B -- STUDY OF LATENT MORTALITY OF JUVENILE SALMONIDS

THE PROPOSED CONTRACT ACTION IS FOR SUPPLIES OR SERVICES FOR WHICH THEGOVERNMENT INTENDS TO SOLICIT AND NEGOTIATE WITH ONLY ONE SOURCE UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 6.302. INTERESTED PERSONS MAY IDENTIFY THEIR INTEREST AND CAPABILITY TO RESPOND TO THE REQUIREMENT OR SUBMIT PROPOSALS. THIS NOTICE OF INTENT IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS. HOWEVER, ALL PROPOSALS RECEIVED WITHIN 15 DAYS AFTER DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THIS SYNOPSIS WILL BE CONSIDERED BY THE GOVERNMENT. THIS IS A SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION WITH AN ESTIMATED VALUE OF LESS THAN $100,000. The office of Fish Ecology Division located in Seattle, WA intends to acquire services from the University of Washington to study and analyze possible mechanisms associated with potential latent mortality to juvenile salmonids during passage through the Federal Columbia River Power System. The period of performance is through 31 September 2008. The University of Washington is the only entity that is capable of performing the work because they have developed the theory and protocols for applying the theory to the subject study and analysis. Vitality theory (Anderson 1992, 2000) was developed by Dr. Anderson to deal with latent mortality by characterizing the effect of stress on the rate of loss of vitality, a measure of an organism?s remaining survival capacity. Vitality changes stochastically with age, selectively culling the weaker individuals leaving the strong, more vital, organisms to reproduce. They have demonstrated with laboratory (Cobleigh 2003, Springman et al. 2005) and field studies (Anderson et al. In press) that the effect of cumulative stress, or more generally past environmental conditions, can be quantitatively related to future survival. Furthermore, they have demonstrated that the linkage between cumulative stress and future survival can be estimated through challenge experiments where organisms of differing experiences are subjected to a standardized challenge (Salinger et al. 2003). Vitality theory and the challenge experiments conducted means to identify the effects of specific life history experiences on salmon for the first time. The theory has been applied to several groups of animals but not to juvenile salmon and the physiological burdens they experience when migrating downstream through the FCRPS. To do so, the theory and application protocols that have been developed and applied by the University of Washington will have to be modified and adapted for the unique sampling conditions and facilities at Bonneville Dam. Therefore, implementation for this NOAA Fisheries study under the FCRPS Biological Opinion requires the services and capabilities of the University of Washington. All responses must be in writing and may be faxed to (206) 526-6025 attention to Mona Ash. ****The Western Regional Acquisition Division, requires that all contractors doing business with this Acquisition Office be registered with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR). NO award can be made unless the vender is registered in CCR. For additional information and to register in CCR please access the following web site: http://www.ccr.gov. In order to register with the CCR and to be eligible to receive an award from this acquisition office, all offerors must have a Dun & Bradstreet Number. A Dun & Bradstreet number may be acquired free of charge by contacting Dun & Bradstreet on-line at www.dnb.com/eupdate or by phone at (800) 333-0505.