Snowy Plover Monitoring FY12

The USDA Forest Service, Siuslaw National Forest, has awarded a sole source contract to the Oregon Biodiversity Information Center (ORBIC) through Portland State University for monitoring the Western Snowy Plover along the Siuslaw National Forest beaches. This contract covers activities including data collection on the species’ distribution, nesting and fledging success, federal banding, habitat use patterns, and nest protection. ORBIC is uniquely qualified as the only Master Banders licensed and certified in Oregon by the US Fish and Wildlife Service to band these birds, fulfilling federal requirements under the Endangered Species Act. The contract mandates that all data collection is consistent with standards from previous data collected since 1990, and ORBIC will provide weekly updates to the Forest Service, following guidance on locations and timing of the monitoring activities. The contract has a performance period running from April 1, 2012, through June 30, 2013, under award number AG-04T0-P-12-0016, and is aligned with NAICS code 115310. The action was justified under federal acquisition regulations as a sole source contract due to the unique qualifications of ORBIC and the lack of alternative suppliers capable of meeting the agency’s needs. The point of contact for the contract includes the Contracting Officer, Beth Snyder, and Procurement Technician, Holly K. Hanson, both based in Corvallis, Oregon. This effort supports the ongoing conservation and recovery efforts for the Western Snowy Plover species on federally managed beaches.