B08_140L6323Q0046_-_Attachment_01_-_SOW.pdf

BLM Alaska - 140L6323Q0046 – Attachment 01

Statement of Work:

Dall’s Sheep Mineral Lick Project Support

Background:

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Central Yukon Field Office (CYFO) implemented a study to better understand Dall’s sheep use of naturally occurring mineral sources (“licks”) in the Central Brooks Range using camera traps. The study has been ongoing since 2016. Additional components of this study include soil sampling and acoustic monitoring in the vicinity of mineral licks. The purpose of this work is to evaluate the extent and seasonal use of mineral licks as important components of sheep habitat. Additionally, the purpose is to document baseline soil and sound data and explore the relationship of these variables to sheep habitat and habitat use.

The BLM has collected a substantial amount of data since the project’s inception. Forward progress regarding data processing, management, and analysis is limited by staffing constraints and in-house expertise. Additional support is necessary for the project to progress such that the information can be applied toward sound wildlife habitat management on BLM-managed lands. This Statement of Work delineates the qualifications and tasks required of a supporting entity (e.g., environmental consulting firm or equivalent). The work will require that the recipient has the capacity to enter full collaboration with the BLM as well as other federal partners including the USGS and the NPS. Final decisions on the work to be conducted will be made by the BLM.

The work will require that the recipient be capable of providing pertinent input specific to the soil, floral, and faunal resources of the Brooks Range. It follows that the recipient of this work will be a highly regarded, established consulting company (or equivalent) staffed with personnel able to achieve the below-listed tasks and provide region-specific wildlife and habitat expertise. The recipient of this work will meet the following guidelines:

1. Staff with the capacity to meet the below-described Tasks. The work described ranges broadly in labor needs and will include data processing (photo, soil, and acoustic), technical statistical analyses (including but not limited to PCA analysis and occupancy modeling), and database management.

2. Achievement of project goals is largely dependent on the recipient’s capacity to provide region and species-specific expertise. This includes an intimate geographic, ecological, and geophysical knowledge of the study area and subject matter. The recipient should be able to thoroughly demonstrate their knowledge of and/or previous work done in the Brooks Range on Dall’s sheep.

Tasks:

Task 1. Spatial Database and Open File Report:

The recipient will continue the current development and population of a spatial .mxd database. The work will be the continuance and enhancement of an existing database developed thus far by ABR Inc.

Environmental Research and Services (ABR Inc.). The database is organized by mineral lick site and will include all relevant data associated with each site including site characteristics, soil trace element concentrations and soil characteristics, sheep visitation and associated temporal parameters, and other identified parameters as needed. The database will include a spatial data so that data can be extracted by geographic area. The database design will allow for ready extraction of data for analysis through standard database clients such as R, ArcMap, DBeaver, as well as through a custom interface. The database also will serve to index for future reference.

Task 1- Deliverables

a. The contractor will provide a database inclusive of all previously and currently available data with archival capacity as well as a GIS-compatible and user-friendly interface which allows for ready extraction of data.

b. The contractor will assist the BLM in the production of a BLM Open File Report.

Task 2: Soil Data Analysis and Reporting

Soil samples have been collected and laboratory analyses for trace element concentrations as well as soil characterization have been completed. The purpose of this work was to determine how multiple mineral licks utilized by sheep compare to one another as well as to reference samples. The soils data has been received by ABR Inc., who worked with the BLM to populate the existing database with previously collected soils data. Completion of this task will allow for the soil data to be made available for analyses and reporting. Analyses and reporting will be conducted primarily by the recipient with the guidance and input of the BLM.

Task 2 – Deliverables

a. Soils data will be incorporated into the database as described in Task 1. Collaborative analysis of 2017 and 2019 soil and water analyses results will occur with input from the BLM. Final statistical analyses of the soils data will be completed.

b. The recipient will be responsible for providing publication-quality descriptions of the selected statistical analyses conducted (i.e., language that will be included in a report and/or publication of the results) and will produce a report related to this aspect of the work under the guidance of

BLM.

c. Related investigative analysis not identified in this list may be conducted per the direction of the BLM.

Task 3: Habitat Use Analysis and Reporting

Camera traps have been established from the southern to northern foothills of the Brooks Range to quantify range extent and habitat use by sheep and other wildlife. All sites are in general proximity to the Dalton Corridor and on or near BLM-managed lands. As of August 2022, it is anticipated that most of the photo processing (Task 3.a.) will have been completed. However, the remainder of the deliverable will be required per the specifications below. Additionally, there is the potential that additional photos not yet analyzed (currently being collected in the field) would become available and be integrated into this Task. Also, photos from dark/night photographs may be reprocessed. Finally, ram photos previously analyzed may be re-evaluation of ram horn size may be re-processed.

Task 3- Deliverables

a. Photograph processing: Visitation to mineral licks utilized by Dall’s sheep is currently being documented with photos. Photos not yet collected from the field may be transferred to the recipient of the award for processing into the existing database. ($8-14K)

b. Descriptive and/or statistical analyses: Work collaboratively with the BLM to identify data gaps as well as to determine which available data is appropriate for analysis and reporting.

Some desired analyses may not be feasible given data and/or time limitations. The primary goal will be to address the some or all the below-listed topics in a manner that can be presented as summary descriptive information (i.e., analysis results, graphical depictions of data, and written summaries of work for formal reporting). Where feasible, analyses will be conducted per the direction of the BLM and other partners. Pending data availability and limitations the following descriptive and/or statistical analysis may be conducted. The recipient will be responsible for providing publication-quality description of the analyses conducted (i.e., language that will be included in a report and/or publication of the results) and will produce all reports related to this aspect of the work under the guidance of BLM.

i. Investigation of inter- and intra-annual visitation of mineral sources by sheep and for specific age and gender classes with attention to spatial variation in site location including latitudinal and elevational gradient as well varying localized site characteristics. Attention will be paid to annual visitation patterns.

ii. Investigation of diurnal patterns in visitation of mineral sources by all sheep and for specific age and gender classes with attention to spatial variation in site location including latitudinal and elevational gradients as well as varying local site characteristics.

iii. Investigation of the relationship between recorded weather parameters and mineral lick visitation by all sheep and for specific age and gender classes with attention to spatial variation in site location including latitudinal and elevational gradients as well as varying local site characteristics. This work may include preliminary investigation of the utility of relating snow depth (as measured in the field) and soundscape with mineral source visitation.

iv. Pending the results of preliminary data analysis exercises, and newly available data (including acoustic data) additional analyses not identified in the above list may be conducted.

Deliverables:

The due date for all deliverables is December 31st, 2024. If additional funds are added to this contract additional goals related to this project may be specified and additional deliverables may be requested with respective due dates.

Task selection and progress on each task will be fluid depending on data needs. It is possible that deliverables and/or components of deliverables will not be accomplished. Decisions on which deliverables are accomplished will be at the discretion of the BLM.

The tangible products associated with all tasks will depend on the nature of a given task. The selected contractor will be responsible for providing reports detailing work done and hours allocated as needed and/or requested by the BLM. For all analyses conducted the selected contractor will provide a written summary of the analyses methods to meet the standards specified by BLM per the given analysis. The BLM may request that the results from some analyses are presented as graphical depictions. Written summaries of work for inclusion in formal reports and/or publications are expected as per BLM guidance indicates. The selected contractor will respond to these requests and provide these items in a manner that meets the specifications provided by BLM.

Deliverables: