R9_NEPA_BPA_RFQ.docx

Environmental Analysis and Decision Making (EADM) Multiple Award BPAs

USDA Forest Service Region 9

Contracting Officer: Melissa Johnson, melissajohnson@fs.fed.us, 814-728-6241

Table of Contents

Section 1: Purpose and Pricing

1. Purpose

The USDA Forest Service, Region 9, intends to establish multiple-award Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs) to conduct Environmental Analysis and Decision Making (EADM) activities in support of requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other environmental laws and regulations. The services encompassed by these BPAs are commercial, non-personal, professional services.

Region 9 plans to award between 3 and 9 BPAs from this solicitation, but may award more (or less) to ensure adequate coverage for all types of work and all geographical areas within the region. Actual work will be competed amongst the BPA awardees through the issuance of BPA calls (orders) using a Request for Quote (RFQ) process as work is identified during the life of the BPAs. Work will primarily be for Region 9, however calls may be issued by other regions within the Forest Service. Each RFQ will describe a specific project and include all the necessary information for submitting a quote and performing the work. The services ordered may support a specific portion of a project or may encompass providing support from project initiation through project close-out.

BPA Call Type

Forest Service Contracting Officers (CO) shall issue firm fixed priced calls against the BPAs. Quoters must use their BPA labor rates (or further discounted rates) when responding to an RFQ. Travel and/or other direct costs may be reimbursed (with receipts required) or included in the firm fixed price quote. The method will be specified in the RFQ.

BPA Extent of Obligation

The Government is obligated only to the extent of authorized calls awarded under the BPAs.

BPA Estimated Ordering Amount

The total estimated program these BPAs will support is $15 million over the 5 year ordering period. This is an estimate only and there are no guarantees for this volume of work. The accumulated value of all calls issued under these BPAs may exceed this amount without modification to the BPA.

Purchase Limitation

Calls are not expected to exceed $2,000,000 in amount unless agreed to by the government and the BPA Contractor selected for the call award.

Individuals Authorized to Purchase Under the BPA

Any warranted Forest Service CO, within stated warrant limitations, is authorized to issue calls from the awarded BPAs. The Call CO is the only individual authorized to make changes to the call once issued.

Pricing Structure

The BPA contains the following labor categories and ceiling hourly rates. Ceiling hourly rates are fully burdened and inclusive of all costs, such as salary, fringe, overhead, G&A, fee/profit, and incidental material costs needed to perform the services. Pricing for travel and other direct costs will be at the call level.

The rate listed for each labor category is the ceiling hourly rate for the entire period of performance (See Section 3.6). As a result, the Government expects that discounts will be provided at the call level, especially prior to the final period of performance.

Ceiling Hourly Rates

* Non-professional positions are subject to the Service Contract Labor Standard Wage Determination in effect for the County/State in which the work will be performed. Wage Determinations may be viewed at https://www.wdol.gov/. Current applicable wage determinations will be provided with each RFQ when use of technical personnel are required on an individual project.

One employee may fulfill more than one job category. In the event that a call within the scope of the BPA requires the use of a labor category not included on a Contractor’s schedule, the Contractor must identify the position(s) and supply the qualifications of the employee being proposed. The fully loaded hourly rate for that position(s) will be evaluated for price reasonableness at the time of the call award.

Work may be requested in one or more of three broad categories indicated below:

· Field Work, Data Collection, Monitoring

· NEPA Analysis and Document Preparation

· Public Engagement Coordination and Training

Field Work, Data Collection, and Monitoring: This type of work typically involves collecting information in the field to assist in project development, effects analysis, or post implementation monitoring. Work may include preparing reports to assess the information provided.

NEPA Analysis and Document Preparation: This type of work typically involves conducting analysis of anticipated impacts of a proposed project, preparing documents to contribute to the NEPA process, and other activities that support overall project management.

Public Engagement Coordination and Training: This type of work typically involves supporting public engagement or communication strategies, such as facilitating public meetings or collaborative efforts, preparing public communication tactics (written, social media, etc.), or assessing public opinion on projects. This type of work may also include developing or conducting training to Forest Service employees or other designated audiences.

Travel

Travel may be required at the call level to complete the work required, such as site visits, field surveys, etc. All travel must be in compliance with the Federal Travel Regulation accessible at https://www.gsa.gov/policy-regulations/regulations/federal-travel-regulation-ftr. The RFQ will allow for pricing any necessary travel. Applicable per diem rates can be found at www.gsa.gov/perdiem.

Other Direct Costs

There may be costs, other than personnel and travel, which will be required for the performance of a call (ie: copying, lab analysis, etc). The RFQ will allow for pricing these items which will be evaluated for price reasonableness at the time of the call award.

Non-Personal Services

The Government shall neither supervise Contractor employees nor control the method by which the Contractor performs the required tasks. It shall be the responsibility of the Contractor to manage its employees and subcontractors and to guard against any actions that are of the nature of personal services, or give the perception of personal services as defined in Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Subpart 37.104.

Services Not Covered

Architect or Engineering services meeting the definition of Architect-Engineer Services as defined in FAR Subpart 36.601-4 shall not be contracted for using this BPA

Section 2: Scope

2.1 Introduction

The BPAs will provide a broad range of scientific and professional services contributing to integrated forest, prairie, and rangeland restoration programs, and other professional services used for land and resource management. The BPA will help support the Government in completing environmental analysis and decision-making (EADM) activities required under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other environmental laws and regulations. This includes site-specific resource field examinations, field sampling, monitoring and data analyses and reporting; NEPA environmental planning and impact assessments; Land and Resource Management Planning; collaboration services; Project Planning, document review, and training. Efforts include, but are not limited to, preparation of environmental analyses, studies, and related work, Environmental Assessments (EA), Environmental Impact Statements (EIS), Land and Resource Management Plan Revisions and/or Amendments, site-specific project planning, and NEPA training. See Section 2.6 for additional information.

2.2 Forest Service Background

Established in 1905, the Forest Service is a federal agency that manages public lands in national forests, prairies, and grasslands under a founding principle, as stated by Gifford Pinchot (the first Chief of the Forest Service), "To provide the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of people in the long run". The agency’s mission is to “sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations”. The Forest Service has the responsibility for stewardship of more than 193 million acres of the nation’s forests and grasslands; for developing and communicating scientific knowledge through research and development that leads to informed natural resource decision-making; for delivering technical assistance through state and private forestry programs; and for sharing knowledge and experience with others in the global community through international forestry.

The Forest Service is subject to numerous laws in fulfillment of the multiple use mandates for forests, prairies, and grasslands. The Forest Service also has professional services needs to meet program management direction for implementation of projects, monitoring of plans and decisions, and inventory of natural resources leading to future project design and decisions.

2.3 Regional Background

Region 9 consists of fourteen National Forests and one Tallgrass Prairie, located within the states of Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN), Maine (ME), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Missouri (MO), New Hampshire (NH), New York (NY), Ohio (OH), Pennsylvania (PA), Vermont (VT), West Virginia (WV), and Wisconsin (WI). Attachment 1 lists current Region 9 office locations.

2.4 Attachments/References

Attachment 1 – Region 9 Locations Attachment 2 – Example Project. This is an example of what a project could look like, however actual calls may be more or less complex depending on the project. We are not requesting pricing for this example project.

2.5 Applicable Laws, Regulations and Policies

Key laws, regulations and policies that may apply to work under BPAs are included below. This list is not all-inclusive. The Contractor must ensure compliance with all relevant laws and regulations, including any local regulations.

a. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

b. National Forest Management Act (NFMA)

c. Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA)

d. Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (BGEPA)

e. Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA / Superfund)

f. Clean Air Act

g. Clean Water Act (CWA)

h. Dredged Material Management Program (DMMP)

i. Endangered Species Act (ESA)

j. Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (FWCA)

k. Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA)

l. Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA)

m. Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA)

n. National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA)

o. Roadless Area Conservation Rule

p. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act

q. Code of Federal Regulations

r. Forest Service Handbook and Manual, accessible at https://www.fs.fed.us/im/directives/

Public law, regulations, manuals, and handbooks referenced are subject to change. Any new legislation or changes to existing documentation are incorporated into the BPA by this reference.

2.6 Resource Work

The resource work included in this BPA encompasses project management support and technical support for EADM activities such as data collection and analysis, assessments, inventories, and plan/report writing, which require specific expertise in:

a. Air Quality and Smoke Management

b. Climate Change

c. Cultural and Heritage Resource Surveys and Studies

d. Fisheries and Wildlife

e. Forest and Project Planning Support

f. Geographic Information System Spatial Analysis and/or Statistical Data Analysis

g. Lands and Special Uses

h. Landscape Analysis and Watershed Assessments

i. Litigation Support

j. Logging and Transportation System Planning

k. Logging Road Services and Road Analysis

l. Minerals and Geology

m. Rangeland Management

n. Recreation, Wilderness, Inventoried Roadless Areas, Wild and Scenic Rivers

o. Scenery Management

p. Socio-Economic Studies

q. Soil Resources

r. Terrestrial and Aquatic Invasive Species

s. Travel Management

t. Vegetation Management (Timber, Silviculture, Botany, Fuels)

u. Water Resources

1.

2.7 General Requirements

The following general requirements apply to work performed under the BPA. Additional requirements may be included at the call level.

2.7.1 The Contractor must not perform any inherently governmental functions, as defined in the FAR Subpart 7.5, under this BPA. In all communications with third parties in connection with this BPA, Contractor employees must identify themselves as such and specify the name of the company for which they work.

2.7.2 The Contractor must furnish all labor, personnel, supervision, equipment, materials, supplies, tools, transportation, travel, and incidentals (except those designated as Government-furnished property) to perform all work necessary for completion of calls. The Contractor has the responsibility for all other data collection and reports that will be used as the basis for deliverables resulting from the calls. The Forest Service retains approval authority for all documents.

2.7.3 All planning data, maps, files, reports, computers, audio or videotapes, and disks and other records will be collected and compiled and made available to the Forest Service, upon request, for possible inclusion in the permanent administrative record. Once requested and delivered, all information and data collected by the Contractor and any subcontractors becomes the property of the Government regardless of the author. This information and data will be considered non-proprietary and non-confidential and subject to the Freedom of Information Act. Any data provided in support of NEPA analysis by the Contractor which they feel is confidential must be marked as such.

2.7.4 The Contractor must not release data or information gathered under a call to parties outside of the Government without advance written permission from the contracting officer.

2.7.5 All raw data, methods, and results collected and prepared using Government funding must be delivered to the Forest Service at the conclusion of the call in an appropriate electronic format that is compatible with corporate data standards and that allows for future use by the Government. Original hard copy information such as field data collection forms and electronic data collected in the field, such as GPS files, must be delivered to the Forest Service. In addition, the Contractor must document any updates made to Government furnished data as a result of field checking or other means of verification. If applicable, the Contractor must state what the updates were, what areas were affected, and why updates were made.

2.7.6 Final documents must comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, in a format such as pdf and/or Word, and ready for electronic posting and/or printing hard copy documents if needed for public distribution.

2.7.7 The Contractor shall ensure there is no Organizational Conflicts of Interest (OCI) as defined in FAR Subpart 9.5 for the prime or subcontractors associated with performance under the BPA. If a conflict is discovered, the Contractor must immediately notify the Government Contracting Officer.

2.8 Project Management Support

For each call, the Contractor must provide project management services commensurate with the complexity of the work. Project management services under this BPA may include, but are not limited to:

2.8.1 Developing a Project Management Plan (PMP).

2.8.2 Managing all staff and staff contributions to ensure achievement of the PMP.

2.8.3 Managing subcontractors in support of call activities.

2.8.4 Obtaining and managing Contractor employee access to Forest Service systems, including badging, if necessary.

2.8.5 Providing and using a commercially available system to track/log all activities. If used, the Contractor must provide credentials to Government personnel for full access to the system at any time.

2.8.6 Developing a Quality Control Plan (QCP).

2.8.7 Providing quality control of all work products and deliverables.

2.8.8 Ensuring efforts and work products conform to Government standards and regulations.

2.8.9 Coordinating with Government stakeholders, the public, and other Contractors.

2.8.10 Developing communications and collaboration plans as well as preparing informative documents for public circulation such as news releases. The work may include all preparation needed to conduct public meetings, scheduling, availability of meeting rooms, etc.

2.8.11 Documenting, consolidating, and/or analyzing results of public involvement efforts.

2.8.12 Coordinating and facilitating meetings, which may include Agency meetings, general public involvement meetings, and specific project or Land and Resource Management Planning collaboration meetings. Meeting management options should include both in-person as well as electronic meeting opportunities such as webinars, video conferencing or other networking/meeting technology. Meeting coordinators must be prepared to provide the Government with options and trade-offs as to various meeting formats designed to meet identified objectives and their associated costs and time commitments.

2.8.13 Managing project records and providing them to the Forest Service upon request, including maintaining all documents that may become part the official administrative record for the project until a Final Decision is signed, and through all appeal, objection, and litigation processes, if applicable. The project records must be in electronic format to the maximum extent possible. The project records must also meet the Project Record Management requirements of the Forest Service Planning Appeals & Litigation System database.

2.8.14 Providing status reports.

2.8.15 Reporting on performance.

2.8.16 Facilitating status and performance reporting meetings.

2.8.17 Providing reports on staffing and other management matters.

2.9 Technical Support

Specific technical support and requirements will be addressed on each RFQ scope of work.

In support of NEPA and EADM requirements, the Government may require technical support to:

· Assess – which may include determining existing conditions, trends and establishing reference documentation for landscape or project level determinations. It may include literature search, field data collection, and analyses of data and information. Assessment reports and documentation of findings may be required.

· Collect (Inventory) and Analyze Data – which may include maximum use of existing Agency data and information available, new data collection following established Agency protocols and methods (as defined in the Forest Handbook, Manual, or local supplements), GPS data collection, mapping, GIS work and data entry to agency standards. The inventory work may be updating an existing inventory or creating a new inventory. Analysis must be conducted using rigorous, valid analytical techniques.

· Analyze Content – provide services associated with receiving, processing, analyzing, storing, and summarizing public comment information or other similar content (e.g. survey responses and media content), which may require using Government-provided software.

· Monitor – which may include designing monitoring plans and performing monitoring activities for resources, projects, Land and Resource Management Plan, or programs. It may include implementation of monitoring plans and/or preparing related monitoring reports.

· Collaborate and Communicate – which may include developing and implementing collaboration and communication plans with the Forest Service, other federal agencies, and the public.

· Plan/Write Reports – which may include technical writing or editing of documents required for support of the NEPA efforts or landscape analyses, watershed assessments, travel management, and other programs. It may include resource reports or other related reports to document procedures, findings or recommendations.

· Training- which may include conducting established training or developing specific training for Forest Service employees, partners, or assigned attendees. Training may include review of Forest Service documents to provide feedback on logic and clarity in a training format to a designated audience.

In conducting those efforts, the Government may place calls for specific technical support including but not limited to:

2.10 Air Quality and Smoke Management

A. The Contractor must be knowledgeable of federal, state, county, and local air regulations pertaining mainly to open burning. This includes a clear understanding of the Section 118 requirements of the Clean Air Act and State Implementation Plans (SIPs), which include Smoke Management Plans. Determination of potential impacts from the proposed use of prescribed fire on designated non-attainment and smoke sensitive areas must be a part of the analysis.

B. The Contractor must be knowledgeable in the combustion process and emission factors associated with prescribed fire for the various vegetation and fuels found within the project area. If prescribed fire use is proposed within a SIP non-attainment area, the Contractor must be capable of performing a conformity rules determination of the impacts of the burning through modeling.

C. The Contractor must be knowledgeable of the direct and indirect impacts of air pollutants to the soil, water and vegetation of forests and rangelands.

D. The Contractor may be tasked to analyze primary emissions and emission sources, including Particulate Matter (PM2.5) from prescribed burning activities and fugitive dust from road construction, recreation use, and commercial hauling activities, as well as volatile organic compound emissions resulting from oil and gas exploration and production activities.

E. The Contractor may be tasked to determine total emissions produced by the proposed activity for each alternative displayed by the analysis. Modeling of downwind impacts may be necessary if there is concern over avoiding impact of smoke to sensitive populated areas.

F. The Contractor may be tasked to determine the calculation of criteria air pollutants, Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs), and greenhouse gases associated with oil and gas activities or other large scale proposals which require a consideration of air impacts.

G. The Government will supply guidelines for the Contractor to prepare Air Quality Analysis for the project areas.

2.11 Climate Change

A. The Contractor must be knowledgeable of climate variability and science, climate data, and ecological social and economic processes and possess the skill to evaluate and assess the impact of various management practices. The work may include evaluating the effects of climate variability and change on a proposed program or project; the effect of a proposed program or project on carbon levels through greenhouse gas emissions and sequestration; and the cumulative effect of the program or project and climate change on other resources of interest.

B. Work may consist of assessing physical, biological, social and economic resources of an identifiable portion of plan area to determine the role of climate variability and change, to analyze the environmental impacts at the appropriate scale using the best available science (e.g., Template for Assessing Climate Change Impacts and Management Options), and to integrate climate change into the environmental analysis document. Planning and analysis work may include incorporating climate-related vulnerabilities and uncertainties into program and project-level environmental analyses and discussing.

2.12 Cultural and Heritage Resource Surveys and Studies

A. Cultural Resource work may include archaeological, anthropological, historical or other related studies or analyses. It may involve the expertise of archaeologists, anthropologists, historians, curators, architects, preservation engineers, or other related professionals and specialists. It usually involves work with archaeological, historic, or traditional cultural resources.

B. Tasks may include: Cultural resource field surveys, literature, records, or archival searches; cultural resource overviews; preparation of research designs; development and writing of historic contexts; resource inventories and cultural resource site documentation; performing condition assessments of Priority Heritage Assets; cultural resource site monitoring; ethnographies; histories or oral histories; excavations and data recovery; ground-penetrating radar (GPR) studies, metal-detector studies; artifact and data analyses; curation; stabilization or restoration; database entry; development of predictive models; LiDar processing and interpretation for cultural resources; 3D laser scanning or 3D photogrammetry; interpretation; preparation of National Register of Historic Places and National Historic Landmark nomination forms; preparing documentation of historic structures and landscapes to the standards set by the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS), Historic American Engineering Record (HAER); and the Historic American Landscape Survey (HALS); preparing damage assessments to support agency law enforcement personnel with criminal and civil prosecutions under the Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA); providing logistical support to the agency for formal Section 106 and Tribal consultation meetings; or other historic preservation activities.

C. Cultural Resource work is generally oriented to completing National Historic Preservation Act Section 106 field inventories and reports, consultation evaluating cultural resources sites for National Register eligibility, involving resource providing recommendations to the agency on the significance or National Register eligibility of cultural resources identified during field inventories, performing cultural resource site evaluations for National Register eligibility, providing recommendations to the agency on analysis of the potential of undertakings to adversely affect historic properties to historic values, and mitigation of adverse effects. Work may be oriented to ARPA support and preparation of ARPA damage assessments or the cataloging and curation of artifacts and records to the standards set in 36CFR79. Work may also be oriented to Section 110 historic preservation activities such as cultural resource inventories; cultural resource monitoring, stabilization, or rehabilitation, or public education.

D. Cultural resource surveys may require subsurface shovel testing, typically on a fixed interval along survey transects designed to follow the landforms / topography. The shovel test interval and transect spacing varies by physiographic region or state. Survey methodologies are governed by the individual national forests’ Programmatic Agreements (PA). When a national forest has no PA, cultural resource surveys must conform to the guidelines established by the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) or equivalent. Calls will provide specific survey protocols.

E. The Forest Service will conduct all Government-to-Government tribal consultation and consultation with the SHPO(s).

2.13 Fisheries and Wildlife

A. The Contractor may be tasked with collecting sufficient field information to assess the existing conditions of the fish and fish habitat resources for the project area. This may include marine fish resources where appropriate. The Contractor must collect data and provide it in a format that allows assessments to be completed that contribute to determinations of effects under the Endangered Species Act, consistency with Land and Resource Management Plan direction, and general NEPA effects disclosure.

B. The Contractor may be tasked with collecting sufficient field information to assess the existing condition of habitats for aquatic and terrestrial wildlife species of concern.

C. The Contractor may be tasked with conducting a Biological Evaluation for any threatened, endangered, proposed, candidate or sensitive fish or wildlife species that are known or suspected to occur within the program or project area, or for which habitat has been identified.

D. The Forest Service will provide a list of fish and wildlife species to be assessed. The Forest Service retains the responsibility for the content of any Biological Assessment / Biological Evaluation written.

E. The Contractor must be knowledgeable in the principles, practices, and concepts of fisheries and wildlife science and management sufficient to perform the identification, surveying and/or sampling techniques of terrestrial and aquatic flora and fauna.

F. The Contractor must be knowledgeable of the basic methods, techniques, and procedures necessary to conduct fisheries and wildlife inventories and related work; of animal communities as described in fisheries and wildlife literature to identify animal communities during field inventories; and professional knowledge of terrestrial and aquatic animal taxonomy in order to identify animals during field inventories and to confirm identification of animals utilizing taxonomic keys.

G. The Contractor must be knowledgeable of federal, state, and local terrestrial and aquatic species regulations and of the ESA. Special permits/certifications to perform this work may be required of the Contractor.

2.14 Land and Resource Management Planning and NEPA Support

A. Work may consist of gathering data and preparing supporting documents for Categorical Exclusions, Environmental Assessments, Environmental Impact Statements, or Land and Resource Management Plan Revisions. Individual tasks may require varying levels of resource analysis, field investigations, assistance to public involvement processes (including meeting coordination and facilitation), and document preparation including writing/editing and submitting documents in support of Forest Service projects. Policy and procedures contained in the Forest Service Manual and Forest Service Handbook will be the basis of the required work.

B. For NEPA document support, the Contractor may complete all NEPA environmental, social and economic analysis and documentation, during the timeframes associated with Forest Service identification of the proposed action through appeal and/or objection periods (all decision-making authority will be retained by the Forest Service). Specific progress checkpoints will be established by the Forest Service to facilitate approval of work completed and to assure timely completion of the NEPA document. Reports prepared by the Contractor may be incorporated completely, in part, or by reference into the NEPA documents or planning files at the sole discretion of the Government. The identification of the purpose and need and the preferred or selected alternative will be completed by the Forest Service.

C. Work performed in support of land and resource management planning will need to adhere to the requirements identified in the Forest Service Manual, the Forest Service Handbook, and applicable regulations.

D. Work performed in support of program and project environmental analysis and decision making under NEPA will need to adhere to the requirements identified in the Forest Service Manual, the Forest Service Handbook, and applicable regulations.

2.15 Geographic Information System Spatial Analysis and/or Statistical Data Analysis

A. Geographic Information System (GIS) work may include digitizing for entry into the system, designing and conducting various resource mapping and analysis for projects, creating various products for inclusion in the environmental analysis documents, or other documents or public display, or other electronic related resource or geographic analysis.

B. The Contractor must use a computer-based GIS compatible with the National Forest system software as specified in the call.

C. The electronic data, including products and additions to the database, must be delivered to the Forest Service at the conclusion of each project or study. The Contractor must supply GIS data additions in ArcGIS compatible format, updates and corrections to base layers with full documentation so that the updates may be verified before application to the Forest Service database. Any data capture must meet minimum spatial accuracy consistent with USGS 7.5 minute Quadrangle sheets, 1:24,000 scale or larger. GIS file naming, map projections, items and valid codes must be consistent with the Regional Forest Resource Data Base Dictionary, or other National or Regional approved database.

D. Statistical data analysis of forest inventory data, wildlife habitat data, geologic data, etc. may also be required.

2.16 Lands and Special Uses

A. Lands work may include identifying encumbrances and investigating and documenting the status and ownership. When required for the work, Land Surveyor Reports will be provided by the Government, addressing matters of survey, title, and encumbrances.

B. Consistent with Forest Service Manual and Handbook direction, ensure appropriate content, procedure and timely submittal of environmental documentation for compliance.

C. Lands work may include identifying significant issues within an exchange, purchase, right-of-way, or sale project area and initiate planning and collaboration to outline what is needed to resolve the issue. Project area could be landscape scale or just a few acres. In addition to Forest Service personnel, collaboration may include other State and Federal Agencies, non-Governmental officers (NGO), and neighboring communities among others.

D. Lands and Special Uses work may also include communication site and transmission line corridor designation documentation and analysis preparation, and/or assessments supporting NEPA analyses for general permit actions in support of accepted proponent applications that do not fall under cost recovery requirements.

2.17 Landscape Analysis and Watershed Assessments

A. Work may consist of assessing physical, soundscape, biological and anthropogenic impacts to resources of an identifiable portion of an ecosystem to determine program or project opportunities and possible management practices. Public involvement support activities may be a key component of this pre-NEPA type work.

2.18 Litigation Support

A. Work may include litigation support such as assembly, organization, indexing, updating, maintaining and copying of documents for the Administrative Record (AR) as necessary for lawsuits and responses to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.

2.19 Logging and Transportation System Planning

A. Plans must take into consideration the landform stability and related geologic hazards, air quality, water quality, riparian and wetland information, specified resource protection requirements and economic considerations. Logging plans will document and recommend a logging system and associated transportation network to accomplish that treatment of the project area.

B. The Contractor may be tasked with developing a transportation analysis with recommendations for needed permanent and temporary road system(s), including needed safety and roadway enhancements. The Contractor may be tasked to include a recommended haul route on National Forest System Roads and County roads to reach the State Highway System. Transportation planning and analysis must be done in accordance with the guidance in Forest Service Manual and Handbooks, and specifications provided in the call.

2.20 Logging and Other Road Services and Road Analysis

A. Various activities for logging road placement may include consultations, site visits, planning, cost analysis, inspection, documentation and review of documents. Various road analyses may include studies to help determine if and where to construct new roads, reconstruct existing roads, or decommission or closure of existing roads. This work may include associated structures such as culverts and bridges. Efforts may include road data collection, resource effects analysis including the cost of road construction, reconstruction, or realignment, public involvement, and report preparation.

2.21 Minerals and Geology

A. Geologists (resource geologists, hydro-geologists, engineering geologists, geomorphologists, or paleontologists) must be used to perform the necessary geologic, geomorphologic, or paleontological components of resource inventory, analysis or monitoring.

B. The work may range in specificity from landscape to site-specific, and may include working as part of an interdisciplinary team conducting Ecological Unit Inventory or other inventories, watershed analyses, or other integrated work. Specialized geologic skills are required when conducting groundwater studies, or when doing landslide investigations, karst and sink hole investigations, paleontological surveys, and other work requiring the characterization of soil and rock material for engineering and environmental purposes, such as with acid producing rock.

C. The Contractor may be tasked to address cumulative effects and mitigation measures. A Geologist must be utilized to locate and document unstable land hazard areas and investigate surface and groundwater implications of mineral exploration and mining operations. These findings may be used by the Forest Service to facilitate layout and design of transportation and harvest systems.

2.22 Rangeland Management

A. Rangeland Management Specialists employed by the Contractor will be used to perform the necessary components of rangeland resource inventory, analysis or monitoring. The Contractor may be tasked with gathering field data to analyze effects of proposed management activities on the rangeland ecosystem, and developing management plans that may include wild horse, burro, bison, and/or other livestock.

B. The Contractor may be tasked with collecting sufficient field information to assess the existing conditions of the rangeland resources (range condition and trend) for the project area.

C. The Contractor must demonstrate knowledge of ecological processes and the skill to evaluate and assess the environmental impact of various management practices on a rangeland ecosystem.

D. The Contractor must demonstrate knowledge in the principles, concepts, and practices of rangeland and ecosystem management applicable to rangeland management, grazing systems, and improvements. This may also include agricultural practices such as tilling/cultivation methods, crop types, cover crop types, chemical treatments and/or biological control for traditional and organic crops. Inventory, analysis or monitoring must be in compliance with policy and guidance contained in the Forest Service Manual and Handbooks and any other information provided by the Forest Service in the call.

2.23 Recreation, Wilderness, Inventoried Roadless Areas, Wild and Scenic Rivers

A. The Contractor must be knowledgeable of forest recreation resources and related natural resource fields sufficient for the compilation, evaluation, and analysis of information concerning developed and dispersed recreation, trails, travel management, wild and scenic rivers, wilderness, and wilderness inventory evaluations. The Contractor must have comprehensive knowledge of laws, regulations, and agency land management policies and procedures governing the use and development of recreational resources on Federal land in order to analyze effects of proposed management activities on recreation, wild and scenic rivers, wilderness, and inventoried roadless area resources.

B. Work may include collecting sufficient field information to assess the existing condition of recreation facilities (dispersed and developed), wild and scenic rivers, trails, wilderness areas, and inventoried roadless area resources. Work may include describing the amount and type of recreation use in the project area based upon market research and analysis. Work may include identifying the location of new recreation facilities and opportunities.

C. Work may require analysis of wilderness attributes and inventoried roadless area characteristics that may be affected by program or project activities consistent with requirements under the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule. In addition, wild and scenic river outstanding remarkable values identified in Land and Resource Management Plans and river management plans may also require analysis where proposed activities may affect the outstanding remarkable values.

D. Other work related to wild and scenic rivers may include assistance with the development of Comprehensive River Management Plans, and in the analysis of rivers to determine if they are eligible and/or suitable for Wild & Scenic River designation.

2.24 Scenery Management

A. Depending on the forest, either the Scenery Management System (SMS) or Visual Quality Objectives (VQO) process may be required, as specified in the call.

B. In general, both analysis processes will require the current landscape character to be described, including a description of the ecological unit, landscape attributes and the landscape’s scenic attractiveness. Work may include describing the area’s scenic integrity, including historical or past integrity, any short-term integrity levels necessary to reach a long-term goal, and description of the landscape’s “desired condition.”

C. Work may include collecting information, including inventory and analysis, review sources, and identification of travel ways and areas of use, public concerns, distance zones and scenic classes.

D. Work may include conducting ecosystem analysis; planning and implementation; a development, evaluation of alternatives and selection of the preferred alternative; achievement of landscape character goals; and monitoring.

2.25 Socio-Economic Studies

A. Socio-Economic analysis work may include data collection on the social and economic environment, including information related to subsistence resources and uses. It may include analysis of social and economic information for a project scale environmental analysis, landscape analysis, or for a Land and Resource Management Plan. Where local Land and Resource Management Plans include economic analyses, project scale analyses may build from these broader assessments in a manner where their conclusions can be tied back to those made in the Plan.

B. The Contractor may be tasked with describing the social and economic conditions or contributions of the project area or plan area in relation to the local and regional settings. The socio-economic analysis may include various resource values including recreation, scenery, habitat, etc. As requested by the Forest Service, the Contractor may be tasked with coordinating with local states and counties in order to assess implications to non-federal economic development plans.

C. Socio-economic analysis may include the use of economic sector input-output models (such as IMPLAN) to estimate changes in jobs and income. Other analyses may be needed to evaluate trends associated with monitoring socio-economic indicators at local or regional scales.

2.26 Soil Resources

A. Soil Scientists may perform the necessary components of soils resource inventory, analysis or monitoring. The Contractor may be tasked with gathering field data to analyze effects of proposed management activities on soils.

B. The Contractor must be knowledgeable of principles, concepts, and practices of soil science applicable to soil management, classification, and mapping. Surveys, inventory, analysis or monitoring must be performed by a Soil Scientist in compliance with policy contained in the Forest Service Manual and any other pertinent information provided by the Forest Service in the call.

C. The Contractor may be tasked with collecting sufficient field information to assess the existing conditions of the soils resources for the project area. Work may include evaluating and documenting susceptibility to erosion, soil compaction, field tile surveys, soil stability channel, threat of onsite and downstream impacts, and capabilities and limitations of soils for a variety of contemplated uses and activities (e.g., timber sales, watershed rehabilitation projects, transportation planning, or recreation development) using local Forest/Prairie evaluation and analysis protocols. Work may include addressing cumulative effects and mitigation measures.

2.27 Terrestrial and Aquatic Invasive Species

A. A qualified Fisheries and/or Wildlife Biologist must be used to prepare a biological report for invasive fish and/or wildlife species. A qualified Botanist must be used to prepare a botanical report for invasive plant species. Plant surveys must be performed in compliance with policy contained in Forest Service direction including the Forest Service Manual. Data collection must be in compliance with policies contained in the Forest Service Manual and any other pertinent information provided by the Forest Service in the call.

B. The Contractor must be knowledgeable in the principles, practices, and concepts of botany sufficient to perform the identification, surveying and/or sampling techniques and management of terrestrial and aquatic invasive species. The Contractor must be knowledgeable in the principles, practices, and concepts of fisheries and wildlife science sufficient to perform the identification, surveying and/or sampling techniques and management of terrestrial and aquatic invasive faunal species.

C. The Contractor must be knowledgeable of the basic methods, techniques, and procedures necessary to conduct vegetation inventories and plant work; of vegetation communities as described in botanical literature to identify plant communities during field inventories; and professional knowledge of plant taxonomy in order to identify plants during field inventories and to confirm identification utilizing other resources. The Contractor must be knowledgeable of the basic methods, techniques, and procedures necessary to conduct fisheries and wildlife inventories and related work; of animal communities as described in fisheries and wildlife literature to identify animal communities during field inventories; and professional knowledge of terrestrial and aquatic animal taxonomy in order to identify animals during field inventories and to confirm identification utilizing other resources.

D. The Contractor may be tasked with collecting sufficient field information to assess the existing condition of habitats for invasive fauna species.

E. The Contractor must be knowledgeable of federal, state, county, and local terrestrial and aquatic invasive species regulations and of the ESA. Special permits/certifications to perform this work may be required of the Contractor.

F. Work may include analyzing the current condition of invasive plants for the project area including risk assessments for introduction and spread of species; collecting sufficient field information to prepare appropriate mitigation measures, determining feasible treatment options, and assessing effects of the proposed action; and addressing cumulative effects and mitigation measures.

2.28 Travel Management

A. Work may include completing a travel analysis, including a travel analysis report, in accordance with the Forest Service Manual and the Forest Service Handbook, that identifies the minimum road system needed for safe and efficient travel and for administration, utilization, and protection of National Forest System…