NOAA intends to negotiate a sole source contract with the University of Washington for the purpose of performing research on salmon reproduction, imprinting, and genetics research. Period of Performance: February 1, 2013 to January 31, 2014, with options for performance in future years.
Pacific salmon and steelhead are well known for their ability to learn (or imprint to) odors associated with their natal stream as juveniles and then later use these retained odor memories to guide the final phases of their home stream migration. The imprinting process is critical for successful completion of the spawning migration and salmon that are transported downstream during their seaward migration (e.g. around dams) are more likely to stray to non-natal sites.
In this study, we are testing the utility of altering the barge environment (flow rate, novel water exposure) to improve imprinting success in a laboratory study of smolting steelhead as a cost-effective alternative/precursor for in-river barge studies. These studies will require detailed molecular and hormonal analysis of Pacific salmon olfactory physiology and gene expression that are associated with olfactory imprinting.
The offeror is to assist NOAA research in evaluating methods to reduce straying rates of barged juvenile steel head in the Columbia River. The goals of this work are to provide a critical analysis of factors that impact stray rates of Columbia River salmonids and develop and apply physiological markers of olfactory imprinting to assess new methods for reducing stray rates of barged Snake River steelhead.

The project has two major components:

Comparisons of imprinting in barged vs. in-river migrants. Assist NOAA researchers with studies to assess imprinting of barged and in-river migrants by monitoring imprinting-associated changes in physiological function and gene expression as indicators of imprinting success.

Evaluation of alternate barging protocols to reduce straying. Assist NOAA researchers with studies to identify key environmental parameters that are important for successful imprinting in barged fish using a controlled laboratory study and monitoring imprinting associated changes in physiological function and gene expression as indicators of imprinting success.

There are five tasks required for this work.
1) Salmon olfactory tissue collection - Assist NOAA scientists with annual collection of tissues (olfactory rosettes, olfactory bulbs, pituitaries, gills, plasma) from migrating and barged juvenile salmon at several Columbia River locations (Lower Granite, McNary, and Bonneville Dams) and from experimental groups of salmon reared at local research hatcheries. Samples from up to 1000 fish will be collected. Sample collection will require several trips per year to the research hatchery (currently at the University of Washington Big Beef Creek Field Station) and approximately 16 days overnight in a hotel for sampling Columbia River fish. The tentative Columbia River schedule involves two four-day Barge sampling trips with hotel stays in Pullman, Washington (one night), Umatilla, Oregon (one night) and Stevenson, Washington (one night). In addition, there will be two additional Dam sampling trips involving 3 days/2 nights at McNary Dam (Umatilla) and 4 days/3 nights at Bonneville Dam (Stevenson). The Contractor must have a valid driver's license, be able to drive government vehicles, and may require access to NOAA facilities outside of regular business hours.
2) Analysis of olfactory gene expression related to imprinting in Pacific salmon - Assist NOAA scientists with analysis of imprinting-associated changes in gene expression as indicators of imprinting success. The contractor will isolate olfactory and brain mRNAs from up to 1000 fish, perform quantitative PCR for Pacific salmon olfactory receptor gene expression (3 ORs, 1 V1R, 1 V2R) and assist with collection and analysis 'of the olfactory transcriptome data using the Illumina platforms.
3) Analysis of smolting physiology related to imprinting in Pacific salmon - Assist NOAA scientists with analysis of imprinting-associated changes in physiological function as indicators of imprinting success. The contractor will conduct plasma thyroid hormone (time-resolved fluorescence immunoassay) and gill Na/K ATPase assays on up to 1000 samples.
4) Analysis of molecular and physiology results in the context of salmon ecology, migration and olfactory imprinting Assist NOAA scientists with interpretation of imprinting-associated changes in physiological function and gene expression relative to known patterns of salmonid imprinting, migration and general ecology.
5) Report and Document Deliverables- Provide results from tasks 1-3 in the form of electronic databases stored on NOAA computers. Assist NOAA scientists with project reports and preparation of manuscripts for publication in peer reviewed journals.

The government intends to negotiate on a sole-source basis with the University of Washington, as we believe this is the only source with such unique expertise, qualifications and experience to perform the work. All interested concerns must submit documentation in writing demonstrating the capability, expertise, qualifications, and experience to perform the necessary work to:

Joshua Dodson, NOAA, WRAD, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA

This notice may represent the only official notice of such solicitation.

All contractors doing business with the Government are now required to be registered with the System for Award Management (SAM). For additional information and to register in SAM please access the following web site: http://www.sam.gov. In order to register with the SAM and to be eligible to receive an award, all offerors must have a Dunn & Bradstreet Number. A Dunn & Bradstreet number may be acquired free of charge by contacting Dunn & Bradstreet by phone at (866) 705-5711 or via email at [email protected]

 

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