SOLICITATION NOTICE
B -- F - RAZORBACK SELENIUM EFFECTS STUDY
- Notice Date
- 4/13/2015
- Notice Type
- Presolicitation
- NAICS
- 813312
— Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations
- Contracting Office
- BIA NAVAJO 00009 301 WEST HILL ROOM 346 Contracting Office Gallup NM 87301 US
- ZIP Code
- 00000
- Solicitation Number
- A15PS00418
- Response Due
- 4/20/2015
- Archive Date
- 5/5/2015
- Point of Contact
- Johnson, Mary Jane
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- "Razorback Sucker Selenium Effects Study" Notice Type: SOURCES SOUGHT SYNOPSIS: 1. NOTICE: This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding: (1) to determine if responsible Indian Economic Enterprises (IEE) sources exist, to assist in determining if this effort can be competitive and/or a IEE Set-Aside. The proposed North American Industry Classification Systems (NAICS) Code is 813312 which has a corresponding size standards millions of dollars $15.0. The government will use this information to determine the best acquisition strategy for this procurement. The Government is interested in IEE business concerns. Your response to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate method, including whether a set-aside is possible. An organization that is not considered a small business under the applicable NAICS code should not submit a response to this notice. 2. BACKGROUND: This study is being funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to support various consultations with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act. Water quality concerns associated with irrigation return flows from projects such as the Navajo Indian Irrigation Project (NIIP) were first identified in the preliminary findings of a Department of Interior study (DOI 1991). This study did find low level pesticide contamination in the San Juan River but the concentrations were below concentrations of concern. Of the contaminants found, only selenium (Se) was found to be directly associated with NIIP. Rehabilitation is planned for the San Juan Irrigation Systems along the Hogback and Fruitland Canals where Se loading from irrigation returns flows is also a concern. Selenium will also need to be addressed in upcoming consultations due to lease renewals for the PNM San Juan Generating Station and the APS Four Corners Power Plant, both located west of Farmington. Within the San Juan River, there are two endangered fish species, razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus) and Colorado pikeminnow (Ptycocheilus lucius), and one candidate species, roundtail chub (Gila Robusta). Studies by Hamilton and Buhl (1995, 1996) demonstrate that Se toxicity is highest for razorback sucker larvae, followed by flannelmouth sucker (Catostomus latipinnis), and Colorado pikeminnow (least sensitive). Since the razorback sucker is the most Se sensitive endangered fish in the San Juan River, by determining the appropriate chronic Se toxicity threshold for razorback sucker the Colorado pikeminnow will also be protected. The razorback sucker is one of the largest suckers in North America; growing up to 3 feet long and weighing up to 13 pounds. Breeding males turn gray-black with an orange belly. They were listed as endangered under federal law in 1991. The razorback sucker critical habitat includes the San Juan River and its 100 year flood plain from Neskahai Canyon in Lake Powell to the Hogback diversion dam (Bliesner and Lamarra 1999). The overall goal of this study is to determine the chronic tissue residue Se threshold that impairs overall reproductive health and vigor of the razorback sucker in the San Juan River. This will be accomplished by developing a Se dose-response curve for razorback suckers, determining the chronic effects of Se on hatchability, teratogenicity, growth, survival, and reproduction of razorback sucker from a range of combined waterborne exposure and dietary organic selenium exposure, relating these effects to razorback sucker egg Se concentrations in a controlled setting. Another aspect of this study that should be addressed within the proposals is how the laboratory based dose-response curve and chronic toxicity results for razorbacks can be extrapolated to wild San Juan River razorback sucker skeletal muscle Se concentrations so that the San Juan River razorback sucker Se toxicity can be easily monitored by collecting muscle plugs. Mathematical relationships for Se concentrations between muscle plug and whole body and muscle plug and egg shall be developed for San Juan River razorback sucker. This shall be similar to the work done by Osmundson and Skorupa on other species (Osmundson, 2011). These mathematical relationships must be applicable to the San Juan River 3. PROJECT REQUIREMENT: All standard operating procedures (SOPs) used in this study shall comply with the Good Laboratory Practice outlined in the latest Federal Register (40 CFR 160). Fish used in the study shall be treated according to all current state, federal, and institutional guidelines. The frequency of teratogenic deformities in early development stages of fish continues to be the most useful indicator of Se toxicity. Thus, this is very similar in objective and design to the Colorado pikeminnow Se toxicity study conducted by Hamilton and Buhl (2000), except this study will examine razorback sucker Se toxicity. Proposals shall make recommendations as to the need and importance to mimic the water chemistry of the San Juan River. This raises questions on how to address the interaction of other constituents specific to the San Juan River that could have antagonistic or synergistic effects on Se toxicity. Recommendations to mimic or not mimic the San Juan River water chemistry shall be well documented. At minimum, the basic chemistry (major cations and anions, electrical conductivity and pH typical of the winter flow conditions in the San Juan River at Shiprock, should be maintained in the treatment water. If further mimicry is suggested, the proposed scope of work shall describe how antagonistic and synergistic effects on Se toxicity will be addressed. Listed are the key components recommended for this study. Some of these components were derived from the Hamilton and Buhl (2000) protocol. These are only recommendations and the proposal can deviate from these components as long as justification for doing so is included: Securing and Handling of Fish; Adult Exposure Study Phase; Egg Viability Study Phase; Larvae Viability Study Phase; Development of Mathematical Relationship; and other requirements. 4. ANTICPATED PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Delivery 5 year after receipt of the Notice to proceed. 5. CAPABILITY STATEMENT/INFORMATION: (Please limit submission to 20 pages). Capability statement must reference the ability to provide all of the items. Potential offerors must include in their capability statement the point of contact, organization name, address, Dunn and Bradstreet number (DUNS), size and type of business pursuant to the applicable NAICS code. Interested Contractors must provide the above information to the point of contact listed herein. Information submitted shall be in sufficient detail for a decision to be made based on the criteria previously mentioned. Verbal questions will NOT be accepted. The Government does not guarantee that questions received after April 15, 2014 will be answered. Submission Information: Interested sources submission must be clear, concise, complete, and be submitted via e-mail by 3:00 pm MDT on April 20, 2014 to Mary Jane Johnson at maryjane.johnson@bia.gov. 6. CONCLUDING: This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization's qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted
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