26-492 Manta Ray Tagging and Biological Sampling

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries, Southeast Fisheries Science Center seeks a small business contractor to conduct manta ray satellite tagging and biological sample collection in the Mississippi River Delta region, with quotes due September 17, 2026, at 4:00 PM EST. The procurement is set-aside for small businesses under NAICS 541990 with a $19.0 million size standard.

Place of performance is Venice, Louisiana, targeting Mississippi River Delta coastal waters. The contractor must provide two qualified personnel capable of tagging giant manta rays (Manta birostris) via free diving or from a vessel, along with vessel assets, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), specialized instrumentation, dive operations equipment, and biological sampling gear. The contractor is responsible for vessel procurement or services, tag deployment equipment, freediving gear, and compliance with U.S. Coast Guard vessel safety regulations, FAA Part 107 UAS rules, and federal dive safety mandates. NOAA will provide satellite tags and all necessary data and documents.

The base period runs September 1, 2026, through July 31, 2027, requiring five operational days. Three option periods (August 1, 2027–July 31, 2028; August 1, 2028–July 31, 2029; and August 1, 2029–July 31, 2030) allow up to 10 operational days each. The Government intends to award a fixed-price purchase order on an all-or-none basis. Monthly and annual pricing must be provided for the base year and all option years. Payment is Net 30 via the Invoice Processing Platform on a monthly basis in arrears. Quotes must be received electronically to heather.mahle@noaa.gov. The contractor must submit a Data Management Plan describing how environmental data will be made publicly accessible within two years, free of charge or at minimal cost, in machine-readable formats with appropriate metadata. PSC code is B529.