SOURCES SOUGHT
70 -- Software for Analysis of Scientific Echo Sounder Data
- Notice Date
- 8/21/2010
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541511
— Custom Computer Programming Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Eastern Region Acquisition Division-KC, 601 East 12th Street, Room 1756, Kansas City, Missouri, 64106, United States
- ZIP Code
- 64106
- Solicitation Number
- NFFN76001017157KLC
- Archive Date
- 8/28/2010
- Point of Contact
- Karen L Christian, Phone: (816)426-7286
- E-Mail Address
-
karen.l.christian@noaa.gov
(karen.l.christian@noaa.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- Total Small Business
- Description
- The U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA, Eastern Region Acquisition Division (ERAD), and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) have a requirement for Software for Analysis of Scientific Echo sounder Data. The requirement will be purchased as a sole brand name for Echoview software. The NMFS wants to purchase the software to analyze data collected from scientific echo sounders to estimate the biomass of plankton, squids, and fish. Background: Fisheries acoustics is a developing tool to improve assessment of fish stocks and evaluation of the total biomass of pelagic plankton, fish, and squids. Acoustic studies employ scientific echo sounders that work in a manner similar to commercial fish finders. Sound is transmitted through the water column from a transducer mounted on the ship, and the strength of the echoes sounds are measured to determine the amount of fish or other organisms that are in the water column. These tools are used to improve assessment of fish stocks in cases where other methods of quantifying fish are not effective (Simmonds and MacLennen, 2005). For marine mammal habitat studies, acoustic tools provide a continuous record of the amount of potential prey in the water column. Marine mammals are highly mobile predators that are thought to closely track the movement of their prey. The Southeast Fisheries Science Center has been developing the capability to incorporate fisheries acoustics studies into marine mammal surveys over the last several years. Both the NOAA ships Pisces and Gordon Gunter are equipped with split-beam scientific echo sounders (Simrad EK60) operating at four frequencies: 18 kHz, 38 kHz, 120 kHz, and 200 kHz. Of these, the 18 and 38 kHz will be useful in measuring acoustic backscatter from targets in the operational depth of the mid-water trawls. In addition, the Pisces has a multi-beam echo sounder (ME70) which operates in the 70-120 kHz range. The ME70 configuration includes a "reference beam" that operates at 73 kHz in a mode similar to the single frequency echo sounders. During marine mammal assessment surveys, these echo sounders are configured to allow multi-frequency comparison of acoustic backscatter. Multi-frequency methods are particularly useful for discriminating between different types of targets (e.g., swim-bladdered vs. non swim-bladdered fish) based upon relative differences in target strength at different frequencies (e.g., Jech and Michaels 2006, Benoit-Bird et al. 2009). The analysis of acoustic data collected during these surveys is highly technical. Many steps are required to adequately characterize the biomass and identity of fish, squids, and other organisms from acoustic data. These include the identification and tracking of individual targets, filtering and cleaning data to remove erroneous signals and noise, echo integration of the total backscatter at multiple frequencies and the development of classification tools to identify targets based on their frequency spectra. Specially designed scientific software is necessary for this complex set of analyses. The purpose of the software is for the scientific analysis of scientific echo sounder data collected using SimRad EK60 split-beam and ME70 multi-beam echo sounders. Requirements: A software package is required that can analyze raw data produced by split-beam echo sounders. Required capabilities include: 1) processing of raw data to evaluate signal-to-noise-ratio and remove erroneous signals, 2) individual target identification and tracking, 3) echo integration tools to quantify back-scatter in discrete depth layers, 4) ability to perform multi-frequency target classification, 5) ability to display and analyze data from multi-beam echo sounders. The software Echoview is the scientific standard state-of-the-art tool used to process split-beam and multi-beam scientific echo sounder data. It is the routinely used software for these types of highly complex and technical analysis, and is used by other NOAA line offices including the Northeast and Northwest Fisheries Science Centers, both of which has well-developed fisheries acoustics programs. Many of the routines for the types of analyses that we need to perform are already written for the Echoview software. Echoview also reads the native "RAW" data format produced by the Simrad EK60 echo sounders deployed on the two vessels routinely used by the Southeast Fisheries Science Center. The Echoview software is the state-of-the-art tool for the analysis of scientific echo sounder data for fisheries acoustics. Most of the routines used to analyze such data were developed specifically for Echoview. The software is also used at other NOAA Fisheries science centers where fisheries acoustics is a well-developed tool for stock assessment. The Echoview software is the only tool available to conduct these types of analyses. The Government has conducted market research and found there are no other software packages that meet their requirements. To be considered interested parties must be able to demonstrate their ability to provide software that will meet the Government's requirements. Firms must furnish detailed specifications and descriptions to demonstrate their capability to provide software that would satisfy the Government's needs. Capability information shall include, at a minimum, name, telephone number and address of concerns for which you have previously furnished this supply, and detailed narrative that describes you ability to provide this supply as specified and descriptive literature. The intended procurement is for supplies for which the Government intends to acquire under the guidelines of FAR Part 12, Commercial Items. The Government knows of only one source that can provide the software Myriax Software, Inc. This is not a request for proposals and there is no solicitation available at this time. However, all responses received within 7 calendar days after date of publication of this notice will be considered by the Government. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. The NAICS code for this requirement is 541511. Responses may be sent to email address karen.l.christian@noaa.gov or fax to 816-274-6952 ATTN: Karen Christian. All responsible sources may submit a quote which will be considered by the Agency. All contractors doing business with the Eastern Region Acquisition Division (ERAD) must be registered with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR). No award can be made unless the vendor is registered in CCR. For information and to register, please access the following website: http://www.ccr.gov/. In order to register with the CCR offerors must have a Dun & Bradstreet number. A Dun & Bradstreet number may be acquired free of charge by contacting Dun & Bradstreet on-line at http://www.dnb.com/product/eupdate/requestOptions.html or by phone at (800) 333-0505. The Government urges all contractors to submit their Certification and Representations through the online Business Partner Network (BPN). The BPN is the single source for vendor data for the federal Government. Contractors should go online at www.bpn.gov.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DOC/NOAA/CASC/NFFN76001017157KLC/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: NOAA/NMFS, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, 75 Virginia Beach Drive, Miami, Florida, 33149, United States
- Zip Code: 33149
- Zip Code: 33149
- Record
- SN02250133-W 20100823/100821233316-57dd55597f3c20dbbe3aa82e0d4be900 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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