F--Management of the Teton Mitigation Areas in eastern Idaho.

Sometimes, the construction of Bureau of Reclamation projects and dams necessitates the development of new wildlife habitat areas to mitigate for the loss of existing wildlife habitat. Following the construction of Reclamation's Teton Dam and Ririe Dam in eastern Idaho in the early 1970s, a search began for suitable lands to replace wildlife areas and big game wintering ranges affected by the dams. Reclamation, other Federal agencies, and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) worked together to establish two Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) in eastern Idaho. They are the Tex Creek WMA and the Cartier Slough WMA. Today, the Tex Creek WMA encompasses more than 31,000 acres and is managed for wildlife, with an emphasis on big game habitat management. The Cartier Slough WMA is 1,028 acres and is primarily a habitat for waterfowl. These two wildlife management areas are commonly referred to as the "Teton Mitigation Areas", the "mitigation areas", or the "mitigation lands". Over 25 years ago IDFG assumed the day-to-day management responsibility for the mitigation areas under an agreement with Reclamation. That agreement expired on September 30, 2006. Reclamation requires the continued development, maintenance, study of wildlife, and management of the WMAs to mitigate for the loss of wildlife habitat due to the construction of the Teton Basin Project. Because IDFG is the responsible agency for wildlife management within the State of Idaho, Reclamation intends to contract on a sole-source basis with IDFG for the continued management of the Teton Mitigation Areas for the next five years. The estimated value of the contract is $1.03M. The NAICS code is 924120, Administration of Conservation Programs. There is no small business size standard for this sector since these services are usually performed by federal and state agencies. Numbered note 22. The proposed contract action is for supplies or services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under the authority of FAR 6.302. Interested persons may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement or submit proposals. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. However, all proposals received within forty-five days (thirty days if award is issued under an existing basic ordering agreement) after date of publication of this synopsis will be considered by the Government. A determination by the Government not to compete with this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement.