Loren Data's SAM Daily™

FBO DAILY ISSUE OF JUNE 06, 2008 FBO #2384
SOLICITATION NOTICE

R -- Marine Mammal Assistant Coordinator Services

Notice Date

6/4/2008
 

Notice Type

Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
 

NAICS

561990 — All Other Support Services
 

Contracting Office

Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Western Region Acquisition Division, 7600 Sand Point Way, Northeast, Seattle, Washington, 98115-6349
 

ZIP Code

98115-6349
 

Solicitation Number

WRAD-8-38978
 

Archive Date

7/2/2008
 

Point of Contact

Melvin N. Fondue, Phone: (206) 526-6043
 

E-Mail Address

melvin.n.fondue@noaa.gov
 

Small Business Set-Aside

N/A
 

Description

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for service in which the government intends to acquire in accordance with FAR Part 13, Simplified Acquisition Procedures. NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Pacific Islands Regional Office located in Honolulu, HI requires a contractor for Marine Mammal Assistant Coordinator for monk seal and stranded cetacean response, capacity building and public education for the Island of Maui Hi. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Pacific Islands Regional Office (PIRO) Protected Resources Division is developing a main Hawaiian Islands Marine Mammal Response Network (MMRN). The purpose of the MMRN is to build capacity for Hawaiian monk seal management response and cetacean stranding response under the MMPA and ESA to prevent disturbance of marine mammals, and to have the appropriate response to marine mammals in need of protection or care, and to respond to deceased marine mammals for sample collection and analysis. NMFS PIRO oversees the management of Hawaiian monk seals on beaches in the main Hawaiian Islands through the development of a volunteer network. NMFS PIRO oversees the regional activities of the National Stranding Network. There is a need for a trained response assistant coordinator to be stationed on Maui to respond to marine mammal issues as they arise in Maui County (Maui, Lana`i, Moloka`i and Kaho'olawe) as well as the O`ahu, Big Island and Kaua`i. Background Hawaiian Monk seals Hawaiian monk seals occur principally in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and are one of the world's most endangered seals. In recent years, however, their numbers have increased significantly in the main Hawaiian Islands, particularly on the islands of Niihau and Kauai. Recent surveys suggest that at least 100 seals may now occupy the main Hawaiian Islands. While this increase raises promising new prospects for the species' recovery, it also poses new management challenges. For example, monk seals haul out and give birth on popular recreational beaches where they are subject to harassment by people, and on at least two occasions in the past two years, seals have bitten swimmers. Restricting human use of popular beaches could have significant impacts on local tourism-based economies. To address these issues, steps were taken to increase public awareness of monk seals: posting temporary safety zones around hauled-out seals to keep people from approaching; moving selected weaned pups from populated beaches to more remote areas; and, on one occasion, temporarily closing a popular public beach to protect a mother-pup pair. Clear guidance on how to address different types of haul-out situations in the main Hawaiian Islands is now in the process of being developed. NMFS has lead responsibility under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act for protecting monk seals. However, NMFS has been severely limited in addressing issues in the main Hawaiian Islands due in large part to limited staff and funding. Therefore, with little or no funding, state and local agency officials, volunteers, environmental groups, and local businesses have stepped forward to provide valuable assistance to protect hauled-out seals Cetacean Strandings Strandings are important indicators of cetacean population health and using cetaceans as apex species, strandings can be indicators of ocean health. Each stranding carries with it strong conservation messages as many are related to anthropogenic (human induced) causes. Cetaceans can become entangled in nets, derelict fishing gear, and other marine debris such as plastics. Cetaceans are also known to swallow plastics and collide with vessels. These are all impacts that people can prevent by changing their behaviors in and near the water. Cetaceans may also strand due to natural causes such as old age, disease, and predation. Marine Mammal Response consists of: • Monk seal haulouts/public outreach, seal birthing events (pup rearing monitoring, emergency stranding response). • Marine mammal research and data collection • Cetacean strandings. • Cetacean entanglements, including assistance with and logistical support of large entangled whales and whales struck by vessels • Oil spills and Unusual Mortality Events (UME's) of marine mammals. Hawaiian Monk Seal Response Program Monk seal response programs exist on Kauai, Oahu, Maui and the Big Island with some reporting from Molokai and Lanai. Volunteer programs are in place to routinely assist NMFS PIRO and the Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) in monk seal response issues. Volunteers assist with the following: The term response here takes many forms: • Simply responding to a call of a hauled out monk seal to verify and assess the situation. • Creating a Seal Protection Zone (see protocols) around a seal that is on a popular beach • Collecting sightings information and providing it to PIFSC.monksealsighting@noaa.gov • Assisting PIRO and PIFSC staff with the relocation of a seal • Responding to verify that a seal that is in trouble (hooked or entangled) or otherwise communicate with and refer special cases to designated leaders and/or to the NOAA Hotline for Hawaii 888-256-9840 • Responding to a haul out, taking digital images and sending them to PIRO and/or PIFSC • Offering public passersby information about the Hawaiian monk seal and its endangered status as instructed, about: • Hawaiian monk seals • Basic biology and behavior • Viewing guidelines • Management actions Cetacean Stranding Program In Hawaii, PIRO oversees the local cetacean stranding network which is part of a National Stranding Network which includes all US states that border the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans as well as the Gulf of Mexico. In Hawaii, two primary entities have NMFS authorization to respond to and "take" marine mammals for rescue, rehabilitation, release of live cetaceans and necropsy and sampling of those that wash ashore dead or those that strand alive but die or are humanely euthanized. Hawaii Pacific University (HPU) is designated to respond to and sample dead stranded cetaceans and University of Hawaii at Hilo (UHH) is designated to respond to and care for live cetaceans with the goal of release back to the wild. Goals and Objectives The goal of this contract is to build the necessary capacity for monk seal response and cetacean stranding response and to provide assistance to the Marine Mammal Response Network Coordinator (MMRNC) stationed on Oahu (NMFS PIROO). To accomplish this goal, NMFS PIRO seeks to achieve the following objectives with this contract: 1. Expand the capacity of marine mammal response in Hawaii by hiring a contractual assistant coordinator for a term of 12 months to be put in place January 20th, 2009. 2. Build the capacity to demonstrate appropriate response to marine mammal situations 3. Outreach and messaging will be disseminated to the public in various forums using various outreach tools 4. Provide back up when the MMRNC is off island or otherwise engaged in other activities Specific Tasks The contractor (Island Coordinator) will be responsible for performing the following tasks in cooperation with Hawaii Pacific University under the direction of the NMFS PIRO MMRN Coordinator: a. Coordinate locally the response to seal haulouts and pupping events on the Maui which will include but not be limited to providing daily or weekly updates on the seal mother pair (progress, harassment, and nursing and behavioral data). b. Travel to neighbor islands to assist with pupping or stranding events. c. Develop a recruitment plan for community involvement in marine mammal response and work to develop zones of response with a phone tree around the island of Maui d. Recruit, train, and coordinate volunteers responding to marine mammal events and evaluate response e. Provide updated articles for the MMRN newsletter as requested. f. Create a forum for regularly getting information to volunteers through meetings along with a website. g. Develop equipment lists, caches and storage areas for strategic locations around Hawaii h. Develop community outreach programs for schools, resorts and condos, festivals and fairs, and others. These programs should be transferable to teachers and others to continue the presentation and evaluation of the programs beyond the scope of this contractual project i. Develop a protocol with assistance from the MMRNC for the retrieval and final disposition of cetacean carcasses including: o place for necropsies near or at UH o plan for carcass retrieval and transport o plan for burial or incineration j. Develop plans for Live cetacean response and transport. k. Coordinate live marine mammal rescues l. Attend national stranding meetings and work to correspond with NOAA HQ on stranding reporting matters. m. Provides back up coverage when MMRNC is on leave or otherwise out of touch n. Assist in the development of sea turtle response and spinner dolphin monitoring. o. Coordinate semi annual Hawaiian monk seal count in April and October of each year for Maui and Lanai. Deliverables 1) Programmatic updates will occur on a quarterly basis as a deliverable to the NOAA NMFS PIRO. Reports will come in the form of the following: o Seal responses or cetacean strandings o Communications o Volunteer updates o Education and outreach o Issues that need to be addressed o Other Send appropriate reports and e-mails (seal sightings) as directed by the MMRNC 2) Final Report By September 18th 2009 the contractor will provide a written report on the status of the development of the programs including: data on trainings held; responses undertaken; an evaluation of success on deliverables; and suggestions for next steps in program development. Period of Performance The period of performance for this project is 15 September, 2008 - 15 September, 2009 The following provisions and clauses shall apply to this solicitation and resultant award. The provisions and clauses may be downloaded at http://www.acqnet.gov/far 1. 52.213-4 TERMS AND CONDITIONS--SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITIONS (OTHER THAN COMMERCIAL ITEMS) (APR 2005) 2. 52.243-1 I CHANGES--FIXED-PRICE (AUG 1987)--ALTERNATE I (APR 1984) 3. 52.204-6 DATA UNIVERSAL NUMBERING SYSTEM (DUNS) NUMBER (OCT 2003) 4. 52.204-7 CENTRAL CONTRACTOR REGISTRATION (OCT 2003) 5. 52.204-8 ANNUAL REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS (JAN 2005) 6. 52.219-1 SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM REPRESENTATIONS (MAY 2004) 7. 52.222-22 PREVIOUS CONTRACTS AND COMPLIANCE REPORTS (FEB 1999) 8. 52.222-25 AFFIRMATIVE ACTION COMPLIANCE (APR 1984) 9. 52.225-13 RESTRICTIONS ON CERTAIN FOREIGN PURCHASES (MAR 2005) 10. 1352.239-73 SECURITY REQUIREMENTS FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES (OCT 2003)11. 1352.239-74 SECURITY PROCESSING REQUIREMENTS FOR CONTRACTORS/SUBCONTRACTOR PERSONNEL FOR ACCESSING DOC INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS (OCT 2003 12. 52.243-1 CHANGES--FIXED-PRICE (AUG 1987) 13. 52.244-6 SUBCONTRACTS FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS (Dec 2004) 14. 52.252-2 CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (FEB 1998) Interested parties must respond to this announcement within fifteen (15) calendar days of its publication. All responses must be in writing and may be faxed to 206-526-6025 or email (melvin.n.fondue@noaa.gov). This is a simplified acquisition with an estimated value of less than $100,000. **** The Westren Regional Acquisition Division, requires that all contractors doing business with this Acquisition Office be registered with the Central Contractor Registey (CCR) as of October 1, 2003. After this date, NO award can be made unless the vendor is registered in CCR. For additional information and to register in CCR please access the following web site: http//www.ccr.gov. In order to register with CCR and be eligible to receive an award from this Acquisition Office, all offerors must have a Dun & Bradstreet Number (DUN). A DUN number may be acquried free of charge by contacting Dun & Bradstreet on line at www.dnb/eupdate of by phone at (800) 333-0505
 

Web Link

FedBizOpps Complete View
(https://www.fbo.gov/?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=f810fb0f68d6789191703135f0bafbd5&tab=core&_cview=1)
 

Place of Performance

Address: 1601 Kapiolani Blvd, Honolulu, Hawaii, 96814, United States

Zip Code: 96814
 

Record

SN01586924-W 20080606/080604220426-f810fb0f68d6789191703135f0bafbd5 (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

---

| FSG Index  |  This Issue's Index  |  Today's FBO Daily Index Page |