SOLICITATION NOTICE
B -- NI'IHAU HAWAIIAN MONK SEAL POPULATION ASSESSMENT AND INCIDENT RESPONSE - RFQ PIRO-10-0559
- Notice Date
- 7/14/2010
- Notice Type
- Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
- NAICS
- 541620
— Environmental Consulting Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), NOAA/National Marine Fisheries Service, James J. Howard Marine Sciences Lab, 74 Magruder Road, Highlands, New Jersey, 07732, United States
- ZIP Code
- 07732
- Solicitation Number
- PIRO-10-0559
- Archive Date
- 8/13/2010
- Point of Contact
- Denise Rogers, Phone: 808-944-2208
- E-Mail Address
-
DENISE.ROGERS@NOAA.GOV
(DENISE.ROGERS@NOAA.GOV)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- RFQ PIRO-10-0559 Project: Ni‘ihau Hawaiian Monk Seal Population Assessment and Incident Response STATEMENT OF WORK 1. Background The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Pacific Islands Regional Office (PIRO), Protected Resources Division (PRD) is dedicated to protecting and recovering endangered and threatened species of sea turtles, monk seals and cetaceans as mandated by the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). Through management, conservation and recovery efforts, and public outreach and education, PRD strives to ensure the recovery and survival of the protected marine species of the Pacific Islands Region for future generations. Currently, recovery of the endangered Hawaiian monk seal is a high priority for NMFS. Although the overall population of Hawaiian monk seals is in decline, their numbers appear to be increasing in the main Hawaiian Islands (MHI). This MHI population increase is particularly important for monk seal recovery, and scientifically monitoring and documenting this population increase throughout the MHI is a NMFS priority. Monk seals are known to use the waters and shoreline areas of the island of Ni‘ihau, and the island's owners and residents have offered information and reports regarding monk seals on numerous occasions over the past several years. However, detailed and long-term population assessment data regarding Ni‘ihau's monk seals are thus far extremely limited. Furthermore, an on-island monk seal incident response program for Ni‘ihau to effectively respond to injured and sick monk seals has not yet been fully developed. The purpose of this project is to implement a population assessment and incident response program for Hawaiian monk seals on and around the island of Ni‘ihau, in close collaboration with the island's owners and residents. This multi-year project will provide invaluable scientific data regarding the Hawaiian monk seal population and habitat use on and around Ni‘ihau, as well as support the timely and humane response to monk seals that are found injured, sick, or entangled. 2. Scope and Objectives The goal of this project is to conduct Hawaiian monk seal population assessment surveys on as many beaches and accessible haul out areas on Ni‘ihau as practicable. The surveys will be conducted at least once per month, with emphasis on logging numbers and locations of individual seals, and photographically documenting individual seals for identification purposes. Responses to injured, sick, or entangled seals will be conducted as needed in close coordination with, and under the authority and oversight of, the NMFS marine mammal health and stranding response program. Specific objectives of this project are: • Collect, compile, and deliver Hawaiian monk seal sighting and distribution data for the island of Ni‘ihau on a consistent, long-term basis to support NMFS in the population assessment of Hawaiian monk seals in the MHI • Provide first responder support for injured, sick, or entangled monk seals in close coordination with NMFS To achieve these objectives, PRD requires a Contractor who has unrestricted access to the privately owned island of Ni‘ihau, and who is capable and willing to receive training from NMFS and thereafter conduct the population assessment and incident response support tasks described in this scope of work. The scope of this project includes residing for prolonged periods of time on the privately owned island of Ni‘ihau, conducting wildlife population field research for several days every month along the shorelines of Ni‘ihau, compiling and delivering wildlife population field research results, and supporting marine wildlife rescue and incident responses. 3. Tasks The Contractor shall perform the following tasks: Task 1. Conduct initial project inception meeting and maintain regular contact with PRD Before initiating significant work on the project, the Contractor shall convene a meeting with the technical point-of-contact staff person(s) designated by PRD to discuss the overall strategy of the project and other aspects of the project. The Contractor shall also contact PRD regularly (at least once every month) via email or telephone to provide a brief update on the progress of the project. Task 2. Participate in NMFS training The Contractor shall attend and actively participate in a training session on population survey methods and first responder protocols. The training will be provided by NMFS on the island of O‘ahu and will require participation by the Contractor for approximately eight hours per day for five days. All associated travel costs shall be included in the Contractor's project budget. Task 3. Conduct Hawaiian monk seal population assessment field research The Contractor shall conduct field work necessary for the assessment of the Hawaiian monk seal population of Ni‘ihau in a manner consistent with the methods presented in the training discussed in Task 2 above. In general, all monk seals sighted around the accessible shoreline of Ni‘ihau shall be recorded on a paper log in the field and transcribed to computer spreadsheet using the format provided by NMFS during the training discussed above. The entire length of accessible shoreline shall be surveyed at least once every four weeks to the maximum extent practicable considering weather, surf heights, and other factors related to human safety and logistical feasibility. Information collected will be per individual seal as follows: • Date, time, location (lat/long and beach name), NMFS flipper ID tag number and color (if any), photo numbers, and additional notes, such as seal body condition, behaviors, etc. • A map of Ni‘ihau shall also be included with the log specifying the areas surveyed and associated survey dates • Photos: A digital SLR with zoom lens and GPS geo-coding capability will be provided by NMFS for use by the Contractor in obtaining clear, close-up photos of individual seals for identification purposes. Photos shall be downloaded and organized on a computer in digital file folders organized by date and separated by individual seal. All information collected as specified above and in the training provided in Task 2 shall be compiled and saved on digital media (e.g., on a CD or DVD) and sent to NMFS on a monthly basis via US Mail or other reliable carrier. Task 4. Support Hawaiian monk seal rescue and incident response The Contractor shall support Hawaiian monk seal and incident response consistent with the training provide by NMFS as described in Task 2 above. Contractor involvement in response support generally shall be limited to reporting and documenting seals in need of response (e.g, injured, hooked, entangled, or sick seals) and providing location information and access to NMFS responders while on Ni‘ihau. In general, no more than one response per month is anticipated during the contract period, with each response entailing no more than 8 hours of work by the Contractor on average. 4. Deliverables Deliverable Due Date (days after contract award date, unless otherwise specified. See Section 7 below for start date.) 1. Task 1: Project inception meeting 15 days 2. Task 2: NMFS training 45 days 3. Task 3: Population assessment surveys 60 days for first survey and at least every 30 days thereafter 4. Task 4: Monk seal incident response As required, not to exceed 12 responses per year 5. Government Furnished Property NMFS will supply to the Contractor with population survey and response supplies and equipment as specified below. The contractor shall return all equipment and any unused supplies to NMFS at the end of the project. All other necessary equipment and supplies shall be provided by the contractor. • Digital SLR camera with 55-200mm lens and GPS Geo-coding unit • 4GB memory card for camera • Extra camera battery • 10 X 42 waterproof binoculars • Dry-bag for camera 6. Information Security in Acquisitions Data supplied for and produced by this contract is not privileged and the level of security required is low. The C&A requirements of clause 73 do not apply and a Security Accreditation Package is not required. 7. Project Start Date and Period of Performance Work on the project shall be initiated on or before September 13, 2010, with deliverables delivered to NMFS as specified in Section 4 above. The initial period of performance for this project is one year (365 days). This project is anticipated to be a multi-year project, with the contract including two one-year options to extend the project, pending available funds and compliance with other terms and conditions specified in the NOAA acquisition document. Minimum Qualifications At least one month experience conducting wildlife population assessment or monitoring activities in Hawai‘i, such as photo-documentation or beach counts. Basis for Award The basis for award of a contract as a result of this Request for Proposal will be an integrated assessment by the Government of the results of the evaluation based on the evaluation factors listed below. Technical and past performance considerations are more important than cost. The three categories and criteria are weighted as indicated below. I. Technical Approach (30%) The offerors' proposals shall show the offerors' organization and plan for successfully executing the Statement of Work. Proposals must address the organization's approach for each evaluation factor: 1) The approach to working in effective collaboration with PIRO PRD to meet the requirements stated in the Statement of Work. 2) The approach to conducting Tasks 3 and 4 as specified in the Statement of Work. II. Capacity and Past Performance (50%) The offeror must provide evidence that they have the capacity and experience to complete the project. Contact information for previous clients and employers should be provided. Proposals must address the organization's qualifications for each evaluation factor. 1) Provision of a written statement from the owners of the Island of Ni‘ihau and/or their legal representative or other documentation indicating that the offeror shall have sufficient access to the Island of Ni‘ihau and permission to conduct Tasks 3 and 4 specified in the Statement of Work. 2) Experience conducting field work on the Island of Ni‘ihau. 3) Availability of adequate personnel time and resources to complete the project and produce the deliverables on or before the due dates specified in the Statement of Work. III. Cost (20%) Each cost proposal in the competitive range will be subjected to a cost evaluation. For the purposes of this procurement, technical factors and past performance are considered more important than cost. However, in the event the proposals of two or more offerors receive comparable technical scores, cost may be used to determine which offer provides the best value to the Government. Cost proposals should include categories for salary, including rates, travel, supplies and expenses, overhead or profit, and others as needed to fully describe the cost of implementing the proposed work plan. Any expenses or tasks which are optional should be so indicated.
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