Minerals Management Service, Procurement & Property Management Div, 381 Elden Street Mail Stop 2500, Herndon, VA 22070

B -- STABILITY AND CHANGE IN GULF OF MEXICO CHEMOSYNTHETIC COMMUNITIES SOL CBD&&&96050003, 1435-01-96-RP-30813. Due 070996. POC Procurement Technician, Jenny Taylor, 703-787-1355. The Minerals Management Service (MMS) requires a contractor to perform a study providing environmental data on the direct and indirect impacts of petroleum exploration activities on chemosynthetic communities in the outer continental shelf/slope of the northwest Gulf of Mexico. Numerous descriptive studies of the shelf are currently available; less well known are the topography, geology, geophysics, currents, chemistry and biota. During a previous MMS study - in which various environmental features of the northern Gulf from the 300m isobath to abysmal depths were examined - the first chemosynthetic communities in the immediate region were discovered. These creatures deviated from the norm for deep-sea animals in that they were not typically small and fragile. Living near hydrothermal vents in the spreading sea floor, these very large forms, with high density and biomass, obtain their metabolic energy from dissolved hydrogen sulfide issuing from the vents. Despite several studies performed in recent years, there are as yet few data on the ecological interactions in these communities, and limited data on temporal stability and change within the communities and the physicochemical habitats supporting them. This study, to be performed over a 42-month period, seeks to collect and synthesize additional data. This will entail a field sampling program, laboratory analyses, data management and analyses, monthly reporting and high-quality final reports. Copies of the solicitation may be requested by writing to the above address, or by facsimile to (703) 787-1009. (Facsimiles are preferred.) Please include with your request: RFP No. 3813, the study title, your organization, point of contact, complete address, phone and fax numbers. Telephonic requests are strongly discouraged. The solicitation is expected to be released approximately 15-21 days from publication of this notice, and closed 30 days after issuance. (149)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0010 19960604\B-0001.SOL)