Notice of Intent to solicit a single source – Fish and Macroinvertebrate (Nekton) Monitoring (St. Johns River)

NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLICIT A SINGLE SOURCE The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Jacksonville District intends to solicit and contract with Fish & Wildlife Research Institute (CAGE 3UWN3), of St. Petersburg, FL, on a sole-source basis, RFO 6.103-1(b), to conduct Nekton monitoring within selected zones of the Lower St. Johns River (LSJR) as well as selected tributaries in Northeast Florida. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Fish and Wildlife Research Institute’s (FWRI) Fisheries-Independent Monitoring (FIM) program is a long-term program designed to monitor the relative abundance of fishery resources in Florida’s major estuarine, coastal, and reef systems. FWRI works for the State of Florida. The applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code assigned to this procurement is 541620, Environmental Consulting Services. The USACE, in cooperation with the Jacksonville Port Authority (JaxPort), conducted a comprehensive economic, engineering, and environmental study to examine the effects of increasing the depth of the existing Federally maintained channel in the LSJR from the current depth of 40-feet to a maximum depth of 47-feet between the mouth, at Mayport Florida, and river mile 13. Construction of the deepening was completed in 2022. Channel deepening allows for the access of larger vessels (Panamax and New Panamax classes) to deliver cargo to existing JaxPort terminals around Blount Island. As part of this evaluation, computer modeling scenarios have been completed on the potential effects that the channel deepening might have on water quality, circulation patterns, salinity gradients, and a variety of ecological components (wetland vegetation, SAV, benthos, plankton, and nekton) in the LSJR. Over 100 nekton species have been documented as using the estuarine portion of the LSJR and many of these species represent important commercial and recreational fisheries (i.e., Blue Crab, White Shrimp, and Red Drum). Two specific areas in need of consideration with respect to nekton are: 1) potential effects of salinity changes on the spawning success, recruitment, and population dynamics of important recreational, commercial, and forage nekton and, 2) potential effects of salinity changes on critical nekton habitat within the LSJR estuary. Within the estuary, channel deepening has the potential to affect salinity and water quality gradients, most likely by shifting distributions in these gradients within the estuary. These shifts may affect spawning and nursery habitats and ultimately influence reproductive and recruitment success of estuarine-dependent nekton. Of particular concern, are the tributaries and coves located between river kilometers (km) 14 and 48 and the estuarine portion upstream of Julington Creek (river km 64 – 134). These tributaries between river kilometers 14 and 48 (Trout, Arlington, and Ortega rivers) and the estuarine section upstream of Julington Creek are highly influenced by freshwater inflow and generally have lower salinities than other portions of the LSJR estuary. The freshwater influence provides low salinity habitats that many estuarine and marine nekton require during their early life history stages. Previously collected data suggests that many recreationally and commercially important estuarine-dependent species (i.e. members of the Sciaenidae family [drums], White Shrimp, Blue Crab, and mullet) utilize these habitats during different times of the year and that these areas likely represent critical habitats for maintaining healthy stocks of these species in the LSJR estuary and adjacent coastal waters. Also, of concern with regards to potential changes in salinity would be impacts on resident freshwater species, especially within the Trout, Arlington, and Ortega rivers. Salinity increases could decrease the availability of freshwater habitat, thereby reducing the abundance of freshwater species in these tidal tributaries. The salinity and fish modeling done by the USACE predicted some minor changes in the distributions of some species. The most recognizable pattern was the predicted shift of some moderate to low salinity habitats upstream in the lower St. Johns River. Predicted changes in Mill Cove salinity also may result in some habitat loss for young-of-the-year and juvenile life history stages for a few species. Young-of-the-year and juveniles from numerous nekton species utilize this habitat during ingress, egress, and as nursery habitats. A better understanding of the relationships between channel deepening, salinity, water quality, water flow, estuarine habitats, and the abundance of estuarine-dependent and freshwater-resident nekton species that inhabit these portions of the LSJR estuary is necessary to gauge the effects that channel deepening has on this estuary. The long-term sampling proposed here would increase the resolution of nekton data within select tidal tributaries and coves and would continue the long-term sampling upstream of Julington Creek. These data will allow for the assessment of the effects of channel deepening on nekton assemblages in these critical LSJR estuarine habitats. Based on the foregoing, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is determined to be the only responsible source. No solicitation will be posted for this requirement. No telephone requests will be honored. If you have any questions concerning this opportunity, please contact: Ms. Florutha A Robinson, Contract Specialist, at florutha.a.robinson@usace.army.mil or Mr. Gary R Weir, Contracting Officer, at gary.r.weir@usace.army.mil. Any potential source may contact the persons indicated above to discuss their ability to offer the required services for future acquisitions.