NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION USA Tender

Consulting Services For Chemometric Model Building, Experimental Testing, And Analytical Services From Ft-nir Spectra Of Fish Otoliths notice Of Intent To Negotiate A Single-source Contract special Notice: Fd-2024-416 noaa/nmfs/sefsc/fates, Biology And Life History Branch in Compliance With Far Subpart 13 Coupled With The Provisions Set Forth By Far Subpart 5.101(a)(1), This Notice Is Hereby Published To Inform Of The Following: the U.s. Department Of Commerce (doc), National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration (noaa), National Marine Fisheries Service (nmfs), Office Of Management And Budget (omb) Intends To Negotiate, On A Sole Source Basis, Under The Authority Of Far 13.106-1(b)(1), With Eigenvector Research, Inc. using The Procedures Of Far Part 13 The Requirement Is To Procure The Following: This Requirement Is For: Non-severable Services, Non-personal, To Provide All Labor, Equipment And Materials (unless Otherwise Provided Herein) Necessary To Provide Consulting Services For Chemometric Model Building, Experimental Testing, And Analytical Services From Ft-nir Spectra Of Fish Otoliths. this Service Contract Seeks To Request Consulting Services For The Following Tasks: review, Update, And Test Existing Calibration Models For Predicting Fish Age From Eastern Bering Sea And Gulf Of Alaska Walleye Pollock, Gadus Chalcogrammus, Otoliths determine If Models Can Be Developed To Predict Fish Sex From Species, Such As Gag Grouper, Mycteroperca Microlepis, And White Grunt, Haemulon Plumierii design Experiments To Determine Why Ft-nir Models Work For Predicting Fish Age From Otoliths And Then Analyze Results From Those Experiments develop Models To Predict Fish Age From Ft-nir Spectra Of Otoliths From Red Snapper, Lutjanus Campechanus, And Investigate Whether These Model(s) Can Be Used To Predict Fish Age For Walleye Pollack, Gadus Chalcogrammus, Or Whether Models For Walleye Pollack Can Be Used To Predict Fish Age For Red Snapper (i.e., Transfer Learning) develop Models To Predict Fish Age From Ft-nir Spectra Of Otoliths For Multiple Species [white Grunt (haemulon Plumierii), King Mackerel (scomberomorus Cavalla), Vermilion Snapper, (rhomboplites Aurorubens), And Gag Grouper (mycteroperca Microlepis)], Assess Whether Some Or All Of These Models Could Be Combined, And Determine If Calibration Techniques Could Be Used For Previously Developed Models On Training Sets With Smaller Numbers Of Samples (transfer Learning) design Experiments To Determine The Impact That Broken Or Chipped Otoliths Have On Fish Age Prediction the Focus Of This Work Is To Use Chemometric And Machine-learning Models Through Eigenvector Research, Inc.’s Pls_toolbox Or Solo Stand Alone Chemometric Software To Predict Fish Age And Fish Sex For Several Commercial And Recreational Fish Species. This Work Also Seeks To Design Experimental Tests To Determine What Ft-nir Measures From Fish Otoliths That Is So Closely Related To Age And To Determine The Impact That Broken Or Chipped Otoliths May Have On Age Prediction. it Is Expected That Results From This Work Will Provide Knowledge And Expertise To Noaa’s Fish Biologists To Build Predictive Chemometric Models For Several Commercial And Recreational Important Fish Species. It Is Expected That Results From The Experimental Designs Conducted In This Study Will Elucidate What Ft-nir Measures From An Otolith That Is So Closely Related To Age. It Is Also Expected That Results From The Experimental Designs Conducted To Determine The Impact That Broken Or Chipped Otoliths Have On Fish Age Prediction Will Elucidate Whether We Should Continue Scanning Broken Or Chipped Otoliths. expected Period Of Performance: October 1, 2024 Through March 31, 2026 the Applicable Size Standard Is North American Industry Classification System (naics) Code 541690 With A Small Business Size Standard Of $19m. This Sole Source Determination Is Based On Noaaa's Requirement That Is The Only Vendor That Provides The Required Services: each Year More Than 200,000 Otoliths Are Aged By 7 Federally-funded Noaa Fisheries Production Fish Ageing Laboratories Nationwide That Support Stock Assessments For Fishery Management Advice. Noaa Fisheries Staff Have Invested Extensive Time And Effort Associated With Developing Analytical Techniques Utilizing Fourier Transform Near Infrared (ft-nir) Spectroscopy As An Alternative, Rapid Method For Fish Ageing. Recognizing The Potential For Huge Efficiency Gains, Noaa Fisheries Funded A Multi-year Strategic Initiative Project With The Goal Of Conducting Research And Development Which Will Lead To Operational Readiness Of This Technology In 5 Years Across All Noaa Fisheries Ageing Laboratories. However, There Is A Need For Noaa’s Fish Biologists To Gain The Expertise Needed To Build The Best Predictive Model(s) Possible, As Well As A Need To Understand What Nir Measures In An Otolith (i.e., The Ageing Structure Most Commonly Used By Noaa Fisheries Fish Ageing Laboratories To Age Fish) That Is So Closely Related To Age. This Service Contract Seeks Consulting Services To Develop Chemometric Models In Solo Stand Alone Chemometric Software To Predict Fish Age For Multiple Species From Ft-nir Spectra, Predict Fish Sex From Ft-nir Spectra, And To Develop And Analyze Experimental Tests To Determine Why Ft-nir Models Work For Predicting Fish Age And Whether Broken Or Chipped Otoliths Impact Fish Age Prediction Models. solo Stand Alone Chemometric Software Was Purchased In 2018 And Has Been Used By Noaafisheries, Sefsc And Afsc Fish Biologists Since That Time. the Required Supplies Must Be Compatible In All Aspects (form, Fit, And Function) With Existing Systems Or Equipment, And The Source Is Uniquely Qualified To Meet The Requirement. Noaa Fisheries, Sefsc, And Afsc Fish Biologists Purchased Eigenvector Research, Inc.’s Proprietary Solo Stand Alone Chemometric Software More Than 6 Years Ago And Have Continued Maintenance Updates And Using This Software Since That Time. Eigenvector Research Inc. Is Continuously Adding New Tools To Solo To Keep Up With Changing Technologies That Are Occurring Today (e.g., Machine Learning And Artificial Intelligence), And They Provide Training Sessions On How To Apply These New Tools. These Same Employees Have Attended Numerous Week-long, In-person Trainings, As Well As Online Classes, To Develop Expertise In Using The Solo Software For Data Exploration And Building Predictive Models. The Government Has Provided Thousands Of Dollars In Training And Travel Funds, Employee Salaries, And Purchase And Continued Maintenance Upgrades For The Solo Software. Should This Contract Not Be Awarded To Eigenvector Research, Inc., There Would Be A Significant Loss To The Government Given The Time And Money That Have Been Invested In These Employees’ Training And The Knowledge That Has Been Gained For More Than 6 Years. To Purchase Another Software To Utilize To Conduct The Necessary Mission Essential Tasks Would Require Additional Funding For The Software Purchase, Training, Travel, And Employees’ Salaries To Learn New Software, Not To Mention The Time Loss That Would Result From Having Lost 6 Years Of Training And Knowledge Gained From Learning And Using The Solo Software. eigenvector Research, Inc. Is A World-renowned Expert Having Well Over 100 Man-years Of Experience In Developing Chemometric And Machine Learning Models For Physical And Chemical Properties Of Samples Based On Ft-nir Spectroscopy. Eigenvector Research Is The Creator Of Pls_toolbox, Which Includes An Extensive Set Of Essential And Advanced Chemometric Multivariate Analysis Tools That Can Be Used Within Matlab. This Also Means That Eigenvector Research Is Able To Custom Code In Pls_toolbox And All Models Produced Must Be Accessible Through Solo Stand Alone Chemometric Software, Both Of Which Are Requirements For This Service Contract. **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. attachments single Source Determination