TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Three Custom Wildlife Cameras for Amphibians and Beetles

The USGS, Cooperative Research Units in Orono, ME, supporting the Ecosystems mission Area requests the purchase of three (3) custom wildlife cameras. The primary use is to support the wildlife research program at the University of Maine Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research

Unit for studying amphibian migration dynamics and invertebrate biodiversity as an indicator of ecosystem health. The cameras will be used by faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students at the University of Maine to allow continuous monitoring and identification of animal movements, allowing researchers to improve prediction models of when movement occur, guide management actions such as road closures in Acadia National Park, and further develop automated tools for monitoring biodiversity to be deployed in other locations nationwide.

The cameras must meet or exceed these minimum specifications:

1. Capture images of animals ranging in size from small beetles (~3 mm) to large amphibians (~10 cm) with resolution sufficient for species identification

2. Must have the ability for nearfield focus at distances as low as 25 cm

3. Camera “trigger” cannot be IR, as must work for ectotherms and be resilient to debris accumulation

4. Attach to drift-fence for funneling of subjects into field of view

5. Have an onboard processor with artificial intelligence identification capabilities

6. Link remotely to NEON data hub to automatically upload images to the internet and to receive user inputs

7. Allow for remote communication and automated warning system

8. Include automated self-cleaning debris-removal capabilities (clearing of field of view to prevent continuous triggering)

9. Operate continuously (for at least 60 days at a time) without need for maintenance.

10. Be able to withstand harsh weather conditions, including rain and below freezing temperatures

Delivery Address:

ATTN: TBA

USGS ME CFWRU

University of Maine

5755 Nutting Hall

Orono, ME 04469

The USGS mission essential functions involve providing information that supports decision makers and resource managers in the preservation of life, health, and safety of the American people and related information delivery systems for global monitoring and reporting. The resources identified in this procurement support research in ecology, dynamics, habitat management, and species distribution modeling for a variety of wildlife populations and communities, and directly support the educational training of graduate research students and the ability of the USGS to capture, process, monitor, report, and distribute scientific data in a timely manner. In making this procurement decision, USGS considered alignment with DOI IT

Transformation goals, alternative solutions, bandwidth and IT security impacts, portability, interoperability, and life cycle requirements.