Scope_of_Work.docx

Monitoring Statement of Work and Specifications Natural Resources Conservation Service Agricultural Conservation Easement Program

WRP, WRE, EWP-FPE, HFRP

A. Background Information

1. The United States of America, acting through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource and Conservation Service (NRCS), is considering purchasing services to provide on-site monitoring of existing conservation easements held under the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP), Agricultural Conservation Easement Program-Wetland Reserve Easement (WRE) Component, Emergency Watershed Protection Program - Floodplain Easement Option (EWP-FPE), and Healthy Forests Reserve Program (HFRP)

2. The number of easements requiring on-site monitoring will be determined by NRCS following policy found in 440-CPM, Part 527, Subpart P for each fiscal year.

3. The on-site monitoring will be accomplished using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) following the policy found in Title 170 General Manual, Part 402.

B. Qualifications of Vendor

1. The vendor must meet all qualifications outlined in Title 170 General Manual, Part 402, Subpart B for commercial Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS).

2. Two years experience monitoring federal conservation easements or equivalent preferred.

C. Purpose of easement monitoring

1. The purpose of easement monitoring is to ensure that the integrity of the easement is being maintained, that the goals and objectives for which the easement was purchased are being met, to identify actions needed, and to maintain a relationship with the landowner.

D. Information Provided by NRCS to the Vendor

1. List of easements requiring on-site monitoring by fiscal year.

a. Name, address, and phone number of easement landowner or decision maker.

b. Shapefiles of easement boundaries.

E. Quality of Work

1. The vendor, using a UAS, will provide imagery at a resolution that will allow clear, identifiable site conditions so that NRCS can make management decisions based on these findings.

F. Deliverables

1. The vendor will complete the provided monitoring worksheet for each on-site monitoring.

2. Monitoring worksheets will include a hardcopy and digital copy.

3. Imagery for each on-site monitoring will be identified by easement agreement number and date.

4. Imagery will be provided to NRCS using an external storage device (USB Flash Drive or other device) in a georeferenced file format.

G. Conflict of Interest

1. An independent, qualified professional will not analyze a property for a spouse, child, partner, or business associate or have a financial interest in the property to be covered by the proposed easement.

H. Nondisclosure

1. Work performance required by this scope of work will involve access to potentially sensitive information about governmental and landowner issues.

2. All contractor personnel must comply with the terms of AGAR 452.224-70, “Confidentiality of Information,” as well as provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. Section 552a).

3. Additionally, the contractor’s employees must comply with privacy of personal information relating to NRCS programs in accordance with section 1244 of the Food Security Act of 1985, as amended (16 U.S.C. Section 3844), and information protected under section 1619 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-246), 7 U.S.C. Section 8791.

I. Civil Rights and Program Delivery

1. The contractor must ensure that its personnel prohibit discrimination in all aspects of programs and activities related to the contract on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status.

J. Exhibits

1. Exhibit 1 Monitoring worksheet

2. Exhibit 2 Title 170 General Manual, Part 402, Subpart B image1.png