This publication serves as notice of intent to procure service from Delta Stewardship Council located in Sacramento, California for the US Department of Commerce, NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service for ( Introduction ) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) seeks to develop a contract with the Delta Science Program to provide assistance with development and implementation of three major research and review projects to be conducted in 2010. These tasks are associated with the implementation of the Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives (RPAs) for the Central Valley Project and State Water Project operations biological opinion (OCAP Opinion). II. Background NMFS seeks the scientific expertise afforded by the Delta Science Program in developing the scientific framework for these projects and providing independent review of the research and information being used to guide these projects. Accordingly, NMFS has identified the following three tasks: (1) Review the experimental design for the sixyear acoustic tag experiment to assess the behavior, movement and survival of salmonids rearing and outmigrating through the lower San Joaquin River; (2) Coordinate an Integrated Annual Review science workshop with NMFS, the United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) and United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to review the 2010 water operations and research to determine whether any measures prescribed in the OCAP RPAs should be altered in light of information learned from the prior water years' operations or research; and (3) host a public workshop on integrated life cycle models. III. Description of Work and Services Task 1: Provide science advisors to assist with the experimental design for the six-year acoustic tag experiment to assess the behavior, movement and survival of salmonids rearing and outmigrating through the lower San Joaquin River. The six-year acoustic tag experiment is RPA Action IV.2.2 (page 645) in the OCAP Opinion, and is intended to provide important information about the response of fish migration to flows, exports, and other stressors in the San Joaquin River corridor. The experiments should be designed to ensure that results are statistically robust and uncertainties due to experimental design have been minimized to the fullest extent possible. NMFS anticipates that studies will utilize clipped hatchery steelhead and hatchery fall-run Chinook salmon as test fish. The Delta Science Program will provide a minimum of two scientific advisors to provide acoustic telemetry and statistical assistance as well as fisheries expertise (at least one data user expert is preferred). The Delta Science Program will assist with the development of the experimental design, to include: • An evaluation of whether: o it meets the list of issues identified in Action IV.2.2(2) (OCAP Opinion page 646); o it would result in statistically robust results; o uncertainties have been minimized to the fullest extent possible; o clipped hatchery steelhead and hatchery fall-run Chinook salmon are the appropriate test fish, and any advice on the source of the test fish; and o it meets the objectives of the experiment (OCAP Opinion page 645). • Comments that summarize the above evaluation. Task 2: Coordinate an Integrated Annual independent review panel to review the 2010 water operations and research to determine whether any measures prescribed in the OCAP RPAs should be altered in light of information learned from the prior years' operations, monitoring or research. The NMFS OCAP RPA (NMFS' OCAP Opinion, section 11.2.1.2, starting on page 583) requires USBR and NMFS to host a workshop no later than November 30 of every year to review the prior water years' operations and to determine whether any measures prescribed in the RPA should be altered in light of information learned from the prior years' operations or research. The intent of this annual review is to inform NMFS and FWS as to the efficacy of the prior year's water operations and regulatory actions prescribed by the RPAs, and to determine if there is any justification for amending specific measures in the RPAs to reflect new information, provided that such amendments are consistent with the Opinions' underlying analysis and conclusions and do not limit the effectiveness of the RPAs in avoiding jeopardy to listed species or adverse modification of critical habitat. The Delta Science Program will coordinate and host the review panel to include the NMFS and FWS 2008 biological opinions and will coordinate with NMFS, FWS, USBR, and the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) to gather information and data pertaining to the implementation of the OCAP RPAs, to include: • The effectiveness of the real-time operations and technical team process (including documentation and elevation procedures); • Implementation of operations actions and triggers, including the timing of reporting; • Timelines for and progress of habitat restoration actions; • Results of any research conducted; and • A review of the utility of the existing monitoring stations and costs/benefits of adding monitoring stations. Based on the review of the information and data, and the public workshop, the Delta Science Program will provide a written independent review panel report to NMFS, FWS and USBR regarding any RPA action(s) trigger or implementation procedure (including monitoring stations, salvage techniques, etc.) within the construct of the current Biological Opinions that could be tailored to be more effective or feasible. The panel will not be responsible for review of the RPAs, as this was already completed by the National Academy of Sciences. Task 3: Host a public workshop on integrated life cycle models Various peer reviews of NMFS' OCAP Opinions (i.e., October 22, 2004 final, and December 11, 2008 draft), and the National Academy of Sciences' March 19, 2010, report1 have confirmed the need for life cycle modeling in order to determine the effects of proposed water operations actions and the effectiveness of prescribed actions on the listed anadromous fish species. The Delta Science Program will host a public workshop on integrated life cycle models, to include: • Soliciting the availability of existing and potential integrated life cycle models (e.g., OBAN, Shiraz); • Scheduling a public workshop that includes presentations of the life cycle models by the principal model developers; • Provide a report to NMFS, summarizing the various life cycle models, pros and cons of each model, and the capability of the various life cycle models to integrate the life cycles of multiple species, including Delta smelt, to be utilized in determining the effects of water operations on multiple species. • Further planning is needed with FWS to include Pelagic Organism Decline species. IV. Period of Performance The period of performance of this contract shall be August 15, 2010 to December 31, 2010. V. Deliverables All deliverables will be submitted to the Government Project Officer. 1: Not later than September 15, 2010, Contractor shall provide comments on the experimental design to be used to guide and instruct the investigators. The comments should also include any suggested alternatives or variations to the experimental design, and rationale for the suggestion(s). (Task 1) 2: Public Integrated Annual Workshop to be held no later than November 30, 2010. (Task 2) 3: Final report shall be completed by the contractor by December 31, 2010, which includes recommendations to NMFS and FWS regarding any RPA action that could be tailored to be more effective or implementable, within the construct of the existing NMFS and FWS Biological Opinions. (Task 2) 1 "A Scientific Assessment of Alternatives for Reducing Water Management Effects on Threatened and Endangered Fishes in California's Bay Delta" 4: Public workshop on integrated life cycle models shall be held no later than September 30, 2010. (Task 3) 5: Not later than October 31, 2010, contractor shall complete a report that includes advice to NMFS regarding any RPA action that should be modified to be more effective or implementable. (Task 3) VI. Non-Personal Service Contract Statement Contractor employees performing services under this order will be controlled, directed and supervised at all times by management personnel of the contractor. Contractor employees will perform independent of and without the supervision of any Government official. Actions of contractor employees may not be interpreted or implemented in any manner that results in any contractor employee creating or modifying Federal policy, obligating the appropriated funds of the U.S. Government, overseeing the work of Federal employees, providing direct personal services to any Federal employee or otherwise violating the prohibitions set forth in Parts 7.5 and 37.1 of the Federal Acquisition Regulations. The Government will perform the inspection and acceptance of the completed work. Authority for sole-source purchase is 41 USC 253 (c) (1) only one responsible source and no other source will satify agency needs. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. However, all proposals received within 15 days of this publication of this synopsis will be considered by the government. All responses must be in writing and may be faxed attention Melvin Fondue at (206) 527-7166 or email at
[email protected] . This is a simplified acquisition with an estimated value of less than $100,000 **** The Westren Regional Acquisition Division, requires that all contractors doing business with this Acquisition Office be registered with the Central Contractor Registey (CCR) as of October 1, 2003. After this date, NO award can be made unless the vendor 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 CCR and be eligible to receive an award from this Acquisition Office, all offerors must have a Dun & Bradstreet Number (DUN). A DUN number may be acquried free of charge by contacting Dun & Bradstreet on line at www.dnb/eupdate of by phone at (800) 333-0505