URGENT AND COMPELLING JUSTIFICATION, SINGLE SOURCE, FOR EMERGENCY SEAWATER CHILLER REPAIRS

This is not a request for quotes and no responses are required. This is a special notice for public awareness that NOAA Fisheries is issuing an emergency order for the immediate repair of a malfunctioning 80-ton York brand chiller at the Manchester Research Station. Necessary repairs include replacing three faulty compressors, recovering and recharging refrigerant, and ensuring proper chiller operation after restarting the unit.

The service listed on 143041-26-0168 (26-501) is urgent and competition requirements are precluded for reasons indicated below. If the service is not received by the Required Delivery Date (7/20/26), specific damages to NOAA will result. The NWFSC Manchester Research Station requires this work to provide a continuous supply of chilled seawater that supports the thousands of marine fish housed at the Research Station, including sablefish broodstock.

Early life stages of sablefish require water temperatures of 5 degrees C or less in order to survive, grow, and mature normally. Fish will die at elevated temperatures (>15 degrees C) or during abrupt and dramatic temperature fluctuations. The recent chiller malfunction has resulted in a 50% reduction of chilling capacity. Operation at 50% capacity will not be adequate to chill seawater to the necessary temperatures during high summer temperatures.

Any loss of sablefish broodstock will be devastating to on-going aquaculture research activities that depend on these fish producing viable gametes. Sablefish take several years to reach maturity, and loss of fish could affect the aquaculture research program for many years. The sablefish program at Manchester currently supports 6 FTEs, two contract staff, productive CRADA collaborations with the Jamestown S’Klallam tribe and aquaculture industry, and a host of collaborative projects within and outside of NOAA.

The total monetary value of the sablefish currently at the Station exceeds several million dollars, considering the investments of labor, supplies, feed and other costs. The Station is providing real-time information to the aquaculture industry to support a sustainable seafood supply.