ZooScan Instrument

The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Eastern Region Acquisitions Division-Kansas City office intends to award, on a sole source basis, under the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), with Hydroptic for two ZooScan instruments to digitally analyze plankton samples collected in response to the Deep Water Horizon Oil Spill for the National Marine Fisheries Service in Miami, FL. A sources sought notice was posted to FedBizOpps on May 30, 2012 and closed on June 11, 2012. No responses were received. It is necessary for these plankton samples to be analyzed quickly, and digital imaging of whole samples allows for a permanent digital record to be created in a timely manner. ZooScan is an instrument that uses a modified scanner sensor with a custom-built lighting system and a water-tight scanning chamber into which plankton samples can be poured, digitized at high-resolution, and recovered without damage. The contents of these images then can be identified, enumerated, and measured by a human working with specialized software. Background Colleagues at Louisiana State University, who will also carry out Deep Water Horizon Oil Spill plankton analysis, have developed the methodology for this process using ZooScan and its associated software. Therefore, it is crucial that any lab replicating these methods use the same instrument, to achieve the utmost precision. Additionally the ZooScan instrument is the instrument to be used for scanning zooplankton according to the official Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) plankton processing plan. The ZooScan instrument is specifically required by NRDA/BP as part of the effort to standardize plankton sorting and processing. This standard was established in 2010 by the academic community as the Best Practice to quickly sort and identify zooplankton samples. The Southeast Fisheries Science Center is now part of this effort as they are one of four groups working to identify possible damage and access impacts to the pelagic ecosystem caused by the Deep Water Horizon Oil Spill in 2010. As a requirement of this work, all efforts must be standardized in technique as well as equipment. If this equipment is not procured, the work completed by the Southeast Fisheries Science Center could be challenged in any court case and allow other work performed by NOAA to by challenged by litigation lawyers. It is in the best interest of the U.S. Government to comply with the Natural Resource Damage Assessment NOAA standard and procure the ZooScan instruments for work to move forward expeditiously. Requirements The ZooScan instrument is specifically required by Natural Resource Damage Assessment /BP as part of the effort to standardize plankton sorting and processing. This standard was established in 2010 by the academic community as the Best Practice to quickly sort and identify zooplankton samples. The Southeast Fisheries Science Center is now part of this effort as they are one of four groups working to identify possible damage and access impacts to the pelagic ecosystem caused by the Deep Water Horizon Oil Spill in 2010. As a requirement of this work, all efforts must be standardized in technique as well as equipment. If this equipment is not procured, the work completed by the Southeast Fisheries Science Center could be challenged in any court case and allow other work performed by NOAA to by challenged by litigation lawyers. It is in the best interest of the U.S. Government to comply with the Natural Resource Damage Assessment NOAA standard and procure the ZooScan instruments for work to move forward expeditiously.