NOAA – National Marine Fisheries Service – AFSC – Marine Mammal Laboratory – Chelonia Limited F-POD Acoustic Cetacean and Porpoise Detector Systems or Equivalent
This is a Sources Sought Notice in preparation for an upcoming procurement, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC) is conducting market research to determine potential sources for brand name or equal to a Chelonia Limited F-POD Cetacean and Porpoise Submersible Acoustic Detector system.
The North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code is 334519 – Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing. The small-business size standard for this NAICS code is 600 employees.
• A draft Statement of Need (SON) is provided for informational purposes only.
Standard brochures will not be considered a sufficient response to this notice. Submitted Capability Statements shall include the following:
General Information: Provide the company name and address, Unique Entity Identifier, Cage Code, type of business under NAICS code 334519 (e.g. Small business, 8(a), veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, and/or women owned small business; or other than small business) as validated via the System for Award Management (SAM), and company point of contact including name, phone number, and e-mail address.
Capabilities: Demonstrate how your firm has the products and capabilities to meet all requirements in the statement of need.
Documentation Comments: In order to facilitate the exchange of information with industry, provide any comments, questions, or suggestions that pertain to the statement of need included with this notice. Identify any areas that appear ambiguous or otherwise unclear.
Interested vendors are invited to submit an electronic response to this Sources Sought Notice to Jason Jenks, Contracting Officer, via e-mail at: jason.jenks@noaa.gov no later than 04:00 p.m. Eastern on July 28, 2025. Capability Statements and Documentation Comments must be submitted in writing; telephonic inquiries will not receive a response.
This is not a request for technical or price quotations. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this notice or reimburse for costs incurred by interested parties providing the information requested herein.
STATEMENT OF NEED
Chelonia FPOD Acoustic Detection Systems or equivalent
PURPOSE: In order to determine the presence of porpoises in areas of high vessel activity and environmental change, we need to purchase specialized high frequency, acoustic data loggers that will be deployed on passive acoustic moorings in the Bering and Chukchi Seas.
BACKGROUND: NMFS’ Marine Mammal Laboratory engages in research projects which are designed to target critical environmental factors which affect marine organism survivability, reproduction, and development. By determining population residence and movement in areas of high commercial, industrial, or military activity, researchers can study the affects of those activities on the behaviors and development of the target species. Researchers use acoustic detection to track populations of Odontocetes and how human activities affect those groups.
SCOPE: The Contractor shall furnish and deliver the acoustic detection sensors listed in Statement of Need. Delivery needs to be made no later than 15-Jan-2026 to the NMFS MML Research Facility in Seattle, WA.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS/SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS: The Contractor shall furnish and deliver Chelonia FPOD Acoustic Detection units or equivalent that meets the following specifications/salient characteristics:
• Compatible with commercially-available micro SD cards up to 32GB
• System must detect cetacean clicks in the range of 20-220kHz
• The system must be submersible in the marine environment up to 100m (water/pressure resistant)
• The system must use commercially-available batteries which provide for an operation time in the marine environment of up to 4-6 months
• Must have programmable logging times for use in a wide range of environments
• Unit(s) must have a positive buoyancy in the marine environment
• Must have a detection range for porpoises up to 400m
