Notice of intent to negotiate a sole-source contract - Benthic Invertebrate species identification; NMFS - AFSC

Project ID: REQUIREMENTS-26-1761 FederalOpportunitiesSpecial Notice

Overview

Agency	National Marine Fisheries Service
Deadline	05/22/26
Posted	05/07/26
Estimated Value	$150,000 - $600,000 (AI estimate)
Set Aside	None
NAICS	541990 - All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
PSC	B516 - Special Studies/Analysis- Animal/Fisheries
Location	Seattle, WA 98115 United States

Description

Primary Latest Change

NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE

NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service Alaska Fisheries Science Center, intends to negotiate, on a sole source basis, under authority of FAR 13.106-1(b)(1); with Scripps Institute of Oceanography/University of San Diego for expert taxonomic identification of Benthic invertebrate specimens collected while performing fisheries research in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands.

Sole Source Justification

The sole source determination is based on the AFSC's deployment of groundfish and midwater fishery surveys during the FY26-31 field seasons. These surveys adhere to AFSC Annual Guidance Memo priorities (e.g., recruitment, species distribution shifts, changing maturity and growth, fish condition, stock boundary changes, food availability, phenology). These surveys provide essential data for assessing the status and trends of marine ecosystems on the subtidal continental shelves and upper slope throughout Alaska, including the Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska, and Aleutian Islands. Benthic invertebrates comprise a substantial portion of survey catches; however, their high diversity and morphological complexity make accurate field identification challenging, especially for rare, cryptic, or poorly described taxa. NOAA retains unusual or difficult-to-identify invertebrate specimens from surveys, requiring expert external identification of these specimens for cataloging in NOAA's Benthic invertebrate collections. The collections are used in training research biologists and survey personnel.

Special Notice

This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotes and no solicitation package is available. However, firms that believe they can provide equipment or service that fully meets the Government's requirements may submit substantiating documentation to the identified point of contact within 15 days after publication of this synopsis. Such documentation will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. Responses can be sent via e-mail to jason.jenks@noaa.gov. A determination by the Government not to conduct a competitive procurement, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government. Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice. All responsible sources may submit a Capability Statement in accordance with this notice, which shall be considered by the agency if received on or before 1600 PM PDT on May 22, 2026. The Capability Statement must contain material in sufficient detail to allow NOAA to determine if the party can meet all of the requirements. Incomplete statements do not warrant consideration. Phone calls in regard to this notice will not be accepted. All electronic correspondence shall have the subject line read:

Announcement Number

REQUIREMENTS-26-1761

Project Title

NOAA AFSC Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands survey FY26-31 Benthic Invertebrate Species Identification and Cataloging NOAA's Alaska Fisheries Science Center requires that all contractors doing business with this office be registered with the System for Award Management (SAM). No award can be made to a company unless registered in SAM. For additional information and to register in SAM, please access the following web site: www.sam.gov. To register, all contractors must have a valid Tax ID number and obtain a government-provided Unique Entity Identifier, which is available through SAM.gov.

Summary (Newest Update)

Background NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service – Alaska Fisheries Science Center intends to negotiate a sole source contract with Scripps Institute of Oceanography/University of San Diego for expert taxonomic identification of benthic invertebrate specimens collected during fisheries research in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands. This initiative is critical for assessing the status and trends of marine ecosystems in Alaska, particularly as these surveys provide essential data on recruitment, species distribution shifts, and other ecological factors. Work Details The contractor will provide expert taxonomic identification of benthic invertebrate specimens collected from groundfish and midwater fishery surveys conducted by NOAA. The services include: - Accurate field identification of diverse and morphologically complex invertebrate taxa, especially rare or poorly described species. - Cataloging identified specimens into NOAA’s Benthic invertebrate collections, which are utilized for training research biologists and survey personnel. - Leveraging Scripps Institution's extensive collection, which includes over 86,000 curated lots and more than one million individual specimens from various marine environments to facilitate accurate species-level identifications. - Utilizing both traditional morphological taxonomy and modern molecular approaches through DNA analyses as needed. Period of Performance The contract will be performed over the FY26-31 field seasons. Place of Performance The work will be conducted primarily at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography/University of San Diego.

Contacts