Bat_Mist_Net_Surveys_Specifications.pdf

Specifications Bat Mist Net Surveys

For Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) Biodiversity Division

ITB 32801-13563

This solicitation is for the procurement of a five (5) year contract for the TWRA Biodiversity Division, to have mist net surveys performed for bats on one (1) wildlife management area (WMA) in each TWRA administrative region annually. Data collected shall support the performance of environmental reviews associated with the agency’s management actions, increase the knowledge related to the distribution and occurrence of threatened and endangered bat species, and contribute to TWRA’s decision-making and conservation planning actions. The Terrestrial program within our Biodiversity Division at TWRA shall serve as the repository for all data collected.

A. General Information:

1. Mist net surveys shall occur in accordance with the most recent version of the USFWS’s Range-wide Indiana Bat and Northern Long-eared bat Survey Guidelines. Surveys shall be implemented between May 15 and August 1. The most recent version of the guidelines can be found at: https://www.fws.gov/media/range-wide-indiana-bat-and-northern-long-eared-bat-survey-guidelines.

2. Equipment used to capture and handle bats shall be cleaned and decontaminated, including personal gear such as boots and gloves, using products cited in decontamination guidelines and in compliance with label directions. The most recent decontamination guidance is available at https://www.whitenosesyndrome.org/topics/decontamination/.

3. When carrying out mist netting and handling of bats, contractors shall use COVID-specific personal protective equipment (PPE) in addition to the PPE already identified the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the state to mitigate the risk of the spread of the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome and adherence to decontamination procedures. COVID-specific PPE is a non-vented N95 respirator (no exhalation valve) or any respirator or mask that provides an equal level of protection -https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/topics/respirator/disp_part/respsource1quest3.html#half.

B. Definitions:

1. Site - one or more net-sets that can be efficiently walked to and checked by a survey team within a 10-minute window from a central bat-processing location. For example, a single net "site" is often composed of 4 individual net sets (usually separated by at least 30 m) that are checked every 10 minutes by a 2-person team (each person checks 2 nets for each net check).

https://www.fws.gov/media/range-wide-indiana-bat-and-northern-long-eared-bat-survey-guidelines https://www.whitenosesyndrome.org/topics/decontamination/ https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/topics/respirator/disp_part/respsource1quest3.html#half

2. Net Set - one mist-net deployment consisting of two poles and typically from 1-3 affixed mist-nets stacked onto one another. A typical Net Set is at least 5 m to 9 m high consisting of two or more nets stacked on top of one another (without gaps) and from 4 m to 18 m wide. In certain situations, such as a tight road corridor with low vegetation stretching across, single high Net Sets are acceptable. Net Sets should be oriented to maximize the chance of capturing flying bats. For example, nets should be placed to completely close off travel corridors, such as roads and trails, as much as possible. If netting an open canopy pond, nets should be at least 3 stacked nets high, and stretch completed across the pond.

3. Net Night - a single Net Set opened at sunset and actively maintained opened for five (5) consecutive hours.

C. Scope of Work:

1. Contractor shall perform mist net surveys on the following WMAs beginning in Year 1 (Figure 1 attached).

a. Region 1 – White Oak WMA

b. Region 2 – Cheatham WMA

c. Region 3 – Catoosa WMA and Mt. Roosevelt WMA

d. Region 4 – North Cumberland WMA

2. Contractor shall coordinate with the TWRA Bat Conservation Coordinator to ensure the WMAs identified in Year 1 shall be surveyed

Years 2-5 prior to implementation of work annually.

3. Contractor shall coordinate logistics and individual site identification with Regional Biodiversity Coordinators.

4. Contractor shall implement mist net surveys for three (3) consecutive nights at three (3) sites on the WMA identified within each TWRA administrative region.

5. Mist net surveys can be cancelled by the Contractor due to inclement weather and shall be rescheduled for the next night after the weather has passed.

a. Severe weather adversely affects capture of bats. Negative surveys combined with any of the following weather conditions throughout all or most of a sampling period are likely to require an additional night of mist-netting:

1. temperatures that fall below 50oF (10oC);

2. precipitation, including rain and/or heavy fog, that exceeds thirty (30) minutes or continues intermittently during the survey period; and

3. sustained wind speeds greater than 9 miles/hour (4 meters/seconds; 3 on Beaufort scale) for thirty (30) or more minutes.

b. If the Contractor chooses to mist net with forecasted weather conditions that may occur during the nightly effort and they must close the mist nets for longer than 30 minutes due to the weather conditions, the survey shall not be accepted.

1. Unaccepted surveys due to weather shall be rescheduled for the next night after weather passes at no additional expense to the State.

6. A minimum of four (4) Net Sets shall be used at each Site per night during mist net surveys to produce a minimum level of annual effort of 36 mist Net Nights per WMA and a minimum level of effort statewide of 144 mist Net Nights.

7. Mist net surveys shall begin at sunset and continue for five (5) consecutive hours. Net Set can be closed during the survey due to inclement weather. Please refer to #5 above to determine how inclement weather may affect mist net closures and survey results.

8. The placement of radio-transmitters on Indiana Bats (Myotis sodalis), Northern Long-eared bats (Myotis septentrionalis), and Tri-colored bats (Perimyotis subflavus) shall be at the discretion of each Regional Biodiversity Coordinator and dependent on TWRA’s ability to produce funding support for the additional equipment and manpower to support telemetry.

9. All data collected shall be entered into datasheets provided by the TWRA Bat Conservation Coordinator.

a. Completed TWRA datasheets shall be provided to the TWRA Bat Conservation Coordinator by October 1 each year.

b. The Contractor shall provide the TWRA Bat Conservation Coordinator a copy of annual reporting forms with collected data from this project submitted to USFWS as required by the vendor’s Section 10 permit using the USFWS reporting form.

10. The Contractor shall be responsible for obtaining all state, federal, and/or tribal permits and authorizations required to conduct this and all related granted activities. It shall be the vendor’s sole responsibility to obtain and comply with all required right of entry, collection, stocking or relocation, and notification requirements.

11. Bat Mist Net Breakdown:

WMA

Regions

Siters Per

WMA

Total Net Sets Per

Area

Total Nets Per WMA Per Night

Total Mist Net Nights Per WMA

Total Net Nights Per

Annual

WMA

Survey

Total Net Nights for the

5-year Contract Term

Region 1 3 4 12 3 36 180 Region 2 3 4 12 3 36 180 Region 3 3 4 12 3 36 180

Region 4 3 4 12 3 36 180

TOTAL 144 720

D. Project Grant:

1. This project will be supported by a federal grant.

2. The federal grant requires the Contractor awarded this Contract to provide a 25% match as a part of the project.

3. Contractor’s bid price shall not reflect the 25% match.

4. Matching Contributions shall be accepted in the form of cash, contributed goods and services, volunteer hours, or property.

5. Matching contributions shall be: Non-Federal in nature.

6. Contractor shall ensure that the match does not consist of Federal funds administered by a non-Federal third party.

7. Matching Contributions shall be used between the Grant Start and End Dates.

8. Services rendered in connection with the preparation of a Full Proposal and/or negotiation of the contract between the Foundation

Recipient and Foundation, or services rendered in connection with fundraising, shall not qualify as Matching Contributions.

9. All Matching Contributions shall be voluntary in nature. Funds presented for fulfillment of mitigation, restitution, or other permit or court-ordered settlements shall not be eligible (e.g., Natural Resource Damage Assessment, Supplemental Environmental Projects).

10. Costs used to satisfy a Recipient’s matching requirement shall not be used as match or cost sharing on other grants.

11. Contractor shall fill out Attachment 1 - Invoice to TWRA Grant Reimbursement.

12. Funds requested represent 75% of the total project.

13. Match amounts can be determined by:

a. Match = (Funds requested / 75%) – Funds Requested

b. Ex. Requesting $60,000 to perform the work annually, ($60,000/75%) - $60,000 = $20,000 (The amount of match to be contributed annually by the vendor).”

E. Project Coordination Contact:

1. The TWRA Bat Conservation Coordinator will coordinate all work under this solicitation. Coordination of work to be performed annually will occur with the coordinator post award.

a. Dustin Thames – Dustin.Thames@tn.gov, phone # (931) 200-1575

b. Contact shall not be made with the Project Coordinator until after Contract award.

F. Permit Requirements:

1. Section 10 Endangered Species Recovery Permit issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

a. The federal permit shall include the following actions to ensure scope of work can be performed.

mailto:Dustin.Thames@tn.gov

1. Authorization to take (capture with mist nets and harp traps, handle, identify, band, radio tag, and release) Indiana bats (Myotis sodalis), Northern Long-eared bats (Myotis septentrionalis), Gray bats (Myotis grisescens), and Tricolored bats (Perimytois subflavus). The inclusion of Tricolored bats is only required following the listing of the species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

2. Capture bats may be held for a maximum of 30 minutes, unless injured.

3. Authorization to carry out not intrusive measurements on all captured bats.

4. Authorization to apply bands which must be metal lipped bands with a uique identifier and applied using banding pliers to the forearm of captured bats prior to release.

5. Authorization to apply radio transmitters during the spring, summer, and fall roosting and migration periods via nontoxic skin adhesive. Permittee mus use one of the approved adhesives listed in Appendix D; Phase 4 Radio-tracking in the Range-wide Indiana Bat and Northern Long-eared Bat Survey Guidelines available at: https://www.fws.gov/library/collections/range-wide-indiana-bat-and-northern-long-eared-bat-survey-guidelines.

2. Wildlife Scientific Permit issued by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency

a. The state permit shall include the same actions as the federal permit (See Section F.1.i.1.)

b. Additional information that shall be included in the state permit include:

1. Specific Wildlife Management Areas where collection activities will occur.

2. Approximate dates when activities will occur.

c. State permits are annual permits and shall be applied for annually.

d. Wildlife Scientific Permits can be applied for at: https://www.tn.gov/twra/law-enforcement/permits/scientific.html https://www.fws.gov/library/collections/range-wide-indiana-bat-and-northern-long-eared-bat-survey-guidelines https://www.fws.gov/library/collections/range-wide-indiana-bat-and-northern-long-eared-bat-survey-guidelines https://www.tn.gov/twra/law-enforcement/permits/scientific.html

Figure 1. Locations of the 4 WMAs to be surveys annually for five years.