20-02800 PWS St Paul harvest observer Fv 19June_2020 RFQ.pdf

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

Revised 07/20/2020

TITLE: Monitoring Services for the Subsistence Harvest of Northern Fur Seals on St. Paul Island

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this contract is to record and report the timing, duration, frequency, and composition of subsistence harvests of northern fur seals after August 8. Pribilovians of St. Paul Island will attempt to meet their subsistence needs consistent with the revised regulations at 50 CFR 216.72-74.

CONTRACTOR PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS:

SPECIFIC DUTIES OF THE HARVEST OBSERVER

1. Field & Community Orientation: The contractor will work with NMFS AKR Pribilof Program Manager and Aleut Community of St. Paul Island, Tribal Government (ACSPI) representatives to understand roles and responsibilities of contractor observers and ACSPI during harvests. The contractor will work with ACSPI and NMFS staff to identify harvesting locations (including seasonal seal distribution at those sites), safe access to and hazards for seals and people at those locations, and record the specific harvest locations and hazards. The contractor will work with ACSPI and NMFS staff to identify the dates when harvests are scheduled, and the process for monitoring ad-hoc harvests which may occur on weekends or evenings. Orientation will also include meeting and coordinating with Tribal representatives and NMFS staff to review the regulations and co-management plan provisions applicable to the fur seal harvests to be monitored and reported. The contractor will identify harvest data collection and reporting responsibilities before each harvest in collaboration with NMFS and tribal government staff. The contractor will familiarize themselves with the regulations, subsistence use co-management plan, in-season management measures to be implemented on behalf of the Co-management Council and all regulatory restrictions, and monitoring standards for harvest. Indicator of success:

identify harvest locations, identify harvest dates, determine data needs to characterize the harvest; Standard: identify and record 75% of expected harvest locations prior to the harvest;

identify and monitor 75% of harvests in real time (versus after the fact learning about a harvest and visiting the site); identify data being collected by the ACSPI by August 15 for characterizing the harvest is in compliance with the regulations and co-management plan.

2. Communications: The contractor shall ensure mis-communication is minimized among NMFS AKR Pribilof Program Manager, tribal staff, community members and harvesters regarding the harvest scheduling, monitoring, and implementation. The contractor will immediately inform NMFS and ACSPI representatives whenever the conduct or conditions affecting the harvest appear contrary to the management plan or regulations. Indicator of success: Weekly status updates will summarize harvest processes, identify complications observed and solutions developed, and potential upcoming risks; Standard: 75% of identified complications will be reconciled prior to the subsequent harvest; 10% of identified complications will be reconciled after two subsequent harvests.

3. Harvest Observations: The contractor shall collect data to characterize how the harvests occur and the number of seals (by sex and general age) taken at between 50-75 percent of the harvests on St. Paul Island that are expected to occur intermittently from August 8 - December 31 in 2020 and subsequent years. The 2020 season will be the first full harvest season for NMFS and ACSPI to characterize the harvest for development of future management and monitoring plans. The contractor will maximize harvest observations and ensure the public is aware of alternative harvest monitoring developed by Co-management Council. Contractor and ACSPI observations made during the harvests of pups, yearlings, and possibly older seals will directly inform harvesters, NMFS, and ACSPI, to improve future management and monitoring implemented by the Co-management Council. The contractor will characterize the harvest and estimate what factors might be most important in estimating the duration and efficiency of harvests. The contractor will coordinate with ACSPI staff to estimate or count directly the number of seals rounded up, the number and sex of seals harvested, the number of pup and non-pup fur seals not harvested but disturbed, and the date and location of each harvest. Regulations include an annual limit of 20 female mortalities, therefore monitoring and recording the number of female mortalities is a requirement. The Co-management Council is developing non-regulatory interim limits for female mortalities and these limits are going to be incorporated into the comanagement plan. The revised comanagement plan will be completed by August 8 for implementation during the season when pups and yearlings are taken. The contractor will record and report dates and locations of unsuccessful/canceled harvests with an indication from harvesters and observers for cancelation or lack of success. The contractor will record measures taken to improve the seal’s condition during the harvest including the duration of rest afforded the animals, allowing seals to distribute themselves across a larger area, and allowing older seals, not to be harvested, to escape to the water. The contractor will record and report data determined by the Council to be relevant to assessing these things. Post-harvest observations may be made at specific sites to collect data regarding seal’s behavior and response to subsistence activities. Indicator of success: Contractor presence at harvests after August 8; Standard: 90% of the harvests will be observed and data recorded, 80% of weekly harvest reports will include the number of seals rounded up, number of seals released, date of harvest, duration of harvest, harvest location, number of females killed, number of males killed, and samples collected, if a discrepancy or clarification is identified in the weekly report 90% of those weekly reports will be reconciled and revised in the subsequent weekly report.

4. Sampling the subsistence harvest: The contractor will collect all seals that die accidentally or contrary to the harvest regulations that are not taken for consumption to assist in NMFS determination of the likely cause of death. The contractor will independently verify the sex of a sample of harvested seals during each harvest monitored. This information will be useful to improve future harvests and our understanding of fur seal ecology. The contractor will report the initial observations to the ACSPI staff and NMFS, as soon as practical, or within 24 hours of any accidental death to allow NMFS and the ACSPI to convene the Co-management Council to review and implement actions consistent with the comanagement plan and regulations. Indicator of success:

accurate inventory of samples, accurate record of sampling sex of harvested seals; Standard: 95% of the samples collected are labeled consistent with the inventory, 95% of labeled samples include species, sample tissue, date, and location, 95% of sexes of the samples of harvested seals are recorded and reported weekly.

DELIVERABLES:

1. Provide a weekly subsistence harvest status report to the NMFS AKR Pribilof Program Manager (CONTACT NAME TO BE PROVIDED AT TIME OF AWARD) or designee and ACSPI staff. If a complication occurs during the harvest, the contractor shall update the NMFS Manager (if not present on island) in coordination with ACSPI staff as soon as practical after the event by phone or email. The weekly harvest status report shall include the date and locations of harvests, observations and data regarding the conduct of the harvest, number and sex of seals taken during each harvest, estimates of the number of seals rounded up, number and type of samples collected, and any unusual observations.

2. Work with NMFS and ACSPI staff to reconcile data collected to prepare an annual report of subsistence harvest observations. Provide a preliminary report of all harvests to the NMFS Manager (CONTACT NAME TO BE PROVIDED AT TIME OF AWARD) no later than January 30, 2021. NMFS will provide a report template for the report. An electronic copy of the harvest data and samples collected will be provided in either a spreadsheet or database format, using a template provided by NMFS. All weekly reports will be included as reference in the annual report. NMFS will review and provide comments on the report within 30 days.

NMFS may request tribal review of the report as well, for a total review period not to exceed 60 days without written notice to the contractor.

3. Provide a final report to be reviewed by the NMFS Manager (CONTACT NAME TO BE PROVIDED AT TIME OF AWARD) no later than 30 days from receipt of comments and suggested revisions by NMFS. If NMFS does not provide comments within 30 days of receipt of the draft report, the contract Harvest Observer can finalize the report. An electronic copy of the harvest data and samples collected will be provided in either a spreadsheet or database format, using a template provided by NMFS. All observations and data collected will be included in the final report.

1. Provide a weekly subsistence harvest status report to the NMFS AKR Pribilof Program

Manager (CONTACT NAME TO BE PROVIDED AT TIME OF AWARD) or designee and ACSPI staff. If a complication occurs during the harvest, the contractor shall update the NMFS Manager (if not present on island) in coordination with ACSPI staff as soon as practical after the event by phone or email. The weekly harvest status report shall include the date and locations of harvests, observations and data regarding the conduct of the harvest, number and sex of seals taken during each harvest, estimates of the number of seals rounded up, number and type of samples collected, and any unusual observations.

2. Work with NMFS and ACSPI staff to reconcile data collected to prepare an annual report of subsistence harvest observations. Provide a preliminary report of all harvests to the NMFS Manager (CONTACT NAME TO BE PROVIDED AT TIME OF AWARD) no later than January 30, 2022. NMFS will provide a report template for the report. An electronic copy of the harvest data and samples collected will be provided in either a spreadsheet or database format, using a template provided by NMFS. All weekly reports will be included as reference in the annual report. NMFS will review and provide comments on the report within 30 days.

NMFS may request tribal review of the report as well, for a total review period not to exceed 60 days without written notice to the contractor.

3. Provide a final report to be reviewed by the NMFS Manager (CONTACT NAME TO BE PROVIDED AT TIME OF AWARD) no later than 30 days from receipt of comments and suggested revisions by NMFS. If NMFS does not provide comments within 30 days of receipt of the draft report, the contract Harvest Observer can finalize the report. An electronic copy of the harvest data and samples collected will be provided in either a spreadsheet or database format, using a template provided by NMFS. All observations and data collected will be included in the final report.

1. Provide a weekly subsistence harvest status report to the NMFS AKR Pribilof Program

Manager (CONTACT NAME TO BE PROVIDED AT TIME OF AWARD) or designee and ACSPI staff. If a complication occurs during the harvest, the contractor shall update the NMFS Manager (if not present on island) in coordination with ACSPI staff as soon as practical after the event by phone or email. The weekly harvest status report shall include the date and locations of harvests, observations and data regarding the conduct of the harvest, number and sex of seals taken during each harvest, estimates of the number of seals rounded up, number and type of samples collected, and any unusual observations.

2. Work with NMFS and ACSPI staff to reconcile data collected to prepare an annual report of subsistence harvest observations. Provide a preliminary report of all harvests to the NMFS Manager (CONTACT NAME TO BE PROVIDED AT TIME OF AWARD) no later than January 30, 2023. NMFS will provide a report template for the report. An electronic copy of the harvest data and samples collected will be provided in either a spreadsheet or database format, using a template provided by NMFS. All weekly reports will be included as reference in the annual report. NMFS will review and provide comments on the report within 30 days.

NMFS may request tribal review of the report as well, for a total review period not to exceed 60 days without written notice to the contractor.

3. Provide a final report to be reviewed by the NMFS Manager (CONTACT NAME TO BE PROVIDED AT TIME OF AWARD) no later than 30 days from receipt of comments and suggested revisions by NMFS. If NMFS does not provide comments within 30 days of receipt of the draft report, the contract Harvest Observer can finalize the report. An electronic copy of the harvest data and samples collected will be provided in either a spreadsheet or database format, using a template provided by NMFS. All observations and data collected will be included in the final report.

1. Provide a weekly subsistence harvest status report to the NMFS AKR Pribilof Program

Manager (CONTACT NAME TO BE PROVIDED AT TIME OF AWARD) or designee and ACSPI staff. If a complication occurs during the harvest, the contractor shall update the NMFS Manager (if not present on island) in coordination with ACSPI staff as soon as practical after the event by phone or email. The weekly harvest status report shall include the date and locations of harvests, observations and data regarding the conduct of the harvest, number and sex of seals taken during each harvest, estimates of the number of seals rounded up, number and type of samples collected, and any unusual observations.

2. Work with NMFS and ACSPI staff to reconcile data collected to prepare an annual report of subsistence harvest observations. Provide a preliminary report of all harvests to the NMFS Manager (CONTACT NAME TO BE PROVIDED AT TIME OF AWARD) no later than January 30, 2023. NMFS will provide a report template for the report. An electronic copy of the harvest data and samples collected will be provided in either a spreadsheet or database format, using a template provided by NMFS. All weekly reports will be included as reference in the annual report. NMFS will review and provide comments on the report within 30 days.

NMFS may request tribal review of the report as well, for a total review period not to exceed 60 days without written notice to the contractor.

3. Provide a final report to be reviewed by the NMFS Manager (CONTACT NAME TO BE PROVIDED AT TIME OF AWARD) no later than 30 days from receipt of comments and suggested revisions by NMFS. If NMFS does not provide comments within 30 days of receipt of the draft report, the contract Harvest Observer can finalize the report. An electronic copy of the harvest data and samples collected will be provided in either a spreadsheet or database format, using a template provided by NMFS. All observations and data collected will be included in the final report.

GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY & SERVICES:

Equipment and Materials - NMFS will provide working space, storage space, and living accommodations, and a vehicle on St. Paul Island during the contract period.

Equipment, Space and Vehicles provided may be shared items with NMFS or other Federal Agencies during this contract period. Equipment, accommodations, and vehicles are self-maintained and cleaned by the users. The contractor is expected to clean and maintain individual and common government-furnished property and report accidents, damage, or failure of such property. Contractor must maintain compliance with all laws and regulations as it relates to Hazardous Materials used and stored by contractor, to include but not limited to; labeling, placards, and environmental compliance for proper use and disposal.

Damage - the NMFS will not be responsible in any way for damage occasioned by fire, theft, accident or otherwise resulting from the improper or negligent use of NMFS equipment or property by the contractor or subcontractors in the execution of this Statement of Work.

Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) for Technical Information and/or Questions

COR (CONTACT NAME TO PROVIDED AT TIME OF AWARD) is hereby designated as the government's Contracting Officer’s Representative for technical information and/or questions regarding the contractor’s services as Humane Observer. The responsibilities and limitation of (CONTACT NAME TO BE PROVIDED AT TIME OF AWARD) are as follows: Responsible for the technical aspects of the project and serve as liaison with the Contractor and for the final acceptance of harvest reports and such other responsibilities as may be specified in this contract.

The COR will inspect and accept services rendered in this contract on behalf of the Government.

(CONTACT NAME TO BE PROVIDED AT TIME OF AWARD) office is located at 222 W. 7th St. Room 461, Anchorage, AK 99513. The COR may be may be reached by telephone at (TO BE

PROVIDED AT TIME OF AWARD).

The COR is not authorized to make any commitments or otherwise obligate the Government or authorize any changes, which affect the contract price, terms or conditions. Any Contractor request for changes shall be referred to the Contracting Officer directly or through the COR.

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

This contract covers the period of field time from 8 August through 31 December on St. Paul Island, Alaska. The full period of performance includes 45 days after the last subsistence harvest to prepare the harvest observer report.

Base Year: August 8, 2020 through February 15, 2021 Option Year 1: August 8, 2021 through February 15, 2022 Option Year 2: August 8, 2022 through February 15, 2023 Option Year 3: August 8, 2023 through February 15, 2024

INVOICING

Invoice monthly in arrears for services completed with a proper invoice.

Invoices are to be submitted to:

CONTACT NAME TO BE PROVIDED AT TIME OF AWARD

National Marine Fisheries Service

Alaska Regional, Anchorage Field Office 222 W. 7th Ave, Box 43 Anchorage, AK 99513

FACE COVERINGS WITHIN NOAA WORKPLACES:

All individuals inside NOAA occupied workplaces are required to wear face coverings until further notice and are encouraged to maintain social distancing guidelines

FEDERAL HOLIDAYS:

2020 Holiday Schedule

Date Holiday Wednesday, January 1 New Year’s Day Monday, January 20 Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Monday, February 17* Washington’s Birthday Monday, May 25 Memorial Day Friday, July 3** Independence Day Monday, September 7 Labor Day Monday, October 12 Columbus Day Wednesday, November 11 Veterans Day Thursday, November 26 Thanksgiving Day Friday, December 25 Christmas Day

*This holiday is designated as "Washington’s Birthday" in section 6103(a) of title 5 of the United States Code, which is the law that specifies holidays for Federal employees. Though other institutions such as state and local governments and private businesses may use other names, it is our policy to always refer to holidays by the names designated in the law.

**July 4, 2020 (the legal public holiday for Independence Day), falls on a Saturday. For most Federal employees, Friday, July 3, will be treated as a holiday for pay and leave purposes. (See 5

U.S.C. 6103(b).)