RFP C26554004 Bird Banding Services (Oceano Dunes District, CA Parks)

The Oceano Dunes District of the California State Parks, located in San Luis Obispo County requests proposals from qualified firms to provide Ornithologists or Biologists to conduct bird banding services at the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area (ODSVRA) for the Western Snowy Plover (WSP) and California Least Tern (CLT) throughout the 2027, 2028, and 2029 breeding seasons (approximately, from March 20 to September 10). The endangered avian banding program provides important breeding information and tracking of successful fledging. ***Please see attached RFP Packet for complete and detailed project specifications, minimum requirements, and proposal application instructions. This event description serves as an overview of the RFP and should not be considered comprehensive. *** ----- SCOPE OVERVIEW ----- The contractor will manage the ODSVRA's endangered avian banding program in coordination with the State Representative and project staff, specifically through the following objectives: 1. COORDINATE BANDING COLOR ASSIGNMENTS Obtain bands in accordance with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and with the color band coordinator for WSP to develop a non-duplicative banding color scheme. This will include coordination with ODSVRA staff to reuse color band combinations, inventory un-used or re-usable bands, and provide ODSRVA staff, WPS band coordinate, and the applicable regulatory agencies a report of planned color band assignments. 2. BANDING HATCHED CLUTCHES The contractor shall assign at least two (2) qualified WSP and CLT banders to provide the following on-site availability for: - All WSP hatches, and to band all chicks within a clutch within 12 hours of hatching. - All CLT hatches, and to band all chicks within a clutch within 24 hours of hatching. 3. BANDING JUVENILES AND ADULTS Contractor may capture and band WSP juveniles or adult(s) of the clutch if deemed necessary and as permitted by applicable regulatory agencies. Banding of adults shall be accomplished before the hatch of the clutch and in a manner that does not result in the abandonment of the nest. 4. EGG FLOATING Contractor shall float WSP eggs to determine initiation date and predicted hatch date. 5. TRAINING The contractor shall assist with training at the beginning of each season by providing educational or interpretive programs on WSP and CLT monitoring methods to ODSVRA staff, with the goal of listing staff as authorized individuals to conduct monitoring activities as pursuant to the ODSVRA federal permit. As necessary, contractor shall also provide field training to ODSVRA field staff throughout the breeding season. Contractor shall train selected ODSVRA staff in floating and banding techniques. 6. ODSVRA COORDINATION Contractor shall coordinate timing of all banding and monitoring activities with ODSVRA Senior Environmental Scientist and/or project lead staff. Contractor may assist with the following activities: - WSP and CLT monitoring and data collection of individual nest, brood, and fledgling activity while working at the ODSVRA site. - Track predator activity by recording and reporting all predator sightings or sign to ODSVRA staff. - Haze avian predators from sensitive nesting areas using a whistler gun or other appropriate devise. - Respond to injured WSP and CLT during the breeding season and provide technical assistance related to injury that relates to band conditions. Previous experience with trapping injured WSP and CLT is highly desirable. - Maintain records of all monitoring and banding activities and data and shall provide detailed field notes to the project lead staff daily, in a format as specified by ODSVRA staff. - Review an end of the season final draft report each year, particularly sections of the report related to banding activities. - Present on the results at the completion of nesting season for regional or range wide CLT or WSP meetings; for ODSVRA staff; and/or for members of the public. ----- MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS OVERVIEW ------ PERMIT REQUIREMENTS Firms Shall furnish evidence that, of the personnel that will be assigned to this project, at least two or more persons are listed as authorized for work in San Luis Obispo, California on a current copy of all the following permits: 1. USFWS Threatened and Endangered Species Permit that authorizes for monitoring and banding of WSP birds (chicks, juveniles, adults), floating of WSP eggs, monitoring of CLT, and banding of CLT chicks. 2. USGS Bird Banding Laboratory Federal Banding Permit to band WSP and CLT chicks, as well as WSP adults. 3. USGS, Bird Banding Laboratory Federal Banding Permit, Auxiliary Banding Authorization for color banding of CLT and WSP. 4. CDFW Memorandum of Understanding/Letter Permit for banding of CLT or the equivalent CDFW authorization for banding of CLT. 5. CDFW Scientific Collection Permits for all required handling and banding of WSP and CLT. NOTE: CLT and WSP nest in the same geographical area. Therefore, banding personnel must be listed on a USFWS Threatened and Endangered Species Permit for both CLT and WSP to enter nesting areas. Individuals with USFWS permits for either CLT or WSP, but NOT both species may not be able to complete the required work under this contract. EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS Minimum of the following: 1. Three (3) years of independent experience capturing and banding of WSP adults, wild hatched WSP chicks, and wild hatched CLT chicks, with a minimum average of 30 and 50 CLT and WSP chick individuals, respectively, banded per year. 2. Three (3) years independent experience floating WSP eggs, with a minimum average of 15 eggs floated per year. 3. Five (5) years experience monitoring of WSP and CLT individuals, broods, and fledglings. 4. Three (3) years experience preparing detailed biological reports. REFERENCE REQUIREMENTS Reference information must include: names, titles, addresses, and contact phone numbers for a minimum of three (3) firms that can attest to the skills and abilities of the proposing entity to conduct the work identified in this RFP, specifically, WSP or CLT banding and monitoring projects that the proposer has completed for similar clients. Contractor shall describe the goal of each project; approximate number of WSP and CLT banded and WSP eggs floated for project, and final cost of project NOTE: A reference form is included in the "required documents section" to return with submitted proposals. ----- KEY ACTION DATES ----- Question Submittal Deadline: 09/28/2026 at 2:00pm Answers to Questions: 09/29/2026 Proposal Submission Deadline: 10/07/2026 at 2:00pm Proposal Intent to Award: 10/14/2026 Proposal Award: 10/21/2026 Note: This RFP will not include a public opening of proposals, as RFP's using the secondary award method is not subject to publicly opened bids. ----- PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS ----- Proposals shall detail a work plan and schedule for task completion, which includes: 1. Identification of each task and/or specific milestones to be accomplished to implement and fulfill the project. 2. Discussion of each of the activities conducted to achieve the scope and objectives as defined and identified in the Purpose and Description of Services including the following: - Description of methods to ensure sufficient band combinations will be provided to band ODSVRA WSP chicks to brood and all CLT chicks to individual during the 2027, 2028, and 2029 breeding seasons. - Description of methods to ensure personnel will be available for all hatches to band WSP chicks within 12 hours and CLT chicks within 48 hours of hatching. - Description of work plan and ability of contractor to be available for floating of WSP eggs, assisting with monitoring of WSP and CLT, tracking predator activity, and other tasks described in Purpose and Description of Services, Section C. 3. Description of staff levels, schedules, and primary responsibilities of on-site staff. 4. Description of Project Personnel- including furnishing of required permits of proposed project staff, in-house production capacity, experience as it relates to minimum qualifications, and project management experience. COST DETAIL FORMAT: The proposed work should be broken down into the outline in Work Plan and Work Schedule for the purpose of this proposal. Use the Sample Cost Proposal Worksheet in the Proposal Documents as a guide in preparing your cost proposal. [An optional cost detail excel template is available for download.] ----- RFP QUESTIONS ----- Questions from potential proposers may submit questions related to the RFP to od.billing@parks.ca.gov. All questions must be submitted by September 28, 2026, at 2pm. Answers to questions will be posted on the RFP event page by September 29, 2026. ----- INSTRUCTIONS TO SUBMIT PROPOSALS ------ Proposals should provide straightforward and concise descriptions of the proposer's ability to satisfy the requirements of this RFP. The proposal must be complete and accurate. Omissions, inaccuracies or misstatements may be cause for rejection of a proposal. All proposals must be submitted electronically via email as an attachment in Portable Document Format (PDF) to od.billing@parks.ca.gov by dates and times shown in Key Action Dates. Proposals received after this date and time will not be considered. Proposers are responsible for ensuring that the electronic submission contains the attachment(s), is fully responsive and lacks any deficiency prior to submitting to the email address above. Failure by the proposer to submit bids as directed risks their proposal being deemed unresponsive and rejected. Proposers are advised to submit their proposals at least an hour in advance of the bid submission deadline to allow for confirmation of bid submission. All proposals shall include the documents identified in "Proposal Checklist", the required attachment checklist. Proposals not including the proper ¿required attachments" shall be deemed non- responsive. A non-responsive proposal is one that does not meet the basic proposal requirements. ----- PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS ----- Proposal Evaluation Process: The proposals that meet the minimum qualifications will be evaluated and scored according to the criteria indicated below. A minimum of (70) points must be achieved in this phase to be considered responsive. Proposal quality and work plan maximum of 35 points, experience and technical merit maximum of 35 points, and project costs, maximum of 30 points. **The RFP packet includes the evaluation criteria and scoring rubric that reviewers will use when evaluating proposals and references. *** ----- AWARD AND PROTEST ------ Notice of the proposed award shall be posted in a public place in the Oceano Dunes District Office of the Department of Parks and Recreation located at 340 James Way, Suite 270, Pismo Beach, CA 93449 for five (5) working days prior to awarding the agreement.