NMFS 2015 Shark Survey

This Request for Information and Sources Sought is for Planning Purposes Only The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this sources sought notice or to otherwise pay for the information solicited. Your response to this Request for Information will be treated as information only. It shall not be used as a proposal. This request is issued for the purpose of exchanging information to improve the understanding of industry capabilities, thereby allowing potential offerors to judge whether or how they can satisfy the Government's requirements, and enhance the Government's ability to obtain services, at reasonable cost and price, and increase efficiency in proposal preparation, proposal evaluation, negotiation, and contract award. The Eastern Region Acquisition Division (ERAD) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in Norfolk, VA, on behalf of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), is conducting market research in an effort to identify all potential industry sources with the capabilities to provide support for the 2015 Shark Survey effort described herein. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this requirement 541712. This synopsis will be used solely for market research and does not constitute a solicitation. REQUIREMENT DESCRIPTION The Apex Predators Program of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) is requesting the charter of one longline fishing vessel. The vessel will be involved in conducting sampling of large coastal sharks using bottom longline gear. Specific objectives of this survey are to: 1) investigate the distribution, abundance, and species composition of sharks; 2) collect catch per effort data; 3) tag sharks for migration studies; 4) inject, with tetracycline, tagged sharks whenever feasible for age validation studies; 5) collect biological samples for age and growth, food habits and reproductive studies; and to 6) collect morphometric data. Additional sets of pelagic longline gear will be made assuming the proper permitting is acquired and time permits. RESPONSE INSTRUCTIONS The interested Contractor response should include the following in their response: - Capability statement (core competencies and other relevant information); - Company size status (small business concern per 13 CFR, educational institution, federal, local or state entity, commercial entity, nonprofit organization, etc.); - Socio-economic status (8(a), hubzone, small disadvantaged business, service-disabled/veteran owned, women owned, etc.); - Relevant past performance. Relevant past performance is performance under contracts or efforts (within recent years) that is of the same or similar scope, magnitude, and complexity to that which is described in this Request for Information. Include a list of current or previous contracts performed within the recent past that are of a similar nature to this request and include: contract number, name and address of the Government agency or commercial entity, description of work and services provided, point of contact with current phone number and e-mail address, date of contract award, period of performance, initial and current contract value, and the extent of subcontracting. Responses to this RFI are due no later than 12:00pm., December 30, 2014. Responses shall be sent via e-mail to Christie.McCloud@noaa.gov. The electronic copy of your response must be in ".pdf format" and readable by the Adobe Acrobat Reader. Questions pertaining to this notice may be emailed to the Contract Specialist, Christie.McCloud@noaa.gov or the Contracting Officer, Amy.McLiverty@noaa.gov.