SOLICITATION NOTICE
B -- Environmental Investigation of the Use of Shoals Offshore Delaware and Maryland by Mobile Benthos and Finfish Species
- Notice Date
- 1/26/2002
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- Contracting Office
- Minerals Management Service, 381 Elden Steet, MS 2500, Herndon, VA 20170-4817
- ZIP Code
- 20170-4817
- Solicitation Number
- 85060
- Response Due
- 2/13/2002
- Archive Date
- 3/13/2002
- Point of Contact
- Wallace O. Adcox, Contracting Officer, (703) 787-1354
- Description
- The Minerals Management Service (MMS), a bureau within the U. S. Department of the Interior, intends to competitively award a contract to conduct a study to address environmental questions concerning the use of offshore shoal areas of the mid-Atlantic by finfish and other mobile species and the potential for adverse impacts to these species as a result of offshore sand dredging. MMS has formed partnerships with several East Coast and Gulf of Mexico States to evaluate sand deposits along their coast for restoration projects. The MMS has for several years worked with the States of Maryland and Delaware through their respective geological surveys to locate potential sand borrow areas in the Federal waters offshore their respective coasts. This has resulted in the identification of numerous shoals, some of which have been found to contain compatible sand for coastal and beach restoration purposes. However, numerous species of fish and other mobile organisms are known to inhabit these shoal areas and the potential for long-term adverse impact associated with an offshore dredging operation does exist if the dredging operation were to result in a significantly altered physiography/topography. The information gathered during this project will be used to assess requests for the use of OCS sand from the States of Maryland or Delaware, or from local entities within those States. The information will assist the MMS during the EFH consultation process and identify ways to minimize or preclude the impact of dredging operations. BACKGROUND: The United States (U. S.) Government, and specifically, the Minerals Management Service (MMS), a bureau within the U. S. Department of the Interior, has jurisdiction over all mineral resources on the Federal OCS. Public Law 103-426, gave the MMS the authority to convey, on a noncompetitive basis, the rights to OCS sand, gravel, or shell resources for shore protection, beach or wetlands restoration projects, or for use in construction projects funded in whole or part or authorized by the Federal Government. Since enactment of PL 103-426, MMS has provided Federal sand for beach nourishment projects in New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, and Florida. Extensive beach restoration projects along the east and Gulf coasts of the U. S. are placing increased pressure on known offshore sand resources within state waters. Resource studies in Federal waters conducted to date suggest that most usable sand deposits for coastal and beach restoration occur within the submerged offshore shoals on the inner continental shelf. The 1996 amendments to the Magnuson-Stevens Act strengthened the ability of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and Fishery Management Councils to protect and conserve the habitat of marine, estuarine, and anadromous finfish, mollusks, and crustaceans. This habitat is termed "essential fish habitat" and is broadly defined to include "those waters and substrate necessary to fish for spawning, breeding, feeding, or growth to maturity". The Act requires the Councils to describe and identify the essential habitat for the managed species, minimize to the extent practicable adverse effects on EFH caused by fishing, and identify other actions to encourage the conservation and enhancement of EFH. NMFS must coordinate with other federal agencies to conserve and enhance EFH, and federal agencies must consult with NMFS on all actions or proposed actions authorized, funded, or undertaken by the agency that may adversely affect EFH. NMFS must provide recommendations to federal and state agencies on such activities to conserve EFH. MMS has actively worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and NMFS during project/negotiated lease development and the EFH consultation process using whatever information is currently available to avoid impacts to various fish species in shoal areas proposed as sand borrow sites. Little information is available, however, relative to the use of these offshore shoal areas by fish and various mobile species. STATEMENT OF WORK: ITEM 1. Development of Technical Field Program to Address Biological Questions Concerning the Relationship of/and Use of Offshore Shoal Areas by Finfish and Other Mobile Species (Task 1): The Contractor will develop a field program to provide information relative to the following questions and issues: Due the shoals located on the mid-Atlantic seafloor: 1) serve as orientation features for finfish and mobile epi-benthos to orient to during migrations or other population movements; 2) serve as a staging ground for various species of finfish and mobile epi-benthos during migrations or other population movements; 3) provide needed physical habitat structure for a variety of marine species, (this structure would otherwise be lacking on the largely flat seafloor); 4) serve to maintain physical habitat diversity by contributing to maintenance of adjacent lows and seafloor flats. The field program is to be conducted in and around Fenwick Shoal, offshore southern-most Delaware, and Weaver Shoal and Shoals B and D offshore Maryland. ITEM 2. Coordination with the Maryland and Delaware Geological Surveys (MDGS, DGS) (Task 2): Prior to initiation of any field work, the Contractor will discuss prior field work conducted by the MDGS and DGS within the potential borrow/study areas and obtain any data or information that might be used during the conduct of this project. The Contractor will also search the available literature base for additional relevant field data or information. This information will be used to the maximum extent possible to address the study elements outlined under Item 1. ITEM 3. Preparation of the Draft and Final Technical Manuscript (Task 3): After all field observations are complete and all data and samples have been analyzed, the Contractor shall prepare a report. The Contractor shall prepare a manuscript with clear, concise writing at a level suitable to a technical audience familiar with the various facets of the marine sciences. Judicious use of tables, figures, and maps is encouraged. The format and organization for the manuscript will be agreed upon between the PM and the MMS-COTR prior to preparation. A draft final manuscript shall be submitted to MMS for review before preparation of the final document. Within 30 calendar days after MMS has received the Draft Final Manuscript, MMS will review the document for accuracy and scientific validity and will provide the contractor with written comments based on the review. Upon reviewing MMS' comments on this material, the Contractor shall correct all omissions or deficiencies resulting from nonconformance to the contract requirements. The Contractor shall also make additions, revisions, or corrections relating to data interpretation, judgments, or recommendations that have been mutually agreed upon with MMS. If the Contractor does not agree with MMS's findings, discussions shall be held with the COTR to resolve the disagreements. When all issues have been resolved, the Contractor shall submit a written response to the COTR as to how the Contractor will address the findings in the final material submitted. This response shall be submitted within seven (7) calendar days from the date MMS's written comments were received. The MMS will then have seven (7) calendar days to either approve or disapprove the response. ITEM 4. Technical Draft and Final Summary (Task 4): The Contractor shall prepare a Draft Technical Summary. Within 30 calendar days after MMS has received the Draft Technical Summary, MMS will review the document for accuracy and scientific validity and will provide the Contractor with written comments based on the review. Upon reviewing MMS's comments on this material, the Contractor shall correct all omissions or deficiencies resulting from nonconformance to the contract requirements. The Contractor also shall make additions, revisions, or corrections relating to data interpretation, judgments, or recommendations that have been mutually agreed upon with MMS. If the Contractor does not agree with MMS's findings, discussions shall be held with the COTR to resolve the disagreements. When all issues have been resolved, the Contractor shall submit a written response to the COTR as to how the Contractor will address the findings in the final material submitted. This response shall be submitted within seven (7) calendar days from the date MMS's written comments were received. The MMS will then have seven (7) calendar days to either approve or disapprove the response. In addition to the paper version of the summary, the final summary shall be submitted as both Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) files. ITEM 5. Submission of Draft and Final Non-Technical Summary (Task 5): The Contractor shall prepare a separate draft non-technical document describing the study. Within 30 calendar days after receipt of the Draft Non-Technical Summary, MMS will review the documents for accuracy and scientific validity and will provide the Contractor with written comments based on the review. Upon reviewing MMS's comments on this material, the Contractor shall correct all omissions or deficiencies resulting from nonconformance to the contract requirements. The Contractor also shall make additions, revisions, or corrections relating to data interpretation, judgments, or recommendations that have been mutually agreed upon with MMS. If the Contractor does not agree with MMS's findings, discussions shall be held with the COTR to resolve the disagreements. When all issues have been resolved, the Contractor shall submit a written response to the COTR as to how the Contractor will address the findings in the final material submitted. This response shall be submitted within seven (7) calendar days from the date MMS's written comments were received. The MMS will then have seven (7) calendar days to either approve or disapprove the response. In addition to the paper versions of the summary, the final summary shall be submitted as both Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) files. ITEM 6. Submission of Draft Scientific Paper and Paper to Refereed Journal (Task 6). After completion and acceptance of the final manuscript, the Contractor shall prepare a draft scientific paper describing the study, its purpose, methods, conclusions, etc. for submission to an appropriate refereed journal. The Contractor shall forward this paper to MMS COTR and allow 30 days for review and comment. The Final Scientific Paper shall be submitted as specified. The Contractor, in consultation with MMS COTR, will determine the appropriate journal for paper submission. ITEM 7. Presentation at MMS Information Transfer Meeting or Other Scientific/Technical Conference (Task 7): The Contractor shall present details of this study at the annual MMS Gulf of Mexico Information Transfer Meeting (ITM) or other technical conference as agreed upon between the PM and the MMS COTR. At this meeting, the Contractor shall present the results and conclusions of the project as determined from the field observations and wave modeling analysis. ITEM 8. Bi-Monthly Progress Reports (Task 8): The Contractor shall submit bi-monthly, a concise report in letter format containing: 1. A summary of work accomplished and overall progress made in each task of the contract; 2. A summary of any significant problems encountered during the preceding two (2) months, including an assessment of their probable impact on the contractor's performance and statements of corrective actions taken or proposed; 3. A summary of any major technical findings and interpretations during the preceding two (2) months; 4. A list of any significant meetings held or other contacts made in connection with the contract during the preceding two (2) months, including a brief summary which outlines the subject, participants, date, location, and outcome of each such contact or meeting; 5. A summary of major work activities scheduled for the next two (2) months; 6. Summaries of any questions or problems regarding the contractor's work requiring discussion or resolution with MMS. ITEM 9. Presentation Slides Sets. (Task 9): The contractor shall submit two (2) identical sets of presentation slides with captions. These captions shall be prepared in hard copy format, as well Iomega Zip 100-compatible disks or CD-ROM, using Microsoft Word. Subject matter of the slides should include: researchers at work; equipment being used; oceanic features; marine life; birds, fish, marine mammals, etc. Slides should be identified with contractor, photographer, subject matter, and date noted on each slide. A coded, written description of each slide should accompany submittal. ITEM 10. Kick-off Meeting (Task 10): The Contractor shall plan a 1 day kick-off meeting to be held in an area geographically convenient to the majority of the participants. The kick-off meeting shall be held after the contract award in order to meet with the main technical personnel to be involved in the project (the Program Manager and all principal investigators) to review all project schedules and objectives and resolve any technical or managerial problems. The logistics involved and the plan for collecting field data will be discussed at this meeting. An agenda for this meeting shall be prepared and submitted to MMS. A summary report detailing the results of the meeting shall be submitted within ten (10) calendar days following the meeting. ITEM 11. Program Management and Control Requirements: The Contractor shall adhere to the Program Management Plan that was submitted to the MMS Contracting Officer (CO) and Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR) in the written submission preceding the oral presentation for monitoring all aspects of contract requirements. ITEM 12. Data Management: The Contractor shall operate under a data management plan and system designed to ensure continuous evidence of data possession, comparison, and security with signatures, dates, times, and location of data being noted. The Contractor shall ensure the proper formatting and reporting of all data and the distribution of data, as required, among the Principal Investigators. These procedures shall be documented as part of the Program Management Plan. ITEM 13. Spatial Data Files (Task 11): The contractor shall submit, on CD-ROM, computer files of the data that has been collected. The files should depict the location of existing and proposed borrow areas; the locations of permanent features including bathymetry, identified shoal fields, distribution and location of finfish and mobile species in the study areas, based on the collected field data; distribution of sediment-types in the proposed borrow areas; location of species managed under Magnusson-Stevens Act (Essential Fish Habitat) overlapping proposed borrow areas. The files should be in the ArcView 3.1 or 3.2 format. The project period of performance is 38 months from the date of contract award, with a cost range of $400,000 to $500,000. To compete for this contract, an offeror must demonstrate qualifications to perform the work by providing, no later than close of business, February 13, 2002, a Capabilities Statement describing in detail: (A) Key technical personnel and their demonstrated ability to collect, interpret and synthesis information. Particularly relevant is their expertise in the field of marine biology or other relevant necessary disciplines to undertake the project, their experience in the type of work proposed, and demonstrated ability to do the work. Scientific personnel must collectively demonstrate relevant experience in the scientific disciplines. This experience must be demonstrated through authorship in appropriate peer reviewed publications. Assessment factors will be their qualifications, the relevance of their qualifications to their assigned task, and their estimated level of effort. (B) Key technical personnel who will be responsible for the organization of information and the production of documents and manuscripts. The offerer shall provide information on which tasks(s) each key person will perform; qualifications for completing those tasks; and the rationale for that assignment. (C) The offering organization's expertise with this type of work and a description of relevant facilities and resources. (D) Specific references including project identifier and description, period of performance, dollar amount, and client name and phone number for previous work of this nature conducted by the organization and/or organization personnel. REFERENCES WILL BE CHECKED. Offerors must submit a Capabilities Statement in original form and five (5) copies to: Wallace Adcox, Contracting Officer, Minerals Management Service, 381 Elden Street, MS-2500, Herndon, Virginia 20170-4817. Capabilities Statements will be evaluated on the basis of: (A) Experience and expertise of all key technical personnel; (B) Qualifications, the relevance of their qualifications to their assigned task, and their estimated level of effort; (C) Organizational history of timely completing similar projects, adherence to schedules and budgets, effectiveness of cost controls, and quality of products delivered; (D) The degree of comparability of past projects to the current project, including number, complexity, and size. Subcontracts and partners will be considered; (E) the quality of cooperation between organization, staff, and key personnel and the client. Questions should be faxed to Wallace Adcox at (703) 787-1387. All correspondence should include the RFP number, full name/company name, address, phone, and fax numbers.
- Record
- SN20020130/00019550-020128210430 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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