SAMPLING SHARK NURSERY GROUNDS IN SOUTH CAROLINA WATERS
EP133F08RQ0945

The Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service, Northeast Fisheries Science Center, Narragansett, RI is issuing an intent to negotiate a sole source procurement with Natural Resources, South Carolina, Columbia, SC to furnish the necessary personnel, materials, equipment, services and facilities to, beginning on or about 9/1/2008, 1) Identify sampling stations in putative coastal shark nursery grounds in consort with COASTSPAN personnel. 2) Set gill nets and longline gear at pre-selected or random-stratified stations to sample juvenile and neonate sharks for 3-7 days per month, April through December or as necessary and weather permitting. 3) Take required environmental data at each station. 4) Identify, enumerate, examine and tag sharks. Collect CPUE, location and tag data. 5) Assemble catch data and tag data by month and station into chart form and prepare monthly sampling reports to share with NMFS Narragansett COASTSPAN team. 6) Submit data by 9/1/2009. In order to comply with the debt collection improvement act of 1966, all contractors must be registered in CCR. Contact the CCR website at www.ccr.gov/index.cfm. The statutory authority for other than full and one competition is 41 USC 253 (C)(1), Only One Responsible Source. The government intends to award a firm fixed price purchase order for this requirement. All applicable awards shall be in compliance with Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12). CAR Clause 1352.239-73 Security Processing Requirements for Contractors/Subcontractor personnel for accessing DOC information Technology Systems (JUN 20060 will apply.

The applicable NAICS code is 541990.

Interested parties may identify their interest and must provide evidence of their capability to respond to this requirement by August 22, 2008. Responses to this notice, if any, must show clear and convincing evidence that competition would be advantageous to the government. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. A determination by the Government not to compete with this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement in the future. Inquiries will only be accepted via email to Linda.distefano@noaa.gov