Complete FOA .pdf

Overview: POA50AF-CESU 18-03 MANAGEMENT INVASIVE SPECIES

WAKE ISLAND AIRFIELD, USA

1. Create Draft Work Plan.

2. Native Nursery Infrastructure Improvements.

3. Vegetation Treatments & Ground Clearing.

4. Preparation, Maintenance and Out-Planting of Seedlings.

5. Bird Awareness Signs.

6. Create Draft Project Summary Report.

See Scope of Work for detailed information.

Period of Performance is: Twelve (12) months from the date of award.

Estimated Total Funding: $167,000.00 Anticipated Number of Awards: 1

Contents of Full Text Announcement I. Funding Opportunity Description 1. Project description, objectives & background II. Award Information 2. Project Tasks and Requirements III. Eligibility Information 3. Logistics IV. Application Information 4. Supplies and Materials V. Application Review Information 5. Project Communication

6. Spatial Data & Mapping Standards

7. Deliverables

8. Points of Contact

9. Period of Performance

Contact Information: Questions that are related to Grants.gov including registration and system requirements should be directed to the Grants.gov contact center at 1-800-518-4726. For assistance with this funding Opportunity Announcement please contact Olen.R.Northern@usace.army.mil

Funding Agency:

US Army Corps of Engineers, Alaska District 2204 3rd street

JBER, AK. 99506

Funding Instrument: Cooperative Agreement Funding Opportunity No: POA50AF-CESU-18-03 CFDA No: 12.632 Program Title: Legacy Resource Management Program, Sikes Act 670c-1

Issue Date: 2 August 2018 Application Due Date: 31 August 2018

Instructions to Applicant: The complete Funding Opportunity Announcement, application forms and Instructions can be downloaded directly from Grants.gov.

Applications in response to this Funding Opportunity Announcement must be submitted by 2:00PM Alaska time, on the Application Due Date. Applications may be submitted by mail, e-mail, or via the internet through Grants.gov. Each applicant is responsible to ensure their application has been received timely.

Applicants will have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number, and registered

See section IV of the Funding Opportunity Announcement for complete application submission information.

Section I: Funding Opportunity Description

MANAGEMENT INVASIVE SPECIES

WAKE ISLAND AIRFIELD, USA

Section II: Award Information

Cooperative Agreement, $167,500.00 with a 12 month period of performance.

Section III: Eligibility Information

Eligible Applicants – CESU Hawaii, N&W Alaska, PNW, CA, and Colorado Plateau.

Section IV: Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package

The complete funding opportunity announcement, application forms, and instructions are available for download at Grants.gov. USACE is not responsible for any loss of internet connectivity or for an applicant’s inability to access documents posted at the referenced website.

The administrative point of contact is Olen Northern, (907) 753-2525, Olen.R.Northern@usace.army.mil.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

All mandatory forms and any applicable optional forms must be completed in accordance with the instructions on the forms and the additional instructions below.

a. SF 424 - Application for Federal Assistance

b. SF 424 A – Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs

c. SF 424 B – Assurances – Non-Construction Programs

d. Program Narrative – Brief program description illustrating applicant’s ability to meet the goals and objectives described in Section I of the announcement.

Application shall be submitted NO LATER THAN 31-AUGUST-2018

3. Submission Instructions

Applications may be submitted via e-mail and, or the internet.

a. Internet:

Applicants are required to submit proposals through Grants.gov. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that their Grants.gov proposal submission is received in its entirety. The Government bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission of conversion processes associated with electronic submissions. The Government will bear no responsibility for delays in submissions due to technical difficulties at or with the Grants.gov website.

All applicants using Grants.gov to submit proposals must be registered and have and account with Grants.gov. It may take up to three weeks to complete Grants.gov registration. For more information on registration, go to http://www.grants.gov/ForApplicants.

b. E-mail:

If there is an issue with submission to Grants.gov, please contact the Corps at the email addresses below. Format all documents to print on Letter (8 ½ x 11”) paper.

E-mail proposal to Olen.R.Northern@usace.army.mil

Section V: Application Review Information

1. Evaluation for Selection to receive consideration for award, the proposal must meet the requirements set forth in this FOA and be presented with adequate detail to assure the evaluator(s) have a good understanding of the proposed requirement(s). All proposals will be evaluated to determine the extent to which each offeror demonstrates a clear understanding of the requirements of the announcement, Scope of Work (SOW), and

FOA.

The offeror shall submit a proposal that completely addresses all evaluation criteria and specifically identifies how each requirement will be satisfied. Technical proposal shall be no longer than 15-pages, font 12 (This page limitation is in addition to all required forms). All questions shall be submitted no later than 20 March 2018 at 2:00PM Alaska time.

2. Basis of Award: The selection decision will be based on the NFE offering the best overall value to the Government, with consideration given to all factors described below (weighted in descending order of importance). Proposals will not be ranked. The Government will not award a Cooperative Agreement to a grantee whose proposal contains a deficiency. The selection will not be based on lowest proposed cost, it will be based on an analysis of each criteria listed below. The proposal document shall be outlined as shown below.

SCOPE OF WORK (SOW)

MANAGEMENT INVASIVE SPECIES

July 2018 Total Project Cost Ceiling: $167,500

1.0 INTRODUCTION

This Scope of Work (SOW) provides the details of work to be performed for the 611th Civil Engineering Squadron (CES) through a cooperative agreement (CA) between the US Army Corps of Engineers, Alaska District (USACE) and the Cooperator.

In accordance with FAR 7.503(e), projects provided for execution under this 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 cooperator services or work products.

2.0 BACKGROUND

The Air Force (AF) manages lands in all states and territories in accordance with all Federal environmental laws and regulations, including the Sikes Act. In accordance with Air Force Instruction (AFI) 32-7064 and Department of Defense Instruction (DoDI) 4715.03, the U.S. Air Force (USAF) and DoD has committed to ensuring that all USAF Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP) will be managed by “professionally trained natural resources management personnel with a degree in the natural sciences”. The management of invasive species helps the Air Force achieve its’ Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP) goals, such as preventing the introduction and spread of invasive species, providing for their control, while minimizing the impact on the Air Forces mission and economic resources.

Projects focusing on invasive species management are captured throughout the 2015 Wake Island Airfield, INRMP. The CA establishes a cost-effective, time-efficient and flexible capability to support the 611th’s Natural Resource Program and the USAF’s efforts to comply with applicable invasive species statutes and internal USAF and DoD guidance associated with natural resource compliance.

3.0 OBJECTIVES

3.1 Management Habitat, Native Ecosystems

This portion of the scope of work is intended to accomplish the following tasks:

- Conduct infrastructure improvements and maintain an existing native nursery established at Wake Island Airfield (WIA) over the course of 18 months;

SOW 18-111 DTA TA 501 Dismounted Maneuver Thinning

- Maintain a stockpile of a minimum of four native species at the WIA nursery over the course of 18 months;

- Remove non-native and USAF flight line incompatible vegetation from the two project areas identified in Figure 1 over the course of 18 months;

- Out- plant native vegetation within the two project areas identified within Figure 1 over the course of 18 months.

This project will support the Air Force in its endeavors to achieve the following: Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP) Goal No. 10, to maximize the use of native plant species and avoid introduction of invasive, and exotic species through revegetation activities, and INRMP Objective No. GM-2 (Ground Maintenance), through the development of a central native ecosystem garden and nursery.

The PRSC/611 Natural Resources Program began the slow treatment process of invasive ironwoods trees on Wilkes, Peale and Wake Island a couple of years ago, the implementation of this native ecosystems nursery will aid the invasive ironwood removal project by creating a variety of native seedlings that may be utilized for revegetating these areas after ironwood treatments have occurred. Note: Figure 1 identifies the project area, the only work to occur outside the two polygons identified in Figure 1 is the native nursery baseyard.

Figure 1. Field Project Areas for both the removal of invasive species and out-planting.

3.2 Management Invasive Species – Vegetation

The overall goal of this component of the project is to support the PRSC in its effort to control specific invasive trees, forbs, and shrubs at Wake Island Airfield. Figure 1 also identifies the project area for this component of the scope of work. The project does not include any invasive species removal outside of either polygons identified within the figure. Figure 2 identifies historic locations of plant control and removal actions conducted in recent years as well as areas that are off limits to out-planting and treatment under this SOW, also referred to as “unavailable treatment areas”.

A 2013 PRSC/611 survey produced a plan of attack for various vegetative invasive species. The results of such effort are documented in the “Biocontrol, Survey, and Management Plan”. In 2016 and 2017, the University of Hawaii applied herbicide to many existing stands of ironwood on Wilkes and Peale, thus many of the ironwood stands are already dead, but seedlings have the

Figure 2: Historic locations of plant control and removal actions conducted in recent years 2016 - 2018 Map Courtesy of Univ. of Hawaii; Credit J. Gilardi and D. Duffy and CSU/611 CES D. Rosenbalm potential to emerge alongside other invasive plants, requiring control actions to thwart re-colonization during the restoration phase.

This project will aid the PRSC/611 CES in its endeavors to achieve the goals of the INRMP Goal No 12 to develop and employ a systematic approach for onshore and offshore biosecurity, and Objective IMP-2 to develop a long term management strategy for top invasive species and to implement non-native species control actions.

4.0 MAJOR REQUIREMENTS

Task 1: Work Plan

A Draft Work Plan shall be created by the Cooperator displaying how and when the work will be completed over the course of the period of performance. A copy of the project Work Plan should be carried with the project personnel at all times while in the field. This project will be evaluated based off of the field personnel’s ability to execute the project Work Plan. Within the Work Plan, the Cooperator shall populate:

- A Project Planning Chart (PPC) which details the project schedule, the use of Gantt charts to depict project schedule is appropriate;

- A list of employees, inclusive of their educational certificates and pesticide or herbicide application licenses shall also be portrayed;

- The Cooperator may require usage of the Base Operating Support (BOS) contractor for lodging, logistics, vehicle usage, and other site specific support, any services the Cooperator intends to subcontract from the BOS contractor shall be described in the Work Plan;

- The Work Plan shall describe how the field team intends to access Joint Base Pearl Harbor- Hickam in order to board the rotator flight to Wake Island Airfield;

- Scientific support for the “treatment of choice” from existing literature shall also be depicted in the Work Plan, alongside the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) list and application requirements called out within any EPA label for the herbicide of choice.

- The Work Plan shall identify how successful the treatments of choice for this project have been for other entities in other locales;

- The Work Plan shall illustrate the locations of intended out-planting and seeding actions and quantify the total of amount of plants anticipated for deployment into the field. A map shall be provided in the Work Plan which shows the spatial orientation and intended out-planting spacing amongst each out-plant. Each mark on the map that associates with an out-plant shall be defined by species. Areas of seeding within the map shall simply be shaded and the species of seed denoted;

- Seed spacing and sowing techniques shall be described in the Work Plan when describing how this task will be implemented;

- A list of native plant species the Cooperator intends to utilize for growth in the nursery and for out-planting shall be depicted in the Work Plan, both common and scientific name of any native seed or out-plants intended to be deployed to Peale shall also be depicted within the Work Plans species list;

- A list of native nursery infrastructure improvements to be made during the period of performance, and a check list of daily maintenance to occur at the nursery shall be included in the Work Plan;

- The Work Plan shall include a cost breakdown that identifies (at a minimum) the following: travel cost, supplies/materials/equipment needed for both project components and labor estimates. All supplies and equipment purchased under this agreement will become property of the PRSC/611 CES at the end of the PoP;

- Any manual treatments or weeding needed to prepare plots portrayed in Figure 1 for seeding and out-planting shall be described thoroughly within the Work Plan’s methods descriptions. The Work Plan shall possess watering guidelines and a rationale for timing of out-planting and seeding utilized by the Cooperator. The Cooperator shall ensure that planting and seeding takes place during the rainy season;

- The Cooperator shall utilize the on island project nursery to grow the plants it intends to out-plant and shall depict the timing of rearing the plants in the draft Work Plan. The Work Plan shall elaborate on the Cooperators usage of the nursery and the periods of usage the Cooperator intends to utilize the nursery.

- Treatment Plots shall be depicted in the draft Work Plan and numbered 1-5

Task 2: Native Nursery Infrastructure Improvements

The project includes the purchase of all materials needed to improve the functionality and longevity of the native ecosystems garden. The Cooperator will provide a final list of all materials need to make the improvements within the Final Work Plan. Getting materials and equipment to WIA can be a challenging task, the Cooperator shall reflect a high level of effort in the Work Plan for logistic-related items. The Cooperator should arrive at Wake Island with all materials and equipment necessary to make the required improvements to the native nursery.

The Cooperator should ensure proper coordination has been accomplished through the Work Plan to ensure ground transportation is ready upon arrival, this could be included in any sub agreements with the BOS contractor as well. The Cooperator should not assume there will be suitable soil on Wake Island to be utilized for this project, this should be verified before bringing any additional soil to the atoll. Any soil brought to Wake Island shall be certified clean and free of invasive species (this needs to be documented). The Cooperator shall seek guidance from the PRSC/611 CES Biosecurity Manager regarding certification for “clean soil”. At a minimum the project site is in need of mechanical improvements to the irrigation system (to include automation), new potting tables, and upgrades to the facility shade structure. It is expected that the native ecosystems nursery infrastructure improvements and maintenance will progressively occur throughout the period of performance.

Task 3: Vegetation Treatments & Ground Clearing

This cooperative agreement involves the implementation of vegetation treatments and ground clearing of the following four invasive species within the two polygons represented in red in Figure 1:

- Casuarina equisetifolia (common name Ironwood),

- Leucaena leucocephala (common name Tangantangan),

- Opuntia sp., and

- Agave sp.

It is not expected that the execution of this cooperative agreement will eradicate all of the four aforementioned invasive species, however, it is expected that all invasive vegetation treated or ground cover cleared during the course of this project will be recorded via a hand held GPS unit and included in the Project Summary Report.

All project proposals submitted for this cooperative agreement and the Work Plan shall estimate the level of effort (e.g. man hours and ground coverage) the field team proposes to treat and clear during the course of this period of performance. The Work Plan shall include the following:

- Peale island will have a minimum of five project test plots, each test plot must be dominated by one or all of the four aforementioned invasive species;

- A minimum of five treatments must be trialed in total on Peale in 5 plots;

- An area on Peale has already been chosen for the Cooperator to place one of its five plots

(see Figure 3 below); this area is dominated by high grass that is not conducive for ground nesting seabirds such as terns;

- Different methods may be trialed simultaneously within the same project test areas, as long as treatment or clearing methods are geographically separated (and noted on GPS) for proper efficacy evaluation;

- Each test plot shall photo document the percent composition and coverage of vegetation per species before and after treatment;

- It is recommended that salt water is used as means of treatment for at least one plot. It is further recommend that the project proposals consider the use of salt water for testing the effectiveness of clearing forest floor of Ironwood needles and thatch.

- Any invasive tree, shrub or plant that is identified for felling or removal, must have a pre-felling survey condition check conducted. If an occupied nest, chick, or egg is discovered, the tree should not be felled, but rather identified as a problematic tree and treated with herbicide and left to stand. Care shall be taken to ensure excessive amounts of herbicide are not used. Application efficacy has been discovered to be reduced when applications are made well after injury to the cambium layers of the tree, which are used to transport herbicides. Thus, in those instances when a stump will remain or a tree is girdled or notched, the Cooperator shall apply herbicide within 2 minutes of felling, notching or girdling of the tree. In order to ensure that no targeted species are missed and untreated, the Cooperator shall systematically move across each island so as to ensure no specimen is missed. Applications during rain events shall not take place.

- A tally of the number of trees, plants, shrubs removed or treated shall be logged for each species. All herbicidal application shall abide by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) application labels and the personal protection clothing detailed within the EPA label shall be worn and utilized throughout the operation when using herbicides. A handheld GPS unit shall be used to delineate areas treated areas. Such GIS information shall be translated into maps for incorporation into the draft project summary report. Any herbicide proposed must be on the DoD approved list of herbicides.

- For the treatment of Ironwood trees, the Cooperator shall approach each ironwood Diameter at Breast Height (DBH) and apply herbicide to those trees possessing DBH of 2 inches or more. Trees possessing a DBH of less than 2 inches, shall be cut down using a chainsaw, hatchet or machete. If the tree can be pulled from the ground, this is preferred in comparison to chopping it down, however each tree will need to be evaluated to determine if it can be pulled versus chopped. A process of notching or girdling shall be used when applying herbicides to the size class possessing DBH of >2 inches. The injury or notch should be substantial enough to ensure the herbicide will make contact with sensitive tissues of the tree, however caution should be used to ensure the injury or notch does not result in felling of the tree while working in the area.

- It is anticipated that most ironwood encountered on Peale and Wake will be young seedlings, given historic herbicide treatments. Ironwood within the northern portion of the runway are rather mature and large in size. Care shall be taken to not disturb Ironwood within 20 feet of any structure of the atoll. All work done within the flight line polygon requires proper approval with the airfield manager and PRSC Det 1 Commander.

The Cooperator is not authorized to access any portion of the runway polygon without the specific permission of the airfield manager. The field team will be required to be flexible when desiring to work within the airfield polygon as the flight schedule can change within a moment’s notice.

Figure 3: The blue shaded polygon shows the test area of interest that has already been chosen for the Cooperator for 1 of the 5 plots. The majority of the test area is predominately high grass.

Task 4: Preparation, Maintenance and Out-Planting of Seedlings

The Cooperator will work with the PRSC/611 CES, Installation Biologist to review the list of native plant options from the 611 CES INRMP and create a list of species that will be started/seeded in the nursery. Starter plants should be cut from species already on island, no new species will be brought out to Wake Island. The Cooperator should shall utilize 2/3 of the square footage of the nursery for the care and maintenance of starter plants, a stockpile of these four starter species shall be maintained and actively cared for up to a year. The Cooperator shall develop and maintain an inventory of all seedlings that are started at the nursery, this inventory shall be submitted to the USAF POC on a quarterly basis. The Cooperator shall anticipate out-planting all of the nursery seedlings and should not prepare and care for more seedlings than those that can physically be out-planted. All time working on or in the native ecosystems nursery shall be documented.

As invasive species are slowly physically removed from the 5 plots, the Cooperator shall begin out planting the seedlings that have been cared for at the native ecosystems nursery. The Cooperator shall ensure that all out planting species and locations are approved in writing from the PRSC/611 CES, Installation Biologist, this will confirm that species and out-planting occur in accordance with the long natural resources strategies for these two project areas. Out-planting is not to occur outside of the two project areas under this scope of work. Out – planting activities should shall be photo documented and described in the Project Summary Report according to species percentage composition per test plot.

Task 5: Bird Awareness Signs

The Cooperator shall create three new bird awareness signs that are at least 3 feet by 3 feet in size and warn recreationalists that active seabird conservation projects are underway. The Cooperator shall utilize the Wilkes Island Seabird Sanctuary as an example, however the final design and signage language is to be approved by the PRSC/611 CES Installation Biologist. The Cooperator will install these signs on Peale Island at locations approved by the PRSC/611 CES Installation Biologist.

Figure 4: This image is an example of the seabird sanctuary sign that is on Wilkes Island.

Task 6: Project Summary Report

Upon completion of field duties, the Cooperator shall take information collected over the course of the project and develop a draft Project Summary Report. The report shall include maps of the areas treated, any areas not treated due to restrictions in this SOW, the amount of product used to treat each size class of tree, pictures of the PPE used, pictures of the EPA label for the product used, and photocopies of the licenses for each person using herbicides on the project.

Descriptions of the field conditions inclusive of precipitation, wind, cloud cover, and humidity for each day of field work shall also be included in the draft Project Summary Report, this data shall be recorded using an autonomous or hand held technology. The Cooperator shall create text in this report which describes how the project could be executed more efficiently if enacted again for the same species. In the draft report each plot shall have a percent composition and percent cover values that identifies the percent of the plots dominated by each plant or tree species or barren ground. Any observations of non-target exposure to any other species of plant or animal shall also be reported and photographed, and displayed in this draft Project Summary Report.

The Cooperator shall utilize the government comments to make final edits and changes to the draft project summary report. A response to each government comment shall be documented by the within a response to comment matrix, which shall be submitted alongside the Final Project Summary Report.

5.0 REPORTS, DELIVERABLES, and SCHEDULE

5.1 A Draft Work Plan shall be submitted to the government within 60 calendar days of date of cooperative agreement award. The government shall be afforded a 14 calendar day review period and shall provide the Cooperator with comments to utilize for finalization of the document. The Cooperator shall utilize the government comments to make final edits and changes to the Work Plan. A response to each government comment shall be documented by the Cooperator within a response to comment matrix, which shall be submitted alongside the Final Work Plan. The Cooperator shall submit a Final Work Plan with accompanying populated response to comment matrix within 90 calendar days of date of cooperative agreement award.

5.2 Upon completion of field duties, the Cooperator shall take information collected over the course of the project and develop a draft Project Summary Report. The draft report shall be submitted to the government within 360 days of cooperative agreement award. The government shall be afforded a minimum of 14 calendar day review period. The Cooperator shall submit a Final Project Summary report with accompanying populated response to comment matrix within 390 calendar days of date of this cooperative agreement award.

GIS shape files used to make maps within the report shall be submitted digitally alongside the report. The Cooperator is responsible for delivering the spatial data in the applicable Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) coordinate system, World Geodetic System 1984 (WFS84) datum and spheroid. The Cooperator will coordinate with the Environmental GIS Analyst to determine the current version being used for all software, data and data standards.

5.3 The Cooperator shall submit to USACE Project Manager, and AF point of contact (POC) Monthly Progress Reports summarizing activities as follows:

• List of assessment and investigation activities

• List of planning and decision meetings and follow-on activities

• List of documents reviewed

• List of information management meetings and/or activities

• List of general action items

• Number of days, locations, and activities in travel status

Monthly progress reports will include assessment and investigation activities and anticipated work for the following month.

Deliverable Title Submission Schedule

Draft Work Plan

Submitted to the government within 60 calendar days of date of award.

Final Work Plan and Response to Comment Matrix

Submitted to the government within 30 calendar days of receiving government comments.

Seedling Inventory To be submitted with deliverable 4A.

Seabird Protection Signage These signs shall be obtained and deployed with the project field team before the end of the period of performance.

Draft Project Summary Report Submitted to the government within 360 days of task order award.

Final Project Summary Report and Response to Comment Matrix

Submitted to the government within 390 days of task order award.

6.0 TRAVEL AND LOGISTICS

The Cooperator will work with the PRSC/611 CES Natural Resources team well in advance to ensure all supplies make it to WIA with the project field team or before the field team arrives on the island. The PRSC/611 CES Natural Resources team has a member in Hawaii who will serve as the logistics point of contact. The Cooperator may utilize this point of contact to assist with getting equipment and supplies out to WIA in advance of the field deployment, however the POC possesses no ability to fund the Cooperator’s travel and shipment costs. The Cooperator will cover the cost for air travel to WIA and air costs for all equipment needed to fulfill the scope of work. Transportation is limited on WIA, and the Cooperator must plan accordingly to ensure all transportation needs are established before arriving to the island. The Cooperator is required to bring their own transportation if they are unable to secure vehicles through the base operating support contractor. There is no bridge or road to Peale Island. At high tide, Peale experiences water in between the channel which separate Wake and Peale islands, thus the Cooperator will need to procure or rent equipment to travel back and forth between islands on a daily basis. The on-island base operating support contractor can be contracted for logistical and equipment rental services, however such utility of the on island base operating support contractor shall be funded by the Cooperator using a subcontract or other legal contracting mechanism.

Any cargo or supplies beyond personnel baggage will be required to be palletized and sent to Wake as cargo. This logistical requirement shall be included in any sub-agreement with a base operating support contractor. The Cooperator will obtain a template from the 611 CES for the request of a Customer Identification Code (CIC) and Transportation Account Code (TAC) from the Air Mobility Command (AMC). Cooperator shall obtain a CIC and TAC specific to this cooperative agreement before travel plans are made. The Cooperator should arrive on Wake Island with all materials and equipment necessary to conduct the field work describe in this SOW without any support from the BOS contractor, unless that support has been previously arranged with a base operating support contractor via a sub-agreement. The government will provide the Cooperator with flight dates as they become available; the Cooperator should note that flight rotations to Wake are on a 15 day interval and they depart from the JBPHH AMC Terminal. The following link should be used for Wake Island billeting, meals and per diem cost estimation: http://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/site/perdiemCalc.cfm The field survey team should plan to rent a vehicle from the base operating support contractor for transportation while on Wake (see attachment 3 for CFSI rental rates). The Cooperator should confirm this rate with the base operating support contractor during the sub-agreement negotiations.

7.0 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

The following requirements are common to all tasks:

7.1 The Cooperator is required to notify the Grants Officer (GO) and COR of critical issues that may affect the contract performance and/or human health and the environment. The types of issues that require notification include, but are not limited to, health risks, spills, unexpected utility crossings, unusual weather conditions, unacceptable materials, changes in critical personnel, and Unexploded Ordinance (UXO). As an example, if UXO was discovered during field activities, the Cooperator would be required to immediately stop work, report the discovery to the base POC and COR, and implement the appropriate safety precautions. Commencement of field activities could not continue until clearance was received from the CO. On critical issues, oral notification should be made immediately, followed by written notification as soon as practical.

7.2 The Cooperator shall not make available to the news media or publicly disclose any data generated or reviewed under this contract. When approached by the news media, the Cooperator shall refer them to the CO for response. Project reports and data generated under this contract shall become the property of the government and distribution to any other source by the Cooperator is prohibited.

7.3 In the event the Cooperator decides to publish findings which utilize field data from this project, the Cooperator agrees to share a draft version of the publication with the ACOE and 611 CES project manager prior to submitting to a journal body. The government reserves the right to review the Cooperator’s proposed publications and approve or deny publication of data collected subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). As such all data produced http://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/site/perdiemCalc.cfm as a result of project work is accessible to the public unless specifically exempted under FOIA due to personal privacy, national security, and/or law enforcement.

7.4 Coordinate work site activities to ensure the protection of human health and the environment; the prevention of damage to property, utilities, materials, supplies, and equipment;

and the avoidance of work interruptions. Provide physical security to the work area with security equipment and personnel as specified in this cooperative agreement. The Cooperator must comply with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safety and health regulations and local safety office requirements. The Cooperator is required to provide the GO copies of any OSHA report(s) submitted during the duration of the TO. The Cooperator must have a U.S. State Pesticide Applicators license or a Department of Defense Pesticide Applicators license and include copies of each applicators license within the Work Plan, draft report and final report. The license must include category 2, forestry level, proof of completion and certification. The Cooperator shall coordinate work site activities with the 611th Civil Engineering Squadron (CES) Environmental Office to ensure no nesting birds will be affected during implementation of this SOW.

8.0 EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS

All supplies and materials required to complete the SOW must be purchased or leased by the Cooperator. Any herbicides used during this project must be shipped in accordance with the associated EPA label affixed to the product. Personal protection equipment (PPE) shall be utilized during the project when applying herbicides. The PPE utilized shall be defined by the EPA label affixed to the product of intended usage. Vehicle rental, chainsaw procurement, on island gas purchases or procurement of any other equipment is the requirement of the Cooperator. Shipping of any materials to the island shall be done so at the cost of the Cooperator. The Cooperator is required to include the purchase of (2) VHF radios that can communicate with Wake Island Base Operations. All supplies and equipment purchased to complete this cooperative agreement becomes property of the PRSC/611 CES at the end of the period of performance. The Cooperator will provide an inventory of supplies and equipment that will be left on Wake in the Final Work Plan.

9.0 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance for this task order is 12 months from date of award.

10.0 POINTS OF CONTACT

The POC for USACE Project Management is Charis Cooper. Cooperative Agreement questions should be addressed to Olen Northern. Correspondence should be addressed as follows:

Charis Cooper U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Environmental &Special Projects Branch

ATTN:CEPOA-EC-EE

P.O. Box 6898

JBER, AK 99506-0898

Office: (907) 753-5692 Email: charis.a.cooper@usace.army.mil

Olen Northern U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Contracting Division

ATTN: CEPOA-CT

P.O. Box 6898

JBER, AK 99506-0898

Phone: 907-753-2525 Email: Olen.R.Northern@usace.army.mil

The USAF Technical POC is Joel Helm at (907) 552-5230. Routine correspondence should be via email when appropriate.

Joel Helm U.S. Air Force 611 CES/CEIE 10471 20th Street Suite 302

JBER, AK 99506-2201

Phone: 907-552-5230 Email: joel.helm.1@us.af.mil

Proposal Submission Evaluation Criteria and Basis of Award

MANAGEMENT INVASIVE SPECIES

The Government will evaluate technical proposals in accordance with the criteria described herein and award a Cooperative Agreement task order to the responsible grantee whose proposal is determined to represent the best overall value to the Government. Proposals will not be ranked. The Government will not award a Cooperative Agreement to a grantee whose proposal contains a deficiency.

The evaluation factors for this action are:

Factor 1, 40%: Experience (most important technical factor) Factor 2, 35%: Technical Approach (2nd most important technical factor) Factor 3, 25%: Cost (reviewed after the technical package for fairness and reasonableness, and weighted against the totality of the technical factors)

After listing proposal strengths, weaknesses and deficiencies, the Government will assign an adjective rating of Outstanding, Good, Acceptable, Marginal, or Unacceptable to each technical factor which reflects the Government's confidence in each offeror's ability, as demonstrated in its proposal, to perform the requirements stated in the grant. The adjectival ratings shall be assigned, using the following criteria, which incorporate a proposal risk assessment:

Weight Adjectival

Rating

Description 4 Outstanding Proposal indicates an exceptional approach and understanding of the requirements and contains multiple strengths.

3 Good Proposal indicates a thorough approach and understanding of the requirements and contains at least one strength.

2 Acceptable Proposal indicates an adequate approach and understanding of the requirements.

1 Marginal Proposal has not demonstrated an adequate approach and understanding of the requirements or contains an element of risk.

0 Unacceptable Proposal does not meet requirements of the solicitation and, thus, contains one or more deficiencies and is unawardable.

PROPOSAL AND SELECTION CRITERIA

The Cooperator shall be evaluated in accordance with the selection criteria below. The selection criteria are listed in descending order of importance.

Factor 1 Experience

The Cooperator shall demonstrate prior project experience relevant to the attached SOW, completed within 5 years of the RFP, and other qualifications and technical competence in all of the following areas:

(1) Experience supporting conservation of natural resources on installations, sustainable multipurpose use of the resources on installations, implementation of biosecurity practices, and invasive species eradication and/or control.

(2) Support for US Air Force natural resource programs.

(3) Planning and managing time critical work, rehabilitating natural resources, performing studies, projects or plans in accordance with applicable guidance and regulations.

(4) Recent experience performing work on remote tropical atolls.

The Cooperator shall provide examples of up to four (4) past projects of similar size, scope and complexity that best demonstrate the above qualifications. Submit projects that are at least 25% complete or were completed within the past five (5) years. The example project summaries shall be limited to one (1) page each. The example project summaries shall identify:

• Title/Subject

• Location

• Duration

• Brief description

• Roles and work self-performed

• Date project began and if completed

• Complexities or key accomplishments

• Client contact information

The Government will utilize the example project summaries to evaluate the capability and experience as a basis for comparing offerors to determine best value.

Factor 2 Technical Approach

The Cooperator shall provide a brief narrative of their technical approach and a milestone schedule. The narrative shall be no more than 1 page per main task and must include:

• A discussion of the technical approach to accomplish the performance work statement requirements, detailing number of hours anticipated to complete the project deliverables.

• A discussion of the quality assurance, quality control, and other technical activities that will be implemented to ensure that quality data are collected to support project data quality objectives

• A discussion of applicable regulatory requirements and how project requirements will be implemented.

• A discussion of all assumptions.

The Cooperator shall also provide an organizational chart with the proposed project team with defined roles, responsibilities, and lines of communication for all key personnel and sub-cooperators.

The evaluation standard has been met when the Cooperator demonstrates an understanding of the work that adequately addresses the task order requirements. The inclusion of numerous assumptions that significantly “assume away” Cooperator risk with regard to major issues or problems that may be encountered on the project will be considered unacceptable.

Factor 3 Cost

Provide proposed cost to the government. Allowable costs incurred by institutions of higher education is determined in accordance with the provision of OMB Circular A-21, "Cost Principles for Educational Institutions," ONR negotiated rates, and institutional policies. OMB’s cost principles are contained in 2 CFR 200.400-.475 et seq.

Cost is considered less important than non-cost factors and will be evaluated for fairness and reasonableness per FAR 15.402 and OMB cost principles. If more than one proposal are rated as having equal non-cost factors, the lowest cost tender of the proposals received would be granted as the preferred tender unless there are extraordinary reasons for not doing so.

Compete POA50AF-CESU-18-01

MANAGEMENT INVASIVE SPECIES WAKE ISLAND AIRFIELD, USA

Lease vs. Buy Evaluation Factors

The NFE shall provide a cost analysis for Lease vs. Buy factors. The following factors shall be considered at a minimum, and shall contain numerical values where applicable.

Factors Lease Buy Estimated Period of Use/Extent of Use

Financial Advantages

Cumulative Rental Payments for Estimated Time Period

Transportation and Installation Costs

Maintenance & Other Service Costs

Potential Obsolecense of equipment due to imminent technological improvements

Availability of Purchase Options

Potential for Use by other Agencies after preliminary use has ended

Trade-in or Salvage Value

Imputed Interest

Can the equipment be serviced by the government or other sources if it is purchased?

Total Cost:

Factors Lease Buy Estimated Period of Use/Extent of Use

Financial Advantages

Cumulative Rental Payments for Estimated Time Period

Transportation and Installation Costs

Maintenance & Other Service Costs

Potential Obsolecense of equipment due to imminent technological improvements

Availability of Purchase Options

Potential for Use by other Agencies after preliminary use has ended

Trade-in or Salvage Value

Imputed Interest

Can the equipment be serviced by the government or other sources if it is purchased?

Total Cost:

Compete POA50AF-CESU-18-01

MANAGEMENT INVASIVESPECIES, WAKE ISLAND AIRFIELD, USA.

Project Past Performance

Project Name, Project Location:

Contract or Cooperative Agreement #:

Size (Value):

Technical Complexity:

Technical Team Utilized:

Point of Contact(s):

Provide Email and phone number