R -- CONVENE REGIONAL AND FULL ATLANTIC LARGE WHALE TAKE REDUCTION TEAM MEETINGS

The Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Eastern Administrative Support Center intends to negotiate on a sole source basis with RESOLVE, 1255 23rd Street, NW, Washington D.C. to convene and facilitate the annual Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team (ALWTRT) Meeting for the National Marine Fisheries Service (NFMS). NOAA Fisheries is mandated by amendments to the Marine Mammal Protection Act to develop Take Reduction Teams for strategic stocks that interact with fisheries having a high or intermediate level of incidental take. These teams recommend a plan to NMFS to reach the goal of reducing commercial fishery/marine mammal interactions, and are reconvened during the implementation of the plan. RESOLVE facilitated the initial and subsequent ALWTRT meetings and is needed for the 2005 meeting and workshop to maintain continuity in the mediation process. The statutory authority for other than full and open competition is 41 USC 253(c)(1), Only One Responsible Source. The applicable NAICS is 541690. This action is estimated above the simplified acquisition threshold of $100,000.