SOW- Bycatch and Mortality Reduction Research 2021_Final.pdf

Statement of Work National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Keith Bigelow, Fisheries Research Monitoring Division (FRMD)

Project: Shark bycatch and mortality reduction research

PR# NF-FT7000-21-02976

Background

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service

(NMFS), Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), International Fisheries Program within the Fisheries Research and Monitoring Division (FRMD) is working collaboratively to identify mechanisms to reduce fisheries bycatch and mortality, primarily of protected species such as sea turtles, sharks, marine mammals and seabirds. With this procurement scientists from the several agencies will engage local recreational and commercial fishers in a community-based telemetry study to understand pelagic shark (including but not limited to: oceanic whitetip (OCS) and silky

(FAL) sharks) habitat use and movement behavior around Hawaii and to educate local fishers on shark population conservation and mortality mitigation. To do this we will train local fishers and resource users to tag incidental sharks at fish aggregating devices (FADs) anchored around the main Hawaiian Islands. The major research objectives of this project are; (1) to elucidate OCS and

FAL affiliation, continuous residence times and vertical behavior around anchored FADs as a means of identifying potential spatial bycatch mitigation strategies for commercial fisheries using

FADs, (2) A better understanding of the habitat use, ecology and areas of biological significance of

OCS and FAL around Hawaii, (3) Work with fishers to improve handling and release practices of incidental sharks to reduce fishing mortality.

Objectives

NOAA seeks a contractor to initiate and facilitate an investigation into the movements and post release survival rates of oceanic whitetip sharks around Hawaii. This will require the successful deployment of 15 acoustic tags and 10 satellite linked pop-off archival tags (PATs) on sharks caught off Kona, Hawaii, as approved by NOAA scientists. The contractor will interface with fishers and assist with two project components; 1) Facilitate payment for partners to service the acoustic receiver array mounted on State of Hawaii FADs, 2) Train sport and commercial troll, handline and ika-shibi fishers identified by scientists to tag oceanic whitetip, silky and other pelagic sharks, 3) Reimburse fishermen for successful deployments of acoustic and satellite tags provided to the project by scientists.

Tasks

Key tasks include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following:

● Provide logistical support o The contractor will coordinate with NOAA PIFSC scientists to identify vessels and operators for receiver array maintenance. NOAA scientists will ultimately choose which vessels are the platforms and work with vessel operators to ensure the vessels meet the JIMAR and NOAA vessel safety and liability requirements, post award. The contractor will be notified at least 2 days in advance of any fishing charters.

o Receivers, tags and ARGOS time will be purchased separately.

o Reimburse fishermen trained in shark tagging for successful tag deployments.

Deliverables

● Tag 25 oceanic whitetip, silky and other pelagic sharks

● Reimburse fishers participating in the tagging program for successful tag deployments

● Reimburse vessel operators for successful receiver installations and recoveries.

● Service acoustic receivers mounted on 15 State of Hawaii FADs; Pull receivers from FAD chains after 8-10 months in situ and replace with initialized receiver with new battery

Requirements

It is the Government’s belief that the following labor categories are required for this project:

Activity 1: Fisherman

The proposed Contractor must have experience in the following:

● The contractor must have a favorable record of working with local fishermen to deploy tags on pelagic fishes around Hawaii.

● The contractor must have experience of 3-5 years working with scientists during tagging experiments and government funded tagging programs.

● Excellent verbal and written communication skills

● Working with marine fisheries information programs or other science-based programs

The contractor shall provide interdisciplinary expertise related to program and project management, business processes, best practices and procedures, database management, and meeting facilitation. The contractor shall have knowledge and expertise of NOAA Fisheries policies and programs, as well as experience with planning, budget execution, and Federal financial management and operations.

Removing Contractors for Misconduct or Security Reasons

The Government may, at its sole discretion (in coordination with the Contracting Officer where practical), direct the Contractor to remove any Contractor employee from NOAA facilities for misconduct or security reasons. Removal does not relieve the Contractor of the responsibility to continue providing the services required under the contract. The Contracting Officer will provide the Contractor with a written explanation to support any request to remove a Contractor.

Post-Award Conference

The Contractor shall attend a Post Award Conference (i.e. “kickoff” meeting) with the Contracting

Officer and the COR no later than 10 business days after the date of award. The purpose of the

Post Award Conference, which will be chaired by the COR or TPOC, is to discuss technical and contracting objectives of this contract and review the Contractor's draft project plan. The Post

Award Conference will be held via teleconference.

Confidentiality and Data Privacy

This contract 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).

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

Task 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 NMFS Project Leader.

Government Furnished Resources

NOAA-PIFSC researchers will provide tags to be deployed on oceanic whitetip, silky and other pelagic sharks caught around Hawaii in concert with contractor. NOAA-PIFSC will also provide initialized acoustic receivers for array maintenance at the State of Hawaii FAD stations.

The Government will provide to the Contractor the following equipment, supplies, and similar, necessary to conduct these services and anticipates facility and security access as follows:

Services Contractor will work primarily: ☐ On-Site ✔ Off-Site

Services Contractor requires access to NOAA facilities: ☐ Required ✔ Not Required

Services Contractor requires a PIV or CAC: ☐ Required ✔ Not Required

Services Contractor requires a NOAA email address: ☐ Required ✔ Not Required

Services Contractor requires use of DOC-Owned IT equipment (laptop or desktop computer)

☐ Required ✔ Not Required

Services Contractor requires non-Government IT equipment to connect to a DOC network:

☐ Required ✔ Not Required

Services Contractor requires access to non-public DOC/NOAA data:

☐ Required ✔ ☐ Not Required

Services Contractor will be provided on-site office space with incidental Government Property (desk, chair, phone, and other similar equipment that remains onsite, per FAR 45.000 (5)

☐ Provided ✔ Not Provided

For Services Contractors doing laboratory work, the government will provide typical lab supplies and equipment for use:

☐ Provided ✔ Not Provided

For Services Contractors doing field work, the Government will provide typical field equipment, gear, and supplies for use:

✔ Provided ☐ Not Provided

Description of other access or equipment requirements not already addressed above:

NA

IT Security

The contractor must meet the Department of Commerce IT Security Program Policy and Minimum Implementation Standards (found at https://connection.commerce.gov/collection/it-security-policy-and-fisma-reporting-program). The contractor must also adhere to NOAA and NMFS security policies (found at https://www.csp.noaa.gov/policies/).

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 contract 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.

Operational Hours

Work performed will not exceed 40 hours per week.

https://www.csp.noaa.gov/policies/ http://www.access-board.gov/ http://www.section508.gov/

Place of Performance

Work will be conducted at the facilities of the contractor (i.e. off-site).

Travel

The consultant is not expected to need to travel.

Special and/or Additional Requirements

The following additional aspects are / are not anticipated during the performance of this order:

Domestic / U.S. Travel Anticipated ✔ Not Anticipated

Foreign / Overseas Travel ☐ Anticipated ✔ Not Anticipated

Specialized Air Travel / Aerial Surveys: ☐ Anticipated ✔ Not Anticipated

Sea Days (Deployed at Sea): ☐ Anticipated ✔ Not Anticipated

Dockside / Harbor Side Work: ☐ Anticipated ✔ Not Anticipated

Scuba Diving / Underwater Work: ☐ Anticipated ✔ Not Anticipated

Remote Working Conditions (e.g. Worksite lacks basic services, has isolated living conditions, or similar):

☐ Anticipated ✔ Not Anticipated

Other: {Provide description below} ☐ Anticipated ☐ Not Anticipated

Description of anticipated special and / or additional requirements not already described above:

No special requirements.

Period of Performance

The base period is expected to be;

Year 1 -2: October 1, 2021-September 30, 2022

Option 1: October 1, 2022-September 30, 2023

Option 2: October 1, 2023-September 30, 2024

Technical Point of Contact

Daniel Curran Email: Daniel.Curran @noaa.gov Phone: (808) 725-5382