Establishing a Baseline Offshore Monitoring Program of Birds, Cetaceans, and Tu

The Department of the Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is seeking to establish a baseline offshore monitoring program focused on birds, cetaceans, and turtles in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The procurement is being conducted as a sole-source award to Terra Mar Applied Sciences, LLC, with the primary objectives of developing digital aerial survey algorithms for wildlife detection and conducting comprehensive seabird tracking in the Caribbean region. The study falls under the Environmental Consulting Services NAICS category and aims to provide critical environmental data for national and regional assessments. Interested parties who believe they can meet the contract requirements are invited to submit capability statements to Contracting Officer Stephanie Brock by January 17, 2025, at 5:00 PM ET, referencing solicitation number 140M0125Q0004. The evaluation will likely focus on vendors' expertise in survey design, data analysis, ecological insights, and established relationships with relevant government agencies.

The contract is not set aside for any specific category of business and is planned as a firm-fixed-price purchase order with an estimated value of $325,000. The proposed project is a five-year study that will be conducted through BSEE's Office of Administration, with work developed by BOEM's Office of Environmental Programs. Terra Mar was selected due to their unique capabilities in Caribbean seabird ecology and prior experience with similar BOEM projects, such as GM-24-02. While full and open competition is not planned, the pre-solicitation notice provides an opportunity for alternative vendors to demonstrate their capabilities. The project will focus on enhancing understanding of seabird, marine mammal, and sea turtle distribution in the Caribbean through advanced digital aerial survey methodologies and comprehensive tracking techniques.