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

B -- LEATHERBACK TURTLE RESEARCH, MONITORING AND PROTECTION ON THE PACIFIC COAST OF MEXICO SOL 52ABNF000067 DUE 070500 POC Abram Vinikoor, Contract Specialist, (206) 526-4395 WEB: For more information visit the WASC, AMD Solicitation, http://www.wasc/AMD/indxsol.htm. E-MAIL: click here to contact the contracting officer via, abram.l.vinikoor@noaa.gov. This publication serves as notice of intent to procure, on a sole-source basis, from Conservation International-Mexico (CI), services to carry out research, monitoring and protection of leatherback turtles nesting on the Pacific coast of Mexico. This population has collapsed in recent years, and this project proposes to implement high priority actions outlined in the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Pacific Leatherback Recovery Plan in order to reverse the decline. This collaborative work is being carried out under the auspices of the MEXUS-Pacifico Collaborative Agreement between the NMFS Southwest Fisheries Science Center and the Instituto Nacional de la Pesca (Mexican National Fisheries Service), and will be guided by a bilateral Pacific Leatherback Working Group. This group determined that emergency nest protection efforts must be organized and established at major nesting sites to prevent extirpation of the Pacific leatherback nesting population in Mexico. Specifically, field stations willbe established and nest surveys and protection efforts will be conducted on three major leatherback nesting beaches on the Pacific coast of Mexico. These sites support 40 percent of all leatherback nesting in Mexico and are the most cost effective way to increase hatchling production and protect nesting females. CI will also work closely with local village communities to ensure local support and integration with recovery efforts. CI is playing a central role in leatherback sea turtle research in Mexico and is the only non-governmental organization that is already recognized by the Insituto Nacional de la Pesca as a partner institution in the Mexican government's Pacific leatherback program. As such, CI has the unique infrastructure, personnel, contacts and required permission to carry out this collaborative work, in addition to being a participant in the Pacific Mexico Leatherback Working Group. The period of performance is anticipated to be one year with options for two additional one-year periods. This sole source acquisition is being issued under the authority of FAR 6.302-1 and is advertised to meet the requirements of FAR 5.2. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. See Note #22. Posted 06/19/00 (W-SN466277). (0171)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0010 20000621\B-0004.SOL)