Grsm eastern hellbender stewardship DNA

The National Park Service (NPS), specifically the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, is seeking a small business contractor to provide advanced environmental genetic research services focused on eastern hellbender salamander conservation. The project requires processing high volumes of environmental DNA (eDNA) and tissue samples, with specific objectives including analyzing 95 water samples to determine hellbender presence across 31 waterways, conducting genomic sequencing on 96 tissue samples, and developing novel environmental RNA (eRNA) detection methodologies. The government will evaluate quotes based on best value in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) parts 12 and 19, with vendor questions due by May 27, 2025, at 12:00 PM EST and final quotes required by June 4, 2025, at 4:00 PM EST. All submissions must be emailed to Marilia_Mateo@nps.gov, and vendors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) prior to award. The evaluation will focus on the contractor's ability to provide comprehensive scientific deliverables and meet the technical requirements outlined in the Statement of Work.

This procurement is a 100% small business set-aside contract under NAICS code 541620 (Environmental Consulting Services) with a size standard of $19.0 million. The contract is structured as a firm-fixed-price commercial services agreement with a performance period from June 9, 2025, through December 31, 2027. The contractor will be required to perform all work at their own facility, generating deliverables that include presence/absence datasets, genomic analysis with figures and interpretation, and a peer-reviewed scientific manuscript documenting the experimental eRNA detection methodology. The project supports the park's Natural Resource Condition Assessment and aims to inform future conservation strategies for the imperiled eastern hellbender salamander. Wage rates for the contract will be determined by the U.S. Department of Labor's Service Contract Act wage determination for Tennessee counties of Monroe and Sevier, with varying hourly rates based on job classification and complexity.