Bird Surveys - Red Slough Wildlife Management Area

The contractor is required to conduct comprehensive bird surveys at the Red Slough Wildlife Management Area in Broken Bow, Oklahoma, furnishing all labor, materials, equipment, supervision, transportation, and supplies necessary to complete the work. Expertise in identifying all bird species in Southeast Oklahoma by sight and sound is mandatory, with performance measured against a 95% or higher accuracy threshold for species identification and data collection. The contract is structured as a firm-fixed price, with a one-year base period beginning August 1, 2026, and four optional one-year periods extending through July 31, 2031, for a maximum potential duration of five years. The government may extend performance by up to six additional months under FAR 52.217-8. Deliverables include weekly bird count data submitted within 48 hours of each survey and a final annual report due within five calendar days of the last visit, both written in layperson language. Missing or inaccurate submissions will result in payment reduction or ineligibility for payment, and satisfactory performance is a prerequisite for exercising any option period. Surveillance will be conducted by the Contracting Officer’s Representative, who will randomly sample one week of data monthly and verify the annual report against weekly submissions. The solicitation is a total small business set-aside under NAICS code 541990, with offers due by July 6, 2026, submitted via email to Tobi Shumaker at tobi.shumaker@usda.gov in Word, Excel, or PDF format. Offerors must maintain active SAM registration, submit a completed SF 1449, and hold prices firm for 90 days. The proposal must include a detailed technical approach demonstrating compliance with the Performance Work Statement, evidence of key personnel qualifications, and three relevant past performance references completed within the last five years. Evaluation will be based on technical approach, past performance, and price, using a comparative methodology to determine best value, with price assessed for fairness and reasonableness under FAR 12.204. The contract includes clauses addressing whistleblower rights, trafficking in persons, information security, continuity of services, and anti-discrimination compliance aligned with Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act. Labor compliance is governed by Wage Determination WD 2015-5333 R30, which prohibits cost recovery for uniforms that reduce hourly pay below the required rate. All contract actions are administered by USDA-FS CSA EAST 1