MONITOR AND PLANT OYSTERS

NOTICE OF INTENT TO NEGOTIATE A SOLE-SOURCE CONTRACT The US Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Eastern Region Acquisition Division, Simplified Acquisition Branch intends to negotiate on a sole source basis with the Oyster Recovery Partnership, Annapolis, Maryland, using the procedures in FAR Part 13, to provide Oyster Planting and Monitoring. The completion date for all line items is September 1, 2019. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), NOAA Chesapeake Bay Program Office (NCBO), Annapolis, Maryland, provides science, service, and stewardship to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem. In order to accomplish its oyster restoration goals in ten Chesapeake Bay tributaries by the year 2025, the NCBO works with partners to conduct studies that determine where new oyster reefs should be established. After the reefs are established, they are monitored to determine oyster population density, oyster biomass, presence/absence of multiple oyster year classes, and shell volume (collectively called "biological metrics), or other metrics as specified by NOAA. The Oyster Recovery Partnership (ORP) has performed both components of this work for the last several years, and possesses the knowledge of the technical aspects of the work, as well as the process by which the work is accomplished (understanding of work products, work flow, and respective roles, including NOAA's role). It is essential to keep this contractor to ensure continuity of the technical aspects and the specific gear being used for data collection. This contractor has already developed computer scripts to perform the necessary analyses; re-using these scripts builds in efficiency and ensures annual continuity. Continuity is especially important as the results will be compared against past years' monitoring results to inform management actions on oyster restoration sites. ORP serves in the role of general contractor, coordinating work between sub-contractors who perform specific elements of the scope of work. ORP's role is critical in ensuring that methods, data formatting, and statistical analyses are comparable and/ or consistent among multiple sub-contractors. This is necessary to ensure NOAA's final Oyster Reef Monitoring Report is scientifically valid and cohesive, given that multiple entities collect and analyze the data The North American Industry Classification Code (NAICS) for this acquisition is 813312, Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations, with a business size standard of $15.0 M. This is not a solicitation for competitive quotes. However, if any other interested party believes that it can meet the requirements, it may submit a statement of capabilities, which if timely received, will be considered by NOAA. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed requirement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. Evidence must be provided of ability to provide the required services. The capability statement and any other information furnished must be in writing and must contain material in sufficient detail to allow NOAA to determine if the party can meet all of the requirements. Capability statements and related materials must be e-mailed to [email protected] by 04:00 pm, May 18, 2018.