CESU 18-02 SOW VAFB NR SPT SNOWY PLOVER SRVY FINAL.pdf

SCOPE OF WORK FOR

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE

MGT, SPECIES, LEAST TERN / SNOWY PLOVER

MONITORING

CESU 18-02

GENERAL: Projects for execution under this Cooperative Agreement (CA) by USACE do not include any functions to be performed that are inherently governmental. This determination is made with the assessment that places emphasis on the degree to which conditions and facts restrict the discretionary authority, decision-making responsibility, or accountability of Government officials using Non-Federal Entity (NFE) services or work products.

This CA shall not be used for performance of personal services. These tasks provided by the customer for execution under this CA by USACE do not include functions to be performed that are personal services.

Any modifications to Cooperative Agreement activities as outlined by this SOW/PWS must be channeled through the Grants Officer’s Technical Representative (GOTR) and Grants Officer (GO) prior to NFE implementation.

NFE personnel shall also wear a distinctive NFE furnished security (ID) badge/lanyard readily identifying the individual as a NFE employee. The badge shall be worn in a conspicuous place at all times when performing work under the Cooperative Agreement including attendance at Government meetings and conferences that take place outside of the Government facility.

NFE personnel shall identify themselves as an NFE employee when answering or placing calls on a Government telephone and when leaving outgoing or incoming messages on voice mail.

Use of acronyms in this identification is insufficient to meet this requirement.

All NFE email signatures shall identify them as such and will include their employer’s name.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of the work to be performed under this task order are to conduct natural resource tasks on the federal lands belonging to Vandenberg AFB, and to prepare reports detailing the results of this work for submission to the USACE Omaha District POC, AFCEC Edwards Installation Support Section (ISS) POC, and Vandenberg Natural Resource Manager.

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: 15 months from Award

GOVERNMENT POCS:

1. USACE Omaha District POC: Mr. David Leptien PM, (402) 995-2742, david.b.leptien@usace.army.mil

2. USACE Omaha District POC: Ms. Kali Evans, GOTR, (402) 995-2295, kali.l.evans@usace.army.mil

3. USACE Omaha District POC: Ms. Stephanie Rostermundt, Grants Officer, (402) 995- 2083, stephanie.a.rostermundt@usace.army.mil

This statement of work addresses the following tasks:

PROJECT NUMBER TITLE LOCATION

XUMUOS100818 MGT, SPECIES, ESA LEAST TERN/SNOW

PLOVER MONITORING

Vandenberg AFB

TASK ORDER PROJECT MANAGEMENT

1. WORK DESCRIPTION:

1.1. Attend an in-person project kick-off meeting within 30-days of award

1.2. Attend monthly and quarterly teleconferences for ensuring progress and coordination on project objectives.

2. DELIVERABLES & SCHEDULE:

2.1. Kick Off Meeting Minutes

2.2. Monthly Teleconference Meeting Minutes – shall be integrated into monthly status reports; shall highlight action items from meeting.

2.3. Monthly Status Reports – use of SF-PPR. Includes a schedule for deliverables.

2.4. Deliverable Schedule - shall include a schedule for completion of draft and final deliverables for all subtasks, and shall be submitted with the 1st monthly status report.

It shall be approved by the USACE GOTR. Any subsequent changes to the schedule shall also be routed through the USACE GOTR and approved by the Grants Officer.

All requested changes shall be reflected as an update to a monthly report.

Kick Off Meeting Minutes

Within 1 week after kick off meeting

USACE PM, AFCEC POC,

VAFB POC

Monthly Meeting Minutes

Within 1 week after monthly meeting

USACE PM, AFCEC POC,

VAFB POC

Monthly Status Reports

Draft by 8th of each month; Final due within 1 week of monthly meeting and shall include meeting minutes.

USACE PM, AFCEC POC,

VAFB POC

Deliverable Schedule

With first monthly report USACE PM, AFCEC POC, VAFB POC

TASK 1: XUMUOS100818 – MONITORING for MGT, SPECIES, ESA LEAST TERN /

SNOWY PLOVER for Natural Resource Program, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Santa Barbara County, CA

1. WORK DESCRIPTION: The NFE shall conduct species monitoring activities at VAFB.

1.1. Conduct population and breeding surveys for federally threatened western snowy plover and endangered California least tern. Field work shall be conducted through the nesting season (March 1 through September 30). The snowy plover population on base shall be estimated from four base wide window surveys to be conducted bi-weekly between May and June. Areas where snowy plover breeding activity is observed or breeding is suspected shall be monitored a minimum of three times weekly.

1.2. Accomplish the required breeding season monitoring tasks in Biological Opinion 8-8- 12-F-11R (Attachment 1) using established methods and procedures outlined within the Western Snowy Plover Monitoring Protocol (Attachment 2) approved by USFWS to monitor adult population, nest fate, nest hatch success, causes of nest failure, and fledging estimates by banding with approved USFWS Migratory Bird Office color-band combinations.

1.3. Report violations (in writing) of beach rules to 30 SFS/SFOW and CES/CEIEA and provide assistance for follow-up law enforcement investigations if needed. A complete list of prohibited beach activities is provided in the biological opinion (Attachment 1).

Please refer to the BiOp for reporting terms.

1.4. Erect symbolic exclosures to protect snowy plover nests located within areas open to recreational use in consultation with 30 CES/CEIEA. Symbolic exclosures shall consist of nylon rope and t-posts.

1.5. Conduct snowy plover winter population survey in coordination with the statewide winter window survey. Specific surveys dates are coordinated with the “Western snowy plover Range-wide coordinator” and are only available a few weeks before surveys actually occur. However, they generally occur in the December to January timeframe.

1.6. Accomplish California least tern breeding season monitoring. Surveys will be conducted at the Purisima Point colony five days a week starting 15 April and continue until the last least tern fledges and disperses; three days will be spent surveying from a location off-colony and two days will be spent on the colony itself to minimize overall disturbance to nesting. Surveys will collect data on the estimated number of breeding pairs, adults depredated and cause, total nests, clutch size, total nests depredated, nests abandoned before hatch date, nests incubated past hatch date, nests hatched but had at least one non-viable egg, nest hatched all eggs, total eggs, confirmed hatch, assumed hatch, non-viable eggs, depredated eggs, total chicks, hatching success, depredated chicks and cause, total fledglings, fledgling success, depredated fledglings and cause, % total eggs fledged, fledglings per adult pair, total adult colony attendance, and evidence of avian and mammalian predators.

1.7. Sites historically used by California least terns, including San Antonio Creek North, San Antonio Creek South, Beach 2, Purisima Point South, and the Santa Ynez River Estuary should be visited once per week from 25 April (earliest arrival date) to 30 June (latest egg laying date). Communication is required with western snowy plover monitors to avoid impacts to nesting western snowy plovers; escorts may be necessary to avoid snowy plover impacts. Escorts are persons possessing USFWS 10(a)(1)(A) research permits that allow them to escort non-permitted personnel into plover nesting areas. Tern monitors are expected to independently coordinate with plover monitors without VAFB POC involvement. If least tern presence and breeding behavior is observed at locations other than the fenced Purisima Point colony, observations should be immediately reported to the Vandenberg AFB POC.

1.8. Conduct Pre-season maintenance on least tern chick shelters (between 30 and 50), prior to the arrival of least terns to VAFB. If shelters are in disrepair, they should be replaced.

Shelter model/design should be approved by the Vandenberg AFB POC in advance. This task will require very minimal personnel time, shelters consist of wooden A-frames.

1.9. Escort predator management personnel into nesting areas when required by predator threats.

1.10. Check predator traps during surveys, as needed

1.11. Complete data analysis and reporting for the nesting season, including comparison of population and nest success with prior years.

2. QUALIFICATIONS: The NFE shall provide Western snowy plover field biologists that hold USFWS 10(a)(1)(A) permits to monitor Western snowy plovers, float eggs to determine hatch date, and band chicks. The NFE shall provide California least tern field biologists that hold USFWS 10(a)(1)(A) permits to monitor California least terns. Besides possessing the necessary permit(s) monitors must be capable of being approved by the USFWS.

3. DELIVERABLES:

3.1. Bi-Monthly Reports: Attend bi-monthly meetings at VAFB to review progress on current population and breeding status, predator management accomplishments, and beach violations between March 1 and September 30.

3.2. Submit a draft report on monitoring activities within 45 days of end of field season (approximately 15 November), and final nesting season report NLT 15 January following receipt of comments from VAFB POC.

3.3. All raw data and Geographic Information System (GIS) files shall be submitted to Vandenberg as raw electronic data.