B08_Solicitation_(Attch_1_SOW).docx

Scope of Work Multi-year, Multi-park White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) Censuses for National Park Service Northeast Region Park Units

EXTENT: The service provider shall perform the work described herein for the Natural Resources Division, Resource Stewardship and Science Directorate of the Northeast Region (NER) of the National Park Service (NPS) and the individual NPS park units identified in this scope of work (hereafter, SOW) and listed in Table 1.

SCIENTIFIC INTEGRITY: Scientific integrity is vital to Department of Interior (DOI) activities under which scientific research, data, summaries, synthesis, interpretations, presentations, and/or publications are developed and used. Failure to uphold the highest degree of scientific integrity will result not only in potentially flawed scientific results, interpretations, and applications but will damage DOI’s reputation and ability to uphold public trust. All work performed must comply with the DOI Scientific Integrity Policy posted to http://doi.gov, or its equivalent as provided by the service provider or State law.

PERFORMANCE PERIOD: The performance of the white-tailed deer censuses described in this SOW shall be done in the winter season of 2025, and additional option years (2026-2029) dependent upon funding.

PROJECT IDENTIFICATION: The work in this SOW shall consist of the services described below for the referenced project. In all related documents, the project shall be referred to as Multi-year, Multi-park Deer Censuses for NPS – NERO Park Units.

Reference number to be used on all project documents:

1.0 Introduction

The Resource Stewardship and Science Division of the NPS Northeast Region (NER) needs to obtain total counts of white-tailed deer at eight (8) NER park units in 2025 as part of the essential data needed to effectively develop and implement native forest restoration plans. The park units are Flight 93 National Memorial (FLNI), Fort Necessity National Battlefield (FONE), Friendship Hill National Historic Site (FRHI), Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site (HOFU), Morristown National Historical Park (MORR), Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park (SAGA), Saratoga National Historical Park (SARA), and Weir Farm National Historical Park (WEFA). FLNI, FONE, FRHI, and HOFU are in Pennsylvania, MORR is in New Jersey, SAGA is in New Hampshire, SARA is in New York, and WEFA is in Connecticut. The potential exists for additional census years (2026-2029) in 0 to 8 parks, subject to the availability of funds. Overabundant deer have been shown to be one of the main factors responsible for the decline in forest regeneration in these park units (Miller et al. 2023), resulting in a regeneration debt that must be addressed and reversed through targeted adaptive management actions. All park units are in Imminent Failure, Probable Failure, or Insecure regeneration status categories. Efficient and reliable total deer counts are required to establish baseline deer population densities in these park units, determine whether population control actions are justified, and adjust any actions if needed over time.

2.0 Purpose

Rapid yet accurate deer counts for each park unit are needed to support planning for deer management and native forest restoration. Fieldwork to obtain the deer counts will need to be completed in a single night at each park unit.

3.0 Scope of Work

The deer censusing work will include:

second census will be conducted over the same time period using a different census design to provide a measure of variability and detection probability in the counts.

3.2 Processing of data obtained from fieldwork to produce deer counts for each park unit area and a suitable buffer zone around each unit boundary, subdivided by National Land Cover Database 2021 (Dewitz 2023) land cover types, using methodologies agreed upon with NPS-NERO and each park unit’s natural resources staff.

3.3 Summary Report: Abstract, Introduction, Materials and Methods, Data Processing and Analysis, Results, and Discussion.

3.4 Data Delivery.

4.0 Project Requirements

described in this SOW.

approval by each park unit’s Superintendent.

4.12 The contractor shall obtain a NPS Scientific Research and Collection Permit prior to conducting field work through the Research Permit and Reporting System (https://www.nps.gov/subjects/science/research-permit.htm)

5.0 Deliverables

5.3.1 Description of survey equipment, sensors used and methodology for fieldwork, including methods used to distinguish deer from other animals with certainty.

5.3.2 Data processing methodology

5.3.3 Results and Discussion of findings

5.3.4 Maps and imagery including mapped coverage for each park unit

5.3.5 A spreadsheet documenting all data for delivery including column headers: File Name, File Type (e.g., .pdf, .jpg, geo-tif), Data Type, Data Type product

6.0 General

raw data, images, manuscripts, and reports for non-profit NPS uses, including educational, archival, and research uses. These materials may be used, reproduced and displayed for these purposes in any and all media including, but not limited to, the World Wide Web, with proper accreditation.

7.0 Performance Period

7.1 The contractor shall submit all draft work products to the NPS within 30 workdays of the conclusion of field work. The NPS will have 30 workdays to submit comments on draft materials.

7.2 The contractor shall submit final work products to the NPS within 30 workdays of return of comments.

8.0 Contacts

Norm Bourg, Ph.D.

Biologist – Resilient Forests Program Manager Interior Region 1 North Atlantic - Appalachian National Park Service 1100 Ohio Drive SW Washington, DC 20242 Tel.: 202-961-8936 (work mobile)

Brian Mitchell, Ph.D.

Research Coordinator/Science Advisor North Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit National Park Service 128 Coastal Institute 218 South Ferry Road, URI Bay Campus Narragansett, RI 02882 401-318-5165

Jim Comiskey, Ph.D.

Program Manager Interior Region 1 North Atlantic - Appalachian Inventory and Monitoring Division National Park Service 120 Chatham Lane Fredericksburg, VA 22405 540-693-3124 (Tel.)

703-258-2145 (Cell)

References:

Dewitz, J., 2023. National Land Cover Database (NLCD) 2021 Products: U.S. Geological Survey data release. https://doi.org/10.5066/P9JZ7AO3.

Miller, K.M., Perles, S.J., Schmit, J.P., Matthews, E.R., Weed, A.S., Comiskey, J.A., Marshall, M.R., Nelson, P. and Fisichelli, N.A. 2023. Overabundant deer and invasive plants drive widespread regeneration debt in eastern United States national parks. Ecological Applications 33(4), p.e2837.

Table 1. NPS-NERO park units requiring deer censuses in the winter of 2025 with option years for 2026 through 2029.