F -- INVERTEBRATE STUDY, FORT SILL, OK

Notice Date

July 12, 2001

Contracting Office

Directorate of Contracting, USAFACFS, Attn: ATZR-QB, P.O. Box 33501, Fort Sill, OK 73503-0501

ZIP Code

73503-0501

Solicitation Number

DABT39-01-T-0096

Response Due

July 30, 2001

Point of Contact

Judy Ballew, contract specialist, 580-442-34-4/5053

E-Mail Address

to contact the contract specialist, click here (ballewj@sill.army.mil)

Description

This is a combined solicitation for commercial services prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information in this notice. This notice constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. Solicitation Document DABT39-01-T-0096 is issued as a Request for Quotation. This acquisition is unrestricted, HOWEVER, federal and state wildlife agencies will be given priority consideration in accordance with the Sikes Act. The applicable NAICS code is 541690; size standard is $5.0 million. Services shall be performed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. The following non-personal services are required: CLIN 0001 Perform a Terrestrial Invertebrate Survey for Fort Sill, Ok; subCLIN 0001AA: take samples from August to October 2001; SubCLIN 0001AB: Take samples from April to May 2002; SubCLIN 0001AC: provide draft report by 15Jan2003. (Contractor shall provide bids for each subCLIN). STATEMENT OF WORK: These invertebrates shall focus on six taxa to include butterflies (lepidoptera), wasps and bees, (hymenoptera), burying beetles (sylphides), and grasshoppers (acridids), ants (formicids), ground beetles, (carabids), tiger beetles, (cicendelids), long-horned beetles (Cerambycidae), scarab beetles (scarabaeidae). Samples shall be taken from three grassland types to include short, mixed and tall grasses. Transects shall be chosen for each grassland type. Sample transects and plots in each of the three habitat types shall be flagged and entered on Global Position System (GPS). These taxa shall be collected from August through October 2001 and April through May 2002. Methods for sampling invertebrates shall include but is not limited to pitfall traps, sticky traps, sweep netting and malaise traps. Specimens collected shall be separated and curated (e.g. labeled, pinned and preliminarily identified) and representative specimens shall be identified by taxonomic authorities. The report shall include the following sections: Detailed discription of sample methods; species lists with any endangered species being identified, estimates of relative abundance for each habitat sampled, total extrapolated diversity estimates and statistical model linking plant diversity to invertebrate diversity, results and discussion and recommendations for future management research. A draft of the report will be required by the Natural Resources and Enforcement Division by January 15, 2003. Comments and corrections will be returned to the contractor within 21 days of receipt of the draft. Three copies of the final report will be required by the Natural Resources and Enforcement Division, DEQ within 30 days of receipt of comments. The final report should use arcview shape files with proper documentation, including metada. Grasshopper sampling shall be conducted on the three grassland types (short, mixed and tall). Six transects shall be chosen for each grassland type, and randomly placed at each site. Each transects shall contain ten 0.25 m2 hoops 2.5 m apart. Hoops shall be placed prior to sampling and remain throughout the sampling period. They shall be removed at the end of the field season in 2001 and replaced in the same locations prior to sampling in 2002. Grasshoppers shall be counted as they jump from the hoop and added to those that remain in the hoop on closer inspection, giving the total number of grasshoppers per hoop. The formula GD=4n, where GD is grasshopper per m2. Approximately 10 m from each transect, two methods of sweep netting shall be employed to get a representative collection of the grasshoppers in the area. In all sampling periods, fifty sweeps shall be made close to the ground while walking at a fast pace. When grasshoppers are more abundant, systematic sweeping shall be conducted until 25 grasshoppers are collected. Grasshoppers shall be identified to species. Butterflies and skippers surveys shall be planned during times concordant with adult flight patterns. Collections shall include voucher specimens and series of those species difficult to distinguish in the field. The relative "quality" rare or imperiled butterflies and skippers shall be estimated (=element occurrence rank). Beetles sampling shall include pitfall trapping and aerial netting of individuals. Specific known larval and adult habitats shall be especially targeted. Pitfall trapping shall be utilized in sampling ground beetle diversity. Standard sampling methods for bees and wasps shall be used to include malaise and/or light traps. Special efforts shall be made to attract the federally listed endangered American burying beetle (Nicrophorus americanus) previously reported from Oklahoma. Carrion or burying beetles (silphidae) bait methods shall be used following Ratcliffe (1996). Protocols for sampling ants shall follow Bestelmeyer et al. (2000). The two major methods for sampling shall be baiting and pitfall traps. Storage facilities for contractor's equipment shall be provided by Fort Sill. Approximately 55,000 acres will be surveyed. Some of this area is in dud areas which will require plots to be weighted toward the edges of the dud areas. Work will not be done in the dud areas. The Government will provide a Range Safety Course, describing dud areas and live fire areas, at no cost to the contractor. Maps will be provided showing dud areas and live fire ranges. There is no designated depository for voucher specimens. Vaccination for chemical/biological agents is not applicable at this time. Uxo's can be anywhere, but work will not be done in know dud areas. The Government will provide radios as needed. If needed the Government will furnish vehicles for contractors use to reach otherwise inaccessible areas during this study. Small 4 wheelers will be provided for off post use. Verification of All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) safety course attendance is required to use these .The contractor shall furnish the following deliverables: 1. Furnish "curriculum vitae", including amount of experience in this kind of survey; 2. Furnish start and end dates of all sampling; 3. Furnish proof of having taken ATV Safety Training Course. In accordance with FAR 22.1101 and 22.1102, this requirement is considered "professional". Therefore the Services Contract Act is not applicable. The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 97-27. The following provisions and clauses apply: FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors, Commercial Items; 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions, Commercial Items; 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions required to Implement Statues or Executive Orders Commercial Items (Including 52.222-21,52.222-26, 52.222-35, 52.222-36, 52.222-37, 52.232-33); 52.223-5, Pollution Prevention and Right-to-Know Information :252.212-7001, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statues or Executive Orders Applicable to the Defense Department (including 252.225-7001); 252-207-7004, Required Central Contractor Registration. The following provisions and clauses also apply: 52.252-1, Solicitation Provisions Incorporated by Reference; and 52.252-2, Clauses Incorporated by references. A COPY OF THE PROVISION 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications (FEB 2000) Alternate I (Oct 1999) must be completed and submitted with the offer. Offeror shall provide DUNS number as specified in DFARS 252.204-7004. For viewing of the applicable clauses and provisons see the following website addresses: www.arnet.gov/far; www.farsite.hill.af.mil; www.dtic.mil/dfars. The Government will evaluate quotes in response to this request and award a contract to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to this request, will be most advantageous to the Government, considering price, technical expertise, past performance and other factors, within the requirements of the Sikes Act. Award will be made based upon the best value to the Government in accordance with procedures in FAR 13.106-2(b). Offers are due in the Directorate of Contracting, ATZR-QB, PO Box 33501, Bldg 1803, Fort Sill Ok 73503-0501 by COB 30Jul01. Fax transmissions shall not be accepted.

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010716/FSOL002.HTM (W-193 SN50R6W6)