SOLICITATION NOTICE
B -- SEABIRD BYCATCH ESTIMATION & STOCK ANALYSIS SUPPORT
- Notice Date
- 8/5/2008
- Notice Type
- Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
- NAICS
- 541990
— All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Central Region Acquisition Division, 601 East 12th Street, Room 1756, Kansas City, Missouri, 64106
- ZIP Code
- 64106
- Solicitation Number
- WC133F-08-RQ-0929SLW
- Response Due
- 8/15/2008
- Point of Contact
- Sharon L. Walker, Phone: (816)426-7470
- E-Mail Address
-
sharon.walker@noaa.gov
- Small Business Set-Aside
- Total Small Business
- Description
- The NMFS announces an opportunity for funding to conduct analyses of fishery and related data associated with (Task 1) the seabird bycatch of the western North Atlantic longline fishery and (Task 2) recruitment variation in the Tortugas pink shrimp fishery in relation to transport variables and juveniles on the Florida Bay nursery grounds. A prospective provider can respond to this announcement with respect to both tasks or to either task singly. Offerors for Task 1 will be favored that have experience working with the Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC) pelagic observer and logbook databases. Statisticians with demonstrated experience working with rare events also will be especially considered. Demonstrated training and experience in stock assessment are mandatory for selection as a provider of Task 2. Seabirds: An estimate of the total seabird catch of the US North Atlantic pelagic longline fleet in 2007 is the immediate objective of this project. A second objective is to develop estimates of the total seabird catch in several previous years for comparison to previous estimates using another method. The limited and highly clustered distribution of the bycatch in the observer data in 2007 and some previous years present complications to estimation. It is anticipated that period-of-record data will have to be used to acquire a valid estimates. POP data have been collected since 1992. Logbook data also are available for that period. The recently implemented (August 2004) mandated change in gear use (i.e., prohibition of J-shaped hooks, leading to universal use of circle hooks) further complicates estimation based on the data record. Previous analysis suggests that seabird catches are lower on circle hooks in relation to effort with circle hooks, than would be expected by chance. There are nine fishing zones in the POP and logbook database. Pink Shrimp: The Tortugas shrimp stock, both on the fishing and spawning grounds and in other parts of its ontogenetic range, is the focus of this part of the procurement. This part of the procurement is to support a collaboration of the provider with other principal investigators in the FATE project being conducted by the Southeast Fisheries Science Center. The FATE project will integrate biology and oceanography into a series of models that will quantify the influence of coastal processes, weather, and water management on fishery production. Results will be used to develop physical and biological indicators of postlarval recruitment into Florida Bay and a fishery recruitment index for use in stock assessment. The role of this provider in the project will include (1) analysis of Tortugas pink shrimp catch and effort data and (2) participation in the integration of other information produced in the project into the analysis. Along with this involvement will be the major responsibility of providing guidance and advise to the other project scientists on the type and form of information that can most effectively improve estimates of stock status and projections of stock sustainability in the face of variability in environmental influences and fishing pressure. DESC: The required work will consist of the following: Analysis of databases on fishery catch and effort is a major component of this procurement. Seabird Bycatch: SEFSC Pelagic Observer Program records will be analyzed and used to estimate total incidental takes of seabirds in the pelagic longline fishery. Observer Program stratification (fishing zones) will be followed as closely as practical. Zones in which no bird catches have been observed may be excluded. A Bayesian type of analysis and estimation method will be conducted. Total seabird catch per unit of effort and mortalities per unit of effort will be determined from observer reports through calendar year 2007. Analyses will be conducted to the lowest taxonomic group feasible, recognizing that this may be only "seabird" or "alive vs. dead" birds. Changes in the fishery (i.e., mandated change to exclusively use circle hooks, rather than either circle or j-shaped hooks), beginning August 2004, may complicate the analysis and reduce the number of years for which the total bird bycatch is estimated. Set is the effort unit to be used in the analysis. In previous work, which also used set as the effort unit, separated hauls were associated with sets based on start or end date and time of the haul. Set is a better measure of effort than hook because the hooks on a set are not independent from each other and often several birds are caught on the same set. Hooks and sets may be well correlated, however the relationship may differ spatially. The presentation of information should include bycatch rates in terms of hooks as well as sets because this is the form in which both scientists and managers are accustomed to seeing bycatch information. Ecological factors or fishery practices that lead to higher catches of certain species may also favor a bycatch of seabirds, and knowledge of associations should be developed and potentially exploited both to better estimate the seabird bycatch and possibly recommend approaches to decreasing the seabird bycatch. Pink Shrimp: Ensuring the applicability of the products of an ongoing project that links pink shrimp recruitment to oceanographic factors and behavior through hydrodynamic and Lagrangian modeling will be the main responsibility of this provider. The provider will collaborate in the development of a 10-yr time series of recruitment indices and will examine the time series in relation to fishery data. In an iterative process with the other project scientists, the provider will determine the most potentially effective indices for predicting fishery recruitment and stock production. This will culminate in a design, to be described by the provider, for application of the information developed by the models into a stock-assessment framework. The provider will participate in preparing reports and deliverables that describe the appropriate application of the recruitment indices to stock evaluation. The anticipated performance period is date of award through one year. Interested parties can request a copy of the Request for Quotation. The NAICS code for this action is 541990. This support service is being procured under the guidelines of FAR Part 12, Commercial Items Procedures. Interested parties can request a copy of the Request for Quotation on or about August 11, 2008. Potential offerors are encouraged to periodically return to this site to obtain the Request for Quotation. Faxed requests can be sent to 816-274-6983, Attn: Sharon Walker. The government requires that all contractors doing business with the government must be registered with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR). For additional information and to register in CCR please access the following website: http://www.ccr.gov/. In order to register with the CCR and to be eligible to receive an award from this acquisition office, all offerors must have a Dun & Bradstreet Number. A Dun & Bradstreet number may be acquired free of charge by contacting Dun & Bradstreet on-line at https://www.dnb.com/product/eupdate/requestOptions.html or by phone at (800) 333-0505. The government now requires all contractors submit their Certification and Representation thru the on-line Business Partner Network (BPN). The BPN is the single source for vendor data for the federal government. Contractors should go on-line at www.bpn.gov. Award will not be made to any contractor that is not registered in CCR and BPN. Responses should be faxed to 816-426-7470. Attn: Sharon Walker.
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