NOAA IS SEEKING A CONTRACTOR TO CONDUCT A CONTROLLED COMPARISON BETWEEN STANDARD FISHING GEAR (THE CONTROL) AND ALTERNATIVE FISHING GEAR, SPECIFICALLY LARGE CIRCLE HOOKS, THAT ARE HYPOTHESIZED TO REDUCE SEA TURTLE CAPTURES IN LONGLINE FISHING GEAR. THIS IS FOR BASE YEAR PLUS ONE OPTION YEAR. THE ENTIRE SOLICITATION IS ATTACHED. NO FURTHER SOLICITATION DOCUMENTS WILL BE ISSUED. THIS IS A SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION WITH AN ESTIMATED VALUE OF LESS THAN $100,000. THE WESTERN REGIONAL ACQUISITION DIVISION REQUIRES THAT ALL CONTRACTORS DOING BUSINESS WITH THIS ACQUISITION OFFICE BE REGISTERED WITH THE CENTRAL CONTRACTOR REGISTRATION (CCR) AS OF OCTOBER 1, 2003. AFTER THIS DATE, NO AWARD CAN BE MADE UNLESS THE VENDER IS REGISTERED IN CCR. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND TO REGISTER IN CCR PLEASE ACCESS THE FOLLOWING WEB SITE: HTTP://WWW.CCR.GOV. IN ORDER TO REGISTER WITH THE CCR AND TO BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE AN AWARD FROM THIS ACQUISITION OFFICE, ALL OFFERORS MUST HAVE A DUN & BRADSTREET NUMBER. A DUN & BRADSTREET NUMBER MAY BE ACQUIRED FREE OF CHARGE BY CONTACTING DUN & BRADSTREET ON-LINE AT WWW.DNB.COM/EUPDATE OR BY PHONE AT (800) 333-0505. ALL CONTRACTORS ARE ALSO REQUIRED TO COMPLETE ONLINE REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS AT HTTP://ORCA.BPN.GOV.