SOURCES SOUGHT
B -- Sources Sought for Biological Studies in the Snake and Columbia River Basins
- Notice Date
- 12/27/2013
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- 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-14-R-SS13
- Response Due
- 1/16/2014
- Archive Date
- 2/25/2014
- Point of Contact
- Camilla Allen, 509-527-7213
- E-Mail Address
-
USACE District, Walla Walla
(camilla.allen@usace.army.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Contracting Office: US Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District, 201 North Third Avenue, Walla Walla WA 99362. Subject: Sources Sought for Biological Studies in the Snake and Columbia River Basins Point of Contact: Cam Allen, Contract Specialist, 509-527-7213, camilla.allen@usace.army.mil Description of the Requirement: The Walla Walla District Corps of Engineers (District) requires a range of professional and technical scientific expertise to fulfill specific biological objectives identified primarily through the Anadromous Fish Evaluation Program (AFEP) program. Funding for these biological evaluations is provided under the Districts Columbia River Fish Mitigation Program, the Continuing Authorities Program, the Project Authorities of the Dams and other programs directed and managed by the Corps. The resultant contracts will be used to support the Districts' needs to continue biological investigations, and respond to litigation-related issues associated with implementation of the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) Endangered Species Act (ESA) and resulting FCRPS Biological Opinion (BiOp). Mandated requirements may change and affect future study objectives. The District is considering the award of one or more multiple award task order contracts to accomplish this mission. The purpose of this sources sought announcement is to: - Determine if there are two or more small businesses that have the experience and capacity to perform all nine areas of expertise listed below with 51% of the work completed as the prime contractor. -If there are not two small businesses that can meet both requirements, is there a trend in expertise areas that can be set aside for small business. The NAICS code for this requirement is 541712 with a size category of 500 employees. Large businesses are also encouraged to respond. This is not a solicitation. This information is for 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. Interested parties that respond to this sources sought announcement should submit the following information: 1) A capability statement expressing interest in this requirement, describing the company and its capability to complete a project of this scope, magnitude and complexity. Include a statement detailing any special qualifications and certifications, applicable to the scope of this project, held by the company. 2) A statement or list of the company's current and/or past technical experience similar to or the same as the summary scope of work for this requirement, for each quote mark Area of Expertise quote mark below. Include a brief description of each project scope, schedule, and dollar value. Please provide citations of technical reports or other scientific literature resulting from past experience as applicable. 3) A statement or list of the company's current or past performance similar to or the same as the summary scope of work. 4) A statement of the company's business size and type (HUBZone, Service Disabled Veteran Owned, 8(a), Small Business). In addition to the above, please fill in and submit the attached schedule indicating (yes or no) which areas of expertise are resident within the company. If you have indicated that the company has experience in an area of expertise, please indicate if your company can perform at least 51% of the work in accordance with FAR clause 52.219-14 Limitations on Subcontracting. Interested parties should submit their responses to Cam Allen, Contract Specialist, via email to camilla.allen@usace.army.mil. Your response to this notice must be received by 4:00 PT, January 16th 2014. Descriptions of each Area of Expertise: a.Research Proposal Development and Study Planning. Provide capability to develop, plan and implement biological studies in the laboratory and field environment. This includes the capabilities to develop experimental study designs, collect data, conduct statistical analysis, prepare and review reports, respond to technical comments, and give oral presentations at workshops and meetings with other fishery professionals. The expertise the Corps requires will be focused on applied fish research, preferably within the Snake and Columbia River Hydrosystem using hydroacoustic evaluations, radio telemetry, acoustic telemetry, Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tag methodologies and underwater video monitoring using acoustic (i.e. DIDSON and Blue View), and optical video technologies. To support research activities, prepare Endangered Species Act (ESA) fish handling and transport permits with both State and Federal Agencies, develop and manage workshops to facilitate biological understanding and dissemination of research information, and preparation of Biological Assessments related to the mission of the Corps which includes flood control, navigation, recreation, habitat restoration and fish and wildlife enhancement. b.Hydroacoustic and Video Fish Evaluations. Provide the professional and technical personnel and equipment to conduct hydroacoustic and video evaluations of fish populations and fish movement with specific hydroacoustic expertise. This includes expertise and technology capability to provide the following: 1) turbine passage enumeration and estimates of turbine intake screen fish guidance efficiency; 2) evaluation of fish behavior including fish vertical and horizontal movement, speed, and trajectory within specific locations at hydro facilities; 3) mobile hydroacoustic surveys in open water; 4) fixed location hydropower dam turbine intake, spillway, surface bypass routes, fish ladder entrances and exits, and other passage routes to evaluate proportions of fish populations passing particular routes; 5) Acoustic (DIDSON and Blue View) and optical video monitoring of Juvenile and Adult fish behavior and passage. c.Biotelemetry. Provide professional and technical personnel and equipment to collect, tag, and track fish throughout tributaries, reservoirs, mainstem river systems, at hydroprojects, estuaries and near-shore ocean environments. This capability includes the development of biotelemetry sample design, equipment deployment, fish collection and tagging techniques, data recording and analysis for the following applications of biotelemetry: 1) the evaluation of fish behavior and determination of fish position, direction of travel, speed, and estimate of survivals; 2) tracking of fish using mobile boat-mounted antenna (or hydrophones) and mobile shore antenna; 3) determination of routes of passage and survival by route taken while passing hydropower projects for both juvenile and adult salmonids; 4) evaluation of post-tagging shed rates, post-tagging survival rates and evaluations of tag life and tag life corrections and 5) evaluation of travel time and detection efficiency from release locations to receiver and/or detectors located at mainstem hydro projects. Demonstrate expertise in the latest PIT, radio and acoustic tags, receivers, antenna (hydrophone) and data processing technologies and survival study methodologies (i.e. single release, paired release and virtual paired release study designs). Provide expertise in injectable, gastric and surgical (both internal and external attachment) tagging for juvenile and adult salmon, steelhead Pacific lampreys, bull trout and/or other species of interest (smallmouth bass, sturgeon, northern pike minnow, etc.). Demonstrate expertise in the latest tagging and tracking protocols and methods for PIT, radio or acoustic tags, receivers, antenna (hydrophone) and data processing technologies. Provide the following areas of expertise: 1) evaluate post-tagging survival, tag shed rates and laboratory tag life studies 2) evaluate travel time and antenna/ receiver detection efficiency from release location to tag detectors located on mainstem hydroelectric dams and 3) estimate fish survival rates and determine routes of passage at hydro projects for both juvenile and adult salmonids with high levels of precision and accuracy. d.Mass Fish Marking. Demonstrate capability and access to conduct large scale marking activities at hatcheries, the fish facilities, hydroprojects, in situ on islands, mainstem rivers, tributaries, and estuary. Provide expertise in development of fish marking plans, study plans, equipment deployment, data recording and analysis, and fish tagging techniques; this includes handling, anesthetics, recovery, and release of fish during marking activities specifically related to fish marking capabilities. e.Computer Model Development: Provide the professional and technical capability and equipment to statistically model hydraulic and hydrologic physics as effected by and upon fishery and invertebrate population and conservation dynamics and trends, including habitat modification and multi-dimensional and functional model schematics, coding, calibration, validation, and performance of either sufficient commercially available process models and/or custom constructed models. Provide professional and technical unbiased review capability and understanding of existing hydrologic, water quality parameter, fishery population, and habitat process models utilized by various regional analysts. Expertise shall include familiarity with the comparative survival model for juvenile salmonids; the Major System Improvement Model (MSIA); the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Comprehensive Passage life cycle salmon survival model (COMPASS), the NMFS Simulated Passage model (SIMPASS), Species Life Cycle Analysis Model (SLAM), computational fluid dynamic models, and temperature models of the Snake and Columbia River Systems. f.Fish Physiological Monitoring and Evaluation. Provide the professional and technical personnel required to develop and perform physiological investigations and monitoring in the laboratory and field, such as tissue sampling, handling and preservation techniques for molecular and tissue level analysis for stress indication, disease and pathogen diagnosis, smoltification, general health, energy budget, genetics and fitness. This includes evaluations of the relationship of fish health and condition on the survival of anadromous fish in both fresh and salt water phases to adult returns. Demonstrate the expertise and provide equipment, and support facilities to perform laboratory simulations of physical conditions (swimming performance evaluations, hydrostatic pressure gradients, dissolved gas concentrations, shear forces, etc.) that exist near hydroprojects (pools, tailraces, turbines, spillways, and fish bypass systems) and river systems. g.Environmental Sampling, Monitoring and Analysis. Provide the professional and technical expertise, equipment and facilities to perform sediment and water quality monitoring, equipment deployment, and data collection, including the analysis of contaminants, temperature, pH, depth, turbidity, conductivity, total dissolved solids, sediments, Secchi depth, total dissolved gas and zinc leaching rates from galvanized structures. The expertise provided shall include phytoplankton, zooplankton and benthic invertebrate analysis, identification, enumeration, and productivity. h.Direct Fish Injury and Survival Studies. Provide professional and technical personnel, and equipment to develop and implement studies to estimate the direct and indirect injury and survival rates of fish passing through various routes of a hydropower project. The capability provided shall include expertise with various methodologies, such as PIT tags, sensors, fish balloon tags, or other technology. i.Data Management and Analysis. Demonstrate expertise in biological data management and analysis including Quality Assurance/Quality Control measures for data collection and screening. Provide technical personnel and equipment to develop and implement data management services for biological data collected from Corps funded studies. This shall include having access to data management systems, equipment, and trained personnel capable of storing and organizing large data sets for analysis.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/USA/COE/DACA68/W912EF-14-R-SS13/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
- SN03258762-W 20131229/131227233712-59dba986630eab0918f7c515a4b68527 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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