BISC_Coral_Larval_Propagation_SOW.pdf

Statement of Work Coral Larval Propagation for Biscayne National Park

Homestead, Florida

Introduction

Biscayne National Park (BNP), a unit of the National Park Service (NPS), seeks to contract with one or more qualified aquarium entities (Aquarium) in the state of Florida to propagate up to 15,000 corals in support of coral reef restoration efforts within the park. This Statement of Work describes propagation activities and reporting requirements to be completed by the Aquarium.

Contract oversight will be provided by the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR).

Contracted services will include large scale propagation of coral larvae of multiple Caribbean species from swimming larval and early settlement stages to a minimum size of approximately one inch in diameter, which for most species should occur in 12 to 18 months. Coral larvae will primarily be sourced from wild corals in BNP. Focal species will include Acropora palmata and species susceptible to Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease. Once juvenile corals reach a minimum size of approximately one inch, they will be transferred from the Aquarium to BNP for outplanting on BISC reefs.

Larval supply

For this contract, NPS expects the primary source of larvae will be from gametes collected from wild corals in the park by BNP staff. To date, BNP staff have collected gametes and produced viable larvae from four coral species (Acropora palmata, Orbicella faveolata, O. annularis, and Diploria labyrinthiformis), and are interested in working with additional species. Gamete collection activities are primarily focused around August (Acropora and Orbicella) and May (Diploria) full moons. Larvae sourced from other Florida reefs, in-water nurseries, and/or from corals held in land-based facilities are also options for propagation under this contract as available and with approval from the custodial entity (if other than the Aquarium).

Species

Focal species for this contract include Acropora palmata and species susceptible to Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD). Given the inherent variability involved with collecting gametes from wild spawning corals, the exact species of larvae available following a spawning window cannot be predicted. Based on the outcomes of previous gamete collection efforts in BNP, the most likely species of larvae available for this contract will be Acropora palmata, Orbicella faveolata, O. annularis, and Diploria labyrinthiformis derived from batch crosses of multiple parents. The Aquarium may also provide additional SCTLD susceptible species as available, if agreed upon in advance by both parties.

Settlement

• The Aquarium will generally receive swimming larvae from NPS and will be responsible for settling larvae in its facilities and for providing all settlement materials. However, BNP staff may also

Statement of Work Coral Larval Propagation Biscayne National Park conduct settlement at the park and provide newly settled larvae to the Aquarium, if agreed upon in advance by both parties.

• Ceramic coral frag plugs, disks, and/or tiles with a ~1” crown are the expected types of settlement substrates for this contract. The Aquarium may use other settlement substrates if agreed upon in advance by both parties.

• Regardless of location of settlement, settlers will be described and tracked as cohorts. Cohorts will be tracked according to the Aquarium’s bioinventory protocols. Suggested cohort identifiers include species, spawning event, source, and age (year).

• Because small corals have low survival on the reef, the Aquarium will rear corals in cohorts until the majority of the cohort is approximately 1 inch in diameter, at which time the corals will be transferred to BNP for outplanting.

• The time needed to reach a 1 inch size will vary by species and cohort, but is expected range from 12 to 18 months.

Transportation

• The Aquarium should plan to up to three trips per year to pick up larvae from the park in Homestead FL.

• Larvae and newly settled corals housed at the park are kept in large bins. The Aquarium will provide materials and coolers needed for transport.

• The Aquarium will be responsible for transferring larvae from bins into bottles, packaging coral plugs onto racks, and packing bottles and racks into coolers for transport.

• The Aquarium should adhere to current best practices for gentle handling, temperature control, and larval density during transport.

• BNP will provide fresh seawater for the Aquarium to use during transport.

• When the Aquarium is ready to return juvenile corals to the park, BNP staff will be responsible for transportation, labor, and materials.

Reporting and Communication

• The Aquarium will maintain detailed logs of corals destined for NPS under this contract, according to its internal protocols.

• The Aquarium will provide a brief quarterly update via email to the NPS Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) on NPS corals, to include quantities, species, approximate size range, representative photos per cohort, and notable events such as fragmenting, mortality, disease, etc.

As an alternative to a quarterly email update, the Aquarium may provide a cloud-based database accessible to the NPS COR to share this information.

• The Aquarium will provide a brief annual report via email to the NPS COR, summarizing larval intake, propagation, and transfers for the reporting period.

• The Aquarium will provide a copies of health documentation and final log/s for each batch of corals transferred to NPS. Electronic copies should be emailed to the COR in advance of each transfer, and paper copies should physically accompany each transfer batch.

• The Aquarium will accommodate one site visit (estimated two hours in duration) per year for the NPS COR, to view the facilities and corals in propagation. The site visit will be scheduled 30+ days in advance, in coordination with Aquarium staff.

Deliverables

• The Aquarium will provide up to 15,000 juvenile corals derived from sexual reproduction to NPS, with no requirement timing of transfer/s or species distribution (provided corals are A. palmata and/or an SCTLD-susceptible species).

• The Aquarium may release corals to NPS in multiple smaller batches. Batches should contain a minimum of 1,000 fragments and may include multiple species. Smaller batches may be released if agreed upon in advance by both parties.

• Corals released to NPS must meet all health requirements in place at the Aquarium.

• The first window of opportunity for NPS to transfer larvae to the Aquarium is in early August 2023, after the 1 August 2023 full moon. Depending on spawning activity, a second opportunity may occur in early September 2023, after the 31 August 2023 full moon. Based on an estimated 12- 18 months needed for resulting corals to reach ~ one inch in size, the first transfer of corals may occur in the Fall 2024 – Winter 2025 time frame.

Period of Performance

• 365 days After Award with up to four option years dependent upon funds.

Technical and Cost Proposals

Separate technical and cost proposals must be submitted.

Technical Proposals:

Technical proposals shall include a narrative description of the husbandry facilities where NPS corals would be raised, accompanied by photos. For the facility, address:

• tank sizes

• lighting

• capacity

• preferred settlement substrates

• water source

• emergency protocols

• biosecurity

• bioinventory protocols

• recordkeeping protocols (e.g., details on settlement, health, fragmenting, etc.).

• health requirements that the Aquarium must adhere to when releasing corals for restoration.

• statements responding to the technical evaluation criteria (described below).

If the Aquarium is unable to propagate larvae to provide 15,000 juveniles over the five year period of performance, but could provide a lesser number of juveniles over the period of performance, the technical proposal should identify the maximum number of corals it could provide per year for five years.

The Contractor shall be evaluated by two technical criteria. It may be in the interest of the Government to award to other than to the lowest price bidder or other than the highest technically rated bidder. The technical evaluation criteria, when combined, are more important than cost.

1. Qualifications and Relevant Experience of Key Personnel (Weight: 40%)

• For key personnel, provide CVs, training, experience, and qualifications.

• For key personnel, describe knowledge, experience, and role in juvenile coral husbandry of Caribbean species.

2. Recent Specialized Experience (Weight: 60%)

• Provide proof of specialized experience within the past five years with:

Rearing coral larvae and settlers of Caribbean coral species (identify species, and quantities reared); and Technical competence including institutional capacity for large scale larval propagation.

Cost Proposals:

Cost proposals shall provide incremental pricing per 1,000 corals derived from sexual recruits delivered to NPS at a minimum size of one inch.