Inactive Total Small Business Set-Aside (FAR 19.5)

Solicitation Amendment 0002

Inactive Total Small Business Set-Aside (FAR 19.5)

The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration ’s (NOAA) mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth’s environment and conserve and manage coastal and marine resources to meet... The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration ’s (NOAA) mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth’s environment and conserve and manage coastal and marine resources to meet our Nation’s economic, social, and environmental needs. NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) supports the overall NOAA mission by focusing on stewardship of living marine resources through science-based conservation and management and the promotion of healthy ecosystems. NMFS is responsible for the management, conservation and protection of living marine resources within the United States Exclusive Economic Zone. NMFS also plays a supportive and advisory role in the management of living marine resources in coastal areas under state jurisdiction. It provides scientific and policy leadership in the international arena, and implements international conservation and management measures as appropriate. Under this mission, the goal is to optimize the benefits of living marine resources to the Nation through sound science and management. This requires a balancing of multiple public needs and interests in the sustainable benefits and use of living marine resources, without compromising the long-term biological integrity of coastal and marine ecosystems. Many natural and human-related factors affect the status of fish stocks, protected species and ecosystems. Although these factors cannot all be controlled, available scientific and management tools enable the agency to have a strong influence on many of them. Maintaining and improving the health and productivity of these species is the heart of the NMFS mission. These activities will maintain and enhance current and future opportunities for the sustainable use of living marine resources as well as the health and biodiversity of their ecosystems. NMFS has three objectives in its mission to protect, restore, and manage the use of coastal and oceanic resources: protect and restore ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources; recover protected species; and, rebuild and maintain sustainable fisheries. To accomplish the above stated mission, the NMFS, West Coast Region (WCR), Sustainable Fisheries Division (SFD) has a requirement for a contractor to provide and retain the necessary qualified personnel, material, equipment, services, and facilities to perform quality environmental, biological, and fisheries operations data collection, data analysis, and information dissemination for the West Coast fisheries observed by NMFS, WCR. The contractor will be required to provide selection, supervision, and outfitting of all sea-going personnel needed to fulfill Federal fisheries obligations of the Observers for the West Coast Region Observer Program (WCROP). Sea-going Observers work 40 hours or more per week as the sole contract employee aboard privately-owned commercial fishing vessels. Observers collect required information to assess the involvement of marine mammals, sea turtles, seabirds and finfish bycatch in the fisheries and acquire biological information for population and life studies. Observer duties include, but are not limited to: Observers collect scientific, management, compliance, and other data at sea through interviews of vessel captains and crew; observations of fishing operations; sampling catch; measuring selected portions of the catch and fishing gear; and collecting samples. Observers collect biological samples from the catch of fisheries according to detailed procedures in the Observer Program Manual and Biological Sampling Manual (copies available for specific fisheries online from links at the NMFS National Observer Program website: http://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/observer-home/). These data include those collected once per deployment; those collected with each change of fishing gear; those collected at the beginning and end of each tow; and those collected during the deployment cruise. These data are recorded electronically or on data sheets provided by the Government. The Observer collects data on fishing effort, location, and retained and discarded catch for each gear deployment that occurs while the Observer is aboard the vessel. The Observer Sampling Manual describes data collection protocols for gear deployment that the Observer sees as well as those not observed. The Observer collects length measurements, age, and biological samples from segments of the catch. Observer protocols, priorities, and data/sample collection procedures are detailed in the Observer manual. The Observer shall also collect information on any incidentally captured marine mammals, sea turtles, sea birds and other protected species. Including, but not limited to, location of take, biopsies, measurements, photos, and any other information. When protected species are caught, the primary responsibility of the Observer shall be to handle and release the protected species. The observer participates in debriefings which consist of: 1) reviewing sampling methods and answering Observer questions; 2) reviewing preliminary data; 3) correcting any data errors; 4) reviewing any other past errors or changes in sampling techniques or recorded on forms; 5) reviewing any logistical problems or concerns encountered by the Observer; and 6) providing the Observer with any updates on modifications to sampling procedures or other program information. The Observer may be asked to serve as Biological Technicians on NMFS research cruises when commercial fishing activity is low. Such duties as a Biological Technician when aboard NOAA research vessel working or a vessel contracted or approved to perform fishery research may include any of the following depending on type of survey being conducted: Deploy, operate, and retrieve underwater cameras and fish traps Assist in plankton tows, sort and preserve plankton samples, record biological and physical station information. Cut bait, bait hooks, assist in setting and retrieving long-line, count unbaited hooks, compile and record necessary data as instructed (type hook, what is on hook when retrieved, hook set and retrieve time, depth and temperature info, download depths and temperature). Visually search water surface for marine mammals and other marine life, identify and enumerate sighted marine life, deploy and retrieve CTD, collect and analyze water samples, take photographs and videos of marine mammals, complete marine mammal sighting data forms, assist in equipment care and maintenance, assist with data editing and management each day. A comprehensive list of requirements will be included in the Request for Proposals (RFP). The proposed contract action is set aside for small business concerns. The NAICS code for this procurement is 541990 and the small business size standard for this requirement is $16.5M employees. It is highly encouraged that any vendor meeting this size standard and desiring to be considered for award be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) using this NAICS code or a NAICS code with an equivalent size standard. No award can be made unless the vendor is registered in SAM. For additional information and to register in SAM, please access the following web site: www.sam.gov. In order to register with the SAM and to be eligible to receive an award from this acquisition office, all offerors must also have a Dun & Bradstreet Number. A Dun & Bradstreet number may be acquired free of charge by contacting Dun & Bradstreet on-line at https://iupdate.dnb.com/iUpdate/viewiUpdateHome.htm or by phone at (866) 969-8491. This procurement also requires offerors to complete the electronic representations and certifications at the SAM website. Any resulting contract will be awarded as a single award Indefinite Delivery-Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) firm-fixed-price, contract for commercial services. Solicitation documents will be made available for download on or about March 25, 2021 at beta.SAM.gov. Paper copies of this solicitation will not be issued. Interested parties should use the beta.SAM.gov “follow” feature to monitor changes to this notice, including RFP posting as well as all postings of information associated with this solicitation thereafter. Each potential offeror is responsible for checking the beta.SAM.gov website to gain all current information related to the solicitation. The solicitation and any further announcements regarding the solicitation will be posted only at https://beta.sam.gov/. The date offers are due will be stated within the solicitation documents and will be adjusted based upon the actual release date of the solicitation. All questions of any nature regarding this procurement should be sent in writing to the Contracting Officer, Crystina Jubie at Crystina.R.Jubie@noaa.gov.