SECTION C. DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/WORK STATEMENT

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

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 established a field camp at Cape Shirreff, Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. Within the vicinity of this study area, the program has specified a large-area survey grid. The field camp and study area were established where reproductive success and feeding ecology of breeding seals and penguins could be monitored. During the 1997/98 field season, research was conducted at Cape Shirreff and the AMLR survey grid was expanded to include waters adjacent to Livingston Island.

II. PURPOSE

A. Overall Program Objectives

The AMLR Program monitors finfish, crab, and krill fisheries, projects sustainable yields where possible, and formulates management advice and options. 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 logistical operations to transport equipment, supplies and personnel between the chartered research vessel and the field camp at Cape Shirreff;

(2) To conduct seabird research and assist the field leader as directed with collecting and analyzing standardized data related to penguin reproduction, growth, abundance and distribution, and survival; and,

(3) To assist the senior seal biologist, as appropriate, with collecting information related to Antarctic fur seal reproduction, growth, abundance and distribution, and survival.

III. CONTRACT TASKS

A. TASKS

1. Logistics Plan: The Contractor will provide input, based upon experience in participating in remote field operations, to our plan to transfer materials, equipment, and supplies from the research vessel to Cape Shirreff.

2. Seabird Research At Cape Shirreff: The Contractor will assist the field leader in the collection of penguin reproductive, growth, abundance and distribution, and survival data. Specifically, will assist in weighing penguin chicks, banding penguins, obtaining stomach samples, placement of radio transmitters and TDRs, etc, as required. The Contractor will be responsible for summarizing all of field data as directed by the field leader prior to departing the field.

3. Seal Research At Cape Shirreff: The Contractor will assist the senior seal biologist with the collection of fur seal data, as required.

B. GOVERNMENT-PROVIDED AND CONTRACTOR-PROVIDED PROPERTY

The Government will provide warm weather clothes such as raingear, parkas, gloves, and boots. The Government will also provide all tools, boats, and scientific equipment needed to complete the specific tasks above.

The Contractor will provide personal clothes, such as pants, shirts, undergarments, socks, etc. The contractor will also provide personal effects that she might desire while aboard the ship or island.

IV. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS AND DELIVERABLES:

The Contractor shall contribute to the Field Season Report as directed by the field leader and shall submit all data they personally collected during the field season to the field leader for final processing by the end of the field season in March 2010.

The Government does not provide insurance to the Contractor and under most circumstances is not liable for injuries suffered by the contractor during the performance of duties.

Travel shall include all costs associated with getting the Contractor from their home in the US to Chile and return, including airfare, ground transportation, lodging, food and miscellaneous expenses associated with this travel.