DRAFT_FINAL_Statement_of_Work_Watermarked_1.docx

U.S. Department of Interior Bureau of Reclamation Upper Colorado and Missouri Basin Regions Statement of Work Environmental and Cultural Resources Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Contract

1. Background

The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) has been in existence since 1902 when it was created by President Theodore Roosevelt to develop water projects that would store and transport water to the arid lands of the Western United States. By 1943, Reclamation had established an unsurpassed reputation for dam construction and had become the world’s largest producer of hydroelectric power.

Reclamation established regional offices to manage the rapidly increasing region-based campaigns more directly for accelerated river basin water, power, and flood-control developments. The challenges of managing water in the Western United States are more complex than ever before. As the population continues to grow, so do the competing demands for this finite resource.

The Upper Colorado (UC) and Missouri Basin (MB) Regions are involved with contemporary water issues that must be carefully balanced and managed to best accommodate residential, industrial, agricultural, hydropower generation, environmental, and recreational needs. The UC Regional Office is in Salt Lake City, Utah. The MB Regional Office is in Billings, Montana. Work under this contract may be performed in any of the following States, regardless of regional affiliation: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming.

1.1 Albuquerque Area Office (UC)

The Albuquerque Area Office (AAO) is one of the largest in Reclamation, reaching from the Alamosa area of southern Colorado through most of New Mexico and into west Texas. Staff manage delivery of water on the Rio Grande, Rio Chama, Pecos, and Canadian rivers from the main office in Albuquerque and six field offices in Alamosa, Colorado; Alamogordo, Chama, Elephant Butte, and Socorro, New Mexico; and El Paso, Texas. This office is also responsible for overseeing the management of nine major dams with a combined reservoir storage capacity of more than 3.5 million acre-feet that supply water for more than 439,000 acres of irrigated land and several municipal drinking water projects. They also oversee research and testing at the Brackish Groundwater National Desalination and Research Facility.

1.2 Power Office (UC)

The UC Region’s Power Office (PO), located in Salt Lake City, Utah, oversees four field offices associated with the Colorado River Storage Project (CRSP), Collbran Project, Seedskadee Project, and Rio Grande Project hydroelectric power generation facilities: Glen Canyon Field Division located at Page, Arizona; Curecanti Field Division at Montrose, Colorado; Flaming Gorge Field Division at Dutch John, Utah; and Elephant Butte Field Division at Truth or Consequences, New Mexico.

PO employees are responsible for operating and maintaining the following hydroelectric powerplants and associated dams (PO facilities): Flaming Gorge on the Green River near Dutch John; Fontenelle on the Green River near Kemmerer, Wyoming; Blue Mesa, Morrow Point, and Crystal on the Gunnison River near Montrose, Colorado; Upper and Lower Molina Powerplants near Grand Junction, Colorado; Glen Canyon on the Colorado River near Page, Arizona; and Elephant Butte near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. In addition to operating the powerplants, the PO is also responsible for ensuring the structural safety and security of all these PO facilities.

1.3 Provo Area Office (UC)

The Provo Area office (PAO) is located on the southern end of the City of Provo. The PAO’s boundary of responsibility includes the State of Utah, southwestern Wyoming, and small sections of Idaho and Nevada. Within these States, the PAO is responsible for 17 separate water projects that have authorized the construction of 27 major and 34 minor dams, approximately 419 miles of canals, 613 miles of laterals, 57 miles of tunnels, 132 miles of pipelines, six powerplants, and 14 pumping stations. As part of these projects the PAO also oversees 1,063,666 acres of acquired fee title, withdrawn, and easement lands.

These projects provide irrigation water to over 400,000 acres of cropland each year and provide culinary water to nearly 1,500,000 people. The projects also provide significant flood control and power generation benefits, 50 miles of "class 1" stream fisheries (75 percent of the total in the State of Utah), and over two million visitor days of recreation each year.

1.4 Western Colorado Area Office (UC)

The Western Colorado Area Office (WCAO) consists of two offices, one located in Grand Junction, Colorado, and one located in Durango, Colorado, as well as several field offices with projects encompassing western Colorado, northwestern New Mexico, and northeastern Arizona. The office is responsible for Reclamation projects and program activities in the UC, Gunnison, Yampa, White, Dolores, Uncompahgre, Animas, and San Juan River basins and working on those projects with the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Southern Ute Indian Tribe, Jicarilla Apache Nation, and Navajo Nation, as well as numerous water user organizations.

The WCAO additionally manages the environmental and cultural resource compliance for the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project (NGWSP). The NGWSP, once constructed, will convey a reliable municipal and industrial water supply to the eastern side of the Navajo Nation, southwestern portion of the Jicarilla Apache Nation, and the city of Gallup, New Mexico via about 300 miles of pipeline, nineteen pumping plants, and two water treatment plants.

1.5 Dakotas Area Office (MB)

The Dakotas Area Office (DKAO)is responsible for administering Reclamation programs in North Dakota and South Dakota. The DKAO is in Bismarck, North Dakota, with two field offices in South Dakota. The DKAO manages nine dam and reservoirs, three of which are in North Dakota. Activities include operation and maintenance of Reclamation facilities; contract renewals; water conservation; and oversight of the construction, and operation and maintenance of rural water systems – including those for tribes in the two states.

Reclamation projects in both states provide a water supply to a total irrigated acreage of 97,000 acres producing an average of $16 million worth of crops annually. Municipal, rural, and industrial water supply projects will serve over 700,000 people when completed. Over a million visitors participate in recreation activities in Reclamation reservoirs in the states.

1.6 Eastern Colorado Area Office (MB)

The Eastern Colorado Area Office (ECAO)manages two large projects that benefit Coloradoans across the state, the Colorado-Big Thompson (C-BT) and the Fryingpan-Arkansas (Fry-Ark). The C-BT Project is one of the largest and most complex projects undertaken by the Bureau of Reclamation and provides water for beneficial use to Colorado water users across the state, along with the Fry-Ark Project.

The ECAO manages the environmental and cultural resource compliance for the Arkansas Valley Conduit (AVC), an authorized feature of the Fry-Ark Project. The AVC, once constructed, will convey a reliable municipal water supply to southeastern portions of Colorado about 174 miles of trunk and spur pipeline, 59 miles of delivery pipelines, and associated pumping plant, water treatment plant, and other facilities. In addition, the ECAO also manages the Leadville Mine Drainage Tunnel and Treatment Plant, which removes heavy metals resulting from historic mining activity before the water enters the Arkansas River.

1.7 Montana Area Office (MB)

Some of Reclamation's earliest projects were built in Montana. Work began on the Lower Yellowstone Project in 1905 just three years after the agency was created. Today there are 13 projects east of the Continental Divide - the portion of the state managed by the MB Region. There are 13 dams and reservoirs, 9 diversion dams, 10 pumping plants and 2 power plants which provide a variety of benefits and meet multiple needs, including recreation. The Montana Area Office (MTAO) in Billings manages Reclamation's projects and programs in this part of the state and spends $7.5 million annually for operation and maintenance.

Most of the Montana development occurred under the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program, including the large Yellowtail and Canyon Ferry units. Both provide considerable storage for irrigation and power generation and are popular recreation areas. Yellowtail and Canyon Ferry power plants produce about 43 percent of the MB Region's annual power generation, resulting in about $15 million in revenue each year. The MTAO projects provide water to 352,915 acres of land which produced $78.5 million worth of crops in 1990. Principal crops are sugar beets, hay, corn, wheat, and barley. Over 1 million visitor days are spent at Reclamation facilities in Montana each year.

1.8 Nebraska – Kansas Area Office (MB)

The Nebraska-Kansas Area Office (NKAO) is part of the Missouri Basin Region and is in McCook, Nebraska. NKAO manages Reclamation projects in Nebraska, Kansas, and Colorado. The management area for NKAO includes all of Nebraska, except the North Platte Project Area (which extends from Wyoming into Nebraska); the northern portion of Kansas within the drainage basin of the Missouri River; and a portion of northeast Colorado that encompasses Bonny Reservoir.

NKAO projects provide water for approximately 264,000 acres of farmland as well as flood control; municipal and industrial water; recreation, and fish and wildlife benefits. The reservoirs provide approximately 56,000 acres of water surface at normal pool and 75,000 acres of adjacent land for public use. The reservoir areas are managed by a number of Federal, State, and Local entities for fish and wildlife, and recreational purposes.

1.9 Oklahoma – Texas Area Office (MB)

The Oklahoma-Texas Area Office (OTAO) is in Austin, Texas, with a field office in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. OTAO manages 11 Reclamation projects within its area of responsibility which including the southern portion of Kansas, all of Oklahoma, and all of Texas with the exception for the area west of the Pecos River Basin.

OTAO projects provide water for approximately 60,000 acres of farmland as well as flood control; municipal and industrial water; recreation, and fish and wildlife benefits. OTAO reservoirs provide approximately 96,000 acres of water surface at conservation pool and 190,000 acres of adjacent land for public use. The reservoir and associated lands are managed by several Federal, State, and Local entities for fish and wildlife, and recreational purposes.

1.10 Wyoming Area Office (MB)

The Wyoming Area Office (WYAO) service area includes the states of Wyoming east of the Continental Divide and extends into western Nebraska.

The WYAO in Mills, Wyoming, manages the Boysen, Glendo, Hanover-Bluff, Kortes, Owl Creek, and Riverton units of the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program, the Shoshone Project in the Bighorn River Basin, and the North Platte and Kendrick Projects in the North Platte River Basin. These multipurpose projects include 20 reservoirs, 3,800 miles of canals and laterals, and 11 operating hydroelectric power plants. The collective storage capacity is more than 4.5 million acre-feet and combined installed power capacity is over 280 megawatts.

2. Scope

This contract will be a five-year Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract to obtain a full range of environmental compliance and resource management services for projects within Reclamation’s UC and MB Regions.

The scope of this IDIQ is for environmental and cultural resources support and services to include activities associated with but not limited to the following:

· National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

· Geospatial Data Act of 2018

· Endangered Species Act (ESA)

· Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA)

· Clean Air Act (CAA)

· Clean Water Act (CWA)

· National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA)

· Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA)

· Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA)

· Recreation and Public Purposes Act

· Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

· Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)

· Paleontological Resources Preservation Act (PRPA)

· Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act

· Safe Drinking Water Act

· National Trail Systems Act

· Architectural Barriers Act

· Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS)

· Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act

· Federal Land Policy and Management Act

· Plant Protection Act

· National Invasive Species Act

· John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act

· Ethnography, Historic Architecture, and History

· Museum Property Curation

· Invasive Species Management/Integrated Pest Management

· Climate Change and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

· Economics

· Socioeconomic studies and investigations

· Environmental Justice (EJ)

· Fire Management/Science

All contractor deliverables including but not limited to various studies, reports, data, and supporting documentation shall be done professionally and to current Reclamation and industry standards with specific attention to the following items:

· data quality.

· studies, reports and supporting documentation shall be clear, concise and complete.

· rationale and methods that are used to arrive at assumptions, parameters, and conclusions are documented to evaluate and check data provided.

· final reports and supporting documentation shall be prepared from draft reports and have included edits that consider Reclamation’s review comments.

All products shall be delivered by the required completion dates specified in individual Task Orders (TOs). The contractor shall furnish all required data, copies in the formats specified (i.e.., original, hard copies, electronic copies, 508 compliant copies, datasets, etc.) as specified in the TOs. All electronic file formats for specific report deliverables shall comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (accessibility requirements), which may include those for use on the internet.

The contractor may be required to conduct various types of fieldwork including surveys, monitoring, mitigation activities, and sampling. The contractor shall be responsible for obtaining all necessary permits and access documents required to conduct fieldwork and investigations.

The contractor may be required to prepare archaeological and paleontological items collected during fieldwork for long term preservation and curation at a museum repository. Database input and artifact/specimen cataloging, organization, and archival packaging shall be clear, concise, and complete. Electronic files of database entries created for the project shall be submitted to Reclamation as an integral part of deliverables, in addition to physical artifact/specimen processing.

The contractor may be required to identify cultural items subject to NAGPRA and prepare summary reports and draft Federal Register notices. The contractor shall provide clear, concise documentation and utilize all NAGPRA templates as required. All Cultural Resources work shall be done in accordance with professional and industry standards and all data shall be quality checked.

The contractor may be required to prepare maps, drawings, and charts depicting information specified by Reclamation. Electronic files of all maps, drawings and charts created for a project shall be submitted to Reclamation as an integral part of the deliverables. All geospatial information (GIS, remote sensing, imagery), computer aided drafting (CAD) and global positioning system (GPS) deliverables shall conform to the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) geospatial metadata standards and guidelines as described at the following website: www.fgdc.gov. Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI), Earth Resource Development Assessment System (ERDAS), and AutoDesk file formats are Reclamation’s standards for GIS, remote sensing, and CAD electronic files.

All specific performance requirements and deliverables will be outlined per TO.

2.1 General Work Requirements

Work performed under this IDIQ contract shall comply with all applicable Federal, State, Tribal, and local regulations and standards including but not limited to NEPA, ESA, MBTA, CAA, CWA, RCRA, CERCLA, NHPA, NAGPRA, ARPA, Plant Protection Act (PPA), National Invasive Species Act (NISA), PRPA, Reclamation Safety and Health Standards (RSHS), and all specific laws and regulations for States located within the UC and MB Regions. All items produced from this effort become the sole property of Reclamation and shall be provided to Reclamation in correct formats within Section 508 compliance standards.

The contractor shall provide the required environmental and cultural resources services as requested in individual TOs issued under this contract. The general technical requirements specified in this SOW are intended to provide general requirements for execution of the contract and a very broad scope of services awarded that contractors may be required to provide. Specific services required will be described in detail within each proposed TO. Each proposed TO will contain sufficient detail to adequately describe the work requirements and may include a SOW, SOO, and/or specifications, schedules, and milestones for each task.

All fieldwork performed and deliverables provided shall be completed in accordance with the professional and current industry standards and shall comply with applicable/new DOI and Reclamation Directives and Standards. Methodology and procedures will be specified in each proposed TO. Necessary data may be provided by Reclamation or developed and/or collected by the contractor on behalf of Reclamation. Reclamation will review and approve all work to be done prior to contractor proceeding on TO.

The contractor shall demonstrate they can provide all necessary personnel, labor, equipment, materials, supplies and permits necessary to execute the required work. The contractor shall have or be able to obtain all necessary resources or equipment including but not limited to: GPS units, screens, field equipment, field vehicles, and have the capacity to staff and conduct multiple field projects simultaneously.

The contractor shall furnish the number of copies of reports specified in the TOs, describe the methods, results, and studies made, and shall furnish Reclamation all information, data, maps, drawings, photographs, text, cover, working papers, notes, computations, formulas, computer procedures, geospatial information databases, and worksheets which Reclamation deems necessary for review and acceptance of deliverables. The contractor shall not release any confidential/restricted data, information, or records to the public in accordance with Section 304 of the NHPA (54 USC 307103, and 43 CFR 7.18).

Prior to Reclamation approval of final products, no portion of the studies, findings, materials, conclusions, or recommendations shall be released to an outside party or otherwise publicized without expressed prior consent of the Contracting Officer (CO) or the Contracting Officer Representative (COR). All required deliverables shall comply with Section 508 of the National Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Explicit tasks or studies for each Reclamation project will not be identified at this time. Reclamation will identify the detailed requirements in each respective TO when a specific service is required. See Section 4 of this document for general descriptions of work items that contractors may be requested to complete. Specific services may require the contractor to be available to testify as an expert witness subsequent to the completion of the assignment. The contractor may also be required, when necessary for accomplishment of a particular service, to develop, prepare, and submit permit applications and obtain approval of the permits.

3. Key Personnel

The contractor shall employ, either directly or through partnership, joint venture or subcontract, personnel adequate in numbers, skills, and qualifications to perform the types/kinds of services which may be required under this IDIQ. The contractor shall demonstrate experience with the successful completion of environmental and cultural resource management projects in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and/or Wyoming. Personnel hired and any subcontractor selected for their special knowledge and expertise shall demonstrable appropriate academic and professional qualifications and experience in their field(s) of expertise. These individuals, including subcontractors and other team members/partners, shall be directly supervised, and guided by the contractor. Any awards to contractors for an IDIQ contract shall be to the prime contractor. The prime contractor is required to provide at least 50% of the labor pool for the parent contract and for all TOs.

4. Tasks (Schedule B Line Items 0010 – 0170)

Proposed tasks under this IDIQ provide for a wide range of services. These services may include but are not limited to environmental services, cultural resources, and GIS support. The contractor shall furnish all labor, equipment, supervision, materials, and other resources required herein except for government furnished items as outlined in task order. Major tasks that may be awarded under this IDIQ are described below.

4.1 Adaptive Management, Recovery Implementation Program, and Collaborative Program Technical Support

The contractor may be called upon to provide support to environmental/cultural resource collaborative and adaptive management programs in the UC and MB Regions. Possible tasks include:

· Provide independent technical advice, scientific oversight assistance, and peer reviewers for the regions including AMP, RIP, and/or other collaborative programs.

· Provide scientific and technical advisory services including contracting academic and technical tribal experts to independently assess projects and proposals to ensure scientific, technical objectivity and credibility.

· Provide Independent Review Panels (IRP) to conduct independent assessments of program proposals and accomplishments to ensure scientific objectivity and credibility.

· Recommend use of and contract with any supplemental reviewers for individual tasks if necessary.

· Provide technical and/or scientific expertise in the following areas:

· Adaptive Management

· Anthropology/Native American studies

· Cultural Resources

· Paleontology

· Museum Collection management

· Recreation and Resource Management Planning documents

· Wildland Fire Management

· Easements, acquisitions, appraisals, land disposals, relinquishments

· Fisheries

· Migratory Birds

· Ecosystem/Riparian ecology

· Geomorphology

· Oil and gas exploration and development (as related to environment)

· Compatibility reviews

· GIS/Remote Sensing

· Hydrology

· Aquatic Ecology/Limnology

· Socioeconomics

· Noxious/Invasive Terrestrial and/or Aquatic Species

· Integrated Pest Management

· Environmental Justice

· Climate Change and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Standards include the following:

· Must have demonstrated experience in adaptive management, recovery programs, and/or collaborative programs.

· A knowledge of scientific programs and methods associated with the study of river and other water-related ecosystems.

· Must have the ability to balance scientific and non-scientific points of views at meetings, within documents, and in interactions with Federal, State, Tribal, and non-governmental participants.

· Ability to communicate scientific and technical principles in a manner that is understandable to non-scientists.

4.2 Biological Surveys

The contractor may be called upon to conduct biological surveys including mammal, insect, fish, bird, plant/vegetation, and other surveys in support of UC and/or MB Regions. Specific surveys may include, but not limited to the following:

4.2.1 Fish Surveys

Services related to fish sampling may include but is not limited to: conducting pre-project and/or post-project localized fish surveys in or near the project area to document and evaluate the fish community as well as any protected fish species in support of compliance needs under ESA; conducting monitoring at project sites for fish habitat conditions such as water quality, depths, velocities, and other parameters; using a variety of fish gear types including seines, fyke nets, dip nets, light traps, and/or backpack electrofishing methods; conducting monitoring and/or fish rescue, if needed, during project construction; and/or conducting post-project monitoring to document fish use at the project site, habitat conditions, and/or during high flows for any entrapment and related need to relocate fish. Services would include data collection and compilation, as well as report writing.

4.2.2 Bird Surveys

Services related to bird surveys may include but is not limited to: conducting pre-project migratory bird surveys, breeding bird surveys (detections, nest surveys), and/or bird habitat surveys as applicable in the project area, within the applicable buffer zone to the project area, and/or within the larger area of responsibility to evaluate the presence of migratory birds under MBTA as well as any protected bird species in support of compliance needs under ESA; using applicable survey protocols in compliance with the ESA and MBTA; conducting relevant bird surveys, if needed, during construction activities; and conducting any post-project bird or bird habitat surveys to evaluate presence of habitat as required by the ESA. Services would include data collection and compilation, as well as report writing.

4.2.3 Plant/Vegetation Surveys

Services related to plant/vegetation surveys may include but is not limited to: terrestrial/aquatic invasive plant surveys, herbicide and pesticide post treatment surveys conducting pre-project wetland delineations, wetland monitoring during construction as needed, and/or post-project wetland monitoring surveys to evaluate the presence of and impacts to wetlands as required under CWA and the status of wetland mitigation efforts; conducting rangeland health assessments to aid in the management of grazing programs; conducting vegetation surveys in support of any compliance needs under the ESA for listed plant species, using applicable vegetation survey methods and/or wetland delineation protocols as required by ESA or CWA, or to meet new Executive Orders (EO)/Government Performance Results Act (GPRA) requirements; conducting relevant vegetation surveys, if needed, during construction activities; and conducting any post-project vegetation surveys to evaluate habitat conditions as required by the project commitments; conducting surveys for invasive and/or noxious terrestrial and aquatic plant species; and conducting vegetation surveys, if needed, after construction activities to evaluate revegetation efforts and document to species composition, percent ground cover, and general revegetation success. Services include data collection and compilation, as well as report writing.

4.2.4 Rare Plant Surveys

Services related to rare plant surveys may include but is not limited to: conducting pre-project surveys within the project area to document the presence or absence of rare plants (ESA, and NEPA); using applicable survey methods including photo documentation, Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) point data, and other data collection as needed; and conducting any post-project rare plant surveys to evaluate presence or habitat or as required by the project commitments. Services would include data collection and compilation, as well as report writing.

Standards: Demonstrated expertise and ability to conduct biological surveys described above. Must have knowledge of species and protocols for monitoring target species. Ability to write clear reports and present quality-checked datasets.

4.2.5 Noxious and Invasive Weed Inventories

Services related to documenting the spread and level of infestation of invasive plant species may include but is not limited to terrestrial and aquatic invasive species surveys utilizing GPS receivers and producing accurate GIS shapefiles of occurrences with specific attributes, such as species name and percent cover will allow future monitoring.

4.3 Clean Water Act

The contractor may be called upon to conduct aquatic resources delineations and prepare reports and permit applications, in accordance with applicable laws and regulations, and established standards, guidance, protocol, and methods of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), for projects involving discharges of dredge or fill material into waters of the United States. Specific activities may include:

· Coordinate with regulatory agencies, including Corps, EPA, and/or State and Tribal environmental departments (if applicable), and make recommendations to Reclamation regarding compliance with Sections 404 and 401 of the CWA.

· Field survey and delineate waters of the United States, including wetlands and other special aquatic sites, lakes, ponds, and perennial, intermittent and ephemeral streams, in accordance with established standards, guidance and protocols, such as the 1987 Corps of Engineers Wetlands Delineation Manual and appropriate regional supplements, ordinary high-water mark field guides, and other current methods required by the Corps.

· Conduct field surveys and identify non-jurisdictional wetlands not subject to CWA Section 404, but applicable to EO 11990 and the “No Net Wetland Loss” federal policy, as appropriate.

· Prepare aquatic resources delineation reports, in accordance with the Corps’ minimum standards for delineation reports.

· Coordinate with the Corps and submit delineation reports, including requests for preliminary or approved jurisdictional determinations.

· Prepare pre-construction notification forms and packages containing all required information to obtain CWA Section 404 Nationwide General Permits, Programmatic General Permits, and Regional General Permits.

· Prepare application packages and supporting documentation to obtain standard CWA Section 404 individual permits and letters of permission.

· Prepare alternatives analyses in accordance with the Section 404 (b)(1) guidelines (40 CFR 230).

· Identify and recommend appropriate mitigation to avoid and minimize adverse effects to aquatic resources.

· Identify and recommend appropriate compensatory mitigation, including potential sites and plans.

· Prepare compensatory mitigation and monitoring plans and drawings, in accordance with Corps standards and requirements.

· Prepare necessary forms and documents in order to obtain 401 water quality certifications, as required by Corps, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and/or the State or Tribe, as applicable.

· Prepare other supporting documents and forms, as needed, to support delineations, reports, and permit applications.

· Watershed Surveys health

Standards: In accordance with established standards, guidance, and protocols, such as the 1987 Corps of Engineers Wetlands Delineation Manual and appropriate regional supplements, applicable EPA rules, ordinary high-water mark field guides, and other current methods required by the Corps.

4.4 Cultural Resources and Archaeology Resources

The contractor may provide a wide range of cultural and archeological resources and related services which may include but is not limited to:

· NHPA support

· Archeological resource inventory and National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) evaluation

· Archeological site documentation, testing, mitigation, and data recovery

· Cultural resource site monitoring and condition assessment

· Historic building survey, inventory, NRHP evaluation, and documentation, including Historic American Building Survey/Historic Architecture Engineering Record (HABS/HAER), structural condition assessments, and preservation plans

· Draft NRHP nomination forms

· Identification of potential direct and indirect effects to cultural resources, including Traditional Cultural Properties and sacred sites.

· Identification of potential avoidance and/or mitigation strategies

· Site protection recommendations

· Development of historic contexts

· Ethnohistorical and anthropological research including cultural affiliation studies, contextual studies, ethnographic studies, and oral histories

· Accessing and developing digital data, including GIS mapping and analyses

· Geoarchaeological investigations

· Predictive modeling

· Specialized testing and analysis including but not limited to radiocarbon dating, thermoluminescence dating, archaeomagnetic dating, X-ray fluorescence testing, lipid residue analysis, etc.

· Museum curation management

· Drafting of formal agreements (Memoranda of Agreement, Programmatic Agreement (PA), etc.)

· Technical report writing and publication

· General support for Native American consultation with NAGPRA, the American Religious Freedom Act, the ARPA, and Sections 106 and 110 of the NHPA

· Cultural resource symposia

Standards: The contractor shall draft reports and conduct research and fieldwork in accordance with professional standards required by Reclamation’s Cultural Resources Management Program, the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic Preservation, and permit requirements and guidelines provided by the State Historic Preservation Officer and/or Tribal Historic Preservation Officer for the State and/or Tribe in which inventories are taking place, in support of NEPA, Section 101(b)(4); NHPA, as amended; and ARPA. Additional permits may be required for surveys and inventories on other federal lands (i.e., Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service), state lands, and tribal lands. Destructive excavations and analyses are not authorized except with prior written approval from Reclamation. Any objects, data, and records collected under a federal ARPA or PRPA permit shall be managed in accordance with 36 CRR 79. Culturally sensitive data, such as draft reports and associated maps, photos, etc., is considered Unclassified Information and must be transmitted using Reclamation encryption standards. Reclamation’s current standards are FIPS 140-2 Level 3 compliant or higher (Reclamation Directive and Standards SLE 02-01). The contractor shall not make available to the public any restricted data in accordance with Section 304 of the NHPA (54 USC 307103), and 43 CFR 7.18.

Project specific requirements may exist such as for the NGWSP where work is on state, federal, and tribal lands and there is a project specific PA and NAGPRA Plan of Action. For the NGWSP, Archaeologists and Ethnographers must be permitted or permittable to be able to work on Navajo Nation and work on the Nation must conform to the Navajo Nation Cultural Resources Protection Act and the Navajo Nation Policy for the Protection of Jischaa': Gravesites, Human Remains, and Funerary Items.

The contractor may be required to conduct cultural resource, pedestrian, geophysical and ethnographic surveys and prepare reports in accordance with the NHPA and applicable laws and regulations. The contractor shall coordinate with regulatory agencies, including the state and tribal historic preservation offices, and make recommendations to Reclamation regarding compliance with Sections 106 and 110 of the NHPA. The contractor shall coordinate with the appropriate SHPOs/THPOs regarding nearby archeological surveys and existing archeological sites.

The contractor may be required to conduct an excavation and analysis of inadvertent discoveries of human remains and prepare reports in accordance with applicable laws and regulations regarding NAGPRA. The contractor shall make recommendations to Reclamation regarding the coordination with tribal historic preservation and NAGPRA coordinators and make recommendations to Reclamation regarding compliance with NAGPRA.

The contractor may be required to plan, coordinate, and host a one to two-day symposium to share experiential information and best practices for cultural consultation. Symposium participants may include tribal representatives, contractors, and Reclamation staff.

The contractor may be required to develop general publications with content developed by tribes about their own people. The contractor may coordinate with tribal participants to determine their interest in a project, collaborate to obtain content appropriate for the general public, and arrange the production of the final document.

4.5 Environmental Laboratory Services

The contractor may be requested to analyze water, soil, sediment, air, and biological samples for a full spectrum of analyses including but not limited to metals, chemistry, organics, biological pathogens, and species identification of biological samples. The analyses and results shall be documented in report form and provided to Reclamation.

Standards: Laboratory analyses shall be conducted in laboratories that have well developed QA/QC Programs, with periodic lab audits/inspections/evaluations, and shall be certified by the EPA or EPA-delegated State in which the analyses shall be performed. Analyses shall be performed according to accepted EPA/State methods for the parameter to be analyzed. The contractor shall draft reports in accordance with professional standards generally acceptable by the EPA or EPA-delegated State in which the analyses shall be performed. Laboratories used must have certification in processing and identification associated with sample processing, verification processes and protocols that include systematic checks of effectiveness, and documented processing protocols and QC mechanisms in place. Examples include but are not limited to:

· Blue-Green Algae

· Water Sampling

· Mussel Sampling

· Asbestos Inspections

4.6 Environmental Site Assessments - Phase I and II

The contractor may be called upon to perform Phase I and II Environmental Site Assessments prior to the Federal government acquiring or disposing of property or lands per DOI Department Manual 602 DM2 and Reclamation Manual LRM 06-01. These assessments shall be performed according to relevant Reclamation standards and current ASTM Standards by a qualified Environmental Professional as defined in ASTM E1527-13. The contactor will be required to provide the details and results of the analysis to Reclamation in report form.

Standards: Environmental Site Assessments shall be performed in accordance with ASTM Standards E1527-13 for Phase I Assessments and E1903 for Phase II Assessments. The Environmental Site Assessment shall be performed by an individual that meets the definition of an Environmental Professional as defined in ASTM E1527-13.

4.7 National Environmental Policy Act

The contractor may be called upon to furnish labor, materials, supplies, equipment, facilities, supervision, and transportation necessary to assist Reclamation in complying with environmental laws and regulations applicable to each specific TO. Environmental services tasks involve scientific, environmental engineering, technical, and regulatory compliance, and may include, but are not limited to, the general areas and categories listed below:

· NEPA studies and documentation, including Categorical Exclusions Checklist (CECs), Environmental Assessments (EAs), and Environmental Impact Statements (EISs) addressing proposed Federal actions, and supplements to these documents.

· Federal biological surveys for species listed as threatened or endangered under ESA, rare plant surveys, biological assessments, natural resource studies, MBTA compliance, including nesting surveys, raptor surveys, Golden Eagle and Bald Eagle Protection Act, and biological monitoring.

· Other flora and fauna surveys.

· Cultural resource information within NEPA documents

· Wetland assessments and jurisdictional wetland delineations.

· Air, water and noise compliance planning, assessments, technical analysis, media inventories, permit applications, mitigation plans, and natural environment enhancement or restoration.

· Economic and/or socio-economic studies.

· Environmental justice assessments, studies, and communication plans.

· Recreation

· Visual Resource

· Development and update of Resource Management Plans (RMPs).

· Assist in developing notices for publication in the Federal Register.

· Conduct public scoping meetings, as well as meetings during an EA and EIS comment period.

· Management of the public comment process, including addressing public comments.

· Preparing the Administrative Record including maintaining accurate project files, filing, indexing, and scanning of documents.

· Providing all documents that Reclamation provides to the public in formats compliant with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.

The contractor may conduct and coordinate appropriate field surveys, site visits, assessments, and interviews; determine the area of potential effects; prepare required project studies; conduct literature/record searches; plan and execute studies and prepare written reports; perform site monitoring, site mitigation through data recovery; and any other investigations and studies required.

The contractor shall provide the resources to manage multiple requests for field personnel simultaneously and for different locations within the IDIQ’s covered area. Although Reclamation makes every effort to provide sufficient lead time for scheduling field surveys, often there is urgency for immediate action.

All required environmental documents within the scope of the TO that requires NEPA work shall be done to the standards of DOI and BOR with limited general instructions from Reclamation. Contractors shall be familiar with and knowledgeable in creating these types of documents. When producing environmental compliance documentation, the best available existing data from Federal, State, Tribal, and local government agencies or private entities shall be utilized whenever possible to avoid duplication of previous research that may be pertinent to the proposed project.

Standard: The contractor shall draft reports and conduct research in accordance with professional standards required by NEPA, CEQ and DOI regulations, applicable State regulations, and Reclamation’s NEPA Handbook. The contractor shall be familiar with applicable statutes, regulations, guidelines, and significant judicial decisions and must comply with them in preparation of environmental compliance documentation. The contractor shall have demonstrated expertise and ability to prepare EAs and EISs, including demonstrated life cycle management of NEPA processes resulting in Reclamation’s issuance of FONSIs and Record of Decisions (RODs). Contractor shall also demonstrate successful preparation of prior Administrative Records.

4.8 Endangered Species Act

The contractor may be called upon to provide services related to the UC and MB Region’s compliance with Endangered Species Act (ESA). This includes the development of Biological

Assessments (BAs), Biological Evaluations (BEs), habitat conservation plans, and/or review of Draft Biological Opinions (BOs).

All required environmental documents within the scope of the TO that requires ESA work shall be done to the standards of DOI and BOR with limited general instructions from Reclamation. Contractors shall be familiar with and knowledgeable in creating these types of documents. When producing environmental compliance documentation, the best available existing data from Federal, State, Tribal, and local government agencies or private entities shall be utilized whenever possible to avoid duplication of previous research that may be pertinent to the proposed project.

Environmental coordination includes but is not limited to assisting Reclamation coordinating with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (Service) local Ecological Services Field Office regarding any Federally listed species; assisting Reclamation when coordinating with the appropriate environmental department of any Native American Tribes; assisting Reclamation when coordinating with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA); coordinating with other relevant Federal agencies as appropriate (e.g. the Corps BIA, BLM, FS, FWS, NPS); and coordination with any other entities identified in the IDIQ individual TOs. Such coordination may be conducted by the contractor, or in conjunction with Reclamation staff, and may be informal or formal, via report or oral manner.

Standards: The contractor shall draft reports and conduct research in accordance with professional standards required by ESA, applicable State regulations, Reclamation, and the Service. The contractor shall be familiar with applicable statutes, regulations, guidelines, and significant judicial decisions and must comply with them in preparation of a BA. The contractor shall have demonstrated expertise and ability to prepare BAs or BEs.

4.9 Geographical Information Systems

The contractor may be called upon to provide GIS services in support of environmental and cultural resources projects and needs within the regions. Specific tasks may include but are not limited to:

· Analyses and mapping in support of NEPA, ESA, CWA, RCRA, NHPA, etc.

· Analyses and mapping in support of cultural resources, including literature reviews, surveys, and mitigation.

· Analyses and mapping in support of groundwater monitoring, habitat conservation plans, habitat modeling, natural resource planning, and vegetation mapping.

· Analysis and mapping for water-related engineering projects.

· Analysis and mapping to confirm land ownership or easement locations.

· Remote sensing for environmental studies, measuring/management, and/or watershed characterization for mitigation planning.

· Analyses and mapping of terrestrial/aquatic invasive plants infestations.

· Analyses and mapping in support of terrestrial/aquatic invasive plant pesticide treatments.

· Develop and/or acquire and managed digital data

All GIS data developed by the contractor shall meet Reclamation accuracy standards for geographic data and shall be provided electronically.

Reclamation is using the ESRI suite of GIS products. All GIS data and products must be compatible with ESRI ArcGIS Pro version 3.0 or later and be able to be stored in a geodatabase. All geospatial deliverables shall comply with applicable Federal and State geographic information standards, particularly those determined by the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) as supporting the National Spatial Data Infrastructure. The contractor shall provide complete geospatial data to include a spatial component, attribute information, and metadata in accordance with the 1998 FGDC standards.

Standards: ESRI, ERDAS, and AutoDesk file formats are Reclamation's standards for GIS, remote sensing, and CAD electronic files. All geospatial information (GIS, remote sensing, imagery), CAD, and GPS deliverables will conform to the FGDC geospatial metadata standards and guidelines at www.fgdc.gov.

4.10 Fish and Wildlife Habitat Mitigation and Monitoring Plans - Habitat Replacement Plans

Fish and Wildlife Habitat mitigation and monitoring requirements are coordinated between Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and the appropriate state agency under the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (16 USC 661-666c). In addition, habitat replacement requirements and procedures for implementation of the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act (CRBSCA) (Public Laws 93-320 and 104-20) were developed by a Reclamation-Service team.

Avoidance of fish and wildlife habitat losses is preferred; where this is not possible, replacement plans should result in no net loss of jurisdictional and non-jurisdictional wetlands (see Section 4.3 b and c) or riparian habitat. Assumptions of the fish and wildlife habitat replacement process and procedures under CRBSCA for determining habitat losses and replacement needs are presented in the March 2013 Basin Wide Salinity Control Program: Procedures for Habitat Replacement (Habitat Replacement Procedures).

The contractor may be called upon to complete a variety of tasks and services including but not limited to:

· Conduct habitat loss and habitat replacement assessments utilizing a Reclamation-approved functional assessment method and habitat evaluation criteria. Currently, the Habitat Replacement Procedures are used.

· Assist in identification of appropriate habitat replacement lands.

· Prepare habitat loss and habitat replacement documentation, in accordance with Reclamation-approved methods. The documentation may include but is not limited to the following:

· Assess and document total habitat value of lands impacted by a proposed action, and the existing and future condition of the proposed habitat replacement lands.

· Coordinate with Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and appropriate State wildlife agency to

· Develop a plan to provide replacement habitat that provides sufficient increase in total habitat value to offset habitat losses.

· Develop preliminary and final habitat replacement plans, including background, existing and desired conditions, project description and statement of work, plan view and cross section drawings, planting plans, water budget, implementation schedule and budget, etc.

· Prepare a maintenance, adaptive management, and monitoring plan, schedule and budget, and reporting process as part of the habitat replacement plan.

· Coordinate review of preliminary and final FWCA reports and Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program (CRBSCP) habitat replacement plans with Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, State wildlife agencies, project proponents, and landowners.

Standards: Must be knowledgeable with FWCA, consultation processes, and conform to the current Reclamation’s Basin-Wide CRBSCP procedures for habitat replacement.

4.11 Monitoring

The contractor may be called upon to provide environmental and/or cultural resources monitoring activities in support of various projects and programs within the regions.