***NOAA's Acquisition & Grants Office, Western Acquisition Division-Boulder, NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC), Resource Assessment an Conservation Engineering (RACE) Division, Seattle WA intends to negotiation, on a sole source basis, under authority of FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), with LFS INC, for Net Loft Supplies.

*** THE SOLE SOURCE DETERMINATION IS BASED ON THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION'S (NOAA) REQUIREMENT THAT LFS INC IS THE ONLY VENDOR THAT MANUFACTURES AND DISTRUBUTES THIS REQUIRED NET LOFT SUPPLIES. THE NET LOFT SUPPLIES MUST BE COMPATIBLE IN ALL ASPECTS (FORM, FIT, AND FUNCTION) WITH EXISTING SYSTEMS OR EQUIPMENT, AND THE SOURCE IS UNIQUELY QUALIFIED TO MEET THE REQUIREMENT AND NET LOFT SUPPLIES ARE THE ONLY SUPPLIES THAT WILL SUIT OUR NEEDS. THESE SUPPLIES ARE REQUIRED TO BUILD, REPAIR, AND MAINTAIN FISHING GEAR USED IN THE PERFORMANCE OF FISHERY-INDEPENDENT SURVEYS IN ALASKA. TRAWL WEBBING WITH IDENTICAL SPECIFICATIONS CAN DIFFER SLIGHTLY BETWEEN MANUFACTURES. EVEN SMALL DIFFERENCES IN WEBBING CAN INFLUENCE DRAG, TURBULENCE, AND VERTICAL OR HORIZONTAL OPENING OF THE TRAWL. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THE TRAWLS CONSTRUCTED FOR STANDARDIZED FISHERY-INDEPENDENT SURVEYS INCLUDE WEBBING WITH IDENTICAL CHARACTERISTICS TO ENSURE THAT DIFFERENCES IN OBSERVED CATCHES OVER TIME ARE DUE TO ACTUAL CHANGES IN POPULATIONS AND NOT DUE TO DIFFERENCES IN TRAWL MATERIALS USED. DELIVER DATE BY 03/01/2024.

***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.