ButterfliesRFPquickcall_2024_final_NW.docx

State of Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

QUICK CALL FOR PROPOSALS

Butterfly monitoring in northwest Minnesota prairies Date Posted: March 15, 2024

· Responses must be received not later than 2:00 PM, Central Time, March 29, 2024

· Late responses will not be considered

Minnesota’s Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion The State of Minnesota is committed to diversity and inclusion in its public procurement process. The goal is to ensure that those providing goods and services to the State are representative of our Minnesota communities and include businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, and those with substantial physical disabilities. Creating broader opportunities for historically under-represented groups provides for additional options and greater competition in the marketplace, creates stronger relationships and engagement within our communities, and fosters economic development and equality.

To further this commitment, the Department of Administration operates a program for Minnesota-based small businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, and those with substantial physical disabilities. For additional information on this program, or to determine eligibility, please call 651-296-2600 or go to the Office of Equity in Procurement home page, at https://mn.gov/admin/business/vendor-info/oep/.

SPECIAL NOTICE: This is a request for proposal. It does not obligate the State of Minnesota to award a contract or complete the proposed program, and the State reserves the right to cancel this solicitation if it is considered in its best interest.

This Solicitation requires proposals to be submitted through the SWIFT Supplier Portal. Please note the security changes below that may impact responders from submitting a timely response.

SWIFT SUPPLIER PORTAL SECURITY CHANGES

There are new security measures that the Minnesota Management and Budget implemented on October 16, 2022. It is a new multi-factor authentication (MFA) to enhance the security of the State of Minnesota Supplier Portal. MFA is an authentication method that requires bidders and suppliers provide two verification factors to log into the SWIFT Supplier Portal. The goal of MFA is to create a layered defense that makes it more difficult for unauthorized system access to occur.

For information about these changes, please refer to the SWIFT Supplier Portal Multi-Factor Authentication FAQ document.

If you have not done so already, please make sure to log into the SWIFT Supplier Portal as soon as possible to get this authentication set up early so there are no issues when submitting a response to an RFP.

You are strongly encouraged to set your MFA during business hours of 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M., Central Time, Monday through Friday. You may experience delay setting your MFA after hours.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Solicitation Content

SECTION 1 – INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPONDERS

Step 1: Read the solicitation documents and ask questions, if any Step 2: Write your response Step 3: Sign and submit your response

STEP 1 – READ THE SOLICITATION DOCUMENT & ASK QUESTIONS, IF ANY

How to Ask Questions

The contact person for questions is:

Felicia Barnes, Accounting Officer Principal, MN Department of Natural Resources felicia.barnes@state.mn.us Questions should be emailed to the contact by 7 business days (by 4:30pm, Central Time) prior to the Event end date.

Other personnel are not authorized to answer questions regarding this Quick Call.

STEP 2 – WRITE YOUR RESPONSE

The Quick Call starts in Section 3. Insert your response to the questions asked or provide content as requested.

By signing this response, your firm is making a legal, binding offer for a contract to provide services to the State of Minnesota.

STEP 3 –SIGN & SUBMIT YOUR RESPONSE

Where to Send Your Response

All responses to this solicitation (termed an “Event” within SWIFT) must be submitted through SWIFT using the Supplier portal (https://mn.gov/supplier). Training and documentation on how to submit your response is available through the Supplier portal link above. Fax, e-mail, and printed responses will not be accepted or considered. All costs incurred in responding to this solicitation will be borne by the responder.

Late responses will not be considered. Responses received after End Date above will not be considered, even if errors or delays were caused by issues outside of responders’ control. If you need assistance please contact the SWIFT Vendor Assistance Helpline at 651-201-8100, Option 1, and then Option 1.

By submitting a response, your company is making a binding legal offer for the period of time set forth below in Section 6, Conditions of Offer.

Your response should include:

· Technical Proposal – fill out Section 3

· Cost Proposal – fill out Section 4

· Responder Certifications – fill out Section 5 and sign

SECTION 2 – QUICK CALL PROJECT INFORMATION

Description of Project The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (hereafter, DNR) is initiating a project to detect changes in butterfly communities in relation to a wide variety of agents of change.

Our objectives are:

1. Assess what types and frequencies of management (fire and grazing) are most effective at conserving the prairie butterfly community.

1. Assess effects of landscape context on the prairie butterfly community.

1. Detect long-term changes to the prairie butterfly community along a latitudinal gradient.

1. Measure the effects of prairie restorations on the butterfly community at the site itself and in the surrounding landscape.

1. Compare pollinator communities between different grassland types: low-diversity grassland, restored prairie, and high-quality remnant prairie.

Project Goal Implement butterfly distance sampling monitoring protocols in prairies in western Minnesota, June 3 – August 28, 2024.

Project Scope This project will require monitoring butterflies at 4 sites across northwestern Minnesota prairies.

Each site consists of 4 – 100 m transects, along which butterflies will be surveyed. The DNR estimates that each butterfly transect takes approximately 30 minutes to complete, depending on the abundance of butterflies. This estimate does not include the time it takes to drive and/or walk to each site/transect.

One round of surveys should be completed for all sites based on the timeline in Table 1. There is some room for flexibility in this schedule that can be negotiated before finalizing the contract.

Surveyors will be responsible for arranging and supplying their own transportation and lodging and can include those expenses in their cost proposal. The DNR has estimated the cost should not exceed $8,000 (including travel). Price will be a significant factor in the evaluation of proposals. The contract will be compensated based on the number of transects completed.

Figure 1. Survey area for butterfly monitoring in northwestern Minnesota. The work area is outlined in a hashmarked polygon and the sites are black points.

Table 1. Survey schedule (there is some room for flexibility in this schedule that can be negotiated before finalizing the contract).

Sample Tasks Contractor will:

· Attend orientation with the DNR project manager (approximately four hours) before beginning surveys. Training location will be in similar habitat to that being surveyed and will be chosen by DNR to minimize travel by all parties.

· Survey each transect five times according to the schedule in Table 1, for a total of 80 sample-surveys, with at least 7 days between surveys of a given sample.

· Conduct adult butterfly surveys only during the following timeframes and conditions:

· 5 June – 28 August 2024

· 0930 to 1830 hrs. CST

· ≥ 65°F

· wind speed ≤ 15 mph (10 s average)

· Enter survey data into a field collection application using a tablet (iPad Mini) supplied by the DNR. The DNR requires the contractor to return these units at the completion of the contract, undamaged, or the contractor will be responsible for replacing the unit. DNR will supply contractor with paper data sheets as a backup in case the mobile data unit or app malfunctions. DNR requires contractor to enter all data into the app, even if entered after completing field data collection, unless the malfunction is due to DNR or is otherwise out of the control of the contractor.

· Collect data on adult butterflies: walk the 100 m transect at a rate of 1 min. / 10 m and, for each butterfly observation within 5 m of the observer, record the species, sex (if known), perpendicular distance from transect, behavior, relative confidence of species identification, and the location using the DNR supplied app.

· Butterflies will be identified on the fly. The DNR will provide contractor with a list of species for which we require photographic vouchers. The contractor will supply their own binoculars and/or cameras (contractor can use the DNR-issued tablet for photographs of butterflies).

· For each survey event, record air temperature, average wind speed during a 10 second period, and sky condition category (e.g. clear, partly cloudy, etc). Contractor will need to provide their own thermometer and anemometers.

Responders are encouraged to propose additional tasks or activities if they will improve the results of the project. These items should be separated from the required items on the Cost Proposal.

Minimum Qualifications Required

1. At least 20 work days conducting standardized butterfly surveys, identifying butterflies to species in Midwest North America grasslands, with documentation of experience.

Desired Skills

1. At least 40 work days experience surveying butterflies to species in Midwest North American grasslands (we may administer an identification test to top applicant using photographs).

1. Experience on at least one project using line transect or point count distance sampling for butterflies.

1. Experience on at least three different projects following standardized protocols while collecting wildlife or habitat data.

1. Experience on at least one project using an app on a mobile device for field surveys.

1. Experience on at least one project where the applicant was the lead worker responsible for data quality and security.

Response Evaluation Responses will first be reviewed to confirm compliance with the Minimum Qualifications Required identified above. Responses that meet all the minimum qualifications will be further evaluated in accordance with the following:

The State reserves the right, based on the scores of the proposals, to create a short-listing of responders who have received the highest scores to interview or conduct demonstrations/presentations. The State reserves the right to seek best and final offers from one or more responders.

SECTION 3 – VENDOR RESPONSE

INSTRUCTIONS: Fill in the information requested below and submit this section as your Technical Proposal.

1. Vendor Contact Information Company’s Full Legal Name:

Business Address:

Contact Person’s Name:

Telephone Number:

Email Address:

Qualifications Describe the company background. Detail the experience and qualifications of all personnel proposed to work on the project. Detail how you meet the Minimum Qualifications Required and Desired Skills listed above.

a) Total number of work days conducting standardized butterfly surveys in Midwest North American Grasslands (at least 20 needed to qualify)

b) Number of projects using line transect or point count distance sampling for butterflies

c) Number of projects following standardized protocols while gathering wildlife or habitat data

d) Number of projects entering data on an app on a mobile device

e) Number of projects where the applicant was the lead worker responsible for data quality and security.

Provide details of jobs or projects to support this summary of experience, including supervisor name and contact info (at least email), start/finish dates, geographic areas, habitat, taxa, survey methods, and data recording methods. These references will be contacted.

Approach to Project Describe your overall approach to the work. How will you accomplish the sample tasks and goals of the project? Who will do the work? What are the timelines and final deliverables?

Alterations or Additions to the State’s Contract Terms & Conditions Check the appropriate box below.

I have read and am aware of the State’s contract terms and conditions in the sample contract at http://www.mmd.admin.state.mn.us/pdf/ptsamplecontractandexhibitsfy22.pdf.

SECTION 4 – COST PROPOSAL

Please complete and submit a cost proposal on the provided cost proposal sheet attached to this Quick call.

The department has estimated the cost should not exceed $8,000. Price will be a significant factor in the evaluation of proposals.

SECTION 5 – RESPONDER CERTIFICATIONS

INSTRUCTIONS: Responder must check each box to certify to the conditions required under this Quick Call. Please note that some certifications may require the submission of additional information. Sign below to finalize response. Submit this section with your Technical and Cost Proposals.

1. Required

1. If Applicable

By signing here, I warrant that the information provided in this proposal is true, correct, and reliable for purposes of evaluation for potential contract award. The submission of inaccurate or misleading information may be grounds for disqualification from contract award and may subject me/my company to suspension or debarment proceedings, as well as other remedies available to the State, by law.

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