Marine Mammal Monitoring

Award Notice Posted

Solicitation number
N6660420P8430
Agency
Awarded
to Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organization
Set-aside
No set-aside

Opportunity facts

Contract number
114162 Federal contract award
NAICS code
541715 Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology)
PSC
AP56 R&D- Natural Resource: Marine And Oceanographic (Management/Support)
Place of performance
Newport RI 02841 USA

Notice details come from SAM.gov. Updated .

Notice text

2 versions

Update #2 · Latest ·

Per FAR 5.705(b), this contract action was not awarded competitively. The rationale behind this decisions is as follows:

NUWCDIVNPT requires the services of the Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation (BMMRO) to analyze data obtained during fieldwork at AUTEC, Andros Island, Bahamas, and compare with analogous data obtained at another study site off Abaco. BMRRO has eleven (11) years of experience studying beaked whales in the area of the AUTEC range. No other vendor possesses this degree of familiarity with the local population of beaked whales. Such knowledge is essential when attempting to analyze hundreds of photographs taken in the field, recognize individual animals and relate these data to both reproductive success and social structure. The same is true for the Abaco study site, where BMMRO has been collecting data on beaked whales since 1991.

BMMRO has extensive experience working off small boats at AUTEC under the direction of the Range Operations Office. This degree of familiarity with range protocols is critical to maintaining safe operations. No other vendor has this experience.

In addition, BMMRO holds the appropriate research permits granted under Section 5, Marine Mammal Protection Act, Ministry of Fisheries, Commonwealth of the Bahamas. Permits are species and platform specific, with vessel registrations listed in the document. No other organization holds a permit to biopsy dart whales in the Bahamas, necessary for obtaining tissue samples for DNA analysis. Obtaining the proper permits to enable an organization to legally biopsy dart whales is lengthy process, requiring a minimum of eighteen (18) months. The Government has operations scheduled for the September through December 2020 timeframe and any organization which is not currently licensed to conduct research and biopsy dart tag will not be able to obtain the permits before the Government’s scheduled need date. Bringing another vendor on board would require a significant investment in time and training in order to operate effectively on the range. Estimating a minimum of two (2) weeks in the field, this would represent approximately $60,000 to accomplish in addition to the current funding allocate, which exceeds budget.

Based on the above, only BMMRO is capable of providing the services requested by the NUWCDIVNPT M3R Program.

Awarded contract N66604-20-P-8430 to BAHAMAS MARINE MAMMAL RESEARCH ORGANIZATION for 114162.00 on 2020-09-17.

Update #1 ·

Per FAR 5.705(b), this contract action was not awarded competitively. The rationale behind this decisions is as follows:

NUWCDIVNPT requires the services of the Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation (BMMRO) to analyze data obtained during fieldwork at AUTEC, Andros Island, Bahamas, and compare with analogous data obtained at another study site off Abaco. BMRRO has eleven (11) years of experience studying beaked whales in the area of the AUTEC range. No other vendor possesses this degree of familiarity with the local population of beaked whales. Such knowledge is essential when attempting to analyze hundreds of photographs taken in the field, recognize individual animals and relate these data to both reproductive success and social structure. The same is true for the Abaco study site, where BMMRO has been collecting data on beaked whales since 1991.

BMMRO has extensive experience working off small boats at AUTEC under the direction of the Range Operations Office. This degree of familiarity with range protocols is critical to maintaining safe operations. No other vendor has this experience.

In addition, BMMRO holds the appropriate research permits granted under Section 5, Marine Mammal Protection Act, Ministry of Fisheries, Commonwealth of the Bahamas. Permits are species and platform specific, with vessel registrations listed in the document. No other organization holds a permit to biopsy dart whales in the Bahamas, necessary for obtaining tissue samples for DNA analysis. Obtaining the proper permits to enable an organization to legally biopsy dart whales is lengthy process, requiring a minimum of eighteen (18) months. The Government has operations scheduled for the September through December 2020 timeframe and any organization which is not currently licensed to conduct research and biopsy dart tag will not be able to obtain the permits before the Government’s scheduled need date. Bringing another vendor on board would require a significant investment in time and training in order to operate effectively on the range. Estimating a minimum of two (2) weeks in the field, this would represent approximately $60,000 to accomplish in addition to the current funding allocate, which exceeds budget.

Based on the above, only BMMRO is capable of providing the services requested by the NUWCDIVNPT M3R Program.

Awarded contract 114162 to BAHAMAS MARINE MAMMAL RESEARCH ORGANIZATION for 114162.00 on 2020-09-17.

Notice history

Notice Type Posted
This notice Award Award Notice
Marine Mammal Monitoring Latest solicitation Solicitation

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