Amd0001_PWS UMB Coordination Services_10Sep2020.pdf

Performance Work Statement U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Omaha District

Coordination Services for the Upper Missouri River Basin Soil Moisture and Snow Monitoring Network

10 September 2020

1.0 General Information.

1.1 Background. Plains snowpack and soil moisture measurements in the Upper Missouri Basin (UMRB) are currently less than desirable for National Weather Service (NWS) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) hydrologic modeling needs. The UMRB is the plains area of the Missouri River Basin above Sioux City, Iowa. The plains area consists of portions of Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. The entire area of the upper basin is approximately 315,000 square miles. The plains area of the UMRB, which excludes the mountainous areas above elevation 5,500 feet and about 10,000 square miles in Canada, totals about 270,000 square miles. With the plain’s region covering a large area of the UMRB, understanding plains snowpack and soil moisture can be a tremendous aid to basin monitoring and forecasting. State Mesonets have been installing meteorological measuring stations throughout the UMRB. USACE is eager to expand this network by retrofitting existing sites, as well as adding new sites to the network. The UMRB Soil Moisture and Snowpack Monitoring Network (Network) will be implemented in the plain’s regions of Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. Coordination services are needed between the state Mesonet offices, federal agencies, tribes, and landowners to ensure all information is relayed to the appropriate party.

1.2 Scope of Work. The contractor will assist in the expansion of the UMRB Network by serving as a liaison between the state Mesonet offices, USACE, and other state and federal stakeholders. The contractor will be responsible for refining a site selection methodology based on stakeholders concerns and developing a site database to provide information as implementation progress.

1.3 Period of Performance. The period of performance will be five years from date of award; one- year base contract with four option periods of one-year each.

1.4 Contractor Personnel

1.4.1 The contractor shall perform all work under this contract using his or her own forces except as provided in Paragraph 1.4.2 Subcontracting. Employees who perform this work shall be qualified persons on the contractor’s own payroll.

1.4.2 Subcontracting. The contractor shall not subcontract any work without written approval of the Contracting Officer. Compliance with the provisions of this contract by subcontractors shall be the responsibility of the contractor.

1.5 Quality Control

1.5.1 The contractor shall designate, in writing, an employee who shall serve as the contact for matters involving quality and performance or nonperformance of the required work stated in this PWS. The employee(s) shall be qualified and fully competent with full authority to act for, and on behalf of, the contractor as necessary to ensure that the required work is performed in accordance with the standards contained herein. The contractor shall furnish the above written designation to the USACE Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) no later than the first day of work. The contractor shall include the name(s), address(s), and telephone number(s) of the responsible individual(s).

1.5.2 The Contracting Officer reserves the right to disapprove any individual whom he considers incompetent to perform the work required. The Contracting Officer will provide a written notice of any disapproval to the contractor.

1.6 Quality Assurance. The government will use the methods stated in this PWS to ensure that the Contractor is performing the services required by this PWS in an acceptable manner. The Government may use Quality Assurance Evaluators (QAE(s)) to help with the quality assurance methods.

1.6.1 The government has the right to inspect all services called for by the contract, to the extent practicable at all times and places during the term of the contract. The government shall perform inspections in a manner that will not delay the work.

1.6.2 If any of the services do not conform to contract requirements, the government may require the contractor to perform the services in conformity with contract requirements and at no increase in cost. If the contract requirements are not met after a second attempt the government may (1) require the contractor to take necessary action to ensure that future performance conforms to contract requirements and (2) reduce the contract price to reflect the reduced value of the services performed.

1.6.3 The government may act, if the contractor fails to perform the services again or to take the necessary action to ensure future performance is in conformity with the contract requirements. The government may (1) by contract, or otherwise, perform the services and charge to the contractor any cost incurred by the government that related to the performance of such service or (2) terminate the contract in whole or in part.

1.7 Pre-Work Meeting. Prior to commencing any activities, the contractor shall arrange a Pre-work Meeting via conference call with the COR. The Meeting shall discuss the work requirements, scheduling, and submittal process.

At least one (1) week prior to commencing work, the Contractor shall coordinate their proposed work schedule with the COR.

1.8 Antiterrorism/Operation Security Requirements

1.8.1 Pre-screen candidates using E-Verify Program. The Contractor must pre‐screen candidates using the E‐verify Program (http://www.dhs.gov/E‐Verify) website to meet the established employment eligibility requirements. The vendor must ensure that the candidate has two valid forms of government issued identification to ensure the correct information is entered into the E-verify system. An initial list of verified/eligible candidates must be provided to the COR no later than three (3) business days after the initial contract award.

1.9 Payment

1.9.1 The government will make payment monthly, after the government has inspected and accepted the services, and the government has reviewed, approved, and processed the contractor’s invoice. The contractor shall submit the invoice to the COR and/or any other person that has been designated in the contract to receive the invoice.

1.9.2 The contractor must provide the contractor’s name, address, contract number, period of services completed (i.e., for the month of January or for the period of performance of January 1 through February 23), CLIN number and specific quantities of work performed (i.e., 1 Month, 40 days, 100 acres, etc.), and total requested, for an invoice to be considered proper. The contractor shall submit the invoice by the fifth (5th) of the month for services completed the previous month or submit the invoice upon completion of all services, in accordance with the period of performance stated in the CLIN.

2.0 Definitions. The following definitions and descriptions apply wherever the word(s) or phrase(s) is/are stated in this PWS:

Acceptable Level of Performance (ALP): The maximum percent defective, the maximum number of defects per hundred units, or the number of defects in a lot considered satisfactory on the average. The allowable leeway or variance from a standard before the government will reject the specific service.

Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR): means an individual designated an authorized in writing by the Contracting Officer to perform specific technical or administrative functions.

Performance-Based Contract (FAR 2.101): Structuring all aspects of an acquisition around the purpose of the work to be performed with the contract requirements set forth in clear, specific, and objective terms with measurable outcomes as opposed to either the manner by which the work is to be performed or broad and imprecise.

Performance Requirements Summary (PRS): The PRS shows contract requirements, the component requirements related to each contract requirement, the price of each work requirement as a percentage of the associated contract requirement (Fixed Price Contracts), the standard of performance, and the acceptable level of performance (ALP) for each work requirement.

Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP): An organized written document used by the Government for quality assurance surveillance. Document contains sampling/evaluation guides, checklists, and the performance requirements summary (PRS).

3.0 Specific Tasks

3.1 Basic Services. The contractor will act as a liaison between state Mesonets, and between the Mesonets and USACE. All issues brought up by the state Mesonets will first be discussed with the contractor, who will then be responsible for being the voice of the state Mesonets. All instructions and guidance from USACE will be presented to the Mesonets through the contractor. The contractor will assist in making all transactions, deliverables, and submittals comparable throughout the UMRB.

3.2 Coordination among Agencies and Stakeholders. The contractor will coordinate with appropriate federal, state, and local agencies, including, but not limited to:

• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Missouri River Basin Water Management

• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Omaha District

• U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

• U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)

• Bureau of Land Management

• State Mesonet offices in the MRB

• State and local soil conservation districts

• Tribes

Table 1 below shows key topics of coordination

Table 1 – Topics of Coordination.

What to coordinate Primary Agencies NEPA and Section 106 USACE Soil sampling NRCS and Mesonets Data transmission/availability NOAA and Mesonets Site Location Mesonets, USACE, and NRCS

Site access and location will be necessary for NEPA and section 106 compliance. USACE will need to have access to each site to ensure Section 106 compliance. Site visits for Section 106 compliance will need to be coordinated with landowners, as well as the appropriate personnel from USACE. Site access will also be necessary for soil sampling, which will be done by NRCS. This will need to be coordinated between NRCS and landowners. NEPA documentation can be done at a desk, but site coordinates will be necessary. The site database, mentioned in 3(e) below, will aid in this information transparency.

Each site will need to transmit all data to the MADIS database. The MADIS database is operated by NOAA, and database connections will need to be coordinated with NOAA.

3.3 Site Selection Methodology. A key task for the contractor is development of the site selection methodology.

The contractor shall facilitate the new site selection process but is not the decision authority. The contractor will need to consider all participating agencies concerns. Using the NRCS- and USACE– developed “hexagon grid” (see

Figure 1), the contractor will work collaboratively with the Mesonets to determine new site “candidate” locations.

Once the contractor and Mesonets have compiled a list of “candidate” locations, NRCS and USACE will make the final decision on new site locations based on dominant soil type and site topography. The proper site topography is necessary to ensure that plains snow data obtained from the site is representative of the area. For a new site to be installed, appropriate paperwork and documentation, including landowner agreements, NEPA documentation, Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, and site accessibility, will need to be coordinated with partnering agencies as noted in section 5.2. The goal of this network is to measure snowpack and soil moisture across the UMRB. The contractor will be responsible for ensuring all partnering agencies’ concerns are appropriately considered and addressed.

In addition to new sites, the contractor will be responsible for working with the Mesonets to prioritize retrofitting the existing Mesonet sites in the UMRB. The contractor will be responsible for monitoring any proposed location changes to existing sites and coordinating with USACE to ensure that NEPA and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act requirements are met prior to any site retrofits.

Figure 1 – Hexagon Grid

3.4 MADIS Data Connection. All data from the UMRB Network will transmit data to the NOAA Meteorological Assimilation Data Ingest System (MADIS) database. The data collected at the UMRB Network sites must be directly comparable across the UMRB so that the data can be used in models and forecasting efforts for the entire UMRB. The contractor will coordinate with NOAA to ensure all sites transmit all site data, except photos of snow coverage, to the MADIS database, and ensure transmitted data is comparable across the UMRB Network. In the event that a site is not transmitting, or if MADIS is inaccessible, the contractor will be responsible for notifying MADIS (madis-support@noaa.gov) and USACE (missouri.water.management@usace.army.mil).

The contractor shall facilitate the inclusion of the retrofitted and new sites into the National Mesonet Program, which is part of NOAA. The contractor will ensure that the photos of snow coverage are being transmitted to the Mesonet websites.

3.5 Reporting. The contractor will be responsible for communicating all requests and recommendations between the Mesonets and USACE. The contractor is responsible for scheduling and leading meetings that include USACE and all other agencies involved, as deemed appropriate to the topic at hand, as implementation progresses. Topics of discussion may include, but not be limited to, site selection, soil sampling, NEPA and/or Section 106 compliance, installation procedures, operations and maintenance, and all elements involved in the storing, retrieval and review of mailto:missouri.water.management@usace.army.mil data in the MADIS database. The contractor is responsible for making recommendations, not decisions. All decisions will be made by USACE. Reporting requirements can be found in Table 2 and will require coordination through implementation.

Table 2 – Reporting Requirements.

Report Frequency Medium/Format Submit To Site Selection for new sites -GPS coordinates, elevation -siting challenges (e.g., obstacle separation in forested area) -description of land use agreement

Semi-annually - (first time as a “candidate locations”, second time once locations have been determined based on NRCS and USACE comments)

Electronic (PDF, MS Word, or MS Excel)

COR and NRCS Soils Lab

Site Location Changes -For existing and new sites As needed Excel COR

Annual Report describing progress on identified work activities including success, challenges, and recommendations.

Annually Electronic (PDF or MS Word) COR

Situation Report (SITREP) summarizing recent activities and progress on deliverables.

Quarterly Electronic (PDF or MS Word) COR

Coordination conference calls or agency coordination meetings – Meeting notes

As Needed

Teleconference for calls/meetings; meeting notes submitted electronically (PDF or MS Word)

COR, and other appropriate agencies

In addition to the above reporting requirements, coordination is expected throughout the implementation of the network. It is the responsibility of the contractor to be proactive and address any concerns that may come up in a timely manner.

3.6 Site Database. The contractor will develop and maintain a web-based geographic application that displays information from all sites (installed and to-be-installed) in the UMRB. This application will be accessible by USACE so that the information can be used in various reports submitted to leadership. This application will include the site name, site location, site owner, data transmission times, instrumentation, soil information, and links to snow depth camera photos for each site. This application will provide soil characteristics for each site as well as the ability to view archived historical data for each site.

The contractor will be responsible for obtaining all the required information for the site database. Information regarding the site location, site owner, site name, instrumentation, data transmission intervals, and links to snow coverage photos can generally be provided by the state Mesonets for all existing sites. Information regarding new sites will be provided by the site owner upon request. Soils information will be available after soil sampling, and additional information will be available after lab analysis. This information can be provided by NRCS. As the UMRB Network expands, it will be the Programmatic Coordination Team’s responsibility to coordinate among partnering agencies to ensure the most up to date and accurate information is presented in the site database. The Programmatic Coordination Team will be responsible for recommending, and obtaining, any additional information that they deem pertinent to the database.

The site database will be available to only USACE and the state Mesonets, initially, but may be distributed to others with approval from the COR. At the end of this contract, the site database will be provided to USACE, and whomever is responsible for O&M of the sites at that time.

3.7 Annual Agency Coordination Meeting. The contractor shall coordinate and host an annual coordination meeting with the state Mesonet agencies, USACE, and other federal agencies. This meeting will include contractors from all five states in the UMRB Monitoring Network, and other federal agencies involved in this project. This meeting will allow for sharing of knowledge on installing and maintaining all the sites. For planning purposes, the meeting will be held in the Missouri River Basin or virtually. The contractor shall develop the agenda with the USACE management team. The contractor shall utilize enough staff to facilitate the meeting, record minutes, and follow-up with “action items” as directed by USACE.

3.8 Deliverables. The contractor will be responsible for providing the deliverables as seen in Table 3. Each deliverable will be coordinated with the appropriate agency and will be delivered to the appropriate party as noted in the table.

Table 3 - Summary of Deliverables.

Deliverable Description Frequency Format To whom

Site Selection Methodology Report

Site selection must be coordinated with State Agencies, as well as NRCS and USACE. The methodology should be developed to incorporate all parties’ concerns and help facilitate site selection each year.

The intended audience is state and federal technical staff from a wide variety of backgrounds to include climatologists, engineers, biologists, archeologists, and soil scientists, among others. The reports shall include a 1-page Executive Summary, non-technical in nature.

Stakeholders shall be given the opportunity to comment on the concept, draft report, and draft final reports. USACE shall have 15 calendar days for internal review before dissemination to stakeholder agencies. Stakeholder agencies shall have 30 days to review each report.

The contractor shall recommend a system to record and evaluate comments.

90 days after contract award: Concept Report – Describes the overall approach, work activities, resource requirements, stakeholders, statutory requirements, and an annotated outline of the report.

Word Document and PDF USACE, with distribution to partner agencies upon approval

180 days after contract award: Draft Report – Refines the overall approach with timelines for coordination with other agencies, sequencing of work activities, and locations for the new sites using the web-based geodatabase.

270 days after contract award: Draft Final Report

– Submitted primarily to confirm comments 300 days after contract award: Final Report – Complete document able to be distributed with all partner agencies.

PDF

Candidate Sites The contractor will prepare a list of ranked; candidate sites that consider all agencies concerns

Annually and incorporate into the site selection methodology.

Excel Spreadsheet USACE

Site Database

The site database will be a web-based geographic database that includes all existing and new sites. It will have information regarding site location, site name, site owner, soil information, data transmission times, instrumentation, and links to snow coverage photos. This database will be updated as sites get added to the

The contractor shall develop milestones for the site database corresponding to the site selection methodology report. USACE anticipates the database will be operational no later than 30 Sept 2021.

Web-based

GIS

software

USACE

network.

Initially, access to the database will be limited to USACE staff and state Mesonets. Access to other partner agencies must be approved by the

COR.

MADIS database connection

Each site will transmit to the MADIS database. The contractor will verify that each site is connected to the database, and transmitting observed data at the appropriate transmission interval, with appropriate formatting.

Note: The state Mesonets are required to ensure the data is available to the MADIS database. It is USACE’ intention for the programmatic services team to facilitate and coordinate the transmission of data to MADIS with the state Mesonets.

Ongoing (1 calendar day after site installation) PDF USACE

Agency Coordination

Meeting agendas developed with the USACE management team.

Provide enough staff to facilitate the meeting.

Record and provide minutes, and follow-up with “action items” as directed by USACE.

Two weeks after each meeting with multiple agencies

PDF

USACE, with distribution to partner agencies upon approval

4.0 Performance Requirements Summary. The contractor service requirements are summarized into performance objectives that relate directly to mission essential items as shown in Table 4. The performance threshold briefly describes the minimum acceptable levels of service required for each requirement. These thresholds are critical to mission success.

Table 4 - Performance Requirements Summary.

Performance Objective Standard Performance Threshold Method of

Surveillance

PRS # 1.

Reports (PWS Section 3.5)

The contractor provided reports shall be submitted on time and contain minimal errors or require minimal re-work.

No more than three late reports submitted each year and/or no more than three reports that contain a significant amount of errors that require more three calendar days to correct each year.

100% inspection of each report by the COR.

PRS # 2

Site Selection Methodology and Database (PWS Section 3.3 & 3.6)

The contractor developed site database should be operational and include all applicable information in accordance with the PWS. Database will be updated as sites are added to the network.

Zero deviation from standard. 100% inspection by the COR.

PRS # 3 The contractor will verify that the Zero deviation from standard. Random

MADIS Database Connection (Section

3.4 & 3.6) database connection is accurately transmitting the data at the appropriate interval in the correct format.

Sampling.

PRS# 4

Agency Coordination (PWS Section 3.2 and 3.7)

The contractor provided minutes shall be submitted on time and contain minimal errors or require minimal re-work.

No more than three late submission of minutes each year and/or no more than three reports that contain a significant amount of errors that require more three calendar days to correct each year.

Random Sampling.