Department of the Interior, Minerals Management Service, Procurement Operations Branch, MS2500, 381 Elden Street, Herndon, Virginia 22070-4817

B -- BOWHEAD WHALE FEEDING IN THE EASTERN ALASKAN BEAUFORT SEA: UPDATE OF SCIENTIFIC AND TRADITIONAL INFORMATION SOL 1435-01-97-RP-30842 POC Cate Keaser, Procurement Technician (703)787-1365; Jane M. Carlson, Contracting Officer (703) 787-1364 E-MAIL: Contracting Officer's E-Mail, Jane.Carlson@mms.gov. The Department of the Interior, Minerals Management Service, intends to competitively award a contract to conduct a study of Bowhead Whale Feeding in the Eastern Alaskan Beaufort Sea: Update of Scientific and Traditional Information. PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRE NOTICE CAREFULLY AS IT CONSTITUTES THE ONLY NOTICE THAT WILL BE ISSUED. The goal of this study, collaboratively with key stakeholders, to summarize available scientific and traditional knowledge and to plan and implement a multi-year study of bowhead whale feeding in the eastern Alaska Beaufort Sea(between Kaktovik and the Canadian border, south of the 71 degree N. latitude) in order to determine its importance as a feeding area for bowhead whales. Additional study details: The primary objectives of this study are to: (1) Define terms to distinguish feeding from social-milling and other behaviors; (2) Mutually develop hypotheses that scientists and subsistence whale hunters concur can be successfully tested to determine and quantify the relative importance of the eastern Alaskan Beaufort Sea as a feeding area for bowhead whales; (3) Design and conduct research appropriate for testing the above hypotheses for quantifying potential feeding by bowhead whales in the same area; (4) Analyze previous and updated scientific information, summarize pertinent knowledge of area subsistence whale hunters, and, where possible, test the above hypotheses and quantify bowhead area feeding for previous years; (5) Compare any between-year spatial patterns or temporal trends in area bowhead feeding with ambient oceanographic conditions; (6) Summarize and update available information, including traditional knowledge, on the effects of acoustic and visual disturbance to bowhead whales (or other planktivorous whales) engaged in apparent feeding behavior; (7) Characterize the ambient acoustic environment in the eastern Alaskan Beaufort Sea and predict sound levels received by feeding bowhead whales from hypothetical oil-industry noise sources at representative nearshore locations; and (8) Use the above information to determine and quantify the relative importance of the eastern Alaskan Beaufort Sea as a potential feeding area for bowhead whales. This is a TWO-PHASED PROJECT with only Phase I approved for funding.HOW TO RESPOND: In order to compete for this contract, interested parties must demonstrate that they are qualified to perform the work by providing WITHIN 21 CALENDAR DAYS of publication of this notice, a Capabilities Statement detailing: (1) your key personnel (those who would have primary responsibility for performing and/or managing the study) with their qualifications and specific experience; (2) your organization's experience with this type of work and a description of your facilities; and (3) specific references (including project identifier & description, period of performance, dollar amount, client name & telephone number) for previous work of this nature that your personnel or organization is currently performing or has completed within the last two years. (REFERENCES WILL BE CHECKED.) Offerors shall submit their Capabilities Statement in original and four copies to Jane M. Carlson, Contracting Officer, at Minerals Management Service, 381 Elden Street, MS-2500, Herndon, Virginia 20170-4817. Three additional copies shall be submitted to Mr. Stephen D. Treacy, Minerals Management Service, Alaska Outer Continental Shelf Region, 949 E. 36th Avenue, Room 300, Anchorage, Alaska 99508-4302. Timeliness of receipt of any submission will be determined by the time received in the Procurement Operations Branch, Herndon, Virginia. Your Capabilities Statement will be evaluated based on the skills, abilities and demonstrated experience of your key personnel; experience and past performance of your organization including number, size, and complexity of similar projects completed by the proposed project team and your organization to determine your potential for success and contract award. Past performance includes adherence to schedules and budgets, effectiveness of cost control, and the acceptability of previous products delivered, effectiveness of program management, the offeror's willingness to cooperate with the customer in both routine matters and when confronted by unexpected difficulties. Following review of all capabilities statements submitted, those offerors judged most qualified to successfully perform the study will be provided additional written proposal instructions. The Technical Proposal will be primarily in the form of an oral presentation on how you will perform the work with a question and answer session to follow. Oral Presentations will take place in Anchorage, Alaska. As stated above, additional written proposal instructions will be forwarded detailing the requirements for submission of the following documents prior to the oral presentations : (1) a written presentation summary; (2) a project management plan; and (3) a business proposal. Questions should be faxed to (703) 787-1009 or Emailed as soon as possible to Jane.Carlson@mms.gov and should include the RFP Number "1435-01-97-RP-30842" as well as your full name, organization name, address, phone and fax numbers. Requests or questions by telephone are strongly discouraged. Any conflict in the due date shown in this notice will be governed by this narrative (i.e. capabilities statements are due 21 days from the date this notice is published). (0070)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0024 19970313\B-0006.SOL)