Department of Commerce, NOAA, 200 World Trade Center, Room 209, Norfolk, VA 23510-1624

A -- RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES SOL RFQ EASC 99-0102 DUE 032399 POC Edith W. McIntyre, Contract Specialist, (757) 441-6648/Mel DesJarlais, Contracting Officer, (757) 441-6647 WEB: Click here to access our home page., www.easc.noaa.gov. E-MAIL: Click here to contact contract specialist via e-mail., Edith.W.McIntyre@noaa.gov. The Northeast Fisheries Science Center intends to solicit and negotiate on a sole source basis with the Right Whale Research Project at the New England Aquarium for the maintenance and curation of the North Atlantic Right Whale Catalog. The Contractor has considerable experience with right whales in the field, as well as with the highly specialized methods required for Catalog curation, photographic matching and associated data analysis. In addition, matching and other analytical comparisons of new photos of right whales cannot be undertaken without the vast collection of existing photos in the present Catalog, which resides with the Contractor. Statutory Authority: 41 USC 253(c)(1). The Right Whale Research Project at the New England Aquarium is uniquely qualified to provide research and management activities to the Northeast Fisheries Science Center. Under the authority of FAR 6.302-1, the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source the proposed contract action for a period of base year and two option years. Interested persons may identify their capability to respond to the requirement within fifteen (15) days after date of publication of this synopsis. Evidence of ability to perform may be faxed to (757) 441-3786. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. Posted 03/08/99 (W-SN305970). (0067)

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