20 -- Notice of intent to Negotiate a Sole Source Contract

The Department of Commerce’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) intends to negotiate a sole source contract with Cantrawl Pacific to acquire a Model 400/580 midwater trawl. This equipment is essential for large-scale marine surveys conducted by the NMFS Auke Bay Laboratory in the Eastern Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska, focusing on salmon and other near-surface species to assess their relative abundance. The trawl will be used in conjunction with standardized Net Systems 5.0 meter alloy trawl doors, ensuring consistent data collection necessary for comparing survey results across different locations and years. This procurement is categorized as a simplified acquisition with an estimated cost below $100,000. The contract supports ongoing efforts to standardize equipment for accurate abundance estimates, facilitating reliable monitoring of marine species populations. The solicitation number associated with this notice is WASC-2-1204, with the contracting office located in Seattle, Washington under the Department of Commerce NOAA.