Research Scienrist Support for the USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station

This effort will be a firm-fixed price Research and Design (FAR part 35) action. Its purpose is to advance scientific and technical knowledge and applications related to the fields of forest inventory, forest ecosystem services including wildlife habitat and hydrology, database management, remote sensing and geographic information systems, and computer visualization. The proposed Blanket Ordering Agreement (BOA) will be used to expedite contracting for uncertain requirements for services in support of on-going research. Future research requirements are not known at this time, awarding a BOA will reduce administrative lead-time and allow more timely support of funded research requirements. Work will be awarded through the BOA on firm-fixed price Calls, negotiated after specific requirements become known. The Government's long-term experience collaborating with ORAU through cooperative agreements, creates a unique possibility for an arrangement where the continued combination of research and development capabilities will yield more research than could be produced than if we identified and selected a new partner.

Both ORAU and the Forest Service have mutual interests in collaborating on major scientific initiatives that further our understanding of natural resource science and technological applications to distribute data and share information. The Forest Service has unique expertise in forest inventory, database management, and application of forest inventory data to policy and management questions. The Agency also has a long-standing interest in facilitating science-based decision-making through developing the scientific, technical, and policy-oriented capacities of the next generation of resource professionals. These areas of expertise and interests complement ORAU's objectives in scientific assessment and workforce development. Collaborative efforts between the Forest Service and ORAU are logical, and lead to a leveraging of resources to accomplish more with available resources. Specifically, Forest Service researcher Charles Perry has expertise in forest inventory, data fusion and has been collaborating with ORAU since 2013.

An important outcome of continuing to foster this relationship is the value added to present and future STEM fellows at ORAU. The Forest Service has identified a need to foster, develop and promote STEM activities. The future of the organization's R & D activities very much depend on the ongoing education and involvement of these fellows.

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