Notice of Intent to Sole Source Otolith Analysis

United States Fish and Wildlife Service intends to award a firm fixed price commercial services contract on a sole source basis to Fish and Wildlife, Washington State Department of UEI QMYKF4YEEGX8, for highly specialized otolith and scale analysis services supporting ESA listed spring Chinook Salmon life history studies in the Entiat River and Columbia River basin. The contractor will prepare, process, and analyze up to 400 adult Entiat summer Chinook otoliths using Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry and associated methods, and conduct paired scale and otolith analysis to evaluate juvenile residency, migration timing, growth, and rearing location. The proposed action is for commercial services under the simplified acquisition threshold for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under the authority of FAR 6.302-1, Only one responsible source, as implemented under FAR Part 12. All responsible sources that believe they can meet this requirement may submit a capability statement to Contracting Officer Oscar Orozco at oscar_orozco@ios.doi.gov no later than August 10, 2026, at 8:00 AM Pacific Time. This notice is not a request for quotations or proposals; information received will be used solely to determine whether to conduct a competitive procurement.