Attachment 1 Work Statement Utah NRI.pdf

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) – Utah Statement of Work (SOW)

National Resources Inventory (NRI) Grazing Land On-Site Data Collection

Page 1 of 17 Attachment 1 to NRI Utah 2026

A. GENERAL:

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture is mandated (through the Rural Development Act of 1972, the Soil and Water Resources Conservation Act of 1977, and other supporting legislation) to assess the status, condition, and trends of soil, water, and related resources on the Nation’s non-Federal lands. Resources inventory legislative authorities, NRCS policy, and responsibilities for conducting the National Resources Inventory (NRI) are contained in NRCS General Manual 290, Part 400.

B. OBJECTIVE/SCOPE:

The objective of this solicitation is to acquire specified inventory data on one or two data collection points situated within selected sample segments located in Utah. Data will be collected in accordance with the standards outlined in the National Resources Inventory Grazing Land On-Site Data Collection, Handbook of Instructions (P. Reference Materials). Sample segments are often located in remote areas on steep, rugged terrain. Access to segments may require 4-wheel drive vehicles and hiking long distances over rough terrain.

Required data includes:

• landscape information

• soil determinations

• ecological site determinations

• rangeland health assessments

• plant identification and census

• disturbance indicators

• sagebrush shape and identification

• identification of resource concerns

• occurrence of conservation practices and conservation needs

• plant species composition and production

• plant cover, density, and height.

The Contractor shall enter the data collected into hand-held computers using NRCS approved software - the Computer Assisted Survey Instrument (CASI). All data will be submitted to the server at Iowa State University Center for Survey Statistics and Methodology (ISU server) located in Ames, Iowa. All data will be collected in accordance with the latest version of National Resources Inventory Grazing Land On-Site Data Collection, Handbook of Instructions (P. Reference Materials).

C. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Contracting Officer (CO) – The duly appointed and warranted Government agent authorized to enter, administer or terminate contracts, and make related determinations and findings. The CO is the only person authorized to contractually obligate the Government; responsible for

Page 2 of 17 Attachment 1 to ensuring performance of all necessary actions for effective contracting, ensuring that the requirements of all pertinent laws, regulations, etc. have been met, ensuring compliance with the terms of the contract, and safeguarding the interests of the United States in its contractual relationships; ensures there are sufficient funds available for Government contractual obligations and ensures all Contractors receive impartial, fair and equitable treatment in the solicitation process.

2. Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR). The CO will appoint and delegate in writing limited authority for certain contract-related decisions to an NRCS employee who will serve as the COR. The COR Appointment Letter details exactly what responsibilities lie within the scope of the COR's authority. The COR will notify the CO of recommendations for technical acceptance or rejection by the Government of all articles and services required to be furnished and/or performed under the contract; will receive, for the Government, all articles and services called for by the contract and will represent the Contracting Officer in the technical phases of the work. The COR monitors the Contractor's performance to ensure compliance with technical requirements of the contract, verifies and certifies that the items have been inspected and meet the requirements of the contract. The COR notifies the CO if performance is not meeting the requirements of the contract.

D. CONFIDENTIALY AGREEMENT

The NRI program is based upon rigorous scientific sample survey protocols. These protocols include maintaining and protecting the integrity and confidentiality of data gathering sites.

USDA and NRCS policy states that: “The geographic locations of data gathering sites used for USDA’s NRI are not public information and are to be used only for purposes of official NRI data gathering activities or for such purposes approved by the Secretary”. The Contractor’s data team leaders and data collectors shall sign a Confidentiality Statement under United States Code (USC), Title 18, Section 1905; USC, Title7, Section 2276 and USC, Title 7, Section 2240 for non-disclosure of confidential information relative to data site locations and/or private/corporate non-use of composite data. The Confidentiality Statement shall be signed prior to starting data collection. The NRI data that identifies owners, operators, or data collection sites are not to be released to the public.

E. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

Attend NRCS provided training

Training must be completed prior to commencing field data collection. Training for option periods is assumed to be in-person in Tucson, AZ unless notified otherwise.

Field Data Collection Field work for Segments are to be scheduled by which MLRA they are in as follows:

1. March 1 to May 31: MRLA 30

2. May 1 to July 31: MLRA 28A, 29, 34B & 35

3. July 1 to September 30: MLRA 47

Data transmission to ISU server

Segments must be electronically transferred to the Iowa State University (ISU) server no later than midnight on September 30 of each year

Digital Camera Images Must be delivered no later than September 30 of each year

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Invoices Must be submitted no later than September 30 of each year

F. DESCRIPTION OF WORK

The Contractor shall furnish the necessary personnel, material, equipment, services, and facilities, except as otherwise specified, to perform the effort described below. Documentation guidance for implementing this contract is outlined in Section P. REFERENCE MATERIALS.

Overview - There are 62 non-federal inventory segments in 27 counties in Utah selected for data collection for 2026 (see attachment 2). Each segment has one or two sample points upon which data are to be collected. There are 301 segments on land owned by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in 18 counties in Utah (see attachment 3). Each segment has one or two points that are eligible for data collection. Each inventory segment can range from approx. 19 acres to approx. 900 acres in size. Sample segments are often located in remote areas on steep, rugged terrain. Data are to be collected by data collection teams consisting of a team leader and one or two data collectors. Team leader and data collector qualifications and experience requirements are outlined in Section G of this Statement of Work. The Contractor shall enter the collected data into a hand-held computer loaded with the NRCS computer-assisted survey instrument (CASI) software. The Contractor shall work with the COR to achieve the transmittal of the data to the server at USDA-NRCS Iowa State University Center for Survey Statistics and Methodology located in Ames, Iowa. The Contractor at their option may use NRCS approved paper data forms to collect the data in the field to enhance data collection efficiency as necessary prior to entry into the CASI by the Contractor.

Note: The Federal data points will stay consistent every year however the Non-Federal data points are an estimate and will fluctuate every year depending on accessibility and landowner permissions. For purposes of this solicitation the Non-Federal data points will be estimated at 62/year and will be adjusted as needed at the time the option is exercised.

1. Rangeland Data Collection: The Contractor shall collect data for the following elements in accordance with the standards outlined in the latest version of the National Resources Inventory Grazing Land On-site Data Collection, Handbook of Instructions (P. Reference Materials). Site locations maps and aerial photographs will be furnished by the COR. The data shall be free of errors and be collected in a logical order with minimal number of trips to the field for data collection. To be considered complete, range data collection protocols will be collected for the first one or two as required for that sample segment and certified by the COR. Work shall begin on or after March 1 of each year and be completed in accordance with the table set forth at section E (Period of Performance) of this Statement of Work. The NRI data collection option in the CASI software will be used.

Highlights of the 2026 protocol are described below:

a) GPS Navigation and Point Coordinate Capture – navigate to and record sample segment data point position with the hand-held computer.

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b) Transect Layout; (2) 150 foot linear transects NE/SW-NW/SE intersecting as an “X” at the 75-foot mark (point location).

c) Minimum of 9 Digital photos (oblique) per sample point.

d) Ownership – NRI ownership code

e) Land Cover/Use – NRI cover/use code

f) Landscape Parameters:

• Vertical Slope Shape

• Horizontal Slope Shape

• Slope Percent

• Slope Length

• Slope Aspect

g) Soil Identification – in a 20 inch deep hole

• Soil component name and soil profile description

• Soil Survey Area (SSAID) number

• NASIS Map Unit Symbol (MUSYM)

h) Ecological Site Identification and Land Use

• Ecological Site Number

• Grazing Use or Haying

• Apparent Rangeland Trend

i) Rangeland Health Assessment - Indicators of Rangeland Health (17 attributes to achieve indicator summary of Soil/Site Stability, Biotic Integrity and Hydrologic Function)

j) Plant Census (plant symbol, as on https://www.plants.usda.gov/java/)

k) Disturbance Indicators: macroplot and conservation management unit- presence or absence (Yes/No)

l) Identification of Conservation Practices Applied: Yes/No

NRCS Technical Guide Section IV - Part C:

• Brush Management (314)

• Prescribed Burning (338)

• Pond (378)

• Windbreak/Shelterbelt Establishment (380)

• Fence (382)

• Riparian Herbaceous Cover (390)

• Pasture and Hayland Planting (512)

• Pipeline (516)

• Prescribed Grazing (528)

• Grazing Land Mechanical Treatment (548)

• Range Planting (550)

• Spring Development (574)

• Animal Trails and Walkways (580)

• Water Well (642)

• Watering Facility (614)

• Wildlife Watering Facility (648)

m) Identification of Resource Concerns; Yes/No https://www.plants.usda.gov/java/

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NRCS Technical Guide Section V - Part A

• Soil erosion (6 concerns)

• Soil condition (3 concerns)

• Water quantity (3 concerns)

• Water quality (2 concerns)

• Plant condition (5 concerns)

• Domestic animal (1 concern)

n) Soil Stability Test – 9 samples along transects

o) Line Point Transects for Cover Composition

• Record plant canopy cover by species (up to six species) at three foot intervals along two 150-foot transects

• Record basal cover at the same points by plant species, or lichen cover, or moss, or rock fragments, or none (bare soil).

• There are 51 points on each transect

p) Line Intercept Transects for Canopy Gaps

• Record the beginning and end of plant canopy gaps equal to or greater than 1.0 foot to the nearest 1/10th of a foot. Plant material may be dead or alive. Uses the same Line-Point transects.

q) Plant Height

• Record the maximum height of the tallest rooted plant (both herbaceous and woody) at 14 locations along the Line Point transects.

r) Sagebrush Identification and Shape – characterization of shape for listed Artemisia and related species at selected intervals on the Line Point Transects

s) Species Composition by Weight (Rangeland) or Standing Biomass (Pastureland)

• Collect actual field weight, in grams, of plants in production plots

• There are 5 production plots located along transect lines

• Each of the 5 production plots will have herbaceous material sampled

• Two of the 5 plots will also have woody material (if present) sampled

• Herbaceous (circular) plots will be either 4.8 or 9.6 square feet

• Woody plots will be 435.6 square feet or 0.01 acre (a circular plot with a radius of approximately 11.8 feet)

• Collect actual field weight by species (Rangeland) or total quadrat green field weight (Pastureland)

• Actual field weight by species may be determined by clipping the whole plot at each location or by double sampling the group of locations

t) Reconstruct field weight of plants to normal annual air dry weights (Rangeland)

• For each species:

• Determine the percent air dry weight

• Determine the percent of current years growth that has not been removed by grazing or harvest

• Determine percent of current years growth that should normally have occurred at the time of sampling

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• Determine the climate adjustment factor comparing current years growth to normal years growth

u) Pasture Condition (Pastureland)

• Determine the pasture condition score using the National Pasture Condition Score

Sheet. Refer to instructions.

2. Landowner Permission to access federal and non-federal Land: The Contractor shall obtain permission from the landowner(s) of any properties needed to access the segments on federal (BLM) and non-federal land grazing land (private land). Private landowners may refuse permission to access or cross their land to reach the points on the BLM land. When this occurs, the contractor will not enter or cross the private land and will not be paid for that point.

a. Data collection shall proceed only on all assigned onsite private grazing land (OPGL) points where permissions have been granted by the owner or their authorized designee to access the point. Permission to access non-federal (private) land must be granted by the owner or their designated, approved representative, and documented per the 2025 Handbook Appendix C guidance, prior to Contractor entry and data collection.

b. Acquisition of private landowner permission shall be obtained by the Contractor for all assigned NRI points located on non-federal lands, with or without the assistance of NRCS.

Access approval by private landowners for NRI data collection is neither implied nor guaranteed by this contract.

c. A properly documented report of attempts to secure landowner permission to access a non-federal point shall include all dates of attempted contact/successful contact on the Access Record.

d. Contractor shall furnish the COR a copy of these records at the time of invoice, or as requested. Contractor will not receive payment for NRI data collection activities on non-federal points where the Contractor does not include with their Invoice sufficient documentation (following Appendix C guidelines and including all dates of contact or attempted contact) documenting owner approval to access the non-federal point(s).

e. Landowner permissions are not always granted nor possible or available, thus the number of non-federal points where permissions are sought prior to data collection are expected to exceed the actual number of points where data is approved for collection.

The Contractor shall collect range or pastureland inventory data only on OPGL sample points where access permission has been documented to have been expressly granted by the owner or their authorized designee.

3. The Contractor shall collect data in full accordance with the standards outlined in the 2025 Handbook (see section P. Reference Materials), or as directed by the COR. The following identifies certain expectations during the contract period:

a. Segment site location maps and aerial photographs will be made available to Contractors by the COR.

b. The NRI data collected shall be free of errors and collected in a logical order to minimize the number of trips to the field for data collection.

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c. To be complete, range and pasture data collection protocols in the 2025 Handbook will be followed, and all data elements populated and verified by the Contractor as complete and accurate for each point required on a segment.

d. NRI data shall be entered into the NRCS CASI software. Sample points and segments will be considered complete when all field data is collected and entered the NRCS CASI software, data has fully passed all electronic completion checks in the CASI (designated as "completed/CO" status), and is successfully transmitted electronically to the ISU server as per specifications outlined in the 2025 Handbook, or as advised by the COR. All sample segments and point data elements must pass the completion check on the CASI to meet "completed/CO" status before being transmitted to the ISU server.

e. To ensure data safety and security, sample segment/point data elements must be electronically transferred to the ISU server no later than 10 days after commencing field data collection on sample points and segments.

f. Work shall begin and conclude in accordance with the table set forth at section E (Period of Performance) of this Statement of Work. Deadlines for completing OPGL non-federal land data points, were established by using generalized USDA Plant Hardiness Zone information; these dates may be subject to change by the Government in response to conditions.

g. The NRI data collection option in the CASI software will be used.

3. Deliverables: The Contractor shall submit the following: All required data (above) shall be collected and entered into the NRCS CASI software. Sample segments shall be considered completed when all field data is collected and entered into the NRCS CASI software, all data has fully passed all electronic completion checks in the CASI (designated as “completed/CO” status), and has been transmitted electronically to the ISU server as per specifications outlined in the latest version of the National Resources Inventory Grazing Land On-Site Data Collection, Handbook of Instructions (P. Reference Materials). All sample segments and point data elements must pass the completion check on the CASI to meet “completed/CO” status before being transmitted to the ISU server. In order to ensure data safety and security, sample segment/point data elements must be electronically transferred to the ISU server no later than 10 days after commencing field data collection for said sample segments. No partially completed sample segments in non-completed status (designated as uncompleted/”UC”) will be accepted.

All sample segments must be returned to the ISU server no later than midnight on September 30 of each year.

Meetings, Conferences, and Briefings

The Contractor shall attend, participate in, and furnish input to scheduled and unscheduled meetings, conferences, and briefings that relate to the Contracted functions and services, as required by the Government, to provide effective communication and necessary information. The contractors shall conduct themselves as representatives of NRCS.

The Contractor shall participate in meetings with NRCS customers: Federal, State, and local agencies and their representatives; civic groups; landowners; tribal members; and other contractors as required by the Government. These meetings include both on-site and off-site meetings, and

Page 8 of 17 Attachment 1 to the frequency may be weekly, monthly, or as otherwise required. The contractors shall conduct themselves as representatives of NRCS.

Contractor employees shall participate in technical training sessions as directed by the COTR.

Contractor employees shall be required to attend training sessions prior to commencement of work. These sessions may consist of but is not limited to one or more webinars, and a detailed “on-the-ground” walkthrough of the data collection procedures. See C5.1.7 Specific Tasks for additional information. There will be no charge for the NRCS provided training. Interested contractors should include their cost to complete the trainings as a separate line item during the bidding process.

G. REQUIRED EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE/CONTRACTOR PROFICIENCY

1. The Contractor’s Team Leader (s) must meet the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standard for a GS-454-11 Rangeland Management Specialist.

Qualifications for this position are described below and are published in the “OPM Operating Manual for Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions”. Refer to:

http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/index.htm.

Note: College transcripts, resumes and references may be requested by the Government to verify education, experience, and performance.

Basic Requirements:

A. Degree: in range management; or a related discipline that included at least 42 semester hours in a combination of the plant, animal, and soil sciences, and natural resources management, as follows: Range Management – at least 18 hours of course work in range management, including courses in such areas as basic principles of range management, range plants, range ecology, range inventories and studies, range improvements, and ranch or rangeland planning. Directly related plant, animal, and soil sciences – at least 15 semester hours of directly related courses in the plant, animal, and soil sciences. Courses in such areas as plant taxonomy, plant physiology, plant ecology, animal nutrition, livestock production, and soil morphology or soil classification are acceptable. Related Resource Management Studies – at least 9 semester hours of course work in related resource management subjects, including courses in such areas as wildlife management, watershed management, natural resource or agricultural economics, forestry, agronomy, forages and outdoor recreation management.

-OR-

B. Combination of education and experience – at least 42 semester hours of course work in the combination of plant, animal, and soil sciences and natural resources management shown in A above, plus appropriate experiences or additional education.

-AND-

One year of specialized experience in rangeland plant identification and rangeland site inventory methods equivalent to at least the GS-457-9 level or 2 years of progressively http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/index.htm

Page 9 of 17 Attachment 1 to higher level graduated education leading to a master’s degree or equivalent graduate degree.

Additional Requirements:

A. The Contractor’s Team Leader (s) in addition to meeting the OPM Qualification Standard for a GS-454-11 Rangeland Management Specialist shall have experience in the following:

• Working in Western states in rangeland management and conducting rangeland inventories

• The ability to identify Utah NRCS Ecological Sites (or Range Sites) and the various alternative states associated with that site

• Global Position System (GPS) equipment to navigate to sample sites

• Use of soil survey information and ability to identify and describe the soil component at the point location (depth, texture and modifier, effervescence, other features)

• Apparent rangeland trend indicators

• Training and experience in conducting rangeland health assessments using the 17 indicators of rangeland health

• Utah plant identification

• Identification of resource concerns

• Identification of disturbance indicators

• NRCS Conservation Practice Standards (see Description of Work above)

• Establishing and inventorying rangeland vegetation using line transects – plant cover, canopy gaps

• Vegetation cover density and height measurements

• Soil stability measurements

• Sagebrush identification and shape

B. Data collectors shall have experience in the following:

• Global Position System (GPS) equipment to navigate to sample sites

• Use of soil survey information and ability to identify and describe the soil component at the point location (depth, texture and modifier, effervescence, other features)

• Utah plant identification

• Establishing and inventorying using line transects plant cover composition and canopy gaps

• Vegetation cover density and height measurements

• Soil stability measurements

• Sagebrush identification and shape

H. NRCS PROVIDED TRAINING

Team leaders and data collectors must be authorized by the COR before collecting NRI grazing land data for the current field season. To be authorized to collect data: one must attend the scheduled NRCS training provided, participate in calibration and be within required limits, and

Page 10 of 17 Attachment 1 to pass the written test. Data collection authorization is granted on an annual basis; team leaders and data collectors authorized in the previous field season must be authorized for the current field season before they are permitted to collect data. The Contractor’s team leaders and data collectors shall attend a NRCS training session (online recorded training) on the NRI grazing land data collection protocols prior to data collection. There will be no charge for the NRCS provided training. In addition, each Contractor will be required to complete no more than two additional quality assurance calibration exercises onsite with the COR during the data collection season. Interested Contractors should include their cost to complete the calibrations in the per-unit contract price. The Contractor will schedule the quality assurance calibration exercises with the COR by written notification prior to commencement of the field season data collection.

Training for option periods is assumed to be in-person in Tucson, AZ unless notified otherwise.

Proposed price shall not exceed Federal Travel Rates. Quotes that contain prices that exceed Federal Travel Rates will not be considered for award.

I. QUALITY ASSURANCE (QA)/PERFORMANCE BASED REQUIREMENTS

The Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) will coordinate the evaluation of Contractor performance. NRCS will provide Quality Assurance Reviews (QAR) for a minimum of 10% of collected data for sample segments. The QARs will consist of an in-field review or review of data submitted to the ISU server by the Contractor. Any issues relative to the quality or correctness of collected data will be corrected as soon as possible. The Contractor will transmit corrected sample segments, as needed, to the ISU server. The Contractor’s team leaders and data collectors are required to participate in periodic quality assurance calibration exercises. Such calibration exercises shall be required no more than two times during data collection after initial training and calibration. Calibration exercises are in addition to the training required by Section H of this Statement of Work. The Contractor will schedule the quality assurance calibration exercises with the COR by written notification prior to commencement of the field season data collection.

J. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY, MATERIALS, AND FACILITIES

1. Government Furnished Property (GFP): The property supplied by the NRCS shall only be used for direct performance of the work specified in this contract. Use for purposes other than this contract is prohibited. NRCS will maintain the GFP and will provide access to all equipment manuals for provided equipment. Government furnished equipment includes the following items: Hand-held computers loaded with the NRCS Computer Assisted Survey Instrument (CASI) software and vehicle chargers. All government furnished equipment must be returned to the COR at the end of the performance period.

2. Government Furnished Materials (GFM): The NRCS will provide GFM in the form of NRI sample segment support materials including legal descriptions and photographs of each sample segment with the sample segment boundary and data collection points located and labeled. Copies of soil and site descriptions of the expected plant communities will also be

Page 11 of 17 Attachment 1 to provided. Materials will be delivered by the performance start date. All NRI support materials (maps, paper data forms, electronic files, etc.) must be returned to the COR at the end of the performance period. The final invoice will not be processed for payment until all equipment and NRI support materials have been returned to the COR.

3. Government Furnished Facilities (GFF): NRCS will provide the Contractor the use of Government workspace within NRCS facilities as needed and available. Use of Government workspace shall be coordinated with the COR in writing 10 calendar days prior to requested use.

4. Contractor Responsibility for GFP and GFM: The Contractor shall notify the COR in writing within two (2) working days after the discovery of lost, damaged, or destroyed GFP, GFF, or GFM. The notification shall include the specific property number or other identifying codes and property nomenclature; the circumstances surrounding the loss, damage, or destruction; estimated cost of alleviating the problem, if appropriate; and the expected impact on provision of Contractor services. The Contractor may be held financially liable for any shortage, loss, damage, or destruction of GFP or GFF as determined by the contracting officer.

K. CONTRACTOR PROVIDED PROPERTY

The Contractor shall furnish all property, etc. to perform this contract that is not specifically identified as GFP, GFM or GFF above. This is expected to include, but is not limited to:

• two (2) 150-foot flexible tapes with 0.1 foot graduations

• yardstick or tape for height measurements

• two (2) pair thinning shears

• two (2) pair grass clippers

• digital camera (5 Mega-Pixel or higher) and extra batteries

• 9.6 sq. ft. sample frames or hoops

• gram scales (0-060g, 0-100g, 0-300g)

• tile spade (sharpshooter) and shovel

• plant identification references

• magnifying lens

• clinometer

• compass

• wire survey flags

• steel pins

• clipboard

• soil stability kit and distilled water

• whiteboard

• marking pens

• transportation to and from sample sites

• Acid for effervescence testing (10% HCl solution)

• Tape (square plot) or string (circular plot) for woody production plots.

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L. COMMUNICATIONS

"As-needed" teleconferences with NRCS shall be scheduled whenever requested by the CO, COR or the Contractor to review items including progress, questions relating to the project, work revised, or decisions which need to be made with the intention of expediting the completion of the contract. All contracting inquiries shall be directed only to the CO. All technical inquiries shall be directed only to the COR. Communications shall be verbal or in written form via email or hand delivered. The CO or COR may also request follow-up written communications regarding any specific inquiry.

M. REVIEW PROCEDURES

Work completed by the Contractor will be reviewed and approved by the COR within 14 calendar days from the submittal of data to the ISU server. Invoices cannot be submitted until sample segments are reviewed and approved by the COR and posted as completed/CO status on the ISU server.

N. CHANGES

Throughout the period of this contract the Contractor can expect to receive government directed changes to the manner in which processes are being performed. Changes include minor changes in data collection instructions and data collection software. Directives may be received in the form of written communications or verbal, followed up by written communications.

The Contractor shall immediately implement changes to processes approved by the CO and COR that result in a decrease to or no change in the contract price. A proposal documenting the decreased cost will be submitted within 10 working days. Any changes that result in decreases or increases in price can only be approved by the CO. A proposal showing the revised work and increased cost must be submitted to the CO and approved in a written modification before commencing the change in work.

O. PAYMENT PROCESS

Full Payment: Payment will only be made for deliverables that meet contract quality standards and protocols of this Statement of Work and is successfully submitted to and subsequently accepted by the Government.

Monthly payment shall be made in accordance with the contract requirements at the price per unit (point) for this work for each completed segment. Segments are “completed” when approved by the COR and posted as a “CO” segment to the database located at the USDA NRCS Iowa State University Center for Survey Statistics & Methodology located in Ames, Iowa. Invoices cannot be submitted until sample segments are reviewed and approved by the COR and posted as completed/CO status on the ISU server.

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The Contractor shall submit an invoice once a month, the invoice will list the points completed since the last invoice. The invoice will separate the points by County and by BLM or private ownership.

Points where private landowners do not provide permission to access or cross their property will not be visited and will not be paid.

Point(s) where the land use type can be readily seen on the supplied aerial photos to be other than required (rangeland or pastureland) will not be visited and will not be paid.

Contractor to inquire with COR on any points that appear to not meet NRI data collection criteria before proceeding with data collection.

Point(s) where the land use type is confirmed by the contractor in the field, after a visit to the point(s), to be other than required (rangeland or pastureland), will be paid at 50% of the contract rate.

Point(s) deemed to be inaccessible after contractor has traveled to them in the field will be paid at 50% of the contract rate if, in the judgment of the COR, the contractor has undertaken all reasonable efforts to access the point(s) without success.

The final invoice will not be processed for payment until all equipment and NRI support materials have been returned to the COR.

Non-Payment

Points with obvious topographic, geologic, or other CLEARLY observable hazards identified using publicly available ancillary sources shall be classified as “inaccessible-office” and are not subject to payment. Contractor shall consult with COTR as needed to confirm an “inaccessible-office” determination before attempting access to the segment point.

Points determined to be inaccessible-office will not be subject to payment, or partial-payment, under this agreement. No payment will be made for any contracted points where permission to transit non-federal lands was required but not obtained.

Points where the land use type can be readily determined on sequential aerial imagery provided by the Government or otherwise commonly accessible to the Contractor as not meeting a land use type definition subject to data collection per the 2025 NRI Handbook definitions and guidelines (e.g. 4-lane highways, roof-tops, baseball fields, active mines, etc.), are to be designated inaccessible-office and are not subject to payment. Contractor may consult with COTR as needed to make a “inaccessible-office” determination before attempting access to the segment point.

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No payment will occur with points that could be eligible but were skipped because of ease of access for the remaining points as determined by the contactor.

Partial Payment: Full payment will not be made for segments where no data was collected.

Segments deemed to be ‘inaccessible or not required’ after traveling to the data collection site will be paid at 50% normal segment rate, after consultation with the COR. Examples of ‘inaccessible or not required’ segments may include 1) locked gate, 2) steep terrain (>65% slopes), 3) change in ownership, 4) greater than 2.5 miles from a road or trail, or 5) change in land use. No payment will be made if no staff costs or travel costs were accrued.

P. DEFINITIONS

The definitions set forth below are those unique to this Contract. Definitions for technical terms or words that are included in this Contract can be found in the technical documents referenced in the individual functional areas of the Statement of Work (SOW). The definitions provided below are oriented to the NRCS Contract services environment. In addition to the list of general definitions that apply to all services, additional definitions are provided for most services. In many cases definitions are situation specific. The total listing of definitions is not all-inclusive, but it has been derived from official publications, e.g., regulations, technical manuals, when available.

Acceptable Level of Performance (ALP): Maximum percent defective (or maximum number of defects per hundred units) that can be considered as a satisfactory performance average. The Government will normally accept the services provided the percent defective (or defects per 100 units) does not exceed the ALP. However, the Contractor shall not intentionally perform in a defective manner and shall re- perform any service found to be defective whenever possible.

Decisions as to the necessity for re- performance shall be made by the COTR.

Accountability: Accountability is the obligation to keep accurate and complete records of property, documents, or funds. Important data elements may include, but not limited to, identification data, gains, losses, due-ins, due-outs, and balances on hand or in use.

Accurate: Precise and factual information. Includes information concerning Government Policy and information pertaining to soldiers, family members, retirees, and military organizations.

The term applies to information maintained in databases, entered on forms, recorded in other mediums of communication for official purposes, and to the information provided directly to customers.

Case File: The record of resource information, decisions, and technical assistance for a specific client. A case file is established and maintained in the NRCS field office for each client where NRCS is providing continuing technical assistance on a planning unit. The case file will be maintained electronically. Information not amenable to electronic format will be maintained in hard copy under the client’s name.

Certification: One who has received a certificate or license stating he or she has met the minimum requirements for performing the services required in this Contract in accordance with the State of issue.

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Contract: A mutually binding legal relationship obligating the seller to furnish the supplies or services (including construction) and the buyer to pay for them. It includes all types of commitments that obligate the Government to an expenditure of appropriated funds and that, except as otherwise authorized, are in writing. In addition to bilateral instructions, contracts include, but are not limited to, awards and notices o f awards; job orders or task letters issued under basic ordering agreements; letter contracts; orders, such as purchase orders, under which the contract becomes effective by written acceptance or performance; and bilateral contract modifications.

Contract Award: The time at which the Contracting Officer signs the Contract.

Contract Discrepancy: A failure of the Contractor to perform in accordance with contract requirements and specifications. A contract discrepancy may result from a failure of the Contractor to provide, or provide on time, the required contract products or services; or it may result because delivered products or services do not meet specific contract standards.

Contracting Officer (CO): A person with the authority to enter into, administer, modify, and/or terminate contracts, and make related determinations and findings. The term includes certain authorized representatives of the CO acting within the limits of their authority as delegated by the CO.

Contracting Officer's Representative (COR): An individual designated in writing by the Contracting Officer to act as an authorized representative of the Contracting Officer to perform specific contract administrative functions within the scope and limitations as defined by the Contracting Officer. The COR does not have the authority to modify the contract.

Contract Start: The calendar date at which the Contractor takes over the service and begins work performance.

Contractor: The Contractor, its subsidiaries and affiliates, joint ventures involving the Contractor, or any entity with which the Contractor may have merged or any individual or entity that assisted or advised the Contractor in the preparation of its proposal under the solicitation resulting in this contract.

Contractor Acquired Property (CAP): Property acquired or otherwise provided by the Contractor with funding provided in the contract and to which the Government has or is given title.

District Conservationist: Responsible NRCS official headquartered at the county level USDA Service Centers. These individuals are responsible for all aspects of NRCS administration and operations within assigned field office boundaries.

Ecological Site Description: is the document that contains information about the individual Ecological Sites. Ecological site is defined as a distinctive kind of land with specific characteristics that differs from other kinds of land in its ability to produce a distinctive kind and amount of vegetation Facilities: Buildings or structures, in whole or in part, furnished by the Government and assigned to the Contractor for contract performance. All items of Real Property other than land.

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Fiscal Year (FY): The Government fiscal year begins every October 1st and ends the following September 30th. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends. For example, Fiscal Year 2025, abbreviated FY25, begins 1 Oct 2025 and ends 30 Sep 2026.

Government-Furnished Equipment (GFE): A term used in this Contract to mean equipment in the possession of, or directly acquired by, the Government and subsequently made available to the Contractor.

Government-Furnished Facilities (GFF): A term used in this Contract to mean facilities, buildings or structures, in whole or in part, furnished by the Government and assigned to the Contractor for contract performance. All items of Real Property other than land.

Government-Furnished Property (GFP): A term used in this Contract to mean property in the possession of, or directly acquired by, the Government and subsequently made available to the Contractor.

Inventory: A count of items located within an area or within a system.

Non Federal Grazing Lands: Private Grazing Lands are those non-federal range and pasture lands where assigned segments and points are owned by non-federal entities. These points are subject to securing explicit, documented permission for access prior to commencing data collection activities.

Pastureland: A land cover/use category of land managed primarily for the production of introduced forage plants for livestock grazing. Pastureland cover may consist of a single species in a pure stand, a grass mixture, or a grass-legume mixture. Management usually consists of cultural treatments: fertilization, weed control, reseeding or renovation, and control of grazing. For the NRI, includes land that has a vegetative cover of grasses, legumes, and/or forbs, regardless of whether or not it is being grazed by livestock.

Point: refers to a known location contained within a segment boundary line, identified by a pair of coordinates using a commonly defined global coordinate system derived from the official NRI spatial data base, where data is collected. Contractor performance is, in large part, determined by completed inventory data collection competently concluded at the Point.

Rangeland: A land cover/use category on which the climax or potential plant cover is composed principally of native grasses, grasslike plants, forbs or shrubs suitable for grazing and browsing, and introduced forage species that are managed like rangeland. This would include areas where introduced hardy and persistent grasses, such as crested wheatgrass, are planted and such practices as deferred grazing, burning, chaining, and rotational grazing are used, with little or no chemicals or fertilizer being applied. Grasslands, savannas, many wetlands, some deserts, and tundra are considered to be rangeland. Certain communities of low forbs and shrubs, such as mesquite, chaparral, mountain shrub, and pinyon-juniper, are also included as rangeland.

Segment: (formerly referenced as PSU). A bounded area of land from 40 to 640 acres in size.

Within the segment, sample points are assigned. Certain data elements are collected for the

Page 17 of 17 Attachment 1 to entire segment, while others are collected at the segment points. The size of the segment is based on the shape, size, and complexity of the resources being inventoried. In the Western United States, segments are often 40 or 640-acre square areas; the 40-acre units are used in most irrigated areas, and the larger segments in homogeneous areas containing large tracts of range, forest land, or barren land.

Statement of Work (SOW): The SOW consists of the definitive or descriptive words identifying the subject matter of the contract referred to as the specifications or work statement.

Q. REFERENCE MATERIALS

1. Instructions, NRI Handbook of Instructions for Grazing Land On-Site Data Collection, 2025 https://grazingland.cssm.iastate.edu/site-data-collection-handbook-instructions

2. Field Book for Describing and Sampling Soils USDA NRCS.

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs142p2_052523.pdf

3. Technical Reference 1734-4, 1999, Sampling Vegetation Attributes https://www.blm.gov/nstc/library/pdf/samplveg.pdf

4. NRCS Field Office Technical Guide, Utah http://efotg.nrcs.usda.gov/efotg_locator.aspx?map=UT

5. NRCS National Range and Pasture Handbook, 1997 http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/landuse/rangepasture/?&cid=ste lprdb1043084

6. Technical Reference 1734-6 2005, Interpreting Indicators of Rangeland Health, Version 4 https://www.blm.gov/nstc/library/pdf/1734-6rev05.pdf

7. USDA NRCS National Plants Database at http://plants.usda.gov/java/

8. Ecological Site Descriptions https://esis.sc.egov.usda.gov/Welcome/pgReportLocation.aspx?type=ESD

9. Utah Noxious Weeds; see http://ag.utah.gov/divs-progs/50-plants-and-pests/hay-grain-seed/599-noxious-weed-list.html

10. Federal Noxious Weeds; see http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/weeds/

11. USDA NRCS Invasive Plants; see http://plants.usda.gov/java/noxiousDriver https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs142p2_052523.pdf https://www.blm.gov/nstc/library/pdf/samplveg.pdf http://efotg.nrcs.usda.gov/efotg_locator.aspx?map=UT http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/landuse/rangepasture/?&cid=stelprdb1043084 http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/landuse/rangepasture/?&cid=stelprdb1043084 https://www.blm.gov/nstc/library/pdf/1734-6rev05.pdf http://plants.usda.gov/java/ https://esis.sc.egov.usda.gov/Welcome/pgReportLocation.aspx?type=ESD http://ag.utah.gov/divs-progs/50-plants-and-pests/hay-grain-seed/599-noxious-weed-list.html http://ag.utah.gov/divs-progs/50-plants-and-pests/hay-grain-seed/599-noxious-weed-list.html http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/weeds/ http://plants.usda.gov/java/noxiousDriver

NRI Utah Federal Points

Utah

Bureau of Land Management Points

NRI Utah Non Federal Points

Utah

Grazing Land Points (non federal)