Lower American River Monitoring Spawning and Stran

The Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation is seeking a contractor to conduct Central Valley steelhead spawning and stranding surveys on the Lower American River through a firm-fixed price purchase order solicitation (140R2025Q0078). The contractor must perform fisheries monitoring services including bi-weekly spawning surveys, stranding and isolation pool surveys, monthly reporting, and comprehensive data collection and compilation within a 12.9-mile reach of river between Nimbus Dam and Watt Avenue Bridge from January through mid-April annually. Key qualifications require the contractor to provide a seasonal crew with at least one fisheries biologist and one GIS-competent fisheries technician, along with all necessary equipment and supplies, and to develop and implement safety and data quality control plans. Award will be determined based on three evaluation factors: price (Factor 1), past performance (Factor 2), and technical approach (Factor 3), with the contract awarded to the responsible quoter offering the best value. Quotations are due by 10:00 AM PT on February 24, 2026, and must be submitted via email to Sarah Anaya at sanaya@usbr.gov; all potential contractors must be registered in SAM.gov by the solicitation closing date.

This solicitation is designated as a 100% small business set-aside under the Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) program with NAICS code 541690 and a size standard of $19.0 million. The contract includes a base year performance period from April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2027, plus four optional years, creating a total potential performance period of five years with annual deliverables due by May 31 each year. Service Contract Labor Standards apply with Fishery Observer III federal wage rates ranging from $20.47 to $36.38 per hour, plus required fringe benefits and prevailing wage compliance for California counties including El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, and Yolo. The price schedule consists of four Contract Line Items covering project management, annual planning and mobilization, data collection activities, and final reporting and compilation. Services will be performed on the Lower American River in Sacramento County, California, with invoices to be submitted through the Department of Treasury's Invoice Processing Platform (IPP) system.