Southwestern Willow Flycatcher Monitoring

This is a Sources Sought announcement for acquisition planning purposes. No formal solicitation for this work exists at this time. All eligible and qualified contractors may submit capability statements for consideration. Capability statements received will be reviewed to determine the quantity and availability of contractors who have the experience, technical level of expertise, administrative and management capability to perform the effort described below. The capability statements received will be used to determine The Bureau of Reclamation's (Reclamation) overall procurement strategy.

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) has been conducting surveys for the presence of the Southwestern willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus) (SWFL) along the lower Colorado River (LCR) since 1996. The SWFL is one of five subspecies of willow flycatcher recognized in North America. The breeding ranges of the five subspecies are not well known because of lack of breeding specimens, both in the East, where the species is apparently expanding its range, and in the West, where ranges had been assumed to be contracting (Browning, 1993). Subspecies designation is based on subtle differences in color and morphology. The SWFL¿s breeding range includes Arizona, southern California, New Mexico, southern Nevada, southern Utah, southwestern Colorado, western Texas and extreme northwestern Mexico. Migration patterns are largely unknown though southwestern willow flycatchers are thought to winter in Mexico, Central America, and northern South America.

The Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Plan (LCR MSCP), signed in April 2005, was developed for long-term endangered species compliance in association with management of LCR water resources. The LCR MSCP¿s conservation measures call for continued SWFL surveys and research to better identify and evaluate this species and its habitat.

Reclamation has a requirement for biological monitoring services to survey for and collect demographic data on the endangered southwestern willow flycatcher. There are seven tasks that are associated with this solicitation. The seven tasks are: 1) Presence/absence Surveys and Territory Monitoring of LCR MSCP conservation areas; 2) Nest Monitoring of LCR MSCP Conservation Areas; 3) Triannual Surveys of Sites Surveyed Historically near Yuma, AZ; 4) Presence/Absence Surveys, Territory, and Nest Monitoring of Topock Marsh, AZ; 5) Presence/Absence Surveys and Territory Monitoring of Alamo Lake, AZ; 6) Banding of Adult and Nestling Southwestern Willow Flycatcher at LCR MSCP Conservation Areas; 7) Presence/Absence Surveys, Territory and Nest Monitoring of Bill Williams River NWR Outside of the Areas Covered by the LCR MSCP.

All services are to be conducted in accordance with the LCR MSCP¿s Habitat Conservation Plan (Reclamation 2004a); the associated biological opinion (File Number: 02-21-04-F-0161) (USFWS 2005a) and Section10(a)(1)(a) permit (TE-086834-0) (USFWS 2005b); and the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (Reclamation 2004b). Reclamation is seeking firms that have extensive knowledge of desert riparian systems and monitoring of southwestern willo flycatcher populations.

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code for this acquisition is 541620 ¿ Environmental Consulting Services. The small business size standard for NAICS Code 541620 is $15 million. If an offeror feels that there is a more suitable NAICS Code classification for this item, please indicate when submitting your capability package.

Interested contractor¿s may submit capability packages that include the following information: (1) Firm¿s name, address, telephone and fax numbers, business size and type (8)(a), HUB Zone, Service Disabled Veteran, Small Business, Large Business, etc.), and point of contact to include e-mail address and telephone number; (2) Demonstration of the firm¿s previous experience (as a prime contractor or a subcontractor) performing avian monitoring in the southwest. Contractors should submit a list of past projects that were similar in scope and complexity to the requirement referenced in this announcement. Offeror shall provide the project title, location, and detailed descriptions of the effort and how it was similar, the project¿s dollar value, contract award number, completion dates, and the customer¿s name and telephone number. In addition you should provide information on the Key Personnel who will work on this project and information that shows their qualifications; (3) Capability statements are to be submitted not later than 12:00 P.M. Local Time on May 12, 2017 . All responses to this Sources Sought notice shall be provided to Bureau of Reclamation, LCR to the attention of Liz Bailey, Contract Specialist - Building 1400-201B, P.O. Box 61470, Boulder City, NV 89006-1470 or via e-mail eebailey@usbr.gov. Call Liz Bailey at 702-293-8460 if you have any questions.

When it is determined that a formal solicitation will be issued, a pre-solicitation notice will be posted on Federal Business Opportunities web site at http://www.fedbizopps.