Attachment_1_-_Scope_of_Work_Riparian_MIM_South_Dakota_Field_Office.pdf

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SOUTH DAKOTA FIELD OFFICE MIM 2021

S C O P E o f W O R K

Riparian Multiple Indicator Monitoring (MIM) Bureau of Land Management – South Dakota Field Office

Contract Work for Bid

This work will consist of data collection at Designated Monitoring Areas (DMAs) along prairie streams gathered according to Technical Reference 1737-23 on BLM administered land in Butte County and Harding County, SD.

Background

The basis for the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Riparian Multiple Indicator Monitoring (MIM) protocol is described in detail in:

U.S. Department of the Interior. 2011. Riparian area management: Multiple indicator monitoring (MIM) of stream channels and streamside vegetation. Technical Reference 1737-23.

BLM/OC/ST-10/003+1737+REV. Bureau of Land Management, National Operations Center, Denver, CO. 155 pp.

Available as a download at:

https://www.blm.gov/documents/national-office/blm-library/technical-reference/multiple-indicator-monitoring-mim-stream

While qualitative riparian assessments are fast and provide a wealth of information for riparian management, they typically lack the precision required for trend monitoring. To identify trends in stabilizing vegetation condition along prairie streams in western South Dakota, MIM, a quantitative protocol for monitoring a comprehensive set of interrelated indicators of lotic riparian health, will be utilized.

MIM of Stream Channels and Streamside Vegetation protocol is designed to be objective, efficient, and effective for monitoring streambanks, stream channels, and streamside riparian vegetation. Monitoring quantitative indicators such as streambank alteration, stubble height, greenline-to-greenline width, woody species age class, and woody species use can produce a statistical mean. Standard deviation calculations from observations taken every 3-5 years can be used to detect upward or downward trends of the riparian zone.

The DMA is the location on the stream where all monitoring procedures described in the MIM protocol occur. DMAs are established by stratifying and delineating riparian complexes along a stream reach according to geomorphology, substrate characteristics, stream gradient, and vegetation patterns. All DMAs that will be used for monitoring within this contract have been delineated by the BLM.

Data Entry and Data Analysis Modules are available online (last updated February 2021):

https://www.rmsmim.com/download-mim-modules-and-documentation/

The Data Analysis Module provides calculations of various metrics and facilitates analysis of the data. The Data Analysis Module provides a format to export the summary data to a Microsoft Access database used to store metric summary data for future reference, evaluate conditions and trends through time, and develop reports.

It is not foreseen that adding length to obtain confidence intervals will be necessary under this contracting effort.

The timeframe for completing the work would adhere to MIM protocol (i.e., during the growing season) and prior to mid-to-late October.

Pebble counts are not being conducted at the DMAs unless the substrate is present. It’s not known that any pebbles are within these stream systems.

https://www.blm.gov/documents/national-office/blm-library/technical-reference/multiple-indicator-monitoring-mim-stream https://www.blm.gov/documents/national-office/blm-library/technical-reference/multiple-indicator-monitoring-mim-stream https://www.rmsmim.com/download-mim-modules-and-documentation/

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All sites receive livestock grazing. Even if sites are not allocated for grazing, fence maintenance may be absent, and livestock do graze the sites.

ATVs or UTVs could be used to access sites under all Schedules. Use of these vehicles may be a preferred access method for some contractors. Contractors whose preference is to access DMAs by foot (pedestrian) would be able to drive within 1 mile of all DMAs using a full-sized vehicle or UTV on two-track trails.

Qualification Requirements:

An interdisciplinary team (ID Team) is responsible for data collection and data entry. An ID team, with two vegetation specialists OR a vegetation specialist and soil/water specialist at a minimum, will be required to gather monitoring data.

ID Team members must have formal training for MIM. Formal training for MIM must include a certificate of completion from a full 3-day course in Riparian MIM or proof of journey level experience conducting MIM on multiple areas. It is highly preferred that ID team members have experience in the types of watersheds being assessed.

At a minimum, the primary contractor will have a 4 year Bachelors of Science (B.S.) Natural Resources / Environment / Biology degree with 3 years of professional experience in related field data collection and analysis, or a graduate degree with 2 years of professional experience in related field data collection and analysis. The primary contractor will have a strong technical background and experience collecting, analyzing, and interpreting quantitative data related to the assessment items specific to their discipline.

Field staff must be skilled in the production and use of GPS data, digital forms, and maps. The staff conducting field work and analysis must be sufficiently versed in plant identification, measuring channel morphology, natural resource inventorying, and correct application of natural resource monitoring protocols (e.g., MIM of Stream Channels and Streamside Vegetation). Any project manager must have experience equal to the field staff, and in addition, should have experience reviewing monitoring data for quality control, coordinating with agency personnel, and producing deliverables similar to those specified in this contract.

The contractor shall make no substitutions of key personnel specified in the contractor’s offer unless the substitution is necessitated by illness, death, or termination of employment. The contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer at least 15 days prior to making any permanent ID Team member substitutions. The contractor shall provide a detailed explanation of the circumstances necessitating the proposed substitutions, complete resumes for the proposed substitutes, and any additional information requested by the Contracting Officer. Proposed substitutes should have comparable qualifications to those of the person(s) being replaced. The Contracting Officer will notify the contractor within 15 calendar days after receipt of all required information of the decision on substitutions. The contract may be modified to reflect any approved changes of key personnel. If the Contracting Officer determines that the proposed substitute personnel are unacceptable, or that there could be a reduction of effort so substantial as to impair the success of this contracting effort, the contractor may be subject to default action.

Objectives and Goals

Collection and analysis of multiple indicators enables the BLM to address multiple short- and long-term indicators on the streambank and in the channel. MIM procedures measure the most important indicators relevant to detecting change, improve management efficiency through the use of electronic data collection, and yield statistically acceptable results within realistic time constraints. Data analysis within the MIM protocol addresses precision and minimizes observer variability and subjectivity through an emphasis on strict compliance with rule sets and required training.

This riparian monitoring effort will produce information for standard deviation calculations that yield detection of upward or downward trends in the functioning condition of riparian zones. Trend determinations will aid the BLM’s efficacious pursuit of resource management strategies for riparian reaches across the South Dakota Field Office.

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Information and data collected through this project will be housed electronically at the respective field offices and with the responsible South Dakota Field Office, Rangeland Management Specialist(s). The data collected through this contracted MIM effort will assist land managers in:

• Permit renewals, environmental analysis, sub-basin reviews, watershed assessments, Standards and Guidelines allotment evaluations, and riparian/wetland inventory work.

• Planning for and determining the effects of various land management activities, such as: livestock grazing, road construction, restoration projects, dispersed recreation, and range improvement projects.

There are two schedules of work available through this contract. Award will be made for Schedule I and Schedule II or for Schedule III:

Schedule I consists of application of Technical Reference 1737-23 at two (2) existing DMA in Butte County along Battle Creek (see Appendices A.1 and A.2) based on MIM Protocol, o This work will occur during the field seasons of 2021 (during low water flows according to MIM protocols, typically late July through October).

Schedule II consists of application of Technical Reference 1737-23 at ten (10) DMAs that will require establishment of upstream and downstream begin/end points, based on MIM Protocol, all located in Butte and Harding County (see Appendices A.1 and A.3).

o This work can occur between the field seasons of 2021 and 2022 (during low water flows according to MIM protocols, typically late July through October).

Schedule III is the combination of Schedule I and Schedule II but allowing the contractor to complete all MIM during the 2022 field season (during low water flows according to MIM protocols, typically late July through October).

Scope of Work

A Reference and Representative DMAs have already been established and is outlined in Appendices A.1 and A.2.

1. Complete MIM for all DMAs identified under Schedule I from Appendices A.1 and A.2. All located in Butte County (see map images of identified streams in Appendices).

1.1. A ‘Schedule of Values’ will be submitted by the contractor for Schedule I or Schedule III.

2. Complete MIM for all DMAs identified under Schedule II from Appendices A.1 and A.3. All located in Butte and Harding County (see map images of identified streams in Appendices).

2.1. A ‘Schedule of Values’ will be submitted by the contractor for Schedule II or Schedule III.

Schedule I for the DMA outlined in Appendix A.1 and Appendix A.2 (Existing DMAs)

1.A Locate the Lower and Upper End of the DMA

i. Utilize available GPS coordinates, photos from September 2013, and original T-posts located on the west bank of the starting point (downstream) to re-locate the DMA.

ii. Monitoring photographs will be taken before data is collected because the monitoring process may result in some visible disturbance to the site. At a minimum, eight (8) photographs shall be taken:

a. From the lower marker looking upstream

b. From the lower marker looking across the stream (perpendicular)

c. From the lower marker looking downstream

d. Across the stream from the lower marker, looking toward the lower marker (perpendicular)

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e. From the upper marker looking upstream

f. From the upper marker looking across the stream (perpendicular)

g. From the upper marker looking downstream

h. Across the stream from the upper marker, looking toward the upper marker (perpendicular).

iii. Take additional photographs as needed and describe the location of each photo in relation to the downstream marker.

iv. Photography metadata information will be completed after the photographs have been downloaded from the camera:

a. Title Field (Required) : Descriptive title of what the picture portrays

b. Author Field (Required) : Photographer Name

c. Comments Field (Optional) : Any other relevant information

v. Any photograph provided to the BLM becomes public property and is not subject to copyright laws, nor will images be protected from release through Freedom of Information Act requests.

1.B Follow All Monitoring Guidelines and General Procedures

1.C Use the Data Entry Module

i. The Data Entry Module is for entering data into handheld computers using Windows Mobile in the field.

a. A brief narrative that describes the DMA, its type, and location will be included in the “Header”

1.D Flooded Greenline

i. If monitoring of the greenline is not possible under the MIM protocol due to flooded conditions, the site would be evaluated at a later date under this contract. Deliverable due date alterations would be made in consideration of any constraints that seasonal flooding could impose.

1.E Additional Notes and Comments can be Obtained in the Field

i. Identify and Record the Timing of MIM in Relation to Grazing

a. Pregrazing Monitoring

b. Monitoring During Grazing

c. Postgrazing Monitoring

ii. Notes and comments could include any observations and other pertinent information not included on the forms such as observed wildlife, apparent unauthorized disturbance, and/or other unique conditions and findings.

Schedule II for DMAs outlined in Appendix A.1 and Appendix A.3 (New DMAs)

2.A Define the Lower and Upper Ends of the DMA

i. The DMA shall be at least 110 m long, contained between the upstream and downstream Latitude and Longitude provided in the Schedule Outline (see Appendix A.2). Longer segments may be needed for monitoring larger streams. Larger streams are identified by the presence of an average greenline-to-greenline width (GGW) greater than 5.5 m. For such streams the DMA should be 20 times the GGW. For example, a DMA on a stream segment with an average GGW of 9.2 m would be 9.2 m x 20, or 184 m in length. If the necessary length of the DMA extends beyond the distance from the provided upstream to downstream Latitudes and Longitudes, the entire length of stream between the provided upstream and

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downstream Latitude and Longitude shall be included as part of the DMA and a new upstream and/or downstream Latitude(s) and Longitude(s) will be identified for the DMA and recorded by the contractor.

2.B Mark the Lower and Upper Ends of the DMA

i. Due to the volume and extent of livestock activity along the DMAs, along with characteristics of the Bearpaw shale substrate, permanent physical markers will not be placed to mark the DMA. Rather, the upstream and downstream extent of the DMA will be temporarily marked with neon markers (e.g., engineering flags, etc.) for the sake of photographs, and documented with a global positioning system (GPS) in decimal degrees set to WGS 1984 projection. The neon markers will be removed when MIM is completed by the contractor at each DMA.

ii. Map the monitoring setup under a 1:1,000 scale with WGS 1984 projection to help ensure the same starting point on the stream can be identified in future endeavors. This map can be produced as a PDF or JPEG. Use the Header spreadsheet in the Data Entry Module to document the latitudes and longitudes of the Lower and Upper Ends of the DMA.

2.C Take Photographs

i. After the Lower and Upper Ends of the DMA have been documented, photographs should be taken before data is collected because the monitoring process may result in some visible disturbance to the site. At a minimum, eight (8) photographs shall be taken:

a. From the lower marker looking upstream

b. From the lower marker looking across the stream (perpendicular)

c. From the lower marker looking downstream

d. Across the stream from the lower marker, looking toward the lower marker (perpendicular)

e. From the upper marker looking upstream

f. From the upper marker looking across the stream (perpendicular)

g. From the upper marker looking downstream

h. Across the stream from the upper marker, looking toward the upper marker (perpendicular).

ii. Take additional photographs as needed and describe the location of each photo in relation to the downstream marker.

iii. Photography metadata information will be completed after the photographs have been downloaded from the camera:

a. Title Field (Required) : Descriptive title of what the picture portrays

b. Author Field (Required) : Photographer Name

c. Comments Field (Optional) : Any other relevant information

iv. Any photograph provided to the BLM becomes public property and is not subject to copyright laws, nor will images be protected from release through Freedom of Information Act requests.

2.D Follow Monitoring Guidelines and General Procedures

i. Bed material sampling will not be conducted at any of the DMAs.

ii. Residual Pool Depth and Pool Frequency will not be processed at any of the DMAs.

2.E Use the Data Entry Module

i. The Data Entry Module is for entering data into handheld computers using Windows Mobile in the field.

a. A brief narrative that describes the DMA, its type, and location will be included in the “Header” worksheet

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2.F Flooded Greenline

i. If monitoring of the greenline is not possible under the MIM protocol due to flooded conditions, the site would be evaluated at a later date under this contract. Deliverable due date alterations would be made in consideration of any constraints that seasonal flooding may impose.

2.G Additional Notes and Comments can be Obtained in the Field

i. Identify and Record the Timing of MIM in Relation to Grazing

a. Pregrazing Monitoring

b. Monitoring During Grazing

c. Postgrazing Monitoring

ii. Notes and comments could include any observations and other pertinent information not included on the forms such as observed wildlife, apparent unauthorized disturbance, and/or other unique conditions and findings.

Schedule III for DMAs- See above information listed under Schedule I and Schedule II

Deliverables:

A. All field surveys completed during the 2021 growing season including Schedule I will be completed by October 22, 2021.

1. If Schedule II is awarded: All field surveys done during the 2022 growing season will be completed by October 21, 2022.

2. If Schedule III is awarded: All field surveys done in Schedule I and II will be completed by October 22, 2021.

3. A list of those sites that received MIM, and the date of monitoring at each site, will be provided to the COR.

This is intended to document that the survey is complete.

B. All draft MIM data collected during the 2021 growing season will be complete and submitted to the BLM by

November 19, 2021, unless otherwise noted.

1. If Schedule II is awarded: Draft MIM data for DMAs collected during the 2022 growing season will be complete and submitted to the BLM by November 18, 2022.

2. Data shall be submitted to the South Dakota Field Office by submitting one (1) complete set of all data on a USB memory device(s). All Data Entry modules and photographs shall be submitted in an electronic format that is compatible with BLM systems. Maps of the monitoring configurations at a 1:1,000 scale with WGS 1984 can be formatted and delivered as either a PDF or JPEG.

C. All final reports will be completed for MIM collected during the 2021 growing season by December 17, 2021, unless otherwise noted.

1. If Schedule II is awarded: The final report for DMAs collected during the 2022 growing season will be complete and submitted to the BLM by December 16, 2022.

2. Data shall be submitted to the South Dakota Field Office by submitting one (1) complete set of all data on a USB memory device(s). All Data Entry modules and photographs shall be submitted in an electronic format that is compatible with BLM systems. Maps of the monitoring configurations at a 1:1,000 scale with WGS 1984 can be formatted and delivered as either a PDF or JPEG.

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Payment Schedule:

One half of the payment per Schedule will be paid upon completion of the field surveys per Schedule, with the balance to be paid upon project completion of final reports.

Full payment for Schedule II, or the portion of the contract payout pertaining to all of Schedule II, would be made following the BLM’s acceptance of the December 16, 2022 deliverable.

Contractor Responsibilities:

The contractor is responsible for obtaining landowner permission and acquiring legal access to all BLM parcels and DMAs that need it. Contractor should be prepared for hiking and driving in rough terrain, hot and cold temperature extremes, rattlesnakes, etc..

The data analysis module is not being requested as a deliverable.

Government Furnished Information:

Shapefile points of the DMA locations will be provided for both the existing and new DMAs, in order for the contractor to get close and to help with locating the sites on associated devices.

Permittee/landowner contact information will be provided to the contractor in order to aid with acquiring access to public lands which require landowner permission.

Battle Creek MIM Data and photographs from 2013 and 2016 will be provided to the contractor on a USB thumb drive [Schedule I].

A grazing schedule will not be provided to bidders or to the contractor; the timing of MIM in relation to grazing will be recorded by the contractor, as outlined under 1.E.i and 2.G.i of the Scope of Work segment of this document.

The BLM can lend PVC-constructed monitoring frames to the contractor if necessary. All laser range finders, meter tapes, protocol hard copies, etc. will be the responsibility of the contractor.

This information is NOT public and the confidentiality of this information is to be maintained.