PR 53199 Evaluation of Vegetation Management

TITLE: Support for Evaluation of Vegetation Management: This is a SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE to determine the availability of potential small businesses (e.g., 8(a), service-disabled veteran owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, veteran-owned small business, and women-owned small business) in accordance with FAR 7.104(d). The potential small business will need to demonstrate they can support research of various landscaping and vegetation management techniques of the blacklegged tick. The blacklegged tick is a vector of seven human pathogens, including Lyme disease spirochetes. Lyme disease is estimated by CDC to account for nearly 500,000 cases of human illness every year in the United States. Human exposure to infected blacklegged ticks, including the small and easily overlooked nymphal life stage which is considered to account for most human infections, is thought to occur commonly on residential properties. Landscaping and vegetation management are commonly recommended methods to reduce the amount of high-quality tick habitat present on a property but the evidence base for actual impact of these measures on the density of host-seeking nymphal blacklegged ticks specifically on residential properties is inadequate. Research therefore is needed to clarify the impact of different landscaping and vegetation management techniques on the density of host-seeking nymphal blacklegged ticks when these measures are applied at the level of individual residential properties. The outcome of such research will be of direct relevance for homeowners and professional landscaping firms engaging in tick control activities. The NAICS code is 541715 Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences: 1 year the contract will include the following Core Requirements: The vendor shall furnish all labor, materials and equipment necessary to conduct the work outlined below for requirements A-D and, if included, optional activities E-G. The main purpose of the work is to experimentally assess the impact on host-seeking Ixodes scapularis nymphs on residential properties for a set of landscaping/vegetation management measures thought to reduce the density of ticks (requirements A-C) and to compare density of host-seeking Ixodes scapularis nymphs across habitats encountered on residential properties (requirement D). Requirements Requirement A: Experimental evaluation of leaf litter removal as a stand-alone intervention to reduce the density of host-seeking Ixodes scapularis nymphs on residential properties. The evaluation should include treatment (leaf litter removed) and control (leaf litter left undisturbed) plots on each included residential property. Treatment and control plots should extend 6 m into the woods from the lawn ecotone. The treatment should be completed in the fall of 2021, preceding the spring sampling for host-seeking Ixodes scapularis nymphs in 2022. Sampling in the spring of 2021 targeting host-seeking Ixodes scapularis nymphs are expected to include at least 4 sampling dates per plot during the peak period for nymphal density. Requirement B: Experimental evaluation of a xeric border along the lawn-woods ecotone as a stand-alone intervention to reduce the density of host-seeking Ixodes scapularis nymphs on residential properties. The evaluation should include treatment (creation of a 1-meter wide xeric border along the lawn-woods ecotone) and control (lawn-woods ecotone left undisturbed) plots on each included residential property. The treatment should be completed in the fall of 2021, preceding the spring sampling for host-seeking Ixodes scapularis nymphs in 2022. Sampling in the spring of 2021 targeting host-seeking Ixodes scapularis nymphs are expected to include at least 4 sampling dates per plot during the peak period for nymphal density. Sampling of host-seeking Ixodes scapularis nymphs in treatment plots should extend 6 meters into the wooded side of the ecotone, include the xeric substrate, and extend 6 meters into the lawn. Sampling of host-seeking Ixodes scapularis nymphs in control plots should extend 6 meters into the wooded side of the ecotone and extend 6 meters into the lawn. Requirement C: Experimental evaluation of lawn mowing as a stand-alone intervention to reduce the density of host-seeking Ixodes scapularis nymphs on residential properties. The evaluation should include treatment (mowed weekly) and control (not mowed) plots on each included residential property. Treatment and control plots should be matched with respect to distance to ecotone, sun exposure and potential watering regimen. Sampling in the spring of 2021 targeting host-seeking Ixodes scapularis nymphs are expected to include at least 4 weekly sampling dates per plot during the peak period for nymphal density. Requirement D: Sample variable habitat types on a set of residential properties with the aim to compare density of host-seeking Ixodes scapularis nymphs in the following substrates: hardscape; xeriscape; ornamental planting; vegetable garden; short-grass lawn along wooded ecotone; center portion of short-grass lawn; unmanaged grassy area; wooded area with leaf litter along short-grass ecotone; center portion of wooded area with leaf litter; wooded and brushy area along short-grass ecotone; and center portion of wooded and brushy area. Sampling in the spring of 2021 targeting host-seeking Ixodes scapularis nymphs are expected to include at least 3 sampling dates per property during the peak period for nymphal density. Each single property should be included in only one of requirements A, B, or C but requirement D may include properties also included in requirements A-C if the sampled habitat excludes the experimentally manipulated plots from requirements A-C. To facilitate getting access to residential properties for the purpose of drag sampling to collect host-seeking ticks, removal sampling of ticks is considered acceptable for requirements A-D. General notes The vendor will identify and secure access to suitable residential properties, define study plots and implement control measures, and then conduct drag sampling for host-seeking Ixodes scapularis nymphs during their peak activity period in the spring of 2022 using study designs with sufficient replication of treatment and control plots, or observational units, and numbers of tick sampling occasions, for robust statistical evaluation on the density of host-seeking Ixodes scapularis nymphs as outlined above and in Section 4. The vendor will provide monthly reports and at the end of the field work all data will be sent to CDC/NCEZID/DVBD, Fort Collins, CO. Interested parties having the capabilities necessary to perform the stated requirements may submit capability statements via email to Dione Shelton, email: contact@example.gov . In the subject line of the email, YOU MUST PUT - Evaluation Vegetation Managment SOURCES SOUGHT. CAPABILITY STATEMENTS MUST DEMONSTRATE THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS OUTLINED ABOVE. Please address each in order listed above. Telephone calls will not be accepted. Teaming Arrangements: All teaming arrangements shall include the above-cited information, certifications for each entity and who will be responsible for Core Requirements. Teaming arrangements are encouraged. Responses must be submitted not later than May 20, 2021 5PM EST. Capability statements must not exceed 10 pages, excluding attachments and no less than 10 font size. Documents will not be returned and will not be accepted after the due date. This is not an invitation for bid, request for proposal or other solicitation and in no way obligates Office of Acquisition Services (OAS) to award a contract. The sole intent of this Sources Sought Notice is to obtain capabilities for set-aside and procurement planning purposes. Please provide the follow business information: 1. DUNS Number 2. Company Name 3. Company Address 4. Company Point of Contact, phone number and email address 5. Type of company under NAICS, as validated via the System for Award Management (SAM). Additional information on NAICS codes can be found at www.sba.gov. Any potential government contract must be registered in SAM located atwww.beta.Sam.gov. 6. Corporate structure (corporation, LLC, sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability partnership, professional corporation, etc.) 7. Current GSA Schedules appropriate to this Sources Sought, if held 8. Current Government Wide Agency Contracts (GWACs), if held 9. Point of Contact, phone number and email address of individuals who can verify demonstrated capabilities identified in the responses 10. Responders should also include a statement about whether or not they have an approved Federal audited accounting system. If the responder has an approved accounting system, please provide the certification in which the accounting system was deemed adequate (e.g. the name of the audit agency and audit number). You may submit as an attachment, which will not countinue on the next page.