REQUEST FOR STATEMENT OF INTEREST
Number W9126G-21-2-SOI-5131
Project to be initiated in 2021
Applicants must be a member in one of the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU):
Colorado Plateau
Rocky Mountains
Project Title: Natural Resources Support, Edwards Air Force Base, California.
Responses to this Request for Statements of Interest will be used to identify potential investigators for a project to be funded by the US Air Force which provides professional and technical support for Edwards Air Force Base (EAFB) in order to facilitate successful implementation of the 16 USC 670c-1 Sikes Act. Approximately $851,000 is expected to be available to support this project during the base period. Additional funding may be available for additional tasks and/or follow on work in subsequent fiscal years to the successful Recipient/Awardee, subject to the availability of funds.
Background:
Edwards AFB encompasses approximately 308,180 acres in the Antelope Valley in southern California. The installation lies in the western Mojave Desert in portions of Kern, Los Angeles, and San Bernardino counties. The base is approximately 100 miles northeast of Los Angeles,
about 90 miles northwest of San Bernardino, and about 80 miles southeast of Bakersfield. Approximately 13,400 military and civilian personnel work on Edwards AFB, many of whom live either on the base or in nearby communities, such as California City, Lancaster, Palmdale,
and Rosamond.
The objectives of the work to be performed under this task order are to conduct natural resource tasks on the federal lands belonging to Edwards Air Force Base (AFB), and to prepare reports detailing the results of this work for submission to the USACE Omaha Project Manager (PM), AFCEC Edwards Installation Support Section (ISS) POC, and Edwards Natural Resource POC.
The EAFB environmental programs ensures military mission activities are conducted in compliance with all applicable environmental laws, regulations and policies with cooperation and assistance from the Air Force Civil Engineer Center’s (AFCEC) Installation Support Section
(ISS). Article I B of the master agreement states the objectives of the CESU are to: provide research, technical assistance and education to federal land management, environmental and research agencies and their potential partners; develop a program of research, technical
assistance and education that involves the biological, physical, social sciences needed to address resource issues and interdisciplinary problem-solving at multiple scales and in an ecosystem context at the local, regional, and national level; and place special emphasis on the working collaboration among federal agencies and universities and their related partner institutions.
In agreement with the above stated goals, the recipient/cooperator (hereafter Cooperator) agrees to provide the necessary personnel, equipment, and materials required to implement, in part, the Air Force responsibilities pursuant to the Endangered Species Act (16 USC 1531 et seq.), the Sikes Act Improvement Act, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 USC 1361 et seq.), the National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), and applicable implementing regulations, such as Air Force Instruction 32-7064, Integrated Natural Resources Management.
Type of Award:
This project will be awarded under the authority of the Sikes Act (Sec. 103A [16 USC 670c-1])
“the Secretary of a military department may enter into cooperative agreements with States, local governments, Indian Tribes, non-governmental organizations, and individuals, ….” This project is in support of the Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan, as directed in the Sikes Act, and as a result, it is anticipated that a cooperative agreement through the CESU program will be awarded. Such awards may be administered through a CESU only upon mutual agreement and official authorization by both parties of the acceptance of the application of the CESU Network IDC rate (17.5%).
Note: Must be a non-federal partner in one of the CESU Units, referenced above, to be qualified for considered.
Brief Description of Anticipated Work:
The NFE shall establish procedures and provide services and equipment to implement the following:
Task 1: Collect and monitor the western pond turtle (Actinemys marmorata) in potential habitat within Edwards AFB. This project builds on previous western pond turtle research at Edwards AFB and helps to fulfill a known data gap in the Edwards AFB INRMP.
The NFE shall establish procedures, and provide services, and equipment to implement the following on Edwards AFB at the Piute Ponds Complex: 1) Conduct a minimum of two 10 day live trapping sessions in May and again in June of 2022 to collect western pond turtles in and adjacent to Shuttle Pond. 2) Install monitoring devices on each collected western pond turtle. 3) Conduct continuous data collection of western pond turtle movement thru end of base period PoP and then thru May 2024 in the Option Period, to achieve 24 months of monitoring. 4) Remove monitoring devices from western pond turtles at conclusion of monitoring. Note: Monitoring devices must be able to transmit location data continuously throughout the Base Period and Option Period until removal at conclusion of monitoring.
(One potential option period)
Task 2: Continue recurring routine maintenance activities at the Piute Ponds Complex and Branch Memorial Park Pond. This project is identified in the Edwards AFB Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP). The NFE shall establish procedures and provide services and equipment to implement the following at the Piute Ponds Complex: 1) Perform up to 10 cultural resource site evaluations. 2) Construct Piute Ponds –Little Piute Ponds South Water Delivery System per US-CA-623-1 Construction Set and Technical Specifications dated 3/23/2021. 3) Purchase up to four track out grates same as existing track out grates. 4) Install up to four track out grates at one location. 5) Repair up to 1.5 miles of 20-foot wide levee road surface subject to water saturation/breach using compacted rock/fill and geotextile fabric. 6) Perform maintenance by dredging up to 500 linear feet of existing water channels. Dredged vegetation will be disposed
of in the spoils area. Dredged mud will be disposed of in the spoils area or other nearby location as determined by NRM.
The NFE shall establish procedures and provide services and equipment to implement the following at the Branch Memorial Park Pond: 1) Remove tules/cattails at 12-foot radius and six feet below water surface at eight to 10 locations around pond perimeter. Dredged vegetation and mud will be disposed of on site as determined by NRM. (No option periods identified)
Task 3: Inventory, survey, monitor, or otherwise manage habitats that support endangered, threatened, rare, sensitive, or keystone flora or fauna species. This project builds on previous research at Edwards AFB and helps to fulfill a known data gap in the Edwards AFB INRMP. The NFE shall establish procedures and provide services and equipment to implement the following: 1) Perform a monitoring survey at approximately 40 releves to assess the health and integrity of the mesquite bosque woodland habitat. 2) Analyze natural drainage systems providing water to the mesquite bosque habitat to determine specific impediments to historic water flow to and through the mesquite bosque habit. Provide specific cost-effective recommendations and design drawings on where and how to restore natural water flow. 3) Develop a
Branch Memorial Park Management Plan to serve as a framework to guide the management, protection, and restoration of natural habitat and the pond while integrating and supporting recreation. (No option periods identified)
Optional Task 4: Control nuisance animals on Edwards AFB by reducing food/cover subsidies, identifying and removing trash from illegal dumpsites, and removing nuisance animals. This project is identified in the Edwards AFB INRMP. The NFE in accordance with applicable state and federal laws shall establish procedures, and solicit services and equipment to implement the following: 1) Identify illegal trash dumps on Edwards AFB and establish a protocol for documenting and initiating illegal trash dump clean-up and initiating a trash removal work order. 2) Clean-up and remove from Edwards AFB debris from illegal trash dumps on base that attract nuisance wildlife. 3) Remove from Edwards AFB existing and ongoing stray animals including but not limited to dogs, cats, goats, cattle, horses, snakes, and exotic birds. 4) Remove from or relocate on Edwards AFB nuisance wildlife including but not limited to coyotes, bobcats, bears, mountain lions, raccoons, and snakes. 5) Provide veterinary services to treat and/or euthanize injured nuisance animals and wildlife including but not limited to
coyotes, bobcats, desert tortoises, owls, and raptors. (Four potential optional periods)
Optional Task 5: Utilize existing Edwards AFB hyperspectral imagery and LIDAR data from 2009 and 2015 as well as results from FY18 hyperspectral imagery analysis project to conduct additional GIS-based analyses. Analyses include (1) prepare a single vegetation map of the Piute Ponds management area, delineating the spatial extent of major plant species, including invasive species; (2) prepare a single map of major habitat types for all of Edwards AFB; (3) Prepare predictive maps of potential habitat for T&E, candidate, and sensitive species, including species such as desert tortoise, Mohave ground squirrel, burrowing owl, desert cymopterus, alkali Mariposa lily, Lancaster milkvetch, sagebrush loeflingia, Mojave spineflower, Barstow woolly sunflower, Rosamond eriastrum, spreading pygmyleaf, and yellow spinescape. Conduct ground-truthing of analyses/prepared maps to determine accuracy.
Personnel qualifications include demonstrated expertise in GIS, remote sensing, LIDAR, and hyperspectral imagery. Personnel must be capable of utilizing combined LIDAR-derived data and hyperspectral imagery to conduct analyses required to delineate habitat types and plant species. Personnel must be capable of performing ground-truthing and analyzing the results. (No optional periods identified)
Note: At this time we are only requesting that you demonstrate available qualifications and skills for performing similar or same type of work. You will be evaluated for request for a proposal based on skills, qualifications and certifications demonstrated in your SOI.
Period of Performance: The base period of performance is anticipated to be 18 months from date of award.
Task 1 has one 18-month option period.
Task 2 has no option periods identified.
Task 3 has no option periods identified.
Option Task 4 has four potential 18-month option periods.
Option Task 5 has no option periods identified.
Materials Requested for Statement of Interest/Qualifications:
(Maximum length: 2 pages, single-spaced 12 pt. font).
1. Name, Organization, Cage Code, Duns number, and Contact Information (Email)
2. Brief Statement of Qualifications (including):
a. Biographical Sketch,
b. Relevant past projects and clients with brief descriptions of these projects,
c. Staff, faculty or students available to work on this project and their areas of expertise,
d. Any brief description of capabilities to successfully complete the project you may wish to add (e.g. equipment, laboratory facilities, greenhouse facilities, field facilities, etc.).
Note: A full study proposal and proposed budget are NOT requested at this time.
Review of Statements Received: All statements of interest received will be evaluated by a board comprised of one or more people at the receiving installation or activity, who will determine which statement(s) best meet the program objectives. Based on a review of the
Statements of Interest received, an investigator or investigators will be invited to prepare a full study proposal. Statements will be evaluated based on the investigator’s specific experience and capabilities in areas related to the study requirements.
Please send responses or direct questions to:
Sandra Justman
Grants Specialist
USACE Ft. Worth District
Sandra.Justman@usace.army.mil
Office: (817) 886-1073
McCullough Wells
Project Manager
USACE Omaha District
margaret.m.wells@usace.army.mil
Office: (402) 995-2590
Timeline for Review of Statements of Interest: The RSOI is required to be posted for at least 30 days prior to the Government making a decision and requesting full proposals. Responses due by 5:00 P.M., Central Time, on 27 AUGUST 2021.
[End of RSOI]