U.S. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, WASC, Acquisition Management Division WC3, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Bin C15700, Seattle, WA 98115-0070

A -- NOTICE OF INTENT TO NEGOTIATE A SOLE-SOURCE CONTRACT WITH AQUATIC FARMS LTD SOL WASC7-1112 DUE 011197 POC Randall Brown, (voice) (206) 526-6226, (FAX) (206) 527-5848 Notice of intent to negotiate a sole-source contract award with Aquatic Farms, Ltd. to conduct basic research. Research will focus on rates of decline of the Pacific harbor seal in Alaska using information from both nuclear (microsatellite analysis) and mitochondrial DNA to gain information regarding stock structure of the harbor seals. Contractor will locate nuclear DNA microsatellite loci markers for morphological, geographic, and management populations. Method will be PCR-based, using primers designed to flank microsatellite loci. Contractor will isolate and characterize allelic variability between "subpopulations" in hopes of obtaining at least 10 polymorphic loci, and tested on approximately 90 samples. Goal is to amplify polymoprhic loci from at least 30 individuals from each of three provisional PBR areas. Objective of research is to 1) determine if harbor seals can be divided into more than one mgnt. stock, 2) determine differences in migration patterns of males vs. females, 3) determine if Alaska locations with differing population trends exhibit significant differences in allelic variability, and 4) determine of mtDNA and microsatellite data support each other concerning stock structure. Period of performance est. 1 year. Govt. will provide equipment and supplies. Source responding to this must be Masters-level investigator experienced in population-level gentic studies. This is a 100% small business set-aside. This is a simplified acquisition with an estimated value of less than $100,000. (0080)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0008 19970325\A-0008.SOL)