Statement_of_Work.pdf

FORT MCHENRY NATIONAL MONUMENT

& HISTORIC SHRINE

BALTIMORE, MD

CONTROL CANADA GEESE POPULATION AT FORT MCHENRY WITH USE OF

WORKING BORDER COLLIES

PMIS # 343618

PROJECT SPECIFICATIONS

April 2025

Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine

Baltimore, Maryland

SCOPE OF WORK

CONTROL CANADA GEESE POPULATION AT FORT MCHENRY WITH USE OF

WORKING BORDER COLLIES

PMIS # 343618

SCOPE

In accordance with the terms and conditions of the Contract, the Contractor shall perform the work of this contract for the National Park Service (NPS) as described below.

CONFIDENTIALITY

The information developed under this task order is the property of the U.S. government and shall be kept in strict confidence.

PERFORMANCE PERIOD

The work shall begin following issuance of the contract, proceed in accordance with the schedule for submittals, and be completed one year from the date of issuance.

POINTS OF CONTACT:

Contractual:

Contracting Officer (CO): Deborah Coles

Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR): John Holtzinger

I. General Information

Background

A. Located on the Patapsco River at the mouth of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, Fort

McHenry is approximately three miles southeast of the center of the city, attracting 600,000 visitors annually. This is the site which inspired Francis

Scott Key to compose the poem which became our National Anthem as the

“Star- Spangled Banner”. Key’s verses describe the bombardment of Fort

McHenry by the British on September 13-14, 1814 during what became known in this country as the War of 1812.

B. Used as early as 1776 for harbor defense, and then known as Whetstone Point, the current 43.26 acre site was authorized as a National Park Unit in 1925 under the management of the War Department, until it was transferred to the administration of the National Park Service in 1933. However, the military history of the property extends through World War II with its use during that time by the United States Coast Guard.

C. Between 1798 and 1800, federal funds were made available for fortifications at Whetstone Point and much of this was directed to what the National Park

Service refers to as Fort McHenry’s “Star Fort”.

D. Project Description

The purpose of this project is to protect human health and resources from damage caused by resident and migratory Canada geese. Environmentally safe and humane control of the Canada geese population that roost, feed and nest within the park boundary shall be accomplished through the use of working border collies and other approved techniques to reduce the population of geese in the park to an acceptable level.

E. Legal Authorities, Policies and Considerations

1. Canada geese area migratory game birds protected by federal and state legal authorities; specifically the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) signed in 1918 and amended in 1936, 1974 and 1989 (16 U.S.C. 703-711).

Geese populations are managed y the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, the

Maryland Division of Fish and Wildlife Service pursuant to the MBTA, Federal Regulations (50 CFR 10, 13, 20 & 21), and state game codes.

President Clinton (2001) issued Executive Order 13186 directing federal agencies to protect migratory birds. Therefore, the National park Service is subject to the provisions of the MBTA. Procedure like handling nests and eggs, capturing and relocating or euthanizing birds, and shooting birds to reduce damage, and any other activity that includes handling birds, their parts, and/or their nests and eggs requires a depredation permit (USDA

APHIS 2003a). The permit application is available online or from the

USDA APHIS Wildlife Services or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

2. NO FEDERAL OR STATE PERMIT IS REQUIRED TO HARASS

GEESE, AS LONG AS THEY ARE NOT HANDLED.

3. If dog inadvertently harms or kills a goose, the handler may be in violation of federal or state laws.

II. SCOPE OF WORK

PART 1: SCOPE

A. The Contractor shall furnish all equipment and enough personnel and trained dogs to manage the park’s Canada geese population using control techniques approved by the USDA Wildlife Service, US Fish & Wildlife Service, Maryland State and local government, as well as the Humane Society and PETA.

B. The Contractor shall provide properly trained dogs and personnel to herd and harass geese without touching or otherwise harming the birds. This is especially important during breeding and molting season, when both adult geese and goslings are unable to fly.

C. Dogs used to perform this service shall remain on lead at all times unless actively involved with herding/harassing geese.

D. Contractor shall be present at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic

Shrine seven days per week for a minimum of four times per day during the initial two weeks of service. Subsequently, Fort McHenry shall be visited two times/day, or more as required, during each remaining day of the contracted period of performance.

E. The NPS shall notify the contractor at least twenty-four hours prior to the application of any chemicals including but not limited to fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, insecticides and fungicides at the park.

F. The Contractor shall be fully insured to conduct this service. The contractor will indemnify and hold harmless the NPS for any damages that my result from its operation.

PART 2: GENERAL PROVISIONS

201.1 Professional Qualifications:

A. All work shall be under the direction and general supervision of a trained dog handler who possesses verifiable experience in this capacity.

EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS:

A. All equipment must meet all federal OSHA, state and local safety requirements and must be properly licensed.

B. All vehicles shall be properly identified with the contractor’s name.

C. Personnel shall wear identification to indicate their association with the contractor.

Due to the historic nature of the site’s cultural and natural resources, the contractor shall exercise extreme care in the use and operation of equipment needed to complete this work in order to protect known and unknown resources within the worksite.

2.01.3 MONETARY ADJUSTMENT FOR INADEQUATE PERFORMANCE:

A. It is mutually agreed that failure to satisfactorily accomplish work in accordance with the specifications and provisions stated herein when due to the fault of the contractor, shall constitute a deficiency under this contract. All work will be regularly inspected by the COR and any deficiencies will be reported in writing to the contractor. Corrective action by the contractor shall be taken promptly and the work satisfactorily accomplished. Deficiencies in daily tasks shall be completed within the day the deficiency is noted. The Contracting Officer will make the sole determination as to the existence of a deficiency in performance, the corrective action(s) to be taken and the timeless of deficiency correction. If deficiencies are not corrected in a satisfactory and timely manner, work will not be accepted for payment and/or a monetary deduction will be made.

2.01.4 REPORTS:

A. The contractor shall note and report weekly to the COR in writing the results of this contract on the population Canada Geese within park boundaries.

B. The contractor shall maintain a daily logbook recording start time and end time of each site visit at Fort McHenry in performance of this contract. This information shall be provided to the COR with submittal of the weekly report.

2.02 SCHEDULING AND COORDINATION:

A. The Contracting Officer's Representative will be responsible for acting on behalf of the Contracting Officer on all matters of work within the scope of the contract. Approval of any work beyond the scope of the contract is reserved for the

Contracting Officer. The contractor is responsible for notifying the COR in writing all work that is beyond the scope of the contract and include a proposal for performing the prescribed work that includes a breakdown with unit prices for labor, materials, and equipment required to ensure that the tree can be safely removed and/or the hazards corrected. The COR will evaluate the proposal and if valid will seek approval from the Contracting Officer. Failure of the contractor to obtain the approval of the

Contracting Officer for work beyond the scope of the contract will release the government from any obligation to pay for services claimed.

B. The contractor shall notify the COR 48 hours prior to beginning any work.

Work shall be performed between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Sunday through Saturday, Labor Day to Memorial Day and between the hours of 7:00 a.m.

and 8:00p.m., Sunday through Saturday, Memorial Day to Labor Day, unless authorized in writing by the COR.

D. Once work begins the contractor is expected to be on the job site each day in which weather conditions are favorable, unless the National Weather Service issues a

Severe Weather Watch or Warning. (This includes Winter Storm watches as well as

High Heat or Heat Index Warnings.)

E. If, at any time, the CO determines that the work is unsatisfactory or being conducted in an unsafe manner, the contractor will be notified and shall immediately cease all work activities.

2.05 WORK AREA:

Contractor shall confine his work, the storage of materials and equipment, the parking of vehicles, and all other operations in connection with this contract to the specified hours and work areas approved by the COR.