A04_SOW_BARNM_Geology_Inventory-Final.docx

Statement of Work Nevada Bureau of Land Management, Ely District Basin and Range National Monument Geologic Resources Inventory (BARNM) Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

The mission of the Bureau of Land Management is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The mission of the Basin and Range National Monument is to ensure proper care and management of monument resources, objects, and values designated in the proclamation that established the area as a national monument. This acquisition is for a geologic resources inventory of the Basin and Range National Monument.

OBJECTIVE

The Nevada Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Basin and Range National Monument (BARNM) requires non-personal services for a geologic inventory. Presidential Proclamation 9297 established Basin and Range National Monument on July 10, 2015. The proclamation tasks the BLM with proper care and management of monument objects and values listed in the proclamation. Natural arches, caves, sheer cliffs, evidence of the Alamo bolide impact, block-faulted mountains split by alluvial gaps, dry lake beds, Golden Gate Range, Mount Irish Range, Worthington Range, Seaman Range, Coal Valley, and Garden Valley are listed as geologic resources occurring in the monument. However, inventories for geologic resources and an assessment of resource conditions (i.e. stable, improving, or deteriorating) have not been completed for the monument.

SCOPE OF WORK

The Contractor will furnish all personnel, equipment, supervision, transportation, supplies, and incidentals, except those indicated as government-furnished, to perform all tasks as outlined in this performance work statement for a period of nine (9) months. An inventory of geologic resources will be conducted within Basin and Range National Monument.

The project area is Basin and Range National Monument, which encompasses 704,000 acres of public lands near Hiko, Nevada. The area contains approximately 900 miles of dirt roads and the Worthington Mountains Wilderness. Caves are managed in accordance with the Ely District Cave Management Plan and would not be included in the contract. Potential Fossil Yield Classification (PFYC) is being produced for the state of Nevada as part of the statewide planning effort and would not be included in the contract.

The contractor will work closely with the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) and other BARNM team members as identified in each of the tasks.

BACKGROUND

The proclamation tasked the BLM with creating a monument management plan. Currently, the monument is included in a Nevada-wide BLM planning effort, which will result in a stand-alone Record of Decision for Basin and Range National Monument. The inventory would help inform management of resources for the planning effort as well as assist with visitor interpretation and public education materials.

A geologic report was generated for the Seaman Range in 1988 by United States Geological Survey (USGS). A potential fossil yield classification (PFYC) map was created for the area by the University of Nevada Las Vegas. A historic ranching and mining context was produced for Lincoln County under the Lincoln County Archaeological Initiative. A cultural context has been written for the monument. Cave inventories have been completed for the area, so cave resources would not be addressed under this project.

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance will be nine months from date of award. The nature of the special funding for this project does not allow for additional option years.

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

The work will be performed partially at the contractor’s facility and partially in the Basin and Range National Monument, located in Lincoln and Nye Counties, Nevada. The project area is Basin and Range National Monument, which encompasses 704,000 acres of public lands near Hiko, Nevada. The area contains approximately 900 miles of dirt roads and the Worthington Mountains Wilderness. The consultant and their employees shall not drive off existing roads.

APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS

Presidential Proclamation 9297 established Basin and Range National Monument on July 10, 2015. https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/proclamation-9297-establishment-the-basin-and-range-national-monument Stratigraphy and structure of the Seaman Range and Fox Mountain, Lincoln and Nye counties, Nevada (USGS by Donlon O. Hurtubise and Edward A. du Bray; Bulletin 1988-B) https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/b1988B

SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS/TASKS

TASK 1: RESEARCH GEOLOGY OF BASIN AND RANGE NATIONAL MONUMENT

The contractor will research the geology of Basin and Range National Monument (BARNM) and produce an annotated bibliography of sources used. Geologic and visitor points of interest will be identified by the contractor using the proclamation that established the area as a national monument, geological information, and visitor use information from BARNM staff. Geologic points of interest will be documented in such a manner that they may be monitored by the BLM staff over time.

TASK 2: ESTABLISH BASELINE INFORMATION AND ASSESS CURRENT CONDITIONS

The contractor will document baseline information for geologic resources, particularly for geologic and visitor points of interest. Representative samples or locations may be used as for large uniform geologic formations such as valleys and mountain ranges. Field notes and associated data will be collected to document the geologic resources and assess the resource conditions (i.e. stable, improving, or deteriorating).

TASK 3: PRODUCE SURFICIAL GEOLOGIC MAPS AND GIS DATA

The contractor will produce surficial geologic maps and spatial data for the Basin and Range National Monument. Sub-surface and mineral potential mapping data are not needed as the area was withdrawn from mineral entry upon designation as a national monument. Maps and data sets shall follow the FGDC digital cartographic standards for geologic maps and shall include metadata.

TASK 4: DELIVER DRAFT AND FINAL REPORT

A report will be completed by the contractor based on the results of tasks 1 through 3 and will include the following details:

Executive Summary Geologic Features and Processes Geologic History Assessment of Geological Resources Conditions Future Monitoring Recommendations Recommendations to Management Geologic Map and Spatial Data

These reports are of interest and applicability to a broad audience in the Bureau of Land Management and others in natural resource management, including scientists, conservation and environmental constituencies, and the public. The report would also provide information for interpretation and environmental education material for the public, similar to information contained in A Geologic and Natural History Tour through Nevada and Arizona along U.S. Highway 93 (Tingley et al. 2010) or Roadside Geology of Nevada (DeCourten and Biggar 2017).

The report shall receive the appropriate level of informal peer review to ensure that the information is scientifically credible, technically accurate, appropriately written for the intended audience and designed and published in a professional manner.

DELIVERABLES

Timely submission of deliverables and reports is essential to successfully completing this requirement. Schedules for deliverables are specified below. All deliverables shall be prepared and submitted according to media, content, and schedule described in this solicitation.

Work schedule and partial payment shall be divided into four phases.

Phase I, Background Research = due 60 days from contract award;

10% Partial Payment Phase II, Field Work = due 120 days from contract award;

40% Partial Payment Phase III, Draft Report Submission = due 210 days from contract award;

25% Partial Payment Phase IV, Final Report Submission = due 270 days from contract award;

25% Partial Payment

The consultant shall prepare a geological resources inventory report. The report shall include photographic documentation and maps produced with GIS information. Maps and data sets shall follow the FGDC digital cartographic standards for geologic maps and shall include metadata. One copy of the draft report (electronic format) shall be submitted to the BLM for initial review and comment. The BLM shall be allowed 30 days for review. The consultant shall make revisions and prepare the final report in accordance with BLM recommendations.

The consultant shall submit to the BLM two bound copies of the final report with color maps and photographs upon completion of the project. The final report, field work documentation, and GIS information (including original data files and GIS shapefiles), and all photographs taken as part of this project will also be submitted in electronic format. Thumb drives are preferred for the electronic submission. The final report and associated documents may either be in Microsoft Word or PDF files. The preferred digital format for photographs is JPEGs.

Copies of field and research notes and maps associated with this project shall be submitted to the BLM in digital format (thumb drives) upon completed of the project.

Email notifications: The consultant shall notify the BLM before commencing fieldwork, and when fieldwork is completed, by emailing the Contracting Officer (CO), Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) and the Points of Contact (POCs). Email notifications shall also be sent when the draft and final reports are mailed to the BLM. All deliverables shall be submitted to the POCs.

All information and data related to this project that the contractor gathers or obtains shall be both protected from unauthorized release and considered the property of the government. The contracting officer will be the sole authorized official to release verbally or in writing, any data, the draft deliverables, the final deliverables, or any other written or printed materials pertaining to this contract. Press releases, marketing material, or any other printed or electronic documentation related to this project, must not be publicized without the written approval of the contracting officer.

MEETINGS

For all meetings, the contractor shall be responsible for providing meeting materials, and administrative and facilitation support. Meetings will be conducted at either the BLM Basin and Range National Monument, Caliente Field Office at 1400 South Front Street, Caliente, NV, in the field in Basin and Range National Monument, or through an alternative method of communication (such as a teleconferencing, Microsoft Teams, Zoom).

Within 15 business days of contract award, the Government will conduct a post-award kickoff meeting at Caliente Field Office, Caliente, Nevada or through an alternative method of communication (specific date and time to be mutually agreed-upon).

At the sole discretion of the Government, intermittent project status reviews may be conducted on an informal basis (by telephone or teleconference) as approved by the Contracting Officer or the Authorized Officer (Monument Manager).

Project status meetings will be conducted every other month for the previous month and to project activity and expenditures for the upcoming month. Meetings will be held in Caliente, NV or using virtual or telephone methods. The Contractor is responsible for reporting the previous month’s activities (including any risks, issues, or concerns, and actual or recommended actions for their mitigation), and projected activities for the following month. Meetings shall be held no later than the dates listed to cover the timeframes listed below.

Meeting schedule (to be covered and dates confirmed at project kick-off meeting):

Mid-April (covers activities from March to April) Mid-June (covers activities from May to June) Mid-August (covers activities from July to August) Mid-October (covers activities from September to October)

REQUIRED TRAVEL AND OTHER DIRECT COSTS (ODCs) The principal place of performance is at the contractor’s office location(s). Some field trips to the Basin and Range National Monument may be needed to collect data. Contractor should build and estimate travel costs for these trips into their proposed budget.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS

The final report must meet Section 508 compliance. Geologic map and spatial data must adhere to FGDC standards and include metadata.

GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY/EQUIPMENT/INFORMATION

The BLM Basin and Range National Monument will supply the successful offeror with GIS shapefiles (i.e. monument boundary, roads, points of interest) and visitor use information for the project.

GLOSSARY OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS

GENERAL INFORMATION

A. Ownership of Deliverables:

The Government has unlimited rights to all draft versions of document(s)/report(s)/material(s) produced under this contract. All documents and materials produced under this contract shall be Government owned and are the property of the Government with all rights and privileges of ownership/copyright belonging exclusively to the Government. These documents and materials may not be used or sold by the Contractor without written permission from the Contracting Officer (CO). All materials supplied to the Government shall be the sole property of the Government and may not be used for any other purpose. This right does not abrogate any other Government rights.

B. FAQs and Answers:

· Is dispersed camping permitted within the national monument during the project?

Yes, dispersed camping is available within the National Monument. There is a 14-day stay limit. After 14 days, you have to move 30 miles to a different location. That wouldn't be a big issue as the monument is 704,000 acres, so plenty of camping options.

· Is aerial drone photography permitted within the national monument?

The area is a Military Overflight Airspace (MOA), so close coordination with Nellis AFB is needed. A contractor or cooperator would fall under the Department of Interior Secretarial Order 3379 related to drones. Secretarial Order 3379 prohibits the use of drones (except for emergencies and fires) unless they are "blue" small Unmanned Aircraft Systems. See link for more information. https://www.doi.gov/sites/doi.gov/files/signed-so-3379-uas-updated-10.6.2020-508.pdf

Authorized UAS for federal lands: UAS solutions for the U.S. DoD. www.diu.mil

· Will the results of any existing geophysical surveys (if any) of the subject area(s) be available?

Yes, any existing geophysical surveys will be made available once a contract is awarded.

· Are there any environmental or biological restrictions that take place throughout the year that we should be aware of?

The area was established as a National Monument in 2015, and BLM is tasked with proper care and management of resources, objects, and values listed in the Presidential Proclamation that established the area as a monument. As such, minimization measures and avoidance measures may be needed in certain areas, depending on the type of activity being proposed. The area does not contain any federally listed threatened or endangered species habitat and has very limited amounts of unoccupied habitat for greater sage-grouse.