DESCRIPTION OF THE REQUIREMENTSole source procurement for Washington State University (Pullman), Department of Natural Resource Science's "Wildlife Habitat and Nutrition Laboratory" to provide chemical nutritional analysis of later winter moose forage collected on the Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge). This procurement supports objectives in the Cooperative Moose Management Plan (2002), and results will be used to compare forage nutritional quality across several regions in interior Alaska. This is not a request for quotations. NAICS Code 541990 . PSC R506. SUPPORTING INFORMATION The Department of Natural Resource Science's "Wildlife Habitat and Nutrition Laboratory" at Washington State University, Pullman was selected as the only vendor for the following reasons: 1) Several other research groups, also studying moose forage nutrition and wildlife habitat use in Alaska, have used and recommended the above laboratory to perform nutritional chemical analysis. By using the same lab and analytical protocols, the forage samples are treated in exactly the same manner, from start to finish, and we are then able to place our forage analysis results in the context of results from other research groups because our data are now comparable. 2) The Wildlife Habitat and Nutrition Laboratory has been in operation since 1978 and with that staff has developed laboratory methods and expertise to deal with Alaska specific forages. They are a full service lab and can provide all (and more) of the 7-8 nutritional analyses needed to estimate the nutritional quality of free-ranging animals, such as moose, our species of interest. 3) We are under a time constraint to get forage nutrition samples submitted and processed in a timely manner (results needed in Fall 2011) as the results will be incorporated into a graduate student's thesis defense and scientific publication(s). Because the Wildlife Habitat and Nutrition lab is set up to process large numbers of samples, processing time is efficient, and they are able to complete the analysis and provide results in as little as 1-2 months, once samples are received, which is a relatively quick turn-around. 4) Additionally, the Washington State University Wildlife Habitat and Nutrition Laboratory is familiar with and has worked on Alaska specific forages (willows) and has done work for our station in the past. Furthermore, the laboratory is able to handle all the requested analyses (a total of 7 different analyses) which is very important. Because the lab is set up to process many samples the processing time is efficient and you can be assured that protocols are followed. BACKGROUND: Moose population density on the Yukon Flats NWR is one of the lowest in Alaska. There is some support for predators limiting the growth of the population; however, it is unclear if habitat nutritional quality and/or abundance is also limiting the population. Forage quality data is needed as baseline data in conjunction with other moose and predator population data to make informed management decisions regarding intensive predator management and to provide recommendations to state and federal regulatory game proposals. Additionally, other researchers have collected forage quality from other regions of Alaska and have analyzed their samples using the same laboratory. The forage samples we will be submitting to the lab were collected on the western Yukon Flats in late winter 2010. Forage samples analyzed using the same protocols, performed by the same lab, will allow us to place our Yukon Flats forage quality samples in the larger context by comparing forage nutritional quality from the Yukon Flats to samples from other areas. The Wildlife Habitat and Nutrition lab has expertise analyzing forages specific to Alaska, and specific to our focal species, moose. SCOPE: We request each of our unique forage twig samples (will be identified with unique code) be analyzed using the "forage plant package" of analyses. Specifically, we request the following types of analysis be performed on each sample: All responsible source may submit a capability statement, proposal or quotation which shall be considered by the agency. Responses must be received by 4:00 PM Alaska Standard Time on 02 September 2011 to
[email protected]. Questions or concerns may be directed to Eric Mead (907) 456-0355.