B--AK - Seabird Synthesis/NOTICE OF SOLE SOURCE AWARD

NUMBER: PR: 0040547613 POSTED DATE: 8/25/2021 SUBJECT: AK Seabird Synthesis This announcement constitutes the only notice. This is not a request for quotes. A determination not to compete is solely within the discretion of the Government. Any response to this notice must show clear and convincing evidence that competition would be advantageous to the Government. Responses received will be for the sole purpose of market research for future requirements. Under Simplified Acquisition Procedures (SAP), Fish & Wildlife Services, Region 7 Contracting and General Services intends to issue a sole source, firm-fixed price order to: COMPANY: ABR Inc, DUNS: 038523239 FOR : $48,117 ON: 08/25/2021 NAICS: 541620 Environmental consulting services AUTHORITY: 8.405-6(a)(2) Limited Sources Justification and Approval 13.106(b) Soliciting from a single source Determinations not to compete this proposed procurement were made because: We require contractor services to assist USFWS in a synthetic analysis to examine spatio-temporal associations between seabirds, their prey, and their biophysical oceanographic habitats in the northern Bering and Chukchi seas. The contractor will include their own existing data and integrate it with USFWS data. The contractor will also integrate environmental data they have already compiled and prepared, and use predictive statistical models to analyze data collected during multi-disciplinary surveys conducted during 2012-2013 and 2017-2019 (including seabirds, fish, plankton, and oceanography). We require a contractor familiar with the project's dataset (seabird data, oceanographic data, prey data, sea ice coverage) that could commit to the time frame required to produce the final products. ABR has previously worked with the same and similar datasets and successfully published their results. The analytical programs developed by ABR are particular to this study area and to seabird survey and Arctic environmental data, which will facilitate completion of the tasks within the given time frame. Contracting with ABR will maintain continuity and efficiency for completing this USFWS project. ABR has collected seabird data and environmental data within the same study area as USFWS (Northern Bering and Chukchi seas). They have compiled and processed existing environmental data from this same study area, which greatly expedites further analysis. ABR has extensive experience with these data and the necessary predictive analysis, and can quickly integrate data collected by ABR with those collected by USFWS. ABR has published results in professional journals using the same and similar data sets (also including USFWS data). Using existing ABR and USFWS data, and analytical programs already developed by ABR, the USFWS can maintain continuity in project goals and efficiency in completing necessary tasks within the required time frame. ABR personnel have well established and current working relationships with other investigators (outside USFWS) that are critical to completing the analyses and publication. For more information contact Tina Baker at tina_baker@fws.gov.