B08 140L6320Q0036 - Attachment 01 - SOW.pdf

BLM Alaska – 140L6320Q0036 - Solicitation

Statement of Work Analysis of Avian Data in NPR-A

Bureau of Land Management Arctic District Office

Background

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Arctic District Office fulfills numerous obligations associated with managing the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A). To accomplish these obligations, BLM utilizes the best available science to draft Required Operating Procedures (ROPs) and stipulations. These ROPs and stipulations seek to achieve the dual mandate of the BLM’s mission, managing public lands on the basis of multiple use and sustained yield of resources while conserving the natural, historical, and cultural resources. Analysis of existing avian data and documentation of survey protocols for data collection in the NPR-A would help guide land management decisions and provide direction relative to further research needs for avian species in the NPR-A.

The BLM has supported a number of wildlife projects in the NPR-A, and numerous data sources for wildlife species and biological resources in the NPR-A exist within and outside of the BLM.

These data include information on distribution, habitat affinities and long-term use by avian species considered to be important by the BLM in the NPR-A. To date, many of these data sets have not been fully analyzed as a time series or synthesized relative to other sources of information; these analyses would assist BLM in their land management responsibilities and decision-making processes.

Objectives

The objective of this project is to provide BLM biologists and managers with results and interpretation of BLM directed statistical and GIS analyses and documentation of survey protocols for future data collection that will improve BLM’s ability to assess potential impacts of land management decisions on selected avian species, including but not limited to snow geese and peregrine falcons.

Requirements

1. Identify and obtain existing data on Snow Goose and Peregrine Falcon surveys and research that has been conducted in the NE NPR-A (defined as Barrow to the west channel of Colville River delta and south to the Colville Valley) by the federal government, state government, North Slope Borough, Oil and Gas Companies, and other entities. Some of these data sets may have limited access due to sensitive information and/or ownership.

BLM Alaska – 140L6320Q0036 - Solicitation

2. Identify and obtain additional data sets that would help identify and evaluate use of the NE NPR-A by snow geese and peregrine falcons during the nesting and brood/chick-rearing periods.

3. Work with the Arctic District Office avian biologist to determine spatial and statistical analyses that would address current management questions in the NPR-A.

4. Previous research experience with these species within Northern Alaska is preferred.

Provide descriptions of your experience for at least 2 projects that included 1 or both of these species.

Deliverables

1. Synthesize information on abundance and geographical distributions of snow geese and peregrine falcons located within the NE NPR-A. This would be in the form of a report and GIS database containing locations of and maps of historical and current populations’ use. Due date March 31, 2021

2. Characterize and evaluate snow goose and peregrine falcon habitat associations in the form of a report, GIS database, and maps. Due date for draft December 31, 2021; Due date for final September 1, 2022

3. Provide comprehensive analyses, to be determined jointly by BLM and the contractor, on both snow goose and peregrine falcon datasets to help address management questions and provide the results in the form of reports and possibly publications. Due date for draft December 31, 2021; Due date for final September 1, 2022

4. Describe, in report format, potential survey protocols for snow geese and peregrine falcons that would best match, and possibly improve, the data collection protocols that have been used in the past. In this report also identify any ‘value added’ data that could be collected with little additional expense that may provide data to enhance BLMs understanding of the species and potential for impacts to the species from industrial development in the NPR-A. Due date April 31, 2021

All deliverables are expected in a digital format. BLM would expect completed FGDC compliant metadata on derived GIS data, and that it be supplied in an ESRI-compatible format (file geodatabase preferred).