Oregon Vesper Sparrow Demography Monitoring at Bald Hill Farm

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) is conducting a sole-source procurement (Sole Source # S-63500-00014373) for Oregon Vesper Sparrow (OVS) Demography Monitoring at Bald Hill Farm, located in Benton County. The procurement will engage Greenbelt Land Trust to perform comprehensive annual monitoring, banding, and tracking of the OVS population on a 200-acre property. Key deliverables include conducting minimally invasive population research to inform potential endangered species listing decisions and conservation strategies, with specific focus on studying adaptive management techniques for OVS habitat through grazing and pasture management. The procurement is critical for continued research initiated in 2017, with the contractor required to have extensive site-specific knowledge and experience in wildlife monitoring. The public notice was issued on July 17, 2025, with a protest period of seven calendar days, during which affected parties may submit written protests to the ODFW Designated Procurement Officer via specified email addresses. The primary point of contact for questions is Ashley Kallberg, who can be reached at Ashley.j.kallberg@odfw.oregon.gov.

The procurement appears to be a non-restricted sole-source contract specifically targeting Greenbelt Land Trust due to their unique qualifications and decade-long experience with the site. No specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises are mentioned in the documents. The total estimated procurement value is $31,294.83, with previous funding sources including ODFW, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Oregon Conservation and Recreation Fund, which have collectively supported approximately $94,709.81 in monitoring work from 2022-2024. The contract leverages existing infrastructure at a working cattle farm and builds upon previous research investments. No competitive bidding process is outlined, as this is a directed sole-source procurement based on the contractor's specialized knowledge and continuous involvement with the OVS population monitoring project. The procurement is scheduled for implementation in 2025, with no additional Recovery Implementation funds currently available beyond the specified budget.