Transportation via Charter Boat

SOLE SOURCE Small Business Posting The USDA-WS needs reliable, safe, and consistent transportation via charter boat to access the Ft Wool / Rip Raps Island located in Hampton, VA. USDA WS has entered into a Cooperative Service Agreement with the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources to conduct wildlife damage management. USDA WS Virginia does not own or operate a boat that is large enough and safe enough to navigate the Chesapeake Bay area that the island location is in.

USDA WS has entered into a Cooperative Service Agreement with the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources to conduct wildlife damage management. USDA WS will be conducting predator control and other wildlife damage management concerns on the island to protect nesting shore birds to include Royal terns, Common terns, American oystercatchers, Snowy egrets and Laughing gulls from predators.

WS will also be conducting Canada goose nest/egg management to reduce human health and safety hazards to the Hampton Roads Bridge tunnel (I-64) that is located adjacent to the Ft. Wool site. In previous years the geese have nested and fledged goslings. The geese then roam the construction area and have entered the tunnel causing safety issues and shutting the tunnel down for extended periods of time.

WS will be conducting rodent damage management caused by Norway rats and House mice utilizing registered pesticides that are placed into secured baiting stations. These bait stations require routine monitoring and maintenance. In addition, WS will be conducting nest and egg management on Herring gulls to reduce the damages of predation created by the adult Herring gulls. All these activities require WS to access the island on a regular basis throughout the year.

Safe and reliable transportation to the island is essential to the mission of our program. After exhaustive research it was determined that USDA WS could not find any other vendors or service providers that would be available on a consistent and reliable basis. Other potential vendors were local fishing charters that were not available for many months out of the year and would not be able to commit to transporting WS when we needed to.

Weather factors are also an issue in the timing and availability to a navigate the Chesapeake Bay and access the island work site. High winds, storms and tidal conditions limit the available windows of opportunity to access the island. For this reason, WS needs a consistent provider that can be ready to transport our field staff at any given time. SeaTow is a national well respected marine transportation services provider. They are a locally owned franchise that operates in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia.

SeaTow has well maintained sea vessels highly trained boat operators that are safe and reliable transportation that allow USDA WS to accomplish our mission. 1 year Purchase Order will be Issued Delivery to:

USDA WILDLIFE SERVICES VIRGINIA P.O. BOX 130 MOSELEY VA 23120 All communicastion comes through the Contracting Officer: Todd K. Bierl (Major Program Contracting Officer)

Emergency Acquisition USDA MRP AAMD Acquisition Email: Todd.K.Bierl@usda.gov Office#(612)336-3465 Cell# (612)500-1321/(763)286-8084 Must be SAM registered.