The Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)/National Marine Fisheries Service, Protected Resources Division is issuing notice of intent to solicit and negotiate a sole source procurement with Navy Marine Mammal Program Foundation, 2240 Shelter Island Drive, #200, San Diego, CA 92106 for the following requirement: This requirement is intended to provide one (1) portable, ruggedized, and field deployable auditory evoked potentials (AEP) systems, training and implementation of the NOAA's Southeast Region Marine Mammal Stranding Network (MMSN). All work to be in accordance with the Statement of Work included in the solicitation. The systems shall be delivered within eight (8) months from date of award. Deliverables to be delivered to: NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Protected Resources Division, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701. The purpose of this contract is to enhance NOAA Fisheries Service's capabilities to measure diagnostic auditory evoked potentials (AEP) from stranded or live-captured odontocetes by securing equipment and training for NOAA's Southeast Region Marine Mammal Stranding Network (MMSN). Implementing the capability to conduct AEPs permits the pre-release evaluation of auditory system function in mass stranded, rehabilitated, and/or live captured odontocetes. According to "NMFS' Best Practices for Marine Mammal Stranding Response, Rehabilitation, and Release: Standards for Release", assessing the ability of a stranded marine mammal to hear is important in making the determination of whether an animal should be deemed releasable to the wild. The National Marine Mammal Foundation is uniquely qualified to provide the required equipment and services for the following reasons: (1) Partners at the National Marine Mammal Foundation developed and constructed the only other portable, ruggedized AEP systems currently in use in NMFS' Marine Mammal Stranding Network (MMSN). These systems were developed as part of the Federal Prescott Grant program and are currently deployed in NMFS' Southwest and Northeast Regions' MMSN. (2) It is critical to use the same system in the Southeast Region (SER) MMSN as in other Regions throughout the U.S. to maintain consistency in data collection and analysis and to ensure that data collected can be compared between stranded animals throughout the U.S. (3) This equipment is the intellectual property of National Marine Mammal Foundation partners and cannot be built by another organization. The AEP system required by NMFS' SER MMSN was designed and developed by partners at the National Marine Mammal Foundation and only two other units are currently in existence in the world (one in NMFS' Northeast Region and one in NMFS' Southwest Region). No other company or individual has the experience, knowledge, and expertise to build the ruggedized AEP system needed for use in the SER MMSN; therefore, if the award does not go to the National Marine Mammal Foundation, the Government will be unable to procure a ruggedized, portable AEP system to diagnose hearing loss in mass stranded, rehabilitated, and/or live captured odontocetes, as required by "NMFS' Best Practices for Marine Mammal Stranding Response, Rehabilitation, and Release: Standards for Release". AEPs are an important diagnostic tool that can aid NMFS and the MMSN in making decisions on the beach or in rehabilitation about an animal's potential to thrive in the wild. There are currently no portable AEP units in the SER to measure the hearing of mass stranded, rehabilitated, and/or live captured odontocetes and the only organization able to provide these units is the National Marine Mammal Foundation. Therefore, this contract will fund the National Marine Mammal Foundation to construct two portable AEP systems and provide training for NMFS and the MMSN in their use. The government intends to award a firm-fixed price purchase order for this requirement. The proposed contract action is for supplies and services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under the authority of FAR 6.302-3(a)(ii). The applicable NAICS code is 541712. The small business size standard is 500 employees. All applicable awards shall be in compliance with CAR Clause 1352.239-72 Security Processing Requirements for Contractors/Subcontractor personnel for accessing DOC information Technology Systems (APR 2010) will apply. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals, however, all proposals received by September 2, 2011, 10:00 A.M. EST shall be considered by the Government. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed requirement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement in the future. Evidence must be provided of ability to perform the requirement. Responses to this notice, if any, must show clear and convincing evidence that competition would be advantageous to the government. In order to comply with the debt collection improvement act of 1966, all contractors must be registered in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) to be considered for an award of a federal contract. For information regarding registration in CCR, visit the CCR website at www.ccr.gov/index.cfm. Inquiries will only be accepted via email to
[email protected].