Description
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking a qualified contractor to conduct comprehensive, year‑long biological monitoring of three threatened/endangered bird species (California Least Tern, Western Snowy Plover, Gull‑billed Tern) at Tijuana Slough and San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuges. The effort includes nest discovery, GPS mapping, weekly pair‑counts, banding, measurement of chicks, predation reporting, and two written reports (weekly briefings and a final data‑rich report due Oct 30 each year). The contract is a small‑business set‑aside, firm‑fixed‑price order with a base period of roughly one year (10/01/2026‑09/30/2027) and up to four one‑year options. The contractor must hold all required federal and state permits, possess a scientific‑take permit, and have a qualified ornithologist with at least five years of independent monitoring experience.
• Scope: Field monitoring, data collection, GPS nest mapping, banding, weekly and final reporting.
• Location: Tijuana Slough NWR and San Diego Bay NWR, San Diego County, CA.
• Period of Performance: 10/01/2026 – 09/30/2027 (base year) with up to four optional years.
• Deliverables: Weekly two‑page status briefs; final comprehensive data package by Oct 30.
• Mandatory qualifications: Federal scientific‑take permits, bird‑banding permit, National Wildlife Refuge Special‑Use Permit, and a lead ornithologist with ≥5 years relevant experience.
• Award: Small‑business set‑aside, firm‑fixed‑price; anticipated award 09/14/2026; submission due 09/04/2026.