Sol_140FS123Q0173.pdf

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OFFEROR

FS1

Falls Church VA 22041 5275 Leesburg Pike FWS, SAT Team 1

FWS SAT 1

0008350415 CODE 16. ADMINISTERED BYCODE

X

X

X

541620

SIZE STANDARD:

100.00 % FOR:SET ASIDE:UNRESTRICTED ORFS1

RFPIFB

10. THIS ACQUISITION ISCODE

RFQ

14. METHOD OF SOLICITATION

13b. RATING

NAICS:

SMALL BUSINESS

09/05/2023 1500 ED

08/22/2023

0000000000Emelia Flaherty (No collect calls)

INFORMATION CALL:

FOR SOLICITATION 8. OFFER DUE DATE/LOCAL TIMEb. TELEPHONE NUMBER a. NAME

4. ORDER NUMBER3. AWARD/ 6. SOLICITATION

140FS123Q0173

5. SOLICITATION NUMBER

SOLICITATION/CONTRACT/ORDER FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS 1. REQUISITION NUMBER PAGE OF

1 37 0040632135OFFEROR TO COMPLETE BLOCKS 12, 17, 23, 24, & 30

TELEPHONE NO.

17a. CONTRACTOR/

FREMONT CA 94555

1 MARSHLANDS ROAD

FWS SAN FRANCISCO BAY NWRC

15. DELIVER TO

Falls Church VA 22041 5275 Leesburg Pike FWS, SAT Team 1

9. ISSUED BY

7.

2. CONTRACT NO.

EFFECTIVE DATE

$19

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DPAS (15 CFR 700)

13a.

SERVICE-DISABLED

VETERAN-OWNED

SMALL BUSINESS

HUBZONE SMALL

BUSINESS

8(A)

FWS SAT 1

WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS

(WOSB) ELIGIBLE UNDER THE WOMEN-OWNED

SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM

EDWOSB

24.

AMOUNT

23.

UNIT PRICE

22.

UNIT

21.

QUANTITY

20.

SCHEDULE OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES

19.

ITEM NO.

Vegetation Inventory on Ellicott Slough NWR and Salinas River NWR - See Performance Work Statement for details.

Period of Performance: 09/06/2023 to 12/31/2025

00010 Vegetation Inventory on Ellicott Slough and Salinas River

Continued ...

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HEREIN, IS ACCEPTED AS TO ITEMS:

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37 2 of

Vegetation Inventory SOLICITATION NO. 140FS123Q0173

FWS

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotes are being requested and a separate written solicitation will not be issued.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Monterey & Santa Cruz, CA has a requirement for Vegetation Inventory located at Ellicott NWR and Salinas NWR. The anticipated performance period is from 9/6/2023 through 12/31/2025.

This Request for Quotation (RFQ) is a TOTAL SMALL BUSINESS SET ASIDE and is conducted under the procedures of FAR Parts 12 and 13, incorporating provisions and clauses in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2023-04. The NAICS code is 541620 and the small business size standard is $19,000,000

Instructions All responsible small business sources may submit a quote, which shall be considered by the agency.

Award will be made as a firm-fixed-price contract. The basis of award is the Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA), see technical acceptability requirement below. The vendor that submits the lowest priced quote, meeting the technical acceptability requirement, will be awarded the contract. Award will be made to a responsible source pursuant to FAR subpart 9.1.

Technical Acceptability:

1) Vendor must have 5 years of experience with vegetation inventory as described in the PWS of a similar size and scope (1 year must be in the same general habitat types as this contract).

2) Vendor must have a degree and/or 2 years training and/or experience in identification of California flora including invasive species and rare plants.

Please submit your quotation (showing unit and total price) on company letterhead or the enclosed pricing form with SAM.gov UEI code, and point of contact phone number and e-mail address. You must submit documentation that you meet the technical acceptability minimums. Refer to FAR provision 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors – Commercial Items for additional submission guidance, and include a copy of FAR provision 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications -- Commercial Items with applicable sections completed.

Solicitation Questions Due: 8/28/2023 @ 1500 ET to emelia_flaherty@fws.gov Quotes Due: 9/5/2023 @ 1500 ET E-Mail Quote Submission: emelia_flaherty@fws.gov

In order to have a quote considered for award, respondent must be registered at the System for Award Management (SAM) website (https://www.sam.gov) as an active vendor by the time an award decision is necessary.

Pricing Form

Contractor: ________________________ SAM.gov UEI___________________________

Note to Vendors: All tasks found in PART 5 – SPECIFIC TASKS must be considered and incorporated in the below pricing form.

The government intends to award all tasks in the base award but reserves the right to award some areas as an optional line item to be exercised at a later date.

Table 1 - Salinas

Inventory Priority

Habitats Approximate Acreage Subtotal Total by Priority Price

1.1 Central Foredunes 56.4 $

Back Dunes 12.6 $

69.0 $

1.2 Coyote Brush

Scrub/Grassland

118.8 $

Central Coast Riparian Scrub

2.7 $

121.5 $

1.3 Northern coastal salt

marsh (a portion is across Salinas River)

84.8 $

Saline Pond 9.9 $

Salinas River Island 0.2 $

94.9 $

TOTAL 285.4 $

Table 1.5 - Salinas

1.6 Field Maps/Geodatabase/SOP $

1.7 Report $

Total $

Total for Table 1 and 1.5 _______________

Table 2 - Ellicott

Inventory Priority

Refuge Unit/Band* Approximate Acreage

Price

2.1 Harkins Slough

(~50% open water habitat)

116 $

2.2 Buena Vista/ Band 2

(300 to 600 meters from the pond)

110 $

2.3 Buena Vista/ Band 3

600 meters to refuge boundary from pond)

107 $

TOTAL 333 $

Table 2.5 – Ellicott

2.6 Field Maps/Geodatabase/SOP $

2.7 Report $

Total $

Total for Tables 2 and 2.5__________________

Total Price of Contract: ________________________

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS)

Vegetation Inventory on Ellicott Slough National Wildlife Refuge and Salinas River National Wildlife Refuge

Part 1

General Information

1. GENERAL: This is a non-personal services contract to provide a Vegetation Inventory on Salinas River National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and Ellicott Slough NWR. The Government shall not exercise any supervision or control over the contract service providers performing the services herein. Such contract service providers shall be accountable solely to the Contractor who, in turn is responsible to the Government.

1.1 Description of Services/Introduction: The contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, supplies, facilities, transportation, tools, materials, supervision, and other items and non-personal services necessary to perform the Vegetation Inventory on Salinas River NWR and Ellicott Slough NWR as defined in this Performance Work Statement, except for those items specified as government furnished property and services. The contractor shall perform to the standards in this contract.

Vegetation inventories will include approximately 285 acres at Salinas River NWR and 333 acres at Ellicott Slough NWR. Although the deliverables and general methods for conducting the vegetation inventories on Salinas River NWR and Ellicott Slough NWR may be similar, there will be differences in survey grid size, terrain, habitats, inventory timing, access, species/landcover attributes to be inventoried, and avoidance measures for different sensitive species. Specifically, the project includes two distinct vegetation inventories, Task 1 is for Salinas River NWR and Task 2 for Ellicott Slough

NWR.

1.2 Background:

Task 1- Vegetation Inventory on Salinas River NWR

The 367-acre Salinas River NWR was established in 1973 because of its particular value in conserving migratory birds. Between 1973 and 1990, the lands were managed by the California Department and Fish and Game (now the California Department of Fish and Wildlife [CDFW]) under a cooperative agreement with the Service. The refuge is located approximately 11 miles north of Monterey, where the Salinas River empties into Monterey Bay (Figure 5). The refuge is bounded by Salinas River State Beach to the north, the Big Sur Land Trust Martin Dunes to the south, Salinas River to the northeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Agricultural lands lie predominantly east of the refuge (USFWS 2002).

The coastal sand dune ecosystem at Salinas River NWR represents one of the most intact dune ecosystems found in Monterey Bay, California. Refuge dunes provide connectivity between other protected dunes in Monterey Bay, and support a unique juxtaposition of beach, dunes, and adjacent wetland environments, which is rare along the California coast and found nowhere else in Monterey Bay. The coastal sand dune ecosystem also provides habitat for a diverse community of waterbirds and dune-adapted plant and wildlife species. For example, one of the largest Monterey Bay breeding populations of western snowy plover (Charadrius nivosus nivosus), which is federally listed as threatened, is found on the refuge. The Refuge is also at the northern range of the Smith’s blue butterfly (Euphilotes enoptes smith) and native buckwheat provides habitat in the dunes (USFWS 2002). In addition to beach and coastal sand dunes, the refuge encompasses grassland, wetland (saline pond, salt marsh), and riparian forest and scrub environments (USFWS 2002 and Figure 6).

Task 2- Vegetation Inventory on Ellicott Slough NWR

Ellicott Slough NWR (Refuge) is located in California on the southern coast of Santa Cruz County within the Monterey Bay area, near Watsonville. The Refuge proper consists of three units: the

Ellicott Unit (168 acres), Calabasas Unit (31 acres), and Harkins Slough (116 acres). Additionally, the Refuge cooperatively manages the Buena Vista Unit (289 acres), with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, for a total of 604 acres managed by the Refuge (Figure 1).

The Refuge was established primarily for conservation of endangered amphibians and provides vital habitat for the federally listed Santa Cruz long-toed salamander (Ambystoma macrodactylum croceum [SCLTS]), California tiger salamander (Ambystoma californiense), California red-legged frog (Rana draytonii), and the Robust spineflower (Chorizanthe robusta var. robusta). Habitats on the Refuge include ephemeral ponds, oak woodland, chaparral, riparian, freshwater wetland, coniferous forest, and grassland. (USFWS 2010).

In 2018, we received funding to complete a plant inventory on Ellicott Slough NWR. The Refuge staff worked with the contractor to develop a Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for the vegetation inventory (Miller and Munneke 2019-Appendix B), and the contractor subsequently completed a vegetation inventory on the Ellicott Unit, the Calabasas Unit, and part of the Buena Vista Unit in 2019 (Miller and Munnecke 2019). We were not able to complete the inventory on portions of the Buena Vista Unit (~217 acres) (Figures 2 and 3) or any of the Harkins Slough Unit (116 acres) (Figure 4) due to lack of adequate funding (total of 333 acres un-surveyed).

1.3 Objectives

• Spatially document cover of target invasive and native plant species and landcover types on 285 acres of Salinas River NWR to inform refuge management practices.

• Assess progress toward these three refuge habitat management goals and objectives developed during our Natural Resources Management Plan process (NRMP) in 2019 (USFWS 2019) :

o Objective # CDE_O01 (amended 2023), as follows: By the end of 2024, the San

Francisco NWR Complex understands the abundance and distribution of the most critical invasive plant threats and of the native dune plant species in the coastal dune ecosystem Salinas River NWR. This new understanding will be used to refine (as needed) the management approach and develop new management objectives.

o Goal # CDE_G01. Over the next 15 years (2018–2032), the proportion of dune vegetation cover comprised of dune associated native plant species is >95% in the foredunes and >85% in the back dunes (dune scrub) at Salinas River NWR.

o Goal # CDE_G02. Over the next 15 years (2018–2032), % sand cover is ≥90 in the foredunes and <20% bare ground in the dune scrub (back dunes) at Salinas River NWR

• Spatially document cover of target invasive and native plant species and landcover types in 333 acres of previously un-surveyed areas of Ellicott Slough NWR on the Buena Vista and Harkins Slough Units to inform refuge management practices.

• Assess progress toward this refuge habitat management goal developed during our Natural Resources Management Plan process (NRMP) in 2019 (USFWS 2019) :

o Goal # PVW_G04: Over the next 15 years (2018–2032), the proportion of landcover occupied by grassland and woodland at Ellicott Slough NWR is (1) Calabasas Unit, woodland maintained at 26–40%; (2) Buena Vista Unit, increase grassland to 11–25% and maintain 26-40% woodland; (3) Ellicott Unit, increase grassland to 26–40% and maintain 26–40% woodland

1.4 Scope:

Task 1 requires conducting a vegetation inventory on approximately 285 acres of Salinas River NWR, located near Castroville, California. Approximately 285 acres of the refuge will be surveyed, which includes all refuge habitats except the beach and Salinas River (Table 1 and Figure 6). Survey will be primarily ground-based, but a boat or kayak will be required to access some wetland habitats. If available funding for an inventory of the entire 285 targeted acres of the refuge is not sufficient, refuge staff will prioritize certain habitats, as in Table 1 below.

The structure of a previous refuge inventory conducted at Ellicott Slough NWR (Miller and Munnecke 2019) will inform field protocol development, and a similar grid-based inventory will be conducted.

A Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) document will developed to serve as the field protocol for the inventory, and will be similar in content and structure to the 2019 SOP created for Ellicott Slough NWR (Miller and Munneke 2019-Appendix B. Refuge staff will guide protocol development and approve final field protocol SOP prior to inventory.

For the Salinas River NWR vegetation inventory, a 20-meter by 20-meter grid cell layer must be created to cover the entire refuge. Plant species/landcover data (cover classes) will be collected in each grid cell in targeted habitats With the guidance of refuge staff, target species/landcovers selected for the inventory will be finalized, with approximately 40 plant species/landcovers to be collected in each grid cell. In addition: individual locations of buckwheat will be recorded as points in all of the dune habitats, and reproductive status and other plant qualities recorded. The perimeter of the saline pond will be mapped as a polygon.

A geodatabase and field app will be created to be used for the inventory. Report content, including plant species maps will be similar to final report for Ellicott Slough NWR (Miller and Munneke 2019). Final report will include the SOP as an appendix.

Table 1. Habitat inventory priorities with approximate acreages on Salinas River NWR.

Priority

Habitats Approximate Acreage Subtotal Total by Priority

1 Central Foredunes 56.4 Back Dunes 12.6

69.0 2 Coyote Brush

Scrub/Grassland 118.8

Central Coast Riparian Scrub

2.7

121.5

3 Northern coastal salt marsh (a portion is across Salinas River)

84.8

Saline Pond 9.9

Salinas River Island 0.2

94.9

TOTAL 285.4

Task 2 requires conducting a vegetation inventory on the remaining approximately 333 un-surveyed acres of Ellicott Slough NWR, comprised of 217 acres on the Buena Vista Unit (Figure 2) and 116 acres on the Harkins Slough Unit (Figure 3). The Buena Vista Unit areas to be surveyed are shown in Figure 3, as more than 300 meters from a focal pond, which includes “Bands” 2 and 3 (shown in Table 2). Areas less than 300 meters from the pond (Band 1) were inventoried in 2019. Harkins Slough is roughly 50% open water habitat, as shown in Figure 4. Survey will a combination of ground-based and boat-based, as both terrestrial and wetland habitats are included in the inventory. If available funding for an inventory of the entire 333 targeted acres of the refuge is not sufficient, refuge staff will prioritize certain locations, as shown in Table 2 below.

Existing field methods and data collection methods established for a 2019 vegetation inventory will be used as the basis for the project, as detailed in the “Ellicott Slough National Wildlife Refuge SOP” (SOP) (Miller and Munneke 2019-Appendix B), but species to be inventoried may change slightly from the 2019 inventory. With the guidance of refuge staff, the 2019 species/landcover list and SOP will be revised and updated prior to the inventory, adding any additional species and other changes.

The SOP will serve as the field protocol for the inventory.

For the inventory, an established 30-meter by 30-meter grid cell layer will be used and plant/landcover cover (cover class) data collected in each grid cell. Grid cell maps created for the 2019 inventory for Buena Vista Unit (shown partly in Figure 3) will be used. A new grid cell map will need to be created for and Harkins Slough Unit (Figure 4). A new geodatabase and field app will also need to be created prior to data collection for the inventory. Report structure, content, and data analysis will follow Miller and Munneke (2019), and report and will include updated SOP as an appendix.

Table 2. Ellicott Slough NWR Units targeted for 2023 inventory, with approximate acreage to be surveyed. *Figure 2 (Buena Vista) and Figure 4 (Harkins Slough) show refuge habitats. Figure 3 shows the previously (2019) surveyed “Band 1” section of Buena Vista that is less than 300 meters from the pond shown on the map. A portion of “Band 2” is shown in gray shading beyond 300 meters from the pond.

Priority

Refuge Unit/Band* Approximate Acreage

4 Harkins Slough (~50% open water habitat)

5 Buena Vista/ Band 2 (300 to 600 meters from the pond)

6 Buena Vista/ Band 3 600 meters to refuge boundary from pond)

TOTAL 333

The contractor shall accomplish; Completing the vegetation inventory at Salinas River NWR and Ellicott Slough NWR as specified, including creating a field methods SOP, creating a Field Maps app for data collection; creating a USFWS approved geodatabase; submitting a draft final report; submitting a final report; submitting raw and processed inventory data, including a geodatabase containing GPS track logs and actual area searched, shapefiles, background imagery, metadata.

1.5 Period of Performance: The period of performance shall be October 1, 2023 through December 31 2025, including final reporting for both refuge inventories.

1.6 General Information

1.6.1 Quality Control: The contractor shall develop and maintain an effective quality control program to ensure services are performed in accordance with this PWS. The contractor shall develop and implement procedures to identify, prevent, and ensure non-recurrence of defective services. The contractor’s quality control program is the means by which he assures himself that his work complies with the requirement of the contract.

1.6.2 Quality Assurance: The government shall evaluate the contractor’s performance under this contract in accordance with this Performance Work Statement.

1.6.3 Recognized Holidays: The contractor is not required to perform services on holidays.

New Year’s Day Labor Day Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday Columbus Day President’s Day Veteran’s Day Memorial Day Thanksgiving Day Juneteenth Christmas Day Independence Day

1.6.4 Hours of Operation: The contractor is responsible for conducting business, between sunrise and sunset Monday thru Sunday, except Federal holidays or when the Government facility is closed due to local or national emergencies, administrative closings, or similar Government directed facility closings.

The Contractor must at all times maintain an adequate workforce for the uninterrupted performance of all tasks defined within this PWS when the Government facility is not closed for the above reasons. When hiring personnel, the Contractor shall keep in mind that the stability and continuity of the workforce are essential.

1.6.5 Place of Performance: The work to be performed under this contract will be performed at Salinas River NWR and Ellicott Slough NWR.

1.6.6 Type of Contract: The government will award a Firm Fixed Price contract. .

1.6.7 Security Requirements: Contractor personnel performing work under this contract must notify the Refuge Manager at least 24 hours in advance of accessing refuge properties, and gain permission from the manager prior to access.

1.6.7.1 PHYSICAL Security: The Contractor shall be responsible for safeguarding all government equipment, information and property provided for contractor use. At the close of each work period, government facilities, equipment, and materials shall be secured.

1.6.7.2 Key Control. Contractor will be issued one refuge barrel lock key prior to the field inventory, which must be returned after inventory is complete. Contractor will ensure that unauthorized persons do not have access to the key.

1.6.7.3 Lock Combinations. Contractor will be given the lock combination prior to the field inventory. The Contractor shall establish and implement methods of ensuring that all lock combinations are not revealed to unauthorized persons.

1.6.8 Special Qualifications:

• Identifying plants (all phenological stages) in California vegetation communities such as: beach, coastal dunes, wetland, riparian, woodland, grassland, scrub, including both native and non-native plant species

• Conducting vegetation surveys, mapping the distribution and abundance of plants (inventories)

• Collection, management, and analysis of spatially-referenced (GIS) plant data, including use of Field Maps (or similar) for Arc GIS and ArcGIS Online

• Preparing maps and reports; summarizing and comparing spatially-referenced plant data

1.6.9 Post Award Conference/Periodic Progress Meetings: The Contractor agrees to attend any post award conference convened by the contracting activity or contract administration office in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation Subpart 42.5. The contracting officer, Contracting Officers Representative (COR), and other Government personnel, as appropriate, may meet periodically with the contractor to review the contractor's performance. At these meetings the contracting officer will apprise the contractor of how the government views the contractor's performance and the contractor will apprise the Government of problems, if any, being experienced. Appropriate action shall be taken to resolve outstanding issues.

These meetings shall be at no additional cost to the government.

1.6.10 Contracting Officer Representative (COR): The (COR) will be identified by separate letter. The COR monitors all technical aspects of the contract and assists in contract administration The COR is authorized to perform the following functions: assure that the Contractor performs the technical requirements of the contract: perform inspections necessary in connection with contract performance:

maintain written and oral communications with the Contractor concerning technical aspects of the contract:

issue written interpretations of technical requirements, including Government drawings, designs, specifications: monitor Contractor's performance and notifies both the Contracting Officer and Contractor of any deficiencies; coordinate availability of government furnished property, and provide site entry of Contractor personnel. A letter of designation issued to the COR, a copy of which is sent to the Contractor, states the responsibilities and limitations of the COR, especially with regard to changes in cost or price, estimates or changes in delivery dates. The COR is not authorized to change any of the terms and conditions of the resulting order.

1.6.11 Key Personnel: The following personnel are considered key personnel by the government: 1) Contract Manager/Alternate Contract Manager, 2) Field crew leader. The contractor shall provide a contract manager who shall be responsible for the performance of the work. The name of this person and an alternate who shall act for the contractor when the manager is absent shall be designated in writing to the contracting officer. The contract manager or alternate shall have full authority to act for the contractor on all contract matters relating to daily operation of this contract. The contract manager or alternate shall be available between 8:00 a.m. to 4:30p.m, Monday thru Friday except Federal holidays or when the government facility is closed for administrative reasons.

1.6.12 Identification of Contractor Employees: All contract personnel attending meetings, answering Government telephones, and working in other situations where their contractor status is not obvious to third parties are required to identify themselves as such to avoid creating an impression in the minds of members of the public that they are Government officials. They must also ensure that all documents or reports produced by contractors are suitably marked as contractor products or that contractor participation is appropriately disclosed. The contractor will not be required to obtain and wear a badge in performance of this service.

1.6.13 Contractor Travel : All travel costs will be covered by the contractor, including one on-site pre-project meeting and all travel related to project implementation. Contractors should factor travel costs into the bid.

1.6.14 Other Direct Costs This category includes travel (outlined in 1.6.13), reproduction, equipment, supplies, software licensing, and shipping expenses associated with pre-inventory meetings with Refuge staff and inventory implementation.

1.6.15 Data Rights The Government has unlimited rights to all documents/material produced under this contract. All documents and materials, to include the source codes of any software, produced under this contract shall be Government owned and are the property of the Government with all rights and privileges of ownership/copyright belonging exclusively to the Government. These documents and materials may not be used or sold by the contractor without written permission from the Contracting Officer. All materials supplied to the Government shall be the sole property of the Government and may not be used for any other purpose. This right does not abrogate any other Government rights.

1.6.16 Organizational Conflict of Interest: Contractor and subcontractor personnel performing work under this contract may receive, have access to or participate in the development of proprietary or source selection information (e.g., cost or pricing information, budget information or analyses, specifications or work statements, etc.) or perform evaluation services which may create a current or subsequent Organizational Conflict of Interests (OCI) as defined in FAR Subpart 9.5. The Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer immediately whenever it becomes aware that such access or participation may result in any actual or potential OCI and shall promptly submit a plan to the Contracting Officer to avoid or mitigate any such OCI. The Contractor’s mitigation plan will be determined to be acceptable solely at the discretion of the Contracting Officer and in the event the Contracting Officer unilaterally determines that any such OCI cannot be satisfactorily avoided or mitigated, the Contracting Officer may effect other remedies as he or she deems necessary, including prohibiting the Contractor from participation in subsequent contracted requirements which may be affected by the OCI.

PART 2

DEFINITIONS & ACRONYMS

2. DEFINITIONS AND ACRONYMS:

2.1. DEFINITIONS:

2.1.1. CONTRACTOR. A supplier or vendor awarded a contract to provide specific supplies or service to the government. The term used in this contract refers to the prime.

2.1.2. CONTRACTING OFFICER. A person with authority to enter into, administer, and or terminate contracts, and make related determinations and findings on behalf of the government. Note: The only individual who can legally bind the government.

2.1.3. CONTRACTING OFFICER'S REPRESENTATIVE (COR). An employee of the U.S. Government appointed by the contracting officer to administer the contract. Such appointment shall be in writing and shall state the scope of authority and limitations. This individual has authority to provide technical direction to the Contractor as long as that direction is within the scope of the contract, does not constitute a change, and has no funding implications. This individual does NOT have authority to change the terms and conditions of the contract.

2.1.4. DEFECTIVE SERVICE. A service output that does not meet the standard of performance associated with the Performance Work Statement.

2.1.5. DELIVERABLE. Anything that can be physically delivered, but may include non-manufactured things such as meeting minutes or reports.

2.1.6. KEY PERSONNEL. Contractor personnel that are evaluated in a source selection process and that may be required to be used in the performance of a contract by the Key Personnel listed in the PWS. When key personnel are used as an evaluation factor in best value procurement, an offer can be rejected if it does not have a firm commitment from the persons that are listed in the proposal.

2.1.7. PHYSICAL SECURITY. Actions that prevent the loss or damage of Government property.

2.1.8. QUALITY ASSURANCE. The government procedures to verify that services being performed by the Contractor are performed according to acceptable standards.

2.1.9. QUALITY ASSURANCE Surveillance Plan (QASP). An organized written document specifying the surveillance methodology to be used for surveillance of contractor performance.

2.1.10. QUALITY CONTROL. All necessary measures taken by the Contractor to assure that the quality of an end product or service shall meet contract requirements.

2.1.11. SUBCONTRACTOR. One that enters into a contract with a prime contractor. The Government does not have privity of contract with the subcontractor.

2.1.12. WORK DAY. The number of hours per day the Contractor provides services in accordance with the contract.

2.1.12. WORK WEEK. Monday through Friday, unless specified otherwise.

2.2. ACRONYMS:

ACOR Alternate Contracting Officer's Representative AFARS Army Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement AR Army Regulation CCE Contracting Center of Excellence CDFW California Department of Fish and Wildlife CFR Code of Federal Regulations CONUS Continental United States (excludes Alaska and Hawaii) COR Contracting Officer Representative COTR Contracting Officer's Technical Representative COTS Commercial-Off-the-Shelf DA Department of the Army DD250 Department of Defense Form 250 (Receiving Report) DD254 Department of Defense Contract Security Requirement List DFARS Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement DMDC Defense Manpower Data Center DOD Department of Defense FAR Federal Acquisition Regulation HIPAA Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 KO Contracting Officer NWR National Wildlife Refuge OCI Organizational Conflict of Interest OCONUS Outside Continental United States (includes Alaska and Hawaii) ODC Other Direct Costs PIPO Phase In/Phase Out POC Point of Contact PRS Performance Requirements Summary PWS Performance Work Statement REFUGE National Wildlife Refuge SOP Standard Operating Procedures QA Quality Assurance QAP Quality Assurance Program QASP Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan QC Quality Control QCP Quality Control Program TE Technical Exhibit

PART 3

GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY, EQUIPMENT, AND SERVICES

3. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED ITEMS AND SERVICES:

3.1. Services: The Government will provide: 1) leadership in finalizing a list of species/landcover attributes for the inventories, 2) baseline GIS maps for each refuge including refuge boundaries and management areas, 3) guidance for developing SOPs, report structure, and geodatabase, 4) prompt review of draft SOP, database, draft report and maps, and other deliverables, 5) field training to familiarize crew with each refuge and sensitive species prior to inventory.

3.2 Facilities: The Government will provide access to field sites at Salinas River NWR and Ellicott Slough NWR that may otherwise be closed to members of the general public. Contractor will have limited vehicle access and full walking access to the properties for the purpose of conducting the vegetation inventories as described herein. Vehicle access and parking will be determined by refuge manager prior to the work being conducted. No access to buildings will be provided.

3.3 Utilities: Not applicable

3.4 Equipment : Not applicable

3.5 Materials: Not applicable

PART 4

CONTRACTOR FURNISHED ITEMS AND SERVICES

4. CONTRACTOR FURNISHED ITEMS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

4.1 General : The Contractor shall furnish all supplies, equipment, facilities and services required to perform work under this contract that are not listed under Section 3 of this PWS.

4.2 Secret Facility Clearance: Not Applicable

4.3. Materials: The Contractor shall [furnish materials, supplies, and equipment necessary to meet the requirements under this PWS.

4.4. Equipment The Contractor shall furnish vehicles, GPS units, flagging, datasheets, and all other equipment to meet the requirements under this PWS.

PART 5

SPECIFIC TASKS

5. Specific Tasks:

5.1. Basic Services. The contractor shall provide services for:

• Conduct a primarily ground-based inventory, supplemented by use of boats in open water and marsh areas. Use of other methods may be approved though consultation with USFWS.

• Inventory will be grid-based, to be surveyed with 20-meter by 20-meter grids on the 285 acres Salinas River NWR and with 30-meter by 30-meter grids on the 333 acres of Ellicott Slough NWR to be surveyed; Approximately 40 species/landcover types will be recorded in each grid cell, with separate species/landcover type lists for each refuge.

• Contractor will work with the USFWS Refuge and regional staff to create and finalize the mapping protocols and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for this project prior to each inventory. Any modification to the protocols during the inventories will be communicated to the refuge. Final SOPs will be submitted as an appendix to the final report for each refuge. For Salinas River NWR: 1) the structure and content of the Ellicott Slough NWR SOP (Miller and Munnecke 2019-Appendix B) will inform field protocol and SOP development, which will be guided by refuge staff and, 2) Draft protocols for Salinas River NWR must be provided to USFWS for review by December 15, 2023 and must be finalized by February 15, 2024. For Ellicott Slough NWR: 1) existing field methods and data collection methods established for a 2019 vegetation inventory will be used as the basis for the project, as detailed in the “Ellicott Slough National Wildlife Refuge SOP” (Miller and Munneke 2019-Appendix B) and an updated SOP will be produced, and 2) Draft protocols for Ellicott Slough NWR must be provided to USFWS for review by December 15, 2024 and must be finalized by February 15, 2025.

• Surveys at Salinas River NWR: 1) should be conducted between February to October 2024 if possible, 2) contractor must coordinate with refuge staff prior to surveys in and adjacent to dune habitats due potential presence of breeding snowy plovers. If breeding snowy plovers are present, inventory may be delayed in certain areas until birds are done nesting, or until winter/early spring of 2025. Surveys at Ellicott Slough NWR should be conducted from April to July 2025.

Contractor and USFWS will discuss and agree upon best dates to conduct inventory based on plant phenology each year to maximize detectability of target plants.

• Data will be collected using Field Maps app if possible, or with paper datasheets if satellite signal is not adequate for accurate navigation and recording.

• The geodatabase will be compatible with current USFWS GIS standards and contain Federal Geographic Data Committee Standards (FGDC) compliant metadata

• Data to be collected in each grid cell includes cover (cover class) of target species and landcover types for each refuge (approximately 40 per refuge) to be specified by USFWS and documented in the field protocol SOP. Data should generally follow the data standards provided by USFWS (i.e., the data dictionary) and must include the minimum required fields for both data points and metadata. In addition, at Salinas River NWR, the following point and polygon data will be collected: 1) individual locations of buckwheat will be recorded as points in all of the dune habitats, and reproductive status and other plant qualities recorded, 2) the perimeter of the saline pond will be mapped as a polygon.

• Tracklogs and datasheets/databases should be submitted at the end of each inventory season in 2024 and 2025.

• Contractor must submit a draft final report at least 45 days prior to the end of the contract for review by Refuge and regional staff before it is finalized.

• All data collected must be provided with the final report as a geodatabase that includes all shapefiles and tracklogs.

• Report must contain the following sections: introduction (including refuge context/overview), inventory objectives, target species and areas, methods (field search methods, data collection standards, data collection tools, data processing, data validation/error checking procedures, voucher specimen collection), results (tables and maps; gross and infested acres by species and management unit; number of cells per refuge unit with species present; assessment of whether refuge management objectives have been met survey areas and acres searched), discussion and recommendations, any difficulties encountered, references cited, and glossary of terms.

PART 6

APPLICABLE PUBLICATIONS

6. APPLICABLE PUBLICATIONS (CURRENT EDITIONS)

6.1. Literature Cited:

Miller, A.L. and M. Munnecke. 2019. Ellicott Slough National Wildlife Refuge: 2019 Invasive Plant and

Native Plant Inventory. Unpublished report, Pyramid Botanical Consultants, Twin Bridges, CA.

https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/201623

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2002. Salinas River National Wildlife Refuge: Comprehensive Conservation Plan. Sacramento, CA. https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/215092

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2010. Ellicott Slough National Wildlife Refuge Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific Southwest Region. San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Newark, CA and Refuge Conservation Planning Branch, Sacramento. https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/216474

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2019. Natural Resource Management Plan for the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex. National Wildlife Refuge System, Pacific Southwest Region, Sacramento, CA. https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/169104 https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/201623 https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/215092 https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/216474 https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/169104

PART 7

ATTACHMENT/TECHNICAL EXHIBIT LISTING

7. Attachment/Technical Exhibit List:

7.1. Attachment 1/Technical Exhibit 1 – Performance Requirements Summary

7.2. Attachment 2: Figures 1-6- Referenced refuge maps

7.1 Attachment 1

TECHNICAL EXHIBIT 1

Performance Requirements Summary The contractor service requirements are summarized into performance objectives that relate directly to mission essential items. The performance threshold briefly describes the minimum acceptable levels of service required for each requirement. These thresholds are critical to mission success.

Performance Objective (The Service required—usually a shall statement)

Standard Performance Threshold (This is the maximum error rate. It could possibly be “Zero deviation from standard”)

Method of Surveillance

PRS # 1.

The contractor shall provide a separate Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) document for field methods to be used and species/attributes for Ellicott Slough NWR and Salinas River NWR.

The contractor provides a separate Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) document for field methods to be used and species/attributes for Ellicott Slough NWR and Salinas River NWR

Zero deviation from standard 100 Percent Inspection, performed by refuge staff

PRS # 2

The contractor shall conduct vegetation inventory on Ellicott Slough NWR and Salinas River NWR as specified in the contract and detailed in a final SOP for each refuge

The contractor conducts vegetation inventory on Ellicott Slough NWR and Salinas River NWR as specified in the contract and detailed in a final SOP for each refuge

Zero deviation from standard 100 Percent Inspection, performed by refuge staff

PRS # 3

The contractor shall provide a separate geodatabase and Field Maps app for data collection for Ellicott Slough and Salinas River NWR prior inventory.

The contractor provides a separate geodatabase and Field Maps app for data collection for Ellicott Slough and Salinas River NWR prior inventory.

Zero deviation from standard 100 Percent Inspection, performed by refuge staff

PRS # 4

The contractor shall provide draft and final reports for inventories on Ellicott Slough and Salinas River NWR that include content and analysis required by the USFWS and specified in the contract a final geodatabase and track logs

The contractor provides draft and final reports for inventories on Ellicott Slough and Salinas River NWR that ich include content and analysis required by the USFWS and specified in the contract a final geodatabase and track logs

Zero deviation from standard 100 Percent Inspection, performed by refuge staff

7.2 Attachment 2. Figures 1 to 6, below

Figure 1. Ellicott Slough NWR location and Management Units

Figure 2. Buena Vista Unit. General vegetation types are shown.

Figure 3. Buena Vista Unit- Inventory will include grid cells more than 300 meters from the pond indicated in the figure (part of Band 2 shown in light gray) Unshaded grid cells less than 300 meters from the pond were surveyed in 2019.

Figure 4. Harkins Slough Unit. The refuge is 116 acres, with approximately 56 acres terrestrial habitats and the remainder marsh and open water.

Figure 5. Salinas River NWR

Figure 6. Salinas River NWR Habitat types, with acreages. Note: Beach habitat and the majority Salinas River will not be surveyed. An approximately 0.2 acre island in the middle of the Salinas River will be surveyed.

Vegetation Inventory

SOLICITATION NO. 140FS123Q0173

ADDITIONAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS (PROVISIONS AND CLAUSES)

FAR Provisions by Reference

52.204-7 System for Award Management (Oct 2018) 52.204-16 Commercial and Government Entity Code Reporting (Aug 2020)

FAR Provisions – Full Text

52.204-24 Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment (Nov 2021)

The Offeror shall not complete the representation at paragraph (d)(1) of this provision if the Offeror has represented that it "does not provide covered telecommunications equipment or services as a part of its offered products or services to the Government in the performance of any contract, subcontract, or other contractual instrument" in paragraph (c)(1) in the provision at 52.204-26, Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services—Representation, or in paragraph (v)(2)(i) of the provision at 52.212- 3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Products or Commercial Services.

The Offeror shall not complete the representation in paragraph (d)(2) of this provision if the Offeror has represented that it "does not use covered telecommunications equipment or services, or any equipment, system, or service that uses covered telecommunications equipment or services" in paragraph (c)(2) of the provision at 52.204-26, or in paragraph (v)(2)(ii) of the provision at 52.212-3.

(a) Definitions. As used in this provision—

Backhaul, covered telecommunications equipment or services, critical technology, interconnection arrangements, reasonable inquiry, roaming, and substantial or essential component have the meanings provided in the clause 52.204-25, Prohibition on Contracting for Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment.

(b) Prohibition.

(1) Section 889(a)(1)(A) of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Pub. L. 115-232) prohibits the head of an executive agency on or after August 13, 2019, from procuring or obtaining, or extending or renewing a contract to procure or obtain, any equipment, system, or service that uses covered telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technology as part of any system. Nothing in the prohibition shall be construed to—

(i) Prohibit the head of an executive agency from procuring with an entity to provide a service that connects to the facilities of a third-party, such as backhaul, roaming, or interconnection arrangements;

or

(ii) Cover telecommunications equipment that cannot route or redirect user data traffic or cannot permit visibility into any user data or packets that such equipment transmits or otherwise handles.

(2) Section 889(a)(1)(B) of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Pub. L. 115-232) prohibits the head of an executive agency on or after August 13, 2020, from entering into a contract or extending or renewing a contract with an entity that uses any equipment, system, or service that uses covered telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technology as part of any system. This prohibition applies to the use of covered telecommunications equipment or services, regardless of whether that use is in performance of work under a Federal contract. Nothing in the prohibition shall be construed to—

(i) Prohibit the head of an executive agency from procuring with an entity to provide a service that connects to the facilities of a third-party, such as backhaul, roaming, or interconnection arrangements;

or https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.204-26#FAR_52_204_26 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.212-3#FAR_52_212_3 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.212-3#FAR_52_212_3 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.204-26#FAR_52_204_26 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.212-3#FAR_52_212_3 https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.204-25#FAR_52_204_25

(ii) Cover telecommunications equipment that cannot route or redirect user data traffic or cannot permit visibility into any user data or packets that such equipment transmits or otherwise handles.

(c) Procedures. The Offeror shall review the list of excluded parties in the System for Award Management (SAM) ( https://www.sam.gov) for entities excluded from receiving federal awards for "covered telecommunications equipment or services".

(d) Representation. The Offeror represents that—

(1) It □ will, □ will not provide covered telecommunications equipment or services to the Government in the performance of any contract, subcontract or other contractual instrument resulting from this solicitation. The Offeror shall provide the additional disclosure information required at paragraph (e)(1) of this section if the Offeror responds "will" in paragraph (d)(1) of this section; and

(2) After conducting a reasonable inquiry, for purposes of this representation, the Offeror represents that—

It □ does, □ does not use covered telecommunications equipment or services, or use any equipment, system, or service that uses covered telecommunications equipment or services.

The Offeror shall provide the additional disclosure information required at paragraph (e)(2) of this section if the Offeror responds "does" in paragraph (d)(2) of this section.

(e) Disclosures.

(1) Disclosure for the representation in paragraph (d)(1) of this provision. If the Offeror has responded "will" in the representation in paragraph (d)(1) of this provision, the Offeror shall provide the following information as part of the offer:

(i) For covered equipment—

(A) The entity that produced the covered telecommunications equipment (include entity name, unique entity identifier, CAGE code, and whether the entity was the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) or a distributor, if…