Statement of Work Template 2020-11-29-.docx

US Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Statement of Work

Contents

Project Fast Response Infrared Gas Analyzer (IRGA) for portable MaRTa micrometeorological station to measure timber growth and water usage in forest ecosystems post-timber harvest or post-wildfire.

General Information

1.0 Scope of Work

The USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Water and Watersheds Program conducts research on timber growth and water usage in forest ecosystems post-timber harvest or post-wildfire. One tool to conduct that research in an adaptive and timely manner to meet the needs of forest managers is a portable micrometeorological station that can allow for high-tech measurements of ecosystem fluxes of water and carbon. The W&W Program has already developed a portable station, yet it requires a dedicated CO2/H2O analyzer to allow for these tasks.

2.0 Background

The eddy covariance technique is a scientific methodology that allows for ecosystem/forest stand scale measurements of the exchange of mass (i.e., H2O and CO2) and energy between the atmosphere and land surface. The USDA Forest Service R&D was a pioneer in developing this research and conducted some of the oldest field studies in national grasslands and forests. There, measurements of evapotranspiration, sublimation, latent and sensible heat flux, and carbon flux have been used to understand forest and rangeland growth and response to disturbance.

Contractor Requirements

3.0 Technical Requirements / Tasks

The IRGA will be used as part of the MaRTa (mean radiant temperature) cart to conduct eddy covariance research in forest and rangeland ecosystems. The W&W MaRTa cart is an already existing portable micrometeorological system built from the Campbell Scientific datalogging platform. This requires the IRGA to communicate with the preexisting data collection structure with Campbell Scientific’s SDM communication protocol. Thus, an instrument like the LiCor LI-7500DS is not valid. The existing MaRTa cart already contains a Gill 3-D sonic anemometer. Thus, an instrument like the Campbell Scientific EC150, which requires a Campbell Scientific 3-D sonic anemometer is not valid. To conduct eddy covariance research the IRGA must measure CO2/H2O at a frequency of at least 20 Hz. The existing MaRTa cart is mobile and runs off of a 7 AH 12V battery, thus the IRGA must have limited power consumption of no more than 40 W during power up and < 24 W during steady state. Based on these specifications, the LI-7500 RS is the only IRGA on the market that meets these specifications.

4.0 Government Furnished

The USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Water and Watersheds Program will provide the existing MaRTa cart, the expertise and personnel to deploy the micrometeorological system with the new IRGA at research sites across the National Forest lands, and the software and expertise to process the eddy covariance data.

5.0 Deliverables / Schedule

Key Deliverables

6.0 Travel

Travel for field studies located near USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station laboratories will require day trips for installation, maintenance, and retrieval of the IRGA/MaRTa system. A benefit of the IRGA/MaRTa system is that it is portable and can be deployed within a day at any field site.

7.0 Contractor’s Key Personnel

Qualifications for personnel include electronics, programming, ecology and forestry experience.

8.0 Security Requirements

Security Requirements include basic clearance to access USDA Forest Service buildings and computers and IT systems.

9.0 Data Rights

Data Rights belong the United States public, and data will be summited to publicly accessible research data archives.

10.0 Section 508 – Electronic and Information Technology Standards IT technology is not to be acquired.

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