Attachment (A) Performance Work Statement_FE.pdf

Performance Work Statement National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) Alaska Region Protected Resources Division (PRD) Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response

I. Background

Information on marine mammal strandings in Alaska has been historically sparse due to the extensive coastline, low population density, and difficulty in reaching many areas where marine mammals strand. The volunteer stranding program in Alaska continues networking, with improved communications and technology, a stranding hotline phone number, social media and websites, workshops by NMFS and various organizations, and increased local interests. Conducting systematic and thorough necropsies on stranded marine mammals helps determine and document causes of death, including deaths due to:1) human-related interactions (e.g., boat strikes, fishing gear entanglements and trauma, gunshots, and other projectile wounds); and 2) natural causes (e.g., diseases, infections, old age, parasites, and live stranding events). Through sampling and necropsies on both stranded and subsistence harvested marine mammals, NMFS can monitor for endemic and epidemic diseases, toxic materials in the environment, gather valuable baseline life history information, and gain insights into the health of marine mammals at the individual and population levels. Investigating marine mammal health and disease in Alaska also informs public health concerns related to the consumption of marine mammals by Alaska Natives.

The cause of death in marine mammals can be difficult to discern due to the lack of their clinical history, possible unfamiliarity with the particular anatomy, and rapid decomposition. For this reason, a systematic approach using standardized sampling protocols by experienced individuals is very important to gather as much useful and biological information as possible, which could help identify animal health and possibly determine cause of death.

The timeliness for response to live marine mammals in distress (e.g., injured, entangled, or abandoned) is equally, if not more important. Expertise in safe and expedient live animal response is needed to enact effective responses, particularly in remote areas of Alaska.

With the extensive Alaskan coastline, marine mammal stranding response can require travel to very remote and distant locations. Additionally, the program trains responders in different regions throughout the state, as well as ships marine mammal samples to laboratories for analysis.

The objectives of the purchase order between NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, Alaska Region (NOAA Fisheries AKR) and the selected contractor are for professional support services to address systematic evaluations on the causes of marine mammal strandings and for opportunistic evaluations on the health of subsistence-caught marine mammals.

The contractor shall conduct necropsies on stranded and subsistence harvested pinnipeds (except walrus) and cetaceans, with a focus on Cook Inlet beluga whales. The contractor shall respond to stranded marine mammals; lead examinations and necropsies of dead marine mammals; collect and examine tissues from stranded and harvested marine mammals; provide diagnostic information based on histopathological examination; provide expert advice regarding the need for additional analyses; and train individuals in proper forensic necropsy technique.

II. Place of Performance

Work will be conducted outside of government facilities (i.e. off-site). The stranding response Contractor shall be available for field response in Alaska, from May 1 to October 31, throughout the period of performance. The contractor may work remotely from another location during the remainder of the purchase order.

III. Tasks

Key tasks include the following:

Task 1: The contractor shall provide veterinary and necropsy support, including:

A. Examine stranded and subsistence-caught marine mammals, including postmortem examination and necropsies, to possibly determine 1) animal health (applicable to both strandings and subsistence-caught), and 2) cause of death (strandings only).

B. Assist in coordinating or leading marine mammal necropsies throughout Alaska as requested; it is anticipated that the majority of events will be in the Gulf of Alaska and Southeast Alaska regions, however travel to other areas of the state to conduct necropsies may be required;

C. Identify anthropogenic interactions, such as vessel strikes, entanglements with fishing gear or marine debris, and trauma; which may or may not have contributed to strandings.

D. Complete or contribute to proper documentation, health reports, or cause of death determinations. Including completing level A data forms and regional forms for responses the contractor is lead on.

E. Provide NOAA Fisheries AKR the lab results from all NOAA Fisheries approved analyses, including diseases, harmful algal blooms, histology, and reproductive status.

F. Archive and/or transfer of biological samples collected from stranded marine mammals to labs and veterinary pathologists for analysis following network protocols and standard operating procedures;

G. Assist with Unusual Mortality Events, as directed and/or approved by NOAA Fisheries

AKR.

H. Coordinate efforts to allow live stranding and entanglement responses (coordinate travel);

respond to live stranding events as requested to safely collect samples and images, or videos.

IV. Technician Labor Category Description

A. Experience with collection, processing, and preservation of tissue samples collected during postmortem sampling and necropsy.

B. Previous experience with shipping samples to diagnostic laboratories and researchers, including familiarity with permit reporting requirements for the shipping/receiving samples from marine mammals.

C. Familiarity with marine mammal stranding response including completing Level A and human interactions forms.

V. Deliverables

A. Complete the required stranding forms (e.g. Level A, human interaction form) and necropsy reports when the contractor is the lead; and provide all laboratory results, and necropsy and histology reports for cases that the contractor is involved in.

B. Provide documentation and receipts of purchases and travel.

C. Participate as a Co-Investigator on the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response

Program permit and document activities under this permit.

D. Yearly provide a comprehensive inventory of all biological samples collected, storage location, and transfers to labs for analysis for permit reporting.

E. Participate in scheduled intra- and interagency meetings when requested.

The following is a schedule of all deliverables, including administrative deliverables, required during the period of performance of this purchase order:

Item Description Quantity Due Date Deliver to Reference

Task 1A-C

Stranding response varies As requested

AKR

Stranding

Coordinator

Deliverable 1A - C

Task

1D

Stranding response varies Within 30 days of completion

AKR Stranding

Coordinator

Deliverable 1A

Task

1E

Stranding response varies Within 30 days of completion

AKR Stranding

Coordinator

Deliverable 1A

Item Description Quantity Due Date Deliver to Reference

Task

1F

Inventory of samples

One Annually

AKR Stranding

Coordinator

Deliverable 1C, D

Task 1G

Unusual Mortality Event varies As requested

AKR

Stranding

Coordinator

Deliverable 1E

Task 1D, H

Live stranding and entanglement varies As requested AKR Stranding

Coordinator

Deliverable 1A, B

--- Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment

Training Certificate varies Within 30 days of effective date of contract.

Annual recertification due each year by June 1.

COR, CS,

and CO

NAM 1330-52.222-70

(MAY 2018)

--- Post Award Conference varies Per arrangement between COR and Contractor within 10 days of award

COR, CS,

and CO

N/A

--- Invoice One On the 10th of each month

COR and CS NAM 1330-52.232-72

(FEB 2023)

--- Monthly Progress Report

One Monthly, submitted with invoice

COR, CS,

and CO

CAR 1352.237-74

Item Description Quantity Due Date Deliver to Reference

--- Insurance Coverage

One Within 30 days of contract award

COR and CS CAR 1352.228-70

--- IT Security Training

One Within 30 days of contract award

COR and CS CAR 1352.239-72

VI. Performance Requirements Summary

This purchase order includes a Performance Requirements Summary (PRS). The PRS plays an integral role in the administration of the purchase order. In addition to any applicable inspection clauses or other related terms and conditions contained in the purchase order, the PRS shall serve as a primary tool for inspection and acceptance of services as facilitated by the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR). Evaluation of the Contractor’s overall performance shall be in accordance with the performance standards set forth in the PRS, and will be conducted by the COR. The PRS constitutes a material aspect of the purchase order and will not be changed or otherwise modified without prior written approval of the Contracting Officer.

Required Service and Designation

Desired Outcome

Performance Standard

Acceptable Quality Level

Monitoring Method

Incentive/

Disincentive

Task 1 Deliverable 1A, C, D

Sampling and necropsies are completed, reports completed and accurate;

samples submitted/ shipped and accurate inventories

Performance standard met at least 95% of time

- Stranding Coordinator will review stranding forms, reports, and lab results

- Review of health reports, documents

-Corrective action plan, -CPARS rating/ evaluation

Required Service and Designation

Desired Outcome

Performance Standard

Acceptable Quality Level

Monitoring Method

Incentive/

Disincentive

Task 1 Deliverable 1B, E - Coordinate responses and travel

- Attend meetings

Performance standard met at least 90% of time

-Check meeting agendas and notes

-Check travel requests and invoices and compare to email dates requesting approval

-Corrective action plan

-CPARS

rating/ evaluation

VII. Post-Award Kick Off

The Contractor shall attend a Kick-Off conference with the Project Lead and Contracting Office Representative no later than five (5) business days after the date of award. The purpose of the conference is to set the standards of performance, clarify details, provide communication channels, and discuss anticipated travel, progress report, and invoicing details. The post-award Kick-off will be held in-person and/or virtually.

VIII. Government-Furnished Resources

The Government will not furnish office resources to the Contractor in support of this purchase order.

IX. Travel and Training

Travel is anticipated for this purchase order. The contractor will need to travel to respond to stranded or entangled marine mammals. Any travel conducted prior to the receipt of proper written authorization from the COR and Project Lead will be done at the Contractor’s own risk and expense.

Training is authorized for NMFS/NOAA/DOC specific systems and requirements. Completion certificates must be submitted to the COR. The following training is currently required to be completed under this purchase order. The COR may authorize additional training that is necessary for the task order and not commercially available.

• NOAA IT security

• NOAA Safety training

• Sexual Assault/Sexual Harassment Prevention and Response Training IAW NAM 1330-

52.222-70(b)(6)

• Records Management 101

• For Office of Aviation Services flights, all contractors must have Water Ditching and

Survival certification or similar.

Additional commercial or non-purchase order specific training may be permitted under the following circumstances: 1) prior written approval is obtained from the COR, 2) there is no additional cost to the Government for attendance, 3) the time is not billed to the Government, and

4) there is no relief/change for deliverable due dates.

X. Special Requirements

a. Confidentiality and Data Privacy

This purchase order may require that services contractors have access to Privacy Information.

Services contractors are responsible for maintaining confidentiality of all subjects and materials and may be required to sign and adhere to a Non-disclosure Agreement (NDA).

b. Intellectual Property Rights

All deliverables are the property of the U.S. Government. All documents, analyses, files (digital or other), reports, notes and photos are to be used only by Contractor personnel assigned to this purchase order. Documents, files and other data are to be stored exclusively on Government owned equipment and at no point should be saved or archived on personal drives or devices. Copies are not to be disseminated to anyone outside of the NMFS or to any other contractor personnel without explicit release from the Government.

c. IT Security

The contractor must meet the Department of Commerce IT Security Program Policy and Minimum Implementation Standards and also adhere to NOAA and NMFS security policies. Information can be found https://sites.google.com/a/noaa.gov/ocio-itso/home/department-of-commerce-policies.

d. Section 508 Compliance

Pursuant to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d) as amended by P.L.

105-220 under Title IV (Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998), all Electronic and Information Technology (EIT) developed, procured, maintained and/or used under this purchase order shall be in compliance with the “Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Standards” set forth by the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (also referred to as the “Access Board”) in 36 CFR Part 1194. The complete text of Section 508 Standards can be accessed at http://www.access-board.gov/ or at http://www.section508.gov.

https://sites.google.com/a/noaa.gov/ocio-itso/home/department-of-commerce-policies http://www.access-board.gov/ http://www.section508.gov/

e. Security Requirements

This project is considered low risk, and Contractor staff must be suited for public trust classification. Background investigations are required for all contractor staff proposed for this project, and must be completed prior to beginning work.

XI. Required Knowledge and Experience:

The contractor shall have: 1) a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree, 2) an Alaska Stranding Agreement and is or will be able to qualify as a Co-Investigator on the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program permit, 3) experience working with NOAA Fisheries National Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program and the Alaska Marine Mammal Stranding Network, 4) experience working in remote parts of Alaska with limited accommodations, and 5) experience in cooperatively working with Alaska Native hunters and stranding responders. The contractor must have demonstrated experience in marine mammal stranding response and working with Alaska subsistence communities; conducting necropsies and histopathological examinations on marine mammals; interpreting results from all analyses that may help determine cause of death and the animals’ health; and published in scientific journals.

The contractor shall communicate with NOAA Fisheries AKR on stranding using the NOAA Fisheries AKR Stranding Regional Identification Number.

The proposed personnel must possess and maintain the following skills/certifications and/or credentials during the period of performance:

• Current MS Office skills

• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)

• First Aid

XII. Project Lead: Provided at time of award

XIII. Contracting Office Representative: Provided at time of award