SPECIAL NOTICE
R -- 1990Sources Sought - Hawksbill Turtle Bycatch Reduction in Lobster Gillnet Fisheries in Central America
- Notice Date
- 8/13/2014
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- NAICS
- 541990
— All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), PIFSC, 1845 Wasp Boulevard, Building 176, Honolulu, Hawaii, 96818, United States
- ZIP Code
- 96818
- Solicitation Number
- PIFSC_15
- Archive Date
- 9/3/2014
- Point of Contact
- STEPHANIE M. GARNETT, Phone: (808) 725-5356
- E-Mail Address
-
STEPHANIE.M.GARNETT@NOAA.GOV
(STEPHANIE.M.GARNETT@NOAA.GOV)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT ANNOUNCEMENT. IT IS NOT A SOLICITATION, NOR DOES IT GUARANTEE A SOLICITATION WILL BE ISSUED. REQUESTS FOR A SOLICITATION WILL NOT RECEIVE A RESPONSE. Any information submitted in response to this Sources Sought Announcement is strictly voluntary. The Government will neither award a contract solely based on this notice, nor pay for any information submitted by respondents. This notice is a request by the Government to collect information from interested vendors for the purpose of market research. Failing to provide a response to this announcement will not prohibit/exclude an interested vendor from participating in a future solicitation. The Government is looking for vendors who can perform the following requirements: I. Project Background: Hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) inhabiting the eastern Pacific Ocean have been described as one of the seven most endangered sea turtle populations in the world (Wallace et al. 2011). High mortality has been associated with artisanal lobster gillnet fisheries. Observations aboard lobster gillnet fisheries based out of El Maculis in El Salvador and La Salvia in Nicaragua indicate large numbers of interactions (Gaos et al. 2010, 2013 Liles et al. 2011, Vega & Robles 2011). These fisheries operate almost exclusively in nearshore areas, with significant geo-spatial overlap with the neritic home ranges and coastal migration paths of adult and sub-adult hawksbills (Gaos et al. 2012b). Additionally, La Salvia are located between the two primary hawksbill nesting rookeries in the eastern Pacific, located at Bahia Jiquilisco (El Salvador) and Estero Padre Ramos (Nicaragua). Given the vulnerability of this population to further endangerment, efforts to identify gear-types that will reduce the incidental capture and mortality of hawksbills are a critical conservation need in the eastern Pacific. Recent published studies have shown that use of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) attached to gillnets to illuminate nets has proven effective to reduce marine turtle bycatch (>60% reduction) in several fisheries in the eastern Pacific, while still maintaining high (or improved) levels of target species capture (Wang et al. 2010, 2013). This technique has yet to be tested or implemented in any lobster fisheries, yet there is promise to suggest this as an effective bycatch reduction technique that could retain target (lobster) catch. NOAA PIFSC seeks a contractor to conduct experimental trials to identify a modification to fishing gear that would reduce hawksbill bycatch in the lobster gillnet fisheries operating in El Salvador. In addition, this contractor would seek to characterize the lobster fishing fleets and raise conservation awareness in the port communities in El Maculis, El Salvador and La Salvia, Nicaragua. II. Project Goals The NOAA -Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) seeks to determine the efficacy of bycatch reduction technologies (BRTs) placed on gillnets that target lobster as a deterrent to reduce the incidental capture of sea turtles. The methodology employed should replicate previous efforts undertaken by NOAA personnel in Mexico and Peru. III. Description of Work and Specific tasks: A. The contractor will conduct field trials in a gillnet fishery along the coast of El Maculis in El Salvador and La Salvia in Nicaragua to test net illumination as a potential bycatch reduction strategy. The contractor will provide all necessary logistical support, boat captains, and crew to participate in the trials. Data requirements include catch composition and market value of catch for both control and experimental gill nets. The fishing and experimental methods must be developed in coordination with NOAA and approved by NOAA. B. Using a paired testing methodology, the contractor will test how experimental nets (net illuminated with LED lightsticks) affect catch composition. This includes catch rates for all incidental captures (eg., sea turtles, sea birds, marine mammals, non-target fish, elasmobranchs) and target species. Trials will be conducted during a 3-month period, during which time a minimum of 30 paired nets will be compared. A minimum soak time of 6 hours will be required per trial. Market values of catch will also be reported. C. Conduct fishermen interviews to characterize the lobster fisheries (fleet size, gear-types used, % of time dedicated to lobster fishing, etc.) at El Maculis, El Salvador and La Salvia, Nicaragua. A description of the fisheries will be included in the report. The North American Industry Classification Code (NAICS) is 541990 with a size standard of $14.0 million. Interested Contractors are requested to provide the following information in response to this Sources Sought Announcement: 1) A statement that you believe your firm has the capability to meet all these requirements and perform these services. 2) Your firm's DUNS number & CAGE code; 3) Your firm's SBA certified small business concern status. Specifically identify if your firm is HUBZone-certified, Service Disabled Veteran Owned, or in the SBA's 8(a) program. If your firm is not small, please state that it is a large business. 4) A brief description of your firm's recent past experience (within past 3 years) performing similar services. The information provided in response to this announcement is limited to five pages or less. All information shall be provided free of charge to the Government. The Government will not return any data provided in response to this announcement. This request for information does not constitute a commitment, implied or otherwise, that a procurement action will be issued. The Government shall not be liable for or suffer any consequential damages for proprietary information not properly identified. Proprietary information will be safeguarded in accordance with the applicable Government regulations. Responses shall be provided to Contract Specialist, Stephanie Garnett via email at Stephanie.M.Garnett@noaa.gov no later than 10:00 AM (Hawaii Time) on Tuesday, August 19, 2014.
- Web Link
-
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- Record
- SN03463434-W 20140815/140813235726-cb3a699916962b1ee9bfb9a36af98d32 (fbodaily.com)
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