Canadian Wildlife Service Northern Region-Yukon, Canada: Landbird Program Field Support and Bioacoustic Processing Support

Stream 1 - Field Surveys for Terrestrial Birds and Vegetation: Background: The mandate of the Wildlife Habitat Assessment Unit within the Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) is to implement cost-effective monitoring programs for migratory and resident birds to support status assessment, priority-setting, management, regulation, and evaluation of conservation actions. A national and regional program to monitor terrestrial boreal birds (landbirds, shorebirds, secretive waterbirds) in the boreal regions of Canada is being implemented across multiple jurisdictions in Canada including Yukon. The Boreal Bird Monitoring Program (BBMP) uses the Boreal Optimal Sampling Strategy (BOSS; Van Wilgenburg et al. 2020) design and is a long-term monitoring program currently being implemented across the ecoregions of the Yukon, Canada. A regional program to monitor terrestrial birds across elevational gradients, the High Elevation Monitoring Program (HEMP), uses a modified, access-restricted BOSS design and is a long-term monitoring program currently being implemented at 10 mountain sites across 4 ecoregions in southern Yukon, Canada. Both human and Autonomous Recording Unit (ARU) survey methods are used to quantify the occurrence and abundance (counts) of all terrestrial birds in the Boreal Monitoring Program and High Elevation Monitoring Program. Vegetation surveys to support tracking of climate-mediated vegetation change are also conducted. These monitoring programs require annual support to conduct field surveys for terrestrial birds and vegetation. Objective: Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) requires the following services on an as requested basis: Stream 1 - field season support for monitoring programs and science studies (terrestrial bird surveys, vegetation surveys) Tasks and Deliverables: On an as required basis provide technical field support of study designs and protocols for long-term monitoring programs implemented by the Technical Authority including Boreal Bird Monitoring Program and High Elevation Monitoring Program within the Yukon, Canada. The Contractor must review and conduct standard bird survey protocols (e.g. point count surveys, line transect surveys) and vegetation survey protocols developed by the Technical Authority. The Contractor must travel to and reside in Yukon, Canada during the period when field support is required (May-September); Yukon, Canada is the work location for all monitoring programs implemented by the Technical Authority (no mileage or travel expenses for travel to and from the Yukon from other jurisdictions are eligible for reimbursement by the Contractor). The Contractor must travel to remote field survey locations on primary highways, secondary paved or gravel roads, and trails (unpaved/gravel) using a suitable vehicle to conduct standard bird survey protocols and vegetation survey protocols throughout all ecoregions within the Yukon, Canada, The Contractor must supply necessary field equipment required to conduct remote field surveys throughout all ecoregions within the Yukon, Canada including GPS unit (e.g. Garmin GPSMap 64, 65, 66 Series), satellite communicator (e.g. Garmin inReach device), binoculars, rangefinder, thermometer (Kestrel Weather Meter 3000 Series), personal safety equipment (First Aid), and personal field equipment (boots, rain jacket and pants, hiking poles). The Contractor must provide proof of Optional Coverage offered through the Yukon Worker’s Compensation Health and Safety Board (YWCHSB) before the first date of field surveys and maintain that coverage for the duration of the Contract. All correspondence will be in electronic format. All data from terrestrial bird and vegetation surveys will be on hard copy data forms provided by the Technical Authority. These data forms will be printed on Ecologo certified recycled paper or on paper with equivalent post-consumer recycled content. Stream 2 - Processing of Bioacoustic Recordings: Background: The mandate of the Wildlife Habitat Assessment Unit within the Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) is to implement cost-effective monitoring programs for migratory and resident birds to support status assessment, priority-setting, management, regulation, and evaluation of conservation actions. A national and regional program to monitor terrestrial boreal birds (landbirds, shorebirds, secretive waterbirds) in the boreal regions of Canada is being implemented across multiple jurisdictions in Canada including Yukon. The Boreal Bird Monitoring Program (BBMP) uses the Boreal Optimal Sampling Strategy (BOSS; Van Wilgenburg et al. 2020) design and is a long-term monitoring program currently being implemented across the ecoregions of the Yukon, Canada. A regional program to monitor terrestrial birds across elevational gradients, the High Elevation Monitoring Program (HEMP), uses a modified, access-restricted BOSS design and is a long-term monitoring program currently being implemented at 10 mountain sites across 4 ecoregions in southern Yukon, Canada. Both human and Autonomous Recording Unit (ARU) survey methods are used to quantify the occurrence and abundance (counts) of all terrestrial birds in the Boreal Monitoring Program and High Elevation Monitoring Program. Vegetation surveys to support tracking of climate-mediated vegetation change are also conducted. These monitoring programs require annual support to conduct processing (e.g. documenting individual bird species occurrence and counts) of bioacoustic recordings. Objective: Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) requires the following services on an as requested basis: Stream 2 - processing (transcription) of bioacoustic recordings of terrestrial bird species associated with monitoring programs and science studies conducted within the Yukon, Canada to the Canadian Wildlife Service Northern Region- Landbird Program. Tasks and Deliverables: On an as required basis provide transcription/processing within the online platform WildTrax of bioacoustic recordings of bird vocalizations collected by the Technical Authority. The Contractor must have the ability to transcribe audio recordings using standard Bioacoustic Processing methods for birds (audio cues and visual cues using spectrogram) to identify bird occurrence and counts from recordings taken from ARU and uploaded by the Technical Authority to the online platform WildTrax. The Contractor must utilize the following information to conduct processing of recording data: WildTrax Guide V 2022-09; CWS ARU-TLT Guidance Document: How to Conduct ARU Listening and Transcription. The Contractor must utilize the following equipment or tools to conduct processing of recording data: computer; good quality headphones (i.e. cover the entire ear, stereo, no bass boost; e.g. Sony Stereo Headphones MDR-7506); access to WildTrax online platform. The Contractor must confirm user access to online platform WildTrax. The Contractor must conduct processing of 3-minute recordings following current Technical Authority and WildTrax Guidance (https://www.wildtrax.ca/home/resources/guide.html) on the online platform WildTrax. The Technical Authority will: (1) upload all recordings to be processed to online platform WildTrax prior to the start of the contract period; (2) assign all recordings to the Contractor in online platform WildTrax; and (3) label all recordings in online platform WildTrax with the correct project name e.g. Boreal Bird Monitoring Program, High Elevation Monitoring Program. The Contractor must review independent sources of spectrogram libraries (Macaulay Library at Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Birds of the World; Xeno-Canto) and consult other experts (CWS-ECCC staff; other federal departments; other provincial/territorial agencies; academic staff; Environmental Non-governmental Organization staff; local bird club experts) to aid in species-specific audio and spectrogram identification. All unprocessed and processed recordings remain as stored data on the online platform WildTrax which is the dedicated storage location for recordings taken from Autonomous Recording Units and uploaded by the Technical Authority. Specific timelines for Bioacoustic Processing will be identified by the Technical Authority. All deliverables are subject to the review and acceptance of the Technical Authority. Basis of Selection: Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) reserves the right to award up to two (2) separate contracts, one for each stream, as a result of this Solicitation. ECCC has a requirement for the following streams: Stream 1 - Field Surveys for Terrestrial Birds and Vegetation Stream 2 - Processing of Bioacoustic Recordings Bidders are permitted to bid on one or both streams. If a bidder bids on more than one stream, then it must submit one bid that clearly addresses the requirements of each stream. Term of Contract: Period of the Contract: The period of the Contract is from date of Contract to March 31, 2025 inclusive. Option to Extend the Contract: The Contractor grants to Canada the irrevocable option to extend the term of the Contract by up to four (4) additional one (1)-year periods under the same conditions. The Contractor agrees that, during the extended period of the Contract, it will be paid in accordance with the applicable provisions as set out in the Basis of Payment. Canada may exercise this option at any time by sending a written notice to the Contractor at least fifteen (15) calendar days before the expiry date of the Contract. The option may only be exercised by the Contracting Authority, and will be evidenced for administrative purposes only, through a contract amendment.