R--VA-DIV INTRNTL CONSRV-DIC PRGRM EVAL CTR

THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT ANNOUNCEMENT ONLY This is a Sources Sought Notice only and it is not a solicitation announcement. The purpose of this Sources Sought Notice is to gain knowledge of qualified, potential contractors and their socio-economic size classification in accordance with NAICS code 334510. Responses will be used by the Government to make appropriate acquisition decisions. After a review of the responses to this Sources Sought Notice, a solicitation announcement may be posted. A response to this Sources Sought Notice is not an adequate reply to a potentially forthcoming solicitation. The US Fish and Wildlife is seeking Technical Support Services for USFWS International Affairs's Division of International Conservation (hereafter, DIC) seeks to add capacity by contracting a technical specialist to assist in program evaluation activities. See below and attached The focus of the contract is the development and framing of up to eight learning questions relevant for IA program delivery, and the synthesis of the evidence relevant to answering these questions. Questions and syntheses should adhere to international standards for environmental evidence assessment (e.g., protocols developed by the Collaboration for Environmental Evidence, and/or expert assessment of the documented evidence for the effectiveness of actions with processes developed by Conservation Evidence) and provide the basis of the IA's contribution to the DOI Learning Agenda and Annual Evaluation Plan, including stakeholder engagement with the academic community and external subject matter experts to develop and/or refine learning questions where appropriate. For each learning question, outputs should include one or more of the following: (1) systematic reviews, which provide a summary of the best available evidence to support decision making; (2) systematic maps, which document how much and what type of evidence exists; or, where appropriate to the learning question, (3)collaborative evidence-related activities (e.g., research collaborations, technical workshops) that results in new frameworks, tools, templates and/or classifications to facilitate evidence assessment, generation and use. In general, the questions are anticipated to be developed in parallel (in contrast to stepwise development), although the schedule will ultimately depend on the specific questions developed. The contractor will work in collaboration with Service IA staff, and other relevant collaborators, on the following tasks for each question: 1. Scoping and Coordination of Evidence Activities (10%). Coordinate and support initial meeting or teleconference to commence the contract and to provide feedback on the scope of the questions and, where appropriate, search strings and search strategy. Specific questions, approaches (e.g., evidence synthesis, workshop, tool development) and coordination needs will be determined in consultation with the Service's IA Division of International Conservation, and other technical partners and potential sub-contractors where relevant. As specific deliverable related to the task includes a scoping document. Create advisory committee(s) for learning questions as needed. Work with the Service to identify members for key advisory committee(s), including potential sub-contractors as relevant, and engage them throughout the process to ensure that the evidence-related activities are relevant and technically sound. 2. Evidence assessment (50%): Serve as a technical expert to develop a protocol for each evidence assessment, synthesis or learning question. Use technical expertise to apply the protocol, which may include searching for, collating and annotating relevant evidence in electronic databases and collections, Service-supplied financial assistance materials, and from participants in online or in-person workshops. Specific deliverables related to the task include (a) a protocol for each scoped question; and (b) where appropriate, electronic databases of all search results, Service-supplied financial assistance materials, electronic collections of the sources in the database, annotated case studies, and reported findings. 3. Research Collaboration for Evidence Use and Generation (30%): Serve as a coordinator for technical partners, including potential sub-contractors where needed, to develop tools, templates, processes, research, and/or classification frameworks to facilitate evidence use and generation. In consultation with the Service, specific deliverables related to the task may include (a) action classification or taxonomy for conservation evidence work (e.g., classification frameworks to better name actions or interventions to facilitate evidence assessment); (b) a process for evidence assessment of individual studies; (c) evidence-based guidance documents for international wildlife conservation stakeholders; (d) conservation effectiveness testing. 4. Communicate Learning and Results (10%): Synthesize evidence as a systematic review, map, report or publication where appropriate. Edit and review scientific manuscripts prior to submission to a peer review journal (e.g., Environmental Evidence). Specific deliverables related to task include evidence synthesis, a manuscript draft, and sharing of findings via a webinar or workshop for FWS team members and other stakeholders. If your firm is able to provide the Support Services detailed here, please submit your interest along with your CAGE code and a brief write up of your experience with similar work and a description of how your firm is qualified/capable to perform the required work to contact@example.gov with "140F0S24Q0007" in the subject line.