USGS-NorthForkMonoTribe_PWS-SOO_Year_1_rev1_1.docx

Performance Work Statement (PWS)/ Statement of Objectives (SOO)

TITLE: Cultural and ecosystem restoration practices to advance innovation in landscape-level climate adaptation and community-based resilience

1.0 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

The USGS mission is to provide reliable and impartial scientific information and tools to natural resource managers and others that will help inform regulatory and policy decisions on natural hazards, water, energy, minerals, environmental health, and the impacts of climate and land-use change. With a focus on science for sustainable management and conservation, the USGS Ecosystems Mission Area works in wild and urban spaces, and places in between.

Place-based Indigenous science and cultural burning practices are increasingly recognized by state and federal agencies as valuable tools in wildfire risk mitigation (SB 332 and AB 642 in the state of California) and climate adaptation (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 2022, USGCRP National Climate Assessment 2023). New guidance from Department of Interior (DOI) policy department manuals now requires bureaus and agencies with DOI to incorporate Indigenous knowledge systems into existing western-based science initiatives, especially those focused on traditional methods of ecosystem restoration and climate adaptation (see Section 3.0 below). The goals of the USGS-DoD Innovation Landscapes Network initiative align with these new policies as mechanisms for innovation in climate-adapted conservation and management.

The purpose of this contract is to advance knowledge-sharing between Tribal Nations, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and the Department of Defense (DoD) to enhance our collective capacity for climate adaptation and resilience-building. Furthermore, a primary objective of this work will be to establish a comprehensive framework for cooperation between the USGS, DoD, Native American communities, and the research community, particularly within the context of the Innovation Landscapes Network (ILN) initiative. This collaboration will serve the following purposes:

· Environmental Conservation: Promoting sustainable land management practices, habitat preservation and restoration, and responsible natural resource stewardship on federal and ancestral lands using nature-based solutions, especially in the context of climate adaptation and resilience.

· Cultural Preservation: Recognizing and protecting Native American cultural heritage, including sacred sites, artifacts, and traditional practices, on federal and ancestral lands through the incorporation of cultural burning and other traditional ecosystem restoration practices.

Partnership with Tribes with expertise on cultural burning and ecosystem restoration, such as the traditional knowledge held by the North Fork Mono Tribe, will help USGS facilitate scientific knowledge exchange while building relationships with other Tribes. Moreover, this partnership will support inter-tribal relations and knowledge sharing and will enable testing of new approaches for integrating Western and Indigenous practices to advance a new era of innovative climate adaptation.

2.0 SCOPE

Objective 1. Expansion of the Knowledge and Practice of Cultural Burning through Tribal Engagement Establish a process for collaboration with local Native American tribes to ensure their perspectives, including cultural burning and ecosystem restoration traditions, are incorporated into climate-adapted land management decisions. This process will facilitate the co-production relationship envisioned by the ILN and promote co-management of federal and other ancestral lands through the following joint efforts:

Objective 2. Expansion of the Knowledge and Practice of Cultural Burning for Non-Indigenous Practitioners Promote cross-cultural understanding and respect among federal land and fire managers, including those who work on DOI and DoD managed lands (e.g., installations and bases) in California and, as time and funding permits, throughout the Southwest.

3.0 APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS

Relevant Policy documents and guidance supported by this PWS for reference purposes:

In November of 2022, the White House released Guidance for Federal Departments and Agencies on Indigenous Knowledge. This guidance builds on other recent Federal efforts related to Indigenous Knowledge. Through Executive Order 14072 on Strengthening the Nation's Forests, Communities, and Local Economies, President Biden established a policy to support indigenous traditional ecological knowledge and cultural and subsistence practices in our Nation's forests. Through Executive Order 14049 on the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Native Americans and Strengthening Tribal Colleges and Universities, President Biden committed to promoting Indigenous learning through the use of traditional ecological knowledge.

On December 5, 2023, The Department of Interior (DOI) established Departmental Manual Chapter 7 entitled, Departmental Responsibilities for Consideration and Inclusion of Indigenous Knowledge in Departmental Actions and Scientific Research:

301 DM 7, establishes DOI policies, responsibilities, and procedures to respect, and equitably promote the inclusion of, Indigenous Knowledge in the Department’s decision making, resource management, program implementation, policy development, scientific research, and other actions (e.g., grant making and acquisitions).

This PWS directly supports implementation of these policies.

The USGS recently released the U.S. Geological Survey Tribal Engagement Plan for Fiscal Years 2023-2025 to help employees and bureau Leadership accomplish the following:

1. Develop a standard yet flexible model for Tribal engagement around science to guide USGS leadership, managers, and researchers.

2. Promote educational partnerships with K–12 schools and colleges to foster Native youth interest in science and to recruit and hire Native scientists.

3. Establish a framework so that regions and mission areas can develop 1- to 5-year goals for enhancing the quantity and quality of interactions with Tribes and Indigenous communities.

4. Set forth expectations for step-down plans that will provide details of how USGS mission areas and regions, given their disciplinary emphases and unique local contexts, will specifically engage with Tribes and Indigenous communities.

This PWS directly supports goals 1, 2, and 3.

In April 2022, DOI issued Secretary’s Order 3399 to prioritize action on climate change throughout the Department and to restore transparency and integrity in decision-making processes. The order established the Department’s Climate Task Force to develop a strategy to reduce climate pollution; improve and increase adaptation and resilience to the impacts of climate change; address current and historic environmental injustice; protect public health; and conserve Department-managed lands. Consistent with Executive Order 13990 and the Department’s Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plan, several Department Manual (DM) parts were identified to be updated. The DOI’s four climate policy updates include:

· 522 DM 1, which emphasizes increasing need for Adaptive Management, which is a process of regularly evaluating the effects of management actions on resources to improve outcomes, under climate change. It also clarifies responsibilities of the Adaptive Management Working Group.

· 523 DM 1, which was revised to re-establish Departmental climate adaptation policy. The focus is to emphasize that consideration of changing climate is the default for planning and decision-making to support adaptation and resilience.

· 526 DM 1, which was revised to reinforce the need to apply high-quality climate information and consider climate uncertainty in resource management planning and decisions. The chapter creates a new Climate Science Applications Coordination Team.

· 604 DM 1, which was revised to strengthen consideration of climate change in landscape-level decision-making. Importantly, it introduces opportunities to use managed ecological transformation approaches as well as nature-based solutions to reduce climate change risks.

This PWS supports implementation of these policies.

4.0 TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

Independently, and not as an agent of the Government, the contractor shall provide experienced and qualified individual (s) to complete the support tasks described below. Any problems or unusual circumstances relating to the Contractor tasks shall be reported immediately to the Task Order Manager (TOM) for resolution or follow-up. The TOM will be notified by the Contractor by detailed documentation of any problems or issues resulting to any of the Contractor tasks within 24 hours. Data files, word processing and other computer software must be used correctly and effectively for compiling, organizing, storing, and archiving information from each task.

Task 1. Preparation of comprehensive guidance and checklist for how to conduct a cultural burn.

The Contractor shall prepare comprehensive guidance and an accompanying checklist for conducting cultural burns. This shall include the development of guidance for creating partnerships with universities, federal and state agencies, Tribes, and other interested parties that can bring additional capacity to help with the overall cultural burning capability. Additionally, tactical guidance will be provided for completing the following processes:

· Navigating the permitting process,

· Obtaining liability insurance,

· Working with state Air Quality Boards and standards,

· Working with state and federal fire agencies,

· Logistics planning, including facilities and tools for participants,

· Identifying and obtaining funding from multiple entities.

Task 2. Development of suite of communication tools for delivering technical assistance.

The contractor shall develop a suite of communication tools to facilitate the delivery of technical assistance and guidance designed to share knowledge and document practices for both existing and future practitioners. These shall include, but not be limited to:

· Development of website with appropriate landing pages,

· Demonstration webinars,

· Customized informational and educational materials.

Task 3. Scope proof-of-concept opportunities for Indigenous and non-indigenous fire community.

The contractor shall scope the development of and, if funding and time allow, conduct workshops and localized demonstrations of cultural burning and ecosystem restoration tools and techniques, particularly for Indigenous and non-indigenous federal land managers and practitioners.

Task 4. Prepare a resource list to support all the above tasks.

The contractor shall prepare a semi-annotated resource list to support all the above tasks (e.g., recent literature, relevant guidance documents, etc.) that can also be used as reference material for ongoing and future work.

5.0 DELIVERABLES

The contractor shall deliver a biannual progress report and a final report that describes lessons learned and scoping of a next phase of the, if both parties are amenable to continuing the agreement and funding is available to do so. The final report deliverable shall be received within 30 calendar days following the performance period. One consolidated report will be received for each task order regardless of the number of contractor employees on the task order.

The report shall be in a professional format with the Tribe’s logo on the top of the page. The report will contain at the beginning in an easily readable format, the performance period the report is covering, Task Order Manager’s Name, the Contract Number, the Contractor Employee(s) name associated with the task order.

The Report will list every task title in the task order. Summary performance results associated with the task will be documented clearly, legibly, grammatically, and in appropriate terms.

6.0 Performance Standards and Monitoring Methods

The contractor shall meet with the Technical Evaluator on a monthly basis in two capacities: (1) as a project collaborator and (2) to monitor progress. These regular communications will facilitate coordination with the Innovation Landscapes Network initiative, in addition to other EMA programmatic priorities. The Technical Evaluator will attend, when feasible, project convenings to gauge participant response and to help identify any barriers to development and implementation of tasks outlined in this agreement.