***THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION’S (NOAA’s) ACQUISITION & GRANTS OFFICE, WESTERN ACQUISITION DIVISION-BOULDER, NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE (NMFS) NORTHEAST FISHERIES SCIENCE CENTER (NEFSC), INTENDS TO NEGOTIATE, ON A SOLE SOURCE BASIS, UNDER AUTHORITY OF FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), WITH WOODS HOLE OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTITUTION FOR SERVICES, NON-PERSONAL TO PROVIDE ANALYSIS OF RADIOCARBON ISOTOPES FROM SAMPLES OF VERTEBRAL TISSUE OF VARIOUS SHARK SPECIES.

***THE SOLE SOURCE DETERMINATION IS BASED ON NOAA’S REQUIREMENT THAT THE NATIONAL OCEAN SCIENCES ACCELERATOR MASS SPECTROMETRY (NOSAMS) FACILITY AT WOODS HOLE OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTITUTION IS THE ONLY SOURCE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES NEEDED FOR SHARK VERTEBRAL RADIOCARBON ANALYSIS.  WOODS HOLE OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTITUTION CONDUCTED THE PRIOR SAMPLE ANALYSIS THAT FORM THE BASELINE FOR THE NEW ANALYSIS, AND COMPATIBIITY OF RESULTS OVER TIME MUST BE MAINTAINED.  ADDITIONALLY, THERE IS THE MANDATE TO ABIDE BY THE SCIENTIFIC REQUIREMENT TO LIMIT AS MANY SOURCES OF VARIABILITY AS POSSIBLE IN THIS TYPE OF HIGH-PRECISION CHEMICAL ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH.  THE NOSAMS FACILITY HAS PIONEERED WORK ON BOMB RADIOCARBON IN SHARK VERTEBRAE AND HAS DEVELOPED TAILORED METHODS FOR VERTEBRAL SAMPLE ANALYSIS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NOAA FISHERIES ACROSS SCIENCE CENTERS.  CONSISTENT METHODS ARE OF VITAL IMPORTANCE TO DEVELOPING LONG-TERM TIME SERIES OF DATA POINTS FOR ASSESSING AGE VALIDATION ACROSS VARIOUS AGING TECHNIQUES, A TOOL THAT IS KEY FOR FUTURE AGE-BASED STOCK ASSESSMENTS.

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE:  DATE OF AWARD THRUOGH JUNE 30, 2024

***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.