MARINE MAMMAL MONITORING OFF WEST AFRICA

***NOAA'S ACQUISITION & GRANTS OFFICE, WESTERN ACQUISITION DIVISION-BOULDER, NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE (NMFS) INTENDS TO NEGOTIATE, ON A SOLE SOURCE BASIS, UNDER AUTHORITY OF FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), WITH AFRICAN AQUATIC CONSERVATION FUND INC, OUT OF CHILMARK, MA FOR MARINE MAMMAL MONITORING OFF WEST AFRICA. PLACE OF PEFORMANCE IS SENEGAL, WEST AFRICA.***THE SOLE SOURCE DETERMINATION IS BASED ON THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION'S (NOAA) REQUIREMENT THAT AQUATIC CONSERVATION FUND INC (AACF) IS THE ONLY CETACEAN RESEARCH AND CONSERVATION ORGANIZATION IN WEST AFRICA. THE HAVE LONG STANDING AND POSTITIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH GOVERMENTAL BODIES AND UNIVERSITYIES IN SENEGAL, AND HAVE A DIVERSE SET OF PARTNERSHIPS ACROSS AFRICA. THE AACF TEAM ALSO HAS THE EXPERTISE REQUIRED FOR THE NECESSARY DATA COLLECTION, INCLUDING FAMILIARITY WITH LOCAL CONDITIONS, RESOURCES, AND FIELD EXPEDITION LOGISITCS. THEY ARE HIGHLY SKILLED IN THE FIELD METHODOLOGIES, PRODUCT DEVIATION, PAM

DATA ANALYSES AND THE CAPACITY BUILDING THAT IS NEEDED TO ADDRESS THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS PROJECT. ADDITIONALLY, THEY HAVE EXTENSIVE CONNECTIONS TO LOCAL SCIENTIFIC STAFF AND STUDENTS TO FACILITATE THE CAPACITY BUILDING COMPONENT OF THE PROJECT, WHICH IS PART OF THE INTENT AS ARTICULATED BY THE NOAA INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE STRATEGY. THE AFRICAN AQUATIC CONSERVATION FUND IS UNIQUELY QUALIFIED TO CONDUCT THIS RESEARCH. BASED IN SENEGAL, THE FOUNDERS OF THE AACF HAVE 25 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WORKING IN TEN AFRICAN COUNTRIES. SINCE 2014, THE AACF HAS BEEN WORKING WITH AFRICAN MANATEE, CETACEAN, TURTLE AND TORTOISE SPECIES REGIONALLY, AND IN 2020, THEY LAUNCHED A NEW AFRICAN CETACEAN PROGRAM. THERE IS NO OTHER RESEARCH ENTITY CAPABLE OF PROVIDING THESE SERVICES WITH THE LOCAL KNOWLEDGE AND RESOURCES OF THE AFRICAN AQUATIC CONSERVATION FUND. THEY ARE THE ONLY SOURCE THAT IS CAPABLE FOR THIS PROCUREMENT.PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: 08/15/2023 THROUGH 08/14/2025.***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.