W912DR21R0055_Oyster_Funding_Opportunity_Announcement_v1 (1).docx

Funding Opportunity Announcement Oyster Restoration Monitoring.

2 Hopkins Plaza Baltimore, Maryland 21201

Program Title: US Army Corps of Engineers, Oyster Recovery Project: Oyster Reef Monitoring

Overview:

The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Baltimore District, intends to enter into a single cooperative agreement with a non-profit organization that will monitor restored oyster reefs in Harris Creek, the Tred Avon River, the Severn River, and Cook Point (Choptank River).

This agreement is entered into pursuant to 33 USC 2339(a) - Assistance Programs.

Contents of Full Text Announcement

Contact Information: Questions relating to Grants.gov including the registration process and system requirements should be directed to the Grants.gov Contact Center at 1-800-518-4726. For assistance with the requirements of this Funding Opportunity Announcement, please contact Jeffrey.may@usace.army.mil

Instructions to Applicants:

The complete funding opportunity announcement, application forms, and instructions are available for download at Grants.gov.

Applications in response to this Funding Opportunity Announcement shall be submitted by the application due date. Applications may be submitted by mail, email, or via the internet through Grants.gov.

Applicants shall have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number, register with the U. S. Government’s System for Award Management (SAM), and if submitting application via the internet, register with Grants.gov.

See Section IV of the Funding Opportunity Announcement for complete application submission information.

Section I: Funding Opportunity Description

1. Introduction:

The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is permitted to construct oyster reef habitat using alternate clean substrates. USACE intends to enter into a Cooperative Agreement to monitor oyster reefs constructed by USACE. The monitoring will determine the status and condition of oyster populations on the reefs. Monitoring of alternate substrate oyster restoration sites in both Harris Creek and the Tred Avon River is planned through 2027. This agreement will cover monitoring efforts from 2021 through 2027. Additionally, status monitoring of sites in the Severn River and Cook Point Sanctuary (Choptank River) are planned. Two types of monitoring are to be completed across the seven-year period: 1) post-construction monitoring and (3 and 6 year surveys), and 2) sentinel site monitoring on alternate substrate sites in the Tred Avon River. Three and 6-year surveys are being undertaken to determine whether or not these reefs meet the pre-established success criteria outlined in the Chesapeake Bay Oyster Metrics report. Sentinel site monitoring provides an annual evaluation of restoration efforts on a select group of designated sites as determined by the Maryland Interagency Workgroup. All monitoring efforts will also inform adaptive management.

2. Background.

USACE is authorized under Section 704(b) of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 1986, as amended, to construct alternative or beneficially modified habitats for indigenous fish and wildlife, including man-made reefs for fish habitat in the Chesapeake Bay.

Oyster populations in the Chesapeake Bay have declined dramatically in the last century, largely due to parasitic diseases, overharvesting, declining water quality, and a loss of habitat. Wilberg et al. (2001) project that oyster abundance in the Chesapeake Bay has declined by 99.7 percent since the early 1880s and 92 percent since 1980, and that habitat has been reduced by 70 percent between 1980 and 2009. Functioning oyster reef is critical to a healthy Chesapeake Bay because oysters provide a number of ecosystem services, including reef habitat that is significant to the Bay ecosystem for animals like blue crabs and fish and water quality benefits.

The Native Oyster Restoration Master Plan is the USACE plan for large-scale, sanctuary-based (through Maryland Department of Natural Resources) Chesapeake Bay oyster restoration. The master plan examines and evaluates the problems and opportunities related to oyster restoration, and formulates plans for implementing large-scale, Bay-wide restoration.

Project elements include: (1) planting of disease-free spat (oyster seed) from state-owned hatcheries to rehabilitate existing low-functioning oyster reef habitat; (2) creation of new oyster habitat using shell and alternate substrates; (3) planting spat on constructed reef habitat; and (4) monitoring of project performance.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MD DNR) is the non-federal sponsor for USACE oyster restoration activities in Maryland. Additional project partners include the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Oyster Recovery Partnership (ORP). NOAA maps available restorable water bottom using sonar in conjunction with various ground‐truthing methods and funds the production and planting of seed oysters. USACE constructs reef structure where none currently exists. ORP plants oyster spat (baby oysters) grown at the University of Maryland Horn Point Hatchery on restored reef and existing reef habitat.

3. Tasks.

A. The Recipient will:

1. Year 1: In 2021, complete monitoring of 60.4 acres of oyster reef habitat: 6 year check-in monitoring efforts on 54.8 acres of alternate substrate reef in Harris Creek, 3 year check-in monitoring efforts on 4 acres in Tred Avon River, and sentinel site monitoring of 2.6 acres in the Tred Avon River. In Harris Creek, 53.8 acres are constructed with granite, and one acre with mixed shell. In the Tred Avon River, there are 5.6 acres to monitor constructed of mixed shell.

2. Year 2: In 2022, complete monitoring of 40 acres of oyster reef habitat: 6 year check-in monitoring efforts on 16 acres in the Tred Avon River, 3 year check-in monitoring efforts on 3 acres of alternate substrate reef in the Tred Avon River; and 13 acres in the Severn River and 8 acres in the Cook Point Sanctuary (Choptank River) using the methods of the 3 year check-in protocol. Ten (10) acres are constructed of granite and 9 acres are mixed shell in the Tred Avon River. The 13 acres in the Severn River and 8 acres at Cook Point are constructed of a mix of alternate substrates that would require divers to monitor.

3. Year 3: In 2023, complete monitoring of 14.8 acres of oyster reef habitat: 6 year check-in monitoring efforts on 12.2 acres, and sentinel site monitoring on 2.6 acres of alternate substrate reef in the Tred Avon River. All reef habitat to be monitored is constructed of mixed shell.

4. Year 4: In 2024, complete monitoring of 35.9 acres of oyster reef habitat: 6 year check-in monitoring efforts on 3 acres of alternate substrate reef, 3 year check-in monitoring efforts on 30.3 acres of alternate substrate reef, and sentinel site monitoring on 2.6 acres of alternate substrate in the Tred Avon River. All acreage to monitor is within the Tred Avon River. Thirty (30.3) acres are constructed with granite and 5.6 acres are constructed with mixed shell.

5. Year 5: In 2025, complete monitoring of 5.6 acres of oyster reef habitat: 6 year check-in monitoring efforts on 3 acres of alternate substrate reef, and sentinel site monitoring on 2.6 acres of alternate substrate in the Tred Avon River. All acreage to monitor is within the Tred Avon River and constructed using mixed shell.

6. Year 6: In 2026, there will be no activity. No sites will be of the appropriate age to monitor.

7. Year 7: In 2027, compete monitoring of 53.9 acres of oyster reef habitat: 6 year check-in monitoring efforts on 30.3 acres of alternate substrate reef and sentinel site monitoring on 2.6 acres of alternate substrate reef in the Tred Avon River; and 13 acres in the Severn River and 8 acres in the Cook Point Sanctuary (Choptank River) using the methods of the 3 year check-in protocol. The 13 acres in the Severn River and 8 acres at Cook Point are constructed of a mix of alternate substrates that would require divers to monitor. Fifty-one (51.3) acres are constructed with granite and 2.6 acres are constructed with mixed shell.

Table 1 summarizes the monitoring work to be completed.

(The exact acreage and location of sentinel sites will be designated prior to commencement of monitoring, but will not exceed the acreage specified.)

All monitoring will be conducted in the fall/winter of each specified year. All monitoring on reefs constructed using granite and other non-shell substrates will be completed with the use of scuba divers to sample reefs; monitoring on reefs constructed using mixed shell only will be completed using patent tongs to sample reefs.

Table 1. Summary of Monitoring Work

12.2

30.3

30.3 sentinel

2.6

2.6

30.3

*discrepancies due to rounding

B. Description of Monitoring Efforts:

1. Oyster Metrics and Sentinel Site Monitoring:

Oyster metrics and sentinel monitoring are required to assess the growth and health of spat on shell (SOS) planted on reefs constructed in each targeted tributary. Methods and metrics sampled are similar between sentinel and oyster metrics monitoring. However, oyster metrics monitoring occurs on reefs in year 3 and year 6 following planting with spat-on-shell as defined by the Oyster Metrics Workgroup. Sentinel site monitoring is conducted annually on a subset of constructed reefs designated as sentinel sites by the Workgroup in order to document population trends during the entire restoration process. Three and six year population monitoring is conducted to evaluate the function and progress of constructed oyster reefs based on a set of pre-established restoration success criteria. See criteria in Oyster Metrics document located here: www.chesapeakebay.noaa.gov/images/stories/fisheries/keyFishSpecies/oystermetricsreportfinal.pdf.

Sentinel and oyster metrics monitoring require both patent-tong and diver methods. Sites constructed using granite and other non-shell materials will be monitored using divers; sites constructed using mixed shell can be monitored using patent-tongs. Surveys are conducted in a systematic fashion to provide population abundance information and details about the spatial distribution of oysters within a constructed reef. Systematic sampling using more than one single random starting point will be chosen to enable variance to be determined. This will provide independent starting points within sample cells for multiple clusters of samples, and allow for an unbiased variance estimate to be calculated.

The sampling frame for sentinel and oyster metrics monitoring will consist of a systematic grid of varying cell sizes to ensure that all reef sites will be sampled with a sufficient amount of samples (Versar 2012). The size of the cells sampled at specific reefs will be dependent upon the area of the reef and the method of sampling used to collect samples. Sites sampled using patent tongs are recommended to use the following protocols to determine cell sizes for sampling: sites that are less than 2 acres should use a cell size of 25m x 25m; sites greater than 2 acres should use 50 and 100m cell sizes. Sites sampled using diving techniques should employ 50m x 50m grid sizes for sites less than 2 acres, and 100m grids for sites larger than 2 acres. The size of sampling grids and protocols will be revisited, confirmed, and adjusted if necessary with USACE prior to each monitoring event.

Regardless of sampling technique (patent-tong or diver) and timing (sentinel vs 3 or 6-year), the following measurements shall be made and data collected at each sampling point:

· Longitude and latitude of the sampling point (centroid position preferred)

· Date and time

· Number of spat

· Number of live oysters, scars, gapers, and boxes

· Percent fouling organisms (e.g. tunicates and mussels)

· Bycatch species

· Shell height (size) of all oysters collected (or a reasonable portion) – live, gapers, and boxes

· Water quality (dissolved oxygen, temperature, pH, and salinity at bottom)

· Water depth to sampling site

· Videography and/or photography (if water clarity permits) Habitat variables that will be recorded from patent-tongs include total volume of shell, amount of shell hash, percent buried shell, and the primary and secondary substrate types associated with each sample. Diver methods will record the addition of estimating the amount of substrate within each quadrat.

The contractor shall expect to coordinate monitoring field work with USACE to facilitate the participation of a USACE dive inspector for each activity.

4. Deliverables:

The recipient will submit by email a trip report for each day of sampling within 3 days of the sampling event. The trip report will contain the following information: personnel names, titles, role, date, time work commenced and finished, weather conditions, reef name, and description of the work that was accomplished, including any unforeseen problems or unusual occurrences. USACE shall provide the recipient with a sample trip report.

The recipient will provide all data collected and results to USACE-Baltimore including coordinates of sampling locations. The contractor will be responsible for all data collection and management. USACE and the contractor will work through data analysis jointly. The contractor will provide a final report documenting each monitoring effort (task) within 120 days of completion of the task.

The contractor must comply with the USACE Safety and Health Requirements Manual, EM 385-1-1 and in particular section 30. The contractor shall submit Safe Practices Manual, Dive Operation Plan, an Activity Hazard Analysis (AHA) to cover all aspects of the job, Emergency Management Plan, and Dive Personnel Qualifications.

Reports and data shall be produced in a format that is acceptable to USACE and the contractor. Electronic versions of data shall be submitted on a compact disc (CD) or digital versatile disc (DVD) compatible with PC-based computers and Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat software products. If file size permits, data can alternatively be provided via email.

Contractor will provide all applicable GIS shape files, tables of results (in Excel), and reports with graphics, tables, and discussion of the analysis results.

Meta-data or data dictionaries will be created for all GIS or supporting layers. Metadata should include: the process steps used to create the data; the horizontal and vertical data accuracy of the data; horizontal projection, coordinate system, and units; and the vertical datums and units. Metadata shall be Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) compliant. All data shall have a projection defined. Data layers shall be given meaningful names, and it is recommended that versions of data layers be named to include the date that they were created or modified.

GIS information shall conform to the following format requirements:

Format: ArcGIS 10.4 or better Type: Shapefile or geodatabase feature class (if data is loaded in geodatabase, topology should be run) Projection: Data must have a projection, UTM 18 is preferable Metadata: Completed with as much information as is available and FGDC compliant Attributes: Define either in metadata or a data dictionary Unit of Measurement: Meters

All material and information gathered and/or developed in the performance of the tasks listed in the contract shall be the property of the U.S. Government.

5. Period of Performance:

The performance period for this contract is from Notice of Award through July 30, 2028.

6. Statutory Authority. Funds will be awarded pursuant to 33 USC 2339(a)-Assistance Programs.

Section II: Award Information

1. Type of Award Instrument – Type of Award Instrument – USACE intends to award a single cooperative agreement to a non-Federal public institution.

2. Substantial Involvement – This work is to monitor oyster reefs constructed with USACE funds. USACE shall participate at least one day annually with sampling in the field. USACE will review the Recipient’s safety plan to ensure the plan represents safe practices and addresses the appropriate hazards that may be encountered when performing these activities at the site. USACE will review all trip reports, data, and the draft and final reports.

Section III: Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants – Eligible applicants under this statutory authority are Public Non-profit institutions/organizations (includes institutions of higher learning and hospitals).

2. Cost Sharing – 100% USACE Section IV: Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package. The complete funding opportunity announcement, application forms, and instructions are available for download at Grants.gov. USACE is not responsible for any loss of internet connectivity or for an applicant’s inability to access documents posted at the referenced website. The administrative point of contact for:

A. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jeffrey May (410) 962-5617, Jeffrey.B.May@usace.army.mil.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission. All mandatory forms and any applicable optional forms must be completed in accordance with the instruction on the forms and the additional instruction below.

A. SF 424 – Application for Federal Assistance (Required).

B. SF 424A – Budget information for Nonconstruction Programs (Required).

C. SF 424B – Assurances – Nonconstruction Programs (Required).

D. Program Narrative (detailed narrative, limited to 15 pages, demonstrating how applicant will accomplish goals and objective of the program).

E. Budget Narrative, to describe the breakdown of costs as shown in the 424A.

F. Include a certificate of the authority from the applicants attorney; a certification regarding Environmental Tobacco Smoke; a certification regarding Lobbying, Debarment, Suspension and other responsibility matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements.

3. Application shall be submitted NO LATER THAN 09 AUG 21.

4. Submission Instructions. Applications may be submitted by mail, email, or via the Grants.Gov platform. Choose ONE of the following submission methods:

A. Mail one unbound copy of your complete proposal to:

US Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District

ATTN: CENAB-CT

Jeffrey May 2 Hopkins Plaza Baltimore, MD 20201

B. Email all documents formatted to print on letter (8 ½ x 11”) paper to:

Jeffrey May: jeffrey.b.may@usace.army.mil

C. Applicants are not required to submit proposals through Grants.gov. However, if applications are submitted via the internet, applicants are responsible for ensuring that their Grants.gov proposal submission is received in its entirety. The Government bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission of conversion processes associated with electronic submissions. The Government will bear no responsibility for delays in submissions due to technical difficulties at or with the Grants.gov website.

Section V: Application Review Information

1. Criteria. The following criteria shall serve as the standard against which any response to this announcement will be evaluated.

A. Initial Review: The Government will perform an initial review to determine that the applicant is (1) eligible in accordance with Section III of the announcement; (2) all information required by Section IV has been submitted; and (3) all mandatory requirements are satisfied.

B. Merit Review: The application and program narrative will be evaluated based on whether the applicant demonstrates the ability to meet the goals and objectives of the program. Specifically, the narrative will be evaluated against the following criteria:

Program Management. Recipient must be a non-federal non-profit entity and must and must have history of providing young adults and veterans with real life experiences in the stewardship of the environment by offering opportunities for education, leadership, and personal development to its participants while providing a high quality public service in natural resources/recreation management and conservation. Recipient must be able to exhibit demonstrated ability with extensive experience to successfully meet the requirements of this announcement as detailed below:

i. Demonstrated ability and experience to successfully incorporate both national and local recruitment strategies and capabilities to attract, select, place and maintain qualified individuals on a nation-wide basis in all fifty states through conservation/recreation management programs such as conservation/recreation work crews, conservation/recreation teams, conservation/recreation interns and special outreach programs. Applicants must provide between 1-3 budget or financial documentation/summaries as submitted to a Federal agency for past work that is similar in scope to that described in Section I.III.

ii. Demonstrated ability and experience to successfully provide transportation at beginning/end of participant assignments, and to/from work sites on a daily basis with appropriate travel/subsistence allowance.

v. Demonstrated ability and experience to successfully secure alternative lodging arrangements.

C. Cost Review: The applicant proposals will be evaluated to determine whether the proposed costs are reasonable and indicate that the applicant can execute the agreement without exceeding the available funding.

2. Selection and Award: From the pool of applicants which are found to be eligible for award following the completion of the Initial Review, the Government will select the applicant that submits the proposal that offers the most merit when the above criteria are considered. The criteria above are of equal importance to the Government.

3. Anticipated Award Date.

Section VI: Award Administration Information

1. Award Notices. Written notice of award will be given in conjunction with issuance of a cooperative agreement signed by a Grants Officer. The cooperative agreement will contain the effective date of the agreement, the period of performance, funding information, and all terms and conditions. The Recipient is required to sign and return the document before work under the agreement commences. Work described in this announcement SHALL NOT begin without prior authorization from a Grants Officer.

2. Administrative Requirements. The cooperative agreement issued as a result of this announcement is pursuant to the administrative requirements in 2 CFR Subtitle A; 2 CFR Subtitle B, Ch. XI, Part 1103 and 32 CFR Subchapter C, except Parts 32 and 33

3. Governing Laws and Regulations. This is an agreement with the Federal Government, and is subject to Federal law as well as applicable state and local law. Federal law requires specific statutory authority for Federal agencies to enter into this agreement with non-federal persons and entities.

4. Reporting.

A. Recipient will be required to submit progress, financial, and property reports quarterly, semiannually, or annually as stipulated in the terms and conditions for the final cooperative agreement.

B. Recipient will provide partial invoices to the CE-IWR administrative point of contact for verification and appropriate. The final invoice shall be submitted to the CE-IWR administrative point of contact within 30 days of completing final Task 4-b.

C. See 2 CFR Sections 200.327 for financial reporting requirements, 200.328 for performance reporting requirements, and 200.329 for real property reporting requirements.

D. Performance Reports. The Recipient will submit to the Government performance reports within 90 days of the expiration of the agreement

Section VI: References Wilberg, M.J., M.E. Livings, J.S. Barman, B.T. Morris, and J.M Robinson. 2011. Overfishing, disease, habitat loss, and potential extirpation of oysters in upper Chesapeake Bay. Marine Ecology Progress Series. 436: 131-144.

MONITORING PLAN

The contractor must comply with the USACE Safety and Health Requirements Manual, EM 385-1-1 and in particular section 30. The contractor shall submit Safe Practices Manual, Dive Operation Plan, an Activity Hazard Analysis (AHA) to cover all aspects of the job, Emergency Management Plan, and Dive Personnel Qualifications.

All documentation must be reviewed and determined to be complete and acceptable prior to the initiation of any field work.

A USACE dive inspector will participate in each monitoring event conducted in the field by scuba divers.

Oyster Restoration Monitoring Cooperative Agreement 1 Funding Opportunity Announcement