North Pacific Albacore Port Sampling Data Collection Services

This publication serves as notice of intent to procure services for the Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Services (NMFS), Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC), on a sole source basis with Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission in accordance with the authority of 41 U. S. C. 253 (c)(1) only one responsible source. The Government intends to acquire services indicated below using FAR Part 15. All prospective contractors must be able to satisfy the following requirement: BACKGROUND Sampling of the U.S. North Pacific albacore fishery is vital to research activities at SWFSC. The sampling program is currently the only method of obtaining data from this fishery. Participation in the program has been completely voluntary until 1999, when the High-seas Fishing Compliance Act (HSFCA) made submission of logbooks mandatory for vessels fishing outside the 200 mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Starting on April 11, 2005, all logbooks were mandatory as part of the Highly Migratory Species Fisheries Management Plan for the U.S. west coast. Data have been collected since 1961, and the continuation of the program will maintain the continuity of the data series. These data are essential in assessing the status of the North Pacific albacore stocks. The data and associated analyses help the Center provide needed advice to the United States fisheries management councils and international fisheries negotiators for the management of North Pacific albacore stocks. OVERVIEW OF REQUIREMENTS The contractor shall maintain the system for collection of U.S. Pacific albacore length frequencies and landings (troll, baitboat and CPFV). The contractor shall measure the fish for fork length as vessels unload their catches at ports in California, Washington and Oregon. The contractor shall allocate sampling among the ports to obtain a sampling coverage as close to 100% as possible. Fishermen are already submitting landing information to State agencies. Therefore, the contractor shall obtain full cooperation from the States of Washington, Oregon, and California in this sampling program, and shall have access to confidential information of the three states to obtain vessel landings by trip, and number of vessel trips by port during the fishing year. Also, to increase coverage rates of landings, the contractor shall develop contacts with fish buyers, or others who know when vessels will be landing. Once contacts are established, samplers shall monitor contacts daily to get information on landing times for vessels. WORK SPECIFICATIONS The contractor shall provide the following service: 1. Distribute the Government provided U.S. Pacific Albacore Logbook to albacore fishermen at the start of each season. Logbooks should be distributed at the unloading ports as vessels leave for the fishing grounds. NMFS will also mail logbooks to vessels. 2. Do not collect logbooks from fishermen at the end of trips. Samplers are to remind vessel captains that they are required to submit logbooks directly to NMFS, c/o TBD. Samplers are to provide addressed envelopes to fishermen for mailing their logbooks and guidance in correctly completing the logbooks. 3. At the time of each vessel unloading, albacore catches shall be measured for fork length. The maximum number of fish to be sampled per vessel unloading is 400. The average number of fish measured per vessel landing is usually 50. Coverage rates as close as possible to 100% of the landings shall be maintained for each port. A minimum sample of fifty fish (or all fish if less than 50 are unloaded) should be measured from each vessel landing. If fish are unloaded by size and access for sampling is limited to sorted fish, a separate sample (25 fish minimum or all fish if less than 25 are in the size group) should be taken from each size group and the unloading weight of each size group should be recorded on the sampling form. If an observer was onboard the sampler should follow the usual routine as if no observer was onboard but note in the comments section that an observer was onboard. Data must be emailed to TBD at the end of each sampling day. 4. Keep abreast of the sampling situation and suggest modifications to sampling design/procedures based on changes in landing procedures or changes in the fishery. 5. Keep records of vessel landings noting which landing were sampled and reasons for not sampling. These records should detail every albacore landing whether sampled or not. DELIVERABLES I. The Contractor shall provide the following items to the SWFSC by February 1 following the close of each fishing season. A. Provide the following summaries: 1. Estimated landings (lbs) of albacore by port. 2. Estimated landings (lbs) by gear type. 3. Estimated number of trips by port. 4. Estimated number of vessels by port. 5. Landing tonnage for each vessel trip. B. Suggestions for improving sampling for the coming year. II. The contractor shall provide the following during the fishing season. A. A completed Monthly Port Sampling Report by the 15th of the month following each sampling month. Also provide any updates to the past month?s sampling activities. The sampling activity information shall include: a. Vessel unloadings b. Length-frequency samples collected B. Provide oral reports at meetings or by telephone on sampling and status of the fishery as requested by SWFSC. An annual meeting may be held to discuss sampling. C. Suggestions for modifications to sampling given changes in landing operations or locations. D. Originals of albacore length measurement samples or electronic copies of sampling data. The Government intends to negotiate a firm fixed price contract for the above services. The NAICS Code is 541712 with a size standard of 500 employees. This notice represents the only official notice of this solicitation. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals; however, all submittals received by the due set forth in this notice will be considered by the Government. A determination by the Government not to compete this requirement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. All interested concerns must submit documentation in writing demonstrating their capability, expertise, qualifications, and experience to perform the necessary work to Loren.Frei@noaa.gov no later than May 12, 2008. All contractors doing business with the Government are now required to be registered with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR). NO award can be made unless the contractor is registered in CCR. For additional information and to register in CCR, please access the following web site: http:///www.ccr.gov/. In order to register with the CCR and to be eligible to receive an award from this acquisition office, all offerors must also have a Dun & Bradstreet Number. A Dun & Bradstreet number may be acquired free of charge by contacting Dun & Bradstreet on-line at https://www.dnb.com/product/eupdate/requestOptions.html or by phone at (800)333-0505. Additionally, this procurement also requires offerors to complete the On-Line Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA) at https://orca.bpn.gov/.