Department of the Interior, Minerals Management Service, Procurement Operations Branch, MS2500, 381 Elden Street, Herndon, Virginia 20170-4817

B -- BELUGA SATELLITE TAGGING PROJECT SOL 1435-01-97-PO-14190 POC Jane M. Carlson, Contracting Officer, (703) 787-1364 E-MAIL: Contracting Officer, Jane.Carlson@mms.gov. The Minerals Management Service intends to provide funding to the Fisheries Joint Management Committee (FJMC) of the Northwest Territories, Canada, on the basis of other than full and open competition pursuant to 41 USC252(c)(1). This joint effort between Canada and the United States is to address information gaps related to movements of whales between their summering area in the eastern Beaufort Sea and their wintering areas in the Bering and Chukchi Seas. The U.S. Government will provide no more than $47,000(U.S. dollars) out of the joint project total budget of $94,105 (U.S. dollars). The FJMC will coordinate with local hunters and trappers committees, obtain permits, capture and tag whales and use satellite telemetry to track a number of belugas as they begin their fall migration westward from Canada along the Alaskan North Slope and will provide a written report to all participants by March, 1998. No solicitation document currently exists; therefore, requests for such a document will not be considered at this time. Any other persons desiring consideration are requested to fully identify their specific capability in meeting this requirement and the amount of funding they are willing to cost-share in this endeavor. Written responses must be received within 45 days from the published date of this notice. (0190)

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