A04_1_9_7_Exhibitry_SOW_070721.pdf

Exhibitry Statement of Work March 31, 2021

I. Summary The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) intends to produce indoor and outdoor interpretive exhibits for Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge (NWR/refuge). There is not a park ranger assigned to the refuge, so the exhibits should be immersive and self‐guided. All exhibits will be inclusive of the audiences we serve, easy to clean, maintain and keep current. This Statement of Work (SOW) describes to potential contractors what products are expected during and at the completion of the project. All work performed under this contract will be directed by the Government in accordance with the procedures outlined in the contract.

II. Purpose The FWS intends to construct a new contact station and administrative building at Attwater Prairie Chicken NWR. The purpose and intent of the SOW is for design, illustration, text writing, video clips for the 3 trails and 1 auto tour loop, fabrication, delivery and installation of interpretive and informational exhibits (indoors and outdoors) and lighting within the Visitor Contact station and outside exhibit area at Attwater Prairie‐Chicken National Wildlife Refuge in Eagle Lake, Texas. Increased visitation to the refuge is expected to occur after the contact station opens to the public and also as a result of outreach to our targeted audiences. The exhibits will provide an overview of the refuge, the National Wildlife Refuge System, native Texas tallgrass prairie habitat, effects of land development in the Houston and outlying areas and our endangered species program (Attwater prairie‐chicken). The objectives are to inspire and motivate visitors to explore the refuge, enjoy wildlife dependent recreation while developing and understanding of, and sense of stewardship for the refuge. See our themes matrix below:

Subject Matter: Attwater’s Prairie Chicken Endangered Species Recovery Primary Theme #1: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service works collaboratively with local partners to recover the Attwater’s Prairie Chicken and their habitat to ensure the species continues to grace the Texas landscape.

Supporting Concepts and Ideas:

Although a million or more spread across seven million acres on the coastal prairies in Texas, the decline of Attwater’s prairie chicken numbers track with development, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service actively works to conserve and protect this species.

The recovery of this species depends on the efforts of partnerships, including the establishment of the refuge itself including but not limited to The Nature Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund, TPWD, and others.

Previously a game bird until 1937, the state of Texas determined the Attwater’s prairie chicken was necessary to conserve.

Tom Waddell, the first (present day) TPWD game warden for the Eagle Lake area protected the Attwater’s Prairie Chicken Human impacts and decisions have had an impact on the species Animal Behavior: Very charismatic to visitors.

Why do Prairie Chickens nest in the spring? When is the safest time for a nesting bird to nest – when fire is least likely to happen.

Agriculture, oil and gas industry, conversion of native pasture to non‐native pastures all led to the downfall in population of the species The southernmost grouse species History of the species – discovery, who did the early work? Why is it named the Attwater’s Prairie Chicken?

Subject Matter: Restoration and Protection of Native Prairie Habitat Primary Theme #2: The once vast tallgrass prairie ecosystem, endemic to North America, is one of the world’s most endangered ecosystems, especially in Texas.

Supporting Ideas & Concepts APCNWR of the very few places visitors can experience native landscapes in their original condition and appears the same as it did thousands of years ago.

Deep root systems of native prairie grasses ‐ “One‐foot tall ecosystem” – all the elements of an ecosystem within 18 inches of the surface of the earth in the form of a diverse, healthy ecosystem Connecting to Texans: “Where you’re standing right now is your old growth forest, your coral reefs, your native original landscapes” Land management efforts to restore and protect are vital to the habitat Emotional Appeal: APCNWR is a true, natural landscape in a state where that is extraordinarily rare, overwhelmingly impacted by humans.

Prairies are a biologically diverse association of flora and fauna, specially adapted over thousands of years to topography, soils, climate, fire, grazing, and other natural influences.

More than just the Attwater’s Prairie Chicken, many species rely on this habitat.

Visitors understand how people interact with landscape and how landscape impacts culture Visitors understand the impacts human decisions have on the land even as humans depend on the land and resources

Subject Matter: Mimicking Native Nature Primary Theme #3: By facilitating sustainable ecosystem functions like prescribed burns, grazing, predator and fire ant control, and restoring native grasses, the refuge is slowly turning back the clock to reveal a landscape that graced this area before modern settlement.

Supporting Ideas & Concepts Story of fire and the tallgrass prairie; current and historic fire regime;

Importance of a mosaic landscape ‐ Historically, the prairie and habitats were maintained by natural phenomena of natural fires following by bison grazing which suppressed the dominant perennial grasses to allow the annual flowering plants to germinate and prosper. By losing any of those components, you lose the diversity of the prairie. This is a system. This has a flow, and you must keep all those elements in place.

Biological reactions to restoration (birds, plants, etc.)

Reaction of the tallgrass prairie to disturbance Importance of grazing to the sustainability of the tallgrass prairie; the degree of grazing pressure affects the biodiversity of the tallgrass prairie Dynamic nature of the tallgrass prairie ecosystem, not a fixed, static system Loss of native prairie in greater Houston region contribute to major issues. Most notably, flooding is directly related to conversion of natural spaces to development, concrete, asphalt, etc. Balancing human existence alongside prairie.

Mimicking natural phenomena that used to occur prior to modern settlement and development.

Promoting and facilitating sustainable ecosystem functions

Subject Matter: Climate Change Primary Theme #4: Climate change affects the wildlife and habitats within Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge with the increased frequency and higher intensity of catastrophic weather such as floods, freezes, and more.

Supporting Ideas & Concepts Climate Change Increase in catastrophic weather events (floods, hurricanes, freezes, etc.) and the effect it has had on APC populations.

Direct link in the extreme weather phenomena on the extreme weather events Some of the most obvious effects of climate change that this refuge has ever seen Climate change can trump all conservation efforts in the species recovery effects Expands ranges of nonnative and invasive species. In addition, northward migration of other species that are expanding their native range Facilitates the potential spread of diseases

Subject Matter: National Wildlife Refuge System Primary Theme #5: The National Wildlife Refuge System provides an established network of federal lands and waters to allow for native wildlife and nearby communities to thrive.

Supporting Ideas & Concepts Emphasize the uniqueness of this refuge: We have national wildlife refuges that are established for the conservation of a specific endangered species, including APCNWR.

Partnerships within the local community bring so much added value to national wildlife refuges for education, employment, tourism, and more.

Theodore Roosevelt and the history of the establishment of the National Wildlife Refuge System

Legacy of conservation and traditional wildlife‐dependent uses on refuges – Wildlife First – (The established land’s established focus is for wildlife and wildlife conservation.)

Increased local tourism Focus on conservation compared to state parks and impacts solely on recreation There are several refuges along Coastal Texas, and APCNWR has a specific purpose of conservation of a specific species.

Encourage visitation of other nearby nature including national wildlife refuges

III. Location The Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge, located approximately 60 miles west of Houston, Texas, is home to one of the last populations of the critically endangered Attwater's prairie‐chicken, a ground‐dwelling grouse of the coastal prairie ecosystem.

The refuge is one of a handful of national wildlife refuges managed specifically for an endangered species; however, many recovery activities for this imperiled bird and management of its declining ecosystem go beyond the refuge's boundaries. Our targeted audiences are:

Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge ‐ Target Audiences Goal: Show representation so the local community (Eagle Lake, Texas) can see themselves reflected in conservation efforts, particularly on the refuge.

Primary Audiences Eagle Lake, TX Gateway Community

Multicultural nearby community that’s a gateway onto APCNWR Empowering the nearby community to allow for access to green spaces to introduce them into nature and the outdoors How do we get those folks, particularly youth, out to the refuge?

Employing local youth through programs such at Youth Conservation Corps and other programs

Differently Abled Folks Visual, hearing, and mobility impaired folks Priority for an equitable and accessible experience

Houston Urban Folks Might be their first time outdoors, know nothing about the station.

Arrive later in the day, sometimes unprepared

Multilingual – fair number of visitors where English isn’t their first language (at least in Spanish if not more)

Secondary Audiences Urbanites/Suburbanites – Already Present

Already familiar with outdoor recreation or experiences.

Visit other state parks or refuges.

Not afraid to hike a trail that isn’t paved

Rural/Country Folks within the Surrounding County – Already Present May not think or value wildlife but are curious “I’ve driven past that sign for 12 years. What do y’all do?”

Retirees Moving Outside the City – Already Present Interested in restoration efforts on their process Example: Master Naturalists

IV. Summary of Tasks Design – based on the direction provided by the Government, the contractor will design the exhibits, lighting and audio‐visual systems (including video clips, photographs and illustrations) to meet the project objectives, express thematic messages provided by the refuge and engage visitors through immersive and self‐guided methods.

Fabrication – Once the contractor receives Government approval of full‐scale design in writing, the contractor may fabricate the exhibits. All exhibits will be of the highest quality using the most current technology and Universal Design Standards. meet 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, ABA guidelines (2004) and https://www.nps.gov/features/hfc/guidelines/

Delivery and Installation – Upon Government written approval, the exhibits, any audio‐visual systems and lighting system(s) will be transported to Attwater Prairie‐Chicken NWR for installation by the contractor.

The contractor will be required to work with the Service staff in planning, design, and fabrication. The work may include but is not limited to one or more site visits to the refuge, work closely with the general contractor to ensure proper building design for all exhibit needs, conceptual and production design of exhibits and audio‐visual needs, conducting subject matter research, providing all interpretive text; developing work schedules, and preparing cost estimates, fabrication and installation (including but not limited to electrical and construction modifications) of the exhibits.

Contractors will fabricate exhibits that comply with Smithsonian Guidelines for Accessible Exhibit design, National Park Service Standard Specification for

Audiovisual Production and Multimedia, Version 2.1, Programmatic

Accessibility Guidelines for National Park Service Interpretive Media, Version

2.1 and National Park Service Standard Exhibit Planning, Design, and

Fabrication Specifications. All exhibits must meets standards set forth in the

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 as amended (Architectural Barriers

Act Accessibility Guidelines, 2004 and 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible

Design).

V. Contractor Furnished The contractor shall be responsible for obtaining (including but not limited to: researching appropriate images, purchasing or commissioning of http://www.nps.gov/features/hfc/guidelines/ http://www.nps.gov/features/hfc/guidelines/ photography, preparation and purchasing or commissioning artwork) all photographs and artwork used in the exhibits unless otherwise indicated. All artwork and images must be approved by the Service.

The contractor is required to furnish all materials and supplies necessary to complete the project, absent those provided by the Service. The Contractor shall develop a “look and feel” for the exhibits that is unique to Attwater

Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge, through the use of graphic design, font selection and other artistic means. This “look and feel” shall carry throughout the exhibits.

All exhibits will be delivered to and installed by the contractor at (Contractor to confirm delivery address prior to shipment):

Attwater Prairie‐Chicken National Wildlife Refuge

1206 APC NWR Road

Eagle Lake, Texas 77434

979‐234‐3021

The Service reserves the right to complete Tasks 1, 2, 3 and 4 or a combination of both.

Task #1: Contact Station Indoor Exhibits

The contractor will develop a brand for the refuge that will be used on all exhibit and interpretive displays. This will include graphics, font styles, etc. Welcome to Wild for tour stop signs, exhibits outdoors, and indoor exhibits. The graphics should be inclusive to and of all our targeted audiences, immersive in nature and self‐guided.

Task #2 :Outdoor Exhibits under a roof structure

This information will include immersive self‐guided exhibit space to interpret the prairie/fire/bison relationship. That story would really best be told in an outdoor space, with a life‐sized bison and bison calf in the middle of that space, backed up by a large mural image of sweeping native Texas coastal prairie. This task would also include an after‐hours information station to provide pertinent information to visitors when the office is closed and during weekends and holidays.

Task #3 Video clips (3‐5 minutes long)

These video clips could be downloaded by visitors off the refuge websites ahead of time.

These video clips would be of the refuge ranger talking to the visitor virtually. The clips would welcome folks to one of the 3 trails, tell a little bit about the trail and things to look for while on the trail.

Task #4‐ Video Stop clips (1‐2 minutes long) total 5‐10 clips

Stop talks by a refuge ranger for different spots to stop along the tour route. These would also be available to download from the refuge website and would correspond with marked stops along the tour route. Design of tour route stop signs which tie in with the graphics in the outdoor/indoor exhibits.

VI. Government Furnished The refuge will provide general background information and broad thematic messages for the exhibits, but all phases of interpretive writing product and graphic design are the responsibility of the contractor.

VII. Payment and Milestones

20% Conceptual Design Phase (1st submittal) ‐ Development of draft exhibit designs to include the conceptual layout, text placement (placeholders), illustration callouts and placeholders (artwork and/or photographs) for the exhibits. Draft designs will be sufficient to discern the design intent. Draft outline of video clips for the trails and auto tour route.

40% Schematic Design Phase (2nd submittal) – Development of draft exhibit designs to include rough draft layout, draft interpretive text, illustrations, callouts and placeholders for artwork, illustrations and photography for the exhibits. Schematic designs will be sufficient to discern that layout in the contact station and outdoor exhibits, to determine electrical and lighting needs from the building contractor, and other building requirements or restrictions placed on the design by site constraints. Draft text for the video clips for trails and auto tour route.

60% Design Phase (3rd submittal) ‐ Submittal of exhibit and lighting designs incorporating Service comments from the first submittal to include layout, text placement and content, and illustrations/photographs. Additionally the contractor will submit full color compositions of graphic and text to include revisions of draft designs. The contractor will also supply a complete layout and design of the lighting system and any renovations or electrical work that will be needed.

90% Pre‐Production Phase (4th submittal) ‐ Final full‐scale color proofs of graphics and text will be submitted for final approval in writing by the

Service. Also at this submittal, the contractor will submit to the Service for approval any fabrication materials not approved in the third submittal. Once the Service gives approval at the end of this phase, exhibits should be ready for fabrication.

100% Fabrication and Delivery Phase ‐ Once the contractor receives the

Service approval in writing of full‐scale color proofs of graphic and text; the contractor may fabricate the exhibits. The exhibits will be shipped or transported to Attwater Prairie‐Chicken National Wildlife Refuge and installed by the contractor.