V -- NOTICE OF INTENT TO NEGOTIATE A SOLE SOURCE

The contract outlines an intent to negotiate a sole source agreement with Burke and Son Enterprises, located in Santa Barbara, CA, to provide a set/drift net fishing vessel charter for the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). The charter is limited to a maximum of twenty fishing days and will operate along select coastal locations from Point Conception to the California-Mexico border. These areas have been historically undersampled but are known for high catch rates, with a focus on inshore nursery areas where neonate thresher sharks are concentrated. The vessel used must be capable of accommodating at least one, preferably two, observers for overnight trips and must be equipped with electronics that can detect position, bottom depth, and presence of bait schools to support effective sampling. The period of performance for the contract is from October 1, 2004, through September 30, 2005, or until the completion of the twenty fishing days, whichever occurs later. Burke and Son Enterprises is identified as the sole vendor with relevant experience and unique knowledge concerning thresher shark seasonality, habitats, and the specific mesh net fishing methods required for this inshore sampling. The vessel charters will start and end in either Santa Barbara or La Jolla, California. The contract represents a simplified acquisition with an estimated value below $100,000 and emphasizes the vendor’s specialized expertise in thresher shark fisheries in the Santa Barbara and Ventura regions.