A2_12_PWS_SJRRP_2024_LandownerCoordinator_Outreach_Support_1.pdf

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

Bureau of Reclamation, Mid-Pacific Region

San Joaquin River Restoration Program Landowner Coordination, Program Outreach and Lands Operations and Maintenance Contract

January 11, 2024

I. INTRODUCTION

A. Purpose

Reclamation developed an extensive public outreach program for the San Joaquin River Restoration Program (SJRRP) Public Involvement Plan (PIP) in 2007. The goal of the PIP is to create an open and visible process through which the public can keep track of SJRRP activities.

This Performance Work Statement (PWS) provides tasks necessary to continue SJRRP outreach-related activities including those outlined in the PIP. Previously, the SJRRP has used multiple contracts to implement outreach needs. However, this contract will combine elements of the Landowner Coordination contract and general outreach efforts into one contract, thus reducing the administrative time and costs required and simplifying contract management. In addition, this contract will now include all the Program Real Estate Operations and Maintenance (O&M) SJRRP efforts. Doing so will streamline communication and facilitate precision for O&M actions, an increasingly vital SJRRP activity.

In general, the deliverables under this Landowner Coordination, Program Outreach and Lands Operations and Maintenance contract involve coordination with landowners in the SJRRP Restoration Area including assisting with implementation of Temporary Entry Permits and monitoring well agreements between Reclamation and landowners; strategic advice on landowner participation processes; support of stakeholder meetings and workshops; assisting with development, production and distribution of SJRRP outreach materials including digital products; support for internal SJRRP meetings; and the operations and maintenance of Reclamation-owned lands on behalf of the SJRRP.

B. Background

Following 18 years of litigation over the operation of Friant Dam, a settlement was reached in 2006 between Natural Resources Defense Council, Friant Water Users Authority and U.S. Departments of the Interior and Commerce. The settlement provides for substantial river channel improvements, dedicated in-stream flows and the re-introduction of spring-run Chinook salmon while minimizing impacts to Friant Division water contractors and is implemented by the Secretary of the Interior through the San Joaquin River Restoration Program (Program).

For over a decade, the Program has used an outside vendor as the point of contact for landowners. This has proven to be a very effective strategy for interfacing with landowners who, in general, can have hesitancy when dealing with the Federal government and multiple points of contact. In general, communication between the Program and landowners is improved when centralizing communication to a single individual from outside of the Program in order to facilitate Program activities taking place on private land.

In previous years, the Program has developed multiple outreach contracts to meet Program outreach needs including stakeholder meetings and the development of Program outreach materials. However, the administration of multiple contracts for Program outreach efforts is no longer desired as the Program moves from a planning phase and into the construction phase. There are distinct advantages to having all contracted outreach support held under one contract including less contract administration required by a SJRRP Contracting Officer’s Representative and an improved, collated understanding of overall Program outreach needs. In addition, the Program must develop an Operations and Maintenance (O&M) service for Reclamation lands acquired to meet the Settlement.

More information on the details of the SJRRP and the Settlement can be found at www.restoresjr.net.

II. DESCRIPTION OF WORK

Technical Requirements The Contractor should have an individual able to function as the SJRRP’s Landowner Coordinator. This individual will be main entity responsible for landowner communications and for developing Program land access. The Landowner Coordinator will spend much of their time interacting with rural landowners living in an agricultural setting. Therefore, the Landowner Coordinator should have extensive experience with rural landowners and, in particular, those landowners within an agricultural community including active farmers. Because California’s San Joaquin Valley has a unique and complicated water resource system, the Landowner Coordinator should be well-versed with the San Joaquin Valley’s water resource history as well as the current system. At its heart, the SJRRP is a riparian restoration effort. Activities related to landowner outreach and coordination, as well as overall SJRRP outreach efforts, will oftentimes necessitate quick reactions and an ability to be on-site within tight time parameters. Therefore, it is preferential that the Landowner Coordinator has an ability to be on-site anywhere within the Restoration Area within three hours from the contractor office.

The Contractor should also have the outreach acumen to handle writing and design capabilities which require a thorough understanding of the SJRRP, as well as the ability to support the Program’s website, electronic outreach needs in addition to other outreach materials as requested including development of visual aids, newsletter, and annual reports. Consequently, for both the landowner coordination and outreach support components, expertise with riparian restoration and, specifically, efforts within California’s San Joaquin River, is favorable.

Additionally, a Real Estate O&M component has been added to this outreach contract to keep properties maintained on behalf of the Program. Given the need for close coordination between the Landowner Coordinator and O&M of lands in order to provide landowner stakeholders information about planned O&M activities, it is beneficial to have the same Contractor oversee both the Landowner Coordination and O&M components for the SJRRP. More information about the scope of the O&M activities can be found in Attachment A of the Landowner Coordination and Outreach contract.

Task 1 – Landowner Outreach and Coordination

This task involves coordination with private landowners regarding access for Program staff on private lands.

Subtask 1.1 – Land Access Coordination

The Contractor will develop and administer comprehensive and action-specific federal Temporary Entry Permits (TEPs) and Monitoring Well Agreements (MWAs), and for development and administration of as-needed federal access/construction agreements for items including, but not http://www.restoresjr.net/ limited to, monitoring wells, stream gage stations and gate-controlled access to private property.

Comprehensive and action-specific TEPs and access/construction agreements were drafted by Reclamation, and the Landowner Coordinator will be required to work with individual landowners to address entry concerns on a parcel-specific basis. The Landowner Coordinator will develop TEP, and other agreements as requested with individual landowners and maintain contact with these landowners throughout the length of this task (per deliverable schedule) to facilitate agency and/or contractor entry of property. This effort includes preparing and administering all required TEPs, MWAs, and agreements for unique landowners.

The Contractor will assist Program staff with land access on an as-needed basis. This activity may be for lands where the Program does not hold an easement and is intended to provide access for one-time use or a limited duration of time.

Subtask 1.2 – Stakeholder Meetings The Contractor will coordinate with SJRRP staff to determine appropriate stakeholders (including landowners) and coordinate their attendance. Contractor will work with appropriate SJRRP staff to determine meeting objectives and anticipated outcomes. These meetings can be reach specific or target specific geographic areas and can serve to provide an overall SJRRP status update to stakeholders.

The Contractor will provide support for stakeholder meetings including the associated pre-coordination for and scheduling of meetings, assistance with agendas, logistical planning and support, preparation of presentation materials, and minutes as needed. The anticipated duties include up to eight (8) meetings annually.

Task 2 – General Program outreach support The Contractor will provide SJRRP outreach support throughout at the duration of the contract at the request of SJRRP staff and, specifically, the SJRRP Public Affairs Specialist who serves as the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) for the contract.

Subtask 2.1 –Outreach Collateral Contractor will assist with content preparation and graphic design for SJRRP outreach materials.

Such materials may include preparation, coordination, and distribution of newsletters (up to four [4] SJRRP quarterly Program Updates annually), annual reports (up to one [1] SJRRP Annual Report annually); field advisories (up to 12 annually); and support collateral outreach materials as requested.

Subtask 2.2 – Digital Outreach The SJRRP maintains a multi-agency website that requires periodic updates and maintenance.

These activities include making documents 508-compliant for public posting; updates for website maintenance; or design of website components necessary to ensure stakeholders can access SJRRP documents and information as requested. Contractor should budget for one (1) complete redesign of the SJRRP website during the performance period and subsequent maintenance of said website.

As part of this design process, Contractor will participate in up to 12 planning meetings for the website.

The Contractor will maintain the SJRRP stakeholder emailing and mailing database, adding, deleting, and updating contact information during the task order period. The Contractor will mail and/or email materials to stakeholders, as needed, to provide appropriate SJRRP updates and determined by SJRRP staff. This task will include regular e-blasts to stakeholders regarding changes to Restoration Flows, Restoration Allocation schedules and other SJRRP information as determined. Up to three (3) eblasts and three (3) stakeholder database updates per month are anticipated.

Subtask 2.3 – Internal Outreach Support The Contractor will attend, as requested, the SJRRP Public Affairs Team (PAT) and other meetings as appropriate either in-person or via conference call and update the group on landowner and field activities. Up to twelve (12) PAT meetings are expected to be conducted annually for the duration of the contract.

The Contractor will attend, as requested, up to one quarterly (4 annually) Settling Party Meeting for minute taking purposes.

Task 3 – Real Estate Operations & Maintenance (O&M)

The SJRRP requires O&M service for lands acquired on behalf of the Program. Please refer to Attachment 1 of this scope for details of the O&M requirements.

III. SCHEDULE

A. Period of Performance The period of performance is from date of award through one year, with four optional years.

Base Year: May 1, 2024 – April 30, 2025 Option Year 1: May 1, 2025 – April 30, 2026 Option Year 2: May 1, 2026 – April 30, 2027 Option Year 3: May 1, 2027 – April 30, 2028 Option Year 4: May 1, 2028 – April 30, 2029

B. Schedule

1. Schedule:

Base Year Date of Award through one year.

Task Deliverable Date Task 1 Landowner Outreach and

Coordination

Task 1.1 Land Access Coordination 5/1/2024 – 4/30/2025 Task 1.2 Stakeholder Meetings 5/1/2024 – 4/30/2025 Task 2 General Program Outreach Support 5/1/2024 – 4/30/2025 Task 2.1 Outreach collateral 5/1/2024 – 4/30/2025 Task 2.2 Digital Outreach 5/1/2024 – 4/30/2025 Task 2.3 Internal Outreach Support 5/1/2024 – 4/30/2025 Task 3 Real Estate Operations and

Maintenance 5/1/2024 – 4/30/2025

Option Year 1 Date Exercised through one

Task 1.1 Land Access Coordination 5/1/2025 – 4/30/2026 Task 1.2 Stakeholder Meetings 5/1/2025 – 4/30/2026 Task 2 General Program Outreach Support 5/1/2025 – 4/30/2026 Task 2.1 Outreach collateral 5/1/2025 – 4/30/2026 Task 2.2 Digital Outreach 5/1/2025 – 4/30/2026 Task 2.3 Internal Outreach Support 5/1/2025 – 4/30/2026 Task 3 Real Estate Operations and

5/1/2025 – 4/30/2026

Option Year 2 Date Exercised through one

Task 1.1 Land Access Coordination 5/1/2026 – 4/30/2027

Task 1.2 Stakeholder Meetings 5/1/2026 – 4/30/2027 Task 2 General Program Outreach Support 5/1/2026 – 4/30/2027 Task 2.1 Outreach collateral 5/1/2026 – 4/30/2027 Task 2.2 Digital Outreach 5/1/2026 – 4/30/2027 Task 2.3 Internal Outreach Support 5/1/2026 – 4/30/2027 Task 3 Real Estate Operations and

5/1/2026 – 4/30/2027

Option Year 3 Date Exercised through one

Task 1.1 Land Access Coordination 5/1/2027 – 4/30/2028 Task 1.2 Stakeholder Meetings 5/1/2027 – 4/30/2028 Task 2 General Program Outreach Support 5/1/2027 – 4/30/2028 Task 2.1 Outreach collateral 5/1/2027 – 4/30/2028 Task 2.2 Digital Outreach 5/1/2027 – 4/30/2028 Task 2.3 Internal Outreach Support 5/1/2027 – 4/30/2028 Task 3 Real Estate Operations and

5/1/2027 – 4/30/2028

Option Year 4 Date Exercised through one

Task 1.1 Land Access Coordination 5/1/2028 – 4/30/2029 Task 1.2 Stakeholder Meetings 5/1/2028 – 4/30/2029 Task 2 General Program Outreach Support 5/1/2028 – 4/30/2029 Task 2.1 Outreach collateral 5/1/2028 – 4/30/2029 Task 2.2 Digital Outreach 5/1/2028 – 4/30/2029 Task 2.3 Internal Outreach Support 5/1/2028 – 4/30/2029 Task 3 Real Estate Operations and

5/1/2028 – 4/30/2029

IV PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT

The success of this effort is dependent upon the Contractor coordinating with landowners, SJRRP outreach support, overseeing lands O&M and pro-actively supporting contract activities throughout the performance period. The Contractor’s communication with SJRRP staff and stakeholders directly impacts the quality of the end results. In recognition of this, a performance-based disincentive is included in this task order.

The Performance Requirements Summary (PRS) and Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) below provide the basis for the performance assessment. The absence of a specific PWS requirement from the PRS shall not detract from its enforceability or limit the rights or remedies of the Government under any other provision of this contract. Other tasks identified in the PWS but not identified in the PRS may be added for surveillance at any time as determined by the Contracting Officer (CO).

The Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) will prepare a written report with the QASP findings and recommendations for the CO at the end of the evaluation period. The Contractor will be provided a draft copy of this report and will be afforded the opportunity to identify factual errors. The COR’s draft recommendation is not subject to negotiation and the COR will not engage in discussions with the Contractor about it. Any errors identified by the Contractor will be addressed by the COR in the final report.

Prior to authorizing final payment, the CO will make a determination in writing as to the percentage of work successfully completed and any disincentives applicable as a result of the Contractor’s performance and the COR’s QASP assessment. Interim invoice payments do not constitute a blanket acceptance of the Contractor’s actions or submittals or preclude a less than acceptable assessment at the end of the evaluation period.

Task 1 – Landowner Outreach and Coordination