Chartering of Helicopters for Migratory Bird Surveys in British Columbia

1. Background: As part of its mandate to conserve migratory birds, Environment and Climate Change Canada's Canadian Wildlife Service (ECCC-CWS) uses aircrafts to conduct annual surveys of waterfowl and other migratory birds over various suitable habitats in British Columbia. These surveys help track the trends, abundance, and distribution of migratory bird species – three parameters essential to the sound management of bird populations by ECCC-CWS. This particular project, the BC Interior Breeding Waterfowl Survey (hereafter, the Principal Work) supports the setting of Canadian and U.S. waterfowl hunting regulations. Flying this survey is very specialized. ECCC-CWS therefore requires the use of rotary-wing aircraft that meet specific performance and configuration requirements and the use of pilots with related flying experience. Different aircraft bases are used to ensure that surveys start as close as possible to each of the areas to be surveyed. Flying from different bases of operations will maximize the amount of time spent conducting surveys during the survey window and it will ensure that bird observations are collected during the core survey window of 06:00h to 12:00h. Using regional bases also helps reduce overall cost by minimizing aircraft taxi time to/from the base to the areas to be surveyed. 2. Definitions: “BC Interior Waterfowl Survey” (hereafter, the Principal Work) involves flying a helicopter at low altitude (from ± 30 m to ± 150 m above ground level) and reduced speed (± 90 km/h) over all waterbodies and aquatic features (wetlands, lakes, streams, rivers, etc.) found within pre-determined E-W transect strips 400m (¼ mile) wide spaced 16 km (10 miles) apart. The general location and length of these transects is shown in Figure 1. “fuel cache” means a quantity of fuel (drums or tank) located strategically in a remote area to reduce helicopter ferrying time. “wildlife survey” means a flight which follows a systematic, transect-based or habitat stratified flight path during which onboard observers manually count groups and/or individuals of particular wildlife species. This frequently involves low level, slow speed flight, circling turns to permit the collection of specific demographic information such as sex and age. “observers” refers to at least one and up to three observers (one at the front and one or two on the rear seat) who will visually count waterfowl within pre-established transects. “radio-telemetry tracking” means a flight which follows a systematic, transect-based search pattern, for the purpose of isolating ratio signals emitted by animal-borne transmitters. “timber stand assessment” means a flight during which onboard observers assess board- and small-scale attributed of forested areas, e.g. the impacts of mountain pine beetle infestation. “flying in a wire and obstruction environment” means low level, slow speed flying when obstructions such as unmarked and marked power lines may be encountered at the same or similar elevation that the aircraft is flying in. Other obstructions can include but are not limited to unmarked telephone wires, bridges, guy wires, radio towers and tram crossings. Onboard hands-free communication between Pilot and Command and crew is mandatory, as is joint decision for going under or over obstacle(s). “fish enumeration” means a flight during which onboard observers manually count spawning salmon in a river or stream as the aircraft flies at a low level and a slow speed in a manner that provided the best view of the river to the observers, without causing the fish to flee due to the presence of the helicopter. 3. Statement of Requirements: 1) ECCC-CWS requires air charter services of a rotary-wing aircraft (hereafter, helicopter) in the Interior of British Columbia (BC) to conduct the Principal Work. 2) The bases of operations (points of flight origin) for this project are: a. Kamloops, BC b. 108 Mile Ranch, BC c. Quesnel, BC, d. Williams Lake, BC e. Smithers, BC f. Prince George, BC Specific requirements necessary to deliver the charter services are outlined below. The requirements will apply to all Bases of Operations. 3) Pilots are required to fly extended periods of up to 8 hours per day, at low speeds and low elevation (i.e. less than 200 feet above ground level), often at tree top, among trees, power lines and wildlife (birds). 4) ECCC-CWS requires that the Contractor be capable of fuel caching in sections of the Study Area where there are no airports or fuelling infrastructure. ECCC-CWS will provide approximate locations where fuel should be located, and the Contractor must make arrangements for purchasing, transporting and depositing fuel at said location in the timeframe specified. 5) ECCC-CWS requires that pilots fly the helicopter in a manner that provides the best possible view of aquatic habitats to one or more observers, but without causing birds to flee due to the presence of the aircraft. 6) The helicopter Pilot in Command (PIC) must accommodate up to three observers. 7) The PIC will navigate from a moving map software run on a Toughbook CF-31 or CF-33 computer installed on a floor mount screwed to existing foot pedal holes at the front left of the helicopter. The computer may alternatively be held in the observer’s lap. The moving map software will display transect route, transect width, flight track and position against the transect and aquatic features (wetlands, lakes, streams, rivers and marshes) found within each transect. The PIC will monitor aircraft position on the Toughbook, navigate from the moving map software, and remain within the 400m transect at all times while providing optimal viewing conditions of aquatic habitats to the observers. Aquatic habitats might be circled once or more as needed, until observers are satisfied that all birds have been identified and counted. 8) The Principal Work is to be conducted during a specific time window period that coincides with the arrival of breeding pairs of waterfowl to their breeding grounds. This time window might vary slightly from year to year depending on winter and spring weather conditions. However, the general survey window is from the last week of April to the first week of June for each year of the Contract. Expected start date (unusual weather conditions pending) is May 1 (plus or minus 2-3 days) and expected survey completion date is May 29 (plus or minus 2-3 days). Unless delays are encountered, the survey should be delivered over 15-21 flying days. Weekend flying is expected throughout the Principal Work and the PIC and helicopter must be available. However, ECCC-CWS crew may decide to take time off during the May long-weekend and resume the Principal Work the following Tuesday. 9) Weather, mechanical issues and other setbacks might lead to the cancellation of part of or a full day of survey. Additional survey day(s) will be added at the end of the survey to make up for any lost survey days. 10) ECCC-CWS cannot readily postpone flights, as timing is critical to accurately survey migratory bird populations before nests are initiated. Therefore, the Contractor must be able to provide a substitute aircraft if mechanical problems lead to a delay in meeting the required service. The substitute aircraft must also meet the aircraft requirements identified in Section 4, Rotary-wing Aircraft (helicopter) Requirements. 11) The Contractor must adhere to flight schedules as strictly as possible to allow ECCC-CWS to maintain the required statistical qualities of the waterfowl counts. However, the Contractor must be prepared for in-season schedule changes due to unforeseen events such as unsuitable weather that preclude safe flying. 12) Anticipated flight schedules covering the entire flying season will be forwarded to the Contractor as early as possible and ECCC-CWS will finalize survey dates at least two weeks before May 1 each year of the Contract. Survey dates cannot be determined earlier as they partly depend on spring weather conditions and the speed of snowpack melt across Interior British Columbia. 13) The Contractor must confirm, within 5 days of receipt of the flight schedule, that it will provide pilot and helicopter to meet the schedule. 14) The Contractor must provide access to copies of valid Transport Canada Air Operator Certificate including the Table of Contents and all pages to which that Table of Contents refers to at any time during the Contract as requested by the Technical Authority.