RCW Cluster Monitoring, Inventories, and Painting

The USDA Forest Service, through the Southern Research Station, awarded a firm-fixed-price contract under solicitation AG-4670-S-17-0079 for the monitoring, inventorying, and painting of Red-cockaded Woodpecker (RCW) cavity trees within the Francis Marion and Sumter National Forests. This total small business set-aside project, categorized under NAICS code 115310, focuses on the management of at least 102 known RCW clusters. The scope of work includes conducting group checks, performing cluster inventories, tagging and painting cavity trees, and adding GPS locations to the cluster inventory. Technical requirements involve strict monitoring frequencies, such as nest checks every 7 to 11 days and morning follows, with deliverables including detailed spreadsheets and shapefiles. The contract period of performance began on September 15, 2017, and extends through September 14, 2022, consisting of one base year and four optional years. The project is guided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service RCW Recovery Plan to ensure species conservation. Contractors are responsible for providing specific materials, including paint and tags, and must adhere to rigorous data collection methods to determine group status and cavity tree conditions. Performance is centered in Huger, South Carolina, with oversight provided by the Francis Marion Ranger District.