SOW_(final).docx

STATEMENT OF WORK

Services for Mid-Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin Photo-Identification

Purpose:

The National Marine Fisheries Service Office of Protected Resources is procuring services for determining the stock identity of bottlenose dolphins that have stranded during the ongoing Unusual Mortality Event (UME) along the U.S. eastern seaboard through the use of photo-identification.

Background:

The Mid-Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin Photo-identification Catalog (MABDC) was developed in 1997 with support from the NMFS to examine population structure of bottlenose dolphins along the western North Atlantic coast. The MABDC has grown from 461 dolphins and six contributors to over 11,000 animals and 26 contributors, with images dating back to 1979. The Catalog now includes dorsal fin images from the entire range of bottlenose dolphins from New Jersey through Florida’s east coast. The MABDC may be used to assign stock identity to individual dolphins that have stranded during the current UME to help address the following questions:

1) Which stock or stocks are involved in the UME?

2) Is the UME restricted to coastal and migratory stocks or have the smaller estuarine stocks also been affected?

3) How does this information inform our understanding of the transmission of dolphin morbillivirus?

The determination of stock affected by the outbreak is critical for determining potential impacts at the stock level and will be needed for adaptive management.

Scope of Work:

The Contractor shall provide personnel, materials, equipment, necessary software, supplies, and all other items necessary to fully perform the requirements specified in this statement of work. The contractor will conduct all work in accordance with the same standardized process currently maintained by the MADC curator and in collaboration with the curator, assuring all QA/QC protocols are maintained, as they are critical to research and management endeavors. At a minimum, the Contractor shall be responsible for the following duties to satisfy this contract:

1. Evaluate and score dorsal fin images of stranded live, fresh dead, and moderately decomposed bottlenose dolphins from the Mid-Atlantic UME (approximately 600 individuals from New York to North Florida), including those that have tested positive for morbillivirus, for image quality and dorsal fin distinctiveness in accordance with existing QA/QC protocols used for the MABDC;

2. Process images for use with Finscan©;

3. Conduct systematic comparisons of the stranded dorsal fin images to the MABDC, identify potential matches, and circulate to contributors for verification;

4. Collate sighting histories and locations to determine stock identity based on NMFS definitions in the Stock Assessment Reports.

Deliverables:

A report detailing work activities provided in support of this contract is required at the completion of the scope of work duties. The report shall include, but not be limited to:

· Number of photos provided by contributors and uploaded into the MADC per the work duties outlined in the scope of work above;

· Per photo processed, the total number of hours to complete steps listed in the scope of work duties

· Results from photo-identification, sighting histories, and possible stock determination shall be made available to the UME Investigative Team, NMFS Marine Mammal Health Stranding Response Program (MMHSRP), and stranding network contributors and the catalogue will be updated with the new information; and

· Results shall be provided within 6 to12 months after submission of dorsal fin images (electronically or hard copies) by the stranding network.

Period of Performance:

The period of performance for this contract shall be 12 months from the time of award.

Information Security

The C&A requirements of clause 73 do not apply and a Security Accreditation package is not required.

Product Disposition

The Contractor shall not use any materials provided by the COTR for any purpose other than under the auspices of this contract. All information and materials used and created becomes the property of the government, and the Contractor shall provide any details on project results from this contract to the NMFS upon request by the COTR.

NMFS POC

Dr. Teri Rowles Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program Office of Protected Resources NOAA/National Marine Fisheries Service 1315 East West Highway Silver Spring, MD 20910 Tel: 301-427-8402 Teri.Rowles@noaa.gov

Evaluation Criteria and Basis for Award

The basis for award of a contract as a result of this Request for Quote will be an integrated assessment by the Government of the results of the evaluation based on the evaluation criteria. Technical approach, previous experience, and past performance are considered to be significantly more important than cost.

The applicant must have previous experience and demonstrated past performance developing and updating large bottlenose dolphin photo identification catalogs, intended for broad-scale use, and involving diverse contributors/collaborators. Specifically, the Contractor must have the necessary MADC database to update the MADC portal. Therefore, the technical approach should include documentation of coordinating with the curator and/or obtaining access to the necessary MADC database. Prior experience should specifically involve QA/QC techniques currently used for the MADC for processing and updating the MADC to ensure the needed continued standardized of the MADC for consistency in research and management use. Preference is for previous experience working with the MADC and demonstrated past performance working with diverse contributors.

1. 1352.201-70 CONTRACTING OFFICER'S AUTHORITY (APR 2010)

(Reference 1301.602-170)

2. 52.204-7 SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT (JUL 2013)

(Reference 4.1105)

3. 1352.209-73 COMPLIANCE WITH THE LAWS (APR 2010)

(Reference 1309.507-2)

4. 1352.209-74 ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST (APR 2010)

(Reference 1309.507-2)

5. 52.213-4 TERMS AND CONDITIONS--SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITIONS (OTHER THAN COMMERCIAL ITEMS) (JAN 2014) (Reference 13.302-5)

6. 1352.237-75 KEY PERSONNEL (APR 2010)

(Reference 1337.110-71)

7. 52.246-9 INSPECTION OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (SHORT FORM) (APR 1984)

(Reference 46.309)

8. 1352.201-72 CONTRACTING OFFICER'S REPRESENTATIVE (C0R) (APR 2010)

(a) To be determined at time of award is hereby designated as the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR). The COR may be changed at any time by the Government without prior notice to the contractor by a unilateral modification to the contract. The COR is located at:

(End of clause)

9. 52.204-8 ANNUAL REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS (JAN 2014)

(a)

(b)

(c)

(ix) 52.219-2, Equal Low Bids. This provision applies to solicitations when contracting by sealed bidding and the contract will be performed in the United States or its outlying areas.

(xix) 52.225-25, Prohibition on Engaging in Sanctioned Activities Relating to Iran-Certification. This provision applies to all solicitations.

(d) The offeror has completed the annual representations and certifications electronically via the System for Award Management (SAM) website at https://www.samgov. After reviewing the SAM database information, the offeror verifies by submission of the offer that the representations and certifications currently posted electronically that apply to this solicitation as indicated in paragraph (c) of this provision have been entered or updated within the last 12 months, are current, accurate, complete, and applicable to this solicitation (including the business size standard applicable to the NAICS code referenced for this solicitation), as of the date of this offer and are incorporated in this offer by reference (see FAR 4.1201); except for the changes identified below [offeror to insert changes, identifying change by clause number, title, date]. These amended representation(s) and/or certification(s) are also incorporated in this offer and are current, accurate, and complete as of the date of this offer.

Any changes provided by the offeror are applicable to this solicitation only, and do not result in an update to the representations and certifications posted on SAM.

(End of Provision)

10. 1352.213-70 EVALUATION UTILIZING SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION PROCEDURES (APR 2010)

The Government will issue an order resulting from this request for quotation to the responsible offeror whose quotation results in the best value to the Government, considering both price and non-price factors. The following factors will be used to evaluate quotations:

Technical capability and past performance are more important than price.

(End of clause)

11. 1352.213-71 INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING QUOTATIONS UNDER THE SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION THRESHOLD - NON-COMMERCIAL (APR 2010)

(End of clause)

12. 52.217-8 OPTION TO EXTEND SERVICES (NOV 1999)

The Government may require continued performance of any services within the limits and at the rates specified in the contract. These rates may be adjusted only as a result of revisions to prevailing labor rates provided by the Secretary of Labor. The option provision may be exercised more than once, but the total extension of performance hereunder shall not exceed 6 months. The Contracting Officer may exercise the option by written notice to the Contractor within one (1) day.

(End of Clause)

13. 52.217-9 OPTION TO EXTEND THE TERM OF THE CONTRACT (MAR 2000)

(a) The Government may extend the term of this contract by written notice to the Contractor within one (1) day; provided that the Government gives the Contractor a preliminary written notice of its intent to extend at least (1) day before the contract expires. The preliminary notice does not commit the Government to an extension.

(b) If the Government exercises this option, the extended contract shall be considered to include this option clause.

(c) The total duration of this contract, including the exercise of any options under this clause, shall not exceed 12 months.

(End of clause)

14. 1352.233-70 AGENCY PROTESTS (APR 2010)

(c) Agency protests filed with the agency Protest Decision Authority shall be sent to the following address:

U.S Department of Commerce Senior Procurement Executive 1401 Constitution Avenue NW Suite 6422 Washington DC 20230

(End of clause)

15. CONTRACT DELIVERABLES