Notice of Intent (NOI): up to $1M Funding Opportunity to Conduct Marine Mammal Passive Acoustic Monitoring, Data Management and Analysis to Support the POWERON Initiative 

The Regional Wildlife Science Collaborative for Offshore Wind (RWSC) intends to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) titled “Conduct Marine Mammal passive acoustic monitoring, data management and analysis to support the POWERON Initiative”. 

The objective of this RFP is to select an eligible contractor to conduct marine mammal PAM fieldwork, data management, and analysis according to a defined scope of work in support of the Partnership for an Offshore Wind Energy Regional Observation Network (POWERON). The selected contractor will work with equipment procured by BOEM and collaborate with the RWSC management team to establish and implement protocols for PAM data collection, management, and analysis. Up to $1,000,000.00 USD is available to support the Contractor’s provision of services for 18 months. 

Through POWERON, offshore wind lessees up and down the Atlantic coast can make annual contributions to BOEM to have their PAM requirements fulfilled. POWERON contributions will cover the cost of instrumentation, vessel time, data processing, analysis, and archiving. POWERON is designed to “maximize the quality and consistency of marine species long-term monitoring data by pooling resources among partners, processing data in a consistent manner, openly sharing information, and contributing to the growing body of scientific knowledge on the marine environment” (BOEM, 2024)¹. 

According to the scope established in the RFP, RWSC and BOEM expect the contractor scope of work to include, but not be limited to:   

• Plan and implement coordination and project management protocols  

• Receive shipment(s) of PAM instrumentation purchased by BOEM and develop an inventory to track equipment status  

• Design, fabricate, and maintain PAM system mooring approved by RWSC, BOEM, and the Marine Mammal Subcommittee in sufficient numbers to cover all POWERON locations.  

• Develop a comprehensive plan to QA/QC data, obtain data products, and archive PAM data collected throughout the period of performance. 

• Conduct all activities necessary to prepare, assemble, deploy, regularly maintain, retrieve, time synchronize and service/replace PAM Systems at pre-determined deployment locations.   

• Obtain data products for baleen whales (North Atlantic right, humpback, minke, sei, and fin whales) and echolocating cetacean species. 

• Produce reports including quarterly reports, deployment and analysis updates  

Eligibility  

Respondents must be based in the geographic United States. RWSC expects to award one (1) contract. No subawards/subcontracts will be made. All funds will be provided on a reimbursement basis and in US dollars. Matching funds are not required. 

Additional Information 

This is a Notice of Intent (NOI) only. RWSC may issue an RFP that is significantly different than the described above or may not issue an RFP at all. This Notice is issued so that interested parties are aware of the RWSC’s intention to issue the RFP in the near term.  

All of the information contained in this Notice is subject to change. Once the RFP has been released, RWSC will provide an avenue for responders to submit questions. No further questions will be answered for the time being.