***NOAA'S ACQUISITION & GRANTS OFFICE, WESTERN ACQUISITION DIVISION-BOULDER, GREAT LAKES ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LAB (GLERL) INTENDS TO NEGOTIATE, ON A SOLE SOURCE BASIS, UNDER AUTHORITY OF FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), WITH EUREKA AQUATIC RESEARCH, LLC OUT OF ANN ARBOR, MI TO DEVELOP FOOD WEB MODELS TO PREDICT THE POTENTIAL EFFECTS AND IMPACT OF BIGHEAD AND SILVER CARP ON THE ILLINOIS RIVER.

***THE SOLE SOURCE DETERMINATION IS BASED ON THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION’S (NOAA) REQUIREMENT THAT EUREKA AQUATIC RESEARCH IS THE SOLE ENTITIY WHO HAS SUPERIOR EXPERTISE IN USING FOOD WEB MODELS TO SIMULATE INVASIVE SPECIES IMPACTS ON THE GREAT LAKES FOOD WEBS.

EUREKA AQUATIC RESEARCH HAS EXPERTISE WITH THE ECOPATH WITH ECOSIM MODEL DESIRED FOR THIS EFFORT. EUREKA AQUATIC RESEARCH HAS 12 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE USING THE ECOPATH WITH ECOSIM MODEL TO SIMULATE IMPACTS OF SEVERAL INVASIVE SPECIES ON GREAT LAKES FOOD WEBS, AND IN PARTICULAR, BIGHEAD AND SILVER CARP IMPACTS ON GREAT LAKES AND THE ILLINOIS RIVER FOOD WEB. GLERL HAS WORKED WITH EUREKA AQUATIC RESEARCH ON AWARDS IN FY19 AND FY20 AS A COLLABORATOR ON MULTI-INVESTIGATOR PROJECTS FUNDED BY NOAA AND EPAS GREAT LAKES RESTORATION INITIATIVE TO ASSESS THE IMPACTS OF INVASIVE BIGHEAD AND SILVER CARPS ON THE GREAT LAKES AND ILLINOIS RIVER. IT IS IMPERATIVE TO MAINTAIN CONTINUITY OF THE DATA IN ORDER TO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THIS PROJECT.

***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.