***NOAA's Acquisition & Grants Office, Western Acquisition Division-Boulder, intends to negotiate, on a sole source basis, under authority of FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), with San Jose State University for three various sized boats to support the Leatherback Turtle capture, sampling and tagging efforts for NOAA Office of National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) at two primary locations; waters off central California and waters off the Oregon-Washington coast.
***The sole source determination is based on the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) and the Marine Mammal and Turtle Division ( MMTD) to collect research data of endangered Leatherback Turtles that nest at beaches in the tropical western Pacific, perform trans-Pacific migrations to coastal US West Coast waters to forage on seasonally abundant sea jellies. The recent establishment of Leatherback Critical Habitat has shifted NOAA mandates to now determine the distribution and habitat use of Leatherbacks in relation to principal habitat constituents such as gelatinous prey.

***This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals and no solicitation package is available. However, firms that believe they can fully meet the Government's requirements may submit substantiating documentation in writing 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. 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.