SOUTHEAST FISHERIES OBSERVER PROGRAM (SEFOP) OBSERVER SERVICES EXTENSION

NOTICE OF INTENT TO NEGOTIATE FOR AN ACTION EXCEEDING THE SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION THRESHOLD USING SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURES FOR CERTAIN COMMERCIAL ITEMS

SOUTHEAST FISHERIES SCIENCE CENTER (SEFSC)

SOUTHEAST FISHERIES OBSERVER PROGRAM (SEFOP) OBSERVER SERVICES

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries hereby gives public notice of the intent to negotiate a sole-source action for Task Order 1305M325F0020 under Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Contract 1305M219DNFFN0019, to extend observer services from December 21, 2025 through March 31, 2026, pursuant to the authority of Federal Acquisition Requirements (FAR) 13.501(a) and 41 U.S.C. 1901. FAR 6.302-1(a)(2) and 41 USC 3304(a)(1) establishes authority for the government to seek services from A.I.S., Incorporated (AIS) to manage the recruitment, selection, supervision, and outfitting of all sea-going personnel needed to fulfill federal fisheries obligations of the SEFSC for the geographic area encompassed by the coastal states from North Carolina through Texas, as well as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands in the U.S. Caribbean. These federal fisheries obligations are part of the National Observer Program and are authorized by statute under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

The SEFOP operates in Federal reef-fish, shrimp, and pelagic longline fisheries in the Gulf of America, Caribbean and Western North Atlantic Ocean. More than 500 observers are deployed across 11 U.S. observer programs, the majority of which are managed by NOAA Fisheries’ six regional Fisheries Science Centers. Observers act as the sole, independent data source for specific types of information, including bycatch composition and mortality, economic and regulatory discards, as well as gear interactions with marine mammals, seabirds, sea turtles, and many other protected resources. The observer collected data is utilized in various regional stock assessments.

SEFSC Observer Services requires the Contractor to provide and retain the necessary qualified personnel, material, services, and facilities (except as otherwise specified) to perform quality environmental, biological, and fisheries operations data collection for SEFSC Observer programs.

Responses to this notice must be provided within fifteen (15) calendar days from the date of this notice. Vendors who believe they can meet this requirement are required to submit in writing a proposal and affirmative response demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the requirement. All written responses must include a written narrative statement of capability, including detailed technical information demonstrating their ability to meet the action requirement, including the extension timeline. The response must be sufficient to permit agency analysis to establish a bona fide capability to meet the requirement. Failure to submit such documentation will result in the Government proceeding as previously stated. A determination by the Government not to open the requirement to competition based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Affirmative written responses must be received no later than November 29, 2026 at 2:30 P.M. Pacific Standard Time. The responses must be submitted via e-mail to Contract Specialist, Jamie Abu Shakrah, at Jamie.AbuShakrah@noaa.gov.