***NOAA'S ACQUISITION & GRANTS OFFICE, WESTERN ACQUISITION DIVISION-BOULDER, ALASKA FISHERIES SCIENCE CENTER (AFSC) MARINE MAMMAL LABORATORY (MML), INTENDS TO NEGOTIATE, ON A SOLE SOURCE BASIS, UNDER AUTHORITY OF FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA CRUZ (UCSC) FOR PINNIPED OBSERVATION SERVICES TO BE PERFORMED AT ANO NUEVO ISLAND, CALIFORNIA.

***THE SOLE SOURCE DETERMINATION IS BASED ON THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION'S (NOAA) REQUIREMENT THAT UCSC IS THE ONLY VENDOR THAT MANUFACTURES AND DISTRUBUTES THIS OBSERVATIONAL SERVICE ON ANO NUEVO ISLAND. UCSC HOLDS AN MOU WITH THE STATE PARK, ALLOWING THEM TO OPERATE ANO NUEVO AS PART OF THE NATURAL RESERVE SYSTEM. UCSC HOLDS EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS TO ACCESS FOR THE ISLAND, AND IS THEREFORE THE ONLY SOURCE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE REQUESTED OBSERVATION SERVICES. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: DATE OF AWARD TO ONE YEAR AFTER DATE OF AWARD, WITH TWO OPTION YEARS.

***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.