Deep Sea Coral eDNA identification

***NOAA's Acquisition & Grants Office, Western Acquisition Division-Boulder, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Conservation Biology Division, intends to negotiation, on a sole source basis, under authority of FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), with Boston University, out of Boston, MA to support the application of modern genetic and genomic technologies to the exploration and characterization of deep-sea coral communities in the remote tropical Pacific

***The sole source determination is based on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) requirement that Boston University is the only vendor that can provide Dr.Randi Rotjan and Dr. Steven Auscavitch’s expertise for this study. The identification of deep-sea octocorals requires extensive specialized training and expertise that cannot be substituted. Drs. Steven Auscavitch and Randi Rotjan of Boston University are the co-authors on the associated proposal and have the required specialized expertise in coral identification from the Central Pacific region and video transect annotation in this region, through previous and ongoing work, which cannot be substituted through other individuals or institutions. Dr. Auscavitch and Dr. Rotjan are the only researchers carrying out extensive, ongoing deep-sea octocoral research in these regions and thus possessing the required expertise. Period of performance will be date of award through 9/30/2022.

***THIS NOTICE OF INTENT IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS AND NO SOLICITATION PACKAGE IS AVAILABLE. HOWEVER, FIRMS THAT BELIEVE THEY CAN FULLY MEET THE GOVERNMENT'S REQUIREMENTS MAY SUBMIT SUBSTANTIATING DOCUMENTATION IN WRITING TO THE IDENTIFIED POINT OF CONTACT WITHIN 15 DAYS AFTER PUBLICATION OF THIS SYNOPSIS. SUCH DOCUMENTATION WILL BE EVALUATED SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF DETERMINING WHETHER OR NOT TO CONDUCT THIS PROCUREMENT ON A COMPETITIVE BASIS. A DETERMINATION BY THE GOVERNMENT NOT TO CONDUCT A COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENT, BASED UPON RESPONSES TO THIS NOTICE, IS SOLELY WITHIN THE DISCRETION OF THE GOVERNMENT. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE IN RESPONSE TO THIS NOTICE.