EXHIBIT C- Request for Proposal for Small Mammal Survey

SCOPE OF WORK:

The Work described herein will be completed by the CONTRACTOR on dates identified by project manager prior to initiation of project for an amount specified on each project’s approved purchase order per the rates provided by the prospective contractor. All overhead costs, including travel and lodging, office supplies, and copying costs should be built into the rate schedule provided by the contractor. Meetings will occur when needed between the contractor, the project manager, and park staff to provide feedback and status updates. All park communication will be vetted through the project manager. Contractor should note that the purchase order agreement is subject to the standard terms and conditions linked to the PO form. All deliverables produced as part of this effort become property of Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) but may retain the authors name as a courtesy.

BACKGROUND

The goals of this project are threefold:

State Park Small Mammal Surveys

Note: often the project is targeted at one or two specific species or a group of species (ie: bats).

Objectives

1. Compile a comprehensive target species lists for specified project locations through:

a. Research/Communication with park staff, park volunteers, Resource Stewardship staff, and other CPW staff.

b. Research other data sources including Colorado Natural Heritage Program, iNaturalist, and other sources.

c. On site surveys may include visual surveys, monitoring/transects, trapping, nights of netting and acoustic monitoring.

d. Evaluation of potential habitat.

e. Provide coordinates for all survey sites, documented observation locations, and habitats of special interest to staff for future mapping requirements.

2. Survey for target species in appropriate habitats within the park.

3. Identify species of conservation interest (observed or potential) and the habitat areas in the park which they use (or would use). The priority for this project will focus on these species.

4. Identify locations in the park that are “conservation priority” habitats for species.

5. Identify, if appropriate, habitats/areas that could be considered for habitat improvement/restoration to benefit target species.

6. Provide information, content ideas, and support to staff for development educational/outreach materials for the conservation in the Park of the survey’s identified species.

7. Evaluate status of historic species observation locations that are identified from research and/or communication with project manager and park contacts.

8. Collaborate with CPW staff and other possible partners when appropriate to perform field surveys.

9. Where feasible, develop monitoring protocols that park volunteers could use to effectively monitor target species

a. Include/create a field form for data collection

b. Include directions for locations in the park to monitor and what monitoring protocols should be followed.

This information will help State Parks manage and protect key habitat areas, conserve species of conservation interest, comply with conservation regulations, as well as to help compare species diversity between parks and diversity within the parks over time.

The long term concept is to create survey and monitoring protocols that could be repeated in the future by

Resource Stewardship staff and/or park volunteers. Whenever possible, surveys should be created so that access by volunteers is possible. Contractor will attempt to identify local experts in the geographical area of the park that have the capability to fill this role.

Direction during the survey and while writing the report to help achieve these goals will require:

1. Clear communication of survey protocols used by the contractor in the field to the project manager and within the report.

2. Clear identification of survey locations through photos, maps, and GPS locations before the field survey and within the report.

3. Good coordination by the contractor with CPW project manager, park managers, and volunteers.

When local experts are included in the project to lend their knowledge to the survey, these goals can be more easily achieved. Efforts will be made by the contractor, and with assistance of the project manager, to include CPW

Resource Stewardship Program staff and local species experts from the public in the field survey process.

The table below will be populated with project site specific information on a project by project basis. This information will include the parks where these surveys will be conducted, their acreages, the numbers of plots and the types of surveys. The number of plot locations is based on what can be accomplished in 1 day in the field.

Some locations may require two field days due to acreage or access issues. Communication with the project manager should occur if contractor feels that a second survey day is needed. Project site maps will be provided to plot point count station locations prior to the start of field work. Communication with park management in regards to count station locations will occur to ensure resource management needs are addressed by the surveys.

Area Total

Acreage

Target

Search

Acreage

Potential targets

XX State

Park

TBD TBD known locations of species plus additional suitable habitat

XX State

Park

TBD TBD known locations of species plus additional suitable habitat

XX State

Park

TBD TBD riparian corridor, riparian-upland ecotone, and known locations of species plus additional suitable habitat

Total

DELIVERABLE DETAIL:

For this project, the contractor will conduct surveys and monitoring using methods necessary to obtain the finest scale of information possible within this scope of work. Through surveys, monitoring work, and research, the contractor will produce the following deliverables:

A. Communication – Upon project approval, the contractor will:

● Communicate planned field dates first to the Project Manager and then to the property manager for approval well ahead of time (at least 2 weeks notice).

● Make arrangements with property managers for getting in and out of the Park locations during the required hours when necessary (especially if after-hours access to park areas is required).

● Any permanent markers that are to be used for the survey must first be approved by the State Park

Manager prior to their placement. Placement of markers should be unobtrusive and not noticeable to the general public.

● Communicate in advance (at least 2 weeks) with the Project Manager, so that CPW Resource

Stewardship staff may have an opportunity to coordinate with the contractor and any volunteers to come in the field to participate in the surveys and monitoring work. It is recognized that in some cases weather events and other conditions may be used to identify the best time to survey and that in these cases two weeks notice may not be possible.

● Communicate in advance with other CPW staff who involved with surveys and monitoring efforts

(i.e. Area biologists). CPW staff may be available to assist with survey and monitoring work.

B. Species of Conservation Interest List – to be created prior to field survey work

● List will be based upon the template provided and will include:

● Research of species range and known observation locations to identify potential species

● English common name and scientific name

● Habitat types within the park that have the potential for occupancy using habitat nomenclature provided by project manager

● Seasons/dates of highest probability of occupation/habitat use

● Conservation status (Endangered Species Act(ESA), federal agency, state agency, Colorado

State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP), Colorado Natural Heritage Program, etc…)

C. State Park Species List – will be researched and created prior to field work, supplemented by field work observations after field work is completed.

● List will use the template provided and will include:

● English common name and scientific name

● Breeding/roosting status

● Occupancy/residency (summer, winter, year-round, etc…)

● Habitats/community types within the park that have potential for occupancy

● Likelihood to be present (sliding scale methodology will be provided)

● Agency conservation status (highlight these species on the list)

● Federal (BLM, USFS) and/or ESA status

● CO/CPW status

● CO SWAP status

● Colorado Natural Heritage Program ranks

● Other conservation rankings? (Audubon, Partners in Flight, Partners for Reptile and

Amphibian Conservation, IUCN Red List, etc…)

● Sources for species inclusion on the list (survey, volunteer, CPW database, etc…)

D. Survey Locations: This will be an appendix of the report and will serve as a guide for future surveys to find and repeat survey work

Contractor will:

● Locate an appropriate number of survey locations

● Identify survey locations/coordinates within the report

● Ideally, surveys will be located in areas of the park so that o The diversity of park habitats is represented o The greatest diversity of wildlife can be documented o Surveys are as easy to repeat as possible

● Locations will be GPS’d by the contractor and photos will be taken of the survey locations in order to create a survey field guide that documents survey locations and to create a guide for repeating the surveys in the future. Survey location photos should include landmarks for ease of future reference when possible.

● This survey location appendix will include:

o Photographs of each survey location, numbered following CPW protocol, UTM coordinates

(in NAD 83), and a brief narrative describing the location and how to find markers if markers are used. Using landmarks, like trail junctions or geological formations, will help to locate survey areas. Adding people to photographs, when possible, helps with location identification.

E. Final Report - The contractor will write a final report for the project. The reports will include:

● Cover page with park name, survey year date, photo of park habitat/target species/etc…

● Table of Contents, List of Appendices, List of Tables, List of Figures

● A list of all observed wildlife species identified (lists can mimic the tables used for species lists).

● Purpose Section: Introduction, Acknowledgements, brief park area/project location description.

● Methods section (document researchers names and dates and refer to the monitoring protocol which will be located in the appendix of the report)

● Survey Location Map with applicable park infrastructure/roads/trails/campgrounds.

● Results – for each survey performed, a section covering:

o Short summary of observations o Species documented by capture or observations, numbers, and basic biological data collected.

o Species documented by sight, sign, acoustic surveys, and species confirmed by manual review of acoustic, trapping, camera, etc...

o Total results – total individuals, total species, activity levels observed in surveys, and other related information to support conservation planning.

● Short discussion of o The most interesting finds/sensitive/conservation concern species,

▪ Discuss CNHP rankings; CNHP, Federal, State, Watchlist status; roosting status at park (confirmed, possible, etc…), locations of observations.

o Observation locations of sensitive/conservation concern species within the park

▪ Map and table when possible o Habitats of special interest o Management recommendations/implications:

▪ Such as ‘manage for species conservation in area A5, the best area for breeding/brood rearing/maternity roosting; ‘manage for species conservation in area A3, the best area of foraging habitat’; ‘monitor for species X because they might be breeding somewhere in the park’, ‘beware disturbance to species X because they especially sensitive to human presence’; etc.

● Conclusions section about species habitat on the state park (such as an overall value statement about that park that this is a very important and diverse area, or it’s a pretty common area and not that diverse).

● Management implications section which will document issues such as how the wildlife diversity/density relates to other areas in the region, make note of important species or breeding areas that management should pay particular attention to, or document any unusual lack of species.

● Sensitivity to Disturbance – outline how recreation and other disturbance types influence species biology and conservation.

● Disease and other biological issues – overview, local issues, BMPs, etc…

● Management recommendations for the conservation of target species and their habitats; for the sustaining of populations and habitat at the park for the enjoyment of future generations.

o Locations and/or recommendations for habitat improvement/conservation will be included when appropriate.

o Recommendations can include those for signage, interpretation, seasonal closures, habitat restoration, etc…

● Volunteers, Collaborations, & Partnerships section will identify or suggest what local resources exist for lending information to the park and for identification of volunteers for local monitoring efforts.

● Suggested volunteer protocols - procedures or protocols that could be used to utilize volunteers in future monitoring efforts.

● Final Report will include the following as Appendices:

o Monitoring/survey data spreadsheet tables o Species/observations List o Survey protocols – site source o Metadata paragraph for GPS/GIS data o Maps

▪ Survey locations

▪ Survey observations

F. Appendices

● Data Spreadsheet- Template species list spreadsheet will be provided by Project manager on a project by project basis.

● Species List – Complete lists will be compiled, one for each of the park surveyed.

o The contractor will start with any available/current species lists (CPW, County, etc); include observations through this project, personal knowledge/expertise, and any other source information to create as complete of a list as possible. Species will be broken down by guild, whether they are breeding/roosting or not, habitat, and special status columns. If they are seasonal only then the typical months for their presence will be included. “Likelihood to be present” column will reflect if the species was seen in the survey, and if not how likely the species is to be at the park. This excel sheet will be an appendix to the report. Use exactly the format provided by the project manager.

● Protocol - The survey and monitoring protocol should be appended to the report to document methods used. Descriptions of survey methodology and suggested monitoring protocols should be detailed. If following an industry standard protocol or another surveys methodology, including that in this section.

The protocol is intended to supply future surveys with the guidance and information needed to repeat surveys. The contractor will make changes to the protocol as necessary to make it complete or correct and provide the corrected version.

● Mapping – The contractor will provide point locations as UTM coordinates in the Data Excel

Spreadsheet. The polygon information for mapping tasks will be provided as GIS shapefiles or, if necessary, as areas drawn on basemaps in hardcopy that are scanned as electronic jpegs and provided electronically so that they can be georeferenced and digitized to get the information in GIS. Every area drawn must have an identifying number or code to link it to the Excel tables. Excel file will come with a short metadata paragraph in a separate text file (same name but ending in .met) following CPW standard (which will be provided by the project manager at the time of the project). GPS coordinates will have full datum information provided and will be in GPS standards UTM NAD83 CONUS. All

GPS data will be relayed in decimal degrees.

● Survey Location Guide – short document used to help CPW staff and volunteers find survey locations.

● Literature Cited – document any research or references used in the compiling of the deliverables.

DUE DATES- Mammal Surveys

Site Visits:

● 1-2 visits between dates identified by project manager and contractor prior to initiation of project for species observations

● Report and Mapping Due –dates identified by project manager prior to initiation of project

PAYMENTS & PAYMENT SCHEDULE:

Please promptly provide a budget on this work that includes an itemized price for each park and each task (i.e.

individual costs for each Tasks A, B, C… at ABC State Park). This budget will reference the rate provided on page 18 of the RFP form which will include travel time and rates as related to each project location.

Invoices will be allowed per deliverable and with interim payments as percentages of deliverables are completed, but all invoices will reflect the percentage of the deliverable that has been completed as related to the total project budget.

Example:

● Invoice 1: Meet/Communicate with Park staff, List of Conservation Species, draft Park Species

List – 20%

● Invoice 2: Conduct field inventories. Submit draft electronic deliverables on Data Spreadsheet – spreadsheet of survey totals, maps – 40%

● Invoice 3: Submit final spreadsheets (including survey totals & survey summary), draft Report, and draft Appendices – 20%

● Invoice 4: Submit final Report with tables & appendices and Bat Species List – 20%

STANDARDS:

1. All documents will be delivered in both MS Word and PDF and all spreadsheets in MS Excel.

2. Mapping data will be provided in hardcopy for digitizing as needed, on a TOPO map electronic jpeg, as

GIS shapefile, or in a similar format pre-approved by project manager.

3. Point locations will be provided with GPS coordinates in the CPW Data Excel Spreadsheet with complete attributed information and with complete datum information.

4. Excel file and all maps will come with a metadata paragraph (a text file with the same name as the .xls ending in .met) listing the project name, purpose of the project, who performed the work, when the work was performed, and equipment used (such as GPS unit).

5. GPS coordinates will have full datum information provided and will be in UTM NAD83 CONUS Zone 13 and will be in decimal degrees.

Mammal Survey – Materials that will be provided by Project Manager upon initiation of the project:

A. CPW Herptile Data Excel Spreadsheet.

B. Herptile_Survey_example_species_list

C. Example of metadata paragraph

D. Park Map (pdf) with ortho background, park boundary, roads, trails, campgrounds, and other infrastructure.

E. Park Vegetation Map (pdf).

F. Three letter park codes standard to the Resource Stewardship Program