SOURCES SOUGHT
R -- Study of Sea Turtle Bycatch in Indonesian Fisheries
- Notice Date
- 8/7/2017
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541990
— All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service, SSMC 3, 1315 East West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland, 20910, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20910
- Solicitation Number
- NFFR7400-17-03575
- Archive Date
- 9/2/2017
- 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. Background: Bycatch of sea turtles in gillnet and longline fisheries have resulted in negative impacts on sea turtle populations, the oceanic food web, and commercial fisheries. Coastal gillnet fisheries are one of the most common forms of fishing throughout the world and the fisheries have been associated with significant cases of sea turtle bycatch. The Republic of Indonesia, comprised of 17,508 islands in Southeast Asia and Oceania, has a large number of artisanal fishermen spread across its archipelago, and the use of gillnets as a fishing technique is widespread. The islands provide both forage and nesting habitat for a number of sea turtle species in the region. In order to reduce the impact of Indonesian coastal fisheries on sea turtles, it is important for NOAA to understand the interaction rates between fisheries and protected species, such as sea turtles. In addition, it is important to test the efficacy of bycatch reduction strategies, such as net illumination, to determine their potential usefulness in reducing those interactions. As such, it is important to survey the incidence of sea turtle bycatch in Indonesian fisheries, establish fishery observer programs to quantify the bycatch rates, test potential bycatch reduction technologies, and create programs aimed at increasing the broader adoption of these technologies. The Pacific leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) is of particular concern as it is at risk of imminent extinction. Interactions with fisheries, both indirect as bycatch and direct as subsistence harvest, represent significant obstacles to the recovery of Pacific leatherbacks. While monitoring of index nesting beaches in Papua, Indonesia has been established to understand the population dynamics; nesting female leatherbacks that utilize these non-index nesting sites (i.e., sites outside of Papua, Indonesia) may comprise a smaller but potentially significant segment of the Western Pacific leatherback population. Such non-index leatherback nesting beaches may be more common than previously thought. Their protection may then play an important role in the broader recovery of the Western Pacific leatherback sea turtles. Tasks to be completed by contractor: 1) The contractor shall assess the interactions between sea turtles and fisheries throughout the Indonesian Archipelago. The contractor will conduct fishermen surveys of two regions in Indonesia to characterize the number of ports, their coastal fishing fleet (number, type, and size of vessels), the fishing gear (number, types, and sizes of nets), and fishing methodologies (seasonality, day/vs night). The report will also indicate general descriptions regarding target and non-target species capture rates. 2) The contractor shall conduct field trials in a gillnet fishery (location will be jointly determined with NOAA) to determine the efficacy of bycatch reduction technologies (BRTs) (e.g. net illumination) as a sea turtle bycatch reduction strategy. Using a paired testing methodology, the contractor will provide catch and environmental data to determine the effects on the catch rates of sea turtles, fish, elasmobranchs, marine mammals and seabirds. Sample sizes must be sufficient in order to obtain statistically robust results and will be set in advance of the fishing season with approval from NOAA. The contractor will provide all necessary logistical support, including participating fishermen and fisheries observers. Secondly, the contractor will develop and carry out programs aimed and increasing broader adoption of the BRT. Thirdly, the contractor will provide a necessary platform during the trials to test novel electronic monitoring systems (EM systems). Experimental protocols must be approved by NOAA. 3) The contractor shall establish and manage a nesting beach monitoring program in the Northern Maluku Islands to provide systematic leatherback nesting numbers and hatching success rates throughout the entire nesting season. In addition, the contractor will work to understand the threats to sea turtle nesting (including poaching threats and threats from predators) as well as develop methods to mitigate those threats. Lastly, contractors will develop the nesting beach monitoring program such that it provides a platform for satellite telemetry studies of the nesting female leatherback sea turtles. Protocols must be approved by NOAA. 4) The contractor shall create a repository of DNA samples from sea turtles in the region and develop an understanding of sea turtle population genetics from the region. The contractors will establish a centralized repository for sea turtle DNA samples from the region. This will allow multiple projects to feed genetic samples, be housed safely and securely, prior to being processed. The contract will also work with academic partners to initiate the analysis of the sea turtle samples to better understand the population genetics from the region. Protocols must be approved by NOAA. 5) The contractor shall hold a workshop aimed at providing technical training for the above tasks. The contractor shall initiate a 3 day workshop to ensure that field staff responsible for conducting the above tasks is fully trained. 6) The contactor shall participate in an International symposium (i.e. International Sea Turtle Symposium) to provide updates on the above tasks. Qualifications: Contractors shall meet the following minimum qualifications: 1) At least five years' experience working with the fishing industry in Indonesia, 2) At least three years' experience conducting bycatch reduction projects in Indonesia 3) At least three years' experience working with fishery observers in Indonesia. 4) At least three years' experience with conducting fishery rapid assessments in Indonesia, 5) Previous experience with conducting nesting beach surveys in the Maluku Islands. 6) Previous experience with obtaining appropriate Indonesian permits to conduct research. 7) Fluency in both Indonesia Bahasa and English. The North American Industry Classification Code (NAICS) is 541990 with a size standard of $15.0 million. Interested vendors 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 above stated requirements. 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, etc. If your firm is not small, please state that it is a large business. 4) A brief description of your firm's 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 Contracting Officer, Stephanie Garnett via email at Stephanie.M.Garnett@noaa.gov no later than 10:00 AM (Hawaii Time) on Wednesday, August 18, 2017.
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