F--Capture and Handling of Polar Bears

US Geological Survey intends to award on a sole source basis a purchase order to Polar Bears International, 105 Morris Street, Sebastopol, CA 95472, for field work including the capture and handling of polar bears on the sea ice and on land in the Southern Beaufort Sea region of Alaska, occurring in March April and May, 2009. The requirement includes an option for service to be included for August, and October, 2009. This requires a biologist with training and experience in capture and handling of polar bears and associated safety training and North Slope operations training for the duration of the 2009 Southern Beaufort Sea field season. Marking, capture and recapture of polar bears requires specialized training and experience, including training in aircraft safety for both helicopters and small fixed wing planes; handling of firearms and immobilizing chemicals; shooting polar bears with darts with immobilizing chemicals from the air; measurement and sample collection from immobilized bears; decision making skills to adapt to dynamic situations to maximize data collection while ensuring research operations do not have adverse effect on bears or researchers. Specific experience includes USGS polar bear field work including aerial surveys, aerial darting, drug handling and mixing, telemetry applications, taking and processing of biological samples and data recording. This is not a request for competitive proposals. Firms that believe they can provide these services are encouraged to identify themselves and provide a written capability statement to the Contracting Officer within 5 days of the publication date of this synopsis. Written responses shall include a complete description of services to be provided containing sufficient technical information to permit agency analysis to establish bona fide capability to meet the stated requirements as listed above. Capability Statements shall be electronically transmitted to [email protected]. Respondents will not be notified of any evaluation results. Determination not to compete this proposed action based on responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the U.S. Government. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive acquisition. See Note 25.