SOURCES SOUGHT
R -- SOURCES SOUGHT FOR TAGGING AND BEHAVIORAL MONITORING OF SEA LIONS
- Notice Date
- 11/19/2013
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541990
— All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Western Acquisition Division-Boulder, 325 Broadway - MC3, Boulder, Colorado, 80305-3328, United States
- ZIP Code
- 80305-3328
- Solicitation Number
- NFFS7300-14-00181SRG
- Archive Date
- 11/28/2013
- Point of Contact
- Suzanne A Romberg-Garrett, Phone: 303-497-5110, Doris P Turner, Phone: 303-497-3872
- E-Mail Address
-
suzanne.garrett@noaa.gov, doris.p.turner@noaa.gov
(suzanne.garrett@noaa.gov, doris.p.turner@noaa.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- REQUEST FOR INFORMATION AND SOURCES SOUGHT SCOPE OF WORK NFFS7300-14-00181 TAGGING AND BEHAVIORAL MONITORING OF SEA LIONS IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST IN PROXIMITY TO NAVY FACILITIES NAICS 541990, $14.0 MILLION PLEASE SEE THE ATTACHED DOCUMENT WITH FURTHER DESCRIPTION PLEASE PROVIDE ANY QUESTIONS TO BOTH MY EMAIL AT SUZANNE.GARRETT@NOAA.GOV AND DORIS.P.TURNER@NOAA.GOV WE WILL THEN FORWARD YOUR QUESTIONS TO OUR TECHNICAL PERSON(S) The National Marine Mammal Laboratory (NMML), Alaska Fisheries Science Center has entered into an Interagency Agreement with the US Navy, Pacific Fleet Environmental to conduct a study of Tagging and Behavioral Monitoring of Sea lions in the Pacific Northwest in Proximity to Navy Facilities. Projects in the 2 year study include: Assess number of California sea lions and percentage of time animals are hauling-out each month on structures and assets near Puget Sound naval facilities at Everett, Bremerton and Bangor, assess the location of marine foraging areas and assess the foraging behavior of adult male sea lions in inland waters of Washington. To accomplish these projects NMML, a contracted group or agency (Contractor) and Navy Facilities engineering Command Northwest personnel will conduct weekly surveys of sea lions hauling out at each of the three facilities. The Contractor will construct and deploy floating sea lion hauling platforms/traps at Naval Station Everett and Naval Base Kitsap, Bremerton, and monitor them for sea lion use. The Contractor will capture 30 adult male sea lions and NMML will attach satellite tags to their pelage to track their hauling and foraging behavior. Specific tasks to be carried out by the contractor are as follows: • Weekly censuses of the number of California sea lion males hauled out will be conducted by the Contractor at Naval Base Kitsap Bremerton in conjunction with and coordinated with similar sea lions censuses at NAVSTA Everett by NMML staff and at Naval Base Kitsap Bangor by staff of Navy Facilities Engineering Command Northwest. To optimize the timing of those counts hourly counts will be conducted on one day each month at each location to assess diurnal patterns in number of animals hauled-out. The hour of maximum number hauled out will be used to conduct all censuses during the 2-week period. The Contractor must have a Marine Mammal Protection Act and Endangered Species Act Permit that allow them to conduct census activity of California and Steller Sea Lions including "takes" by harassment. • The Contractor must have expertise and experience in designing and operating floating sea lion traps. The Contractor will provide to NMML specifications of a hauling platform and trap. The Contractor will install a 16 X 16 foot hauling platform and trap at NAVSTA Everett and Bremerton by anchoring it to the ocean bottom. • To estimate the proportion of time hauled out and locations of foraging areas the Contractor will provide 3 biologists who with assistance of NMML staff will capture 30 or more adult male California sea lions in Puget Sound on a floating trap and attach satellite tags to the pelage of restrained animal. The Contractor's personnel must have expertise and experience capturing and handling large and dangerous adult male California and Steller Sea lion in the wild. Demonstrated experience handling adult male California sea lions is required to assure personnel safety and animal care considerations. • The Contractor will assist NMML staff in retrieval of instrument packages from sea lions. Sea lions undergo annual migration between Washington and rookeries in California and in August undergo a molt during which the instrument packs will fall off. Aerial and boat surveys will be used to recovery instruments in coastal California, Oregon and Washington. The Contractor must have experience in tracking instruments with VHF radio tags from aircraft and vessels. • The Contractor will assist NMML staff with reporting and publication of findings. 1. Annual reports required by 15 May 2014 and 15 May 2015 within the NMFS/Navy Interagency Agreement. The Contractor's contributions will be due 1 May each year. 2. Comprehensive report due 30 September 2015 with the following elements: • The Contractor will provide a quarterly report of census data of adult male haul out at NAVSTA Kitsap Bremerton • The Contractor will assist with calculation of monthly correction factors for count data from NAVSTA Everett or other trapping location by species as appropriate • The Contractor will prepare a report on geographical distribution and foraging behavior of California sea lion adult males in inland waters of Washington (and Steller Sea Lions if tagged). • The Contractor will prepare a report on migration and foraging behavior of California sea lions in coastal Washington, Oregon and California (and Steller Sea Lions, if tagged). PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE APPROXIMATELY DECEMBER 2013 TO 30 SEPTEMBER 2015   ACQUISITION ALERT 13-07 DATED JULY 31, 2013 SCIENTIFIC INTEGRITY AND RESEARCH MISCONDUCT (NAO 202-735D) - ATTACHMENT SCIENTIFIC AND RESEARCH MISCONDUCT (a) Definitions. As used in this provision - Scientific activities mean activities that involve inventorying, monitoring, observations, experimentation, study, research, integration, modeling, and scientific assessment. Scientific integrity means the condition resulting from adherence to professional values and practices when conducting and applying the results of science that ensures objectivity, clarity, and reproducibility, and that provides insulation from bias, fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, interference, censorship, and inadequate procedural and information security. Presentation of scientific activities results includes the analysis, synthesis, compilation, or translation of scientific information and data into formats for the use of the Department of Commerce or the United States of America. Scientific and Research Misconduct means fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism in proposing, performing, or reviewing scientific and research activities, or in the products or reporting of the results of these activities. It specifically includes intentional circumvention of the integrity of the scientific and research process and actions that compromise that process, but does not include honest error or differences of opinion. Investigation is formal collection and evaluation of information and facts to determine if scientific or research misconduct can be established, to assess its extent and consequences, and to recommend appropriate action. (b) General Guidelines 1. Maintaining Integrity. The Contractor shall maintain the scientific integrity of research performed pursuant to this contract award including the prevention, detection, and remediation of research misconduct, and the conduct of inquiries, investigations and adjudications of allegations of research misconduct. 2. In performing or presenting the results of scientific activities under the contract, and in responding to allegations of scientific and research misconduct, the Contractor shall comply with the provisions herein and NOAA Administrative Order (NAO) 202-735D, Scientific Integrity, and its Procedural Handbook, including any amendments thereto. That Order can be found at http://www.corporateservices.noaa.gov/ames/administrative_orders/chapter_202/202-735-D.html 3. Primary Responsibility. The Contractor shall have the primary responsibility to prevent, detect, and investigate allegations of scientific and research misconduct. Unless otherwise instructed by the Contracting Officer, the Contractor shall promptly conduct an initial inquiry into any allegation of such misconduct and may rely on its internal policies and procedures, as appropriate, to do so. 4. By executing this contract, the Contractor provides its assurance that it has established an administrative process for performing an inquiry, investigating, and reporting allegations of scientific and research misconduct; and that it will comply with its own administrative process for performing an inquiry, investigation and reporting of such misconduct. 5. The Contractor shall insert the substance of this provision in subcontracts at all tiers that involve research being performed under this contract. (c) Investigating Misconduct Research 1. Initiating Investigation. If the Contractor determines that there is sufficient evidence to proceed to an investigation, it shall notify the Contracting Officer and, unless otherwise instructed, the Contractor shall: a. Promptly conduct an investigation to develop a complete factual record and an examination of such record leading to either a finding of scientific and research misconduct and an identification of appropriate remedies or a determination that no further action is warranted. b. If the investigation leads to a finding of scientific and research misconduct, obtain adjudication by a neutral third party adjudicator. The adjudication must include a review of the investigative record and, as warranted, a determination of appropriate corrective actions and sanctions. 2. Finalizing Investigation. When the investigation is complete, the Contractor shall forward to the Contracting Officer a copy of the evidentiary record, the investigative report, any recommendations made to the Contractor's adjudicating official, the adjudicating official's decision and notification of any corrective action taken or planned, and the subject's written response (if any). (d) Findings and Corrective Actions 1. If the Contractor finds that scientific and research misconduct has occurred, it shall assess the seriousness of the misconduct and its impact on the research completed or in process and shall: a. Take all necessary corrective actions, which includes, but are not limited to, correcting the research record, and, as appropriate, imposing restrictions, controls, or other parameters on research in process or to be conducted in the future, and b. Coordinate remedial action with the Contracting Officer. (e) Department of Commerce Actions 1. The Department of Commerce may accept the Contractor's findings or proceed with its own investigation, in which case the Contractor shall fully cooperate with the investigation. The Contracting Officer will inform the Contractor of the Department's final determination. 2. The Department of Commerce reserves the right to pursue such remedies and other actions as it deems appropriate, consistent with the terms and conditions of the contract and applicable laws and regulations. Such remedies and actions may include, but are not limited to, disallowance of costs, recoupment of contract payments, and suspension or debarment. (End of Attachment)
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DOC/NOAA/MASC/NFFS7300-14-00181SRG /listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: NMML, 7600 SAN PT WAY NE, SEATTLE, Washington, 98115-6349, United States
- Zip Code: 98115-6349
- Zip Code: 98115-6349
- Record
- SN03237000-W 20131121/131119234441-2838e227d467e96488f6b4feb148f3f0 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
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