striped bass tagging john boardman

The Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries is seeking bids to charter three vessels for two consecutive seasons to capture large striped bass with rod and reel in the Nantucket and Monomoy Shoals areas for a tagging program. The vessels should be in the 30-40 foot length range, properly outfitted for offshore fishing, and capable of taking two scientists, their equipment, and up to three additional crewmen. Responses are due by June 30, 2017 at 3:30 PM, with the target maximum number of contractors being 3, though the option to add additional contractors over the life of the contract exists. The initial contract term is 1 year with an option to renew for 1 additional year, and contractors will be paid on a per trip basis, with the expectation that each trip will produce greater than 25 striped bass specimens over 28 inches in length.

This procurement is targeted to businesses participating in the Commonwealth's Small Business Purchasing Program (SBPP), with subcontracting limited to 20% of the contract value unless with another SBPP participant. Environmentally Preferable Products and the Supplier Diversity Program are also requirements of the contract. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are listed, and the available budget range is not specified.