2020 Apex Predators Program Coastal Shark Survey Vessel Charter

This is a Sources Sought Notice.  The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of the Sources sought notice or to otherwise pay for the information solicited. Your response to this Sources Sought will be treated as information only.  It shall not be used as a quote.

The Eastern Region Acquisition Division (ERAD) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in Norfolk, VA is soliciting information, on behalf of the Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Northeast Fisheries Observer Program for a longline charter vessel to conduct 2020 Apex Predators Program Coastal Shark Survey.

The Apex Predators Program of the NMFS, NEFSC is requesting the charter of one (1) longline fishing vessel.  The vessel will be involved in conducting sampling of coastal sharks using bottom longline gear.  The specific objectives of this survey are to:  1) investigate the distribution, abundance, and species composition of sharks; 2) collect catch per effort data; 3) tag sharks for migration studies; 4) inject, with tetracycline, tagged sharks whenever feasible for age validation studies; 5) collect biological samples for age and growth, food habits and reproductive studies; and to 6) collect morphometric data.  Additional sets of pelagic longline gear will be made assuming the proper permitting is acquired and time permits.

A draft Statement of Work (SOW) is provided for informational purposes only. All businesses are encouraged to submit a brief, no more than three (3) pages, typed Capability Statement in response to this sources sought announcement.  Firms that believe they have the capability to satisfy the requirements as described in this notice must provide detailed information concerning their capabilities. Standard brochures will not be considered a sufficient response to this notice.

Submitted Capability Statements shall include the following:

(1) Company name and address
(2) DUNS number
(3) Type of business (e.g., large business, small business, 8(a), veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, and/or women owned small business) as validated via the System for Award Management (SAM)
(4) Company point of contact – name, phone, and e-mail address
(5) Description of capabilities for meeting the requirements outline in the attached SOW.

The Government requests capability statements from all businesses who qualify under North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 541715 (Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology), which has a corresponding business size standard of 1,000 Employees. 

This announcement is a Sources Sought Notice and no contract will be awarded pursuant to this announcement.  The requested information is for planning purposes and does not constitute a commitment, implied, or otherwise, that a procurement action will be issued nor will the Government pay for the information solicited.  The response date for this Sources Sought Notice is January 29, 2020 at 12:00 P.M., EST.  All responses to this notice may be submitted via e-mail to Roberta Smith, Contract Specialist, at roberta.h.smith@noaa.gov.  The electronic copy of your response must be in “.pdf format” and readable by the Adobe Acrobat Reader. Questions pertaining to this notice may be emailed to the roberta.h.smith@noaa.gov.