NPSS1 PMAA 2027_0035 - Colorado Bumble Bee Atlas Long Term Monitoring.pdf

Notice of Proposed Sole Source Scope of Work and Sole Source Justification

NPSS1 PMAA 2027*0035

Colorado Bumble Bee Atlas Long Term Monitoring

Scope of Services

Overview

Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Washington, and California are collaborating to submit a proposal for a competitive State Wildlife Grant (cSWG). Colorado is serving as the lead for this project, coordinating implementation across states. The Xerces Society for Invertebrate

Conservation has been identified as the only partner able to implement this work across the western US, and therefore if awarded, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) would facilitate pass through of the funding on behalf of all partner states to Xerces for an amount up to $900,000.

The aim of this proposal is to advance conservation of at least 20 bumble bee species that are listed by western states as Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN). Historically, the lack of systematically collected data across regional spatial scales has constrained efforts to protect native pollinators. By coordinating data acquisition and recovery actions across these five partner states, the project addresses these 22 target species (19 SGCN and 3 Species of

Greatest Information Need [SGIN]) to build a scalable regional strategy across the Western

United States. This proposal builds upon the successful Bumble Bee Atlas program that has been implemented across four of the partner states and initiates a Bumble Bee Atlas in Texas, one of the last Western states without a systematic survey effort implemented for bumble bees.

Work Tasks/Projects, Objectives, and Deliverables

This proposal is structured around six projects, each with standard objectives.

Project 1: Extend the existing program to track occupancy trends for SGCN bumble bees across Washington and California

Objective 1.1: Multi-State Investigations and Data Acquisition (CA and WA)

Conduct 2 coordinated statewide surveys to acquire standardized data for 10 (8 SGCN and 2

SGIN) priority bumble bee species across CA and WA by December 31, 2029.

Objective 1.2: Multi-State database administration (multi-state)

Manage one database of bumble bee records and associated habitat information by December

31, 2029

Objective 1.3: Community Science and Agency Volunteer Training Events (WA & CA)

Deliver 10 training events to prepare community scientists and professional agency staff to execute standardized Phase 2 occupancy surveys across Washington and California by

September 29, 2029.

Project 2: Collaborate with ongoing efforts at USFWS, US Geological Survey (USGS), and California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to conduct focused surveys for

Bombus franklini

Objective 2: Coordinated searches for B. franklin in California with university researchers and state and federal agencies (CA)

Conduct 1 coordinated regional survey to acquire standardized data for B. franklini in

California by December 31, 2029.

Project 3: Establish a program to track occupancy trends of 16 SGCN bumble bees across Colorado

Objective 3.1: Develop a sampling framework to track occupancy trends of SGCN bumble bees in Colorado (CO)

Develop 1 technique to investigate occupancy trends of SGCN bumble bees in Colorado by

April 30, 2027.

Objective 3.2: Colorado Invertebrate Status and Occupancy Assessments (CO)

Conduct 1 coordinated statewide status survey to acquire occupancy, distribution, and habitat-association data for 16 priority bumble bee species across Colorado by September 29, 2029.

Objective 3.3: Colorado Invertebrate Status Assessment Training Events (CO)

Deliver 10 training events to prepare Colorado Parks and Wildlife staff, state park managers, and local volunteers to conduct standardized point-surveys and habitat assessments across

Colorado by September 29, 2029.

Project 4: Complete a statewide inventory of four SGCN bumble bees in New Mexico and transition to a framework to track occupancy trends for those species

Objective 4.1: New Mexico Baseline Status Assessments and Transition Framework

(NM)

Conduct 1 coordinated statewide status investigation to establish a baseline distribution and range inventory for 4 priority bumble bee species across New Mexico, establishing a transition framework for long-term occupancy assessments by September 29, 2029.

Objective 4.2. New Mexico Sampling Framework to Track Occupancy Trends (NM)

Develop one sampling framework to track occupancy trends of SGCN bumble bees in New

Mexico by April 30, 2029

Objective 4.3: New Mexico Training Events (NM)

Deliver 10 training events to establish and support New Mexico's baseline grid assessments and train cooperators on the sentinel-station occupancy transition framework by September

29, 2029.

Project 5: Establish a pilot program to inventory four SGCN bumble bees across the

Western and High Plains regions of Texas

Objective 5.1: West Texas Baseline Status Assessment Pilot Program (TX)

Conduct 1 coordinated pilot status investigation to establish a baseline distribution and threat inventory for 4 priority bumble bee species across West Texas by December 31, 2029.

Objective 5.2: West Texas and High Plains Volunteer Recruitment and Training Events

(TX)

Deliver 15 training events to recruit and train agency biologists, private rangeland partners, and volunteers to execute pilot baseline status surveys across the Western (Region 1) and

High Plains (Region 2) regions of Texas by September 29, 2029.

Project 6: Use data collected as part of the Bumble Bee Atlas program since 2018 across 11 Western states to evaluate the occupancy status of SGCN bumble bees

Objective 6.1: West-Wide Ecological Modeling and Regional Strategic Planning (WAFWA

Coordination)

Conduct 1 comprehensive regional status investigation to synthesize multi-state datasets

(2018–2028) and model the drivers of occupancy trends and overlapping stressors across 11

Western States to support WAFWA's regional bumble bee plan by December 31, 2029.

Objective 6.2. Update the WAFWA bumble bee plan (multi-state)

Use the model from Objective 6.1 to revise the WAFWA bumble bee plan for 20 SGCN species and 11 Western states by December 31, 2029.

Objective 6.3. Develop an application to communicate findings from the Occupancy

Model (Obj 6.1) and Plan revision (Obj 6.2).

Create one application that displays conservation priorities and opportunities from Objectives

6.1 and 6.2 throughout the region by December 31, 2029

Objective 6.4: Develop outreach materials to communicate the results of Objectives

6.1-6.3 (multi-state)

Produce 3 informational materials to communicate results and raise awareness about the

WAFWA regional bumble bee conservation plan by December 31, 2029

Schedule and Term of Award

A contract will be issued as soon as practical. The Sole Source Procurement end date is June 30, 2030.

Budget

CPW has budgeted an approximate amount of $900,000 for services.

Sole Source Justification Xerces has implemented successful monitoring programs in 21 states, documenting over 100,000 bumble bee occurrence records. Xerces has unique expertise in training observers, collecting data, classifying species, maintaining databases, and reporting results. The methods used to collect information using non-lethal techniques and to classify observations to species have been developed by Xerces and are fundamental to regional implementation of this proposal. While there are some researchers at local universities that conduct research on bumble bees, these labs do not have the capacity or scope to implement this work on a regional level. The multi-state collaborative led by Xerces brings additional value that is particularly relevant to data analysis at meaningful spatial scales, given the broad ranges of bumble bee species.

Additionally, Xerces is able to provide a volunteer in-kind match, covering the entirety of the 25% match required of each state actively participating in the cSWG. Over three years, Xerces estimates they can provide an in-kind match worth $647,947.20.

Contact and Submittal Submit any questions or any submittal item via email with the solicitation number NPSS1 PMAA 2027*0035 in the subject line to:

Jeanette Stroud Department of Natural Resources, Purchasing Office Email: Jeanette.Stroud@state.co.us mailto:Jeanette.Stroud@state.co.us

Submittal Items This Notice of Proposed Sole Source (NPSS1) has been posted to invite vendors who may be able to offer the services noted in the Scope of Work to respond and confirm their capabilities.

If it is determined that more than one vendor can provide the services needed, the purchase will be formally solicited.

In order to demonstrate your ability to fulfill the need, please send an email with a brief one-page cover letter (as an attachment), signed by the sole proprietor, individual or someone authorized to bind your firm which includes: Vendor Name, Vendor Address, including City, State, and zip code, phone number, and email address. In your letter describe how your firm, considering the ability of Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation and the services they are offering, could supply this service.

Important: Please be aware that this is not a solicitation for a proposal, quotation, or pricing. This is simply a notification that the Department of Natural Resources Purchasing Office intends to issue a sole source contract award as outlined above.

This is an opportunity for other entities to challenge the sole source status of the contract award. If a challenge is received, unless proved to be unfounded, a solicitation will be issued. Entities that are not prepared to go forward and respond to a solicitation for this work are not encouraged to submit a challenge.