B -- Regulatory Options for Mitigating Incidental Mortality of Sea Turtles

The U.S. Department of Commerce, National Marine Fisheries Service intends to negotiate on a non-competitive basis in accordance with FAR 6.302 with the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary to examine the potential net benefits and net returns to industry of various regulations that might be proposed because of information obtained from experimental fishing operation. Contractor to support the analysis of technical and allocative efficiency and the estimation of benefits of fishing practices to mitigate sea turtle interactions, several data bases will be created using the logbooks and survey information obtained from the experimental fisheries. Part of the work is to assess technical efficiency and fishing capacity in a fishery having an undesirable output. Typically, firms or fishing vessels having high technical efficiency often have high bycatch rates or actual catches of undesirable outputs (e.g., tuna vessels harming dolphins). As part of the research, the technical and allocative efficiency and capacity be examined in a way that penalizes the measure of technical efficiency of vessels having high rates of incidental bycatch of sea turtles. Data envelopment analysis or DEA will be used to assess technical efficiency and capacity. This research will develop two basic types of bioeconomic models. The first model will focus on estimating the optimum harvest rate of the three primary species - swordfish, tunas, and sharks-given different constraints on allowable take of sea turtles. The second model to be explored will be bioeconomic model that directly incorporates the underlying biology of the desirable and undesirable species (i.e., sear turtles). The following products will be delivered as outputs of the research project: 1. A report summarizing the existing regulations governing sea turtles and commercial fisheries; 2. A listing of potential regulatory strategies to minimize the incidental take or human interaction with sea turtles by commercial longline fishing activities derived from an analysis of the information obtained from the experimental fisheries; 3. An analysis of longline technical efficiency and capacity recognizing sear turtles as undesirable outputs within a bioeconomic framework; and 4. An assessment of the potential economic value of protecting sea turtles. The project will require approximately 24 months, during the first year, items (1) and (2) will be completed. In year 2, items (3) and (4) will be completed. Interested parties capable of satisfying this requirement are invited to submit a technical capability statement or proposal and past performance references that clearly demonstrate knowledge and expertise. The response must be sufficient to permit agency analysis to establish a bona fide capability to meet the requirements. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. A determination by the Government not to compete with this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. Telephonic responses shall not be accepted. Offerors may email their responses to contact@example.gov.