August 18, 2021

Department of Navy Funding Opportunity: Using Test Plots to Identify Drought-Tolerant, Low-Maintenance Vegetation Options to Discourage Airfield Use By California Squirrels and Western Burrowing Owls

REQUEST FOR STATEMENTS OF INTEREST WITHIN THE COOPERATIVE ECOSYSTEM STUDIES UNIT NUMBER N62473-21-2-0014

Project Title: USING TEST PLOTS TO IDENTIFY DROUGHT-TOLERANT, LOW-MAINTENANCE VEGETATION OPTIONS TO DISCOURAGE AIRFIELD USE BY CALIFORNIA SQUIRRELS AND WESTERN BURROWING OWLS (EPR 63042NR113) NAVAL AIR STATION LEMOORE, LEMOORE, CALIFORNIA

Responses to this Request for Statements of Interest (RSOI) will address measures in support of Vegetation Test Plots and Burrowing Owl monitoring at Naval Air Station Lemoore, Lemoore California.

Approximately $89,791.00 to $95,000.00 is expected to be available to support the base requirements of this project.

Type of Assistance Instrument Anticipated: Cooperative Agreement
Authority: Cooperative Agreement under 16 USC §670c-1
Eligible Applicants: Any Californian or Pacific Northwest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) cooperative partner who qualifies under the DoDGARS Part 34 or 2 Code of Federal Regulations 200 is eligible to apply.

Attachments:

http://depts.washington.edu/pnwcesu/news/funding/N624732120014

Brief Description of the Anticipated Work:
Explore possible drought-tolerant, low-maintenance, low-growing vegetation options to replace the existing grasslands and discourage habitat use by squirrels and BUOW. Create test plots at locations on NAS Lemoore to be determined through discussions with the installation representative (IR) to test if the proposed vegetation establishes, how much effort is required, and if it works to discourage use by squirrels and BUOW. Passively relocate BUOW occupying test plots prior to planting and monitor BUOW on the airfield and elsewhere on the installation; with monitoring to include standard metrics that allow for population assessment including: abundance/density, productivity, recruitment, and threats, among others [in accordance with Rosenberg and Gervais (2009), Garcia and Conway (2006) – Standardized Monitoring Strategies for Burrowing Owls on DoD Installations, and other relevant literature]. Unbanded owls should be captured and banded to align with long-term monitoring efforts.

Timeline for Review of Statements of Interest:
We request that Statements of Interest be submitted by September 2, 2021 2:00 PM local standard time. This Request for Statements of Interest will remain open until an investigator team is selected. Statements of Interest received after September 2, 2021 2:00 PM local standard time is considered “late” and may not be considered. Please submit requests for information/questions no later than August 30, 2021 2:00 PM local standard time.

Please send electronic responses and questions to:
Kevin Magennis, Contract Specialist Environmental Acquisition Core kevin.magennis@navy.mil
Point of Contact Information:
Kevin Magennis, Contract Specialist Environmental Acquisition Core
Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Southwest
750 Pacific Highway San Diego, CA 92132
619.705.5566