We are looking for someone with the knowledge and capability as follows.

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 Group (AERG) 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, together with Susan G. Trivelpiece, Co-PI. In October 1997, Dr Trivelpiece accepted a full time position with the NMFS in La Jolla, CA and the NSF transferred funding for the continuation of this study to the SWFSC.

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 research covered by this contract include the following:

(1) to participate in the data analysis and preparation of papers for scientific journals as assisted by the seabird biologist.

III. CONTRACT TASKS

A. Tasks

1. Data Analysis and Writing: The Contractor will analyze data and prepare papers ready for submission on penguin diets, and on penguin-krill interactions in the near-shore environment at Cape Shirreff, Antarctica.

B. GOVERNMENT-PROVIDED AND CONTRACTOR-PROVIDED PROPERTY

The Government will provide data and scientific equipment as needed to complete the specific tasks above.

IV. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS AND DELIVERABLES:

The Contractor will complete and submit drafts of these papers, ready for submission to journals TBA.

V. EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS

The Contractor will be assessed on technical skill, ability to complete the deliverables within the time frame of the contract, demonstrated ability to do the work, and price. More importance will be placed on technical skill and demonstrated ability than price when evaluating different contractors.