Priest Rapids Hatchery Fall Chinook Rearing and Release

This is a Special Notice prepared in accordance with (IAW) Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 5.2 “Synopses of Proposed Contract Actions.”

NAICS:  541990: All other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

Estimated Period of Performance:  01 July 2024 through 30 June 2025, optional year extension

Response Deadline:  15:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on 15 February 2024

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Portland District (NWP) intends to negotiate a sole-source award with Washington State Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW).  This will be a three (3) year contract, consisting of one (1) base year, and two, 1-year option years.

Work includes the following:

1. Annual provision of up to 1.7 million upriver bright fall Chinook (URB) sub yearling smolts. Release of 50 fish/pound into the Columbia River will occur in June;
2. Annual provision (transport) of up to 4.5 million URB eyed-eggs to Bonneville Hatchery;
3. Annual reporting/analysis of the work.

Reason for Sole-Source Acquisition:

The statutory authority for this non-competitive acquisition is 10 U.S.C. 3204(a)(1) as implemented in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.302-1 and the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation (DFARS) 206.302-1, only one responsible source and no other vendor will satisfy agency requirements.

In 2008, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) issued a revised Biological Opinion (BiOp) that concluded the Federal Columbia River Power System jeopardizes the continued existence of various Endangered Species Act-listed anadromous fish in the Columbia River Basin, but that jeopardy and adverse modification may be avoided by implementing a reasonable and prudent alternative (RPA) composed of discrete actions covering, among other things, hatchery operations. RPA action no. 40 called for a review of the hatchery program associated with the mitigation for The Dalles and John Day Dams. After reviewing the program, USACE, among others, ultimately arrived at a plan to move hatchery operations into or above the exclusive Zone 6 Indian fishery to better meet mitigation objectives.

Priest Rapids Hatchery is situated just upstream of the Hanford Reach on the east bank of the Columbia River above, Zone 6. Priest Rapids Hatchery possesses the appropriate water temperature, rearing pond space and availability during the required months to provide the eggs and to rear/release URB juveniles into the Columbia River. No other egg collection and rearing facilities exist in this area of the Columbia River that are (1) capable of delivering the quantities specified in this requirement, and (2) not already in use by USACE for similar purposes. 

Grant County PUD has sole control and use of the facilities at Priest Rivers Hatchery and does not permit other agencies or contractors to utilize these facilities other than WDFW.  Regional fisheries experts from the NMFS, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and USACE agree that Priest Rapids Hatchery is the only reasonable location to perform these specific egg collections, rearing and release activities.

Currently, a solicitation does not exist.  All interested parties may submit a capability statement which shall be considered by the agency.

*No Phone Inquiries, please.

Capability Statement Submission Requirements

1. Point of Contact name, email address and phone number, CAGE code and Unique Entity ID (UEI) number (if available).
2. If the organization is a small business, please state the category of small business, such as 8(a), HUBZone (Historically Underutilized Business Zone), SDVOSB/VOSB (Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business/Veteran-Owned Small Business, WOSB (Women-Owned Small Business).
3. Statement of Capability (SOC):  Discuss skills, knowledge, and equipment required to perform the occupancy and abundance monitoring.  Describe recent and relevant experience within the last five years

            a. Facility capable of spawning, hatching, and rearing through early life stages and transport of specific life stages of                              juvenile salmonids in required quantities.

            b. Knowledge of aquaculture, fish handling and tagging procedures, and fish health monitoring.

            c. Report writing, analytical capabilities and problem-solving skills.

Send responses by email, labeled as “W9127N24R0024 – Priest Rapids Hatchery Fall Chinook Rearing and Release” in the subject line to the following:

Antwain.R.Burks@usace.army.mil and Patrick.P.Collins@usace.army.mil