B -- Notice of Intent to Negotiate a Sole Source Contract

The Department of Commerce's National Marine Fisheries Service office in Juneau, Alaska, plans to negotiate a sole source contract with the Pacific States Marine Commission to support a project involving the assimilation of salmon biological data from Ocean Carrying Capacity Eastern Bering Sea Surveys. The contract aims to develop indices related to the growth and condition of juvenile salmon gathered throughout the Eastern Bering Sea. The Pacific States Marine Commission will collaborate with NOAA and OCC program scientists to standardize data by placing it into a common format. Their extensive experience with commercial fisheries in the Pacific Northwest and Bering Sea uniquely qualifies them to manage this effort. This simplified acquisition contract is expected to have a value under $100,000 and is intended to be awarded without formal solicitation, as no requests for solicitation will be accepted. The contract is identified by solicitation number WASC-3-1345 and was announced on August 6, 2003. The work will facilitate coordinated research efforts to better understand salmon populations in the region, leveraging the specialized expertise of the Pacific States Marine Commission.