We are looking for someone with the following knowledge and capabilities:

SECTION C - DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/WORK STATEMENT

The Contractor shall furnish the necessary personnel, material, equipment, services and facilities (except as otherwise specified), to perform the following Statement of Work/Specifications.

STATEMENT OF WORK/SPECIFICATION

I. BACKGROUND

The Antarctic Marine Living Resources Convention Act of 1984 (Title III of Pub.L. 98-623, 16 U.S.C. 2431 et seq.) Provides the legislative authority necessary to implement, with respect to the United States, the Antarctic Marine Living Resources (AMLR) Program. The AMLR Program, which is managed by the Antarctic Ecosystem Research Division (AERD) at the Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC), provides information to the U.S. delegation to the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), part of the Antarctic treaty system.

CCAMLR is an international treaty between 23 nations that seeks to manage Antarctic fisheries with the goal of preserving species diversity and stability of the entire Antarctic marine ecosystem. In keeping with this objective, CCAMLR has designated areas of research that member nations are obligated to pursue. The AMLR Program has identified specific data sets that must be collected to respond to CCAMLR's research directives. In doing so, the AMLR Program supports the U.S. Government's commitment to CCAMLR.

In 1996/97, the AMLR Program, in cooperation with the NSF, began providing logistical support for the NSF field camp at Admiralty Bay, King George Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. Within the vicinity of this study area, the AMLR program has a large-area survey grid. The NSF field camp and study area are adjacent to an area where reproductive success and feeding ecology of breeding penguins have been monitored since 1976. Dr Wayne Trivelpiece has directed the predator studies at this NSF site since its inception in 1976.

II. PURPOSE

A. Overall Program Objectives

The NSF/AMLR cooperative program monitors a suite of predators, primarily penguins at the Copacabana field site and formulates management advice to CCAMLR. In addition, the Program conducts field research designed to describe the functional relationships between krill (Euphausia superba), their predators, and key environmental variables.

B. Specific Study Objectives

The objectives of the work covered by this contract are to provide the support and documentation necessary and required by NOAA and NSF to conduct the research project at the Copacabana field station for the 2009-10 field season. The specific study objectives that this contract will support include monitoring penguins and their predators and collecting data on parameters such as penguin population size, reproductive success, foraging behavior and diets that are used, in conjunction with AMLR's at sea marine observations to assess the status and health of the krill populations and the predators such as penguins that are dependent on krill.

The contractor will take the lead on logistical arrangements for the camp, including the completion of the Support Information Packet, travel arrangements and personnel needs. The contractor will complete all reporting requirements for NSF's ACA permit and USFWS bird banding permit, and will handle the acquisition and testing of all scientific supplies and equipment needed to carry out the project in the field for the 2009-10 season.

III. CONTRACT TASKS

A. Tasks

1. The contractor will complete the Support Information Packet SIP outlining all logistical requests and camp needs for the field work in 2009-10 and forward this to Raytheon Polar Services.
2. The contractor will complete and submit the ACA report on species handled during the 2008-09 season to NSF and request the new ACA permit for research needs in 2009-10.
3. The contractor will complete the bird banding report and submit it to the USFWS banding laboratory and will submit a new request to the USFWS for all field assistants to handle birds during the 2009-10 season.
4. The contractor will assist the PI in procuring testing and shipping all scientific supplies and equipment needed to support the research at the Copa field camp for the 2009-10 season.

IV. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS AND DELIVERABLES:

1. The contractor shall complete and submit the Support Information Packet (SIP) to Raytheon for support of the Copa field work in 2009-10.
2. The contractor shall complete all ACA and USFWS permits required for field work in Antarctica in 2009-10.
3. The contractor shall assist the PI in the procurement and testing of scientific supplies and the testing of the scientific equipment needed to support of the research at the Copa field camp in 2009-10.

V. PERIOD OF CONTRACT:

The contract shall begin July 6, 2009 and end August 31, 2009.