Water Quality and Oyster Monitoring Study

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia District, intends to negotiate on a Sole Source basis with Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. It is the intent of the Government to have Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey to conduct a 2015 Water Quality and Oyster Monitoring Study for the Delaware River Main Channel Deepening Project Delaware Bay, New Jersey and Delaware. The contractor shall furnish all labor, services, materials and equipment to conduct the required study to evaluate potential changes in salinity distribution and oyster mortality. Field sampling for this project will commence immediately after award of the contract. Rutgers performed six months of Delaware Estuary Oyster Health and Water Quality Monitoring in 2012 at 9 stations. In 2013 and 2014, Rutgers was awarded, as the prime contractor, to conduct these same exact studies at these same exact locations. The study was designed and initiated to provide a scientifically robust data base to evaluate potential changes in salinity distribution and oyster mortality upon completion of channel deepening project. In order to conduct inter-annual comparisons of the information obtained in the previous years, it is essential to the validity and cost-effectiveness of the 2012, 2013, and 2014 data that monitoring in 2015 is conducted by the same 2012/2013/2014 scientific research team in the same manner, using the same personnel, equipment, collection technique, and laboratory methodologies. Based on this information, it is imperative that this work be completed by Rutgers. The period of performance requires the contractor to provide the draft report in electronic form to the Philadelphia District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers by March 1st, 2016. At that time, the Corps of Engineers will provide comments to the contractor within 45 days. Subsequently, the contractor will provide the final report in electronic form to the Philadelphia District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers within 30 days from date of receipt of the comments. This notice of intent is provided in accordance with FAR 5.201(a). This notice is NOT a Request for Competitive Proposals. No contract award will be made on the basis of this notice. This notice does not constitute a solicitation document. Requests for such documents will not be considered. However, all information received within five (5) days after date of publication of this notice will be considered SOLELY for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement in the future. A determination by the Government not to open the requirement to competition based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. The Government will not pay for information received. The NAICS Code is 541620 with a Size Standard of $15.0 million.