Scientific and Technical Services and Support

Announcement Number: NFFN7600-20-02932

Project Title: Scientific and Technical Services and Support

The US Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Eastern Region Acquisition Division, Simplified Acquisition Branch intends to negotiate on a sole source basis with Hector Jose Ruiz Torres (dba HJR Reefscaping), using the procedures in FAR Part 13, to provide scientific and technical consulting services and support.  Services include hiring and providing vessels, captains, and observers to NOAA fisheries to be used performing deployment and retrieval of lobster traps, fish traps, and trammel nets to acquire size composition data of spiny lobsters (Panulirus argus and other Panulirus spp.).

Hector Jose Ruiz Torres is the only source capable of providing the services that is required to complete this project. It is necessary for the contractor to have working relationships with the commercial fishery industry and the observer program in Puerto Rico, for which Hector Jose Ruiz Torres was the only source that was found to have.  For the data collection to remain standardized, the same commercial vessels and observers must conduct the field research each year.

The statutory authority for other than full and open competition is FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)(i), Only one responsible source.

The North American Industry Classification Code (NAICS) for this acquisition is 541690, Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services, with a business size standard of $16.5 Million.

This is not a solicitation for competitive quotes, nor will one be posted on the Contract Opportunities website.

The determination by the Government not to compete this proposed requirement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government.  However, if any interested party believes that it is capable of meeting the requirements, and in an effort to comply with the requirements outlined in FAR 5.102, a firm may request an electronic copy of the solicitation from the Contract Specialist, Randall Chatfield, randall.chatfield@noaa.gov

All electronic correspondence shall have the subject line read:  Announcement Number: NFFN7600-20-02932.

All responsible sources may submit a Capability Statement and/or a quote in accordance with the solicitation, which shall be considered by the agency if received on or before 12:00 PM EST on August 31, 2020.  The Capability Statement must contain material in sufficient detail to allow NOAA to determine if the party can meet all of the requirements. 

The solicitation will remain open from August 19, 2020 to August 31, 2020.