Omega escape risk modeling

***NOAA'S ACQUISITION & GRANTS OFFICE, WESTERN ACQUISITION DIVISION-BOULDER, NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE (NMFS), SOUTHWEST FISHERIES SCIENCE CENTER (SWFSC) INTENDS TO NEGOTIATE, ON A SOLE SOURCE BASIS, UNDER AUTHORITY OF FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), WITH ICF OUT OF FAIRFAX, VA FOR OMEGA ESCAPE RISK MODELING.

***THE SOLE SOURCE DETERMINATION IS BASED ON THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION'S (NOAA) REQUIREMENT THAT ICF IS THE ORIGINAL DEVELOPER OF THE OMEGA MODEL FOR NOAA. OMEGA VERSION 1.0 WAS DEVELOPED IN 2012 TO EVALUATE THE RELATIVE RISKS AND BENEFITS OF ALTERNATIVE CULTURE STRATEGIES TO HELP BALANCE AQUACULTURE WITH CONSERVATION GOALS. THE SAME YEAR, ICF ALSO PRODUCED A USER GUIDE CONTAINING MODEL BACKGROUND AND USER INSTRUCTIONS THAT ACCOMPANIED THE ORIGINAL VERSION OF THE MODEL. IN 2018, ICF PRODUCED A SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS OF THE MODEL AND AN ACCOMPANYING DRAFT REPORT. THE REPORT INCLUDED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SCENARIO DEVELOPMENT USING UNCERTAINTY ANALYSIS IN A RISK ASSESSMENT CONTEXT. AS AN EXTENSION OF THIS WORK, ICF, IN COORDINATION WITH NOAA, DEVELOPED AQUACULTURE MODEL SCENARIOS FOR GULF CANDIDATE SPECIES, INCLUDING ALMACO JACK (SERIOLA RIVOLIANA), RED DRUM (SCIAENOPS OCELLATUS), AND RED SNAPPER (LUTJANUS CAMPECHANUS). AS PART OF A PROJECT OPERATING FROM 2019-2020, ICF AND NOAA ARE WORKING TO COMPILE SPECIES DATA SETS FOR 6 ADDITIONAL MARINE FISH UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT IN THE U.S. ICF HAS CONDUCTED ALL OMEGA MODEL SCENARIO DEVELOPMENT DONE TO DATE IN THE CONTEXT OF APPLICATIONS TO COMMERCIAL AQUACULTURE.         

***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.