***NOAA's Acquisition & Grants Office, Western Acquisition Division-Boulder, intends to negotiate, on a sole source basis, under authority of FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), with Tamara McGuire of Anchorage, Alaska for assisting the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) with maintaining the catalog of photo identification and associated surveys, which provide information about the distribution, movement patterns, and life history characteristics for many individually identified beluga whales in Cook Inlet, AK.

***The sole source determination is based on the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Northwest Regional National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) requirement for maintaining the catalog of photo identification and associated surveys for many individually identified beluga whales in Cook Inlet, AK. This work requires expertise in the photo-identification, associated characteristics, and past data of Cook Inlet beluga whales. Tamara McGuire has over ten years' experience with photographically identifying individual Cook Inlet whales and is technically proficient in collecting and analyzing high resolution digital photographs of beluga whales for the purposes of photographically identifying individual whales, specifically in Cook Inlet. The period of performance is from October 1, 2019 through December 15, 2020. There will be four option periods, which will run from December 16, 2020 through December 15, 2024, if the government chooses to exercise the options.

***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.