PRIEST RAPIDS HATCHERY FALL CHINOOK REARING AND RELEASE

Notice of Intent to Sole Source

Solicitation Number: W9127N21R0017

Agency: Department of the Army
Office: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Location: USACE District, Portland

Product or Service Code: F022 – Fish Hatchery Services

NAICS Code: 541990 – All other Professional, Scientific, and Technical services

Size Standard: $16.5M

Solicitation Number: W9127N21R0017

Notice Type: Special Notice

Synopsis:

This is a special notice prepared in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 5.2 “Synopses of Proposed Contract Actions.”

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) intends to negotiate a sole-source award with Public Utility District No. 2 of Grant County (Grant County PUD), located in Ephrata, WA.  This will be a three (3) year contract, consisting of one (1) base year, and two, 1-year option years.

Work includes the following:

1. Annual provision (transport) of up to 4 million upriver bright fall Chinook (URB) eyed-eggs to Bonneville Hatchery;
    
2. Annual provision of up to 1.7 million URB fall Chinook sub yearling smolts. Release of 50 fish/pound into the Columbia River will occur in June (adipose fin clipping and fish health specialist certification of health prior to release);
    
3. Annual reporting/analysis of the work.

Pursuant to 10 U.S.C. § 2304(c)(1), as implemented by Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.302-1 and the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation (DFAR) 206.302-1, only one responsible source and no other vendor will satisfy agency requirements.

In 2008, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) issued a revised Biological Opinion (BiOp) that concluded the Federal Columbia River Power System jeopardizes the continued existence of various Endangered Species Act-listed anadromous fish in the Columbia River Basin, but that jeopardy and adverse modification may be avoided by implementing a reasonable and prudent alternative (RPA) composed of discrete actions covering, among other things, hatchery operations. RPA action no. 40 called for a review of the hatchery program associated with the mitigation for The Dalles and John Day Dams. After reviewing the program, USACE, among others, ultimately arrived at a plan to move hatchery operations into or above the exclusive Zone 6 Indian fishery to better meet mitigation objectives.

Priest Rapids Hatchery is situated just upstream of the Hanford Reach on the east bank of the Columbia River above, Zone 6. Priest Rapids Hatchery possesses the appropriate water temperature, rearing pond space and availability during the required months to provide the eggs and to rear/release URB juveniles into the Columbia River. No other egg collection and rearing facilities exist in this area of the Columbia River that are (1) capable of delivering the quantities specified in this requirement, and (2) not already in use by USACE for similar purposes. 

Grant County PUD has sole control and use of the facilities at Priest Rivers Hatchery and does not permit other agencies or contractors to utilize these facilities.  Regional fisheries experts from the NMFS, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and USACE agree that Priest Rapids Hatchery is the only reasonable location to perform these specific egg collections, rearing and release activities.

A SOLICITATION WILL NOT BE POSTED.
 

THIS NOTICE IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS OR QUOTATIONS. All responsible sources may submit a capability statement to the contracting officer before the notice end date.  If no affirmative written responses are received by 10:00 AM Pacific time on Monday, 19 April 2021, the Contracting Officer will proceed with the sole source action. Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed requirement is solely within the discretion of the Government. 

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR RESPONSES TO THIS SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE

1. Business name, Point of Contact name, email address, and phone number.

2. CAGE Code and DUNS number.

3. In the event that the organization is a small business, state the category of small business, such as 8(a), HUBZone, Veteran Owned Small Business, Woman Owned Small Business, or SDVOSB.

4. Statement of Capability (SOC):  Discuss skills, knowledge, and equipment required to perform the occupancy and abundance monitoring.  Describe recent and relevant experience within the last five years:

a) Facility capable of spawning, hatching, and rearing through early life stages and transport of specific life stages of juvenile salmonids in required quantities;

b) Knowledge of aquaculture, fish handling and tagging procedures, and fish health monitoring;

c) Report writing, analytical capabilities and problem-solving skills.
 
Please limit responses to allow the Government to determine interested parties, socioeconomic status availability, and capabilities.  The Government intends to use responses to make an appropriate acquisition decision for this project.
 
Electronic responses and questions shall be submitted via email to all POCs listed, below.  The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is not responsible for any costs incurred by responding to this notice.
 
Contracting Office Address:
US Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District
ATTN: CECT-NWP-P
333 SW 1st Avenue                   
Portland, OR  97204
 
Points of Contact for this notice:       
Email: [email protected]
          [email protected]
          [email protected]


Small Business inquiries:
Carol McIntyre, Deputy for Small Business
Direct:  503-808-4602
Email: [email protected]