S01_-_Attachment_1_-_SOW_-_FY18.pdf

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Statement of Work for Field Data Collection for

Food Security Act Wetland Determinations in Florida US Department of Agriculture – Natural Resources Conservation Service

This Statement of Work (SOW) describes the outside assistance needed by the USDA-NRCS in Florida to conduct wetland determinations for Food Security Act purposes within counties listed in attachment 2. This SOW also outlines the items that NRCS will provide to the vendor and the services and list of deliverables the vendor will provide to NRCS.

UBackgroundU: Wetland determinations are conducted for agricultural producers who are USDA program participants in order for them to maintain compliance with the Wetland Conservation Provisions of the Food Security Act of 1985. Wetland determinations for individual farm tracts are requested by the participant by submitting the Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation Certification form (AD-1026) at the local USDA Farm Service Agency office. The AD-1026 is then transmitted to the local NRCS office. The AD-1026 request with relevant documentation gathered by the local NRCS personnel is then submitted to the NRCS State or Area wetland determination coordinator to review and record as a pending wetland determination request. Once the determination is conducted, a Preliminary Technical Determination (PTD) is sent to the participant outlining its results and the appeal rights afforded to the participant. Once received, the participant has 30 days to appeal the PTD. If no appeal is submitted by the participant during the 30-day period, the PTD is considered a certified Final Technical Determination.

URequested AssistanceU: The requested assistance serves the counties listed in attachment 2.

UDelivery: The Contractor is required to complete and deliver determinations within 30 days of receipt of the items provided by NRCS below.

UOn-site Investigations for FSA Wetland DeterminationsU: These deliverables apply to on-site field investigations for Food Security Act Preliminary Technical Determinations for Wetland Conservation compliance issued by Florida NRCS.

NRCS will provide these items for the Contractor to complete each wetland determination:

• Name and contact information for the producer signing the AD-1026

• Copy of the signed and submitted AD-1026

• Farm Service Agency map containing Farm, Tract and Field numbers and clearly indicating the location of the requested determination areas on the tract

• Tract location

• Electronic files of rectified historic aerial imagery (1981-89) for most counties in the southern half of the state

• Archived Soil Survey data, as needed

The Contractor should have training, knowledge and experience in the following:

• US Army Corps of Engineers Clean Water Act (Section 404) wetland delineation procedures

• Conducting wetland determinations in accordance with Part IV of the US Army Corps of Engineers

Wetland Delineation Manual (January 1987) for on-site delineation of wetland boundaries

• Knowledge of NRCS wetland label criteria as stated in Part 514 of the National Food Security Act Manual

• Use of NRCS-specific wetland identification procedures in accordance with the National Food Security Act

Manual Circular 6, Part 527 Appendix (December 2010).

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• Use of the current version of the US Army Corps of Engineers’ Atlantic & Gulf Coastal Plain Regional Supplement to document hydric soil, hydrophytic vegetation and wetland hydrology indicators.

• Use of the ellipse, Hooghoudt, or other NRCS-approved equation to provide calculated lateral effects of drainage.

In conducting the on-site wetland determination, the Contractor will:

• Arrange the on-site field investigation with landowner/producer prior to visit

• Follow Routine determination methods in accordance with Part IV of the US Army Corps of Engineers

Wetland Delineation Manual (January 1987) for on-site delineation of wetland boundaries

• Follow NRCS wetland identification procedures in accordance with the National Food Security Act

Manual Circular 6, Part 527 Appendix (December 2010)

• Use the current version of the Corps of Engineers Regional Supplement to document hydric soil, hydrophytic vegetation and wetland hydrology indicators.

• Record the Representative Observation Point for each sampling unit and the boundary of each wetland using GPS.

• Collect data to calculate the lateral effect of existing ditches, if needed.

Documentation to provide NRCS:

• Completed Regional Supplement data sheets documenting the presence/absence of hydric soils, hydrophytic vegetation and wetland hydrology

• Lateral effect calculation data sheet (if needed) using the ellipse, Hooghoudt, or other NRCS-approved equation

• Each wetland/non-wetland sampling point identified and located on a base map

• From field collected GPS data, a geospatial boundary dataset (ESRI polygon shapefile and raw data points) projected to UTM, (predominant zone), NAD83

• On a base map, a record of each appropriate Food Security Act wetland label polygon and the acreage of each.

UPreliminary Technical Determination DeliverablesU: Upon completion of each PTD conducted by the contractor, a packet of supporting materials will be submitted, which should include the following:

• Memo style cover letter (template provided below)

• Summary of site (topography, vegetation, water features)

• PTD Map showing delineations of all current and former wetlands and recommended Food Security Act wetland labels for the Field(s) or portion of Field(s) identified in the Farm Service Agency map

• Completed Regional Supplement data sheets

• GPS polygon Shape File(s) compatible with ArcGIS

• Site photographs and photo log with description of each photograph that supports field data sheet findings

To complete the Preliminary Technical Determination, NRCS will:

• Review the PTD packet and other documentation submitted for completeness and technical accuracy

• Finalize the PTD map with NRCS wetland labels and identifying numbers for issuance to the producer and affiliated parties.

• Prepare PTD letters and the Highly Erodible and Wetland Conservation Determination form NRCS-CPA-

026e and mail to the producer and affiliated parties.

• Certify the wetland determination 30 days after participant receipt if no reconsideration field visit or

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• Record the completion of the determination on the Area-specific wetland determination log sheet.

If an informal appeal (reconsideration) field visit or office meeting is requested after the producer receives the Preliminary Technical Determination, the Contractor will:

• Be available to meet the participant along with a NRCS representative on-site if needed (or by phone in the case of an office meeting) to discuss the determination at a time of mutual convenience such as in conjunction with other scheduled wetland determinations in the area. Reconsideration requests based on disagreement with the technical or scientific basis of the determination are typically made by less than 10% of Florida producers and consist of a single site visit or meeting.

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UTEMPLATE SAMPLE COVER LETTER TO PRESENT FINAL REPORTING DELIVERABLES

Wetland Determination Report Subject: Wetland Conservation Determination

Date:

To: Rosalind Moore, NRCS State Wetland Compliance Specialist 34TRosalind.moore@fl.usda.gov34T cc: Kevin Sullivan, NRCS State Soil Scientist:

34T UKevin.sullivan@fl.usda.govU34T

From: (list personnel involved in site delineation)

Site Information:

County:

Farm Number:

Tract Number:

Owner/Operator Name:

Summary of wetland delineation activities and findings:

mailto:34TRosalind.moore@fl.usda.gov34T mailto:34TUKevin.sullivan@fl.usda.govU34T