NARW_General_RFR.docx

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries

(617) 626-1520 | www.mass.gov/marinefisheries

REQUEST FOR RESPONSE

Right Whale Interaction Reduction Research Grant RFR # 24012 / COMMBUYS Bid# BD-24-1046-DMF-FW201-98458

REQUEST FOR RESPONSE

ISSUE DATE: 2/14/2024

1. Description or Purpose of Procurement:

The Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (MADMF) is accepting grant proposals for research projects intended to monitor the presence of North Atlantic right whales (NARW), analyze co-occurrence with trap fisheries, and test innovative gear to reduce potentially harmful interactions between NARWs and the lobster fishery. Funding will be prioritized based on NARW monitoring and risk reduction needs, the ability to make a substantial difference in protecting the NARW in a fishery-coexistent manner, and the feasibility of application within the fishing industry. Potential research topics may include but are not exclusive to the advancements of on-demand (ropeless) technology, other whale-safe gear alternatives, NARW surveillance, NARW acoustic monitoring, and data enhancements to improve NARW-fishery co-occurrence models. Cooperative input from the fishing industry is encouraged but not required. Selected grants will be reimbursed according to invoices detailing expenses and project progress submitted to, and approved by, MADMF. To qualify for funding:

· Partners must submit a detailed proposal with timeline, project deliverables, and a detailed budget for review.

· Partners must allow MADMF to have substantial involvement in the project for project progress, findings, and applicability to research goals.

· Partners must be able to complete vendor registration to accept funding, including agreement to all Commonwealth terms and conditions and a signed state contract.

· Partners must not be debarred, suspended, have any federal debt in SAM, or otherwise excluded from participation in federal assistance programs or activities.

· Federal employees or federal entities will be excluded from receiving contract or subcontracted funds through this program; however, they may advise at no cost, with written federal consent.

2. Applicable Procurement Law

Executive Branch Goods and Services

3. Acquisition Method:

4. Whether Single or Multiple Contractors are Required for Contract:

Check One (“X”):

a. Estimated Number of Awards The target maximum number of Contractors is 10; the Purchasing Department may award more or fewer contracts, if it is in the best interests of the Commonwealth to do so.

b. Adding Contractors after initial Contract Award If, over the life of the contract, the Purchasing Department determines that additional Contractors may be added, these may be drawn from qualified companies that responded to this Solicitation and not awarded Contracts, or if necessary to meet the requirements of the Commonwealth, the Solicitation may be reopened to obtain additional responses.

5. Entities Eligible to Use the Resulting Contract

6. Expected Duration of Contract (Initial Duration and any Options to Renew):

Initial Duration

Total Maximum Contract Duration

7. Anticipated Expenditures, Funding, or Compensation:

The funding for any contract resulting from this procurement is conditioned upon receipt of federal funds.

8. Contract Performance and Business Specifications:

Commodities being Procured:

Fishery Industry and Technology (Commodity Code: 70-10-17) Commercial Fishing Equipment (Commodity Code: 21-11-15) Grants (Commodity Code: 00) Scope of Services:

Funding will be prioritized based on NARW monitoring and risk reduction needs, the ability to make a substantial difference in protecting the NARW in a fishery-coexistent manner, the feasibility of application within the fishing industry, and the timeliness and budget of the applied research. MADMF must be allowed substantial involvement in the project for project progress, findings, and applicability to research goals. Potential research topics may include but are not limited to:

· The advancements of on-demand (ropeless) technology or other whale-safe gear alternatives

· NARW surveillance

· NARW acoustic monitoring

· Data enhancements to improve NARW-fishery co-occurrence models.

Scope of Services is not limited to this list.

Consistent with the Commonwealth’s Standard Terms and Conditions, a work created “for hire” by a contractor of the Department of Fish and Game (DFG)/Division of Marine Fisheries (i.e. any tangible product to be delivered as an element of performance under a DFG contract that is purchased or developed with state funds) is owned by the Commonwealth. Consequently, no such work “for hire” shall be copyrighted by the DFG contractor or the specific person employed by the DFG contractor who created the work.

Fiscal Terms: Terms will be developed with selected contractor(s) during contract negotiation.

Performance Measures: Performance measures must be described in the applicant's proposal. MADMF will require regular check-ins and progress reports during the contract period.

9. Small Business Purchasing Program – Not required for this grant opportunity

[MANDATORY FOR PROCUREMENTS WITH ANNUAL VALUES EQUAL TO OR LESS THAN $250,000]

Program Background The Massachusetts Small Business Purchasing Program (SBPP) was established pursuant to Executive Order 523 to increase state contracting opportunities with small businesses having their principal place of business within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Pursuant to the SBPP, it is the intention of the issuing department to award this Small Procurement to one or more SBPP participating business(es) as described below.

SBPP Award Preference While all businesses, no matter the size or principal place of business, may submit responses to this solicitation, should an SBPP participant respond and meet the best value criteria as described in this solicitation, the SBPP participant shall be awarded the contract. The Strategic Sourcing Services Team (SSST) will not evaluate submissions from non-SBPP participants unless no SBPP Bidder meets the SSST’s best value evaluation criteria.

SBPP Participation Eligibility To be eligible to participate in this procurement as an SBPP participant, an entity must meet the following criteria, and be marked as an SBPP-registered business in COMMBUYS:

1. Have its principal place of business in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts;

2. Been in business for at least one year;

3. Employ a combined total of 50 or fewer full-time equivalent employees in all locations, or employees work less than a combined total of 26,000 hours per quarter; and

4. Have gross revenues, as reported on appropriate tax forms, of $15 million or less, based on a three-year average.

Non-profit firms also must be registered as a non-profit or charitable organization with the MA Attorney General’s Office and be up to date with all filings required by that office and be tax exempt under Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code.

SBPP Compliance Requirements It is the responsibility of the Bidder to ensure that their SBPP status is current at the time of submitting a response and throughout the life of any resulting contract. Misrepresentation of SBPP status will result in disqualification from consideration, and may result in debarment, contract termination, and other actions. To learn more about the SBPP, including how to apply, visit the SBPP Webpage.

Program Resources and Assistance Bidders and Contractors seeking assistance regarding SBPP may visit the SBPP webpage, http://www.mass.gov/sbpp, or contact the SBPP Help Desk at sbpp@mass.gov.

10. Supplier Diversity Program (SDP) Plan – Not required for this grant opportunity

[MANDATORY FOR PROCUREMENTS WITH ANNUAL VALUES EQUAL TO OR LESS THAN $250,000]

Program Background Pursuant to Executive Order 565, the Commonwealth’s Supplier Diversity Program (SDP) promotes business-to-business relationships between awarded Contractors and diverse businesses and non-profit organizations (“SDP Partners”) certified or recognized (see below for more information) by the Supplier Diversity Office (SDO).

Financial Commitment Requirements All Bidders responding to this solicitation are required to make a significant financial commitment (“SDP Commitment”) to partnering with one or more SDO-certified or recognized diverse business enterprise(s) or non-profit organization(s). This SDP Commitment must be expressed as a percentage of contract sales resulting from this solicitation that would be spent with the SDP Partner(s).

After contract award (if any), the Total SDP Commitment shall become a contractual requirement to be met annually on a Massachusetts fiscal year basis (July 1 – June 30) for the duration of the contract. The minimum acceptable Total SDP Commitment in response to this solicitation shall be 1%. Bidders shall be awarded additional evaluation points for higher SDP Commitments.

No contract shall be awarded to a Bidder without an SDP Commitment that meets the requirements stated herein. This requirement extends to all Bidders regardless of their own supplier diversity certification.

Eligible SDP Partner Certification Categories SDP Partners must be business enterprises and/or non-profit organizations certified or recognized by the SDO in one or more of the following certification categories:

· Minority-Owned Business Enterprise (MBE)

· Minority Non-Profit Organization (M/NPO)

· Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE)

· Women Non-Profit Organization (W/NPO)

· Veteran-Owned Business Enterprise (VBE)

· Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Enterprise (SDVOBE)

· Disability-Owned Business Enterprise (DOBE)

· Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Business Enterprise (LBGTBE)

Eligible Types of Business-to-Business Relationships Bidders and Contractors may engage SDP Partners as follows:

· Subcontracting, defined as a partnership in which the SDP partner is involved in the provision of products and/or services to the Commonwealth.

· Ancillary Products and Services, defined as a business relationship in which the SDP partner provides products or services that are not directly related to the Contractor’s contract with the Commonwealth but may be related to the Contractor’s own operational needs.

Other types of business-to-business relationships are not acceptable under this contract. All provisions of this RFR applicable to subcontracting shall apply equally to the engagement of SDP Partners as subcontractors.

Program Flexibility The SDP encompasses the following provisions to support Bidders in establishing and maintaining sustainable business-to-business relationships meeting their needs:

· SDP Partners are not required to be subcontractors.

· SDP Partners are not required to be Massachusetts-based businesses.

· SDP Partners may be changed or added during the term of the contract, provided the Contractor continues to meet its SDP Commitment.

SDP Plan Form Requirements All Bidders must complete the SDP Plan Form included in this solicitation and attach it to their bid response. In addition to proposing an SDP Commitment, each Bidder must propose one or more SDP Partner(s) to utilize to meet its SDP Commitment. Certified diverse Bidders may not list their own companies, or their subsidiaries or affiliates, as SDP Partners and may not meet their SDP Commitment by spending funds internally or with their own subsidiaries or affiliates.

Bidders may propose SDP Partners that are:

· Certified or recognized by the SDO: Such partners appear in the SDO Directory of Certified Businesses or in the U.S. Dept of Veterans Affairs VetBiz Vendor Information Pages directory. After contract award (if any), spending with such partners will contribute to meeting the Contractor’s SDP Commitment.

· Not yet certified or recognized by the SDO: Such partners must be certified in eligible categories by a third-party certification body, such as another city or state supplier diversity certification office, the National Minority Supplier Development Council, the Women Business Enterprise National Council, Disability: IN, or the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), but are not listed in the above-mentioned directories. Self-certification is not acceptable. While Bidders may list such proposed SDP Partners on their SDP Plans, spending with such partners will not contribute to meeting the Contractor’s SDP Commitment unless they apply for and are granted SDO supplier diversity certification or recognition. If proposed SDP Partners do not receive SDO supplier diversity certification or recognition, the Contractor must find alternative SDP Partners to meet the SDP Commitment.

It is the responsibility of the Contractor to ensure that their proposed SDP Partners obtain such certification or recognition by the SDO after contract award (if any). The issuing department and the SDO will not conduct outreach to proposed SDP Partners to ensure their certification. Furthermore, no guarantee may be made that a proposed SDP Partner will be certified, or regarding the time it may take to process a proposed SDP Partner certification. Contractors may direct partners to the SDO’s homepage, www.mass.gov/sdo and the Certification Self-Assessment Tool for guidance on applying for certification.

It is desirable for Bidders to provide an SDP Focus Statement that describes the Bidder’s overall approach to increasing the participation of diverse businesses in the provision of products and services under this proposal/contract (subcontracting) and in the Bidder’s general business operations (ancillary products and services). Such a description may include but not be limited to:

· A clearly stated purpose or goal.

· Specific types of diverse and small businesses targeted.

· Which departments/units within the business are responsible for implementing supplier diversity.

· Types of opportunities for which diverse and small businesses are considered.

· Specific measures/methods of engagement of diverse and small businesses.

· An existing internal supplier diversity policy.

· Public availability of the Bidder’s supplier diversity policy.

It also is desirable for Bidders to use the SDP Plan Form to describe additional creative initiatives (if any) related to engaging, buying from, and/or collaborating with diverse businesses. Such initiatives may include but not be limited to:

· Serving as a mentor in a mentor-protégé relationship.

· Technical and financial assistance provided to diverse businesses.

· Participation in joint ventures between nondiverse and diverse businesses.

· Voluntary assistance programs by which nondiverse business employees are loaned to diverse businesses or by which diverse business employees are taken into viable business ventures to acquire training and experience in managing business affairs.

Evaluation of SDP Forms To encourage Bidders to develop substantial supplier diversity initiatives and commitments as measures valuable to the Commonwealth, at least 25% of the total available evaluation points for this bid solicitation shall be allocated to the evaluation of the SDP Plan submissions. Because the purpose of the SDP is to promote business-to-business partnerships, the Bidders’ workforce diversity initiatives will not be considered in the evaluation.

SDP Spending Reports and Compliance After contract award, Contractors shall be required to provide reports demonstrating compliance with the agreed-upon SDP Commitment as directed by the department, which in no case shall be less than annually.

Spending with SDP Partners that appear in the SDO Directory of Certified Businesses or in the U.S. Dept of Veterans Affairs VetBiz Vendor Information Pages directory shall be counted toward a Contractor’s compliance with their SDP Commitment. Spending with SDP Partners that do not appear in the directories above shall not be counted toward meeting a Contractor’s SDP Commitment.

It is the responsibility of the Contractor to ensure they meet their SDP Commitment. The SDO and the issuing department assume no responsibility for any Contractor’s failure to meet its SDP Commitment.

SDP Spending Verification The SDO and the contracting department reserve the right to contact SDP Partners at any time to request that they attest to the amounts reported to have been paid to them by the Contractor.

Program Resources and Assistance Contractors seeking assistance in the development of their SDP Plans or identification of potential SDP Partners may visit the SDP webpage, www.mass.gov/sdp, or contact the SDP Help Desk at sdp@mass.gov.

11. Environmentally Preferable Products Products and services purchased by state agencies must be in compliance with Executive Order 515, issued October 27, 2009. Under this Executive Order, Executive Departments are required to reduce their impact on the environment and enhance public health by procuring environmentally preferable products and services (EPPs) whenever such products and services perform to satisfactory standards and represent best value, consistent with 801 CMR 21.00. In line with this directive, all Contracts, whether departmental or statewide, must comply with the specifications and guidelines established by OSD and the EPP Program. EPPs are products and services that help to conserve natural resources, reduce waste, protect public health and the environment, and promote the use of clean technologies, recycled materials, and less toxic products. Bid responses must identify how a contractor meets these goals.

12. Evaluation Criteria Responses must meet all the submission requirements of the RFR. Only responsive proposals that meet the submission requirements will be evaluated, scored, and ranked by the evaluation team according to the evaluation criteria. Additional information may be requested for evaluation purposes.

Relevancy (40%)

a. Identify research area(s) to be addressed, detailing benefits to NARW conservation and/or fishery operations.

b. Goal(s) and objectives of the project.

c. Expertise of the applicant, project partnerships, incorporation of fishing industry input or participants, and related ongoing work of applicant.

Execution (60%)

d. Approach/Methods of the project with a timeline of project deliverables relative to project goals and objectives.

e. Detailed budget with justification of personnel, supply, travel, equipment, indirect, and any other expenses necessary to complete the project, broken down by project year, with a proposed invoice schedule.

f. Feasibility of completion within the grant period, including performance measures and project success milestones.

g. Final project outcomes including expected application in fisheries operations, fisheries management, and/or NARW conservation management, in addition to shareable outcomes, reports, and products.

13. Instructions for Submission of Responses:

Grant proposals can be submitted directly to Erin Burke at erin.burke@mass.gov; or submitted via COMMBUYS in response to this RFR. Responses can be sent via the “Create Quote” functionality in COMMBUYS. For instructions concerning how to submit a Quote, please see Appendix B.

Proposals must follow the information and format requirements in Appendix C. Only responsive proposals that meet these requirements will be evaluated, scored, and ranked by the evaluation team.

Any submission that fails to meet the submission requirements of the RFR will be found non-responsive without further evaluation unless the evaluation team, at its discretion, determines that the non-compliance is insubstantial and may be corrected. In these cases, the evaluation team may allow the vendor to make minor corrections to the submission.

14. Estimated Procurement Calendar

Notification of Apparent Successful Bidder(s) (Estimated)

Bidders are required to monitor COMMBUYS for changes to the procurement calendar for this Bid.

a. Online Questions (Bid Q&A) Written Questions must be entered using the “Bid Q&A” tab for the Bid in COMMBUYS no later than the “Online Questions Due” date and time indicated in the Estimated Procurement Calendar (above). The issuing department reserves the right to not respond to questions submitted after this date. It is the Bidder’s responsibility to verify receipt of questions.

It is the responsibility of the prospective Bidder and awarded Contractor to maintain an active registration in COMMBUYS and to keep current the email address of the Bidder’s contact person and prospective contract manager, if awarded a contract, and to monitor that email inbox for communications from the Purchasing Department, including requests for clarification. The Purchasing Department and the Commonwealth assume no responsibility if a prospective Bidder’s/awarded Contractor’s designated email address is not current, or if technical problems, including those with the prospective Bidder’s/awarded Contractor’s computer, network, or internet service provider (ISP) cause email communications sent to/from the prospective Bidder/Awarded contractor and the Purchasing Department to be lost or rejected by any means including email or spam filtering.

Written Responses to Questions will be released on or about the “Responses to Questions Posted Online” date indicated in the Estimated Procurement Calendar (above).

(Written questions and responses will be posted on the Bid Q&A Tab for this Bid in COMMBUYS.)

b. Quotes (Bid Responses) Deadline (Bid Opening Date/Time) See the Quotes (Bid Responses) Deadline (Bid Opening) Date and Time indicated in the Estimated Procurement Calendar (above).

c. Estimated Contract Start Date This is the approximate start date. The actual start date will be the Contract Effective Date which is the date the Contract is executed by the parties.

15. Required Forms Responses to this RFR must contain the following documents:

The above attachments are available as part of the Bid record on COMMBUYS (WWW.COMMBUYS.COM).

16. RFR Attachments Appendix A: Required Specifications https://www.mass.gov/doc/rfr-required-specifications-of-commodities-and-services Appendix B: Electronic Quote Submission Instructions https://www.mass.gov/doc/instructions-for-vendors-responding-to-bids Effective June 15, 2021, for all 1) CTR forms, including the Standard Contract Form, W-9s, Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) forms, ISAs, and other CTR-issued documents and forms, or 2) documents related to state finance and within the statutory area of authority or control of CTR (i.e. contracts, payrolls, and related supporting documentation), CTR will accept signatures executed by an authorized signatory in any of the following ways: 1. Traditional “wet signature” (ink on paper); 2. Electronic signature that is either: a. Hand drawn using a mouse or finger if working from a touch screen device; or Page 2 b. An uploaded picture of the signatory’s hand drawn signature 3. Electronic signatures affixed using a digital tool such as Adobe Sign or DocuSign. If using an electronic signature, the signature must be visible, include the signatory’s name and title, and must be accompanied by a signature date. Please be advised that typed text of a name not generated by a digital tool such as Adobe Sign or DocuSign, even in computer-generated cursive script, or an electronic symbol, are not acceptable forms of electronic signature.

Appendix C: RFR – Proposal Format Instructions and Required Information

Appendix C: RFR – Proposal Format Instructions and Required Information Research proposals must include a cover page, proposal, and detailed budget. Please follow the format below for each section of the research proposal submission. Incomplete proposals will not be evaluated. Proposals can be submitted to erin.burke@mass.gov or through COMMBUYS.

Cover page (one page):

Include the name and address of the organization, title of the project, and person(s) in charge of the proposed research along with their email and phone contact information. Also include the requested funds to complete the project in addition to the requested start and end dates of the project.

Proposal (no more than 10 pages):

a. Identify the need for the proposed research as it relates to North Atlantic right whale (NARW) monitoring or trap fishery interactions.

b. Goal(s) and objectives of the project.

c. List current and previous work with NARWs, trap fisheries, or other marine research. List all partners involved in the proposed research and include how fishing industry input will be incorporated into the proposed planning or research portion of the proposal.

d. Describe the approach and methods used to complete the proposed research and achieve the goals of the proposal. List any state or federal permits that may be required to complete the research.

e. Include a timeline of activity with project deliverables. What performance measures will be in place to determine completion of project milestones?

f. Explain how the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries Protected Species Program will be incorporated into project communications.

g. Describe the benefits of the proposed research and the final project products or outcomes and how those are related to application in commercial fisheries, fisheries management, and/or NARW conservation management. Describe the breadth or shareability of project products and/or outcomes.

Budget (no more than three pages):

Provide a detailed budget for each year of the proposal for personnel, supply, travel, equipment, indirect, and any other expenses necessary to complete the proposal. Explain how each expense is necessary to complete the proposed research. Funding requested for the proposal must be dedicated to the proposed research, otherwise indicate proration of costs as applicable. If indirect expenses are requested, please include the current approved federally negotiated indirect cost rate agreement. Describe funds availability to complete the proposed work upfront and a desired invoice schedule for reimbursement of project expenses.

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