SOW_Phase2_PMJM.docx

STATEMENT OF WORK

Preble’s Meadow Jumping Mouse Identify Medium and Small Preble’s Mouse Recovery Populations (Phase II) Dated: April 15, 2021

1.0 INTRODUCTION

As stated in the Preble’s meadow jumping mouse (Zapus hudsonius preblei) (Preble’s mouse) August 28, 2018, Recovery Plan, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) needs to identify large, medium, and small recovery populations in coordination with the appropriate land management agencies or landowners. Most of the large and medium recovery populations within the existing range of the Preble’s mouse in the North and South Recovery Units have been identified. However, one medium recovery population still needs to be identified in Wyoming, and all small recovery populations must still be identified in Colorado and Wyoming. Hydrologic units that correspond to stream or watershed size, specifically 8-digit Hydrologic Unit Codes (HUC), were chosen by the Preble’s mouse Recovery Team as the basis for differentiating recovery populations (see Recovery Plan Figure 4 and Table 2). This multi-year project now involves trapping surveys. Habitat evaluations were completed in 2020 during Phase I of this project to locate and recommend some of the best available places to conduct trapping surveys within watersheds where Preble’s mouse recovery populations have yet to be identified. To evaluate or confirm habitat occupancy by Preble’s mice, this three-year project (Phase II) will involve trapping surveys, which would potentially use both live-capture and camera traps, depending on location. Both methods are a form of “trapping,” and would be limited to the months of June, July, and August. However, in some cases (e.g., HUCs in Wyoming and higher elevations in Colorado), live-trapping, coupled with collection of genetic samples (i.e., ear punches) would be required, as Preble’s mice overlap with western jumping mice (Z. princeps), making identification from photos alone impossible.

Potential Preble’s mouse recovery sites need to be surveyed to evaluate or confirm species occupancy in support of designating additional recovery populations. Capture and camera trapping surveys may be needed in the following ten HUCs in Colorado and Wyoming (Recovery Plan Table 2):

· Crow, Glendo Reservoir, Horse, Lone Tree-Owl, Lower Laramie, and Upper Lodgepole HUCs in the North Recovery Unit

· Bijou, Clear Creek, Kiowa, and Chico HUCs of the South Recovery Unit Note that existing sampling in the Glendo Reservoir and Lower Laramie HUCs may not need much or any additional investigation to determine the recovery population subject to pending DNA analysis results.

Following determination that a HUC is occupied, those HUCs will be evaluated for potential identification as recovery populations by local Site Conservation Teams and the Preble’s mouse Recovery Team based on a number of factors, including assessment of habitat suitability and connectivity, results of targeted surveys in Preble’s mouse habitat, opportunities for restoration and enhancement, etc.

1.1 SCOPE

This Statement of Work is to survey for the remaining medium and small Preble’s mouse recovery populations, which involves a three-step process. First, the Contractor will meet with the Service and the Recovery Team to discuss prioritization and implementation of conducting presence/absence surveys for the Preble’s mouse based on habitat evaluation findings. The second step involves further securing site access and scheduling trapping efforts at locations identified from and subsequent to the 2020 habitat evaluation, which will include working with state agencies to facilitate private landowner and public land manager permission. The third step is to conduct the surveys, which will require having or obtaining appropriate permits from the states and the Service. The Service and the Recovery Team will provide guidance throughout the process.

2.0 APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS

The Contractor will comply with all applicable (1) federal statutes, regulations and rules (including all changes and amendments); and (2) Presidential Executive Orders, in effect on the date of issuance of this delivery order. The Contractor is expected to be familiar with, and comply with, the 2018 Recovery Plan and the Service’s guidelines on information that adheres to the Data Quality Act. The Contractor is responsible to ensure that the standards being used are current.

3.0 SERVICES TO BE PERFORMED BY THE CONTRACTOR

The Contractor shall furnish all personnel, necessary coordination with any subcontractors, equipment, materials, and transportation necessary to complete the services described below.

3.1 GENERAL

The Contractor shall provide and coordinate all work necessary for surveying the remaining small and medium recovery populations in conformance with the 2018 Recovery Plan. The Service and the Recovery Team will provide guidance during population sampling and identification.

3.1.1 Meeting summary reports. The Contractor shall maintain written summaries of all formal meetings or conference calls held in connection with the Scope of Work and furnish them to the Service’s Project Officer and Recovery Team Leader via email within one week of those events.

3.1.2 Administrative Record. The Contractor will maintain administrative record files for services performed. The administrative record files will be maintained in an excel spreadsheet and all documents must be linked to the spreadsheet.

3.2 RECOVERY POPULATION IDENTIFICATION

The Contractor shall conduct trapping surveys to evaluate or confirm species occupancy for habitats recommended in the Phase I project or as recommended by the Preble’s mouse Recovery Team within all or most of the targeted HUCs. The surveys are expected to be consistent with the Preble’s mouse Survey Guidelines revised in April 2004 or later if applicable. Supplementing live-capture surveys with the use of Service-approved camera trap methods is acceptable where appropriate (i.e., when the Preble’s mouse is thought to be the only jumping mouse species present in an area). Note that, for many small Preble’s mouse population locations, the targeted presence/absence trapping rate schedules may be truncated upon the confirmed capture of the first Preble’s mouse within that habitat. Thus, the number of trap nights along each survey transect may be fewer than what is prescribed in the Survey Guidelines. If trapping is conducted in Wyoming or at higher elevation sites (over 7,000 feet above sea level) in Colorado, live capture and DNA sample collection and testing would be required to ensure accurate species identification. The Service and Recovery Team will provide guidance on which samples need testing, and contacts to DNA test laboratories.

To initiate the project, the Contractor will facilitate a meeting with the Recovery Team and Service’s Colorado Field Office to discuss current available information for each HUC, including whether and where trapping surveys have already occurred, the results of those surveys, and the extent to which the habitat suitability project and subsequent efforts established contacts with private landowners and public land managers in each of the HUCs.

Before initiating capture surveys, the Contractor will meet with the Service and the Recovery Team to discuss prioritization and implementation of these field survey efforts. The Contractor will present the survey findings to the Service and Recovery Team after completion of field seasons of both years 1 and 2 to inform future fieldwork. At the completion of the project, the Contractor will present the findings and recommendations to the Service and the Recovery Team.

3.3 ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS

3.3.1 Performance Evaluation. At the completion of each task order, the Government will work with the Contractor to complete a performance evaluation of deliverables. This evaluation will be a two-way communication tool designed to improve performance over the duration of this contract. Factors of evaluation will include, but are not limited to, quality, timeliness, customer service and satisfaction, and cost.

3.3.2 Urgent Requirements. Occasionally the Service will have urgent requirements. Such requirements will be identified in the task order. Urgent requirements may impact delivery dates of existing orders. Under such circumstances, the Service and Contractor will agree in advance to the priority of each order.

3.3.3 Government Furnished Data/Information. Existing files, previous trapping records, templates, and literature within Service files, and easily attainable, will be made available to the Contractor if found of value to the Contractor.

4.0 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The start date for this contract shall be upon contract award, approximately in or before June 2021, and all work shall be completed as agreed upon with a completion target of January 2024. HTrapping survey fieldwork may begin as early as the summer June through May 2022. Final reporting, and data and files transfers are to be completed by January 2024. Funding availability and amounts for this project are uncertain for years 2 and 3. Work scheduling may need to be flexible for those out-years.

5.0 BUDGET OVERVIEW

If time and funding allow, and the season is biologically appropriate, tasks scheduled within years 2 or 3 may be proposed by the Contractor to commence in the previous year. Conversely, if site access is not secured for enough survey locations in either year 1 or year 2, conducting some of the trapping activities may be postponed to the subsequent summer. At or before the completion of each field season, the Contractor is required to submit collected genetic samples, if any, to the selected laboratory.

Year 1 - Contractor meets with the Service and Recovery Team to discuss the survey trapping strategy. Access to capture surveys sites may begin from public roads and trails, and private roads and lands where access has been granted. DNA samples are submitted to the selected laboratory. Project-wide landowner outreach is ongoing in coordination with the two state wildlife agencies to ensure access for surveys in all three years. Communication and information sharing with the Service’s Project Officer is ongoing. Progress is presented to the Recovery Team, and submitted as a written report.

Year 2 - Survey trapping is ongoing according to the agreed upon strategy. DNA samples are submitted to the selected laboratory. Landowner communication is ongoing. Communication and information sharing with the Service’s Project Officer is ongoing. Progress is presented to the Recovery Team, and submitted as a written report.

Year 3 - Survey trapping is completed. Landowner communication is ongoing. DNA samples are submitted to the selected laboratory. Communication and information sharing with the Service’s Project Officer is ongoing. Final report is completed, presented to the Recovery Team and Service, and all data and files are submitted.

6.0 DELIVERABLES

6.1 All deliverables will follow the general tasks in Recovery Population Identification described in section 3.2 above.

6.2 General Specifications.

A. During each calendar quarter (no later than March 15, June 15, September 15, and December 15) through project completion, the Contractor’s project manager must provide at least one project update to the Service’s project officer by telephone or teleconference conversation, or email exchange.

B. The Contractor will provide GIS shapefiles and associated geodatabases, maps, habitat condition assessments, digital photos, trapping survey reports, DNA testing results, annual progress reports, a final report, and other electronic files of all documents including all native files for the project (all components and final product) in PC-compatible format/file extensions and as a high-resolution searchable Adobe .pdf file. Progress reports will include specific details of project accomplishments during the reporting period, along with identified issues and recommendations. Annual progress reports and the final report will be due to the Service no later than the end of January of the next calendar year. The final report will describe any habitat observations recorded by the Contractor, the survey trapping methodology and results, as well as the number and locations of confirmed Preble’s mouse populations (including those requiring DNA test results) within each surveyed HUC.

C. The Contractor will present the survey findings to the Recovery Team after completion of each field season to inform future fieldwork. Similarly, at the completion of the project, the Contractor will present the findings and recommendations to the Service and the Recovery Team. Presentations would preferably be in person, or through webinar/teleconference.

D. The Contractor shall provide one USB flash drive with all digital files (native files and one Adobe .pdf) of all documents.

E. The Contractor is required to maintain an electronic copy of all documents and templates for the duration of this contract.

F. Private landowner information shall not be shared outside of the Service Project Officer, appropriate officers of the two state wildlife agencies, and the Recovery Team. Any contacts with the media first must be referred to the Service’s Project Officer.

7.0 DESIGNATED OFFICIALS

Contracting Specialist – Cathleen DeBerry, Cathleen_DeBerry@fws.gov, 303-236-4324

Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) will be appointed after award, if needed.

Project Officer – George San Miguel, George_SanMiguel@fws.gov, 303-236-4752

Administrative Officer – Jeremy Riva, Jeremy_Riva@fws.gov, 303-236-4327