B08_-_SOW_Heinz_ACLF_Mitigation_Recommendations.pdf

STATEMENT OF SERVICES:

Atlantic Coast Leopard Frog Habitat Mitigation and Recommendations

John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum, Philadelphia, PA

1. GENERAL INFORMATION

1.1 John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum is seeking quotes from qualified Contractors for authoring a Biological Assessment (BA) on breeding habitat mitigation and restoration recommendations for Atlantic coast leopard frog (ACLF) (Lithobates kauffeldi). The BA will be used to plan habitat restoration ahead of and alongside an upcoming impoundment restoration project, and for the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) to review for permitting. The impoundment restoration project will reintroduce tidal flow to at least 100 acres of impoundment, restoring historic freshwater tidal marsh. ACLF breed along the edges of the impoundment, and the restoration will introduce tidal flow to breeding sites for ACLF and other anurans, changing habitat conditions. Along with mitigation recommendations to reduce take, the Contractor will summarize existing population data and other crucial information PFBC will need for permitting and better understanding how ACLF are distributed around the impoundment.

2. LOCATION

2.1 General Location: The work area is located near Philadelphia, PA at John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge.

2.2 Address: 8601 Lindbergh Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19153.

3. QUALIFICATIONS AND PERMITS

3.1 The Contractor, or a lead member of the Contractor team, must be a Qualified Surveyor for Coastal Plains Leopard Frog Complex under PFBC and have acquired all necessary permits needed for the scope of this project. Qualified biologists possess the proper Scientific Collecting Permits and Threatened and Endangered Species Permits needed to work on ACLF projects, habitat assessments and presence/inferred absence surveys.

3.2 The Contractor must demonstrate knowledge and experience of ACLF habitat requirements and restoration. Experience consulting for avoidance and mitigation measures for a habitat-altering project is desired.

4. METHODS

4.1 General: Work shall consist of a combination of field surveys and desktop review. This will involve surveying habitat upland of the impoundment and elsewhere in the refuge and the impoundment restoration design to determine potential for vernal pool construction and restoration of suitable marshy habitat.

4.2 Desktop Review: A desktop review of existing data deemed necessary for understanding current habitat conditions and ACLF use of the refuge. These could include existing literature, land use data, and past species observation data. John Heinz NWR will supply survey data from annual callback surveys beginning in 2004 and remote surveys using auditory recording units (ARU) beginning 2024.

4.3 Field visits/surveys: The Contractor will determine best practices and methods for any surveys deemed necessary for identifying ACLF breeding mitigation sites and summarizing ACLF distribution in the refuge.

5. DELIVERABLES AND SUBMITTAL

5.1 Biological Assessment. The Contractor will deliver a BA to assess the project in detail, with a focus on avoidance, minimization, take estimate, and mitigation of taking the species. The BA includes an “Introduction/Project Background”, “Description of the Proposed Action”, as well as “Species of concern” that describes the status and history of the species on the property and “Effects of the Action” that discuss direct and indirect effects of the action to the species, “Project Alternatives”, “Take Estimate”, “Avoidance and Minimization Measures”, and “Mitigation of Take”. The BA will summarize all work and surveys performed, ACLF habitat use in the refuge, recommendations for new breeding habitat upland of the impoundment and/or elsewhere in the refuge and recommendations for habitat design of impoundment edges to allow new tidal areas to still support breeding anuran habitat. Recommendations for creation of new breeding habitat will include specific habitat details required for design and construction including range of water depth needed for different life stages, native vegetation species associated with ACLF and other native anuran, surface area of pool, and substrate type of pool bottoms associated with ACLF among other recommendations the Contractor deems necessary. Recommendations will include detailed explanations and justifications citing information gathered from desktop review and field visits.

5.2 Consultation. After the Contractor completes field visits and desktop review and is either working on or finished with the report, the Contractor and Project Officer will meet with the Impoundment Restoration Project lead engineers and PFBC to discuss recommendations for mitigation and design of impoundment edges.

5.3 Submittal. The Contractor will submit a draft of the technical report for review and comments by the Project Officer. After returning the draft, the Contractor will submit the final draft to the Project Officer. This final report will be shared with PFBC and the Impoundment Restoration Project design consultant.

6. PREWORK MEETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

6.1 Prework meeting: Within 10 business days after contract award, the Contractor shall contact the Project Officer to arrange a meeting to discuss and develop a mutual understanding of the requirements and details of the work. There may also be occasions when subsequent meetings will be called to reconfirm understanding or provide clarifications on contract requirements.

6.2 Communications: Regular meetings will be held as needed to go over work plan, schedule field visits, answer questions, review impoundment restoration project plans, and meet with the impoundment restoration project consultant and PFBC to go over habitat design needed to support

ACLF.

7. LIABILITY OF AND DAMAGES TO THE GOVERNMENT

7.1 Government Liability: The Government assumes no liability from the Contractor's performance of the contract work. The Contractor shall hold and save the Government harmless from any and all liability arising from the performance of the contract.

7.2 Responsibility for Damages: The Contractor is responsible for all damage to persons and property resulting from performance of the contract work. The Contractor shall return any Government furnished property to the Government in the condition it was received, ordinary wear and tear excepted. The Contractor shall repair or replace, at the option of the Contracting Officer, any Government furnished property lost or damaged during the contract work.