7. NEPA-SCOPE.pdf

NEPA BPA/IDIQ SOW TEMPLATE

Land Management Integrated Resources National BPA

12363N23Q4023

ATTACHMENT 7: NEPA SCOPE

All requirements and specifications may vary based on location and agency utilizing the BPA.

Includes, but not limited to:

1.1 Applicable Laws, Regulations and Policies

Some key laws, regulations and policies are included below or will be included at the call order level. This list is not all-inclusive. The Contractor must ensure compliance with all relevant laws, regulations and policies, including any local regulations.

1. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

2. National Forest Management Act (NFMA)

3. Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA)

4. Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (BGEPA)

5. Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act

(CERCLA / Superfund)

6. Clean Air Act

7. Clean Water Act (CWA)

8. Dredged Material Management Program (DMMP)

9. Endangered Species Act (ESA)

10. Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (FWCA)

11. Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA)

12. Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA)

13. Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA)

14. National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA)

15. Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA)

16. Roadless Area Conservation Rule

17. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act

18. Code of Federal Regulations

19. Forest Service Handbook and Manual, accessible at https://www.fs.fed.us/im/directives/

Public law, regulations, manuals, and handbooks referenced are subject to change. Any new legislation or changes to existing documentation are incorporated into the BPA by this reference.

2.1. Scope

The scope of the BPA includes project management support and technical support for

Environmental Analysis and Decision Making (EADM) and NEPA activities such as data collection and analysis, assessments, inventories, and plan/report writing, which require specific expertise in:

a. Air Quality and Smoke Management

b. Climate Change, carbon, and greenhouse gas emissions

c. Cultural and Heritage Resource Surveys and Studies

d. Data Collection and Analysis https://www.fs.fed.us/im/directives/

Forest Service NEPA BPA Template 2

e. Development of Communication Site and Transmission Line Corridor Designation

Plans

f. Environmental Justice

g. Fisheries and Wildlife surveys, analyses, and consultation processes

h. Forest and Project Planning Support

i. Fire Ecology and Fuels Management

j. Geographic Information System Spatial Analysis and/or Statistical Data Analysis

k. Heritage Resource Surveys and Studies

l. Lands and Special Uses

m. Landscape Analysis and Watershed Assessments

n. Litigation Support,

o. NEPA processes, procedures, and Administrative Review and Objections processes

p. Logging and Transportation System Planning

q. Logging Road Services and Road Analysis

r. Mitigation

s. Minerals and Geology

t. National Forest Management Act (NFMA) land and resource management plan compliance

u. Natural Resource Studies

v. Rangeland Management

w. Recreation, Wilderness, Inventoried Roadless Areas, Wild and Scenic Rivers

x. Scenery Management

y. Socio-Economic Studies

z. Soil Resources

aa. Terrestrial and Aquatic Invasive Species

bb. Technical Writing

cc. Travel Management

dd. Tribal Engagement and Government-to-Government consultations

ee. Vegetation Management (Timber, Silviculture, Botany, Fuels)

ff. Water Resources

gg. Public engagement, outreach, and meeting facilitation

hh. Public and agency comment analyses, organization, consideration and response

ii. Project, interdisciplinary team (IDT), and records management

2.2. General Requirements

The following general requirements apply to work performed under the BPA. Additional requirements may be included at the order level.

a. The Contractor must not perform any inherently governmental actions under this BPA.

A Contractor employee must not hold himself or herself out to be a Government employee, agent or representative. A Contractor employee must not state orally or in writing at any time that he or she is acting on behalf of the Government. In all communications with third parties in connection with this BPA, Contractor employees must identify themselves as Contractor employees and specify the name of the company for which they work. Through communicating with third parties in connection with this

BPA, the Contractor employee must state that they have no authority to in any way

Forest Service NEPA BPA Template 3 change the BPA or order. In the event of any potential conflict or misunderstanding, the

Contractor must notify the order CO immediately.

b. The Contractor must furnish all labor, personnel, supervision, equipment, materials, supplies, tools, transportation, travel, and incidentals (except those designated as

Government-furnished property) to perform all work necessary for completion of orders. The Contractor has the responsibility for all other data collection and reports that will be used as the basis for deliverables resulting from the orders. The Forest

Service retains approval authority for these documents.

c. All planning data, maps, files, reports, computers, audio or videotapes, and disks and other records will be collected and compiled and made available to the Forest Service, upon request, for possible inclusion in the permanent administrative record. Once requested and delivered, all information and data collected by the Contractor and any subcontractors becomes the property of the Government regardless of the author. This information and data will be considered non-proprietary and non-confidential and subject to the Freedom of Information Act. Information exempt from disclosure under the FOIA must not be disclosed. Any data provided in support of the NEPA analysis by the non-Federal Party which they feel is confidential must be marked as such.

d. The Contractor must not release data or information gathered under a BPA order to parties outside of the Government without advance written permission from the contracting officer.

e. All raw data, methods, and results collected and prepared using Government funding must be delivered to the Forest Service at the conclusion of the order in an appropriate electronic format that is compatible with corporate data standards and that allows for future use by the Government. Original hard copy information such as field data collection forms and electronic data collected in the field, such as GPS files, must be delivered to the Forest Service. In addition, the Contractor must document any updates made to government furnished data as a result of field checking or other means of verification. If applicable, the Contractor must state what the updates were, what areas were affected, and why updates were made.

f. Final documents must comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, in a format such as pdf and/or Word, and ready for posting to the Internet and/or printing and mailing if hard copy documents are needed for public distribution.

2.3. Project Management Support

For each order, the Contractor must provide project management services commensurate with the complexity of the work. Project management services under this BPAmay include, but are not limited to:

a. Developing a Project Management Plan (PMP).

b. Managing all staff and staff contributions to ensure achievement of the PMP.

c. Managing subcontractors in support of order activities.

d. Obtaining and managing contractor employee access to Forest Service systems, including badging, if necessary.

Forest Service NEPA BPA Template 4

e. Providing and using a commercially available system to track/log all activities. If used, the Contractor must provide credentials to Government personnel for full access to the system at any time.

f. Developing a Quality Control Plan (QCP).

g. Providing quality control of all work products and deliverables.

h. Ensuring efforts and work products conform to government standards and regulations.

i. Coordinating with government stakeholders, the public, and other contractors.

j. Developing communications and collaboration plans as well as preparing informative documents for public circulation such as news releases, legal notices, communication plans, etc. The work may include all preparation needed to conduct public meetings, scheduling, facilitation, virtual forum management, availability of meeting room, etc.

k. Documenting, consolidating, and/or analyzing results of public involvement efforts.

l. Coordinating and facilitating meetings, which may include Agency meetings, general public involvement meetings, and specific project or Forest Planning collaboration meetings. Provide notetaking and other recording as needed. Meeting management options should include both in-person as well as electronic meeting opportunities such as webinars, video conferencing or other networking/meeting technology. Meeting coordinators must be prepared to provide the Government with options and trade-offs as to various meeting formats designed to meet identified objectives and their associated costs and time commitments.

m. Managing project records and providing them to the Forest Service upon request, including maintaining all documents that may become part the official administrative record for the project until a Final Decision is signed, and through all appeal, objection, and litigation processes, if applicable. The project records must be in electronic format to the maximum extent possible. The project records must also meet the Project Record

Management requirements of the Forest Service Planning Appeals & Litigation System database.

n. Providing status reports.

o. Reporting on performance.

p. Facilitating status and performance reporting meetings.

q. Providing reports on staffing and other management matters.

2.4. General Technical Support

Specific technical support and requirements will be addressed on each order scope of work.

a. In support of NEPA and EADM requirements, the Government may require technical support to:

i. Assess – which may include determining existing conditions, trends and establishing reference documentation for landscape or project level determinations.

It may include literature search, field data collection, and analyses of data and information. Assessment reports and documentation of findings may be required.

Forest Service NEPA BPA Template 5

ii. Collect (Inventory) and Analyze Data – which may include maximum use of existing Agency data and information available, new data collection following established Agency protocols and methods (as defined in the Forest Handbook, Manual, or local supplements), GPS data collection, mapping, GIS work and data entry to agency standards. The inventory work may be updating an existing inventory or creating a new inventory. Analysis must be conducted using rigorous, valid analytical techniques.

iii. Analyze Content – provide services associated with receiving, processing, analyzing, storing, and summarizing public comment information or other similar content (e.g. survey responses and media content), which may require using government-provided software.

iv. Monitor – which may include designing monitoring plans for resources, projects, Forest Planning, or programs. It may include implementation of monitoring plans and/or preparing related monitoring reports.

v. Collaborate and Communicate – which may include developing and implementing collaboration and communication plans with the Forest Service, other federal agencies, and the public.

vi. Plan/Write Reports – which may include technical writing or editing of documents required for support of the NEPA efforts or landscape analyses, watershed assessments, travel management, and other programs. It may include resource reports or other related reports to document procedures, findings or recommendations.

2.5. Specialized Technical Support

In conducting those efforts, the Government may order specialized technical support including but not limited to:

a. Air Quality and Smoke Management

i. The contractor must be knowledgeable of federal, state, county, and local air regulations pertaining mainly to open burning. This includes a clear understanding of the Section 118 requirements of the Clean Air Act and State Implementation

Plans (SIPs), which include Smoke Management Plans. Determination of potential impacts from the proposed use of prescribed fire on designated non-attainment and smoke sensitive areas must be a part of the analysis.

ii. The contractor must be knowledgeable in the combustion process and emission factors associated with prescribed fire for the various vegetation and fuels found within the project area. If prescribed fire use is proposed within a SIP non-attainment area, the contractor must be capable of performing a conformity rules determination of the impacts of the burning through modeling.

iii. The contractor must be knowledgeable of the direct and indirect impacts of air pollutants to the soil, water and vegetation of forests and rangelands.

iv. The contractor may be tasked to analyze primary emissions and emission sources, including Particulate Matter (PM2.5) from prescribed burning activities and fugitive dust from road construction, recreation use, and commercial hauling

Forest Service NEPA BPA Template 6 activities, as well as volatile organic compound emissions resulting from oil and gas exploration and production activities.

v. The contractor may be tasked to determine total emissions produced by the proposed activity for each alternative displayed by the analysis. Modeling of downwind impacts may be necessary if there is concern over avoiding impact of smoke to sensitive populated areas.

vi. The Government will supply guidelines for the Contractor to prepare Air Quality

Analysis for the project areas.

b. Climate Change

i. The contractor must be knowledgeable of climate variability and science, climate data, and ecological social and economic processes and possess the skill to evaluate and assess the impact of various management practices. The work may include evaluating the effects of climate variability and change on a proposed program or project; the effect of a proposed program or project on carbon levels through greenhouse gas emissions and sequestration; and the cumulative effect of the program or project and climate change on other resources of interest.

ii. Work may consist of assessing physical, biological, social and economic resources of an identifiable portion of plan area to determine the role of climate variability and change, to analyze the environmental impacts at the appropriate scale using the best available science (e.g., Template for Assessing Climate Change Impacts and

Management Options), and to integrate climate change into the environmental analysis document. Planning and analysis work may include incorporating cumulative effects and climate-related vulnerabilities and uncertainties into program and project-level environmental analyses and discussing.

c. Cultural and Heritage Resource Surveys and Studies

i. Cultural Resource work may include archaeological, anthropological, historical or other related studies or analyses. It may involve the expertise of archaeologists, anthropologists, historians, curators, architects, preservation engineers, or other related professionals and specialists. It usually involves work with archaeological, historic, or traditional cultural resources.

ii. Tasks may include: Cultural resource field surveys, literature, records, or archival searches; cultural resource overviews; preparation of research designs;

development and writing of historic contexts; resource inventories and cultural resource site documentation; performing condition assessments of Priority

Heritage Assets; cultural resource site monitoring; ethnographies; histories or oral histories; excavations and data recovery; ground-penetrating radar (GPR) studies, metal-detector studies; artifact and data analyses; curation; stabilization or restoration; database entry; development of predictive models; LiDar processing and interpretation for cultural resources; 3D laser scanning or 3D photogrammetry;

interpretation; preparation of National Register of Historic Places and National

Historic Landmark nomination forms; preparing documentation of historic structures and landscapes to the standards set by the Historic American Buildings

Survey (HABS), Historic American Engineering Record (HAER); and the Historic

Forest Service NEPA BPA Template 7

American Landscape Survey (HALS); preparing damage assessments to support agency law enforcement personnel with criminal and civil prosecutions under the

Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA); providing logistical support to the agency for formal Section 106 and Tribal consultation meetings; or other historic preservation activities.

iii. Cultural Resource work is generally oriented to completing National Historic

Preservation Act Section 106 field inventories and reports, consultation evaluating cultural resources sites for National Register eligibility, involving resource providing recommendations to the agency on the significance or National Register eligibility of cultural resources identified during field inventories, performing cultural resource site evaluations for National Register eligibility, providing recommendations to the agency on analysis of the potential of undertakings to adversely affect historic properties to historic values, and mitigation of adverse effects. Work may be oriented to ARPA support and preparation of ARPA damage assessments or the cataloging and curation of artifacts and records to the standards set in 36CFR79. Work may also be oriented to Section 110 historic preservation activities such as cultural resource inventories; cultural resource monitoring, stabilization, or rehabilitation, or public education.

iv. Cultural resource surveys may require subsurface shovel testing, typically on a fixed interval along survey transects designed to follow the landforms / topography. The shovel test interval and transect spacing varies by physiographic region or state. Survey methodologies are governed by the individual national forests’ Programmatic Agreements (PA). When a national forest has no PA, cultural resource surveys must conform to the guidelines established by the State

Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) or equivalent. All soils from these shovel tests are screened through ¼ inch hardware mesh in order to locate artifacts and other cultural materials. All shovel tests are excavated to sterile soils or bedrock.

All positive shovel test locations are recorded using GPS.

v. The Forest Service will conduct all government-to-government tribal consultation and consultation with the SHPO(s).

d. Data Collection and Analysis

The following guidelines are primarily related to the gathering of resource information:

A. Maximize the use of existing National Forest information available before initiating field investigation or inventory activity. Available information will be identified as part of the Government

Furnished Property.

B. The Contractor shall not release data or information gathered through a task order without written permission of the Government.

C. Public law, regulations, manuals, and handbooks referenced are subject to change.

D. The Government requires that all data collected and prepared for the basis of summary documentation is delivered to the Government at the conclusion of the study in an appropriate electronic format that allows future use by the Agency. Original hard copy information such as field data collection forms, etc. may also be required to be

Forest Service NEPA BPA Template 8 delivered to the Agency. In addition, the Contractor shall document any updates made to government furnished data as a result of field checking or other means of verification. As a minimum, state what the updates were, what areas were affected, and why.

e. Fisheries and Wildlife

i. The contractor may be tasked with collecting sufficient field information to assess the existing conditions of the fish and fish habitat resources for the project area.

This may include marine fish resources where appropriate. The Contractor must collect data and provide it in a format that allows assessments to be completed that contribute to determinations of effects under the Endangered Species Act, consistency with Forest Plan direction and plan components, and general NEPA effects disclosure.

ii. The contractor may be tasked with collecting sufficient field information to assess the existing condition of habitats for aquatic and terrestrial wildlife species of concern.

iii. The contractor may be tasked with conducting a Biological Evaluation for any threatened, endangered, proposed, candidate or sensitive fish or wildlife species that are known or suspected to occur within the program or project area, or for which habitat has been identified.

iv. The Forest Service will provide a list of fish and wildlife species to be assessed.

The Forest Service retains the responsibility for the content of any Biological

Assessment / Biological Evaluation written.

v. The contractor must be knowledgeable in the principles, practices, and concepts of fisheries and wildlife science and management sufficient to perform the identification, surveying and/or sampling techniques of terrestrial and aquatic flora and fauna.

vi. The contractor must be knowledgeable of the basic methods, techniques, and procedures necessary to conduct fisheries and wildlife inventories and related work; of animal communities as described in fisheries and wildlife literature to identify animal communities during field inventories; and professional knowledge of terrestrial and aquatic animal taxonomy in order to identify animals during field inventories and to confirm identification of animals utilizing taxonomic keys.

vii. The contractor must be knowledgeable of federal, state, and local terrestrial and aquatic species regulations and of the ESA. Special permits/certifications to perform this work may be required of the contractor.

f. Forest Planning and NEPA Support

i. Work may consist of gathering data and preparing supporting documents for

Categorical Exclusions, Environmental Assessments, Environmental Impact

Statements, or Forest Plan amendments or Plan Revisions. Individual tasks may require varying levels of resource analysis, field investigations, assistance to public involvement processes (including meeting coordination and facilitation), and document preparation including writing/editing and submitting documents in support of Forest Service projects. Policy and procedures contained in the

Forest Service NEPA BPA Template 9 regulations, Forest Service Manual and Forest Service Handbook, pertinent Land

Management Plans, etc. will be the basis of the required work.

ii. For NEPA document support, the Contractor may complete all NEPA environmental, social and economic analysis and documentation, during the timeframes associated with Forest Service identification of the proposed action through appeal and/or objection periods (all decision-making authority will be retained by the Forest Service). Specific progress checkpoints/milestones will be established by the Forest Service to facilitate approval of work completed and to assure timely completion of the NEPA document. Reports prepared by the contractor may be incorporated completely, in part, or by reference into the NEPA documents or planning files at the sole discretion of the Government. The identification of the purpose and need and the preferred or selected alternative will be completed by the Forest Service.

iii. Work performed in support of forest planning will need to adhere to the requirements identified in the pertinent land management plans, Forest Service

Manual, the Forest Service Handbook, and applicable regulations.

iv. Work performed in support of program and project environmental analysis and decision making under NEPA will need to adhere to the requirements identified in the Forest Service Manual, the Forest Service Handbook, and applicable regulations.

g. Geographic Information System Spatial Analysis and/or Statistical Data Analysis

i. Geographic Information System (GIS) work may include digitizing for entry into the system, designing and conducting various resource mapping and analysis for projects, creating various products for inclusion in the environmental analysis documents, or other documents or public display, or other electronic related resource or geographic analysis.

ii. The Contractor must use a computer-based GIS compatible with the National

Forest system software, ArcGIS version 10.3 or as specified in the order.

iii. The electronic data, including products and additions to the database, must be delivered to the Forest Service at the conclusion of each project or study. The

Contractor must supply GIS data additions in ArcGIS compatible format, updates and corrections to base layers with full documentation so that the updates may be verified before application to the Forest Service database. Any data capture must meet minimum spatial accuracy consistent with USGS 7.5 minute Quadrangle sheets, 1:24,000 scale or larger (1:63,360 scale or larger if in Alaska). GIS file naming, map projections, items and valid codes must be consistent with the

Regional Forest Resource Data Base Dictionary, or other National or Regional approved database.

iv. Statistical data analysis of forest inventory data, wildlife habitat data, geologic data, etc. may also be required.

h. Heritage Resource Surveys and Studies

A. Heritage Resource work may include archaeological, anthropological, historical or other related studies or analyses. It may involve the expertise of archaeologists, Forest Service NEPA BPA Template 10 anthropologists, historians, curators, architects, preservation engineers, or other related professionals and specialists. It usually involves work with archaeological, historic, or traditional cultural resources.

B. Tasks may include: literature, records, or archival searches; overviews; preparation of research designs; resource inventories and documentation; ethnographies; histories or oral histories; excavations and data recovery; artifact and data analyses; curation;

stabilization or restoration; interpretation; or other historic preservation activities.

C. Heritage Resource work is generally oriented to completing National Historic

Preservation Act Section 106 consultation, involving resource significance or eligibility evaluation, analysis of effects to historic values, and mitigation of adverse effects. Work can also be oriented to Section 110 historic preservation activities such as resource rehabilitation or public education.

D. Identification and assessment of traditional cultural properties (TCP) may require coordination with Tribal Relations staff and work with local Native American Tribes as requested and coordinated by the Agency.

i. Lands and Special Uses

ii. Lands work may include identifying encumbrances and investigating and documenting the status and ownership. When required for the work, Land

Surveyor Reports will be provided by the Government, addressing matters of survey, title, and encumbrances.

iii. Consistent with Forest Service Manual and Handbook direction, ensure appropriate content, procedure and timely submittal of environmental documentation for compliance

iv. Lands work may include identifying significant issues within an exchange, purchase, right-of-way, or sale project area and initiate planning and collaboration to outline what is needed to resolve the issue. Project area could be landscape scale or just a few acres. In addition to Forest Service personnel, collaboration may include other State and Federal Agencies, non-governmental officers (NGO), and neighboring communities amongst others.

v. Lands and Special Uses work may also include communication site and transmission line corridor designation documentation and analysis preparation, and/or assessments supporting NEPA analyses for general permit actions in support of accepted proponent applications that do not fall under cost recovery requirements.

a. Landscape Analysis and Watershed Assessments

i. Work may consist of assessing physical, soundscape, biological and anthropogenic impacts to resources of an identifiable portion of an ecosystem to determine program or project opportunities and possible management practices. Public involvement support activities may be a key component of this pre-NEPA type work.

ii. Additional models and data may be asked to use with these assessments and analysis.

Forest Service NEPA BPA Template 11

b. Litigation Support

i. Work may include litigation support such as assembly, organization, indexing, updating, maintaining and copying of documents for the Administrative Record

(AR) as necessary for lawsuits and responses to Freedom of Information Act

(FOIA) requests.

c. Logging and Transportation System Planning

i. Plans must take into consideration the landform stability and related geologic hazards, air quality, water quality, riparian and wetland information, specified resource protection requirements and economic considerations. Logging plans will document and recommend a logging system and associated transportation network to accomplish that treatment of the project area.

ii. The contractor may be tasked with developing a transportation analysis with recommendations for needed permanent and temporary road system(s), including needed safety and roadway enhancements. The contractor may be tasked to include a recommended haul route on National Forest System Roads and County roads to reach the State Highway System. The recommended haul route shall be the route that is the most advantageous to the Government. Transportation planning and analysis must be done in accordance with the guidance in Forest Service Manual and Handbooks, and specifications provided in the order.

d. Logging Road Services and Road Analysis

i. Various activities for logging road placement may include consultations, site visits, planning, cost analysis, inspection, documentation and review of documents.

Various road analyses may include studies to help determine if and where to construct new roads, or reconstruct existing roads, or decommission existing roads.

Efforts may include road data collection, resource effects analysis including the cost of road construction, reconstruction, or realignment, public involvement, and report preparation.

e. Minerals and Geology

i. Geologists (resource geologists, hydro-geologists, engineering geologists, geomorphologists, or paleontologists) must be used to perform the necessary geologic, geomorphologic, or paleontological components of resource inventory, analysis or monitoring.

ii. The work may range in specificity from landscape to site-specific, and may include working as part of an interdisciplinary team conducting Ecological Unit Inventory or other inventories, Watershed Analyses, or other integrated work. Specialized geologic skills are required when conducting groundwater studies, or when doing landslide investigations, karst and sink hole investigations, paleontological surveys, and other work requiring the characterization of soil and rock material for engineering and environmental purposes, such as with acid producing rock.

iii. The contractor may be tasked to address cumulative effects and mitigation measures. A Geologist must be utilized to locate and document unstable land

Forest Service NEPA BPA Template 12 hazard areas and investigate surface and groundwater implications of mineral exploration and mining operations. These findings may be used by the Forest

Service to facilitate layout and design of transportation and harvest systems.

f. Natural Resource Studies

Work may include field surveys or investigations, data gathering, statistical analysis, and documentation.

Resource areas may include soil, water (surface and groundwater), air, botany, fish, vegetation, range, fuels, wildlife, visual, recreation, wilderness, wild and scenic rivers, geology, and land/special uses. Resource studies for botany, fish, and wildlife may include biological evaluations or assessment preparation consistent with Forest Service manual and handbook direction.

g. Rangeland Management

i. Rangeland Management Specialists employed by the Contractor will be used to perform the necessary components of rangeland resource inventory, analysis or monitoring. The contractor may be tasked with gathering field data to analyze effects of proposed management activities on the rangeland ecosystem, and developing management plans for wild horse and burro populations.

ii. The contractor may be tasked with collecting sufficient field information to assess the existing conditions of the rangeland resources (range condition and trend) for the project area.

iii. The contractor must demonstrate knowledge of ecological processes and the skill to evaluate and assess the environmental impact of various management practices on a rangeland ecosystem.

iv. The contractor must demonstrate knowledge in the principles, concepts, and practices of rangeland and ecosystem management applicable to rangeland management, grazing systems, and improvements. Inventory, analysis or monitoring must be in compliance with policy and guidance contained in the

Forest Service Manual and Handbooks and any other information provided by the

Forest Service in the order.

h. Recreation, Wilderness, Inventoried Roadless Areas, Wild and Scenic Rivers

i. The contractor must be knowledgeable of forest recreation resources and related natural resource fields sufficient for the compilation, evaluation, and analysis of information concerning developed and dispersed recreation, travel management, and wild and scenic rivers, wilderness, and wilderness inventory evaluations. The contractor must have comprehensive knowledge of laws, regulations, and agency land management policies and procedures governing the use and development of recreational resources on Federal land in order to analyze effects of proposed management activities on recreation, wild and scenic rivers, wilderness, and inventoried roadless area resources.

ii. Work may include collecting sufficient field information to assess the existing condition of recreation facilities (dispersed and developed), wild and scenic rivers, Forest Service NEPA BPA Template 13 wilderness areas, and inventoried roadless area resources. Work may include describing the amount and type of recreation use in the project area based upon market research and analysis. Work may include identifying the location of new recreation facilities and opportunities.

iii. Work may require analysis of wilderness attributes and inventoried roadless area characteristics that may be affected by program or project activities consistent with requirements under the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule or state-specific rule, as appropriate. In addition, wild and scenic river outstanding remarkable values identified in Forest Plan and river management plans may also require analysis where proposed activities may affect the outstanding remarkable values.

iv. Other work related to wild and scenic rivers may include assistance with the development of Comprehensive River Management Plans, and in the analysis of rivers to determine if they are eligible and/or suitable for Wild & Scenic River designation.

i. Scenery Management

i. Depending on the forest, either the Scenery Management System (SMS) or Visual

Quality Objectives (VQO) process may be required, as determined in the order.

ii. In general, both analysis processes will require the current landscape character to be described, including a description of the ecological unit, landscape attributes and the landscape’s scenic attractiveness. Work may include describing the area’s scenic integrity, including historical or past integrity, any short-term integrity levels necessary to reach a long-term goal, and description of the landscape’s

“desired condition.”

iii. Work may include collecting information, including inventory and analysis, review sources, and identification of travel ways and areas of use, public concerns, distance zones and scenic classes.

iv. Work may include conducting ecosystem analysis; planning and implementation; a development, evaluation of alternatives and selection of the preferred alternative;

achievement of landscape character goals; and monitoring.

j. Socio-Economic Studies and Environmental Justice

i. Socio-Economic analysis work may include data collection on the social and economic environment, including information related to subsistence resources and uses. It may include analysis of social and economic information for a project scale environmental analysis, landscape analysis, or for a Forest Plan. Where local

Forest Plans include economic analyses, project scale analyses may build from these broader assessments in a manner where their conclusions can be tied back to those made in the Forest Plan.

ii. The contractor may be tasked with describing the social and economic conditions or contributions of the project area or plan area in relation to the local and regional settings. The socio-economic analysis may include various resource values including recreation, scenery, habitat, etc. As requested by the Forest Service, the contractor may be tasked with coordinating with local states and counties in order

Forest Service NEPA BPA Template 14 to assess implications to non-federal economic development plans.

iii. Socio-economic analysis may include the use of economic sector input-output models (such as IMPLAN) to estimate changes in jobs and income. Other analyses may be needed to evaluate trends associated with monitoring socio-economic indicators at local or regional scales.

iv. Environmental Justice Support

k. Soil Resources

i. Soil Scientists may perform the necessary components of soils resource inventory, analysis or monitoring. The contractor may be tasked with gathering field data to analyze effects of proposed management activities on soils.

ii. The contractor must be knowledgeable of principles, concepts, and practices of soil science applicable to soil management, classification, and mapping. Inventory, analysis or monitoring must be performed by a Soil Scientist in compliance with policy contained in the Forest Service Manual and any other pertinent information provided by the Forest Service in the order.

iii. The contractor may be tasked with collecting sufficient field information to assess the existing conditions of the soils resources for the project area. Work may include evaluating and documenting susceptibility to erosion, soil compaction, soil stability channel, threat of onsite and downstream impacts, and capabilities and limitations of soils for a variety of contemplated uses and activities (e.g., timber sales, watershed rehabilitation projects, transportation planning, or recreation development) using local Forest evaluation and analysis protocols. Work may include addressing cumulative effects and mitigation measures.

l. Terrestrial and Aquatic Invasive Species

i. A qualified Fisheries and/or Wildlife Biologist must be used to prepare a biological report for invasive fish and/or wildlife species. A qualified Botanist must be used to prepare a botanical report for invasive plant species. Plant surveys must be performed in compliance with policy contained in Forest Service direction including the Forest Service Manual. Data collection must be in compliance with policies contained in the Forest Service Manual and any other pertinent information provided by the Forest Service in the order.

ii. The contractor must be knowledgeable in the principles, practices, and concepts of botany sufficient to perform the identification, surveying and/or sampling techniques and management of terrestrial and aquatic invasive species. The contractor must be knowledgeable in the principles, practices, and concepts of fisheries and wildlife science sufficient to perform the identification, surveying and/or sampling techniques and management of terrestrial and aquatic invasive faunal species.

iii. The contractor must be knowledgeable of the basic methods, techniques, and procedures necessary to conduct vegetation inventories and plant work; of vegetation communities as described in botanical literature to identify plant communities during field inventories; and professional knowledge of plant

Forest Service NEPA BPA Template 15 taxonomy in order to identify plants during field inventories and to confirm identification utilizing other resources. The contractor must be knowledgeable of the basic methods, techniques, and procedures necessary to conduct fisheries and wildlife inventories and related work; of animal communities as described in fisheries and wildlife literature to identify animal communities during field inventories; and professional knowledge of terrestrial and aquatic animal taxonomy in order to identify animals during field inventories and to confirm identification utilizing other resources.

iv. The contractor may be tasked with collecting sufficient field information to assess the existing condition of habitats for invasive fauna species.

v. The contractor must be knowledgeable of federal, state, county, and local terrestrial and aquatic invasive species regulations and of the ESA. Special permits/certifications to perform this work may be required of the contractor.

vi. Work may include analyzing the current condition of invasive plants for the project area including risk assessments for introduction and spread of species;

collecting sufficient field information to prepare appropriate mitigation measures, determining feasible treatment options, and assessing effects of the proposed action; and addressing cumulative effects and mitigation measures.

m. Travel Management

i. Work may include completing a travel analysis, including a travel analysis report, in accordance with the Forest Service Manual and the Forest Service Handbook, that identifies the minimum road system needed for safe and efficient travel and for administration, utilization, and protection of National Forest System lands.

Work may include field surveys or investigations, data gathering, statistical analysis, and documentation.

ii. The travel analysis report must be prepared by a team of resource specialists from a variety of disciplines such as engineers, botanists, soils scientists, geologists, hydrologists, foresters, biologists, social scientists, recreation planners, landscape architects and economists on an interdisciplinary team.

iii. The contractor must be knowledgeable of Forest Service regulations and directives pertaining to travel management and travel planning. Policy and procedures contained in the Forest Service Manual and the Forest Service Handbook will be the basis of the required work.

n. Vegetation Management (Timber, Silviculture, Botany, Fuels)

i. Vegetation Management work may include conducting vegetation inventories, formal stand examinations conducted through Common Stand Exam protocols, or more general walk-through examinations. Using stand and other resource information, work may include developing diagnostic and/or implementation prescriptions for timber sale or stewardship projects. Work may include all aspects of the NEPA process and related document preparation for Forest Service-planned timber projects or vegetation projects, including road location. Work may include collecting sufficient field information to prepare initial prescriptions, determine feasible treatment options, and assess effects of these treatments on the resource, Forest Service NEPA BPA Template 16 according to the desired conditions contained within the particular Forest Plan.

ii. Work may include analyzing the current condition of insect, disease and fuels buildup for the project area including basic predictions resulting from current conditions. Work may include collecting sufficient field information for the

Contractor to prepare diagnostic prescriptions, determine feasible treatment options, and to assess effects on listed or proposed plant species.

iii. The contractor may be tasked with preparing a fuels management plan for each stand proposed for harvest or vegetative treatment unit. Data collection for the plan must be in compliance with policy contained in the Forest Service Manual and any other pertinent information provided by the Forest Service in the order, such as County Wildfire Mitigation Plans.

iv. If tasked, a Botanist must prepare a botanical report for at-risk species (threatened, endangered, proposed, candidate, sensitive, species of conservation concern, or species identified by the Forest) and invasive plant species. Plant surveys must be performed in compliance with policy contained in Forest Service direction, including the Forest Service Manual.

v. If tasked, a Botanist must prepare a draft Biological Assessment/Evaluation for any threatened, endangered, proposed, candidate or sensitive plant species that are known or suspected to occur within the project area, or for which potential habitat has been identified. Data collected in support of these evaluations must be in a format that allows assessments to be completed that contribute to determinations of effects under the ESA, consistency with Forest Plan direction and general NEPA effects disclosure.

vi. The Forest Service will provide a list of plants to be assessed. The Forest Service retains approval authority and the ability to revise determinations for any

Biological Assessment / Biological Evaluation written.

vii. The contractor must be knowledgeable in the principles, practices, and concepts of botany sufficient to perform the identification, surveying and/or sampling techniques and management of plants, including terrestrial and aquatic invasive plant species. The contractor must be knowledgeable of the basic methods, techniques, and procedures necessary to conduct vegetation inventories and plant work; of vegetation communities as described in botanical literature to identify plant communities during field inventories; and professional knowledge of plant taxonomy in order to identify plants during field inventories and to confirm identification utilizing other resources. The contractor must be knowledgeable of federal, state, and county terrestrial and aquatic invasive species regulations. The contractor must be knowledgeable of the ESA. Special permits/certifications to perform this work may be required of the contractor.

viii. Work may include analyzing the current condition of invasive plants for the project area including risk assessments for introduction and spread of species.

Work may include collecting sufficient field information to prepare appropriate mitigation measures, determining feasible treatment options, and assessing effects of the proposed action. Work may include data collection, which must be in

Forest Service NEPA BPA Template 17 compliance with policy contained in the Forest Service Manual and any other pertinent information provided by the Forest Service in the order.

ix. If tasked, a Forester must prepare a silvicultural prescription for each area proposed for harvest or treatment (e.g. fuel treatment, reforestation, timber stand improvement, or mechanical habitat improvement). Prescriptions must be prepared in compliance with policy contained in the Forest Service Manual and using guidelines contained in the Forest Service Handbook (Silvicultural Practices

Handbook) and any other pertinent information provided by the Forest Service in the order.

o. Water Resources

i. If tasked, Hydrologists must perform the necessary hydrologic components of resource inventory, analysis or monitoring. The Hydrologists must be knowledgeable of federal, state, county, and local regulations pertaining mainly to the Clean Water Act and national and local Best Management Practices (BMP).

ii. Work may include gathering field data to analyze effects of proposed management activities on watershed hydrology, channel morphology, aquatic habitat, water quality, water chemistry, wetlands, vernal pools, and water quality; addressing effects to both surface water and groundwater; and identifying non-point source pollution water quality protection and mitigation requirements in accordance with national and/or local BMPs.

iii. Work may include addressing cumulative watershed effects and mitigation measures. This may include in the documentation an analysis of location and condition of flood plains, wetlands and riparian management areas that may require additional precautions and/or mitigations.

iv. In conjunction with soil and fisheries resources, the contractor may be tasked with collecting sufficient field information to assess the existing conditions of the water resources for the project area. Work may include evaluating and documenting channel, stream bank and flood plain stability, and threat of onsite and downstream impacts using local Forest evaluation and analysis protocols.

Additionally, the following added requirements or job descriptions may be required to meet the respective work categories below:

Program Manager: The Project Manager must have at least seven (7) years of demonstrated experience and be responsible for, but not limited to, managing and overseeing the preparation of assessment reports, environmental documents (including at least 3 Environmental Assessments or Environmental Impact Statements), monitoring plans, and other supporting documents required through the environmental analysis process, consistent with applicable law and regulation. The Project Manager has an extensive knowledge of and experience in the advanced concepts, principles and practices of ecosystem management and integrated forest resource planning sufficient to serve as an authority for the overall environmental analysis process.

Forest Service NEPA BPA Template 18

Interdisciplinary Team Leader/Manager: An Interdisciplinary Team Leader/Manager must have at least seven (7) years of demonstrated experience and be responsible for, but not limited to, serving as a leader and supervisor for an…