Services for the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION for market research purposes. The Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is seeking sources capable of providing services for the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS). The Government is especially interested in responses from SBA certified small business concerns that are capable of performing the work described within this notice. Please note that this is for INFORMATIONAL and PLANNING purposes only and does not constitute an RFP or any other type of solicitation nor the promise of one. Responses to this RFI will not be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. The Government will not pay for the information solicited nor recognize any costs associated with the submission any information in response to this notice. The NAICS code for this requirement is 541990 and the small-business size standard is $14,000,000. The delivery quantities and order dates are flexible and expected to occur between August of 2014 and August of 2019. The planned work may include, but is not limited to, the following work items: Summary: The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS) provides resource protection through management, research, and education programs that foster public understanding and stewardship of this nationally significant marine ecosystem. Designated in 1992, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS) is a federally protected marine area offshore of California's central coast. Stretching from Marin to Cambria, the sanctuary encompasses a shoreline length of 276 miles and 4,601 square nautical miles of ocean, extending an average distance of 30 miles from shore. At its deepest point, the MBNMS reaches 12,713 feet (more than two miles). It is one of our nation's largest marine sanctuaries, larger then Yellowstone National Park. 1. Sanctuary Resource Protection 1.1 California Current Integrated Ecosystem Assessment - Ecosystem indicators will be used to update the MBNMS Condition Report, create research and monitoring plans for Sanctuary Ecologically Significant Areas, and develop conceptual models of the MBNMS ecosystem. Management plan review could be informed through an expanded risk assessment, identification of targets for ecosystem indicators, and management strategy evaluation relative to those targets. 1.1.1 Developing indicators for ecosystem assessment and 1.1.2 Updating the MBNMS Management Plan 1.2 Sanctuary Ecologically Significant Area Implementation - This project would protect and study deep ocean habitat that meet the criteria of Sanctuary Ecologically Significant Areas (SESAs) and allow natural recovery of benthic communities injured by commercial bottom fishing. SESA research opportunities also include studies to compare trawling impacts both in and outside areas closed to trawling. SESAs are special areas that encompass remarkable, representative and/or sensitive marine habitats, communities or ecological processes. SESAs are large, focal areas that identify sensitive and vulnerable habitats in the Sanctuary. This action would result in the protection and restoration of benthic habitat, enhanced biodiversity and increased abundance and size of certain species (e.g., corals, sponges, groundfish) within the SESAs, and restore natural ecological functions. 1.2.1. Establish and evaluate a new management tool - Voluntary Management Areas - non regulatory areas that are adopted by fishermen as "areas to avoid." This is a pilot project to be evaluated and monitored to determine its effectiveness. 1.2.2. Convene 6 meetings to facilitate collaborative partnerships among fishermen, conservation groups, and resource managers, including MBNMS staff and the Pacific Fisheries Management Council. 1.2.3. Incorporate data findings into the Sanctuary management plan update process and regulatory proposals. 1.3 Water Quality Protection - Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS) encompasses a shoreline length of 276 miles from Marin County in the north to San Luis Obispo County in the south and 4,601 square nautical miles of ocean. This proximity to the coastline makes the Sanctuary vulnerable to pollution problems from approximately 7,000 square miles within watershed areas that drain to it, including contaminants such as sediments, nutrients, fecal bacteria, pesticides, oil, grease, metals, and detergents. 1.3.1 Coordinate the monitoring of water quality by multiple volunteer groups in the region by the Sanctuary Citizen Watershed Monitoring Network (Network). The Network is a consortium of citizen monitoring groups that monitor the health of the watersheds flowing into the MBNMS. 1.3.2 Coordinate sanctuary participation in the Agriculture Water Quality Alliance. The watersheds that flow to the MBNMS, spanning 7,000 square miles and 6 counties, are also an important resource, supporting a diverse $5.6 billion dollar agricultural industry. 2. Government and Community Relations 2.1. Sanctuary Advisory Council - The Sanctuary required the services of a contractor who will be responsible for all logistics and administrative functions of the SAC. The contracted individual will work closely with the chair of the SAC, working group chairs, and the Sanctuary staff. The contractor will also be required to perform as an administrative support specialist, to assist implementation of Advisory Council and Sanctuary initiatives. The contracted individual would work closely with the Sanctuary Superintendent. The level of support for Sanctuary related tasks is 50%. 2.1.1. Plan, coordinate, schedule, and attend all MBNMS SAC meetings. 2.1.2. Produce and distribute SAC related information (web, email) and take minutes from the SAC meetings by means of written notes and a digital sound recording system. 2.1.3. Assess problems and develop recommendations for SAC related issues. 2.1.4. Develop and implement organizational strategies for the SAC. 2.1.5. Develop and help implement a plan to identify and track MBNMS Management, project and policy initiatives for MBNMS Superintendent. 3. Sanctuary Visitor Centers 3.1. MBNMS Sanctuary Visitor Center operations. The SEC, MBNMS' new 11,000 sf visitor facility in Santa Cruz, opened in August of 2012 (Wed-Sun) and is a state of the art education and interpretive center offering high quality multimedia exhibits, educational programs, lectures and film to an anticipated 150,000 visitors annually. 3.1.1. SEC Facility Operations - Maintain the technical aspects of the exhibits and the infrastructure of the buildings including IT network, exhibits, aquaria, offices spaces and equipment. Services will require close collaboration with MBNMS operations team, and City of Santa Cruz. For more information on this visitor center, current programs, hours and volunteers programs visit http://montereybay.noaa.gov/educate/interpvis.html. 3.1.2. Volunteer Program Coordination - This priority includes training and educating visitor center volunteers and interpretive volunteers to prepare them for duty at the Sanctuary Exploration Center in Santa Cruz, CA, the Coastal Discovery Center (CDC) in San Simeon, CA in accordance with NOAA volunteer protocols and guidelines. 3.1.2.1. SEC visitor center based docent training historically 4 - 6-week 3.1.2.2. Docent oversight, scheduling, enrichment and recognition 3.1.2.3. CDC visitor center based docent training historically comprised of a 4 - 6-week training program. Activities need include recruiting from northern San Luis Obispo county communities to encourage docent sign ups, and designing and implementing a successful docent training and retention program as well as implementing citizen science programs with docent groups. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals and no solicitation package is available. However, any firm that believes it can meet this requirement may provide written notification and substantiating documentation in writing to the identified point of contact within 10 days after publication of this synopsis. No entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by the Government will arise as a result of the submission of contractor's information. The Government shall not be liable for or suffer any consequential damages for proprietary information not properly identified. Proprietary information will be safeguarded in accordance with the applicable Government regulations. Please submit information to include: 1) Your firm's DUNS number & CAGE code; 2) Your firm's SBA certified small business concern status. Specifically identify if your firm is HUBZone-certified, Service Disabled Veteran Owned, or SBA 8(a) program certified; 3) A brief description of your firm's recent past experience (within past 3 years) performing work of this type and of a similar magnitude to the work as described above. Information must be received by the Contract Specialist, Eila Harnett, at eila.harnett@noaa.gov by 4:00 PM, Pacific Time on Friday, May 23, 2014. Do not call regarding this sources sought notice. Any questions or responses regarding this notice must be submitted in writing via e-mail to the above e-mail address.