Attachment 02 - Forest Raptor Nest Survey Service Project SOW.pdf

Forest Raptor/Nest Survey Service Project Solicitation Number:

Contract Number:

Dolores Ranger District

San Juan National Forest

DESCRIPTION: The purpose of the Forest Raptor/Nest Survey service contract is to conduct Broadcast Acoustical Surveys (BAS) and/or Walk-through Surveys (WTS) to identify and locate forest raptor species and associated nest structures within areas that are part of timber removal and rehabilitation area acres. These areas are located within ponderosa pine stands and aspen stands in the Dolores Ranger District. The project area covers a total of 19,500.44 acres with bids all-inclusive of solicitation specifications. Award of acreage/unit will be decided on an individual basis. All acres/units in the schedule of items should be quoted. Units are located on USFS (Public) Land West, North, and Southeast of the town of Dolores, CO. The Mancos-Dolores Ranger District is responsible for the project. The locations and boundary of the treatment unit is shown on the Contract Area Map in the solicitation.

Contractors are to provide all labor, supplies and equipment to implement both the mandatory items as well as optional items.

Legal description: The office address of the Dolores Ranger District is as follows: 29211 Hwy 184, Dolores, CO 81323

Location: The Project Area is located on the Mancos-Dolores Ranger District, San Juan National Forest. A Vicinity Map is attached showing the general location of the project areas.

1. Directions: Vary depending on the survey block. Refer to CAM and vicinity.

2. Scope - Contractors are to provide all labor, supplies and equipment to implement both the mandatory items as well as optional units. The service contract includes mandatory and optional units for which BAS and WTS will be conducted using the appropriate protocols provided below in detail. The Forest Service will provide a survey-forms with all required components for recording of call survey data, nest structure data and walk-through data. These forms will be generated in and available for ESRI Survey123 software/app. Contractor must collect data using Survey123 on any digital platform they prefer (Android/Apple). Upon conducting the surveys and collecting the required data Contractors are to provide GPS data deliverables including: gps tracts of nest searches, call survey locations, and nest locations in ESRI shapefile format (*.shp).

Mandatory Units should be quoted for implementation of BAS or a WTS; for which protocols are defined in this document under the “Definition and Specific Tasks” sections and will determine window and condition of implementation to be in compliance (preference is BAS if condition and timing allow). All surveys should be conducted from one half-hour after civil sunrise to one half-hour before civil sunset. Specifically, BAS surveys should be conducted from April 1st through August 31st. Specifically, WTS surveys should be conducted from September 1st- through November 15th. If weather does not permit the use of a BAS, contractors shall be prepared to switch to a walk-through survey on that day no matter the date of survey.

Optional Units should be quoted for implementation of BAS or a WTS; for which protocols are defined in this document under the “Definition and Specific Tasks” sections and will determine window and condition of implementation to be in compliance (preference is BAS if condition and timing allow).All surveys should be conducted from one half-hour after civil sunrise to one half-hour before civil sunset. Specifically, BAS surveys should be conducted from April 1st through August 31th. Specifically, WTS surveys should be conducted from September 1st-through November 15th. If weather does not permit the use of a BAS, contractors shall be prepared to switch to a walk-through survey on that day no matter the date of survey.

SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS SCHEDULE OF ITEMS

3. See Attachment 1 - Forest Raptor Nest Survey Service Project SOI

4. Treatment Units: The locations and boundaries of the survey blocks are as shown on the

Contract Area Maps (see attached). All bid items in the schedule provided above should be quoted OR will not be considered a responsive bid.

5. Boundaries: The boundaries will be provided using ESRI shapefiles in UTM projection.

6. Access to Project Area and all units: Contract Area is located on the Dolores Ranger District of the San Juan National Forest, Dolores, Colorado 81323. Access to units will be from Colorado state highways, county roads, and forest service roads and trails. These are identified on the Contract Area Map (See attached).

The office address of the Dolores Ranger District is as follows: 29211 Hwy 184, Dolores, CO 81323

DATES: Estimated period of performance: estimated start date: 11/15/2023 as field conditions permit.

Project is to be complete and project area clean and vacated by contractor and equipment no later than 12/31/2024. The period of performance is negotiable, and offerors should include a proposed timeline with their technical approach narrative. See Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Clause 52.212-2.

QUOTE RESPONSE DATE: September 18, 2023 at 10:00 AM EST.

QUOTE SUBMISSION METHODS:

Name: Isabel Wimbish, Contracting Officer Email: isabel.wimbish@usda.gov

Name: Jose Gutierrez, Contracts Specialist Email: jose.gutierrez4@usda.gov

**Email (PDF or Microsoft Office documents) is the required method for submission of quotes.

SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING AS YOUR QUOTE:

The following documents shall be submitted by the offeror for evaluation to be considered responsive (See FAR Clause 52.212-2 for required information to be provided for each element:

1. Past Performance & Experience Information

a. Past performance information and references

b. Key personnel

2. Technical Approach And Capability

a. Equipment proposed for use in the performance of this contract

b. Technical Approach Narrative

c. Subcontractor information

d. Proposed schedule

3. Schedule of Items with complete pricing and contractor information

a. Return either the Schedule of items contained in this document or the optional

Excel version provided as a separate attachment with this solicitation.

If you have any questions, please coordinate those through Jose Gutierrez and he will coordinate with the CO and technical team.

NOTES TO QUOTERS: Award will be made by Item. Quoters must submit prices on entire item, including all Subitems, to be considered for award for any individual Items or Option Items. The Government intends to make a single contract award under this solicitation. In the event that quoted prices exceed funding availability, award may be offered for quantities less than those shown in an Item.

Funds are not presently available for all options for this effort. No options will be exercised until funds are available. The Government reserves the right to cancel this solicitation or portions thereof, either before or after the solicitation's closing date. In the event the Government cancels this solicitation in whole or in part, the Government has no obligation to reimburse an offeror for any costs incurred.

Stand descriptions in the Summary Information Chart are estimates only and do not relieve the Contractor from the responsibility of inspecting the sites and assessing the costs and risks associated with performance of the work. Please see FAR 52.237-1 Site Visit in solicitation provisions.

Some unit acreages are estimated quantities; payment will be made for actual acres treated and accepted.

Definitions:

Broadcast Acoustical Survey: Grid survey at 200-meter interval conducted utilizing a digital caller that can broadcast recorded raptor calls. Surveys should be conducted from one half-hour after civil sunrise to one half-hour before civil sunset. *BAS should NOT be conducted when it is actively raining, and winds are greater that 15mph. If these conditions are met switch to WTS.

Walk Through Survey: Walking surveys on a 200-meter grid that are completed in a fashion that covers the project area where the main objective is looking for nest structures.

Raptor: A raptor can include Northern Goshawk, Sharp-shin Hawk, Cooper’s Hawk, Red-tailed hawk, Osprey, Golden Eagle or Bald Eagle, and Peregrine Falcon. Also included are any owl species.

Survey Blocks: Areas where contract work will be completed as delineated on the Contract area map.

Survey Unit: Smaller defined areas within survey blocks that allow for prioritization of areas based on access and habitat type where contract work will be completed.

SPECIFIC TASKS – REQUIREMENTS/STANDARDS

Broadcast Acoustical Surveys

1. Utilize protocol guidelines within the Northern Goshawk (NOGO) Inventory and Monitoring Technical Guide (USDA, 2006) to determine presence of NOGO and other woodland raptors (including but not limited to; Sharp-shin, Cooper’s, and red-tailed hawks, and various owl species). These surveys can be conducted from April 1st though August 31st. Protocol specifics are attached to contract document. The Forest Service wildlife biologist will provide call locations to be conducted in a 200-meter grid as explained in the Technical Guide.

Contractors are to provide GPS data deliverables including: gps tracts of nest searches, call survey locations, and nest locations in ESRI shapefile format (*.shp). The Forest Service will provide a survey-forms with all required components for recording of call survey data, nest structure data and walk through data. These forms will be generated in and available for ESRI Survey123 software/app. Contractor must collect data using Survey123 on any digital platform they prefer (Android/Apple).

Survey technicians shall have experience detecting and identifying Sharp-shinned Hawks, Cooper’s Hawks, Red-tailed hawks and Northern Goshawks by sight and sound. Technicians must also be able to determine if other birds (such as Jays) are mimicking woodland raptor calls.

Survey technicians will be required to identify nest structures, plucking posts, and if a nest belongs to a woodland raptor utilizing identification markers such as feather types that may be present, carcasses of small mammals, birds nearby or under a nest structure, placement of fresh vegetation on nest, size of nest and structural make up of nest, and presence of white-wash.

Survey technician shall have experience identifying a raptor nest from a squirrel or raven.

Walk through Surveys A WTS is intermittently utilized when weather conditions do not support the use of BAS during the April 1st through August 31st date range. These conditions may include consistent strong winds greater than 15 mph or active rain.

The WTS will be exclusively used between September 1st and November 15th.

The main objective of these surveys is identification of woodland raptor nest structures.

Contractors will walk through a survey area based on a 200-meter grid that will cover the entire area and provides them a full visual inventory. Areas that have a more open understory and overstory may allow for bigger gaps between survey lines, where areas with a denser overstory and thick understory would require survey lines to be closer.

Ability to identify species by sight is a must. Ability to identify a species by call is desirable, but not necessary while conducting walk through surveys.

Data Collection Requirements

Geolocation information shall be collected for each point a BAS has been conducted. Polyline(s) will be collected to document coverage of where walk-through surveys have been conducted.

Geolocation will be collected for any identified nest structures. Survey forms are to be completed at all BAS points, and when a nest structure is identified. Data shall be submitted by Close of Business (COB) on each Friday of a standard M-F work week. If the contractor is working within an area without access to a network to submit data, the contractor will submit the data within two days of returning into an area with network service.

Contractors are to provide GPS data deliverables including: GPS tracts of nest searches, call survey locations, and nest locations in ESRI shapefile format (*.shp). The Forest Service will provide a survey-forms with all required components for recording of call survey data, nest structure data and walk through data. These forms will be generated in and available for ESRI Survey123 software/app. Contractor must collect data using Survey123 on any digital platform they prefer (Android/Apple).

RESOURCE PROTECTION STANDARDS

Water Quality- The following measures shall be observed to protect stream courses:

1. The Contractor vehicle operations shall stay on roads designated for their specific vehicle type

(truck, ATV/UTV, etc.).

2. Wet Period Restrictions

Forest Service “all-weather” roads with a gravel or paved surface can be operated on during most weather conditions except extremely wet periods. All other roads and trails are native surface.

Travel on native surface roads and trails with equipment is restricted when the soil is saturated. Soils are too wet when the moisture content exceeds the plastic limit. If soils within 6 inches of the surface can be rolled into threads 3 millimeters in diameter without breaking or crumbling the soils are too wet for operations. If the soils are saturated such that ruts 4 inches or deeper and 10 feet long are created by vehicles, the Contractor shall cease operations in that area. If conditions persist, the COR may suspend the Contract until the soils dry out or freeze.

Other Resource Protection All activities associated with this project shall be conducted in such a manner that there shall not be any adverse impact to the following resources listed.

1. Surface Conditions - Wheeled motorized equipment shall not be operated when conditions are muddy, or the soil moisture is high enough for the vehicles to leave ruts over 4.0 inches in height for 10 ft or more. When/If such conditions are encountered, the Contractor shall stop work and immediately notify the COR/PI.

2. Litter- Contractor shall clean-up all generated litter and dispose of it at an approved sanitary landfill or other location and in a manner approved by the CO/COR.

3. Protection of Improvements and Survey Monuments- The Contractor(s) shall avoid any damage to improvements such as, but not limited to, fences, gates, utility poles, survey markers or monuments, claim stakes, survey witness trees and cultural sites. The Contractor will be required to repair or pay fair market value to replace any damaged improvements.

CONTRACTOR QUALITY CONTROL

The Contractor shall provide quality control for all data collection. The Contractor is expected to conduct their own prompt inspections to ensure that all data collection requirements are being met.

Government inspections are for payment determination only and are not intended to be used as a quality control by the Contractor. Any delay in Government inspections will not cause the Government to be responsible for the Contractors data quality.

Quality Control Plan. The Contractor shall provide a Quality Control Plan (QCP) within 10 calendar days after contract award.

The general Quality Control Plan must demonstrate how the Contractor will assure quality meets the requirements and specifications of the contract. It shall specify how quality will be monitored to assure the performance standards are met; the supervision of crew and work; and the personnel that will be performing the quality control. Quality control includes the monitoring of quality data and identification of nest structures, raptor identification, and survey timing.

Safety Plan - The Contractor shall provide a Safety Plan within 10 calendar days after award of contract.

The Safety Plan should address the specific hazards of the work site. The Contractor shall identify the specific conditions that s/he considers is a hazard. The Safety Plan shall also address the personal protective equipment and mitigating measures the Contractor will do to increase safety on the worksite.

Pertinent information may include location of local emergency care facilities, contact information for employees should an accident occur at the worksite, etc.

A copy of the Safety Plan shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer for the contract file. The Contractor’s Safety Plan is neither approved nor disapproved by the government but will be provided to OSHA when requested.

GOVERNMENT QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN

1. Inspection. The Government’s quality assurance inspections will determine compliance with specifications and provide the basis for computing the rate of payment. Inspections will consist of visual observations of geolocation information, data quality review and ground checks to determine compliance with the specifications.

Determination of the acceptability of the work performed will be based on these inspections, which will be considered conclusive, except as otherwise provided in the contract. The Contractor or his representative may observe inspections while they are underway.

Acceptance will be determined based on compliance with the contract specifications. Noncompliance will result in non-acceptance of the work. If the Contractor’s work is determined to be unacceptable, the Government may initiate any remedies described in FAR 52.212-4(a) Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items, Inspection/Acceptance. The Contract Officer Representative (COR) and/or designated inspector(s) will make periodic inspections. The Contractor’s representative is encouraged to observe the inspection process.

2. Rework and Re-inspection after Rework. Inspections after rework will be made in the same manner as the first inspection but on different areas.

PERFORMANCE SUMMARY

The following describes the major items in the contract with the incentives and deductions for the work described.

Work Statement

Performance Standard

Gov’t Method of Assessment

Incentive/ deduction

Data Collection

Quality meets specifications (ESRI Survey 123 forms are properly filled out and GPS location information is provided)

Visual Review of submitted data.

Rework required if Contractor fails to meet standard. And/or payment reduction

Nest Identification

Nest structures are properly identified as raptor nests.

Visual Inspection of documented nest structures.

Rework required if Contractor fails to meet standard. Additional training for staff to provide correct identification. And/or payment reduction

Acceptable Quality Levels (AQL)

Acceptable Quality Level – Data Collection AQL 90% acceptable level of performance MONITIORING METHOD – Visual Review and sampling of Contractor’s submitted data.

Acceptable Quality Level – Nest Identification AQL 90% acceptable level of performance MONITIORING METHOD – Visual inspections of Contractor’s documented nest structures.

Payment After inspections of completed tasks, the COR will calculate the pay rate subject to approval by the Contracting Officer.

The pay rate will be calculated by multiplying the inspection percentage times the contract unit price per unit (acre or feet). When the inspection percentage is 90% or greater, payment will be made at the full contract price. If the inspection percentage is below 90%, no payment will be made.

Invoices will be submitted for payment through the Invoice Processing Platform (IPP) www.ipp.gov.

Rejected invoices must be corrected and resubmitted. IPP will advance the approved invoice to the Contracting Officer for payment processing.

PERFORMANCE BASED SERVICE CONTRACT

This work is being solicited as a performance based, commercial item contract. Performance based means the Contractor is responsible for an end product. If an end product is not provided, an adjustment to the payment will be made. A commercial item contract streamlines the terms and conditions to resemble those already used in the everyday marketplace.

A post award pre-work meeting may be scheduled with the successful offeror/contractor to review contract requirements. This meeting will be scheduled at the earliest available time of the Contracting Officer and the Contracting Officer’s Representative.

SERVICE CONTRACT ACT

This contract is subject to the Service Contract Act of 1965.

Please see attached Wage Determination: WD 2015-5435 Dated July 25, 2023 for Dolores County.

LIST OF ATTACHMENTS

Attachment 01 - Forest Raptor Nest Survey Service Project SOI Attachment 02 - Forest Raptor Nest Survey Service Project SOW Attachment 03 - Vicinity Area Map Contract Attachment 04 - Groundhog Survey Block Attachment 05 - Plateau Survey Block Attachment 06 - Dry Canyon Survey Block Attachment 07 - Turkey Survey Block Attachment 08 - Italian Survey Block Attachment 09 - School Survey Block Attachment 10 - Cline Survey Block Attachment 11 - Rust Survey Block Attachment 12 - WD 2015-5435 20230725 Dolores County