Assessment of the presence of deepwater sculpin (Myoxocephalus thompsonii) in its historical range in Quebec.

DESCRIPTION OF REQUIREMENT: Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) requires the services of one supplier for the 2016 sampling that will be carried out in the following five lakes: Roddick (Grand Lac Rond), Thirty-one Mile, Heney, Poisson blanc and Grand lac du Cerf. The sampling method remains at the discretion of the supplier; however, this choice must be well justified—the method(s) used must have high catchability. The 2006 study conducted by Sheldon et al. presents three different harvesting methods that could be adapted to the proposal. The sampling sites should be selected based on the criteria listed in the COSEWIC assessment report and in the 2006 study by Sheldon et al. The size of the areas to be assessed for the presence of deepwater sculpin is vast and requires sound logistics and proper preparation prior to field data collection. Since the objective is not to determine the abundance of the species in the five water bodies, but rather to confirm its presence, it is important that sampling efforts are properly distributed. The goal is to determine with a high level of certainty whether or not the deepwater sculpin is present. The effort may vary from one lake to another, depending on factors such as the total surface area of the lake, the size of the deep areas and the habitat quality. The habitat measurements to be taken at each site are as follows: • Catch depth (m) • Secchi disk visibility - SDV (m) • Temperature (°C) • Oxygen (mg/L) • pH • Specific conductance (mS/cm) For data entry, a template in Excel format will be provided to the successful bidder. Human activities may also be noted in order to determine if there are any major disruptions that are causing habitat degradation. DURATION OF CONTRACT The period of the Contract is from date of Contract to March 1, 2017 inclusive ENQUIRIES – BID SOLICITATION All enquiries must be submitted in writing to the Contracting Authority no later than SEVEN (7) calendar days before the bid closing date. Enquiries received after that time may not be answered. PROCESS AND SELECTION METHODOLOGY The responsive bid with Highest Combined Rating of Technical Merit and Price will be recommended for award of a contract, provided that the total evaluated price does not exceed the budget available for this requirement. SECURITY REQUIREMENTS There is no security requirement associated with this bid solicitation