N62470-24-R-0065 Marine Monitoring IDIQ Solicitation.pdf

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RATING PAGE OF PAGES

7. ISSUED BY

(Date)

IMPORTANT - Award will be made on this Form, or on Standard Form 26, or by other authorized official written notice.

Previous Edition is Unusable 33-134 STANDARD FORM 33 (REV. 9-97)

Prescribed by GSA FAR (48 CFR) 53.214(c)

1 135

(If other than Item 7)

15A. NAME 16. NAME AND TITLE OF PERSON AUTHORIZED TO

AND

ADDRESS

SIGN OFFER (Type or print)

OF

OFFEROR

AMENDMENT NO. DATE

15B. TELEPHONE NO (Include area code) 17. SIGNATURE15C. CHECK IF REMITTANCE ADDRESS

IS DIFFERENT FROM ABOVE - ENTER

SUCH ADDRESS IN SCHEDULE.

18. OFFER DATE

1. THIS CONTRACT IS A RATED ORDER

UNDER DPAS (15 CFR 700)

2. CONTRACT NO.

N62470 8. ADDRESS OFFER TO

See Item 7

9. Sealed offers in original and copies for furnishing the supplies or services in the Schedule will be received at the place specified in Item 8, or if handcarried, in the depository located in

CAUTION - LATE Submissions, Modifications, and Withdrawals: See Section L, Provision No. 52.214-7 or 52.215-1. All offers are subject to all terms and

Electronic Submissions Only conditions contained in this solicitation.

10. FOR INFORMATION

CALL:

A. NAME (NO COLLECT CALLS)

NICOLE SMITH 757-322-4649

11. TABLE OF CONTENTS

SOLICITATION/ CONTRACT FORM

SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/ COSTS

2 - 3

X I CONTRACT CLAUSES

DESCRIPTION/ SPECS./ WORK STATEMENT X

PACKAGING AND MARKING

4 - 12 J LIST OF ATTACHMENTS

INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE

X K

REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS AND

OTHER STATEMENTS OF OFFERORS

CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA 15 - 20 X

SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

OFFER (Must be fully completed by offeror) 21 - 23 X M

L INSTRS., CONDS., AND NOTICES TO OFFERORS

EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD

NOTE: Item 12 does not apply if the solicitation includes the provisions at 52.214-16, Minimum Bid Acceptance Period.

is inserted by the offeror) from the date for receipt of offers specified above, to furnish any or all items upon which prices are offered at the price set opposite each item, delivered at the designated point(s), within the time specified in the schedule.

13. DISCOUNT FOR PROMPT PAYMENT

(See Section I, Clause No. 52.232-8)

14. ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF AMENDMENTS

(The offeror acknowledges receipt of amendments

AMENDMENT NO. DATE

to the SOLICITATION for offerors and related documents numbered and dated):

FACILITY

12. In compliance with the above, the undersigned agrees, if this offer is accepted within calendar days (60 calendar days unless a different period

SOLICITATION, OFFER AND AWARD

X

(X) SEC. DESCRIPTION (X) SEC. DESCRIPTION PAGE(S)

PART I - THE SCHEDULE

26. NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print) 27. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 28. AWARD DATE

EMAIL:TEL: (Signature of Contracting Officer)

CODE CODE

B. TELEPHONE (Include area code) C. E-MAIL ADDRESS

AWARD (To be completed by Government)

19. ACCEPTED AS TO ITEMS NUMBERED 20. AMOUNT 21. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION

22. AUTHORITY FOR USING OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION:

10 U.S.C. 2304(c)( ) 41 U.S.C. 253(c)( ) (4 copies unless otherwise specified)

23. SUBMIT INVOICES TO ADDRESS SHOWN IN ITEM

24. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than Item 7) CODE 25. PAYMENT WILL BE MADE BY CODE

PART IV - REPRESENTATIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS

PART III - LIST OF DOCUMENTS, EXHIBITS AND OTHER ATTACHMENTS

24 - 77

PART II - CONTRACT CLAUSES

COMNAVFACSYSCOM ATLANTIC

6506 HAMPTON BLVD

NORFOLK VA 23508-1278

FAX:

TEL:

FAX:

TEL:

NOTE: In sealed bid solicitations "offer" and "offeror" mean "bid" and "bidder".

SOLICITATION

6. REQUISITION/PURCHASE NO.5. DATE ISSUED

04 Feb 2025

4. TYPE OF SOLICITATION

SEALED BID (IFB)

NEGOTIATED (RFP)

[ X ]

3. SOLICITATION NO.

N6247024R0065

Section B - Supplies or Services and Prices

SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICE

B.1 GENERAL INTENTION

The purpose of this solicitation is to obtain services for performance of marine resources monitoring and program management in support of U.S. Navy environmental compliance and reporting requirements. The primary geographic area covered by this contract encompasses the Commander, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Atlantic and Pacific Areas of Responsibility, Worldwide. The contractor may also, on occasion, be tasked to provide services described herein to any DoD or other Federal Agency Worldwide. The firm selected will provide the required services through the issuance of individual task orders. The total duration of this contract including options shall not exceed 60 months (a base year plus four options years) for ordering purposes. The guaranteed minimum of $5,000.00 for the entire term (including option years) will be satisfied by the award of the first task order. There is no dollar limit maximum established per year, the maximum total cumulative amount for the life of the contract, base and option years, if exercised, shall not exceed $75,000,000.00.

B.2 INDEFINITE QUANTITY

Labor rates will be negotiated by professional and non-professional disciplines for work. Task orders will be ordered based on direct labor, other direct costs and, travel and subsistence. Direct labor will be based on the unit price of the discipline shown in the Schedule. A request for proposal (RFP) will be issued providing the scope of work detailing the Government’s requirements. The Contractor will respond with a proposal in an expeditious manner, but in no event later than directed in the request for proposal.

Proposals – the Contractor’s cost proposal will address the scope of work in sufficient detail as directed by the Contracting Officer.

Price Breakdown – the Contractor shall provide a price breakdown for all proposals, itemized, as directed by the Contracting Officer. Unless otherwise directed, the breakdown shall be in sufficient detail to permit an analysis of all materials, labor, equipment, subcontract, and overhead costs, as well as profit, and shall cover all work involved in the scope of work. Any amount claimed for subcontractors shall be supported by a similar breakdown.

Negotiations – The Contractor and the Contracting Officer shall meet at the direction of the Contracting officer to negotiate the extent of effort, schedules, and costs of the proposed work.

Task Orders – The task orders will be issued on Department of Defense DD Form 1155. A scope of work will be included.

B.3 SCHEDULE FOR PROFESSIONAL

The following labor and indirect rates are effective for the contract services ordered during the base, and all option years as indicated below. Firm-fixed price task orders will be negotiated for the services required using the schedule rates. The “loaded” labor rates include overhead established in the labor rate schedule. Profit will be negotiated on an individual task order basis based on risk and complexity. No overhead will be applied to ODCs or subcontractors. No overhead or profit will be applied to travel. Travel costs should be based on the most economical cost consistent with timely and efficient performance of work. Subsistence and per diem is to be based on current Joint Travel Regulation (JTR) rates. Services will be ordered on an as-needed basis. Service/supplies required but not contained in Section B will be negotiated as needed. Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Atlantic is authorized to issue orders under this contract.

B.3.1 TASK ORDER WAGE RATES

When applicable, Service Contract Labor Standards (SCLS) rates set forth in wage determinations incorporated in individual task orders will prevail. Minimum wage rates established in applicable wage determination must be proposed and paid. Accordingly, if the SCLS related labor category rates negotiated and set forth in the basic contract are less than the minimum established in a wage determination for a task order, said rater must be adjusted for the task order to comply with the wage determination. For SCLS related categories not otherwise negotiated and incorporated in the basic contract, the proposal should reflect the minimum established labor rates contained in the applicable wage determination, unless the contractor can provide adequate supporting information to justify a higher labor rate for the area where the task order is being performed.

Direct hourly labor rates for SCLS labor categories proposed for applicable task orders should be listed in the task order proposal to correspond to the appropriate labor classifications established in the wage determination incorporated in said task order. For example: Engineering Technician I, Laborer, etc.

B.3.2 NEGOTIATED LABOR RATES

Direct Labor:

Overhead of ______% applies to direct labor only G&A of _______% applies to direct labor only Profit of _______% applies to direct labor plus fringe/overhead/G&A markup.

ODCs and Subcontractor Costs:

No Profit on ODCs Profit on Subcontractors is _______% All other ODCs to be negotiated on individual task orders as applicable.

Travel:

Travel will be per the current JTR with no profit applied.

TO BE FILLED IN AT TIME OF AWARD

ITEM NO SUPPLIES/SERVICES MAX

QUANTITY

UNIT UNIT PRICE MAX AMOUNT

0001 75,000,000 Each IDIQ Marine Species Research Monitoring

FFP

Conduct marine species research and monitoring services and implement components of the U.S. Navy’s Marine Species Monitoring Program within the NAVFAC Atlantic and Pacific areas of responsibility in accordance with the attached scope of work.

FOB: Destination

PSC CD: B510

MAX

NET AMT

Section C - Descriptions and Specifications

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

C1 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

C1.1 GENERAL

The purpose of this contract is to obtain services for performance of marine resources monitoring and program management in support of U.S. Navy environmental compliance and regulatory reporting requirements. The primary geographic area covered by this contract encompasses the Commander, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Atlantic and Pacific Areas of Responsibility (AOR), Worldwide. The contractor may also, on occasion, be tasked to provide services described herein to any DoD or other Federal Agency Worldwide. The firm selected will provide the required services through the issuance of individual task orders for up to five years (base period plus four one-year option periods, if exercised). The maximum value of the total task orders issued under this contract is $75,000,000.

C1.2 TASK ORDER SOLICITATION

Task order solicitations will be performance based, describing the requirement in terms of desired outcome with provision of precise details and/or scientific objectives of work to be done. The contractor shall provide access to professional expertise, research facilities, equipment, tools, instrumentation, materials, labor, supervision, and transportation to provide marine resources monitoring and program management services described herein. These services may include marine resource and biological services in accordance with National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) regulations as well as regulations from other federal and state agencies, to include, but not limited to, field surveys, consultations, and general studies related to the following resources: marine mammals, sea turtles, fish, marine invertebrates, marine habitats, shorelines, coastal zones, threatened and endangered species, invasive aquatic species, and other marine resources. Specialized services may include, but are not limited to, aerial, shipboard, and land-based visual surveys, passive acoustic monitoring, tagging and tracking, behavioral monitoring, biopsy sampling, photo identification, habitat assessments, data management, and coordinating/managing complex research projects and programs related to these services and requirements. The services may also include preparation of management plans and reports such as Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) authorization requests and Endangered Species Act (ESA) Biological Assessments. Any or all of the above services may be required during the term of this contract.

C2 SCOPE OF WORK

C2.1 GENERAL

The general scope of work is to conduct marine species research and monitoring services and implement components of the U.S. Navy’s Marine Species Monitoring Program within the NAVFAC Atlantic and Pacific areas of responsibility. Data collection and research/monitoring needs vary by region depending on the current level of knowledge and data availability. Monitoring studies may include aerial, shipboard, and land-based surveys; passive acoustics in the form of moored or autonomous devices and towed arrays; telemetry and other electronic or acoustic tagging; photo identification; biopsy sampling; behavioral studies; ecological analyses. Monitoring activities may be implemented in coordination with Navy training and testing activities, as stand-alone scientific studies, or as ongoing baseline or ecological data collection. The contractor must be capable of providing, procuring, or sub-contracting all personnel, permits, equipment, materials, facilities, and management services necessary to support multiple field studies (typically ten or more concurrently across several geographical areas); performing data analysis and reporting of results; and conducting program administration, budget tracking, sub-contractor management, and general program oversight. Successful candidates will possess high levels of experience in both project management and technical field skills, as well as have significant experience with and access to a broad pool of subject matter experts, researchers, and necessary equipment to meet the program needs.

C2.2 MARINE AND BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES MONITORING AND PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

SERVICES

C2.2.1 Background The U.S. Navy Marine Species Monitoring Program has been established in direct response to environmental compliance requirements under various MMPA Final Rules and incidental take authorizations, ESA Consultations, Biological Opinions, and other regulations applicable to training and testing activities.

The Strategic Framework for Marine Species Research & Monitoring (formerly Integrated Comprehensive Monitoring Plan - ICMP) serves as an umbrella over Navy investments and guides planning to focus research and monitoring priorities pursuant to impact assessment needs and ESA and MMPA requirements. Top priority will always be given to satisfying the mandated legal requirements across all range complexes. Once legal requirements are met, any additional monitoring-related work will be planned and prioritized using guidelines provided by the Strategic Framework and Strategic Planning Process, consistent with availability of both funding and scientific resources. Marine species monitoring investments under this program are intended to address one or more top-level goals:

(a) An increase in our understanding of the likely occurrence of marine mammals or ESA-listed marine species within range complexes or in the vicinity of a specific training/testing activity (i.e., presence, abundance, distribution, density).

(b) An increase in our understanding of the nature, scope, or context of the likely exposure of marine mammals or ESA-listed marine species to any of the potential stressors associated with the action (e.g., sound, explosive detonation, or expended materials), through better understanding of one or more of the following:

1) the nature of the action and its surrounding environment (e.g., sound-source characterization, propagation, and ambient noise levels);

2) the affected species (e.g., life history or dive patterns);

3) likely co-occurrence with the action;

4) the likely biological or behavioral context of exposure to the stressor for the marine mammal or

ESA-listed marine species (e.g., age class of exposed animals or known pupping, calving, or feeding areas).

(c) An increase in our understanding of how individual marine mammals or ESA-listed marine species respond (behaviorally or physiologically) to the specific stressors associated with the action (e.g., at what distance or received level and in specific contexts, where possible,).

(d) An increase in our understanding of how anticipated individual responses to individual stressors or combinations of stressors may affect the long-term fitness and survival of an individual, or the population, species, or stock (e.g., through effects on annual rates of recruitment or survival).

(e) An increase in our understanding of the effectiveness of mitigation and monitoring measures, including increasing the probability of detecting marine mammals to better achieve the above goals through improved technology or methods.

The Strategic Framework for Marine Species Research & Monitoring, Scientific Advisory Group (SAG) report (Science Advisory Group 2011), and Strategic Planning Process for Marine Species Monitoring establish overarching goals and intermediate scientific objectives, as well as provide a process for refinement, evolution, and guidance of the overall monitoring program. The Strategic Planning Process serves three primary purposes: 1) to facilitate the U.S. Navy in developing specific projects addressing one or more intermediate scientific objectives; 2) to establish a more structured and collaborative framework for developing, evaluating, and selecting monitoring projects across all areas where the U.S. Navy conducts training and testing activities; and 3) to maximize the opportunity for input and involvement across the research community, academia, and industry. Furthermore, this process is intended to integrate various elements including:

• Marine Species Monitoring Program top-level goals

• Scientific Advisory Group recommendations

• Regional scientific expert input

• Ongoing adaptive management review dialog between NMFS and Navy

• Lessons learned from past and future monitoring at Navy training and testing ranges

• Leverage investments from other Navy funded science programs

This contract is intended to support the Navy’s Marine Species Monitoring Program by providing a means to develop, manage, and coordinate the wide range of research and monitoring efforts that are necessary in order for the Navy to meet regulatory obligations and provide sufficient information and data to address primary objectives of the program.

C2.2.2 Services Required The contractor shall complete all marine resource monitoring and program management services in compliance with laws such as the Sikes Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act, Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the Legacy Resource Program, Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, Coastal Zone Management Act, National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, Executive Order 12114— Environmental Effects Abroad of Major Federal Actions, Executive Order 13089—Coral Reef Protection, Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000, Coral Reef Conservation Amendments Act of 2005, and other applicable marine and environmental protection laws and regulations. Work must also be in compliance with Department of Defense regulations OPNAVINST 3150.27b, U.S. Navy Diving Program, and OPNAVINST 5090 Environmental Readiness Program Manual, as appropriate. Additional client-driven regulations and procedures may also apply. Services and investigations performed outside the United States or its territorial waters shall be conducted in accordance with international and host nation laws and regulations, as well as the Department of Defense Final Governing Standards for the country involved. Additionally, appropriate state laws and regulations governing cultural resources management shall be taken into account in completing biological resources investigations and reports.

Tasks will involve species and habitat protected under the Endangered Species Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and other applicable laws, regulations and executive orders involving marine mammals, sea turtles, essential fish habitat, coral reefs, and other marine resources. The tasks may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Literature review and data searches

• Aerial, shipboard, land-based, and underwater visual surveys

• Passive acoustic monitoring

• Assessments to determine potential impacts from military activities

• Behavioral studies and controlled exposure experiments

• Biopsy sampling

• Telemetry tagging, tracking, and data collection

• Analysis of data and technical assistance to support legal compliance

• Preparation of reports, consultation packages, and permit applications

• Management and coordination of complex projects with local, regional, and national institutions and organizations, and other Federal institutions and organizations spanning a wide range of geographic locations throughout the U.S. Navy AOR.

The contractor will ensure that all individuals conducting fieldwork possess or are authorized to work under applicable required permits (MMPA, ESA, etc.).

The following are major categories of tasks required under this contract, but are not intended to represent all of the types of services which may be requested. The specific services and objectives will be detailed in the performance work statement (PWS) contained within each task order.

1. Program Management and Coordination The primary contractor will be responsible for management, coordination, and oversight of Navy-wide marine species monitoring efforts. In support of this initiative the contractor should be prepared to establish, manage, and coordinate multiple monitoring efforts simultaneously across broad geographic regions of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans where the U.S. Navy conducts training and testing activities. To successfully accomplish the objectives of the ICMP and meet requirements of Navy permits and authorizations, the contractor is expected to assemble and/or have access to a large team of researchers and scientists with extensive experience developing and performing complex studies of marine species including bioacoustics, behavior, ecology, density/abundance, and habitat use.

Expertise in identifying and working with species from both Atlantic and Pacific oceans will be required and previous experience conducting monitoring and research on Navy ranges is highly desired. The contractor is expected to maintain physical office locations in San Diego, California; Norfolk or Virginia Beach, Virginia; and Honolulu, Hawaii. In addition, the primary contractor must provide a single program manager responsible for oversight and management of this contract and all associated task orders.

a. Coordination of Monitoring Projects and Subject Matter Experts The scope and magnitude of marine species monitoring tasks under this contract requires significant collaboration among universities, research institutions, and other regional marine scientists, as well as potential leveraging of efforts and resources from a variety of federal and state agencies. The contractor is expected to effectively communicate and work collaboratively with various scientific organizations and individuals, and facilitate coordination among these groups to provide required services and products.

b. Analysis and Reporting Results of monitoring efforts will need to be analyzed appropriately and reported in a format (written reports, tables, figures, maps, databases, etc.) consistent with requirements established through coordination with NMFS and the MMPA authorization process. Data analysis may include, but is not limited to, the following: assessment of observation data for trends in species distribution and abundance; evaluation of acoustic, behavioral, and tagging data to examine potential changes in animal behavior; assessments of mitigation and monitoring effectiveness; as well as addressing other questions that may be raised as part of the Navy’s environmental compliance and monitoring program. Periodic short-timeframe reports may include summaries of monitoring effort and preliminary data/results immediately following individual monitoring events such as “quick-look” summary reports. In addition, the contractor may be responsible for preparing the Navy’s annual monitoring program report summarizing progress and results from all current monitoring projects. All reports and deliverables will be prepared in standard MS Office format for both draft review and final version, as well as in Adobe pdf for final distribution. These reports will be prepared for audiences including the Navy and regulatory agencies such as NMFS as well as the general public.

c. Data Management Large quantities of data (visual observation, passive acoustics, telemetry, behavioral, ecological, and environmental) will be collected and generated through various monitoring efforts. It is essential that data be organized, cataloged, and stored in accordance with established protocols to facilitate analysis and meet reporting requirements. Data from visual and passive acoustic surveys may need to be processed and prepared in specific formats to be submitted to existing databases such as OBIS-SEAMAP, Animal Telemetry Network (ATN), and the NOAA National Center for Environmental Information (NCEI). Tracking and movement data from tagging studies must be managed efficiently and contributed to the Animal Telemetry Network, or integrated into other systems developed specifically to manage marine resource and monitoring data. The contractor shall establish protocols to ensure all data and information generated under this contract is efficiently cataloged and managed in order to facilitate analysis and reporting as well as to ensure consistency among individual monitoring efforts. The contractor shall be prepared to supply copies of all data, products, and deliverables (MS Excel, MS Access, other databases, GIS, etc.) to Navy technical representatives involved with the monitoring program in a timely manner as required.

2. Scientific field work and associated analyses The contractor shall be responsible for performing and/or coordinating multiple monitoring elements designed to support the Navy’s short and long-term marine species monitoring objectives. Specific monitoring activities under this Contract may include, but are not limited to:

a. Visual Surveys and Marine Species Observers The primary purpose of visual surveys is to monitor, locate, and report on the occurrence, distribution, and behavior of marine species. Surveys may support active Navy training exercises by providing before, during, and/or after monitoring and may also be conducted for more synoptic purposes such as establishing spatial-temporal distribution, density/abundance, and habitat associations. Surveys may be conducted from vessels, aircraft, UAVs, and land in a number of formats appropriate to the specific purpose including systematic line-transects and focal follows. It shall be the responsibility of the contractor to ensure that all necessary safety regulations are followed and appropriate permits have been obtained.

Monitoring obligations may also require that trained observers be stationed onboard Navy ships during a sampling of training exercises for the purpose of providing detailed data on encounters with marine species including species identification and behavioral observations. Observers shall meet specific minimum qualification standards as established through individual task orders under this contract.

b. Passive Acoustic Monitoring Passive acoustic monitoring will be performed either in coordination with other monitoring techniques or as a primary means of monitoring for the presence of marine mammals and anthropogenic sound sources such as sonar and explosives, as well as for assessing acoustic behavior and estimating density/abundance. Acoustic monitoring may be accomplished through a variety of real-time and archival methods including deployment of moored autonomous instrument packages or buoys, towed passive acoustic arrays, free-floating sensors such as sonobuoys, autonomous underwater vehicles and gliders, and instrumented ranges. Acoustic monitoring may be used as a means of complementing visual observation data by providing real-time monitoring capabilities below the surface and/or during poor sighting conditions (weather and daylight limitations) or provide continuous longer-term monitoring capabilities through post-analysis of recordings at specific fixed locations.

In addition to collecting passive acoustic data, access to individuals with extensive experience in developing analytic protocols, detection, classification, and localization algorithms, and conducting sophisticated, complex analysis of passive acoustic data will also be required. Primary investigators with considerable previous experience reviewing and identifying recorded marine mammal vocalizations, underwater acoustic propagation, digital signal processing, automated detection, programming, and potentially means to work with classified data, are also required.

c. Marine Species Tagging and Tracking Marine species tagging and tracking will be performed either in coordination with other monitoring techniques or as a primary means of monitoring movements and behaviors of protected marine species. Tagging data can provide information about , large- and fine-scale movements, habitat utilization, dive profiles, and foraging, as well as other aspects of an individual’s life history and ecology. Experts that have experience in the application of various tagging methods on multiple species will be required, as well as individuals who are trained in the processing and analysis of data streams generated by various tag technologies. Specific expertise using a variety of tag types and associated attachment methodologies is necessary to evaluate the best use of tagging assets.

d. Photo Identification Photographic identification of individual animals may be performed in coordination with other monitoring techniques as a means of cataloging the presence of marine mammals and creating a photographic database to analyze population parameters. Undertaking photo-identification studies will require the use of experienced photographers who have worked with wildlife or other fast-moving subjects. Expertise in photo-matching, the use of automated photo-identification software, and photo catalog management may also be required to analyze and report results.

e. Behavioral studies Behavioral studies may be performed in coordination with other monitoring techniques as a means of assessing the effects of training and testing activities and other stressors on the behavior of protected marine species. Observations of behaviors will be made through analysis of visual, tagging, and passive acoustic data. Visual survey methodologies may include focal follows, continuous observations, and other standard surveillance techniques. A variety of platforms may be utilized to observe behavioral patterns such as shore-based, ship-based, and/or aerial observations. Tagging or passive acoustic data can also be used to interpret behavior (e.g., dive time or patterns, habitat utilization, swim speed and direction). Implementation of controlled exposure experiments and analysis of incidental exposures is expected to be a considerable focus of the monitoring program.

3. Supporting services and technical analyses

a. Event reconstruction and environmental data integration In order to assess potential behavioral responses to active sonar and underwater detonations, it will be necessary to correlate marine species movements and behaviors with Navy training data including active sonar use and ship tracks. Methods for analysis and reconstruction will need to be developed with Navy operators and adapted as data needs require. Analysis will need to be crafted to integrate data from varied sensors used for monitoring including vertical and horizontal movements from tags, passive acoustic detections, behavioral observations from visual observers, and operational data related to the movements and actions of Navy assets. Analyses involving operational data may be restricted to classified environments and will require an appropriate level of clearance for both facilities and personnel involved.

b. Ecological Analysis In order to provide an integrated natural resources perspective relative to monitoring and management services, studies to enhance the understanding of ecosystem structure, function, and services may be required. These may include, but are not limited to, tropical coral reef and temperate ecosystem studies related to the following topics.

1) Habitat structure and mapping: Substrate type, water depth and current speed, and spatial and temporal complexity of physical habitat;

2) Water quality: Temperature, sedimentation, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, salinity, organic and inorganic chemicals, total suspended solids, and nutrients;

3) Flow regime: Water direction, volume, and flow timing;

4) Food (energy): Type, amount, and size of organic source particles entering the ecosystem; seasonal pattern of energy availability; and light intensity;

5) Reproduction: Fecundity, settlement, recruitment, and persistence over time;

6) Biotic interactions: Changes in competition and predation stimulated by fishing, disease, parasitism, mutualism, and introduction of alien taxa;

7) Biological assessments: Surveys of the distribution, diversity and abundance of organisms; assessments of community and assemblage structure, demographics, taxonomic identification and composition, individual condition, and biological processes;

8) Biochemical and genetic analysis: species identification, ecotype or biotype identification, detection of stress indicators, and eDNA analysis.

c. Habitat Support Services In order to meet Sikes Act requirements, including managing, protecting, and enhancing marine ecological and biological diversity and integrity via implementation of integrated natural resources management plans; it may be necessary to conduct aquatic invasive species (AIS) eradication, control, prevention, and management. This may include, but is not limited to the following: monitoring, delineation surveys, AIS studies, data collection and analyses, systematic removal, eradication, and treatment of AIS using various methods, maintenance to prevent re-recruitment and avoid/minimize the spread of AIS, implementing rapid responses to prevent new introductions and the spread of AIS, and marine habitat restoration.

d. Public Outreach In order to make the public and other stakeholders aware of the broad range of activities which the Navy engages in on behalf of marine resource monitoring and management, presentations and graphic displays (brochures, pamphlets, posters, etc.) for various audiences may need to be prepared. The contractor may be required to prepare items such as, but not limited to, brochures, guides, slides, overheads, and computer presentations to support reporting requirements or facilitate dissemination of information and data. The contractor will also be expected to support maintenance of the monitoring program’s online web portal. This will include expertise with web design and programming, content management, social media management, and interactive data presentation that supports dissemination of data, information, reports, and other documents to the general public as well as regulators and specific stakeholders.

e. Miscellaneous marine and biological resource services The contractor may be requested to provide miscellaneous biological resources planning, evaluation, management, and related services that may be required of the Navy as a condition of compliance with federal natural resources regulations and Navy natural resources policies. These services may include, but are not limited to, the preparation of assessments, evaluations, engineering evaluations, maintenance plans, management plans for conservation areas, baseline assessment surveys, training programs and workshops, and compliance assistance.

C.3 SPECIFIC PERSONNEL REQUIREMENTS

The contractor shall furnish or facilitate access to sufficient technical, supervisory, and administrative personnel at all times to ensure timely execution of the work for each task order or project. The Program Manager (PM) shall be responsible for maintaining a fully-staffed and equipped work force and for providing liaison between the contract personnel, and the Navy’s Contracting Officer (KO), Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR), and Contract Specialists (CS). It shall be the PM's responsibility to ensure adequate internal controls and review procedures which shall resolve conflicts, and minimize errors or omissions, as well as ensuring the technical accuracy and timeliness of all work required under each task order.

Agencies, institutions, corporations, associations, or individuals will be considered qualified when they meet the criteria given below. If, during the performance of this contract, the contractor must utilize Program Manager or Technical Project Manager personnel other than those identified in the technical proposal, such substitution shall not be made without approval by the KO and COR. All principal and supervisory personnel, in addition to education and professional experience, must demonstrate a working knowledge of federal environmental laws and regulations.

When certification is established by the respective national societies, certification will be required for at least the specialist responsible for work under a specific task order (e.g. Professional Engineer)

1. Program Manager. This position shall be held by a principal investigator or other senior manager of the contractor. The Program Manager may not be a subcontractor. The program manager shall be responsible for liaison between contract personnel and the COR, and for maintaining a fully-staffed and equipped work force with authority to represent the interest of the contractor in matters relating to the contract or task orders. The program manager shall have a minimum of five years of full-time professional experience in biology, natural resources management, environmental science, or a closely related field, and shall have a minimum of five years of experience in a program management, project principal, or project director capacity. Substantial experience as both a program/project manager and technical expert with field experience conducting research on marine mammals and sea turtles is preferred. The program manager must be able to demonstrate their success with meeting government timelines and previous experience managing contracts of similar size and scope. The program manager will be responsible for overseeing the administration of this contract and all associated task orders, as well as serving as the primary liaison with the COR.

2. Technical Project Manager. This position shall be held by staff with a minimum of a Master’s degree in the specific field and at least three years of full-time professional experience with at least two years of experience in a project manager capacity. Technical Project Managers may not be subcontractors. Technical project managers coordinate the efforts of the other disciplines (including sub-contractors) ensuring timeliness, forecasting delays, etc.

Additionally, technical project managers will be the main points of contact for all required results and/or progress on projects. Technical project manager’s vitae must clearly demonstrate experience in conducting and/or managing field studies and behavioral monitoring for government or industry that are similar to the goals of the Navy monitoring efforts. They must possess the professional expertise and rapport with colleagues that will enable them to assemble a credible team of experts to ensure data are collected, analyzed, and reported in a manner that will ensure legal and scientific credibility. Technical project managers must demonstrate success with meeting government timelines and have familiarity with regulatory requirements. The contractor will ensure at least one primary technical project manager is assigned to the contract for each major geographic region (Atlantic, CONUS Pacific, and Pacific Islands) with responsibility for overseeing and managing all monitoring tasks and program integration.

Additional technical project managers will be assigned to individual task orders as necessary.

3. Marine Biologist: Each position shall be filled by someone with a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in marine biology or a closely-related field and 3 years specifically-related experience in marine biology, or an MS degree and 1 year specifically-related experience. Five additional years of documented experience in marine biology may be substituted in lieu of formal education requirements. Marine biologists must be chosen to represent the geographical span of this effort and include the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of the United States, the Pacific islands, the Gulf of Mexico, and Alaska.

4. Wildlife Biologist/Zoologist. Each position shall be filled by someone with a bachelor’s degree in wildlife biology/zoology or a closely-related field and 3 years specifically-related experience in wildlife biology/zoology, or an MS degree and 1 year specifically-related experience. Five additional years of documented wildlife biology/zoology experience may be substituted in lieu of formal education requirements. Wildlife biologists must be chosen to represent the geographical span of this effort and include the Pacific Islands and the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of the United States. Gulf of Mexico and Alaska experts may also be required.

5. Marine Bioacoustician. Each position shall be filled with someone with a bachelor’s degree in biology/physics/engineering or a closely-related field and 5 years specifically-related experience, an MS degree and 2 years specifically-related experience, or a PhD degree focused specifically on practical applications of bioacoustics research in the marine environment. Specifically related experience includes biological sound production and reception mechanisms, performance evaluation of biological active and passive sonar systems, biological acoustic countermeasures and predator evasion techniques, physiological and behavioral impacts of anthropogenic sound, measurement and instrumentation systems used to monitor and study biological sounds, detection/classification and analysis techniques for biological sounds, fisheries acoustics, use of passive acoustic monitoring hardware and analysis software, and other industrial applications related to marine bio-acoustics.

6. Biostatistician. Each position shall be filled with someone with a Bachelor’s degree in ecology, wildlife biostatistics, or a closely-related field and 5 years specifically-related experience, an MS degree and 2 years specifically-related experience, or a PhD degree focused specifically on practical applications of statistics to the design and evaluation of research programs addressing topics such as species abundance, density estimation, and habitat modeling.

7. Marine species observer. Each position shall be filled by someone with a bachelor’s degree in marine biology or a closely-related field and a minimum of 1 year experience specifically conducting shipboard/aerial visual surveys for marine species. Three years of documented experience as a marine species observer may be substituted in lieu of formal education requirements. Individuals will preferably have training through NMFS-approved programs and have experience working from a variety of observation platforms. Observers with experiential knowledge of marine mammal and sea turtle identification from vessel and aerial platforms in the United States’ Pacific and Atlantic coastal waters, Hawaii, and Gulf of Mexico are essential.

8. Fisheries Biologist and Oceanographer. Each position shall be filled by someone with a bachelor’s degree in the scientific field or a closely-related field and 4–5 years specifically-related experience in the discipline, or an MS degree and 2–3 years specifically-related experience. Five years of additional documented work experience in the scientific discipline may be substituted in lieu of formal education requirements.

9. Biological/Laboratory Technician. This position requires specific technical knowledge of the disciplines listed above (either through education or experience) to assist one (or more) of the professionals listed in paragraphs above in the project work, either in the field or lab/office.

10. Technical Editor. This position requires a person well-versed in editing skills with at least two years of specific technical experience as an editor. This person may be required to edit the work of a number of varying specialists. This position requires someone with word processing experience/knowledge and strong English grammar skills.

11. GIS Analyst. This position requires someone with 4-5 years of computer mapping experience with ESRI compatible products. The specialist shall have an in-depth knowledge of the principles of cartography and must be able to collect and interpret mapping data from a variety of sources including field survey data and aerial photography.

12. Web/app developer. This position requires expertise with development of web sites and content management including leveraging platforms such as Concrete5 and WordPress. Support with iOS/Android app development and maintenance may also be necessary. Formal education in computer science, web development, and app development is desirable although experience and expertise may be substituted. This position will assist with management of the monitoring program’s public web portal where information and data is disseminated to the public as well as stakeholders in both open and restricted access.

15. Database Manager - This position requires someone with specific training and technical knowledge developing and maintaining database structure and architectures, particularly those associated with various GIS software platforms and relational systems and structural query languages (SQLs) such as Oracle is required. The database manager is responsible for assisting the Program Manager and Technical Project Managers with QA/QC, standardization, archiving, and reporting associated with all monitoring data collected under the contract.

C.4 REPORTING REQUIREMENTS AND STANDARDS

Written reports summarizing the results of the work performed under this contract shall be prepared in a format reflecting contemporary organizational and illustrative standards of professional scientific journals. Reports may include, but not be limited to, draft, pre-final, and final technical reports; data compendium and photographic notebooks; progress reports; work plans; and supplementary reports. Specific requirements for reports, electronic media, mapping, graphics, and related deliverables may be further defined in the individual task orders.

Progress reports shall be submitted monthly for each task order and shall contain an accurate account of progress and percentage completed. Progress reports shall be accompanied by invoices for services rendered. Work plans and other supplementary reports shall address the tasks identified in the scope of work accompanying the task order.

These shall be short, concise reports and will detail information requested in individual task orders. The contractor is responsible for recording minutes at any meetings with Government representatives, and shall submit minutes to the COR within 5 working days following the meeting.

Final reports shall incorporate review comments submitted to the contractor by the Government. The contractor shall provide copies of the final report as specified in each task order. Final reports shall be provided in electronic format via email, FTP, or other electronic means as specified by the task order using MS Office and Adobe PDF format.

C.5 DATA DELIVERY, USE, AND HANDLING

All data collected or generated under this contract will be submitted for archiving and be made publically available through the Ocean Biogeographic Information System Spatial Ecological Analysis of Megavertebrate Populations (OBIS-SEAMAP), the Integrated Ocean Observing System Animal Telemetry Network (IOOS ATN) Data Assembly Center (DAC), National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), or other similar repositories and online portals that may be specified in individual task orders. All data and products collected and/or produced under this contract are subject to terms of the contract clauses and Appendices A-D:

Appendix A – Electronic Data Delivery Specifications and Format

Appendix B – U.S. Navy Marine Species Monitoring Data Use Agreement Appendix C – Handling Procedures for Ocean Observing System Data from Navy-funded Marine Species Research and Development and Marine Species Monitoring Appendix D - Notification of Use of Integrated Ocean Observing System Animal Telemetry Network Data Assembly Center for Navy-funded marine species research and monitoring work

C.6 GOVERNMENT FURNISHED FACILITIES, EQUIPMENT, MATERIALS, AND SERVICES

No Government furnished facilities, equipment, or utilities are provided under this contract.

C.7 CONTRACTOR FURNISHED ITEMS

The contractor shall furnish all facilities, equipment, materials, supplies, and tools necessary for the performance of the work under this contract unless otherwise specified in the task order. Unique or special equipment that may be required will be specified in the task order. The contractor may make recommendations as to any unique/special equipment, facilities, materials, or tools along with the respective cost estimates prior to award of a task order.

Necessary equipment to support marine species monitoring field work includes, but is not limited to, aircraft and shipboard survey platforms, digital still and video cameras, portable computers and data loggers, GPS units, binoculars, passive acoustic monitoring hardware, satellite telemetry and tracking hardware and deployment equipment, data storage and backup devices, and necessary safety equipment such as flight suits, personal floatation devices (PFDs), and Emergency Positional-Indicating Radio Beacons…