B--B - Development of a GIS-based multilayer Graphical System

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Region 7 Alaska intends to award a Sole Source contract in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 5, Section 5.203 and is supplemented with additional information contained within. This announcement is not a formal request for proposals and the Government does not intend to evaluate or consider offers received. Negotiations are estimated to occur approximately 15 days following the posting of this notice, with the estimated contract award approximately April 6, 2009. The Government is contemplating award of a firm fixed price contract. This announcement is for information purposes only. No solicitation is available. This is NOT a request for competitive proposals. Information received in response to this notice will be used solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to compete this requirement. A determination by the Government to not compete this requirement, based upon responses to this notice and currently available information about the intended recipient, is solely within the discretion of the Government. Background/History: Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software is a visual as well as analytical tool that allows the user to communicate complex, spatially referenced data, in the form of layered images. These images, when combined with written descriptions, provide a powerful means to disseminate biological data and processes. The Region 7 FWS Conservation Genetics Laboratory (CGL) has recently incorporated GIS (ArcGIS version 9.2, ESRI) software into it's analysis of genetic data. The purpose of this application is to better understand the processes and factors that influence genetic diversity within and among fish populations in Alaska. We are now completing the first project incorporating GIS (Landscape Genetics of AYK salmon populations). As part of this project. we plan to disseminate the data (layered images of the environmental and population-specific genetic data) to the general public via the internet. The technical aspects of preparing a GIS-based multilayered graphical system that is suitable for internet access is beyond the skills of FWS personnel. Scope: The contractor will develop a GIS-based multilayer interactive graphical system for the Landscape Genetics project that is suitable for disseminating spatially referenced landscape genetic data on the internet. The landscape genetic data will include, but will not be limited to, the physical location of each population and estimates of genetic diversity (e.g., synthetic map from principle component data, Fst, heterozygosity) as well as the environmental and ecological data used in analysis. This multilayered graphical system will be generated from ArcGIS data layers but will not require the viewer to have ArcGIS software. The system will be operable through freely available on-line programs such as Adobe Acrobat and Google Earth. In addition, the system will include layers of text that describe the images and provide instruction to the viewer on navigating through the layers. The actual ArcGIS version 9.2 (ESRI) data layers will also be made available as links associated with the system. These data layers will be made available in .SHP and .KML format that can be downloaded and used in ArcGis and Google Earth software, respectively. The contractor will also provide FGDC compliant metadata describing the GIS data. All data layers will be provided to the contractor by CGL staff. The contractor and CGL staff will test the system prior to placement on the CGL web page. Placement of this system on the CGL web page (accessed through the FWS Region 7 web site) will be the responsibility of CGL staff and FWS Region 7 IT personnel.Deliverables: A GIS-based multilayer interactive graphical system that is suitable for disseminating, via the internet, spatially referenced genetic, environmental, and ecological data from the Landscape Genetics project.Schedule: This project will start April 6 and end May 30. *See Numbered Notes 22.