Justification for other than full and open competition for Development of Reptile/Amphibian Road Crossing Design Options for National Park Service.

The Western Federal Lands Highway Division (WFLHD) of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is contracting for a research study to develop a design options for Reptile/Amphibian Road Crossings for National Park Service. Experts convened by the National Science Foundation concluded that significant amphibian declines have occurred in protected areas not subjected to obvious changes in habitat (e.g., national parks, wildlife refuges, and wilderness areas) to an extent that these declines should be considered a potential environmental crisis. Because many reptiles and amphibians use both aquatic and terrestrial habitat for breeding, development, foraging, and overwintering, they require high levels of connectivity within and between aquatic and terrestrial habitats. As a result, amphibians and reptiles are particularly sensitive to negative effects of roads, including habitat fragmentation and vehicle collisions. Many of these species are slow moving, do not avoid roads, and are simply too small for drivers to see and avoid. During rains, many amphibians travel long distances regardless of the presence of intersecting roadways. As ectotherms, snakes and lizards are often attracted to paved roads that typically absorb and retain more heat than the surrounding habitat. Such behaviors put these animals at high-risk of vehicle collisions, leading to detrimental population effects by reducing genetic diversity and population abundance. The National Park Service is interested in developing design options for road crossing and barrier fencing systems that can be customized for specific species of concern at any given location throughout United States.

Awarded contract 69056722P000043 to unknown vendor for unknown amount on 2022-09-15.