Non-personal Services C++ Programming

Statement of Work (SOW) / Performance Work Statement (PWS)

To modify and enhance the Comprehensive Passage (COMPASS) model, a C++ based tool used by the NWFSC Fish Ecology (FE) Division to predict the effects of alternative dam and reservoir operations on juvenile salmon and steelhead survival and passage through the Columbia River hydropower system. This model is critical for life cycle modeling and supporting hydropower operations and salmon management decisions.

Base Year (2026-2027):

• Complete development of the graphical user interface (GUI) for user-friendly operation.
• Complete development of the adult passage module, including dam tailrace delays, fishway passage timing, reservoir travel time and survival, fallback over dams, and harvest losses.
• Expand the model to include travel time and survival in tributaries, specifically for early migration and periods of stationarity.
• Improve model speed, efficiency, and reduce memory usage through code modifications and routine maintenance.
• Implement future modifications requested by the West Coast Region office for investigating management actions.

Option Year 1 (2027-2028):

• Expand COMPASS model features, including any unfinished tasks from Year 1.
• Modify the model to accommodate the life history of fall Chinook, including overwintering in reservoirs.
• Expand the model to the Columbia River estuary to simulate movement and survival, accounting for tidal influence on water velocity.
• Continue to improve model efficiency and ease of use.

Option Year 2 (2028-2029):

• Expand COMPASS model features based on tasks completed in previous years.

• Continue to improve model efficiency and ease of use.

• Base Year: 2026-2027

• Option Year 1: 2027-2028

• Option Year 2: 2028-2029

• The work is related to the Columbia River hydropower system and estuary.

• Requires a senior C++ Programmer with experience in custom NOAA-built modeling tools.

• Sub-tasks are considered separate billable deliverables.

• Close collaboration with the programmer is expected to ensure regular progress.

• Flexibility in the proportion of time spent across sub-tasks each month.

Other / Unclassified

This document is a "Single Source Determination Using Simplified Acquisition Procedures (SAP)" for an action not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold. It outlines the justification for procuring services from a single source, Valinor Labs, LLC, for the development and maintenance of the NOAA-built Comprehensive Passage (COMPASS) model.

This document is relevant to potential bidders as it explains why a specific vendor (Valinor Labs, LLC) has been selected for a contract related to the COMPASS model. It details:

• The Need: The NWFSC requires a senior C++ Programmer with expertise in the COMPASS model to complete graphical user interface development, improve model performance, conduct maintenance, develop an adult salmon passage module, expand the model's capabilities, and provide requested products.
• The Vendor: Valinor Labs, LLC is identified as the sole source due to their unique qualifications, including prior contracted work on COMPASS, intimate familiarity with the model and its ecological concepts, extensive C++ programming experience, and preference for part-time work.
• Contract Details: The period of performance is from October 1, 2026, to September 30, 2029. Deliverables will be considered separate billable items, with invoices issued upon product delivery.
• Rationale for Sole Source: The document emphasizes the model's complexity, its integration with existing cloud data systems, and the significant undertaking required to reprogram it in another language, which would impede urgent management decisions. It also highlights the programmer's specific skills and experience as being uniquely suited to the task.
• Market Research: The document includes market research on C++ programmer salaries in Seattle, WA, indicating that competitive compensation is expected for highly skilled individuals with specialized experience.