B -- Notice of intent to negotiate a sole source contract

The Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is planning to negotiate a sole source contract with the University of California-Davis (UC-Davis) for a study related to California sea lions. The contract aims to fund the analysis of tissue samples collected in 2001 from seal pups involved in a study on hookworm-induced mortality. Specifically, flipper punch samples from these pups will be examined using Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) techniques, an area of expertise led by Dr. Michael Johnson at UC-Davis. His immunogenetics lab is equipped to conduct MHC analyses that have practical applications in wildlife population biology. This acquisition is considered a simplified procurement with an estimated value under $100,000. The contract reflects NOAA’s focus on leveraging specialized scientific expertise for wildlife health research. Although full contract details such as the place of performance remain unspecified, the contract is being managed through NOAA’s Seattle office. The sole source nature of the contract highlights the unique qualifications of UC-Davis and Dr. Johnson’s team in this niche field, making them the preferred provider for the analysis required by the National Marine Mammal Lab.