F--NJ USFWS NJ FIELD OFFICE AVIAN FIELD STU

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, through its Joint Administrative Operations and FWS Sat Team 3, intends to award a sole-source, firm-fixed-price contract to Industrial Economics Inc. for the conduct of an avian egg collection and dose-response study in support of evaluating breeding bird injury at the Diamond Alkali Superfund Site in New Jersey. This non-competitive action is authorized under FAR 6.302-1 due to the unique capabilities of the contractor, which are deemed the only viable source capable of performing the highly specialized scientific work required. The contract, identified by solicitation number DOIFFBO260074, carries an estimated value of $16.5 million and falls under the NAICS code 541620 for Environmental Consulting Services. Performance is centered in Newark, New Jersey, with critical fieldwork occurring in Tuckerton and Egg Harbor Township, and all activities must be completed by June 30, 2027. Key deliverables include the collection of viable grey catbird eggs from designated reference sites, the execution of a scientifically rigorous dose-response study involving controlled egg incubation and injection protocols, submission of field data with GPS coordinates, and the finalization of a comprehensive study report due by November 30, 2026, with an interim presentation due September 15, 2026. The contract requires the consistent involvement of two key personnel—Dr. Sean Bugel, a Ph.D. holder with over 15 years in environmental toxicology, and Sarah Scheaffer, an M.S. in Environmental Management—whose full-time availability and technical expertise are essential to meeting performance objectives. The contractor must maintain strict compliance with all federal and state permitting requirements, adhere to a formal Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan and Performance Requirements Summary, and implement a robust quality control program to ensure data integrity and procedural accuracy. All deliverables, including methods, findings, and data, are considered government property with unlimited rights vested in the U.S. Government. Organizational conflicts of interest must be disclosed and mitigated in writing, and all personnel are subject to confidentiality obligations that persist throughout the contract term. Transportation of eggs and preservation protocols are governed by Chain of Custody documentation, though specific packaging, labeling, or preservation standards are not codified in the solicitation. Responses to this notice of intent must be submitted via email as Word or PDF attachments to keith_rose@ios.doi.gov by May 11, 2026