Event_34101-13702_Bird_Survey_Specifications.pdf

Event 13702 Page 1 of 7

STATE OF TN

SOURCING EVENT 34101-13702

SCOPE OF WORK

PLANNING LEVEL BIRD SURVEY AT

VOLUNTEER TRAINING SITE – MILAN

TENNESSEE ARMY NATIONAL GUARD

1.0 INTRODUCTION / BACKGROUND

The Tennessee Army National Guard (TNARNG), as an agent of the National Guard Bureau (NGB), is responsible for the prudent management of natural resources on all of its properties. The largest of these, Volunteer Training Sites (VTS), are managed in accordance with the Sikes Act and Sikes Act Improvement Amendments, through Integrated Natural Resources Management Plans (INRMP) which guide all activities that may impact natural resources on a site. Up to date baseline information on flora, fauna, and abiotic characteristics of the training site is essential to informed natural resources management.

Birds are very mobile, and as such their populations can change substantially in a short period of time.

To ensure accurate information for effective management and compliance with the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the Sikes Act as Amended, and AR 200-1, planning level surveys (PLS) for birds are conducted on a five-year interval. The most recent bird survey on VTS-Milan was conducted in 2020.

For this reason the TNARNG requires a PLS of the avian species which utilize the Milan training site for part or all of the year. Of particular concern are neotropical migrants, migratory waterfowl, and any federal or state species that are listed or of concern. Surveys are necessary to identify any bird community or population changes from previous surveys which may call for special management.

2.0 OBJECTIVE

The objective of this Scope of Work (SOW) is to provide an in-depth investigative survey to identify the bird species using VTS-Milan, and determine if any are considered rare, threatened, or endangered (RTE) by the Federal or State governments. Comparisons will be made with the previous survey to identify important changes in species, species groups, or the bird community since the previous survey.

The following are the objectives of this scope of work:

1. A scientifically defensible survey of bird species utilizing the various habitat types of VTS- Milan during all seasons of the year.

2. Recommendations for management actions to support species of interest that are utilizing the site.

3. Identification of special habitats on the site and recommendations for their management and improvement.

4. Documentation of any RTE bird species present and the marking and mapping (GIS) of the relevant habitat.

5. If applicable, identification of community or population changes from previous surveys, possible reasons for the shifts, and management recommendations. Comparison for identification of changes on VTS-Milan will only be made for the historic site, and data on new land will serve as a baseline for future comparison.

Event 13702 Page 2 of 7

3.0 SITE

The TNARNG training site is covered by this SOW is VTS – Milan in Carroll and Gibson Counties, Tennessee. This site varies in terms of type and quality of vegetative cover, and land use activities.

VTS – Milan (Carroll and Gibson Counties, TN): VTS-M is an 18,581-acre training site in west Tennessee, approximately 20 miles north of Jackson, and immediately adjacent to the town of Milan. The site is bounded on the east by state highway 220, and the town of Milan and Hope Hill Cemetery Rd. on the west. It consists of approximately 9,888 acres of forestland (6,919 ac.

hardwood, 2,056 ac. mixed hardwood/conifer, and 913 ac. pine), 7,311 ac. maintained in open grassland/pasture/crops, 617 ac. forested wetland, and 398 ac. buildings, parking, and other infrastructure. Approximately 7,000 ac. of the open land was historically used for ammunition storage and is covered with parallel rows of ammunition bunkers and associated roads. There is an off-limits area comprised of a 905-ac. duded impact area, which is primarily open ground.

There are streams which include: Halls Branch, Johns Creek, Wolf, Dry, and Clear Creeks.

Surrounding lands consist primarily of farmland and forest to the south and east, suburban settlement to the west, and the industrial/manufacturing area of Milan Army Ammunition Plant (MAAP) to the north.

4.0 MAJOR REQUIREMENTS

The following tasks shall be completed for the Contractor to successfully accomplish the work under this delivery order:

4.1 Task 1: Project Start-Up Meeting and Site Visit

The Contractor shall attend an on-site meeting with TNARNG representatives at the Headquarters in Milan, Tennessee. At this meeting, the Contractor shall be furnished with the most recent environmental information and maps available for the training site. The TNARNG Point of Contact (POC) will be responsible for copying documents in cases where the original cannot be distributed to the Contractor for use during the execution of this SOW. This information will include the following:

• Maps showing the location of restricted areas (areas that would be excluded from the survey);

• Past survey results; and,

• Documentation regarding current and pending natural resources management activities at the training site.

Whenever possible, this information will be provided to the Contractor in electronic format. The Contractor shall be responsible for reviewing all provided data.

The Contractor shall also schedule a site visit to the training site with the TNARNG POC to become familiar with the natural environment and military facilities on the site and the training site personnel through whom access will be coordinated.

Deliverable: Start-Up meeting minutes. Performance Period: Meeting within 1 month of Notice to Proceed; minutes within 15 days following meeting.

4.2 Task 2: Submission of Project Work Plan

Event 13702 Page 3 of 7

The Contractor shall submit for review by the TNARNG POC a Project Work Plan detailing the scheduled stages of the project and the proposed methodology to be used in each phase. The work plan will be completed and approved by the TNARNG POC within one month following the start-up meeting.

The methodology should follow accepted and defensible scientific standards for a comprehensive bird survey. The goal of this project is a PLS survey of the avian life on the training site. For greater comparability, the survey should, at a minimum, include and follow the methods and recommended methodology changes from the previous survey. Results will be compared with prior surveys to identify changes in avian communities and species. Therefore, the methodology should address the full range of bird habitat, lifestyle, and seasonality, and should not be restricted to a single survey method (i.e., bird calls). Survey methodology should be designed such that potential species of concern (rare, threatened, or endangered; neotropical migrant; raptors; migratory waterfowl) will be sampled if present.

The Contractor shall identify habitat types of interest located at the training site. The training site should be subdivided according to these major habitat types and each habitat type adequately sampled across the physical range of the site. Sampling locations will be identified in the work plan.

The Contractor shall contact the TNARNG GIS office to develop the GIS/GPS standards and methods for this project. Verification of appropriate GIS configuration will be required before the work plan is approved.

The Contractor shall be responsible for contacting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Tennessee, the Tennessee Division of Natural Heritage, to determine what, if any, threatened or endangered species or other species of special concern could potentially be using the training site at Milan. The standard gauge of species found within 5 miles of the site is useful; however, the mobile nature of birds suggests that habitat availability be a more important factor than known proximity to the training site. Focal species of interest for the project, if any, will be identified in the Project Work Plan.

Deliverable: Project Work Plan detailing survey methodology, sample locations, comparative analysis with previous surveys, and species of special concern.

Performance Period: 3 months following Notice to Proceed

4.3 Task 3: Bird Survey

The Contractor shall sample the different bird habitats of VTS-Milan according to the Project Work Plan and in all seasons. Training Site access and scheduling of training activities shall be taken into account in planning the sampling schedule. Access to the site will be provided as necessary to accomplish field work: however, the Contractor must understand that military training activities will receive first priority with regard to scheduling access to Training Areas. It is the Contractor’s responsibility to coordinate with each training site POC to schedule access to that site. The Contractor shall provide all labor and equipment associated with the project, except as otherwise noted.

Sampling will be non-destructive: catch and release and/or non-physical methods. Species identification will be performed by personnel professionally trained in bird identification. If any species of special concern are discovered in the survey, the location at which they were found and any other potential habitat will be designated on the ground with flagging and mapped via GIS. Sample point locations and special concern habitats will be recorded via GPS in WGS 1984 UTM 16 N in a geodatabase format.

Species lists will be recorded in a database format that is compatible with ESRI ArcGIS 10X system, and

Event 13702 Page 4 of 7 current SDSFIE version. Meta-data files will be compliant with the current Corps of Engineers Spatial Data Standards (SDSFIE); the Contractor must coordinate with the TNARNG GIS office (see Section 9.0) to ensure current standards are being followed prior to beginning field work. GIS section can provided a blank database if necessary. All files will be delivered in an editable format; “read-only” files are not acceptable.

The Contractor shall make monthly progress reports to the TNARNG POC throughout the execution of this contract. Format of these reports is at the discretion of the TNARNG POC.

Deliverables: Status reports on project progress.

Performance Period: Monthly, throughout contract.

4.4 Task 4: Preparation and Submission of Survey Reports

Results of the survey will be submitted to the TNARNG POC. The report will include summary of survey methodology, species list by habitat, discussion of significant finds, field notes, map and GIS shapefile of sample locations, map and GIS shapefile of species of special concern habitats (if any), and recommendations for management or further study. The Contractor should review previous bird surveys conducted at the VTS, make comparisons, and report if there have been any bird community, species group, or species population shifts. Should a community or population shift be noted, possible reasons and management recommendations should be given. VTS-Milan has recently been expanded with differing survey efforts on the historic and new land. The comparison with previous survey results will only be possible for the historic approximate 2,400 ac. and this surveys data serving to establish a baseline on the new approximate 16,000 ac.

The draft report will be reviewed by TNARNG to ensure all needed information is included. The draft is due 20 months after notice to proceed. Two hard copies and one electronic copy of the report should be submitted. All GIS files should be submitted for review at the same time as the draft report.

The draft report will be reviewed by the State POC and TNARNG subject matter experts to ensure all needed information is included. The State POC will return comments within two months of receipt of draft report.

The Contractor shall prepare the final survey report incorporating the State POC’s comments. Three hard-copies and three electronic copies (two CD/DVD and one via DoD SAFE) of each final report will be submitted to the State.

All data collected in the course of the project including field forms, raw data tables, spreadsheets, databases, and GIS files will be provided to the TN Military Department in electronic form and included on the submitted CD/DVDs. All GIS data and metadata will be in editable files that can be effectively incorporated into the TNARNG GIS system.

For the purpose of creating maps for the reports, the Contractor shall obtain any applicable raw GIS data from the TNARNG GIS Office.

Publication of results from this project is possible with written permission and cooperation from the TN Military Department, Environmental Office. Any manuscript must be reviewed by the State prior to submission for publication.

Event 13702 Page 5 of 7

Deliverable: Draft Survey Reports, Final Survey Reports, All Data Collected In Digital Form

Performance Period: Draft due 20 months from Notice to Proceed Final Report due by close of contract (24 months)

5.0 GOVERNMENT FURNISHED INFORMATION OR MATERIAL

The TNARNG shall furnish access to all requested data relevant to this project. This will include topographic maps and environmental data about the site. The TNARNG will provide access to the installation for the necessary field work; however, the Contractor shall schedule their access to each training site through the respective training site POC. The contractor must also understand that scheduling and access priority will be given to military units for training purposes.

6.0 CONTRACTOR REQUIREMENTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Contract work shall be performed by or under the direct supervision of personnel who are professionally qualified in bird identification.

The Contractor shall furnish (except as noted) all labor, materials, equipment, tools, transportation, communications, and supplies required to complete the work in accordance with project specifications, terms of the contract, and this Scope of Work. The Contractor shall remove all flagging, other markings, and equipment upon completion of the field portion of the contract.

The Contractor shall obtain all permits and authorizations that may be required to complete this contract.

Copies of permits will be furnished to the TNARNG POC within 30 days of issuance.

The TNARNG POC will serve as the liaison with the training site personnel concerning scheduling of meetings at VTS-Milan and the initial site visits. However, it is the Contractor’s responsibility to coordinate all other access to the facility through the training site POC. Access will be provided as necessary to accomplish field work; however, the Contractor must understand that military training activities shall receive first priority with regards to scheduling access to training areas.

All information and data provided by TNARNG to the Contractor is for the purpose of fulfilling this contract. This information is to be protected by the Contractor; it is not to be distributed or utilized for any other purpose under penalty of law.

Upon completion of the Project, the Contractor shall protect and/or return to TNARNG all maps, photographs, specimen materials, studies, surveys, inventories, evaluations, plans, and project reports obtained or collected during the course of the Contract work in accordance with all regulations, laws and statutes. Copies of reports and applicable related materials will be furnished to the TNARNG upon completion of the Contract.

Any specimens collected will be provided to a local institution of higher education for archiving and/or educational use. Any endangered species collected will be dispersed according to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service instruction.

Publication of results from this project is possible only with written permission and cooperation from the TNARNG Environmental Office. Any manuscript must be approved by the TNARNG POC and the TNARNG Public Affairs Office prior to submission for publication.

Event 13702 Page 6 of 7

7.0 DELIVERABLES

All maps, historic documents and other items borrowed from the TNARNG or other contractors under contract to the TNARNG are the property of the TNARNG and shall be returned to the TNARNG upon completion of this Contract.

The deliverables due in fulfillment of this Contract are summarized below. Payments will be made following receipt of deliverables according to the following approximate schedule (payment will not be delayed if a deliverable is provided ahead of schedule):

Time from Notice to Proceed Deliverable Payment

1.5 months Kick-off Meeting Minutes 10% 3 months Project Work Plan 10%

Throughout Copies of all permits and authorizations obtained during the course of the contract work -

Throughout Minutes and records of meetings, consultations, and conferences -

Throughout Monthly progress reports on field work -

Throughout Field sampling, species identification, and habitat identification 40%

21 months Draft Survey Reports (1 electronic copy of report) and draft

GIS files including metadata

20%

24 months

Final Biological Survey Report (3 hardcopy and 3 electronic copies (2 on CD/DVD and 1 via DoD SAFE)

Survey results in electronic database compatible with TNARNG systems (MS Access or Excel 2013 or higher version preferred; must be editable)

Electronic copies of graphics and maps (locations of sample points and any species of special concern habitat) in ArcView (NAD 83 UTM Projection) with SDS/FIE compliant metadata. GIS data must be provided as editable data layers, not read-only

20%

Event 13702 Page 7 of 7

8.0 MEETINGS AND REVIEWS

Consultations and meetings will be conducted as necessary. At a minimum, this will include:

1. Start-up meeting and site visit – on-site, in person.

2. Review of Project Work Plan – may be conducted in person or via phone/email.

3. Monthly progress report reviews – may be conducted in person or via phone/email.

4. Draft report review – may be conducted in person or via phone/email.

9.0 TECHNICAL POINTS OF CONTACT

The VTS-Milan on-site POC for this project is CPT Brown at (731) 222-5304 (andrew.j.brown50.mil@army.mil). All visits to Milan by the Contractor should be coordinated through CPT Brown and the RFMSS Scheduler SSG Dustin Wallace (615) 426-5935 (dustin.b.wallace2.mil@army.mil).

The TNARNG Natural Resources POC is Jenna Cox, (615) 636-4924 (jenna.e.cox2.nfg@army.mil); or Brian Knapp, (615) 339-5814 (brian.e.knapp.nfg@army.mil).

The TNARNG GIS POC is James “Dave” Meadows at (615) 313-0837 (james.d.meadows.nfg@mail.mil). GIS/GPS requirements must be coordinated in advance through Mr.

Meadows.

All material submissions are to be sent to Jenna Cox, the TNARNG POC, at the following address:

Tennessee Army National Guard Attn: Jenna Cox

P.O. Box 509 Milan, TN 38358

No TNARNG personnel, other than the Contracting Officer, shall have the authority to change or alter these requirements. The TNARNG POC shall clarify technical points or supply relevant technical information, but no requirements in this statement of work or the scope of work may be altered as a sole result of such verbal clarification.

10.0 PERIOD OF SERVICE

The Period of Service for this contract shall be twenty-four (24) months from Notice to Proceed.

mailto:andrew.j.brown50.mil@army.mil mailto:(dustin.b.wallace2.mil@army.mil mailto:jenna.e.cox2.nfg@army.mil mailto:brian.e.knapp.nfg@army.mil mailto:james.d.meadows.nfg@mail.mil