NOAA Fisheries Special Notice of Intent to a Single Source-Cetacean and Seabird Observer Services
Overview
Buyer
Place of Performance
NAICS
PSC
Set Aside
Original Source
Timeline
Qualification Details
Fit reasons
- NAICS alignment with historical contract wins in similar service areas.
- Scope strongly matches core technical capabilities and delivery model.
Risks
- Past performance thresholds may require one additional teaming partner.
- Potential clarification needed on staffing minimums before bid/no-bid.
Next steps
Validate eligibility requirements, assign capture owner, and schedule partner outreach to confirm teaming strategy before submission planning.
Quick Summary
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC), intends to award a sole source, firm fixed-price contract to WildSEA Inc. for cetacean and seabird observer services. This notice is an Intent to Sole Source, not a request for competitive proposals. Firms believing they can meet the requirements must submit documentation by July 1, 2026, at 5 PM Eastern Time.
Scope of Work
The contractor will provide a cetacean and seabird observer to collect data during the 2026 Pacific Ocean Whale and Ecosystem Research (POWER) survey in the southern Gulf of Alaska and eastern North Pacific Ocean (40° N to US EEZ border, 135°W to 155° W). Services include:
- Sighting, identifying, and documenting all observed cetaceans and seabirds.
- Photo-ID photography and photographic database management.
- Writing summaries of photo-ID encounters and presenting seabird observation results.
- Generating summary tables and reviewing the final report.
Required Experience & Skills
Due to the unique challenges of the 50-day POWER survey on a traditional Japanese vessel, the observer must possess extensive experience, including:
- At least 24 months as a cetacean observer on large vessels using line-transect methods, preferably in the Gulf of Alaska, Bering Sea, or offshore Washington/Oregon/California.
- Participation in at least one prior POWER survey.
- Four or more years of experience in cetacean photo identification from a moving vessel, archiving digital photographs, and processing raw images.
- Four or more years identifying cetaceans (including cryptic beaked whales) and seabirds to species level.
- Proficiency in Adobe LightRoom and experience preparing scientific reports.
- Basic Japanese sayings and field-specific vocabulary.
Contract & Timeline
- Contract Type: Firm Fixed-Price (intended sole source)
- Notice Type: Special Notice of Intent to a Single Source
- NAICS Code: 541990 ($19.5M Small Business Size Standard)
- Response Due: July 1, 2026, 5 PM ET
- Published: June 16, 2026
- Place of Performance: Survey in Gulf of Alaska/Eastern North Pacific; administrative location Seattle, WA.
Sole Source Justification & Response
The Government believes only WildSEA Inc. can meet these highly specialized requirements, citing their extensive experience, including prior POWER survey participation. This notice is not a request for competitive proposals. However, firms that believe they can fully meet the requirements may submit substantiating documentation to Christie.Lang@noaa.gov. Submissions will be evaluated solely to determine if a competitive procurement is feasible.