B--Notice of Intent to Sole Source Otolith Analysis

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service intends to award a firm fixed-price commercial services contract on a sole-source basis to the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, UEI QMYKF4YEEGX8, for highly specialized otolith and scale analysis services supporting life history studies of ESA-listed spring Chinook Salmon in the Entiat and Columbia River basins. The contractor will prepare, process, and analyze up to 400 adult Entiat summer Chinook otoliths using Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry and Multi Collector LA-ICP-MS to determine natal residence, migration timing, growth patterns, ocean entry size, and hatchery versus natural origin. Paired scale samples will be analyzed to evaluate the feasibility of distinguishing rearing locations through imaging, aging, and microchemistry, with results correlated against PIT tag and coded wire tag data. All analytical results must be delivered in Microsoft Excel format, along with a formal presentation to a working group summarizing findings and recommendations. The acquisition is justified under FAR 6.302-1 as only this entity possesses the unique expertise, instrumentation, and historical data required to perform this technically complex work, making competition impractical. The contract falls under FAR Part 12 as a commercial services acquisition and is subject to the simplified acquisition threshold, though no specific dollar value is disclosed. The contractor is required to submit a capability statement by August 10, 2026, at 8:00 AM Pacific Time, to Contracting Officer Oscar Orozco via email, detailing organizational experience, access to required laboratory facilities and instrumentation, and evidence of prior similar projects. No formal proposal, pricing schedule, or line-item details are requested at this stage; the capability statement is solely for determining whether a competitive procurement should proceed. The period of performance is one year, with work expected to be performed at the contractor’s facility in Washington State, though the official place of performance is not specified. Inspection and acceptance will occur at the Government’s discretion, based on adherence to established LA-ICP-MS protocols and the accuracy of data output. The contracting office is located in Falls Church, VA, and no Contracting Officer’s Representative or technical oversight personnel are named. No packaging, marking, invoicing method, accounting codes, or corporate certifications are required, consistent with the commercial services nature of the acquisition. All submissions must be electronic, and no formal clause language, contract modifications, or option periods are included in the solic