Modeling Genetic Risks from Aquaculture Escapes on Wild Stocks

NOTICE OF INTENT TO NEGOTIATE A SOLE-SOURCE CONTRACT

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries, hereby gives public notice of the intent to negotiate a sole-source contract pursuant to the authority of 41 U.S.C. 1901, using simplified procedures up to $9M, in accordance with Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Overhaul (RFO) 12.201-1, as the services required by the agency are available from only one responsible source and no other services will satisfy agency requirements  The government seeks services from ICF Environmental, Inc (ICF) for the acquisition of Modeling Genetic Risks from Aquaculture Escapes on Wild Stocks commercial services. The procurement period of performance includes one (1) Base Period and four (4) 1-year Option Periods.

Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC), has a requirement to ensure that marine aquaculture grows sustainably and is economically viable. As part of that mission, the NOAA Fisheries, SWFSC conducts research using the Offshore Mariculture Escapes Genetic/Ecological Assessment (OMEGA) model and associated analytical tools to ensure that marine aquaculture is sustainable in its impact on conspecific wild populations, thereby preserving wild fisheries while enabling the expansion of marine aquaculture production. OMEGA modeling and analyses are used to identify and evaluate the pathways through which cultured fish from marine aquaculture operations may escape, disperse into wild populations, and potentially impact the fitness, genetic diversity, and long-term viability of those wild populations.

The key task is the Aquaculture Genetic Risk Modeling, which is to conduct detailed modeling and risk assessments for a candidate finfish species identified by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), using the OMEGA framework to evaluate potential genetic impacts from marine fish aquaculture, and producing a summary report of findings; designing a new streamlined genetic risk assessment methodology to enable more rapid evaluation of aquaculture impacts on wild populations, incorporating species- and region-specific biological factors and production levels; and supporting technology transfer to NOAA’s SWFSC by integrating updated genetic diversity metrics into the OMEGA model, revising documentation, and developing user manuals for both existing and emerging tools, including a decision-tree screening framework and the planned streamlined assessment tool, and modeling of large-scale escape event scenarios.

The Government intends to negotiate a contract with ICF for non-personal services to create a streamlined and less time-intensive modeling analysis of the risks posed by escaped cultured fish, developing large-scale escape modeling scenarios, and technology transfer to the SWFSC, utilizing modified OMEGA model framework.

Responses to this notice must be provided within fifteen (15) calendar days from the date of this notice. Vendors who believe they can meet this requirement are required to submit in writing an affirmative response demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the requirement. All written responses must include a capabilities statement that includes the vendor’s ability to perform the required tasks, and provide updates and expansion to the ongoing development of the OMEGA model. The response must be sufficient to permit agency analysis to establish a bona fide capability to meet the requirement. Failure to submit such documentation will result in the Government proceeding as previously stated. A determination by the Government not to open the requirement to competition based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Affirmative written responses must be received no later than 2:00 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, July 17, 2026. The responses must be submitted via e-mail to Contract Specialist, Jamie Abu Shakrah, at Jamie.AbuShakrah@noaa.gov and Contracting Officer, Amanda Rossiter, at Amanda.Rossiter@noaa.gov.