99 -- Hydroacoustic Telemetry Equipment to Track Tropical Reef Fishes

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6 as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. This solicitation is issued as a Request for Quotations. The U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA/NOS National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, has a requirement for equipment to acoustically track tropical reef fishes. NOS's underwater hydroacoustic telemetry needs include the ability of the equipment to track large number of fishes with a wide range of sizes and habitat requirements. NOS requires internal tags small enough (i.e., 20mm or less in length) to be implanted in fish down to 150mm (ca. tag size 30mm or less), yet powerful enough to be detected in a variety of habitats (coral reefs, seagrass, mangroves) which have variable range detection limitations. The tags must be capable of - pinging for at least 1 year and have sufficient power output to be detected at least 500m away from a receiver. If loss of battery power occurs, the tags must have the capability to store the data for future down loading of the information. NOS requires at least 125 coded tags and 25 continuous tags. NOS also requires at least 40 submersible receivers that are durable, cost effective, capable of detecting several hundred tags coded simultaneously, and can be deployed for up to one year without battery change or loss of data. The receivers must have a wide dynamic range permitting simultaneous detection of near and distant tags without gain adjustment. The receivers must have time and position display and data logging capabilities. The receivers must have the ability to rapidly download data to a laptop computer while in the field. NOS also requires a manual tracking receiver that is durable, splash proof, and capable of also detecting coded tags of different frequencies simultaneously. Specifically, NOS requires an omni-directional hydrophone with 5-meters of cable and a directional hydrophone with 10-meters of cable. This requirement is not set aside for small business. The North American Industry Classification System Code (NAICS) is 334511 and the applicable size standard is 750 employees. Responses must be sent electronically in MS Word format to contact@example.gov and in paper to Pauline Jaffe, Contract Specialist, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, 1305 East West Highway, Suite 7604, SSMC4, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, no later than 11:00 am, local time, on August 18, 2005. The applicable terms and conditions for the resulting purchase order are current through FAC 2005-03 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation. Interested contractors are hereby advised that contractors shall be registered in the Central Contractor Registry (CCR). Please register with CCR at the following website: http://www.ccr.gov. Questions regarding this requirement shall be submitted electronically to contact@example.gov.