Attachment_6_--_Sample_Task_Order_1.docx

STATEMENT OF WORK

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT

FOR ARROYO COLORADO CHANNEL AND VEGETATION MANAGEMENT WITHIN THE LOWER RIO GRANDE FLOOD CONTROL PROJECT

SECTION I- SCOPE OF WORK

A. Purpose

The purpose of this scope of work is to assist the United States Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission (USIBWC) in the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed action to perform channel and vegetation management within the Arroyo Colorado Floodway.

The objective and intent of the proposed action is to improve flood control by re-establishing flood conveyance within the reach of the Arroyo Colorado extending from Highway 77 (US 77) downstream to Farm to Market (FM) 509 in Harlingen, Cameron County, Texas. This approximately 5.5 mile reach of the floodway is characterized by dense riparian and floodplain vegetation growth and main channel flow obstructions including localized sediment accumulation and subsequent island formation.

Alternatives to be considered for this EIS will be developed by the Contractor in coordination with the USIBWC and shall include the No Action Alternative and alternatives composed of combinations of the following management practices:

· Channel Management:

· Dredging of the entire channel reach

· Removal of localized sediment accumulation and islands

· Vegetation Management:

· Removal of vegetation within the channel (island vegetation)

· Removal of woody vegetation on the channel banks and within 50 feet of the channel

· Removal of dead vegetation within the floodway

· Selective removal of live vegetation within the floodway

· Mowing of herbaceous and small woody vegetation within the floodway

· Use of mechanized clearing techniques for vegetation removal

· Use of prescribed burning methods for vegetation removal

Other alternatives suggested by stakeholders may be considered. Primary stakeholders are the City of Harlingen, Harlingen Irrigation District – Cameron County No. 1, Cameron County Irrigation District No. 2, Arroyo Colorado Watershed Partnership, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), Texas Historical Commission (THC), Native American Tribes, the public, and adjacent landowners.

B. Background

The USIBWC is authorized to construct, operate, and maintain any project or works projected by the United States of America on the Lower Rio Grande Flood Control Project (LRGFCP) as authorized by the Act of the 74th Congress, Sec. I Ch. 561 (H.R. 6453), approved August 19, 1935 (49 Stat. 660), and codified at 22 USC Section 277, 277a, 277b, 277c, and Acts amendatory thereof and supplementary thereto. The LRGFCP was constructed to protect urban, suburban, and highly developed irrigated farmland along the Rio Grande delta in the United States and Mexico and includes an interior floodway system which conducts floodwater diverted from the Rio Grande to the Laguna Madre in the Gulf of Mexico. Water is diverted to the U.S. interior floodway at Anzalduas Dam where it enters the Main Floodway which branches near Mercedes, Texas into the North Floodway and the Arroyo Colorado Floodway. The Arroyo Colorado Floodway flows northeast through Harlingen, Texas, and has a design flood capacity of 21,000 cfs.

SECTION II- DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS

A. Government Provided Information

The following existing project documents will be made available to the successful bidder by the USIBWC. Some of these documents may be obtained from the USIBWC website at www.ibwc.gov.

1. USIBWC "Operational Procedures for Implementing Section 102 of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, Other Laws Pertaining to Specific Aspects of the Environment and Applicable Executive Orders" (46FR44083, September 2, 1981).

2. NEPA documents for the LRGFCP are located at:

http://www.ibwc.gov/EMD/reports_studies.html

3. 1993 and 2003 USFWS Biological Opinions for the LRGFCP

4. USIBWC ROW maps

5. USIBWC Arroyo Colorado Hydraulic Analysis

These documents are the property of the USIBWC and shall be returned upon completion of this project.

B. Project Management

The Contractor will provide overall project management and work coordination. Duties include project tracking and schedule oversight. Other duties include contract administration to provide timely invoices and monthly progress reports.

C. Duties and Responsibilities

The Contractor shall assume the lead for the USIBWC in the following:

· outlining the environmental compliance requirements that must be met prior to execution of the project;

· development of the various alternatives for accomplishment of project objectives and determination of the footprint of the various alternatives;

· determination of areas within USIBWC right-of-way;

· planning and conducting field studies in support of environmental compliance efforts, which shall include wetlands delineation, vegetation and habitat ground-truthing surveys, and cultural resource surveys;

· analyzing the potential environmental impacts of the proposed action, evaluation of cumulative impacts, and reporting results in an environmental impact statement (EIS);

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· assisting the USIBWC in federal consultation with resource agencies and Native American tribes;

· preparing and revising applications for environmental permits;

· assisting the USIBWC in responding to comments on the Draft EIS; and

· printing and distributing the Draft and Final EIS.

Each of these tasks shall be carried out with the oversight and input of the USIBWC Contracting Officer (CO) and Contracting Officer Representative (COR) for this requirement. The following is a list of specific duties and responsibilities associated with these tasks.

The Contractor shall coordinate with the resource agencies, including but not limited to, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Texas Historical Commission/Texas State Historic Preservation Officer (TXSHPO), Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), City of Harlingen, and others deemed necessary regarding effects of the USIBWC action on natural resources.

D. Planning and Scoping

The Contractor shall:

1. Attend a minimum of 4 meetings between the USIBWC and agencies regarding environmental coordination and compliance efforts. Meeting sites would primarily be in and around the Mercedes, Texas vicinity; however, the need may arise to schedule meetings at regulatory agency or Contractor offices to provide project updates. The Contractor will also be required to participate in monthly update conference calls.

2. Prepare checklist of all environmental compliance requirements that must be satisfied before execution of the project and identify agency points-of-contact for each.

3. Identify potential environmental issues and other concerns.

4. Collect and review environmental baseline data and information to identify the need for field studies and other research.

5. Prepare a project schedule, which will be updated on a monthly basis, to integrate milestones in the NEPA review process, permit and approval process, and field study tasks.

E. Field Studies

Based on information and data needs identified during project scoping, the Contractor shall conduct field studies where data and information gaps exist. Studies may include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Biological surveys of terrestrial and aquatic natural resources, including endangered species, to ground-truth existing vegetation/habitat maps by specialized technical personnel;

2. Archeological surveys by specialized technical personnel;

3. Delineation of jurisdictional wetlands for Clean Water Act, Sections 401 and 404, permitting applications. Delineation shall be carried out in accordance with the latest USACE Wetlands Delineation Manual and by personnel who have completed training in the use of the Manual and have experience in south Texas; and

4. Review of historical records, photography, and other sources of information concerning waste disposal activities at or near the project area.

F. Consultation, Permits, and Approvals

The Contractor shall provide the necessary technical expertise to conduct the following activities:

1. Assistance in conducting consultation with USFWS and the TPWD regarding protected species and habitat, in accordance with the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act; Section 7, Endangered Species Act; and state threatened or endangered species regulations;

2. Coordination with USACE and TCEQ for Clean Water Act compliance;

3. Coordination with the TXSHPO and Native American Tribes for compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act;

4. Coordination of environmental justice analysis, including community outreach; and

5. Preparation of any other environmental permit applications/notifications.

G. NEPA Review Process

The Contractor shall play a lead role with the USIBWC in completing the NEPA review process. Tasks shall include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Develop project alternatives in coordination with USIBWC.

2. Develop an EIS outline based on consideration of issues identified during scoping of environmental compliance efforts.

3. Prepare Notice of Intent (NOI) for the Federal Register and media notifications.

4. Complete Preliminary Draft EIS (PDEIS) for USIBWC and other federal and state resource agencies review.

5. Revise PDEIS in accordance with USIBWC comments and prepare Draft EIS.

6. Distribute Draft EIS (DEIS) for public review (minimum comment review period of 45 days).

7. Conduct Public Hearing Meeting with USIBWC participation.

8. Compile responses to DEIS comments with USIBWC guidance and direction.

9. Incorporate revisions to DEIS to which USIBWC committed in its responses to comments.

10. Prepare Draft Final EIS, Notice of Availability (NOA) and Record of Decision (ROD) for USIBWC review.

11. Distribute Final EIS (FEIS) and ROD.

12. Prepare administrative record files for transfer to the USIBWC, both hard copy and electronic copies. This shall include, but is not limited to, original written correspondence, meeting notes, email messages, field notes, field reports, comment letters, NOI, Draft EIS, NOA, and Final EIS/ROD.

SECTION III- DELIVERABLES

The Contractor shall provide reports and written deliverables to the USIBWC in both written (two copies) and electronic formats. Electronic formats shall be Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat on compact disks (i.e., CD-Recordable). Survey map data should include Geographical Information Systems (GIS) data, including shape files, metadata, and Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates.

Deliverables shall include, but are not limited to, the following:

· Checklist of Environmental Requirements

· Summary of Data and Information Needs

· Permit Applications

· Field Study Results Reports

· Proposed Project Alternatives

· Annotated Outline of EIS

· NOI

· Preliminary Draft EIS

· Draft EIS

· Final EIS, NOA, and ROD

· Administrative Record Files

A. Data and Information Management

All data and information collected and developed under this contract shall become the sole property of the USIBWC.

B. Performance Period

The period of performance will be no longer than 16 calendar months from notice to proceed.

C. Quality Assurance

Contractor performance and products shall be subject to review by USIBWC technical staff and management to ensure adequacy, accuracy, and completeness. The USIBWC may request that advance copies of specific sections of the DEIS or FEIS be provided for review prior to completion of the full deliverable. The USIBWC reserves the right to accept or reject technical reports for poor quality assurance and quality control.

Proposals will be evaluated on technical merit and cost in order to provide the Best Value to the government. Unsatisfactory and incomplete proposals will be evaluated accordingly.