RFP_P2580002,_Sample_Contract.pdf

STATE OF CALIFORNIA - DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES

STANDARD AGREEMENT

STD 213 (Rev. 04/2020)

AGREEMENT NUMBER

P2580002(SAMPLE)

PURCHASING AUTHORITY NUMBER (If Applicable)

SCO ID: 3600-P2580002(SAMPLE)

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

July 1, 2025

THROUGH END DATE

June 30, 2027

3. The maximum amount of this Agreement is:

$200,000.00 | Two 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 East Walker River Wildlife AreaMap 1

Exhibit A ATTCH 2 Land Management Plan Instruction Manual 74

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 5

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.)

TBD

CONTRACTOR BUSINESS ADDRESS

TBD

CITY

TBD

STATE

TBD

ZIP

TBD

PRINTED NAME OF PERSON SIGNING

TBD

TITLE

TBD

CONTRACTOR AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE DATE SIGNED

STATE OF CALIFORNIA - DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES

STANDARD AGREEMENT

STD 213 (Rev. 04/2020)

AGREEMENT NUMBER

P2580002(SAMPLE)

PURCHASING AUTHORITY NUMBER (If Applicable)

SCO ID: 3600-P2580002(SAMPLE)

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: P2580002 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 one (1) Land Management Plan, 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:

A. East Walker River Wildlife Area, Mono County B. CDFW Bishop Field Office, 787 N Main St, Bishop, Inyo County C. Contractor’s Business Location

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: 1010 Riverside Parkway

West Sacramento, CA 95605 Address: To Be Determined

Direct all inquiries to: Direct all inquiries to:

CDFW – Wildlife Branch Name: Mary Rivet-Pool Name: To Be Determined Address: 1010 Riverside Parkway

West Sacramento, CA 95605 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 one (1) plan for CDFW owned lands: East Walker River 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 other interested parties (i.e. stakeholders) 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, other interested parties, 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).

East Walker River Wildlife Area, in Mono County, is approximately 1,500 acres of wetlands and riparian habitat along 7 miles of the East Walker River, from near the

Nevada border to Bridgeport Reservoir (see map provided as Exhibit A, Attachment 1).

California State Route 182 passes through the Wildlife Area, following the East Walker

River. It ranges in elevation from 6,000 to 6,500 feet and supports a variety of terrestrial and aquatic species such as brown and rainbow trout (Salmo trutta and Oncorhynchus mykiss), bald and golden eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus and Aquila chrysaetos), river otter (Lontra canadensis), and American black bear (Ursus americanus) as well as serving as a migration corridor for the East Walker mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) herd. It is bordered by Bureau of Land Management lands and the Toiyabe National

Forest. The East Walker River Wildlife Area was acquired to protect the aquatic, riparian, and upland habitats and to provide access to fishing, hunting, and other outdoor recreational activities. There are no developed facilities; public use includes wildlife viewing, trout fishing, and hunting for waterfowl, California and mountain quail

(Callipepla californica and Oreortyx pictus), and mule deer.

B. Work to be Performed

1. The Contractor will provide the following services:

a) Task 1: Participate in kick-off meetings

i. The Contractor will participate in an agreement kick-off meeting (Task 1A) and one (1) separate plan-specific kick-off meeting (Task 1B), led by CDFW.

Each meeting will be approximately two (2) hours in duration.

ii. Objectives and Deliverables:

• The Contractor will participate in two (2) 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 Section 2. Location of Services will also be provided.

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

b. Participate in one (1) plan-specific kick-off meeting (Task 1B)

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

• CDFW will provide:

a. Current version of Land Management Plan Instruction Manual (Exhibit

A, Attachment 2).

b. Land Management Plan template

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

East Walker River Wildlife Area

b) Task 2: Land Management Planning Process – Workshop Facilitation

i. The Contractor will lead one (1) series of planning workshops as described in the Land Management Plan Instruction Manual Chapter 2 (Exhibit A, Attachment 2).

• The Contractor will facilitate:

• Workshop #1: Scoping and Property Vision Outcomes

a. Purpose Statement

b. Overarching management goals

c. Planning horizon and level of detail determinations

• Workshop #2: Data Gap Analysis Outcomes

a. List of data needs

b. Determination of data to be collected for Resource Inventory

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

d. Data Storage Plan

• Workshop #3: Issues Analysis, Goals, and Strategies Outcomes

a. A series of workshops most likely

b. Identify issues to be addressed in the Land Management Plan

c. Formulation of draft Goals and Strategies

CDFW will provide the workshop meeting space for the workshops.

c) Task 3: Resource Inventory

i. Based upon the outcomes of Workshop #2, as described above and in the

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. 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.

• 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.

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

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

• 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.

• 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.

• Reports will be compiled following scientific writing standards

(introduction, methods, results, discussion) and consistent with Exhibit A Section 5C. Reports detailed below.

• Data sharing and storage will be consistent with Exhibit A Section 5 D

Digital Media, Data Sharing, and Data Security below.

d) Task 4: Land Management Plan Document Preparation

i. The Contractor will write the Land Management Plan as outlined in the Land Management Plan Instruction Manual (Exhibit A, Attachment 2).

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

• The Contractor must utilize the Land Management Plan template.

• The Contractor will prepare one (1) Land Management Plan based on the outcome of the workshops from Task 2 and consistent with the Land Management Plan Instruction Manual and template.

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

e) Task 5: CEQA Process

i. 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 the Land Management Plan, the CEQA process will be completed by the Contractor through initial response to comments.

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

• The Contractor will draft legally adequate, high-quality CEQA documents for the Land Management Plan.

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

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.

• The Contractor will co-facilitate tribal outreach and consultation, consistent with the requirements of Assembly Bill 52.

• The Contractor will facilitate interested parties and public meetings.

• The Contractor will solicit and collect public comments and prepare written responses to comments on the draft environmental document.

• [Tentative] If time allows and adequate funding is still available (as determined by CDFW Contract Manager), the Contractor will prepare a 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.

f) Task 6: LMP Process Evaluation

i. The Land Management Planning process has been revamped by CDFW; the plan produced through this Agreement will be one of the first plans to test the new process. Therefore, feedback on the process is requested.

• 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 may be approximately one (1) hour in length.

• 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.

a) 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.

b) 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.

c) 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.

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

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

c) Usage Rights

• 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.

• 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.

• 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).

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 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 1A: Participate in contract kick-off meeting 2 weeks after Notice to

Proceed (NTP)

Task 1B: Participate in plan-specific kick-off meetings

4 weeks after 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

Activity Anticipated Due Date* Task 5: CEQA Process 23 months after NTP

Task 6: LMP Process Evaluation 24 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 four hundred (400) miles of the Locations of Services (East Walker River Wildlife Area or Bishop, California).

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

a) 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.

b) 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.

c) 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.

d) 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 an explanation detailing how the minimum requirements are 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:

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

b) Botanical surveys including floristics and listed plant species field surveys;

c) Vegetation mapping to the alliance level;

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

species lists;

e) 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 Land Management Plan Instruction Manual (Exhibit A, Attachment 2) and CEQA-compliant tribal, other interested parties, 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 Mono County, or counties with similar habitats present, with the subjects outlined in the Land Management Plan Instruction 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:

a) Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus)

b) Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus)

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. Professional Liability (limits not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence and

$3,000,000 policy aggregate)

D. 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”.

The Contractor may be required to maintain additional applicable insurance policies, as outlined in Exhibit D, Additional Provisions, if the policy is determined to be necessary based on the Contractor’s submitted proposal.

California Department of Fish and Wildlife Inland Deserts Region

EAST WALKER RIVER WILDLIFE AREA

Mono County

December 2014 - WLB

0 2 Miles´ Wildlife Area National Forest Bureau of Land Management

U.S. Highway State Highway Creek / Reservoir

Toiyabe National Forest

Bridgeport Reservoir

Bridgeport

Murphy Creek

Fryingpan Creek

BLM

Ea st

Wa lke r R ive r

Approximately 25 mi to Lee Vining and Mono Lake

Approximately 36 mi to Highway 89 and Nevada

Nevada

|ÿ182

£¤395

£¤395

Disclaimer: Boundaries are approximate.

Maps are intended for general purposes only.

Land Management Plan Instruction Manual

California Department of Fish and Wildlife

Version: September 2024

SAM

PLE

i

Table of Contents I. Introduction to Land Management Planning

How to use this Instruction Manual

Timeline to Complete an LMP

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

External Engagement and Outreach

III. Writing the Draft Land Management Plan

LMP Document Formatting and ADA Accessibility

Title Page

Signature Page

CDFW Mission Statement

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Report Contributors

Executive Summary

Chapter 1: Introduction

Chapter 2: Environmental Setting and Management Considerations

Chapter 3: Management Plan

References ii

Appendix A

Appendix B

IV. Next Steps

Forms and Approvals

Circulation

V. Appendix A. Sample Kick-off Meeting Agenda

List of Figures Figure 1: LMP Process Overview

Figure 2: Initial Stage of LMP Process

Figure 3: Draft Plan Development Process

Figure 4: Lands Management Data Viewer Overview

Figure 5: Lands Management Data Viewer Transparency Example

Figure 6: Planning Horizon Diagram

Figure 7: The Resource Inventory Process Flow

Figure 8: Paste Formatting Example

Figure 9: Land Cover California Subset Layer

Figure 10: Lands Management Data Viewer Land Ownership Layer

Figure 11: Geological Map of California Layer

Figure 12: Alquist-Priolo Fault Hazard Zone Layer

Figure 13: SSURGO Soil Maps Units Layer

Figure 14: California Streams and National Wetlands Inventory Layer

Figure 15: US EPA Air Data - Multiyear Tile Plot

Figure 16: Wildlife Habitat Relationships Layer

Figure 17: Fire History Layer

Figure 18: Terrestrial Connectivity Layer

Figure 19: Wildlife Movement Barrier Priorities Layer

Figure 20: CNDDB Layer

List of Tables Table 1: Suggested Regional Planning Team Members iii

Abbreviation Definition

AB52 Assembly Bill 52: Tribal Cultural Resources

ACE Areas of Conservation Emphasis

ADA Americans with Disabilities Act

AGOL ArcGIS Online

BIOS Biogeographic Information and Observation System

CALFIRE California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection

CEQA California Environmental Quality Act

CGS California Geological Survey

CHRIS Chemical Hazards Response Information System

CNDDB California Natural Diversity Database

CNPS California Native Plant Society

EDRR Early Detection and Rapid Response

EIR Environmental Impact Report

EPA Environmental Protection Agency

EPM Environmental Program Manager

ES Environmental Scientist

FGC Fish and Game Code

FRAP Fire and Resource Assessment Program

FY Fiscal Year

GIS Geographic Information System

HCPB Habitat Conservation Planning Branch

HQ Headquarters

HUC Hydrologic Unit Code

LCP Local Coastal Plan

LEARN Learning, Education, and Resources Network

LMP Land Management Plan

MND Mitigated Negative Declaration

MOU Memorandum of Understanding

NAHC Native American Heritage Commission

ND Negative Declaration

NHD Natural Heritage Division

NLCD National Land Cover Database

NRCS National Resources Conservation Service

OGC Office of General Counsel

PEIR Program Environmental Impact Report

SSURGO Soil Survey Geographic Database

TCCP Tribal Communication and Consultation Policy

USFWS United States Fish and Wildlife Service

USGS United States Geological Survey

VegCAMP Vegetation Classification and Mapping Program

WBD Watershed Boundary Dataset

WCB Wildlife Conservation Board iv

Abbreviation Definition

WHR California Wildlife Habitat Relationship System

WLB Wildlife Branch

I. INTRODUCTION TO LAND MANAGEMENT PLANNING

A Land Management Plan (LMP) defines the primary management purpose for a Department property, or properties, and outlines the management issues and opportunities, goals, and strategies for fulfilling this purpose. The LMP process includes development of the Resource Inventory and LMP, bringing 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 components are interrelated and may be overlapping in their preparation. A thoughtful, well-developed LMP helps land managers make the best use of limited resources, provide support for workload prioritization and grant applications for project funding (e.g., WCB, Pittman-Robertson), while maximizing ecological benefits.

The land management planning process is initiated by Region and may occur due to a variety of management needs. For example, the need for an LMP may be triggered by the acquisition of a property on or after January 1, 2002 (subject to appropriation, FGC §1019), lack of an LMP for a property acquired before

2002, or to enter a management agreement with a nonprofit conservation group or Resource Conservation District (FGC § 1745 b2B). In addition, a new

LMP (or update) may be warranted when revising management actions to reflect new management practices or changing conditions.

The best outcomes generally arise when the LMP process is interdisciplinary and collaborative, internally as well as externally, including staff from Fisheries, Law

Enforcement Division (LED), Interpretation, Tribal Affairs, etc. as appropriate for the property as well as tribal engagement, partner organizations, other organizations and governments, and the public. Public engagement in the LMP development process allows for the incorporation of diverse ideas and perspectives, leading to a stronger plan and improved outcomes for the property and the Department.

How to use this Instruction Manual

This instruction manual was written by the Wildlife Branch (WLB) Land

Management Planning and Resource Assessment Unit (LMPRA) staff to provide guidance and reference material during the LMP process. It is intended to complement the facilitation and support provided by WLB Lands Program staff throughout the process. This manual includes general tips on developing and writing LMPs such as formatting hints, accessibility considerations, etc., as well as guidance on data sources and the planning process. This manual focuses on writing the LMP itself, and the roles and responsibilities for tasks throughout the

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LMP development process. It does not address the final Regional and HQ approvals process nor CEQA compliance. Job Aids are available in the LMP

Teams site Document Library “LMP Reference Materials”. If you have trouble accessing this Document Library, please contact your LMPRA Representative or the LMPRA Supervisor for assistance.

The table of contents is hyperlinked and bookmarks are formatted to help navigate smoothly around the instruction manual (If the bookmarks are not visible, there is a Job Aid available in the LMP Teams Site LMP Reference

Materials Document Library on how to access the bookmarks in Foxit). The

Sections are organized as follows:

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

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

Section 3: A detailed description of each chapter of the LMP to guide the author(s) through the intended purpose of the chapter and how to develop and write the plan.

Section 4: A high-level review of forms, approvals, and other processes that need to be completed prior to LMP finalization and implementation.

Throughout this manual, the terms “Section” and “Chapter” are not used interchangeably, rather they have distinct meanings. The use of “Section” (note capital “S”) refers to parts of this instruction manual, “Chapter” corresponds to the parts of an LMP document, and “section” (note lowercase) describes a part of either a “Section” or a “Chapter”.

Staff roles are referenced throughout this manual. They do not specifically identify individuals, but rather desired expertise, so a single person could fulfill multiple roles and the role may be filled by in-house or contract staff. This is addressed in more detail in the “To Complete In-House or By Contract?”

Section.

Timeline to Complete an LMP

The overall timeline for an LMP to progress from kick-off through a draft document ready for public review is approximately 2 years. This is highly variable depending on many property-specific factors such as the extent of existing data, complexity of issues to be addressed, and staffing availability. If a

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A discussion about the desired timeline, and considerations, will be included in the kick-off meeting. The process may progress through Workshop #2: Data Gap

Analysis quickly, but then can slow down as data to inform the Resource

Inventory 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

Section 2: 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, writing of portions of the LMP can also begin, as some of the

Introductory and Environmental Setting background information may be available.

Funding the LMP Process

Funding for LMPs is often secured through a grant from the Wildlife Conservation

Board (WCB), although 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 needed to complete the LMP process.

To Complete In-House or By Contract?

Management plan preparation may be performed in-house, under contract, or a combination of in-house and contract. For example, if a comprehensive

Cultural Resources section that includes a description of archaeological and/or historical resources on the property is desired, a contract for these services will be necessary since there are no archaeologists or historians in the Department.

However, that role is described as a Cultural Resources Specialist, not a

Contractor. 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 LMPRA Representative assigned to the LMP will discuss 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.

Staffing Needs

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 workload of completing a full LMP. Hiring temporary or

Limited-Term staff or contracting for an LMP can help with this issue, but there will still be substantial oversight, input, and editing requirements of Region staff.

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

Region staff must actively participate in plan development, including workshops to identify data gaps, management needs, and associated goals and strategies, as well as reviewing contract deliverables, such as draft documents.

A combined approach of in-house and contract labor can meet both needs.

See Section 2: Planning Process for an in-depth description of these tasks.

If the decision is made to contract for writing of the LMP, Region is encouraged to include this instruction manual in the Request for Proposals to ensure clarity in the desired deliverables and consistency with Department standards. The

LMPRA Representative can provide example RFP documents for LMP preparation, if desired.

II. PLANNING PROCESS

The LMP process includes a resource inventory effort and development of the planning document. The overall process flowchart (Figure 1) shows how these components interrelate, moving forward in concert rather than independently or consecutively. Prior to implementation CEQA must also be addressed, although that is not covered in detail in this manual (See Section 4: Next Steps).

This Section describes each step in the process and clarifies responsibilities for completion as well as expected timeframes. While each plan may have unique considerations, the overall process flowchart and subsequent detailed process flow charts (Figures 2 and 3), were developed to be referenced as a schematic of the general approach. Regular engagement with 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 established by the Region, often it is the Region Lands

Senior Environmental Scientist Supervisor (Senior ES Supervisor) or an

Environmental Scientist (ES). Their first task is to contact the 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 LMP

Instruction Manual and template document (Figure 2). The LMPRA Supervisor will then assign a LMPRA Representative to assist the Region Lead with initial

Planning Team development and to set up a kick-off meeting with the full

Planning Team. As described in Funding the LMP Process above, the Plan

Initiation step may be taken prior to Region securing funding for the completion of the LMP.

During Plan Initiation it is recommended to submit an Office of General Counsel

(OGC) support request. The Region Lead may work with the Region Lands

Environmental Program Manager (EPM) to complete this process. OGC will then direct when and how the assigned attorney will engage with the planning process. This will vary by plan, and is at the discretion of OGC, primarily based on the issues being addressed during the planning process.

Figure 1: LMP Process Overview

An overview of the planning process, from initiation through implementation. Note that while the flow implies a linear step-by-step process, in actuality it is a non-linear, overlapping process.

Figure 2: Initial Stage of LMP Process

The LMP process flow, focusing on the initial steps, 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 planning 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 Planning Team is built on the foundation of Region staff: Lands EPM, Lands

Senior ES Supervisor, Tribal Coordinator, the Wildlife Officers whose patrol district overlaps with the property, and Unit-specific specialists (Table 1). If the needed specialists are not available from the Region, then the related Branch may be contacted for support, or a contract may be written for services, if desired and funding is available. The need to contract for specialist services will especially hold true for cultural resources surveys since the Department does not currently

(as of FY 23-24) employ archaeologists or historians. If there are formal partnership agreements (e.g. MOUs) in place related to management of the property, then including representatives from the partner organization(s) may be desired as well. An attorney with OGC may also be engaged with the Planning

Team, at their discretion, based upon need and availability.

Table 1: Suggested Regional Planning Team Members

If Region staff are not available to fill a role, then a contractor or Branch equivalent may be arranged by Region to fill that need. An LMPRA Representative will also join the

Planning Team.

Region Members - All Properties Property-Specific Members

Lands EPM Unit Manager

Lands Senior Supervisor Unit Biologist

Tribal Coordinator Fire Resiliency

Cultural Resources (Arch./Hist.) Fisheries

Wildlife Officer Hydrologist

GIS Specialist Game Program

Non-game Program

Human-Wildlife Conflict

Interpretation

Marine

Others as warranted

The Region Lead is responsible for ensuring that all Planning Team members are included in communications, have access to digital files, and foster communication between LMPRA and Region.1 The LMPRA Representative will also be a member of the Planning Team, their role is to facilitate the planning process and provide guidance to the Region staff. They will also review the LMP for completeness and consistency with Department guidelines.

The Region Planning Team members are critical to a successful LMP process, including actively participating in workshops, as well as writing and editing the document. Many team members will also be responsible for data collection, participation in public meetings, and responding to public comments.

During Plan Initiation it may not be clear which property-specific members are required. If that is the case, the best practice is to include a representative for the early stages and then determine the appropriate level of engagement. It is easier to be involved early and step back than to join late. This approach is intended to improve cross-program collaboration, decreasing the chances of inadvertently overlooking a resource in the planning process.

1 Regions may choose to prepare LMPs without using the process outlined in this document, but

LMPRA support will not be available.

Figure 3: Draft Plan Development Process

The Plan Development process flow from Preliminary Information Gathering through the Draft LMP. Note the Resource

Inventory steps can be found in Figure 7.

Roles and Responsibilities

While roles and responsibilities of the Region and the LMPRA staff are identified throughout this document, this section is provided as an overview for reference;

it is not meant to be an exhaustive list. In general, it is the LMPRA’s responsibility to facilitate the LMP process and support the Region, and Region’s responsibility to actively engage in and complete LMP process.

A standard list of roles and responsibilities are:

Region:

• Assign a Region Lead;

• Reach out to LMPRA Supervisor to initiate the…