A16_JOFOCQ110CM_1.pdf

FWS Form (Rev. 2020) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

JOINT ADMINISTRATIVE OPERATIONS

Acquisitions Operations

We contacted the U.S. Navy and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to identify other potential capable sources for seabird and shorebird monitoring since these agencies also manage and monitor nesting colonies of the endangered California least tern and threatened western snowy plover on their lands. The U.S. Navy contracts with the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife uses their staff for monitoring support. The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance has not expressed a written interest in the monitoring work on the Refuges.

Market research was not conducted due to the small pool of biologists that have the specialized experience of monitoring endangered, threatened, and rare seabirds and shorebirds in southern California, as well as having the necessary State of California and Federal permits to "take" listed birds. We consulted with the Port of San Diego that has a similar requirement for biological monitoring of the endangered California least tern and threatened western snowy plover and they recently completed a public solicitation for seabird and shorebird monitoring. They awarded the contract to the San Diego Natural History Museum, which had subcontracted with Robert Patton to perform the survey work. Past requests for proposals have resulted in limited responsive bids based on the specialized and complex nature of the work.

The San Diego National Wildlife Refuge Complex has a requirement for biological monitoring of the nesting status, behavioral phenology, and productivity of the endangered California least tern (Sternula antillarum browni), threatened western snowy plover (Charadrius nivosus nivosus), and western gull-billed tern (Gelochelidon nilotica vanrossemi), a species of special conservation concern, at the Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge-Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve and San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge, San Diego County, California. While appearing to be seemingly simple to survey the nesting activities of three bi d d h bi d th it i t th S Di B NWR i ti l l i d t th i l

During the last 5-year contract with Robert Patton, he has trained other biologists to assist him in seabird and shorebird monitoring at the Tijuana Slough NWR and San Diego Bay NWR. His mentorship and training of biological monitors partially overcomes the barrier to competition by providing experience and training to a pool of potential bidders. However, due to the physical intrusion into the nesting locations and the direct handling in order to band the endangered California least tern and threatened western snowy plover, potential bidders are required to have "take" permits from both the Service's Migratory Bird Office and California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Since the "take" permits are issued by other programs and agencies outside of the Refuge System, we are not able to reduce the barriers related to permitting potential bidders to survey and handle listed bird

Program / Project Officer

Contracting Officer

(Include a statement by the contracting officer that the anticipated cost will be considered fair and reasonable and provide the basis used for this determination. Examples may include the results of the restricted competition, comparison of proposed costs/prices with costs/prices for similar supplies or services, commercial price lists, prior acquisition history, etc.) Robert Patton's hourly rate for his last contract was $40.00 per hour, which is consistent with the level of a GS 12/1 ($41 55 per hour) senior biologist which would most closely match the complexity and

ANDREW YUEN Digitally signed by ANDREW YUEN Date: 2021.07.20 16:51:11 -07'00'

Robert Patton has over 17 years of specialized experience in monitoring listed and rare seabird and shorebird populations at the Tijuana Slough NWR, San Diego Bay NWR, and other locations in San Diego Bay, and over 30 years of specialized experience in this work conducted at other locations within southern California. He has demonstrated an exceedingly high level of efficiency in monitoring seabird and shorebird nesting activity, resulting in none to little secondary mortality or impacts to listed and rate bird species resulting from his team’s