SOW_BLM_GFO_OWL_ACOUSTICS_ANALYSIS.pdf

Statement of Work

Project Name

Acoustic Monitoring for Owl Presence/Absence in North Powderhorn Fuels Reduction Project BLM Gunnison Field Office

Project Need

This Statement of Work is for analysis of acoustic data to determine presence/absence of up to seven owl species in an area that includes the North Powderhorn Wilderness Area within the Bureau of Land Management Gunnison Field Office. Acoustic data are being collected using 12 acoustic recording units that will be deployed in the North Powderhorn Fuels Reduction project area. Recorders will be deployed during the early breeding period for owls that may be present in high elevation spruce, fir, mixed conifer, and aspen forests of southwest Colorado. The main objective of the acoustic monitoring for owl presence is to inform whether conservation measures should be recommended to protect or improve nesting habitat for owls as fuels treatments are being planned.

Background

The Bureau of Land Management’s Gunnison Field Office (GFO) is developing North Powderhorn Forest Health and Fuels Reduction Project in, and in the vicinity of, BLM North Powderhorn Wilderness.

Acoustic recorders will be deployed in the project area, which is from 9,000 to 12,000 feet elevation and supports Engelmann spruce forest, mixed conifer forest (Douglas-fir and associated tree species including lodgepole pine, ponderosa pine, blue spruce, and others), and high-elevation aspen stands.

Owl species that are most likely to nest in the project area include: Boreal Owl, Flammulated Owl, Northern Pygmy Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl, and Western Screech Owl. Other species that may be present include: Great Horned Owl and Long-eared Owl.

Acoustic recording analysis is the process of identifying avian species from acoustic files that will be collected using Wildlife Acoustics Inc., Song Meter stationary acoustic recorders (SM4 and SM4 mini recorders). The analysis requires the development of simple and advanced classifiers for avian species detection using Kaleidoscope software. The classifiers are used to automate analysis of large amounts of acoustic data to detect possible owl calls followed by manual vetting to determine probable presence. Automated analysis is limited in ability to identify deviations from expected call recordings and other various issues in the analysis process, therefore, manual call vetting must be employed to eliminate species misclassifications. Manual call vetting is a qualitative process that requires users with extensive experience to examine the recordings and manually vet all identifications.

Description of Services

The contractor shall provide: (1) analysis of acoustic data to determine probable presence of six potential owl species and (2) provide a summary report with requested information detailed in the section below.

Owl Acoustic Analysis - Statement of Work

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Description of Work by Task

Acoustic Data Analysis Work will require the contractor to develop Kaleidoscope classifiers for species detection and automated and manual call vetting to determine probable presence of forest owls that may be present in Colorado. Owl recordings should be scanned in Kaleidoscope utilizing multiple parameters including:

FFT windows, frequency ranges, inter-syllable gaps, and signal detection length. The analysis will focus on the frequency range of owls for basic clustering and, when possible, develop a simple classifier or advanced classifier for each owl species.

Reporting Once analysis is complete, the contractor will provide the BLM Biologist with recommended locations for call playback surveys so the BLM Biologist may document nesting and nesting success.

Contractor shall provide a final report that summarizes data analysis findings. Final report shall include

(a) description of data analysis methods, (b) owl detections per species per deployment location, (c) owl detections over time (both time of day and across the deployment period), and (d) a summary of the call types for each species detected.

Period of Performance

The work will start in June 2024. Recording units will have been deployed for 2-4 months and will be retrieved in early June. Audio datasets will be submitted to the contractor by June 14th. Acoustic data analysis may take approximately 30-days following the receipt of acoustic data. The contractor shall recommend locations for call playback surveys as soon as possible, but within 4-weeks of receipt of the acoustic data. Final report will be due on 11/29/2024.

BLM Shall Furnish or Provide

The BLM will provide spatial locations of each recorder, a map, and all acoustic recordings. The BLM Biologist will provide deployment details upon request that may inform the final report (for example:

forest site conditions, photos of deployment site, weather conditions during deployment, etc.). The BLM Biologist will communicate with the contractor when planning to retrieve the recorders, will update the contractor when the data have been sent, and will provide the contractor with electronic data with details from the deployment including the amount of data collected for each recorder.

Contractor Shall Furnish

The contractor will provide: (1) recommendations for call-playback surveys based on analysis detections and (2) a final report.

Inspection/Acceptance

Inspection/Acceptance of all service performed in accordance with this contract for purpose of initiating contractor payment shall be by the Contracting Officer Representative (COR).

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The BLM COR or Project Inspector (PI) designated by the Contracting Officer (CO) will approve of all contractors conducting acoustic data analysis. Such qualifications ensure that owl species are properly identified. Resumes will be submitted for every specialist working on acoustic data analysis. Resume should include educational background, experience conducting acoustic data analysis to identify avian species, and any related work experience. All personnel conducting acoustic data analysis must have a strong background in acoustic recording analysis using Kaleidoscope software and have experience analyzing acoustic data for avian species that was collected using Wildlife Acoustics recorders. The personnel conducting acoustic data analysis must have experience in developing simple and advanced Kaleidoscope classifiers for avian species detection. The personnel conducting acoustic data analysis must have experience exhibited on their resumes for analyzing at least 400 hours of avian acoustic data using Kaleidoscope software.

As the basis for payment, inspections for compliance with contract specifications will be made once recommendations and a report are submitted by the Contractor.

Payment schedule

Payments will be made in two installments once the following are submitted and approved by COR: (1) recommended locations for call playback surveys and (2) a summary report. The first payment will be 40% of the total contract amount. The second payment will be 60% of the contract amount.

Evaluation Criteria

Technical and Past Performance Award will be based on Best Value to the Government, which may not necessarily be the low bidder.

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following technical evaluation factors, past performance, and price. Project bids and subsequent proposals should address all physical and technical aspects involved with completing biological surveys and reports. At a minimum, each of the technical items below shall be addressed in detail.

The objective of these evaluation criteria is to assess the potential qualifications and capabilities of the prospective bidders for this project. In addition to the bid values, these evaluations will be used to ascertain the ability of bidders to effectively and efficiently complete the contract with reliable results.

The evaluation criteria are as follows:

Technical The evaluation shall measure the vendors’ technical knowledge of the project, involving:

• Proven knowledge and skill in analysis of avian acoustic recordings (at least 400 hours of acoustic data) using Kaleidoscope software.

• The personnel conducting acoustic data analysis must have experience exhibited on their resumes for analyzing at least 400 hours of avian acoustic data using Kaleidoscope software.

• Proficiency in programming and operating Wildlife Acoustics, Inc. recorders.

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• Specialists must have relevant experience and education in avian biology so that they are able to assess and describe important habitat associations, vocal behaviors, and breeding phenology of owl species.

• Kaleidoscope software for acoustic recording analysis.

Past Performance Please furnish at least three (3) references involving comparable projects with Federal agencies, State agencies, or private business.

• Name and location of agencies that the vendor has worked for and points of contact (name, telephone number, and email address).