B -- Project Based Scientific & Technical Support Services - BPA and Task Order 0001

AMENDMENT 04: The purpose of this amendment is to clarify the due-date for submission of BPA responses. In order to be considered for the first task order, vendors must submit a response as required by the date due as originally published. These responses will be the only ones evaluated for award of the first task order and BPAs. Vendors are not precluded from submitted a response to the BPA only (without a quote for the first task order) after the due date. However, there is not guarantee if and when these late responses will be considered. ORIGINAL SYNOPSIS: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a bureau operating within the Department of Commerce, is interested in awarding one or more Blanket Purchase Agreements with venders capable of providing short-term, project-based specific scientific and technical support. During government fiscal year 2003, NOAA's headquarters acquisition office acquired over $92 million worth of supplies and services to support the mission of the Ocean Service, Marine Fisheries Service, and Research Office. Approximately 70% of the 1,200 transactions issued in 2003 were simplified acquisitions for services and supplies that directly support NOAA programs. A portion of these simplified acquisitions were individual agreements for short-term (i.e., 6-12 months) technical and scientific services that required specialized skills to address a diverse range of projects that support programs and NOAA's overall mission. The type of projects include services to collect and analyze scientific data, creating, reviewing and revising scientific and technical plans and reports, reviewing program plans, procedures and results for compliance with pre-stated goals, building and sustaining coalitions among scientific and technical experts, implementing program plans, providing litigation support, and coordinating program/project actions among Federal, state and local governments as well as industry and citizen groups. The majority of these services require individuals with broad technical and scientific knowledge combined with detailed knowledge of NOAA's mission, objectives and line office operating plans. The following is a partial list of the types of labor that have previously been sought to work on short term projects: physical oceanographer, coastal scientist, oceanographer, marine biologist, marine ecologist, environmental scientist, fishery biologist, and natural resource economist. The level of experience can vary from junior level (graduate students) to principals and senior scientists. NOAA's mission, line offices and program objectives can be reviewed on its webpage: www.noaa.gov. PURPOSE OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT: In order to create a more efficient process for acquiring and managing the scientific and technical support services described above, NOAA is interested in awarding one or more Blanket Purchase Agreements to small businesses holding MOBIS Contracts (SIN 874) under the GSA Federal Supply Schedule. The first task order to be placed against the BPA is also included with this announcement. Small businesses holding GSA MOBIS schedule contracts (SIN 874) who are interested in being considered for award of a Blanket Purchase Agreement for the services described above should review the attached documents. These documents include: (1) A detailed Request For Quotation (RFQ-07_08_04); the prospective Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA 07_09_2004); and the first task order (BPA Task Order 0001).