BLACK ABALONE MONITORING

The contract solicitation for Black Abalone Monitoring is a Firm-Fixed-Price procurement issued by the U.S. Geological Survey under the Office of Acquisition Grants within the Department of the Interior, targeting a Total Small Business Set-Aside under FAR 19.5. It seeks specialized scientific field services to support up to five annual monitoring trips to San Nicolas Island, California, between January and April, with a period of performance running from July 13, 2026, through April 30, 2027. Contractors must provide personnel with a bachelor’s degree in science and at least ten years of documented experience in intertidal invertebrate studies, including direct work with black abalone, with scientific diving experience required. All personnel must obtain prior government authorization to access the restricted island, adhere to U.S. Navy operational protocols, and comply with USGS safety and conduct standards, including strict identification protocols prohibiting the use of USGS logos or misrepresentation as Government employees. Deliverables include an Equipment Readiness Log, a comprehensive Survey Data Package, and a Trip Summary Report, all to be submitted electronically within 28 days of each trip using Government-specified templates and formats, with performance evaluated on completeness, accuracy, timeliness, and conformance to established monitoring protocols and data entry instructions. The solicitation mandates electronic submission via email to the Contracting Officer by July 7, 2026, at 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time, and requires offerors to provide proof of Unique Entity Identifier, a firm-fixed-price quote, a technical capability statement, detailed personnel qualifications, and three professional references. Invoices must be processed through the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Invoice Processing Platform, not WAWF, and all data collected under the contract is Government property, with contractors prohibited from sharing, publishing, or distributing any data without written authorization. Security requirements are stringent, incorporating deviations from FAR clauses related to insider threats, information system safeguarding, and prohibitions on restricting employee reporting of misconduct, alongside requirements to protect Government-furnished information and comply with the USGS Computer and Network Security Handbook. Evaluation will be conducted through a trade-off process assessing Technical Capability, Specialized Experience and Qualifications, Past Performance, and Price, with no single factor weighted numerically, ensuring selection of the most advantageous offer. Options are not applicable, and no contract value is predetermined, with pricing to be submitted by respondents. The place of performance is San Nicolas Island, though administrative tasks may be