US Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Statement of Work

Contents Project General Information

1.0 Scope of Work

2.0 Background

Contractor Requirements

3.0 Technical Requirements / Tasks

4.0 Place of Delivery

5.0 Deliverables / Schedule

Project Enhancing Pastureland Conservation Monitoring & Modeling: Addressing Data Gaps to Improve Management & Environmental Outcomes in U.S. Grazing Lands

General Information

1.0 Scope of Work

The objective of this project is as follows: Understanding the effects of conservation management inputs across pasturelands requires fine scale assessments of sites, soils, and management inputs to validate and calibrate models for quantifying pastureland management at scale. ARS aims to continue supporting NRCS Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP)-Grazing Lands modeling efforts and assessments by providing the data and validation studies necessary for NRCS to inform conservation decision-making on pasturelands. Pastureland monitoring and validation efforts will begin with a case-study at the Long-Term Agroecosystem (LTAR) Texas Gulf site in Riesel Texas.

2.0 Background

Purpose is to fulfill the objectives of the Enhancing Pastureland Conservation Monitoring & Modeling:

Addressing Data Gaps to Improve Management & Environmental Outcomes in U.S. Grazing Lands project:

FAIN #: 60-3098-5-010.

For this product and associated studies; Annual fine-scale digital soil scans using gamma radiation technologies will be used to assess soil texture, pH, and nutrient availability. Biannual soil samples will also be collected from the top 15 cm at multiple strategic locations guided by soil and topographic variations within each pasture and analyzed in the laboratory for combustible total carbon, organic carbon (SOC), SOC fractions, and total nitrogen and water extractable total carbon, total nitrogen, inorganic carbon, inorganic nitrogen, available phosphorus and micronutrient availability.

The digital soil scanning equipment required for this project will also be used to map soil across space and land uses for other projects at this research station. For example, this equipment will be useful for fulfilling a variety of precision management, conservation management and mapping objectives for improving agricultural production and natural resource conservation. The data collection will be conducted at the Long-Term Agroecosystem (LTAR) Texas Gulf site in Riesel Texas.

LTAR: Long-Term Agroecosystem Research SOC: Soil Organic Carbon

Contractor Requirements

3.0 Technical Requirements / Tasks

The required equipment must be able to:

o Provide predictive topsoil mapping across space (335 data points taken per acre) o Map soil layers to at least 15 cm depths o Develop variable rate fertilization predictions for pasturelands o Scans must be able to permeate through existing vegetation using gamma ray sensors.

o Perform in rugged topography and extreme weather conditions.

o The product cannot require soil to sensor contact as these are in-tact perennial grasslands

The equipment required must satisfy the following specifications:

• Vehicle-mountable gamma ray soil sensor shall include a scintillation-based gamma-ray spectrometer capable of mobile soil mapping, collecting data up to survey vehicle speeds of 45 km/h, and providing real-time analysis of key radionuclides that are to include K-40, U-238, Th-232, and Cs-137.

• The unit should be rugged, compact, and suitable for field-vehicle mounting, with manageable weight not exceeding 12 kg and operating temperature ranges between -20 to 65 oC.

• Positioning shall rely on a multi-constellation GNSS receiver with accuracy appropriate for soil mapping and compatibility with RTK corrections.

• The system shall operate with an input voltage of 9-35V, power consumption not to exceed 6W and no reliance on an internal battery.

• It shall output data in common, interoperable formats including JSON, NMEA, and CSV, support real-time data streaming through standard interfaces, integrate GNSS, spectrometer, and basic environmental sensors, and contain 16GB of internal storage.

• Connectivity shall include wireless Wi-Fi up to 5 Ghz. Wired connectivity options will include Ethernet up to 100 Mbps and RS-232 serial ports for reliable communication and data transfer.

Contractor must:

1. Provide product and support for initial set up within 90 days of purchase date.

2. Provide contact information upon award.

3. Respond via phone or email within 2 weeks of written inquiry and/or oral communication relating to issues with this product.

4.0 Place of Delivery

USDA – ARS Riesel Watersheds 1702 Blackland Road, Riesel, TX 76682

5.0 Deliverables / Schedule

Key Deliverables Item No. Deliverable Objective Due 1 Soil Scanner All acquired parts will be available and support will be available for initial set-up.

Contact information for any further contact or support will be provided. Staff will monitor acquisition times and initiate set-up dates as soon as possible following delivery.

Delivery shall occur within 90 days of award and set-up shall take place no more than 30 days following the delivery of the product.

Special circumstances relating to unsuitable field conditions or delivery issues could allow for an extension of these timeframes.