MODIFICATION
R -- Biological Studies Vertical Distribution and Acclimation Depth of Subyearling Chinook Salmon.
- Notice Date
- 4/9/2013
- Notice Type
- Modification/Amendment
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- USACE District, Walla Walla, 201 N. Third Avenue, Walla Walla, WA 99362-1876
- ZIP Code
- 99362-1876
- Solicitation Number
- W912EF-13-R-SS24
- Response Due
- 5/4/2013
- Archive Date
- 6/8/2013
- Point of Contact
- Mary Van Sickle, 509-527-7204
- E-Mail Address
-
USACE District, Walla Walla
(mary.m.vansickle@usace.army.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- The purpose of this sources sought notice is to assist the US Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District in Market Research of Industry to identify potential sources that can provide Professional Services in Fish Related Biotechnology Studies. This is not a Request for Quote (RFQ) or a Request for Proposal (RFP). This announcement is for information and planning purposes only and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government, implied or otherwise, to issue a solicitation or award a contract. Since this is a Sources Sought announcement, no evaluation letters and/or results will be issued to the respondents. No reimbursement will be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this announcement. No telephone calls will be accepted requesting a bid package or solicitation. A solicitation does not presently exist. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District is seeking small business sources (an individual, a group of individuals or a business) for a service requirement entitled: Biological Studies Vertical Distribution and Acclimation Depth of Subyearling Chinook Salmon. It is anticipated that Biotechnology Studies contract will result where consideration is being given to issuing a Firm Fixed Price contract could be issued at a later date. The North American Industry Classification code (NAICS) 541712. The Small Business size standard for this NAICS code is 500 employees as determined by 13 CFR 121.104. To make an appropriate acquisition decision for this project, the Government may use responses to this sources sought synopsis. The type of solicitation issued and the manner of advertisement will depend on the responses to this sources sought synopsis. Professional Services in Biotechnology Sciences: The intent of this Source Sought is to secure a source of high quality expertise in studies of fish behavior. Direct release studies provide a bias in turbine survival estimates relative to barotrauma. Fish that are acclimated to greater depth pressures (deeper acclimation depths) that pass through turbines under normal migration behavior are more susceptible to barotrauma than surface acclimated fish used for direct release studies. Greater susceptibility to barotrauma in depth acclimated fish, particularly those migrating deep, is due to higher pressures at depth. The higher pressure condenses gas in the swim bladder and requires greater quantity of gas molecules in the swim bladder to maintain neutral buoyancy. A greater quantity of gas molecules in the swim bladder leads to a greater swim bladder volume expansion upon fish being exposed to low pressure (nadir) spike during turbine passage. Understanding the vertical distribution of fish as they approach the dam is important for determining the probability of mortal injury a fish may experience due to nadir spike-induced barotrauma. Many past studies have evaluated vertical distribution of juvenile salmonids at dams on the Lower Snake and Columbia Rivers. These studies have been summarized by Smith et al. (2010). The majority of these studies have taken place within 100m of the dam. Study results suggest that 80% of emigrating smolts migrate in the upper 1/3 of the water column. These studies have focused more on spring migrants (e. g. spring Chinook and steelhead) than summer migrants (e. g. fall Chinook) and other studies on fall Chinook suggest that they migrate deeper than spring migrants, although the data to support this is limited. A vertical distribution study of subyearling Chinook salmon in the Snake River would provide an adequate dataset to accurately estimate acclimation depth as subyearling Chinook emigrate. This information can be used to perform a risk assessment to determine the probability mortal injury from barotrauma relative to the acclimation depth where these fish migrate. The risk assessment would be applicable to the biological evaluation of turbine survival at Ice Harbor Dam subsequent to the install of the new turbines. Accurate turbine survival estimates be made by adjusting relative survival estimates from surface acclimated study fish with risk assessment survival estimates to account for barotrauma that may be experienced by neutrally buoyant fish. The comparison would validate survival estimates while determining if a significant difference in survival may be present due to depth acclimation of run-of-river fish relative to directly released surface acclimated fish. Direct releases will keep sample sizes relatively low compared to virtual with paired release-recapture study design, eliminate the need to manipulate project operations, and reduce logistic complexity and relative costs. Objectives 1. Estimate vertical distribution and acclimation depth (neutral buoyancy) of acoustic tagged fish immediately prior to entering turbine units and JBS. Estimate vertical distribution using hydroacoustic methods with run-of-river fish. 2.Estimate the vertical distribution and acclimation depth of subyearling Chinook salmon at a more central location within the reach between dams, with approximate mean reach depth, and determine if a significant difference exists between mid reach vs. near dam acclimation depths. 3.Estimate the vertical distribution of run-of-river subyearling Chinook salmon using hydroacoustics and determine if there is a significant difference between the vertical distributions and acclimation depths of run-of-river and acoustic tagged fish. Task Descriptions Task 1 - Prepare and submit a detailed study plan/proposal for review by the region's SRWG and approval by the Corps of Engineers (COE) Technical Point of Contact (TPOC). The detailed study plan shall provide a thorough discussion of all methods, equipment, specific equipment placement locations, and analysis and Quality Assurance/Quality Control for all data collection, interpretation, and presentation. Task 2 - Conduct analysis of 3-D JSATS acoustic telemetry data at both dams to estimate vertical distribution (acclimation depth) of the acoustic tagged fish immediately prior to entering turbine units. 2.1Defined acclimation metrics using a mean depth for individual fish over a specified time duration prior to diving into the turbine intake. Depth variation, fidelity, fish size, passage routes (JBS or turbines), and tag burden will be considered in defining the metrics. Fish burst speed will be used to screen potentially anomalous depth readings. A critical element and requirement of this Task. 3.1 requires the contractor working closely with the USACE Technical POC to determine acclimation metrics. 2.2Conduct analysis with JSATS data collected from 2012 and 2013 performance standard testing. Task 3 - Estimate the vertical distribution and acclimation depth of subyearling Chinook salmon at a more central location within the reach between dams, with approximately mean reach depth, and determine if a significant difference exists between mid reach vs. near dam acclimation depths. 3.1Installation of necessary acoustic telemetry equipment to estimate vertical distribution and acclimation depths of subyearling Chinook salmon in a mid-reach location between Little Goose and Lower Monumental Dams with approximately mean reach depth. 3.2Use this data to verify the definition of acclimation methods as stated in another Task. Task 4 - Estimate the vertical distribution of run-of-river subyearling Chinook salmon using hydroacoustics and determine if there is a significant difference between the vertical distributions and acclimation depths of run-of-river and acoustic tagged fish. 4.1Use hydroacoustic telemetry methods to detect run-of-river fish near the mid-reach acoustic telemetry array. The vertical distribution may be compared to that of fish detected with acoustic telemetry. 4.2Test for significant difference between vertical distributions and acclimation depths of run-of-river and acoustic tagged fish. Task 5 - Reporting of data collected and results. Data collection will be conducted on a schedule and methods presented in the approved Study Plan (Task 1). The Contractor shall prepare a Draft Final Report for Government and Regional review formatted to American Fisheries Society style guidelines, or another research manuscript format specified by the Contractor. Style guidelines for report formatting other than those of the American Fisheries Society shall be provided to the study TPOC by the Contractor upon submission of the report. The Draft Final Report shall provide a detailed description of data analysis. Data processing and analysis methodology shall be described in sufficient detail for the Government to understand the temporal and spatial level of data analysis and summarization. Quality Assurance and Quality Control measures and methodology for screening out errant data shall be described in detail. The results of this study should be discussed relative to similar studies, applicably to results at other projects and the application of the report to turbine survival studies. The Contractor shall prepare a Final Report for the Government incorporating changes to the Draft Final Report as agreed upon and formatted to American Fisheries Society style guidelines, or another research manuscript format specified by the Contractor. Style guidelines for report formatting other than those of the American Fisheries Society shall be provided to the study TPOC by the Contractor upon submission of the report. Cleaned data will be archived and delivered in a COE specified electronic format at this time as well. Government-furnished Services/Equipment The Government will not provide hydroacoustic or acoustic telemetry equipment required to conduct the study. The JSATS data from the concurrent study collected in 2012 and 2013 performance standard studies will need to be obtained from the USACE Technical TPOC. The contractor shall be self sufficient. COE Project personnel will not be available for support. The COE Technical TPOC or any other entity collecting JSATS data for the COE concurrent to this study will not be available to assist with data collection at the mid-reach array or data screening prior to analysis. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR SOURCES SOUGHT: Interested statements shall be limited to five pages and shall include the following information: a.Firm's name, addresses, point of contact, phone number, and email address. b.CAGE Code and DUNS Number. c.A capability statement expressing interest in proposing on the solicitation when it is issued, describing the company and its specialized experience with the Bureau of Reclamation, US Army Corps of Engineers, and/or public utilities. d.A statement detailing any special qualifications or certifications, applicable to the scope of services requested, held by the in-house personnel of the firm expressing interest. e. A list of the firm's current or past specialized experience similar to or the same as the summary scope of services for this requirement performed in the last five years. Include a brief description of each project scope, schedule, and dollar value. f.A statement of your firm's business size to include designation as: SBA certified 8(a), SBA certified HUBZone, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, Small Disadvantaged Business, Woman-Owned Business, or a Large Business. Where to send responses: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 201 North Third Avenue ATTN: Contracting / Mary M. Van Sickle Walla Walla, WA 99362 Phone: (509) 527-7204 Fax: (509) 527-7802 E-mail: mary.m.vansickle@usace.army.mil Response deadline: May 4, 2013 at 4:00 p.m. (Pacific Time Zone) This is not a Request for Proposal (RFP) or Invitation for Bid (IFB), nor is it to be construed as a commitment by the Government; it is only to obtain market capabilities/industry comments and is to be used for informational purposes only. The Government does not intend to make an award on the bases of this sources sought synopsis/request for information, nor will the Government pay for the information solicited herein.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/USA/COE/DACA68/W912EF-13-R-SS24/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: USACE District, Walla Walla 201 N. Third Avenue, Walla Walla WA
- Zip Code: 99362-1876
- Zip Code: 99362-1876
- Record
- SN03031613-W 20130411/130409234116-ae4b5ed7ab2afce80aafc11165b42091 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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