RFP_P2480004_Land_Management_Planning_Sample_Agreement.pdf

STATE OF CALIFORNIA - DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES

STANDARD AGREEMENT

STD 213 (Rev. 04/2020)

AGREEMENT NUMBER

SAMPLE P2480002

PURCHASING AUTHORITY NUMBER (If Applicable)

SCO ID: SAMPLE 3600-P2480004

1. This Agreement is entered into between the Contracting Agency and the Contractor named below:

CONTRACTING AGENCY NAME

California Department of Fish andWildlife (CDFW)

CONTRACTOR NAME

To Be Determined (TBD)

2. The term of this Agreement is:

START DATE

Upon California Department of General Services Approval

THROUGH END DATE

March 31, 2027

3. The maximum amount of this Agreement is:

$700,000.00 | Seven Hundred Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents

4. The parties agree to comply with the terms and conditions of the following exhibits, which are by this reference made a part of the Agreement.

Exhibits Title Pages

Exhibit A Scope of Work 12

Exhibit A ATTCH 1 Maps 4

Exhibit A ATTCH 2 Land Management Plan Instruction Manual (Draft) 61

Exhibit A ATTCH 3 Proposal and Resumes TBD

Exhibit B Budget Detail and Payment Provisions 4

Exhibit B ATTCH 1 Cost Sheet TBD

Exhibit C * General Terms and Conditions (GTC 04/2017) *

Exhibit D Additional Provisions 11

Exhibit I Travel Reimbursement Information 3

Items shownwith an asterisk (*), are hereby incorporated by reference andmadepart of this agreement as if attachedhereto.

These documents can be viewed at https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources

INWITNESSWHEREOF, THIS AGREEMENTHASBEEN EXECUTEDBY THE PARTIES HERETO.

CONTRACTOR

CONTRACTOR NAME (if other than an individual, state whether a corporation, partnership, etc.)

To Be Determined

CONTRACTOR BUSINESS ADDRESS

To Be Determined

CITY

To Be Determined

STATE

TBD

ZIP

TBD

PRINTED NAME OF PERSON SIGNING

To Be Determined

TITLE

To Be Determined

CONTRACTOR AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE DATE SIGNED

STATE OF CALIFORNIA - DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES

STANDARD AGREEMENT

STD 213 (Rev. 04/2020)

AGREEMENT NUMBER

SAMPLE P2480002

PURCHASING AUTHORITY NUMBER (If Applicable)

SCO ID: SAMPLE 3600-P2480004

STATE OF CALIFORNIA

CONTRACTING AGENCY NAME

California Department of Fish andWildlife

CONTRACTING AGENCY ADDRESS

P.O. Box 944209

CITY

Sacramento

STATE

CA

ZIP

94244

PRINTED NAME OF PERSON SIGNING

AmyMowrer

TITLE

Branch Chief - Business Management Branch

CONTRACTING AGENCY AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE DATE SIGNED

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES APPROVAL EXEMPTION (If Applicable)

California Department of Fish and Wildlife Agreement Number: P2480004 Exhibit A – Scope of Work Contractor: To Be Determined (TBD)

(Version 05/2024)

1. Introduction of Services

The Contractor agrees to provide environmental planning consultant services to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) in accordance with the specifications, terms, and conditions contained herein. Consultant services will include guiding and completing the Land Management Planning process for three (3) Land Management Plans, including Resource Inventory, plan development, and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA; Public Resources Code [PRC] §21000 et seq.) compliance as a lead agency (California Code of Regulations [CCR] Title 14 §15378), following CDFW standards.

2. Location of Services

The services will be performed at the following locations, also see Maps provided as Exhibit A, Attachment 1:

A. Willow Creek Wildlife Area, Lassen County B. Spenceville Wildlife Area, Yuba and Nevada Counties C. Grizzy Island Wildlife Area, Solano County D. Contractor’s Business Location (To Be Determined)

3. Service Schedule

The services will be provided between standard business hours, except on holidays. The Contractor will be required to obtain agreement, in writing, from the CDFW Contract Manager for any changes to the service schedule.

4. Project Officials

CDFW Project Officials Contractor Project Officials Contract Manager Project Director Name: Lisa Fields Name: To Be Determined Phone: 916-539-2997 Phone: To Be Determined Email: Lisa.Fields@wildlife.ca.gov Email: To Be Determined Address: PO Box 944209

Sacramento, CA 92444-2090 Address: To Be Determined

Direct all inquiries to: Direct all inquiries to:

CDFW – Wildlife Branch Name: Mary Rivet-Pool Name: To Be Determined Address: PO Box 944209

Sacramento, CA 92444-2090 Address: To Be Determined

Phone: 916-503-2215 Phone: To Be Determined Email: Mary.Rivet-Pool@wildlife.ca.gov Email: To Be Determined

Either party may make changes to the Project Officials by giving written notice to the other party. Said changes will not require an amendment to this Agreement.

mailto:Lisa.Fields@wildlife.ca.gov mailto:Mary.Rivet-Pool@wildlife.ca.gov

5. Scope of Work

A. Background and Objectives

The purpose of this Agreement is to retain environmental planning consultant services to support CDFW’s development of Land Management Plans, including CEQA compliance. The Contractor will guide and complete the land management planning process for three (3) plans for CDFW owned lands: Willow Creek Wildlife Area, Spenceville Wildlife Area, and Grizzly Island Wildlife Area. The planning process will require assisting with and facilitating meetings and workshops with CDFW staff, conducting inventory surveys, writing the Land Management Plan document per CDFW standards (Exhibit A, Attachment 2), writing the CEQA document, facilitating public and stakeholder meetings, participating in tribal consultation, and responding to CEQA document comments.

A Land Management Plan (LMP) is the culmination of a process which consists of the

Resource Inventory, Land Management Plan, and CEQA document. Throughout the planning process, diverse perspectives are brought together from within CDFW as well as external voices such as tribes, partners, stakeholders, and the general public. The inclusion of coordination and public engagement in the LMP process is intended to improve the planning process through the incorporation of diverse ideas and perspectives, in addition to meeting CEQA requirements. The LMP defines the primary management purpose for a property and outlines the management issues, goals, and strategies for fulfilling this purpose.

The land management planning process may be initiated due to a variety of management needs. For example, the need for an LMP may be triggered by the lack of an LMP for an existing property managed by CDFW, the acquisition of a new property

(Fish and Game Code [FGC] §1019), or to enter a management agreement with a nonprofit conservation group or Resource Conservation District (FGC §1745 b2B). In addition, an LMP, or LMP update, may be warranted when revising management actions to reflect new management practices or to disclose management activities to the public.

The term “Cultural Resources” and similar terminology is inclusive of, but not limited to, archaeological, Native American, traditional, and historical built environment resources

(e.g., buildings, structures, objects, districts, and sites).

Willow Creek Wildlife Area, in Lassen County, is approximately 2,700 acres of meadows, wetlands, and shallow marshes, and is a major source of water for Honey

Lake. Extensive stands of tule occupy the lower meadows, and numerous streams and channels meander through the area. The meadows provide habitat for upland species such as grouse, quail, and pronghorn antelope. Willow Creek Wildlife Area is neighbored by a combination of Bureau of Land Management and private agricultural properties.

Spenceville Wildlife Area, straddling Nevada and Yuba Counties, is comprised of approximately 11,900 acres of blue oak - gray pine woodland characteristic of the Sierra

Foothills. The elevation of the area varies from 200 to 1200 feet. The wildlife area is bordered on the west by Beale Air Force Base and on the north, south, and east by privately owned ranches. There are numerous ponds, creeks, trails, and riparian zones in the area.

Grizzly Island Wildlife Area, in Solano County, is approximately 12,900 acres on the

Suisun Marsh, the largest contiguous estuarine marsh in the entire United States.

Grizzly Island Wildlife Area consists of a patchwork of ten (10) distinct land parcels, many of which are not connected and are surrounded by private land. Units include

Grizzly Island, Crescent, Joice Island, Island Slough, Gold Hills, West Family, Goodyear

Slough, and Grey Goose. These properties include natural tidal wetlands and artificially diked marshes.

B. Work to be Performed

The Contractor will provide the following services:

Task 1: Participate in kick-off meetings The Contractor will participate in an agreement kick-off meeting and three (3) separate plan-specific kick-off meetings, led by CDFW. Each meeting should be approximately two (2) hours.

Objectives and Deliverables:

i. The Contractor will participate in kick-off meetings, to be held virtually. The purpose of these meetings is to review expectations, tasks, timelines, and deliverables. A brief introduction to each of the properties identified above in Exhibit A Section 2 Location of Services will also be provided.

a. Participate in one (1) agreement kick-off meeting

b. Participate in three (3) plan-specific kick-off meetings

ii. The Contractor and subcontractor(s) will be present at meetings, which will be held via Microsoft Teams

iii. CDFW will provide:

a. Current version of Land Management Planning Instructions Manual

b. Geographic Information System (GIS) data layer with boundaries for

Willow Creek Wildlife Area, Spenceville Wildlife Area, and Grizzly Island Wildlife Area

Task 2: Land Management Planning Process – Workshop Facilitation The Contractor will co-lead with CDFW one (1) series of planning workshops and lead two (2) series of planning workshops as described in the DRAFT Land Management Plan Instruction Manual Chapter 2 (Exhibit A, Attachment 2).

Objectives and Deliverables:

i. CDFW will provide the workshop meeting space, either at the subject property or the CDFW Region Office

ii. The Contractor will co-facilitate each workshop for first property, then facilitate for subsequent properties

iii. Workshop #1: Scoping and Property Vision Outcomes

a. Purpose Statement

b. Overarching management goals

c. Planning horizon and level of detail determinations

iv. Workshop #2: Data Gap Analysis Outcomes

a. List of data needs

b. Determination data to be collected for Resource Inventory

c. Data collection responsibilities will be determined at this time (CDFW versus Contractor)

d. Data Storage Plan

v. Workshop #3: Issues Analysis, Goals, and Strategies Outcomes

a. A series of workshops most likely, may be held either on-site or virtual

b. Identify issues to be addressed in the Management Plan

c. Formulation of draft Goals and Strategies

Task 3: Resource Inventory Based upon the outcomes of Workshop #2, as described above and in the DRAFT Land Management Plan Instruction Manual Chapter 2 (Exhibit A, Attachment 2), the Contractor will conduct research and surveys as needed, at the direction of CDFW, to support the Resource Inventory for each of the three (3) Wildlife Areas. Surveys may include synthesis of existing data and/or field data collection efforts for resources such as cultural, botanical, or wildlife. Final selection of surveys to be conducted will be determined by CDFW. Field surveys will not include fish species but may include other aquatic organisms such as invertebrates and amphibians.

Objectives and Deliverables:

i. Field data collection may include tasks such as vegetation mapping, sensitive/listed plant surveys, general bird surveys, sensitive/listed bird surveys, invertebrate surveys, water quality testing, cultural resource surveys, etc.

ii. Plan for one (1) year of effort, but some conditions may warrant a second season.

iii. The Contractor will be responsible for data quality control and accuracy assessment, including documentation of protocols.

iv. All documentation and reporting related to cultural resources (archaeological and historical) will be consistent with guidelines and requirements from the California Office of Historic Preservation (https://ohp.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=1069) and Section 106 of the National Historical Preservation Act.

v. The Contractor must submit all data collected related to newly discovered cultural resources to the California Historical Resource Information System (CHRIS) and provide copies of submissions to the CDFW Contract Manager.

https://ohp.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=1069

vi. Reports will be compiled following scientific writing standards (introduction, methods, results, discussion) and consistent with Exhibit A Section 5C Reports below.

vii. Data sharing and storage will be consistent with Exhibit A Section 5D Digital Media, Data Sharing, and Data Security below.

Task 4: Land Management Plan Document Preparation The Contractor will write the Land Management Plans as outlined in the Draft Land Management Plan Instructions Manual (Exhibit A, Attachment 2).

Objectives and Deliverables:

i. Documents will be prepared consistent with Exhibit A Section 5C Reports below.

ii. CDFW will provide the Land Management Plan template document.

iii. The Contractor will prepare three (3) Land Management Plans (one [1] each per Exhibit A Section 2. Location of Services) based on the outcome of the workshops from Task 2 and consistent with the Land Management Plan Instructions Manual and template.

a. Following public review, the Contractor will incorporate changes, if warranted, per CDFW direction.

Task 5: CEQA Process The Contractor will make recommendations to CDFW regarding the proper CEQA document for preparation; however, CDFW will make the final decision regarding CEQA compliance. For each of the three (3) Land Management Plans, the CEQA process will be completed by the Contractor through initial response to comments.

Objectives and Deliverables:

i. Documents will be prepared consistent with Exhibit A Section 5C Reports.

ii. The Contractor will draft legally adequate, high-quality CEQA documents for each of the three (3) Land Management Plans.

a. To be legally adequate, the documents must comply with CEQA, (CCR

§15000 et seq.) and current case law interpreting those provisions.

b. The Contractor will perform all the work necessary to prepare legally adequate CEQA documents.

c. CDFW expects high-quality, legally adequate work for all environmental factors reviewed under CEQA.

d. The Contractor will prepare documents including initial studies, negative declarations, mitigated negative declarations, environmental impact reports, and technical reports, as appropriate per LMP, as well as preparing all required notices, forms, findings, plans, response to comments, administrative records, monitoring reports, and attending or facilitating meetings as required and in cooperation with CDFW.

iii. The Contractor will co-facilitate tribal outreach and consultation, consistent with the requirements of AB52, for all three (3) plans.

iv. The Contractor will facilitate stakeholder and public meetings for all plans.

v. The Contractor will solicit and collect public comments and prepare written responses to comments on draft environmental documents.

vi. [Tentative] If time allows and adequate funding is still available (as determined by CDFW Contract Manager), the Contractor will prepare final LMP and substantive environmental document. Whether a substantive environmental document is required, and if so the type of document to be prepared, will be determined by CDFW.

a. Prepare final LMP document, including incorporation of all outstanding edits, including formatting consistent with Exhibit A Section 5C.

Reports below.

b. Prepare final CEQA document, including formatting of public comments, compilation of response to comments, document formatting consistent with Exhibit A Section 5C. Reports below, etc.

Task 6: LMP Process Evaluation The Land Management Planning process has been revamped by CDFW; the plans produced through this Agreement will be the first plans to test the new process.

Therefore, feedback on the process is requested.

Objectives and Deliverables:

i. The Contractor will participate in milestone debrief meetings, which will be facilitated by CDFW and may be attended virtually or in-person in the Sacramento area. Debrief meetings should be approximately 1 hour in length.

ii. Milestones include:

a. Completion of each of the three (3) workshops

b. Completion of writing Draft Land Management Plan document

c. At the end of the Agreement

C. Reports

1. Reports (e.g. letter reports for Resource Inventory effort and LMP) will have a Table of Contents with active hyperlinks to report sections for each item in the Table of Contents, List of Figures, List of Tables, and Appendices.

2. Text will be formatted so that headers and sub-headers are functional as bookmarks in PDF format and navigation in Microsoft Word.

3. Draft and final reports must be submitted electronically, in both Microsoft Word and PDF formats, to the CDFW Contract Manager.

4. The Contractor will provide LMP and CEQA documents for public review, if required, as outlined in Task 5 CEQA Objectives and Deliverables Process.

5. CDFW will review submitted reports, exercise its independent judgment and discretion, and provide the Contractor with written comments and/or edits in a timely manner. All CDFW comments will be consolidated, with required edits denoted using track changes and comment boxes.

6. The Contractor will address all CDFW comments and/or edits and incorporate them into the document. There may be instances when multiple drafts are required before CDFW determines that a document is final.

i. The Contractor will present the first draft to CDFW only after thoroughly reviewing it for content, grammar, etc. as if it were a final draft document unless otherwise directed in writing by the CDFW Contract Manager.

ii. If the first draft is deficient and fails to meet the criteria outlined in this scope of work, and preventing the deficiencies was within the Contractor’s control, it will be returned to the Contractor and the Contractor’s labor, time, and expenses necessary to ensure the document meets the aforementioned criteria will not be charged to CDFW.

iii. If more than three (3) drafts are returned to the Contractor because the drafts are of poor quality due to failure to meet the aforementioned criteria, CDFW may direct that Contractor personnel be removed from the project and/or terminate this Agreement.

7. Contractor-submitted final reports will include a “clean” copy in Microsoft Word, a “clean” copy in PDF format, and a version in Microsoft Word with response to all comments and required edits.

8. The Contractor will ensure that all documents meet state and federal accessibility standards (Government Code Sections 7405 and 11135, and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines [WCAG] of the World Wide Web Consortium).

9. The CDFW Contract Manager may accept draft reports as the final report, at their discretion. Reports will not be considered final until accepted and approved by the CDFW Contract Manager.

D. Digital Media, Data Sharing, and Data Security

1. All data, both physical and digital recordation, including all photographs, videos, or other digital media created by the Contractor, including subcontractors, as part of the fulfillment of this Agreement, will be submitted to the CDFW Contract Manager.

2. Digital Media will be submitted in universally recognized file types (e.g. .jpeg, .jpg, or .mov) in their original size. Files in specialized format, such as .heic, will not be accepted.

i. The International Press Telecommunications Council (IPTC) metadata will include date and time digital media was created.

ii. File names will include the name of the property at which the image was taken.

iii. Usage Rights

a. The Contractor (and any subcontractors) grants to CDFW an unrestricted, fully paid up, worldwide, irrevocable, perpetual license to use, reproduce, distribute, create derivative works, publicly display, and perform the images in whole or in part, in any manner, for any purpose and in any medium now known or hereinafter invented. This right includes, but is not limited to, the right to copy, publish, distribute, alter, and publicly display the images for education, interpretation, advertising, and other purposes.

b. The Contractor (and any subcontractors) releases and discharges CDFW from any and all claims and demands arising out of, or in connection with any use of the images, including but not limited to, any and all claims of libel, moral rights, defamation, invasion of privacy, publicity, and/or claims under the Visual Artists Rights Act. The Contractor (and any subcontractors) may not withdraw consent at any time and this Agreement is binding to the Contractor and subcontractors, and their heirs, legal representatives, and assigns.

c. If the Contractor (or subcontractors) wants CDFW to provide credit when digital media is used, then the Contractor (or subcontractors) must complete the “authors” field in IPTC metadata with the desired attribution information.

3. CDFW will provide the Contractor with all relevant data contained in CDFW files. All sensitive data provided by CDFW may only be used or shared with subcontractors that require access to the information to complete deliverables. Information may not be shared with the public or other individuals without prior written consent from

CDFW.

4. Copies of all completed data sheets, field notes, or similar, whether electronic or hard copy, will be provided by the Contractor (and any subcontractors) to the CDFW Contract Manager.

5. Geospatial data, such as geodatabases, will be provided to the CDFW Contract Manager in an industry-standard geospatial data format with documented metadata consistent with CDFW minimum metadata standards (https://wildlife.ca.gov/Data/BIOS/Metadata).

6. The Contractor (and any subcontractors) will comply with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations concerning cultural resources, including Public Resources Code §5097.9 and the Native American Historic Resource Protection Act (PRC §5097.993 et seq.)

7. The Contractor (and any subcontractors) is responsible for maintaining data security for sensitive data in their possession, in perpetuity, regardless if data provided by CDFW or obtained by the Contractor or subcontractors. In the event data are improperly accessed or breached, the Contractor or subcontractor will take measures to prevent further access to these data or further breach incidents. In addition, the Contractor or subcontractor will notify CDFW within 24 hours of discovering any unauthorized access or breach. CDFW maintains the right to participate in the investigation of a security incident involving CDFW data or conduct an independent investigation, and the Contractor or subcontractor will cooperate fully in such investigations.

8. The Contractor or subcontractor is responsible for all costs incurred by CDFW due to a security incident that results in the unauthorized release, loss, theft, or misuse of the data the Contractor receives from CDFW. If CDFW reasonably determines that notice to the individuals whose data has been lost or breached through such incident is appropriate, the Contractor or subcontractor will bear any and all costs associated with the notice or any mitigation deemed necessary by CDFW to comply with state laws and regulations, including but not limited to State Administrative Manual Section 5340 and Statewide Information Management Manual Sections 5340-A 5340-C. These costs include, but are not limited to, staff time, material costs, postage, media announcements, and other identifiable costs associated with the breach or loss of data.

9. At the conclusion of this Agreement, the Contractor (and any subcontractors) will return all data and media provided by CDFW, including any backups and related https://wildlife.ca.gov/Data/BIOS/Metadata material, or the Contractor (and any subcontractors) will confirm that all data has been destroyed.

E. Schedule of Completion Dates

Activity Anticipated Due Date* Task 1: Participate in kick-off meetings 2 weeks after Notice to

Proceed (NTP)

Task 2: Land Management Planning Process – Workshop Facilitation

12 months after NTP

Task 3: Resource Inventory 12 months after NTP

Task 4: Land Management Plan Document Preparation

18 months after NTP

Task 5: CEQA Process 24 months after NTP

Task 6: LMP Process Evaluation 29 months after NTP

*Changes to due dates must be agreed upon in writing by the Contractor and CDFW Contract Manager.

6. Contractor Minimum Qualifications/Requirements

A. Minimum Qualifications:

1. The Primary Contractor must have at least one office within one hundred fifty (150) miles of at least one (1) of the Locations of Services (i.e. Willow Creek Wildlife Area, Spenceville Wildlife Area, or Grizzly Island Wildlife Area).

2. The Contractor’s team may consist of a Primary Contractor and subcontractors.

i. A Project Manager must be designated. All project communications will be addressed to this person, and they must have the authority to act on all aspects of the agreement services.

ii. The Project Manager must be an employee of the Primary Contractor submitting a response to the RFP and must not be a subcontracted employee.

This person will be listed in Exhibit A, Scope of Work, as the Contractor Project Manager. This person will be responsible for the overall project, including quality control on all project deliverables, and will be the contact for all project administration including budgets, invoices, schedules, coordination, Contractor staffing issues, and task completion.

iii. The Contractor must guarantee that the Project Manager will be made available to the project for the entire duration of the project (unless that individual leaves the organization). Replacement of the Project Manager is subject to approval by the CDFW Contract Manager.

iv. Subcontractors identified in this agreement must be made available for the entire duration of the project. Replacement of subcontractors is subject to approval by the CDFW Contract Manager, and any given subcontractor must be replaced with a subcontractor with equivalent knowledge and experience.

3. The Contractor’s identified Project Manager must have a minimum of five (5) years of experience leading Land Management Planning or similar processes, including data gap analysis, resource inventory data collection, plan development.

4. The Contractor’s identified team (Primary Contractor and Subcontractors) must have a minimum of five (5) years of combined experience with the CEQA process, not including the Lead. The Lead for this action must have a minimum of five (5) years of experience with the CEQA process. The CEQA process includes scoping, impacts assessment, development of mitigation measures, document preparation, public meetings, and response to comments. Experience should include both MNDs and EIRs.

5. The Contractor’s identified team (Primary Contractor and Subcontractors) must demonstrate completion of at least one (1) Land Management Plan, or similar, including CEQA compliance. To demonstrate completion, if using the sum of experience from both the Primary Contractor and Subcontractor, must provide explanation of how minimum requirement met through combined experience being equivalent to the firms working together to complete a single Land Management Plan, or similar, including CEQA compliance.

6. The Contractor’s identified team (Primary Contractor and Subcontractors) must have at least three (3) years of experience conducting resource inventory work:

i. Cultural (archaeological and historical) pedestrian surveys, records searches, site documentation, and evaluation of historical significance;

ii. Botanical surveys including floristics and listed plant species field surveys;

iii. Vegetation mapping to the alliance level;

iv. Development of wildlife (bird, mammal, invertebrate, reptile, amphibian, etc.)

species lists;

v. Creation of figures for reports and public meetings, including maps in GIS;

7. The Contractor’s identified team member(s) GIS/mapping staff must have at least three (3) years of experience using GIS such as to create and manage geodatabases, vegetation mapping, and cartography.

8. The Contractor’s identified team (Primary Contractor and Subcontractors) must include staff in positions of leadership who have at least three (3) years of experience facilitating workshops and meetings similar to those described in the Draft Land Management Plan Instructions Manual (Exhibit A, Attachment 2) and CEQA-compliant tribal, stakeholder, and public meetings.

9. The Contractor’s identified team (Primary Contractor and Subcontractors) must have at least five (5) years of demonstrated knowledge and experience in CEQA compliance. Each individual firm must have at five (5) years of demonstrated knowledge and experience in their specialty, with the combined knowledge and experience from Primary Contractor and Subcontractors equaling the equivalent of addressing all aspects of CEQA compliance. This includes, but is not limited to, the successful preparation of high quality, legally defensible environmental review documents which necessitates broad experience and expertise in developing adequate project descriptions, evaluating the environmental effects of projects, recommending and/or developing adequate mitigation measures, and analyzing alternatives.

B. Desired Qualifications:

1. The Contractor has familiarity with, and can demonstrate, extensive experience in

Lassen, Yuba, Nevada, and Solano Counties with the subjects outlined in the Draft Land Management Plan Instructions Manual (Exhibit A, Attachment 2).

2. The Contractor has biologists that have survey experience with, and are in possession of permits to survey where appropriate, for sensitive species with the potential to occur in the Location of Services, such as but not limited to:

i. Vernal Pool Fairy Shrimp species

ii. Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle (Desmocerus californicus dimorphus)

iii. Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus)

iv. Delta green ground beetle (Elaphrus viridis)

v. California red-legged frog (Rana draytonii)

vi. California tiger Salamander (Ambystoma californiense)

vii. Western pond turtle (Emys marmorata)

viii. California least tern (Sternula antillarum browni)

ix. Western snowy plover (Charadrius nivosus nivosus)

x. California clapper rail (Rallus longirostris obsoletus)

xi. California Ridgway’s rail (Rallus obsoletus obsoletus)

xii. California black rail (Laterallus jamaicensis coturniculus)

xiii. Greater sandhill crane (Antigone canadensis tabida)

xiv. Bank swallow (Riparia riparia)

xv. Callippe silverspot butterfly (Speyeria callippe callippe)

xvi. Giant gartersnake (Thamnophis gigas)

xvii. Alameda whipsnake (Masticophis lateralis euryxanthus)

xviii. Salt-marsh harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys raviventris)

7. Insurance Requirements

The Contractor will be required to maintain the following insurance coverage throughout the duration of this agreement and must supply proof of coverage upon request by CDFW. Insurance must be in accordance with the Exhibit D CDFW Additional Provisions.

A. Commercial General Liability (limits not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence with a

$2,000,000 annual policy aggregate)

B. Automobile Liability (limits not less than $1,000,000 combined single limit per accident)

C. Drone/Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Liability (limits not less than $2,000,000each accident), if applicable based on Exhibit A, Attachment 3 - Proposal and Resumes.

D. Watercraft Liability (limits not less than $1,000,000 each accident), if applicable based on Exhibit A, Attachment 3 – Proposal and Resumes.

E. Professional Liability (limits not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence and $3,000,000 policy aggregate)

F. Workers Compensation and Employers Liability (limits of $1,000,000 are required.

The waiver of subrogation endorsement must also be provided).

The above policies must each be endorsed to include “the State of California, its officers, agents and employees as additional insured but only with respect to work performed under the Contract”.

0 10050 Km

0 5025 Mi

Coordinate System: WGS 1984 Web Mercator Auxiliary Sphere

Esri, USGS

Location of Services

Alameda County

Alpine County

Amador County

Butte County

Calaveras County

Colusa County

Contra Costa County

Del Norte County

El Dorado County

Glenn County

Humboldt County

Lake County

Lassen County

Madera County

Marin County

Mariposa County

Mendocino County

Merced County

Modoc County

Mono County

Napa County

Nevada County

Placer County

Plumas County

Sacramento County

San Francisco County

San Joaquin County

San Mateo County

Shasta County

Sierra County

Siskiyou County

Solano County

Sonoma County

Stanislaus County

Sutter County

Tehama County

Trinity County

Tuolumne County

Yolo County

Yuba County

Willow Creek Wildlife Area

Spenceville Wildlife Area

Grizzly Island Wildlife Area

California Department of Fish and Wildlife Exhibit A Attachment 1 - Maps

Agreement Number: P2480004

Emerson Lake

ÃÆÆ36

ÃÆÆ36

ÃÆÆ139

£¤395

£¤395

£¤395

£¤395

California Department of Fish and Wildlife Northern Region

WILLOW CREEK WILDLIFE AREA

Lassen County

WILLOW CREEK

WILDLIFE AREA

Wildlife Area Bureau of Land Management

U.S. Highway State Highway Local Road

0 5 Miles´

Karlo Road

Be lfa st Ro ad

Chapp iusLa ne

Honey Lake

Lake Leavitt

Wards Lake

Round Valley Reservoir

Big Dry Lake

Hartson Lake

Pete s Cree k

Snowstor m Creek

Willow C reek

Balls Cany on

Secret Creek

Susan River

Susan River

Janesville

Litchfield

Standish

Belfast

Susanville

Approximately 66 mi to Alturas and 105 mi to

California/Oregon Border

Approximately 27 mi to Doyle

Approximately 100 mi to Red Bluff

March 2024 - WLBDisclaimer: Boundaries are approximate.

Maps are intended for general purposes only.

Approximately 45 mi to Aiden

California Department of Fish and Wildlife Exhibit A Attachment 1 - Maps

ÃÆÆ20

California Department of Fish and Game North Central Region

SPENCEVILLE WILDLIFE AREA

Yuba, Nevada Counties

February 2012 - Lisa Ohara, DFG - WB / BDB Prepared by BDB for WB

0 1 Miles´

Yuba County

Nevada County

Camp Far West Reservoir

Union Reservoir

Warren Shingle Road

6th Street

Sp enc evi lle

Road

Spen cev ille R oa d

Indian Springs Road

Pleasant Valley RoadMo on ey Fl at R oad

Hammonton Road

Pittman Road

Wal do R oa d

Jones Road

Yuba R iver

Dry Creek

Best S lou gh

Dr y C ree k

Littl e D ry

Cr ee k

Cox Creek

Vineyard Creek

[t

[t

Shooting Range Camping

Falls Road

Dit ch

Horseshoe Pond

Little Dry Creek Pond

Wood Duck #1 Pond

Spring Plot Pond

Upper Jones Pond

Pittman Pond

Approximately 7 mi to Grass ValleyApproximately

15 mi to Marysville / Yuba City

Beale AFB

Smartville

Approximately 5 mi to Wheatland

Nichols Road

!Ë

!Ë

!Ë Equestrian Staging Area

Ch uck

Yeag er

Ro ad

Camp Fa r

We st

R oa d Long Ravine Road

Wildlife Area State Highway Local Road

Administrative Road - Closed to Vehicles Equestrian Trail

Spenceville

Roa d

California Department of Fish and Wildlife Exhibit A Attachment 1 - Maps

California Department of Fish and Wildlife Bay Delta Region

GRIZZLY ISLAND WILDLIFE AREA

Solano County m

0 2 Miles´

G r i z z l y B a y

S u i s u n B a y

GRIZZLY ISLAND

WILDLIFE AREA

§̈¦80

§̈¦680

ÃÆÆ4

ÃÆÆ12

Grizzly Island Unit

Island Slough Unit

Joice Island Unit

Grey Goose Unit

Goodyear Slough

Unit

Crescent Unit

West Family

Unit Van Sickle Road

Pierce Road

Industrial Way

Lake Herman Road

Goodyear Road

GRIZZLY

ISLAND

WILDLIFE

AREA

Wildlife Area Interstate Highway State Highway Local Road

Waterfront Road

§̈¦680

Grizzly Island Road

Grizzly Island Road

Contra Costa County

Solano County

Pittsburg

Suisun City

Approximately 5 mi to

Concord

Approximately 4 mi to Fairfield

Approximately 14 mi to Rio Vista

Mallard Reservoir

Su isu nS lou gh

Mont ezu ma Slo ug h

Pacheco Creek

Montezuma Slough Ch ad bo urn eR o a d

Fish and Wildlife Headquarters

March 2024 - WLBDisclaimer: Boundaries are approximate.

Maps are intended for general purposes only.

California Department of Fish and Wildlife Exhibit A Attachment 1 - Maps

DRAFT Land Management Plan Instruction Manual

Version: May 2024

Exhibit A Attachment 2 - Land Management Plan Instruction Manual

Agreement Number: P2480004 Contractor: TBD

Table of Contents

I. Introduction to Land Management Planning

How to use this Instruction Manual

Timeline

Funding the LMP Process

To Complete In-House or By Contract?

II. Planning Process

Plan Initiation

Planning Team

Kick-off Meeting

Preliminary Information Gathering

Workshop #1: Scoping and Property Vision

Level of Detail

Workshop #2: Data Gap Analysis

Resource Inventory

Workshop #3: Issues Analysis, Goals, and Strategies

Tribal Engagement

Partner Coordination

Interagency and Other Organizations Engagement

III. CEQA Process

IV. Writing the Land Management Plan

LMP Document Formatting and Accessibility

Title Page

Signature Page

CDFW Mission Statement

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Report Contributors

Executive Summary

Introduction

Environmental Setting and Management Considerations

California Department of Fish and Wildlife Exhibit A Attachment 2 - Land Management Plan Instruction Manual

Agreement Number: P2480004

Management Plan

References

Appendix A

Definitions of Terms Used in This Plan

Appendix B

Agreement Number: P2480004

I. INTRODUCTION TO LAND MANAGEMENT PLANNING

A Land Management Plan (LMP) is the culmination of a process which brings together diverse perspectives from within the California Department of Fish and

Wildlife (Department) as well as external voices such as tribes, partners, other organizations, and the general public. The LMP defines the primary management purpose for a property, or properties, and outlines the management issues and opportunities, goals, and strategies for fulfilling this purpose. The LMP process consists of the Resource Inventory, Land

Management Plan, and, where appropriate, California Environmental Quality

Act (CEQA) compliance. These components are interrelated and may be overlapping in their preparation. A thoughtful, well developed LMP will provide support for workload prioritization, grant applications (including Pittman-

Robinson; P-R), and succession management.

The land management planning process is initiated by the Region, which may occur due to a variety of management needs. For example, the need for an

LMP may be triggered by the lack of an LMP for an existing property managed by the Department, the acquisition of a new property (FGC §1019), or to enter a management agreement with a nonprofit conservation group or Resource

Conservation District (FGC § 1745 b2B). In addition, an LMP, or LMP update, may be warranted when revising management actions to reflect new management practices or to disclose management activities to the public.

The inclusion of coordination and public engagement in the LMP process is intended to improve the planning process through the incorporation of diverse ideas and perspectives. This should lead to a stronger plan and improved outcomes for the property and the Department. Similarly, while a single person may write a majority, or all, of the planning documents, they should not do so in a vacuum. Rather, this process will benefit from an interdisciplinary and collaborative approach, including staff from Fisheries, Habitat Conservation

Planning (HabCon), Law Enforcement Division (LED), Interpretation, Tribal Affairs, etc. as appropriate for the property.

How to use this Instruction Manual

This instruction manual was written by the Wildlife Branch (WLB) Lands Program staff to guide you through the complete LMP process, from inception through approvals, including CEQA compliance, as appropriate. It includes general tips on developing and writing LMPs, formatting hints, accessibility considerations, etc. as well as specific directions on data sources and the planning process. This manual focuses on the roles and responsibilities for tasks. Where specific staff are referenced, the role may be filled by either in-house or contract labor, at the

California Department of Fish and Wildlife Exhibit A Attachment 2 - Land Management Plan Instruction Manual

Agreement Number: P2480004 Contractor: TBD https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=FGC&sectionNum=1019.

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=FGC&sectionNum=1745.

Region’s discretion and based on staff availability. In addition, staff roles do not specifically identify individuals, but rather desired expertise, so a single person may fulfill multiple roles.

The table of contents is hyperlinked and bookmarks are formatted to help you navigate smoothly around the Instruction Manual.

Chapter 1: General information about how to approach land management planning and an introduction to the process.

Chapter 2: A detailed guide to the planning process, including roles and responsibilities, level of detail, workshop focus and outcomes, the Resource Inventory, outreach, and forms and approvals.

Chapter 3: Explains the process for CEQA compliance and

Department approvals.

Chapter 4: This chapter describes each section of the LMP in detail to guide you through the intended purpose of the section and how to develop and write the plan.

Timeline

The overall timeline for completing an LMP, from initiation through approvals for implementation, is generally 2-3 years. This is highly variable depending on many property-specific factors such as the extent of existing data, complexity of issues to be addressed, CEQA, and staffing availability. A discussion about the desired timeline, and considerations, will be included in the kick-off meeting. Where appropriate, steps in the planning process include more information about time to budget to complete each task.

The process can progress through Workshop #2 quickly, but then may slow down as inventory data are collected. A full year will likely be required for inventory data collection to study the property across all seasons. During this period, quarterly check-in meetings may occur to keep the Planning Team informed of progress and to maintain engagement and continuity. As described in more detail in the Planning Process, as Resource Inventory data is collected the subject-specific Goals and Strategies can be developed (Workshop #3). If an expedited timeline is desired, initial writing of the LMP can also begin, as some of the Introductory and Environmental Setting background information may be available.

The CEQA process, if determined that a Negative Declaration (ND), Mitigated

Negative Declaration (MND), Environmental Impact Report (EIR), or

Programmatic EIR, is warranted, can be completed in 6 months to a year, but

California Department of Fish and Wildlife Exhibit A Attachment 2 - Land Management Plan Instruction Manual

Agreement Number: P2480004 may take longer depending on tribal, other organization, and public engagement. Should substantial revisions be necessary following public review, or legal challenges occur, extensive delays in implementation will occur. If the

LMP is not subject to CEQA, or meets the requirement of a Categorical or

Statutory Exemption, then the timeline may be shorter.

Funding the LMP Process

Funding for LMPs is most commonly secured through a grant from the Wildlife

Conservation Board (WCB); P-R Grant funding has also been used. External grants may be another source of funding for all or part of the LMP process.

It is not imperative to have secured funding to initiate the LMP process. In fact, it may be beneficial to kick-off the process first, make early decisions regarding the level of detail, and complete a data gap analysis, to assist with accurate budgeting before pursuing funding. The Region is ultimately responsible for committing identified staff time and funding to complete the LMP process.

To Complete In-House or By Contract?

The resource inventory, management plan writing, and CEQA analysis (if warranted) tasks may be performed completely by in-house staff, under contract, or a combination of in-house and contract. Throughout this manual no distinction is made between in-house or contract staff, rather tasks are described by role. Further, roles do not assume staffing, so while a single person may fulfill a single role it is also possible for a single person to fulfill more than role, a single role may be filled by more than one person. This manual was written for

Department staff, but the processes and information requirements remain the same, regardless of whether the work is conducted in-house or through a contract.

The WLB Land Management Planning and Resource Assessment Unit (LMPRA)

Representative will go over general considerations and tradeoffs to weigh when making decisions related to in-house versus contract labor in the kick-off meeting. If desired by Region, a facilitated discussion about the best path forward can be held during Workshops 1 and/or 2. Below is a brief overview of considerations.

In-house staff will be the most familiar with the specific resources, management opportunities, and issues with the associated property; completing LMPs in-house builds and improves institutional memory. However, existing staff often lack time to take on the full workload of an LMP. Hiring Limited Term staff or contracting for an LMP can help with this issue, but keep in mind there will still be substantial oversight, input, and editing requirements of Region staff.

Contractors can design and conduct studies and write the documents, but

California Department of Fish and Wildlife Exhibit A Attachment 2 - Land Management Plan Instruction Manual

Agreement Number: P2480004

Region staff must actively participate in plan development, including workshops such as the identification of data gaps, management needs, and associated goals and strategies, as well as reviewing contract deliverables, such as editing draft documents. See Chapter 2 Planning Process for an in-depth description of each of these tasks.

A combined approach of in-house and contract labor can meet both needs. If a contract is used for writing the LMP, and CEQA document preparation is anticipated to be needed, then we recommend including CEQA document preparation in the contract. Region is also encouraged to include this instruction manual in the Request for Proposals to ensure clarity in the desired deliverables and to ensure consistency with Department standards.

Region may also choose to write the LMP in-house, but have CEQA documents, if warranted, prepared under contract. There are CEQA retainer contracts in place through Habitat Conservation Planning Branch (HCPB) that may be utilized. See Chapter 3 CEQA Process for more information.

Agreement Number: P2480004

II. PLANNING PROCESS

The LMP process incorporates a resource inventory effort, development of the planning document, and CEQA review, when warranted. The overall process flowchart (Figure 1) shows how these three components interrelate, moving forward in concert rather than independently or consecutively. This section guides you through the planning process, describing each step and, where appropriate, clarifying responsibilities for completion and expected timeframes.

While each plan may have unique considerations the overall process flowchart, and subsequent detailed process flow charts (Figures 2 and 3), should be referenced as a schematic of the general approach. Regular engagement with

WLB LMPRA staff will provide necessary guidance for individual plan considerations.

Plan Initiation

The decision to initiate the LMP process for a property is made at the Region level. A Region Lead is designated by the Region, often it is the Region Lands

Senior Environmental Scientist Supervisor (Senior ES Supervisor) or an

Environmental Scientist (ES) in the Region Lands Program. The Region Lead’s first task is to contact the WLB LMPRA Supervisor in the Wildlife Branch who will guide them through the process, starting with an overview of what to expect and ensuring that they have the most current Instructions Manual (this document) and template document. The Region Lead will be assisted by the WLB LMPRA

Representative with initial planning team development and to set up a kick-off meeting with the full Planning Team (Figure 2). As described in Funding the LMP

Process above, the Plan Initiation step may be taken prior to Region securing funding.

During Plan Initiation it is recommended that the Region Lead ensure an Office of General Council (OGC) support request is submitted, following Region-specific guidelines on process. OGC will then direct when and how the assigned attorney will engage with the planning process. This will vary by plan, primarily based on the issues being addressed during the planning process.

California Department of Fish and Wildlife Exhibit A Attachment 2 - Land Management Plan Instruction Manual

Agreement Number: P2480004

Figure 1: A schematic overview of the planning process, from initiation through implementation, using a plan with CEQA document preparation for illustrative purposes.

California Department of Fish and Wildlife Exhibit A Attachment 2 - Land Management Plan Instruction Manual

Agreement Number: P2480004

Figure 2: The LMP process flow, from identifying the need for a plan through the kick-off meeting.

Planning Team

The first key to a successful LMP is thoughtfully assembling an interdisciplinary team, based upon the resources, management opportunities, and issues present within the property. This diverse team is critical for ensuring a comprehensive and relevant plan is developed, whether written in-house or by contractors. What varies based on how the plan is developed is the role of the team members, not the composition of the team.

The team is built on the foundation of the Region’s: Lands Environmental

Program Manager (EPM), Lands Senior ES Supervisor, Tribal Coordinator, Wildlife

Officer, and CEQA Specialist as well as staff from the WLB LMPRA unit. The

Regional Manager and an attorney with CDFW OGC may also be members of the planning team, at their discretion, based upon need and availability.

Depending on the Region’s management structure and specific opportunities, issues, and resources related to the property, additional specialists may be members of the planning team (Table 1). If needed specialists are not available from the Region, then the related Branch should be contacted for support, or a contract may be written for services, if desired and funding is available. If there are formal partnership agreements in place related to management of the property then including representatives from the partner organization(s) may be desired.

The WLB LMPRA…