY CODE AJ930073

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Eastern Acquisition Division 200 Granby Street, Suite 815 Norfolk, VA 23510

E-mail: Amy.L.McLiverty@noaa.gov

10. THIS ACQUISITION IS UNRESTRICTED OR SET ASIDE: _100_ %FOR:

SMALL BUSINESS WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS

(WOSB) ELIGIBLE UNDER THE WOMEN- OWNED

SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM

HUBZONE SMALL NAICS:

BUSINESS EDWOSB 541715

SERVICE-DISABLED

VETERAN-OWNED SIZE STANDARD:

SMALL BUSINESS 8(A) 1,000 Employees

11. DELIVERY FOR FOB

DESTINATION UNLESS BLOCK IS

MARKED

SEE SCHEDULE

12. DISCOUNT

TERMS

13a. THIS CONTRACT IS A RATED

ORDER UNDER DPAS (15 CFR 700)

13b. RATING DO-A3

14. METHOD OF SOLICITATION

RFQ IFB RFP

15. DELIVER TO CODE 16. ADMINISTERED BY CODE

See Block 9

17a. CONTRACTOR/ CAGE CODE FACILITY

OFFEROR CODE

DUNS No.

TELEPHONE NO:

FAX NO:

18a. PAYMENT WILL BE MADE BY CODE

Department of Commerce NOAA Finance Office, Room 1204 20020 Century Blvd Germantown, MD 20874

17b. CHECK IF REMITTANCE IS DIFFERENT AND PUT SUCH

ADDRESS IN OFFER

18b. SUBMIT INVOICES TO ADDRESS SHOWN IN BLOCK 18a UNLESS BLOCK

BELOW IS CHECKED SEE ADDENDUM (SECTION G)

19.

ITEM NO.

20.

SCHEDULE OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES

21.

QUANTITY

22.

UNIT

23.

UNIT PRICE

24.

AMOUNT

Reference Section B, Pricing Schedule.

(Use Reverse and/or Attach Additional Sheets as Necessary)

25. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA 26. TOTAL AWARD AMOUNT (FOR GOVT USE ONLY)

27a. SOLICITATION INCORPORATES BY REFERENCE FAR 52.212-1, 52.212-4. FAR 52.212-3 & 52.212-5 ARE ATTACHED. ADDENDA ARE ARE NOT ATTACHED.

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RETURN 1 COPIES TO ISSUING OFFICE. CONTRACTOR AGREES TO

FURNISH AND DELIVER ALL ITEMS SET FORTH OR OTHERWISE

IDENTIFIED ABOVE AND ON ANY ADDITIONAL SHEETS SUBJECT TO

THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SPECIFIED HEREIN.

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OFFER DATED . YOUR OFFER ON SOLICITATION (BLOCK 5), INCLUDING ANY

ADDITIONS OR CHANGES WHICH ARE SET FORTH HEREIN, IS ACCEPTED AS TO

ITEMS:

30a. SIGNATURE OF OFFEROR/CONTRACTOR 31a. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (SINGATURE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER)

30b. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER 30c. DATE SIGNED 31b. NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER 31c. DATE SIGNED mailto:Amy.L.McLiverty@noaa.gov

19.

ITEM NO.

20.

SCHEDULE OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES

21.

QUANTITY

22.

UNIT

23.

UNIT PRICE

24.

AMOUNT

The Contractor shall provide Herring and Mackerel Fishery Electronic Monitoring (EM)/Echosounder as provided in Section C, SOW)

MO

32a. QUANTITY IN COLUMN 21 HAS BEEN

RECEIVED INSPECTED ACCEPTED, AND CONFORMS TO THE CONTRACT, EXCEPT AS NOTED:

32b. SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED GOVERNMENT

REPRESENTATIVE

32c. DATE

32d. PRINTED NAME AND TITLE OF AUTHORIZED GOVERNMENT

32e. MAILING ADDRESS OF AUTHORIZED GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE

32f. TELEPHONE NUMBER OF AUTHORIZED GOVERNMENT

32g. E-MAIL OF AUTHORIZED GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE

33. SHIP NUMBER

34. VOUCHER NUMBER

35. AMOUNT VERIFIED

CORRECT FOR

36. PAYMENT

COMPLETE PARTIAL FINAL

37. CHECK

NUMBER

PARTIAL FINAL

38. S/R ACCOUNT

NUMBER

39. S/R VOUCHER NUMBER

40. PAID BY

41a. I CERTIFY THIS ACCOUNT IS CORRECT AND PROPER FOR PAYMENT

42 a. RECEIVED BY (Print)

41b. SIGNATURE AND TITLE OF CERTIFYING OFFICER 41c. DATE

42b. RECEIVED AT (Location)

42c. DATE REC’D (YY/MM/DD)

42d. TOTAL

CONTAINERS

SECTION I

STATEMENT OF WORK

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE (DOC)

NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION

(NOAA)

NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE (NMFS)

NORTHEAST FISHERIES SCIENCE CENTER (NEFSC)

HERRING AND MACKEREL FISHERY, ELECTRONIC

MONITORING (EM)/ECHOSOUNDER STUDY

STATEMENT OF WORK

1.0 GENERAL

The Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) is seeking a Contractor to provide and install Electronic Monitoring (EM) units (video cameras and sensors) on up to three (3) commercial fishing vessels and to outfit up to two (2) SIMRAD ES80 Wideband Split Beam Broadband Echosounders (or equivalent technology). The EM Contractor shall be responsible for the installation of equipment, uninstalling of equipment, equipment maintenance, field support, meeting with industry members, stakeholders, and the NMFS personnel, conducting outreach, video review and report writing. The Contractor shall also be responsible for analysis of the EM data. The echosounder Contractor (or subcontractor) shall be responsible for the installation of equipment, uninstalling of equipment, equipment maintenance, field support, meeting with industry members, stakeholders, and the NMFS personnel, conducting outreach, video review and report writing. Echosounder data will be provided to NMFS for analysis by NMFS staff.

The Contractor personnel will be working under the guidance of NMFS staff. The Contractor shall provide initial advice and training on processing the EM video and sensor data and the echosounder data. The processing and data annotation of the electronic data will primarily be the responsibility of the Contractor; however, NMFS may assist or audit the data as needed.

All EM and echosounder data collected will be the property of the Government. The Contractor shall work with NMFS staff to evaluate the effectiveness of EM and echosounders in the Atlantic herring and mackerel mid-water trawl fisheries.

The base period will be (15) months and will include project start-up, data collection, and data analysis and report writing periods. The project is expected to begin in late summer or early fall of 2018 with the goals of installing EM and echosounder systems on herring and mackerel midwater trawl vessels, refining technical specifications (Attachment 1, Electronic Monitoring Equipment Specifications) specific to the herring and mackerel midwater trawl fisheries, refining data elements to be contained in the EM summary report (Attachment 2, Electronic Monitoring Data File Technical Specifications) and determining roles and responsibilities of the various program entities. The NMFS will use this information to further species identification, bycatch reduction, and improve vessel safety. The project would continue to build on best practices learned throughout the data collection period by refining equipment configuration, catch handling, and interpretation.

EM (plus portside sampling) coverage was approved by the New England Fisheries Management Council (NEFMC) at its April 2018 meeting as an adequate substitute for at-sea monitors (ASM) aboard midwater trawl (MWT) vessels. The goals of this study are to 1) explore the use of EM in the Atlantic herring and mackerel midwater trawl fisheries to identify and track specific species and 2) evaluate the utility of advanced sonar and echosounder technology paired with EM in reducing bycatch in the Atlantic herring midwater trawl (MWT) fishery. The information gained through this study will help inform the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils (the Councils) and NMFS when considering modifications to bycatch regulations. The information gained from the study will also be used by the fishing industry to avoid bycatch when the EM system is paired with a sonar array.

2.0 BACKGROUND

2.1 Overview

DOC/NOAA/NMFS is the Government agency responsible for monitoring and managing Federal fisheries. Within the NEFSC, the Fisheries and Ecosystems Monitoring and Analysis Division (FEMAD), Fisheries Sampling Branch (FSB) is responsible for monitoring and observing fishing in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic U.S. The FSB collects, processes, manages, and provides fishery dependent data and biological samples obtained from fishing vessels. Collection of these data is mandated or otherwise needed for management under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Atlantic Tuna Convention Act, and the Endangered Species Act. The branch staff and observers under contract perform at-sea operations aboard commercial vessels to collect information on fishing operations, fishing effort, catch, including by-catch and discard information, economic data and vessel efficiency, and biological samples of landed catch and discard.

The Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO) will receive and review EM summary data to conduct data analysis and comparisons with other data sources where applicable. Data review will support the development of improved fishery monitoring through the use of EM and echosounder technology.

EM is being considered as a tool for catch monitoring and reporting compliance in fisheries around the world. Nationally there are several EM initiatives and programs, but implementation in the Northeast has been limited. This project builds off of the recommendations and action items from the following completed projects and current initiatives:

● National EM Workshop, January 2014, GARFO and the NEFSC, in collaboration with The Nature Conservancy (TNC), hosted a two (2) day workshop in May 2014 for the purpose of developing a shared strategy of implementing EM.

● The NEFSC completed the final phase of its New England Electronic Monitoring Project in 2013 and published the final report in August 2014. This project yielded initial technical specifications and onboard configurations for EM systems, catch handling protocols, methods for weight estimation, and other best practices for a groundfish EM program.

● TNC, the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, the Maine Coast Community Sector, and Ecotrust Canada, have collaborated with GARFO and NEFSC, to operationalize an EM program in the groundfish fishery. The final project goal is to develop standards, process, and analysis to support the use of EM in lieu of ASMs in the New England multispecies fishery and implement an operational program in May 2016.

● GARFO, the NEFSC, and Saltwater Inc. worked together to pilot the use of EM on the Atlantic herring and mackerel fleet in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. The goal of the study were to: 1) evaluate the utility of EM for monitoring catch retentions and identifying discard events in the Atlantic herring and mackerel MWT fisheries (detection and classification of discard events) and 2) to inform EM cost responsibilities for the fishing industry and NMFS. EM (plus portside sampling) coverage was approved by the NEFMC at its April 2018 meeting as an adequate substitute for at-sea monitors (ASM) aboard midwater trawl (MWT) vessels.

Rulemaking and implementation will continue through the remainder of 2018.

This study would deploy EM and echosounder(s) on midwater trawl vessels actively participating in the Atlantic herring and mackerel fisheries with the purpose of improving bycatch identification, reducing bycatch, and tracking bycatch onboard. The Atlantic herring and mackerel midwater trawl fisheries operate under several catch caps, including a haddock cap. This project is consistent with the objectives of the Councils to improve monitoring and to address bycatch in these fisheries. EM was approved as a monitoring option paired with a portside sampling program. The portside sampling program will sample all landed catch, but any discarded catch will not be sampled portside and will not be accounted for in the catch cap analysis.

Midwater trawl vessels fishing for herring generally use a system of pumps and chutes to bring catch onboard and into the hold. Catch passes through a dewatering box where a crew member is responsible to remove any catch items that are too large to pass through a sorting grate. The sorting grate acts as a control point for monitoring discards by the crew. By using the sorting grate, herring and mackerel vessel crews are often able to pick larger fish (including large haddock) out of the system of chutes prior to storage in the vessel hold. Smaller fish (including small haddock) are generally not picked out. To obtain an estimate of any discarded haddock, the EM system will be configured to allow EM reviewers to ID, count, provide a weight estimate, and track fish picked out at a sorting grate(s) or chute(s). EM data will be used as a check against echosounder output data, observer data (where available) and other data sources (VTR, dealer).

Advanced echosounder technology will be employed in an attempt to mitigate the bycatch of haddock and other fish. Echosounder monitor unit output that would allow operators to discern between species before fishing operations began. Currently in the MWT fishery, the only way to reliably gauge the contents of a school of fish at depth is to set and haul the net and observe what is pulled to the surface. At this point however, fish are generally too damaged to survive.

If the contents are not the target species, the vessel must either pump them aboard anyway or release the entire contents of the net without bringing anything aboard (which is illegal in some situations). In either case, large numbers of unwanted fish die, and these fish often count against bycatch caps, resulting in reduced opportunities for the herring fleet to harvest their yearly catch quotas. By using the ES80 echosounders, operators could potentially interpret the output on the monitor to estimate the makeup of fish schools, and use that information to decide whether to set the net. Bycatch of haddock and other species may be reduced by reducing the number of tows with high bycatch. Discards of unwanted species before pumping from the net may be reduced in the same manner, as schools with greater numbers of bycatch would likely not be set upon. This project will determine whether the ES80 unit (or a comparable system) produces images or data with resolution to inform operators on the composition of fish schools. Because these systems are continually advancing, there is a need to objectively evaluate advancements in technology, as certain efficiencies could advance fishery management techniques and increase vulnerable fish stocks.

The SIMRAD ES80 Wideband Split Beam Broadband Echosounder (or equivalent technology) is just emerging in the market and has potential for distinguishing between species based on “signatures” from individual fish targets and behavioral clues. On the higher frequencies of 70, 120 and 200kHz, ES80 units have a Broadband (CHIRP) capability that results in signatures which are observed on the monitoring unit. Available frequencies should include, at minimum, 38 kHz, 120 kHz, and 200 kHz. The echosounder must meet the specifications as described here: https://www.simrad.com/es80. This project will test the potential of this technology in reducing the rate of bycatch and the amount of catch discarded before pumping net contents.

Information including EM data will be used to evaluate the efficacy of these units. Due to the emerging nature of this technology and the relatively high cost of the units, it is unlikely that vessels would purchase these units without some assurance that the benefits are worth the additional cost. Therefore, this project will test technology that could lead to more efficient catch and reduced fisheries impact on non-targeted bycatch species.

This statement of work describes an EM/echosounder project to be designed for and deployed on the commercial midwater trawl vessels operating off the coasts of Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Jersey. The midwater trawl herring and mackerel fishery is made up of 10-12 vessels. The vessels engaged in the fishery range in length from 81.1 feet to 141 feet and trip duration ranges from 3.2 days to 4.5 days. Between 2.4 and 4 hauls are made per trip, with an average estimated catch (kept and discarded) ranging from 73,000 lbs to 119,000 lbs. per haul.

2.2 Atlantic herring and mackerel midwater trawl fisheries

The New England and Mid-Atlantic Councils have been interested in increasing monitoring in the herring and mackerel fisheries for the past several years. GARFO and the NEFSC are working with the Councils to develop industry-funded monitoring in all New England and Mid-Atlantic fisheries. A particular interest in this amendment is increasing monitoring for the Atlantic herring and mackerel midwater trawl fisheries due to concerns about bycatch of groundfish (mainly haddock) and river herring and shad, as well as accurate accounting of Atlantic herring catch. This EM project would improve the utility of data provided by data collection programs implemented as part of the Industry-Funded Monitoring (IFM) Omnibus Amendment by testing and refining elements of an EM program for the Atlantic herring and https://www.simrad.com/es80 mackerel midwater trawl fisheries

3.0 OBJECTIVES

GARFO and the NEFSC are proposing to work within a pending operational EM program in the Atlantic herring and mackerel midwater trawl fisheries to support the Councils’ objectives to improve monitoring and catch accountability in these fisheries. This EM project would test and refine certain elements of an EM monitoring program for the Atlantic herring and mackerel midwater trawl fisheries. The NMFS and the Councils could use the information generated from this project to update bycatch regulations. The fishing industry could use the data from this project to help avoid or reduce bycatch. Through this project, NMFS intends to meet the following project goals:

● Find methods to reduce bycatch

● Improve bycatch data collection and accounting

● Improve haddock catch cap monitoring

● Improve vessel safety

Participating vessels will be subject to EM monitoring and may occasionally and simultaneously carry NMFS-approved observers (under existing observer deployment regulatory requirements and procedures). This will allow vessel captains, the service provider, and NMFS to develop and test EM program operations while maintaining the integrity of existing data streams critical for science and management.

This information will assist in the development of EM program requirements and EM performance standards to be determined by NMFS and the Councils. To achieve these objectives, NMFS has identified the following Contractor specific project deliverables (see section 5 for complete list):

● Installation and deployment of EM systems on up to three (3) Atlantic herring midwater trawl vessels;

● Installation and deployment of echosounder on up to two (2) Atlantic herring midwater trawl vessels (preference given to vessels employing EM as their 2018 monitoring option);

● Develop local infrastructure for vessel and program support;

● Develop EM Vessel Monitoring Plans (VMPs) and establish standards and procedures for approving VMPs and equipment installations (due one (1) month after award of contract);

● Use EM to monitor fishing activity to document discards on herring and mackerel trips;

● Review the relative performance of each system in reducing haddock bycatch (NMFS will also review echosounder performance);

● Review the relative performance of each system in reducing discard events before pumping of net contents;

● Report products and outcomes, including: methods used, optimal hardware configuration, hardware performance, software performance, catch handling best practices, fish identification success rate (reviewer comparisons), fish weight estimation results, slippage identification, sensor performance (including pump sensor performance), tracking of catch items, and recommendations for quota monitoring and enforcement purposes.

● Review sensor and video and data; and

● Work with NMFS to review program performance for refinement.

These deliverables are one-time investments to set up the necessary infrastructure and program design to meet project objectives. The goal of this project is to build on earlier efforts to allow NMFS to use EM data for management and science and management in the Atlantic herring and mackerel midwater trawl fisheries.

4.0 SERVICE REQUIREMENTS

4.1 Project Phases

4.1.1 Project Setup - a one-two (1-2) month period (initiated at contract award) involving the service requirements described in Sections 4.2 (Project Outreach), 4.3 (EM and Echosounder Units to be Supplied), 4.4 (Installation, Servicing of EM and Echosounder Units Aboard Vessels, and Field and Project Support) and 4.5 (Data Analysis). The activities provided in Section 4.4 relevant to this Phase are specifically related to establishing local capacity and infrastructure to provide and support field services. The activities in Section 4.5 relevant to this Phase include development of a project plan.

Other activities include clarifying project roles and responsibilities and formalizing the project team.

4.1.2 EM and Echosounder Operation and Data Collection-a ten-eleven (10-11) month period (initiated one-two (1-2) months post contract award) involving the Service Requirements described in Sections 4.4 (Installation, Servicing of EM and Echosounder Units Aboard Vessels, and Field and Project Support), 4.5 (Data Analysis), and 4.6 (Removal of EM units from all fishing vessels).

4.1.3 Analysis and Reporting; three (3) month period (initiated twelve (12) months post contract award) involving the Service Requirements described in Section 4.7 (Final Report).

4.2 Project Outreach

4.2.1 The Contractor shall participate in regular outreach at the dock with study participants during equipment installations, data retrievals, equipment service events, or as required. Frequent and consistent communication with study participants will help build a good working relationship, reinforce commitment (study participant and Contractor), and will serve to address any outstanding questions or concerns the vessels may have. The Contractor and NMFS will also use these opportunities to describe project goals, provide feedback on crew performance, and convey study results. Outreach will be conducted in this manner to limit interference with vessel fishing operations and to promote study participation and data quality. The Contractor will track all vessel visits and document the purpose of each event in a vessel service tracking sheet, which will be accessible to NMFS.

4.2.2 The Contractor shall also participate in occasional industry outreach meetings with NMFS staff, study participants, industry members and other stakeholders throughout the course of the contract (maximum of four (4)).

Meetings will be lead, organized, and scheduled by NMFS. Outreach may include an equipment demonstration component.

4.2.3 The Contractor shall engage in regular communication (every one (1) week or more frequently as required) with NOAA Fisheries staff (in person or by conference call) to review monitoring objectives, data requirements, project plans, project deliverables, project spending and budget plans (quarterly), and staffing and resources.

4.2.4 The Contractor shall assist NMFS in outreach events to solicit project participation. In an effort to help solicit participation, the Contractor shall develop and provide to NMFS a reference sheet outlining vessel power requirements and basic operations of an EM system. Outreach may include an equipment demonstration component. The Contractor shall provide a detailed schematic design of their EM system and its components in their quote and as part of their reference sheet. The Contractor shall also provide a detailed schematic design of their echosounder and its components in their quote and as part of their reference sheet.

4.2.5 Any communication the Contractor engages in with the industry must be within the scope of this contract and must be pre-approved by NMFS.

4.2.6 Any information or formal agreements the Contractor provides to study participants shall also be provided to NMFS within one (1) week of dissemination.

4.3 EM and Echosounder Units to be supplied

The Contractor shall provide up to three (3) leased EM units necessary to provide at-sea coverage on the participating vessel(s). The Contractor shall also have adequate spare or back-up equipment available locally in case of a system failure or equipment malfunction. The study participants shall be determined by NMFS. The EM units supplied by the Contractor shall meet or exceed the technical requirements defined in the Electronic Monitoring Equipment Specifications (Section J, Attachment 1, Electronic Monitoring Equipment Specifications) developed by NEFSC. Equipment shall also include a sensor monitoring the pump(s) to capture any discarding outside of fishing activity. Midwater trawl herring and mackerel vessels regularly use pumps to bring kept catch onboard and occasionally may use a pump to discard catch. EM systems are typically triggered by the use of the vessel’s hydraulics or winch. The use of the pump alone on a midwater trawl vessel would not result in the collection of EM video data. A dedicated pump sensor would allow NMFS to capture these data. EM hardware/software shall be capable of providing geofencing for the vessels selected for this project.

Geofencing limits EM data recording to an area outside of a given vessel home port(s).

This eliminates unintended recording and is described in the earlier herring/mackerel EM project final report.

Participating vessel(s) may be outfitted with cables/wires compatible with a variety of EM systems. These wires were retained by some vessels which participated in an earlier EM project. For more information, see the final project report (Final report from the herring and mackerel fishery electronic monitoring project) at:

https://www.nefmc.org/calendar/apr-4-2018-joint-herring-committee-and-advisory-panel-meeting

The Contractor shall provide up to two (2) purchased echosounder units necessary to provider at-sea coverage on the participating vessel(s). All purchased equipment is property of the government after project completion. The contractor shall also have adequate spare or back-up equipment available locally in case of a system failure or malfunction. The study participants shall be determined by NMFS. The echosounder unit(s) shall meet or exceed the technical specifications including those listed below. For full product specifications, see: https://www.simrad.com/es80

● SIMRAD ES80 Wideband Split Beam Broadband Echosounders (or equivalent technology);

● Broadband (CHIRP) capability;

● Signatures that can be observed on the monitoring unit;

● Calibration of the echosounder(s) using a standard target;

● The ability of the echosounder to output digitized data to a computer and/or hard drive;

● Transducer with broadband capability;

● Software to process the echosounder data with capabilities similar to Echoview or

LSSS;

● Instruction on the processing of sonar data output;

https://www.simrad.com/es80

● Compatible with midwater trawl vessel infrastructure

4.4 Installation, servicing of EM and Echosounder units aboard vessels, and field and project support

Prior to commencement of the active data collection component of the project, the Contractor shall set up local capacity to install equipment (including echosounder and all peripherals, EM, lighting, camera mount, and measurement grid) and provide field support to study participants. The field support shall include; equipment installation, equipment or system troubleshooting, data retrievals (by means of in- person retrieval or postal mailing), and EM equipment removal. All echosounder equipment shall be property of NMFS and remain on the vessel at the conclusion of the project. The echosounder equipment purchase shall include a standard warranty and service, incorporating troubleshooting, regular service, and training.

Equipment installation shall include any modifications to cameras, sensors, mounting frames/arms/brackets, lighting, wiring, and other EM system components or related components necessary to achieve project goals and objectives. The Contractor shall provide local service technicians who are capable of providing all servicing events and needs for up to three (3) participating vessels. The EM data retrievals shall occur after each trip and will take place no more than twenty-four (24) hours after trip landing. The Contractor shall also reserve or set up local storage or office space to store spare or back-up EM system units and parts as needed. In addition, the Contractor shall set up a twenty- four (24) hour servicing hotline to address any vessel servicing needs seven (7) days a week. Echosounder data shall also occur after each trip and stored by the Contractor. The EM and echsounder data shall be submitted to NMFS on a regular basis at the Contractor’s expense. The Contractor shall present a formal plan on servicing, local capacity, and response time to address any EM or echosounder equipment issues in their quote. The contractor shall initiate a collaborative process to develop catch handling protocols for vessel captains and crews that is agreed upon by vessel representatives and crews, NMFS representatives, and the contractor.

The Contractor shall create and maintain a field service tracking log to include all EM and echosounder installations, service events, data retrievals, equipment or system troubleshooting and equipment removals. If equipment servicing or troubleshooting occurs the contractor shall note the issue, length of time to fix the issue, and how the issue was rectified in the service tracking log. The tracking sheet shall be updated daily and the Contractor shall provide full access to NMFS. The Contractor shall also track all system failures (any instance where the equipment is not functional) and report all system failures to NMFS in forty-eight (48) hours of occurrence.

The Contractor shall install, test, and initialize all the EM and echosounder equipment on the participating fishing vessels. Some operations in the herring and mackerel midwater trawl fishery include pair trawling, where two (2) vessels tow a single net and the fish is loaded onto one (1) or both vessels. In pair trawl operations, both vessels will be equipped with EM equipment. The field service technician may be required to go out to sea on a trip with participating vessels to understand fishing operations and evaluate the echosounder and/or EM system vessel configuration to meet project goals. Each vessel will be fully outfitted with EM equipment and the Contractor shall provide instruction on the use and care of the EM equipment to the vessels’ crews. Up to two (2) of the vessels will be fully outfitted with the echosounder equipment and the Contractor shall provide instruction on the use and care of the echosounder equipment to the vessels’ crews. The Contractor shall provide a detailed description of what is involved in the setting up and removal of EM to NMFS and study participants (potential and actual). The Contractor shall provide a detailed description of what is involved in the setting up and removal of the echosounder to NMFS and study participants (potential and actual). The Contractor shall develop vessel reference sheets which provide the description of the EM and echosounder systems, outlines captain and crew responsibilities, and includes instruction on the use and care of the EM and echosounder equipment which will be included in the vessel’s VMP. The vessel reference sheet is required one (1) month after contract award.

The Contractor shall develop a VMP for each participating vessel (incorporating materials from earlier EM projects. The VMP shall outline vessel specific catch handling protocols and EM and echosounder system configurations being used throughout the project. The VMP is a communication tool used to ensure that captains, field technicians, data reviewers, and project coordination staff know what their roles are for a successful implementation. The VMP will include at a minimum; general EM procedures, EM system configuration, echosounder procedures, echosounder system configuration, operator responsibilities, protocols for data retrieval, catch handling, observer protocols (if applicable), general vessel information, monitoring objectives, the vessel layout, reporting requirements, vessel hail in or out procedures, basic system troubleshooting, program contacts, and any other pertinent information.

All alterations, with the exception of the vessel’s power supply, required for a vessel to accommodate the EM or echosounder system will be incurred by the Contractor. This includes, but is not limited to; modifications to the vessel hull, echosounder mounting brackets, dedicated echosounder GPS feed, swing arm mounts for cameras, discard chutes, additional lighting for night fishing, and wire shielding to prevent Radio Frequency Interference (RFI). The Contractor shall devise a plan for those vessels who want to participate but have insufficient power resources. The Contractor’s quote shall include suggested solutions or arrangements to address power issues to increase study participation and shall include information on how this may impact Contractor costs for this project.

The Contractor shall coordinate and determine a schedule for EM and echosounder installation on each vessel and will take into account vessels’ fishing schedules and concerns.

The installation and maintenance of the EM technology or echosounder shall not unduly delay any vessel from participating in the fishery.

The Contractor shall develop and implement strategies for vessel compliance and shall work with vessels that are non-compliant to help them meet project and vessel requirements. Vessel accountability shall be described in detail in the Contractor’s quote. Incentives to have industry collect high quality data in future electronic monitoring programs should also be described in the quote.

4.5 Data analysis

The participating vessels will be required to use the EM system and echosounder for 100% of their trips. The Contractor shall review (process and annotate) 100% of EM sensor and video data collected under this study for bycatch records of interest. NMFS shall review and analyze all echosounder data. The participating vessels will be subject the same reporting requirements currently implemented and all trips will be subject to Northeast Fisheries Observer Program (NEFOP) observer coverage.

The Contractor shall provide NMFS with EM data summaries from reviewed data and provide complete access to all data (sensor and video) for a NMFS video review audit. It is preferred EM reviewers have experience with northeast fisheries. Reviewers may be required to take a trip with participating vessels to increase their knowledge in this fishery and to improve data review. Summary data provided to NMFS and video recordings submitted for audit purposes under this contract will be the property of NMFS. All data collected or summarized as a result of this study is subject to the same data confidentiality guidelines as observer data.

The Contractor shall work with NMFS to determine which events are to be recorded and how the events shall be documented. The experimental plans for data collection shall be flexible and dynamic to allow for changes as the project progresses. NMFS may require the Contractor to participate in NMFS training to correctly identify common bycatch species and document information according to NMFS standards.

The specific data analysis and reporting tasks to be carried out by the Contractor include:

● The Contractor shall draft a project plan for the project. The project plan will incorporate NMFS input and is subject to NMFS approval;

● The Contractor shall provide a trainer to train the two (2) video auditors (video auditors to be supplied by NEFSC) in sensor and imagery viewing to complete this work jointly at a site in Massachusetts arranged by NOAA Fisheries. The training shall be provided during the project set-up phase two (2) months post contract award, Section C.4.1.1;

● The Contractor shall provide a trainer to train vessel personnel (up to two (2) per vessel) and NMFS staff (three (3)) on operation and interpretation of the echosounder hardware and software.

● The set up of three (3) user accounts or licenses to facilitate EM data review and auditing;

● The Contractor shall keep an inventory of all data retrieved and shall create a tracking spreadsheet to track all data and the review of such data. The Contractor shall provide NMFS direct access to the tracking sheet;

● Establish a schedule for data processing and delivery of a final data summary (at the trip level) to be agreed upon by the Contractor and NMFS, with an initial target goal of within 2 weeks (14 calendar days) of trip landing and an eventual goal of 1 week (7 calendar days) from trip landing;

● The Contractor shall assess the quality of EM image data on a per trip basis and shall develop categories of image quality that determine if the data is suitable for imagery review and data analysis;

● The Contractor shall assess the quality of echosounder data on a per trip basis and shall develop categories of quality that determine if the data is suitable for the objectives of this project;

● The Contractor shall analyze vessel EM sensor data for quality and completeness (e.g., no data gaps). The Contractor shall summarize all EM data gaps or periods of missing data (sensor or video) and include that information in the final report;

● The Contractor shall summarize all echosounder data gaps, missing data, hardware/software issues, and include the information in the final report;

● The Contractor shall review 100% of the fishing activity at the trip level, beginning with the first deployment of the net (as detected by the sensors) until the vessel returns to port;

● Identify all fishing episodes, including the activity of both vessels involved in pair trawling operations;

● Identify all instances where the catch does not come onboard during or after a fishing event (gear issue, fish pumped to another vessel, etc.);

● Identify interactions (presence/absence) with protected species;

● Identify anomalous events in the data sets that may warrant further investigation;

● Determine species ID, count, and length/weight of haddock bycatch (and other species opportunistically);

● Compare observer data to EM data where applicable, especially weights/counts of haddock bycatch;

● Track catch handling of haddock bycatch and other bycatch items that are sorted out by crew members;

● Document gear configuration (EM, echosounder and peripherals, lighting, measurement grid) best practices on a midwater trawl vessel in order to meet the goal of this project;

● Submit data reports according to EM summary file standards (Section J, Attachment 2, Electronic Monitoring Data File Technical Specifications).

4.6 Removal of EM units from all fishing vessels

Unless ownership or lease agreement is transferred to the vessel owner at the end of this contract, the Contractor shall be responsible for removing all EM units from the vessels at the end of the project. The Contractor shall remove all evidence of the EM installation on every vessel. Care must be taken to return each vessel to the state it was in prior to the installation of the EM unit.

The removal shall not unduly delay vessels from departing for other fisheries. The echosounder shall remain property of NMFS and remain on the vessel at the end of the contract.

4.7 Final report

The Contractor shall provide NOAA Fisheries with a draft and the final report on this project in a format to be approved by NMFS. The draft report is due one (1) month prior to the final report. The draft shall allow NOAA Fisheries to provide comments and edit text. The final report, incorporating changes suggested by NOAA Fisheries, shall be clear, straightforward and will incorporate an overview of the EM/echosounder project, analysis of the EM data, analysis of the echosounder data (by NMFS), lessons learned and applicability in other Northeast fisheries. It shall also include an objective review of the positives and negatives of EM/echosounder applicability to the various gear and vessel configurations, all incidences of at-sea discards, positions and track lines of all vessel tows, comparison to NEFOP observer collected data, and any other unique circumstances that may have arisen.

The final report shall be a narrative of the operational components and processes for the tested EM monitoring approach and novel echosounder deployment. The final report shall read as a template or blueprint for NMFS staff and vessel owners who intend on incorporating the findings of this project into regulations and operation plans. Specific data analysis and reporting included in the final report shall include but is not limited to the following:

● Document and detail all operational EM/echosounder components (e.g., data management and storage, data retrievals and management, equipment maintenance and supporting field services, data processing, notification system, onboard methodologies, compliance measures, feedback mechanisms, etc.), necessary to document bycatch (haddock and all other bycatch). Information included shall be practical and based on applied knowledge;

● Thoroughly document the EM model (approach) tested, including objectives, approach definitions, specific approach goals, approach assumptions, approach scope of work, etc.;

● Document procedures (list of necessary tasks to complete processes), description of resources (training, skill sets, etc.), data quality procedures and considerations, and timeframes and logistical considerations associated with data models for EM and echosounder equipment;

● Identify any significant issues or concerns with EM operational programs or the echosounder equipment, including: data gaps (sensor or video), equipment interference issues, safety concerns, chain of custody concerns and data confidentiality, data ownership, data storage, haul vs. trip level reporting, data turnaround times, etc.

● Document “best practices or best recommendations” for a successful and independent EM program as they relate to project goals. The “best practices” information shall be supported by data collected and analyzed as part of this study. Supporting data shall be utilized to collaborate and reinforce “best practice recommendations” and shall be incorporated in a “lessons learned” format. This information shall include methods tested and evaluated (efficiencies) as part of this study, including elements such as: data alignment, modified catch handling, equipment configuration, techniques for industry reporting, etc. The

Contractor shall as applicable incorporate “lessons learned” from other pilot studies or operational programs which they have conducted or are associated with;

● Document “best practices or best recommendations” for the successful deployment and use of modern echosounder technology on midwater trawl vessels as they relate to project goals. The “best practices” information shall be supported by data collected and analyzed (by NMFS) as part of this study. Supporting data shall be utilized to collaborate and reinforce “best practice recommendations” and shall be incorporated in a “lessons learned” format. This information shall include methods tested and evaluated (efficiencies) as part of this study, including elements such as: a comparison of bycatch rates and discard events on control and experimental vessels, a comparison of both the haddock bycatch rates on control and experimental vessels and the number of discard event that occur before pumping fish on the vessel (partial or full release) for these vessels, equipment configuration, etc. The Contractor shall as applicable incorporate “lessons learned” from other pilot studies or operational programs which they have conducted or are associated with;

● Identify and document all EM and echosounder related cost drivers related to identification and documentation of haddock bycatch. Information shall demonstrate how specific cost drivers impact overall monitoring costs and identify which cost aspects vary in accordance with other factors. Including seasonal and spatial factors that impact haddock bycatch. Information shall also include how specific monitoring objectives relate to or influence program costs. Cost information shall be presented in a manner that allows the fishing industry to optimize costs based on specific monitoring objectives;

● Summarize all EM data collected. Summarized information shall include: detail of collected data (number of trips, estimated total hours, and number of participating vessels, etc.), EM data quality assessment for reviewing, interpretation and analysis methods, video and sensor data quality, quality control measures for data alignment between reviewers, and inventory (catch composition) of all species or events recorded in EM data by gear type;

● Summarize all echosounder data collected. Summarized information shall include: detail of collected data (number of trips, number of hauls, and number of participating vessels, etc.), interpretation and analysis methods, data quality, quality control measures, and inventory (catch composition) of all species or events recorded in EM data that align with hauls where the echosounder was deployed;

● Assess vessels in the context of EM and echosounder equipment compatibility, taking into consideration the adjusted EM equipment configuration, and detail any deficiencies identified in the fleet that would not be conducive to collecting EM or echosounder data in support of project goals;

● The final report will include a template of a Vessel Monitoring Plan (VMP) with generic information related to vessel monitoring and crew responsibilities. The report shall reference the VMP and include information as to the purpose and need for vessel-specific

VMPs to properly support a program.

4.8 Ownership of materials

All, EM/echosounder reports, summaries, information collected or developed during this project and submitted to NMFS as required, and collected video and sensor data will be the property of NOAA Fisheries and will be maintained onsite by the NMFS. All data will delivered in a manner accessible to NMFS. Copies will be supplied to vessel owners at their request and upon completion of a signed waiver by the owner. The EM and echosounder data will be used solely for this project and will be protected as confidential data under observer information [Magnuson-Stevens Reauthorization Act amended Section 402(b)]. The Contractor may not use the data collected from this project without Government permission.

The data collected throughout this project may be used for outreach purposes, trainings (video auditors, NMFS staff, observers, etc.), and presentations as needed.

The Contractor will be required to store all (EM sensor and video and echosounder data) data for three (3) years from the project start date.

SECTION II

CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS

1. FAR 52.212-4 CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS – COMMERCIAL ITEMS

(JAN 2017)

(a) Inspection/Acceptance. The Contractor shall only tender for acceptance those items that conform to the requirements of this contract. The Government reserves the right to inspect or test any supplies or services that have been tendered for acceptance. The Government may require repair or replacement of nonconforming supplies or reperformance of nonconforming services at no increase in contract price. If repair/replacement or reperformance will not correct the defects or is not possible, the Government may seek an equitable price reduction or adequate consideration for acceptance of nonconforming supplies or services. The Government must exercise its post-acceptance rights—

(1) Within a reasonable time after the defect was discovered or should have been discovered; and

(2) Before any substantial change occurs in the condition of the item, unless the change is due to the defect in the item.

(b) Assignment. The Contractor or its assignee may assign its rights to receive payment due as a result of performance of this contract to a bank, trust company, or other financing institution, including any Federal lending agency in accordance with the Assignment of Claims Act (31 U.S.C. 3727). However, when a third party makes payment (e.g., use of the Governmentwide commercial purchase card), the Contractor may not assign its rights to receive payment under this contract.

(c) Changes. Changes in the terms and conditions of this contract may be made only by written agreement of the parties.

(d) Disputes. This contract is subject to 41 U.S.C. chapter 71, Contract Disputes. Failure of the parties to this contract to reach agreement on any request for equitable adjustment, claim, appeal or action arising under or relating to this contract shall be a dispute to be resolved in accordance with the clause at FAR 52.233-1, Disputes, which is incorporated herein by reference. The Contractor shall proceed diligently with performance of this contract, pending final resolution of any dispute arising under the contract.

(e) Definitions. The clause at FAR 52.202-1, Definitions, is incorporated herein by reference.

(f) Excusable delays. The Contractor shall be liable for default unless nonperformance is caused by an occurrence beyond the reasonable control of the Contractor and without its fault or negligence such as, acts of God or the public enemy, acts of the Government in either its sovereign or contractual capacity, fires, floods, epidemics, quarantine restrictions, strikes, unusually severe weather, and delays of common carriers.