Catawba Basin Carolina Heelsplitter Surveys and Comprehensive Habitat Assessment

Contractors may view solicitation at https://www.fedconnect.net/FedConnect/Default.htm or you can click on link below within in FEDBIZOPPS that says "Click here to see more information about this opportunity on FedConnect". Once in the FEDCONNECT website, you will have the option to either sign in or search public opportunities only. You will do a search for either solicitation number (F14PS01097) or title (Catawba Basin Carolina Heelsplitter Surveys and Comprehensive Habitat Assessment).

This requirement is being procured in accordance FAR Part 13, Simplified Acquisition Procedures and FAR Part 15, Contracting by Negotiation.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is issuing a request for quotes (RFQ) to conduct comprehensive field surveys and habitat assessments of endangered Carolina Heelsplitter (Lasmigona decorata) populations in the northern Catawba River Basin of South Carolina. The focus will be on assessing the status of Heelsplitter populations in this region. The requested survey area will include the following streams in Chester, York, and Lancaster Counties: South Fork Fishing Creek, Fishing Creek, Beaverdam Creek, Bull Run, Sixmile Creek, Waxhaw Creek, and Cane Creek. In addition to population surveys, contractors will be asked to thoroughly document sources of habitat degradation in Heelsplitter occupied streams, and offer recommendations on priority areas for conservation and future habitat improvement efforts. A detailed report of survey findings will also be requested. The Contractor will be expected to provide all personnel, equipment, supplies, transportation, tools, materials, supervision, and other items and non-personal services necessary to perform services as defined in the Performance Work Statement (PWS). The period of performance will begin on or about September 1, 2014 through September 30, 2016.

This requirement is being solicited as a small business set-aside. A firm-fixed price commercial contract order will be issued. The NAICS code associated with this acquisition is: 541620; small business size standard is $14.0 M.

Contractors must be fully and actively registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) at https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM. SAM is a free web-site which consolidates Federal procurement systems. Currently CCR, FedReg, ORCA, and EPLS have been migrated into SAM.

The solicitation and any documents related to this procurement will be available over the internet on or about August 13, 2014. Contractors may view solicitation at https://www.fedconnect.net/FedConnect/Default.htm or you can click on link below within in FEDBIZOPPS that says "Click here to see more information about this opportunity on FedConnect". Once in the FEDCONNECT website, you will have the option to either sign in or search public opportunities only. You will do a search for either solicitation number (F14PS01097) or title (Catawba Basin Carolina Heelsplitter Surveys and Comprehensive Habitat Assessment).

It is the Contractors responsibility to monitor this site for the release of the solicitation and any amendments. Thus, the Government is under no obligation and is in fact unable to maintain a bidder's mailing list. It is therefore the responsibility of any interested parties to obtain any amendments that may be issued.

Quotes may be submitted either by e-mail to (jamese_promise@fws.gov), thru FedConnect, hand-carried, or by mail. No faxed quotes allowed. The Government issue a single award to a Contractor that is responsible and provides the best overall value to the Government based on lowest price technically acceptable offer. All quotes/offers must be received no later August 19, 2014, 10:00 AM Eastern Time.

It is essential that you read solicitation in its entirety first before contacting the Contracting Officer with any questions because the answer you may need is probably listed within the solicitation. All questions and concerns may be submitted to the Contracting Officer via email to jamese_promise@fws.gov. All questions received will be answered and posted to the FEDCONNECT website; therefore do not submit any questions that may contain proprietary information.