Lepidoptera Monitoring Plan SOW_2022.pdf

Camp Edwards Lepidoptera Survey 2022

Massachusetts Army National Guard

Request for Proposals and Scope Of Work

Project Description:

This project is contingent upon funding allocation. Proposals should be good for 60 days from the time of submission.

This project must be completed by a Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species

Program (NHESP) approved State-listed Lepidoptera Survey Biologist.

The work to be accomplished under this contract, without limiting the generalities thereof, consists of providing all technical expertise, labor, equipment and supervision required for nocturnal Lepidoptera trapping, identification, data entry and report writing for Camp Edwards, a Massachusetts Army National

Guard (MAARNG) Training Site. The objective of this project is to survey for state-listed Lepidoptera species to comply with the Conservation and Management Plan (CMP) long-term Net Benefit requirements for the Multi-Purpose Machine Gun (MPMG) Range project. In addition, associations between protected species and habitat management activities including prescribed fire and mechanical treatments will be described.

MAARNG developed a Lepidoptera Monitoring Protocol as part of the CMP, focused on the 16 state-listed Lepidoptera species. During previous surveys conducted from 1996-1998 and 2016-17, fifteen

Lepidoptera species protected by the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act (at the time of surveys) were documented on site (Mello et al. 1999, 2017). These species, along with uncommon/declining species likely to inhabit southeastern Massachusetts habitats (pitch pine/scrub oak barrens, scrub oak barrens, ericaceous heathland, or sandplain grassland), will be targeted.

1. Sampling Plan: Monitoring sample unit locations will be determined according to the methodology provided in the Lepidoptera Monitoring Plan. The geographical coordinates of the sampling sites will be provided to the contractor. Sample units have been randomly selected from areas pre-determined to be subject to management described in the Conservation and Management Permit issued by the MANHESP and periodically reviewed and revised.

The contractor will create a UV trap design that demonstrates fire and spill mitigation (e.g., containment of battery and ballast) and provides specification of features to ensure accurate reproduction of trapping methods in future years. These features will be described in a written protocol for the technician deploying traps and for current and future trapping years. The design will also include a diagram of the trap, a list of materials, and sourcing information. The design must be approved by the Natural Resources

Office (NRO) before use in the field.

2. Light traps: The contractor will supply all equipment and labor to conduct UV light trapping each sampling period at the annually selected survey points. This includes 4WD vehicles with enough clearance to drive dirt trails in the training area. UV sampling will follow the Lepidoptera Sampling Plan

UV Survey Protocol (Appendix 1). Trapping should not occur during the six days surrounding the full moon; trap nights should occur during optimal weather conditions for Lepidoptera flight to maximize collections. At a minimum light traps will be deployed for a single night at 5 pre-selected sites in the months of May, June, July, and September for a total of 20 trap nights. Trips to the base will be coordinated no later than 5 business days prior to determine any training conflicts limiting access to monitoring unit locations. The contractor will be required to obtain a collection permit from the

Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife prior to trapping activities.

UV light traps should be deployed ½ hour before sunset until ½ hour before sunrise. Deployment should be implemented using a photoelectric sensor.

3. Processing and Identification: The contractor will identify Lepidoptera captured in traps. Ubiquitous species (species of limited management interest) are not of concern to this study; hence, processing can be limited to those species of conservation concern for identification, enumeration, reporting, and analysis.

All Lepidoptera species that will be identified and enumerated are located in Appendix 1. An approved

State-listed Lepidoptera Survey Biologist must provide final verifications on species identifications and oversee all sample sorting and identifications; this includes providing training, oversight, and quality control over any assistance provided by technicians. One specimen of each State-listed species shall be prepared and deposited in one of the following institutions: Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard

(Cambridge, MA); University of Connecticut Biodiversity Research Collections (Storrs, CT); United

States National Museum (Smithsonian, Washington, DC); American Museum of Natural History (New

York, NY).

4. Data Collection and Reporting: The contractor will provide electronic copies of the UV

Deployment Datasheet for each trap night in one pdf file (Appendix 1). Contractor shall complete all reporting requirements associated with the state collection permit and provide copies to MAARNG.

The contractor will provide the species count data in a digital matrix format where:

- Lepidoptera species represented as a separate row including the MONA code in a stand-alone column.

- Sample date and monitoring unit location ID number clearly identified in the column heading.

- Cells of the matrix containing the number of the Lepidoptera species counted at the monitoring unit location on the sample date. If there were no Lepidoptera detected the sample date and monitoring unit ID will be reported in the matrix with all zeros for the number of Lepidoptera species.

The digital data matrix should be submitted in an excel or comma delimited spreadsheet to MAARNG.

5. Report: The report must include o A description of methodologies used in surveys, identifications and data entry.

This should include any difficulties encountered during sampling that could impact detection (i.e. weather, conditions impacting potential moth activity, etc.).

o Maps of sites of rare species collections.

If an unexpected species is detected during the surveys, the report should include a description of the observation and geographic location.

If an expected species is not detected during the surveys, the report should discuss future work to either document the species' absence from base or improve detection probability.

Supplemental Tasks:

Supplemental tasks are additional contract tasks that are considered discretionary due to funding constraints. These items are critical for project success and necessary components of a single effort, but may not be included depending on total cost. MAARNG requests proposals that include the additional tasks below. Proposals should include cost estimates for an additional year of sampling and additional trap locations.

1. Additional year of surveying. The contractor should provide the cost of the same level of sampling in 2023.

2. Additional trap locations. The contractor should provide the cost of additional trap locations to be added for a year of sampling (1 trap location sampled in May, June, July, and

September). This should be presented as a per trap cost. Since there is a limit to the number of traps that can be placed out in one day and collected the next, the contractor should note when additional mileage, travel, etc. costs need to be added.

Proposal should include:

Itemized costs for the base project and a total cost for each supplemental. Supplemental tasks may be selected or eliminated based on project costs and MAARNG funding. Cost proposals should be submitted in the format provided below. Costs should be supported by a basic description of effort and methods.

Clearly outline qualifications of personnel dedicated to different aspects of the project and past experience conducting Lepidopteran flight surveys and specimen identification. Vendor qualifications will be evaluated.

Proposals should demonstrate expert understanding and at least seven years of experience with state-listed Lepidoptera in southeastern Massachusetts and provide at least two references for successful projects of similar scope.

Proposals should demonstrate how the requirements of this SOW will be met (e.g., methods, timelines).

Proposals should be submitted electronically.

Deliverables:

Sampling Plan (1 April 2022).

Monthly progress reports (informal and via email preferred) including successes and difficulties of ongoing efforts (within 2 weeks of a sampling event).

Informal summary of species captures (1 November 2022)

Electronic spreadsheet of raw data including but not limited to:

o the dates, location, and number of nights for trap sets and surveys, o the species, number, location, and date of capture for target species, Electronic copies of deployment data sheets

Key to specimens for deposit in a collection

Draft report as detailed above in point 6 for review by the Natural Resources Office (1 December

2022)

Final report as detailed above in point 6 (30 December 2022)

The deliverables for additional years of sampling will be the same as listed above with the same due dates, if funding allows for the addition of those optional tasks.

Cost Proposal Outline

This provides an outline on which to base cost proposals. The total amount (price and tasks) contracted is dependent upon ultimate cost proposals relative to funding. Whole phases (i.e., “Supplement”) or portions of phases may be eliminated or expanded based on costs. The cost proposal should be provided as below in such a way as to facilitate customization based on price (e.g., the inclusion of supplements up to and including units of supplements).

I. Base Contract Cost Proposal

Sampling Plan

Personnel Hours Rate Total Cost

Task Total

Sampling Plan cost description:

Lepidoptera Light Trapping (per trap night; explain other units if provided);

Personnel Nights Rate Total Cost

Materials Units Cost/unit Total Cost

Lepidoptera Light Trapping cost description:

Lepidoptera Sample Processing and Identification

Lepidoptera Sample Processing and Identification cost description:

Data Collection and Reporting

Data Collection and Reporting cost description:

Total Base Contract Cost:_____________________________

II. Supplemental Tasks:

a) Year 2 of Sampling:

Lepidoptera Light Trapping (per trap night; explain other units if provided);

Personnel Nights Rate Total Cost

Lepidoptera Light Trapping cost description:

Lepidoptera Sample Processing and Identification

Lepidoptera Sample Processing and Identification cost description:

Data Collection and Reporting

Data Preparation and Reporting cost description:

Total Year 2 Cost:_____________________________

b) Additional Trap Locations:

Per trap cost:

Per trap cost (field hours, identification, reporting, materials) cost description:

Additional costs

Additional costs description (limit on number of traps, costs for additional travel days):

Total per trap cost:_____________________________