A -- INVESTIGATION OF SEALS AS SENTINELS

The Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) intends to negotiate on a sole source basis with the Marine Environmental Research Institute (MERI) for the investigation of seals as sentinels to assess toxic contaminants in the Atlantic coast seals. MERI is a nonprofit charitable organization dedicated to scientific research and education on the impacts of pollution on the marine life and to protect health and biodiversity of the marine environment for future generations. The proposed contract is congressionally mandated to investigate the value of using seals to monitor contaminant loads in the Gulf of Maine and to identify potential difficulties in using seals as indicators. The contract is intended to develop expertise in analyzing contaminant levels in seal tissue samples and to investigate the feasibility of using seals as indicators of ecosystem health. The anticipated contract period is one year from the date of award. The statutory authority for this action is 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(3), Only One Responsible Source.