SOW_Polar_bear_field_work.doc

US Geological Survey Alaska Science Center

Statement of Work

I. GENERAL INFORMATION

A.

Introduction - U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) is seeking the services of a fixed wing aircraft to provide fuel support to a helicopter. The helicopter will be flying over Arctic sea ice searching for polar bears to capture. In addition to supplying the helicopter with fuel, the fixed wing will aid in locating polar bears. Data collected from the animals is the foundation of the USGS’s polar bear research program.

B.

Background – The USGS is the agency responsible for conducting research on the southern Beaufort Sea (SBS) polar bear population (located in part off of the north coast of

Alaska). The focus of our current research includes identifying stressors to polar bears and the mechanisms by which they impact the bears. Stressors may include disease, inadequate nutrition, contaminants, changing environmental conditions, and increased human presence in their habitats. Ongoing work tracks the SBS polar bear population trends and vital rates, increasing use of land by polar bears, and establishing genetic IDs for polar bears in the SBS population. Our research is valuable to conservation managers, native user groups, and industry.

C.

Definitions/Applicable Documents (define terms that have a different meaning to different people, esp. technical ones; list publications, directives, commercial standards affecting the work). If definitions are not required for successful performance, skip C and replace with D. – N/A

D.

Scope – The USGS polar bear research crew uses a helicopter to search the sea ice of the SBS for polar bears. Our work area extends from Barrow, Alaska to the Canadian / Alaska border and from the shoreline up to 50 miles offshore. We will capture every bear we encounter as long as the conditions are safe for both the animal and the crew. Our base of operations will be centrally located at Deadhorse, Alaska. Polar bears exist at low densities and the helicopter generally only locates 1-3 bears a day. Once a bear is captured we mark the animal, take measurements and weights, and collect biological samples. This processing time runs about an hour per bear. If multiple bears are captured in one group such as an adult female with offspring, the time on the ground is increased and the time we can spend searching for polar bears is decreased. With the capture crew and our gear on board, the helicopter has a limited fuel capacity and range. The helicopter has approximately 3 hours of flight time per fuel load. That does not give us 3 hours of work time however, as a portion of the fuel must be conserved for the travel time from the fuel pump to the sea ice and more importantly from the sea ice back to the fuel pump. In order to increase our work time on the sea ice and decrease the amount of time spent ferrying to and from a fuel source, we plan to have a fixed wing aircraft supply fuel to the helicopter while we are out on the sea ice. Due to the helicopters limited flight time, we would not be able to work in the eastern and western most ends of our study area without fuel support from the fixed wing. The potential for data bias exists if we are not able to access bears across the entire study area. The fixed wing will also aid in searching the sea ice for polar bears. The fixed wing will search while the helicopter crew is on the ground processing bears and in conjunction with helicopter search flights. Increasing the time searching for polar bears as well as the area searched will increase the number of polar bears we capture. Having better access to fuel will increase our work time on the sea ice. These factors improve our efficiency and the cost effectiveness of helicopter rental rates as well as expenditures on other components of the project.

II. WORK REQUIREMENTS

A.

Technical Requirements.

1.

Describe specific work requirements and/or work products (broken down into phases or work elements, progress reports, etc.). Description must be in terms of WHAT we want done, not HOW we want to have it done.

The fixed wing aircraft will work from the same base as the helicopter, providing fuel in 55 gallon drums to the helicopter as needed. The pilot will arrange for filling the fuel barrels, loading the barrels into the aircraft, locating an appropriate landing zone in the general area requested by the helicopter pilot, safely landing the aircraft on the sea ice, unloading the fuel barrels and communicating the location to the helicopter pilot. The fixed wing will pick up empty fuel barrels from the sea ice and return them to Deadhorse for re-use. Appropriate spill prevention and containment systems will be employed for fueling and drum transport and storage. The aircraft will have fuel clean up supplies on hand. When not involved in fuel support operations, the fixed wing will aid the helicopter in searching the sea ice for polar bears, following the guidelines set out by USGS researchers. USGS will supply the fuel drums and the spill and containment equipment. USGS will also provide meals, lodging, and aircraft parking space at Deadhorse. Requirements include: aircraft with wheeled skis, the ability to load full drums of fuel in and out of the aircraft, experience flying in arctic conditions, i.e. low temperatures, snow, tundra, sea ice, comfortable with the weather of the north coast of Alaska, and experience landing on snow covered sea ice. Experience working with biological field missions is desirable.

2.

Criteria for acceptance of Product or Service (how will contractor's compliance be measured).

B.

Deliverables. – N/A

1.

Characteristics for work product described in II.A.1., identified by name and quantity.

2.

Delivery dates for work/product to be completed and point of delivery.

III.

SUPPORTING INFORMATION

A. Place of Performance. – This work will be conducted along the north coast of Alaska, ranging from the base at Deadhorse, Alaska east to the Canadian border and west to Barrow, Alaska. Flights may be conducted from the shoreline up to 50 miles off shore.

B. Period of Performance (expressed as number of days, must include the time necessary to test, review, and/or install the deliverable). – There will be 14 work days (March 20- April 3, 2018), one day (March 19, 2018) to travel from home to Deadhorse, Alaska, and one day to return home (April 4, 2018).

D.

Government Furnished Property (GFP): list property and its value. – No USGS property is being furnished.

E.

Special Considerations.

1. Key personnel qualifications (researchers, instructors, writers, project managers, programmers, etc.)

Prospective contractor must demonstrate that they have the combination of required equipment, experience, and availability to meet the support needs of the 2018 spring capture season. Contractor must demonstrate that they have the equipment required to haul fuel including the ability to load and unload full fuel barrels, small aircraft equipped with wheeled skis, and fuel pump set up. Must demonstrate that they have experience working in arctic conditions, are familiar with the ice environment, landing on snow and ice covered terrain, and the weather patterns of the area. Must demonstrate that they have the attitude and flexibility required to accomplish missions that are composed of uncontrolled factors such as weather, animal behavior, logistical changes, and technical difficulties.

2. Data Rights, Safety, Environment. – N/A

3.

Security/Privacy issues (ingress to Federal buildings, personnel clearances, computer security). –N/A