SOLICITATION NOTICE
A -- DEVELOP AND TEST LESS-DANGEROUS WEIGHTS FOR USE ON LONGLINE
- Notice Date
- 7/19/2007
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- NAICS
- 541990
— All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Western Region Acquisition Division, 7600 Sand Point Way, Northeast, Seattle, WA, 98115-6349, UNITED STATES
- ZIP Code
- 00000
- Solicitation Number
- WASC-7-8718
- Response Due
- 8/2/2007
- Archive Date
- 8/17/2007
- Description
- This requirement is being procured in accordance with FAR part 13, Simplified Acquisition Procedures. NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service located in Honolulu, HI requires service to develop and test less dangerous weights for use on longline fishery branch lines to increase bycatch-reducing practices. Project Background: Line-weighting to prevent mortality of seabirds is mandatory in the U.S. Pacific longline fishery, and is becoming one of the several options available to fishermen to meet bycatch conservation measures in internationally-managed longline fisheries. Weighting lines increases the sinking rate of baited hooks, and reduces the window of opportunity for seabirds to interact with hooks near the surface of the water. Weighting lines also causes them to remain generally deeper in the water, catching fewer shallow-swimming species such as sea turtles, marlins, wahoo, and other gamefish. Research on turtle-safe fishing gear (circle hooks and alternate bait) has led to reopening of the shallow-set U.S. fishery that traditionally interacted most with seabirds. Thus gear improvements addressing one bycatch problem again have the potential to lead to increased problems with other species. When using weighted lines, fishermen are at risk of personal injury when lines break under tension thus causing the line weight to return towards the fishermen with great velocity. Many fishers are not likely to willingly adopt such measures given the risks involved. Yet line weighting is among the single most effective measures among the suite of options available to reduce seabird mortality in longline fishing. The currently required method of line weighting requires attachment of at least 45 g of weight to branch lines within 1 m of the baited hook. What is needed is the development of a means to weight baited branch lines so they sink at least as rapidly as with the present method while reducing the human-risk factor. The appropriate weighting method should both safeguard fishers from injury and also increase the likelihood of more widespread acceptance of branch line weighting in longline fisheries. The objective of this project is to develop and demonstrate a practical, safe, and inexpensive weighting device to sink baited hooks at least as well as the current method, while simultaneously reducing the human risk factor. The final report must include specifications on this device so that it may be manufactured or procured. Additionally, the report must include summarized data indicating results of field trials, including information addressing improved human safety using the modified weighting device. General Requirements for an offer: Previous experience in fisheries bycatch mitigation research, as proven by authorship of peer-review articles. This is a simplified acquisition with an estimated value of less than $100,000 ****The Western Regional Acquisition Division, requires that all contractors doing business with this Acquisition Office be registered with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR) as of October 1, 2003. After this date, NO award can be made unless the vender 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 the CCR and to be eligible to receive an award from this acquisition office, all offerors must have a Dun & Bradstreet Number. A Dun & Bradstreet number may be acquired free of charge by contacting Dun & Bradstreet on-line at www.dnb.com/eupdate or by phone at (800) 333-0505. All contractors are also required to complete online Representations and Certifications at HTTP://ORCA.BPN.GOV.
- Place of Performance
- Address: Honolulu, HI
- Zip Code: 96822
- Country: UNITED STATES
- Zip Code: 96822
- Record
- SN01346631-W 20070721/070720001008 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
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