SPECIAL NOTICE
B -- NOI TO AWARD NONCOMPETITIVE PROCUREMENT
- Notice Date
- 8/17/2017
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- NAICS
- 541690
— Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services
- Contracting Office
- USGS OAG SACRAMENTO ACQUISITION BR. MODOC HALL, CSUS 3020 STATE UNIVERSITY DRIVE EAST SACRAMENTO CA 95819-6027 US
- ZIP Code
- 00000
- Solicitation Number
- G17PS00892
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- G17PS00907 “ Notice of Intent to award noncompetitive procurement for Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity contract for genetic analysis services of grizzly bear DNA. The Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team (IGBST) has a requirement for IDIQ sample analyses for the grizzly bear population in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem. The Government intends to negotiate on a noncompetitive basis with Wildlife Genetic International of British Columbia, Canada, in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 13.106-1(b), 16.5 Indefinite Delivery Contracts and the procedures of FAR Part 12, entitled, Acquisition of Commercial Items. The U.S. Geological Survey, Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team is conducting research on genetic evidence of connectivity between the grizzly bear population inhabiting the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) and the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem (NCDE) population. Results will be used for genetic monitoring desired by the USFWS for the distinct population segment (DPS) of grizzly bears occupying the GYE as was specified in the Final Rule (FR) Removing the Yellowstone Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of Grizzly Bears From the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife (Federal Register 82:125 [June 302, 2017] pages 30502-30633). The IGBST is charged with continued monitoring of genetic diversity of the GYE grizzly bear population so that a possible reduction in genetic diversity due to the geographic isolation of the GYE grizzly bear population will be detected and can be responded to accordingly with translocation of outside grizzly bears into the GYE. Analyses of grizzly bear hair, tissue and/or blood samples from the GYE using the following 20 microsatellite markers: G1A, G1D, G10B, G10C, G10H, G10J, G10L, G10M, G10P, G10U, G10X, MU50, MU59, CXX20, CXX110, MU23, P07, MU51, A06, and CPH9. Conduct assignment test to determine if genetic evidence indicates any Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) sampled individuals (or their parents) originated in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem (NCDE) or other populations. The assignment test requires comparisons between GYE and results completed by Wildlife Genetics International (WGI) for the NCDE population and/or other populations, as applicable. To complete the assignment test and determine if there is a detectable exchange of genetic material between the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem (NCDE) to the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) grizzly population requires two procedures; 1) DNA genotyping of the GYE samples using the same microsatellite markers used for the NCDE population and 2) completion of the assignment tests that uses results of genotyping and identifies evidence of genetic exchange between the 2 populations of interest. The sole source justification is based upon the following rationale: a. Demonstrated accuracy of laboratory protocols.--Inconsistencies in marker (i.e., microsatellite) results could lead to misidentifying individual genotypes, and consequently the population that the sample originated. Such laboratory errors could have detrimental consequences for interpretation of data and thus DOI policy decisions regarding grizzly bears in the lower 48 states, for which policy and management decisions are closely scrutinized and potentially litigated. Sources of potential genotyping error included 1) interactions between DNA molecules such as mutation at the microsatellite site that results in non-amplification, 2) sample quality and quantity which may result in non-amplification or may cause allelic dropout, 3) equipment precision and/or reliability, and 4) human factors. Mistakes (i.e., errors in genotyping) have the potential to impact the viability of the grizzly bears in the GYE and cause considerable unnecessary expenditures. Viability of the GYE population may be compromised if errors occur that indicate NCDE genetic exchange with the GYE population when in fact none occurred and no augmentation is done. Unnecessary expenditures would be incurred by our DOI partners (primarily U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) if NCDE bears are captured and transported to the GYE for the purpose of augmenting genetic diversity when in fact evidence for such was present, but was undetected because of errors in genotyping. Thus, it is imperative that results of these analyses be as error free as possible. WGI has acceptable protocols that eliminate or greatly reduce all these sources of genotyping error. WGI is also unique in that their reliability and quality of results (QA/QC) was reviewed and verified by an independent expert. b. Expertise ” There is no other known facility that provides the essential qualifications, unique experience, and demonstrated competency required for this work. WGI is the only laboratory in the world that has specialized in genetic analysis of bear samples and obtaining high-quality results from limited genetic material. WGI is also the only laboratory that has published their analysis methods in peer-reviewed literature. WGI provides the quality control necessary to process large number of samples with a rapid turnaround time and defensible results. They accomplish this by using the latest genetic technologies and state-of-the-art thermocyclers and sequencers, while following rigorous protocols. c. Continuity of Data - WGI archives previously analyzed grizzly bear genetic samples which is necessary to allow for grizzly identification and potential cross population occurrences between GYE and NCDE. WGI ™s work with other grizzly bear research and management projects is key to the Government ™s ability to unequivocally identify known and unknown bears in the region without depleting genetic material before analysis is complete. No other firm has access to these materials/samples, as minimally required by the Government. Further, because of differences in laboratory protocols, results of genetic analyses from one laboratory cannot be compared or combined with those of another laboratory. If another laboratory were utilized, the Government could not have a confident comparison of older data sets to newly acquired data sets. As a result, analysis from a laboratory other than WGI would be useless. Other interested concerns having the ability to furnish this genetic analyses may submit a capabilities statement to the Contracting Officer via email at ccabalsi@usgs.gov no later than the closing date of this announcement on August 24, 2017 at 12:00 local time. All submissions will be evaluated to determine if competitive opportunities exist. All responses must be in writing, by email, to the Contracting Officer, Charlan Cabalsi at ccabalsi@usgs.gov. NAICS “ 541690. Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services. Size Standard $15.0
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