Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast awarded a $30 million indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity architect-engineering contract, Sept. 27, to Prosser, Inc., a small business located in Jacksonville for professional planning and engineering services in NAVFAC Southeast.

The work to be performed provides for preparation of professional planning services.

The first task order is being awarded at $258,752 to collect, compile, manage and analyze the wildlife observation data in support of the Navy's Bird and Wildlife Aircraft Strike Hazard (BASH) Phase II Program at Naval Air Station (NAS) Jacksonville.

"This project will focus on updating the BASH Geographic Information System (GIS) layers," said Joshua Coates, NAVFAC Southeast GIS project manager.

The project will also aim to gather any existing wildlife observation data and perform density analysis on the data to analyze the relationships between the existing BASH mitigation zones, attractant areas and where wildlife are actually being observed.

"The science of BASH is extremely complex," said NAVFAC Southeast Natural Resources Section Head Robby Smith. "BASH deals with conditions that are often in a state of flux, seasonal bird and species migrations and movements, weather, habitat conditions, etc. This study will enhance our understanding of existing and potential BASH hazards and will increase pilot safety."

Work for the first task order is expected to be completed by March 2019.

All work on the contract will be performed at various Navy and Marine Corps installations in the NAVFAC Southeast area of responsibility. The term of the contract will not exceed five years and is expected to be completed by September 2022.

Small business (which includes 8(a) firms) play a vital role in the American economy - employing half of our country's workforce, creating nearly two out of every three new American jobs, and often being the source of the next great American innovation. The maximum practicable utilization of small business concerns is a matter of national interest with both social and economic benefits.

"I am excited that we had a small business A/E contractor receive this $30 million IDIQ award," said Mark Brock, NAVFAC Southeast small business deputy. "I would like to prepare more small businesses for opportunities like this through mentor protege relationships. I see a larger vision of using mentor proteges to give a voice to small businesses in the global market; not only to meet the needs of the NAVFAC enterprise, but to posture small businesses for the global economy."

NAVFAC Southeast strives to meet its goals building on its success by providing contract opportunities to these businesses. Each year NAVFAC establishes target goals for small business including small disadvantaged businesses, historically underutilized business zone small businesses, service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses and women-owned small businesses.

"Last fiscal year (FY16) NAVFAC Southeast awarded more than $500 million in contracts to small businesses," said Brock.

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