QUESTIONS_AND_ANSWERS1_0002.docx

United States Department of the Interior

BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT

New Mexico State Office 301 Dinosaur Trail Santa Fe, New Mexico 87508 https://www.blm.gov/new-mexico

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

FOUR RARE PLANT SPECIES MONITORING

140L4023Q0034

Q. An estimate of the expected acreage of suitable habitat and historic occurrences of Lepidospartum burgessii for survey under the Base Year items 1 and 2;

A. Estimated Range for Lepidospartum burgessii: in Southern NM: about 9,000 acres. A total of 6,000+ plants were located between 2009-2021 Q. An estimate of the expected acreage of suitable habitat and historic occurrences of Circium wrightii, for survey under the Base Year items 1 and 2 A. Estimate Range for Circium wrightii is unknown however historic locations on BLM lands in the Las Cruces District are: Tularosa Creek (Designated CH), Alamosa Springs, Cuchillo, Downstream of Lincoln NF, Gila, Percha Creek, Burro Ciénaga. Historic point data will be provided to the contractor upon award of the contract.

Q. The approximate number of plots for Hedooma todsenii to revisit under Base Year item 3.

A. A total 30 plots were established in 2017 for Hedooma todsenii. Therefore 10 will be reread in the base year and each subsequent option year should the option be exercised.

Lepidospartum burgessii (Base year 1, item 1)

Q. Does the BLM already have a monitoring protocol in place or does this need to be developed?

A. Yes, the BLM has established protocols that will be shared upon award of the contract.

Q. Estimated acreage for requested surveys in potential suitable habitat and historical occurrences?

A. Estimated acreage of potential suitable habitat is 8,000 acres and occupied habitat is estimated at 3,000 acres. These acreages occur in the Las Cruces District area of responsibility.

Q. When assessing the grazing exclosures for population trends, are there pre-established plots that can be revisited or do new plots need to be developed? If plots are already established, can we either review the protocol or can you share how many plots are expected to be surveyed per day?

A. There are no "plots" per se, rather the entire suitable habitat within the Alkali Lakes ACEC. This information will be shared with contractor upon receipt of award.

Cirsium wrightii (Base year 1, item 2)

Q Location and number of historic locales to be visited

A.Historic locales do not occur on BLM administered lands however suitable habitat exists adjacent to areas where the plant was historically found. The requirement of this contact is to survey suitable habitat in these adjacent areas. Historic locales will be shared with contractor upon receipt of the award.

Hedeoma todsenii (Base year 1, item 3)

Q. Including travel, how many plots can be expected to be surveyed per day?

A.Thirty plots have been established therefore we would require that 10 different plots be read each year for a total of 1/3 per year. The contractor would determine their own capacity on how many plots can be surveyed per day so long as 10 are read in the base year.

Q. Can we review the survey protocol?

A.BLM has established protocols that will be shared upon award of the contract.

Q. Is there a specific survey window required to complete these plots so that survey timing matches the dates of previous data? For example, some demography plots require surveys to occur on or very close to the same dates that plots were surveyed during previous years.

A. July-September, dependent on monsoons.

Q. Does travel to plots require permission to access private lands? Is access a potential issue?

A. Contractors are allowed administrative access to all plots as they are conducting work for the BLM on BLM administered lands. Some coordination may be required with BLM staff to access the plots.

Peniocereus greggii var. greggii (Option year 1, item 2)

Q. Can you share the expected number of person days required to monitor these 270 individuals or can you share the protocol so that we can estimate this?

A.The contractor would determine their own capacity on how many plots can be surveyed per day. The 270 individual plants are all found within approximately 220 square miles.

Q. Is there a specific survey window that is required to complete these plots so that survey timing matches the dates of previous data?

A.This species can be surveyed year round. Flowering season is June so there is a slight preference to survey during that time, but this species allows much more flexibility.

Q, The Solicitation document lists October 31, 2024, as the end of the Period of Performance, but the SOW lists December 31, 2024. Please clarify which date is correct.

A.Per the email sent August 31, 2023 at 4:44pm: This is funded using 2 year funding that expires on 9/30/2024. I'm not sure with the solicitation went out with 10/31 as the end date unless it is non-severable then it should had been 12/31/24

Q. The Solicitation and SOW do not list a due date for the annual report. Is there a specific date the report is due, or is it due at the end of the Period of Performance, following the clarification of the above question?

A. It is implied that the DD for the report is prior to the PoP end date.

Q.The Solicitation and SOW list there are four rare plants of focus, but on page 2 of the SOW, there is a fifth additional plant listed, Argemone pinnatisecta, under option year 1 objectives. This is the only place this plant is mentioned. Please confirm whether this is an error or if we should include this plant in our proposal under option year 1 objectives.

A.This was an error on our end since the base year calls for 4 species but the options add the additional species. I guess it should say four species unless the option year is exercised then it would be 5.

INTERIOR REGION 7 · UPPER

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INTERIOR REGION 5 · MISSOURI BASIN

Kansas, Most of Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, South Dakota

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