MODIFICATION
B -- Bird impact study, 0040392780
- Notice Date
- 6/19/2018
- Notice Type
- Modification/Amendment
- NAICS
- 541620
— Environmental Consulting Services
- Contracting Office
- USGS OAG SACRAMENTO ACQUISITION BR. MODOC HALL, CSUS 3020 STATE UNIVERSITY DRIVE EAST SACRAMENTO CA 95819-6027 US
- ZIP Code
- 00000
- Solicitation Number
- 140G0318Q0104
- Response Due
- 6/22/2018
- Archive Date
- 7/7/2018
- Point of Contact
- Riccomini, Joseph
- Small Business Set-Aside
- Total Small Business
- Description
- Bird impact study The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is conducting market research to determine the availability of qualified small businesses capable of providing assessment of the impacts to birds of industrial-scale solar energy in southern California by documenting birds ¿ use of these areas and any associated mortality as described in the attached Statement of Work. This sources sought announcement is not a request for quote or proposal and the Government is not committed to award of a purchase order or contract pursuant to this announcement. The information resulting from this market research is simply for planning purposes to assist the Government in determining its acquisition strategy. The Government will not pay for any costs incurred in the preparation of information for responding to this notice. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code ¿ 541620 Special Studies/Analysis -Natural Resource and associated size standard $15M applies to this announcement. All responsible sources may submit a capabilities statement detailing the ability of their service to meet the requirements of the attached Statement of Work included with this announcement. Responses to this announcement shall only be accepted through electronic mail addressed to jriccomini@usgs.gov and must be uploaded and received in their entirety no later than 1700 PD, 22 Jun 2018. Responses submitted by hardcopy or the FedConnect web portal or the FedConnect Message Center shall not be accepted or considered. Statement of Work Background: Scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center are leading a large multi-collaborator research project examining the impacts of industrial-scale photovoltaic (PV) solar energy in southern California on flying animals. Existing bird fatality data from utility-scale PV solar energy facilities suggests birds are attracted at above-background rates to these facilities. How and why solar facilities attract birds and potentially incur mortality is largely unknown. To address this, the project is divided into three tasks: 1) measure the light polarization and irradiance properties of PV surfaces under varying conditions and test how these characteristics may attract birds to solar facilities, 2) establish whether birds in-flight respond behaviorally to solar facilities, and if so, how that response varies with altitude and distance from the facility, and 3) determine what characteristics of solar facilities and individual bird species together explain variation in mortality and behavior exhibited across sites. This SOW concerns research associated with task 3 which will document bird presence at solar facilities in terms of use (presence/absence) and avian fatality. The design and location of solar facilities differ in ways that can influence the attractiveness of those facilities and ultimately, the presence of birds and their mortality. Therefore, understanding the causes behind PV solar-related mortality requires sampling a wide range of solar facilities. This will be done using new and existing data. New data will be gathered at a number of solar facilities in ways that address inherent sources of bias. These include adjusting facility mortality levels against naturally occurring control observations outside facilities and accounting for the effects of unplanned carcass removal by scavengers. Data from a number of facilities will be important in understanding avian fatality at solar facilities, therefore near-term access to solar facility property (field work is slated to begin in fall 2018) is a critical necessity for this work. However, given recent growth of the solar energy industry in southern California, it is beyond the scope of this project to gather sufficient new data to capture regional variation in avian natural history and landscape context across many facilities. Therefore, existing data collected by WEST, Inc. will be used to supplement new data collection. The solar energy industry has been gathering environmental impact data for a number of years, usually through the use of environmental consultants. WEST is one these consultants and holds the largest repository of existing data applicable to this work. Due to intellectual property rights, access to these datasets is only possible through this contractor. Description of Product or Service Required: This work requires satisfying two primary goals, 1) measuring bird use and fatality at a variety of solar energy facilities across southern California, and 2) using new and existing data to model bird presence at solar energy facilities as it varies according to species natural history and landscape context of solar energy facilities. In achieving these goals, the recommended sole source vendor, Western Ecosystem Technology, Inc (WEST) shall: ¿Develop by 31 July 2018 an avian use and fatality study plan that adheres to the following criteria: -Use a control-impact design to determine bird use and fatality of solar energy facilities and control sites. -Use sample units of approximate equal size within the solar field at each solar facility and within control sites. -Collect data on bird use and fatality as follows: ¿Document bird species detected on facility and control areas ¿When possible, include behavioral data on waterbird approach including flight behavior (fly-over; approach, landing aborted; approach landing), height from solar panels, and distance from edge of solar facility. ¿Observations of avian fatality should be collected according to WEST ¿s established methods for controlling for sources of bias (e.g., scavenger removal). ¿Coordinate data collection for task 3 and task 2 (radar data collection) with USGS. Field personnel employed by WEST will position the radar according to a mutually agreed upon plan and initiate portable radar data collection. Actual radar data collection will not require attendance. Field staff will assume responsibility for routine maintenance and data backups. ¿If practical, use night vision or thermal technology (provided by USGS) to conduct behavioral observations similar to those recorded during the day depending on opportunity to access the solar energy facilities at night. -Conduct bird use and fatality surveys during fall migration for two years. -Identify and apply statistical approaches for comparing bird use, mortality, and behavior metrics between solar energy facilities and control sites. ¿Access existing WEST datasets from previous avian-solar fatality studies. ¿Use new and existing data to develop multivariate models of bird presence and mortality at solar facilities as they vary according to avian natural history and landscape context of those facilities. ¿Meetings and reporting: ¿Participate in team meetings on an as needed basis ¿Contribute monthly progress reports to USGS ¿Participate in developing a study plan (due: July 2018) ¿Convey invoices on a monthly or quarterly basis that delineates expenditures from matching sources and those from USGS contributed funds based on work completed during the invoice time frame ¿Work with USGS to prepare an interim avian use and fatality report (due: July 2019) and a final report detailing overall avian use and fatality and results of models examining impact at a regional scale (due: July 2020) ¿Participate in publication of results in the primary literature while respecting limitations associated with publication of proprietary data
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