B--LARGE RIVER MONITORING METHODS REVIEW

Amendment / Modification

This amendment serves to post questions received from the public and the answers provided by the Bureau of Land Management's technical teams. Please refer to the attached document for detailed information.

• The due date and time for quote submissions has been changed.

• The deadline for quote submissions has been extended from May 11, 2026, at 1700 AD to May 18, 2026, at 1700 AD.

• Offerors are reminded to follow the instructions on the Standard Form 30 and the original solicitation when submitting their quotes.

• The period of performance remains from June 1, 2026, to October 2, 2026.

Questions & Answers / Clarifications

This document provides responses to vendor questions regarding the solicitation 140L6326Q0009, Amendment 0002.

• Non-Wadeable Monitoring Protocol: BLM currently does not have an existing national protocol for non-wadeable monitoring. They are developing one based on the Lotic AIM framework, which uses probabilistic sampling. This new protocol will adapt measurement approaches for largeriver environments (e.g., boat-based surveys, sonar, LiDAR, drone imagery) while maintaining core indicators and consistency with the AIM strategy's five core components (Structured implementation, Standardized field measurements, Appropriate sample designs, Data management and stewardship, Integration with remote sensing).
• Proposal Evaluation: The award will be made to the responsible offeror whose offer is most advantageous to the Government, considering price and other factors. The evaluation process involves verifying compliance with solicitation and amendment instructions, and a technical advisor will review quotes for technical acceptability. No trade-off processes have been prescribed.

This Q&A document clarifies the approach to developing a non-wadeable monitoring protocol and the evaluation criteria for proposals, which bidders should consider when preparing their submissions.

Amendment / Modification

This amendment (0001) to solicitation 140L6326Q0009 is effective 05/01/2026. Its purpose is to post questions received from the public and the answers provided by the Bureau of Land Management's technical teams. Specific details are available in an attached document.

• The amendment provides clarifications to the solicitation.

• The period of performance has been updated to 06/01/2026 to 10/02/2026.

• Bidders are instructed to follow the instructions on Standard Form 30 for acknowledging receipt of this amendment.

Questions & Answers / Clarifications

This document provides responses to vendor questions regarding a requirement, clarifying aspects of the solicitation and Statement of Work (SOW).

• Prior Awards: BLM Alaska has not previously awarded this requirement, and no prior deliverables are available.
• Scope of Work: Field work is not required. The scope is not strictly limited to a desktop review; contractors should use professional judgment to meet the SOW's intent.
• Literature Sources: BLM does not specify required literature sources. Referenced materials in the SOW are for context; contractors should use all relevant scientific and technical sources.
• Report Format: BLM will provide formatting guidance upon award. Contractors must follow federal accessibility requirements and BLM reporting standards.
• Comment Turnaround: BLM anticipates providing comments on draft deliverables within 10 business days.
• Presentation Attendance: Attendance for final presentations may vary; no minimum or maximum number of participants is established. Microsoft Teams and Zoom are common platforms.
• Incumbent: There is no incumbent contractor for this requirement.
• Timeline Extension: An extension to the period of performance timeline cannot be accommodated.
• Budget: BLM has an estimated cost or budget for the services requested.

This Q&A document clarifies the scope, deliverables, and administrative aspects of the requirement. It confirms that no timeline extensions are possible and that BLM has a budget. Bidders should incorporate these clarifications into their proposals.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a U.S. Department of Labor Wage Determination (No. 2015-5681, Revision No. 25) for the Service Contract Act. It lists prevailing wage rates and fringe benefits for various occupations in the Alaska Boroughs of Anchorage and Matanuska-Susit.

• Lists occupational codes and titles.
• Provides the minimum hourly wage rate for each occupation.
• Indicates that fringe benefits are required and follow the occupational listing.
• Includes specific notes regarding Executive Orders 13706 (Paid Sick Leave) and 13658 (minimum wage adjustments).
• Details health and welfare benefits, including specific rates for regular and EO 13706.
• Outlines vacation and holiday policies.
• Provides guidance on the conformance process for unlisted classifications.

This document is crucial for bidders to understand the minimum wage and benefit requirements for service contract employees working in the specified geographic area. It directly impacts labor cost estimations for proposals and ensures compliance with federal labor laws. Bidders must ensure their proposed wages and benefits meet or exceed these determinations for all covered service employees.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This solicitation is for a large river monitoring review to be conducted by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Alaska. The objective is to review methods related to Product/Service Code B516, specifically "SPECIAL STUDIES/ANALYSIS- ANIMAL/FISHERIES".

• Conduct a review of methods for large river monitoring.

• The review pertains to animal and fisheries analysis.

• The anticipated contract type is a firm-fixed-price contract.

• The Government anticipates a single award, but may award multiple contracts if more advantageous.

• Period of Performance: June 1, 2026, to October 2, 2026.

• Delivery Date: October 2, 2026.

• Offers must be submitted electronically via email to the Contracting Officer (laura.sherman@ios.doi.gov) by the specified due date and time.

• Quotes should be limited to 40 pages or under.

• Include UEI or CAGE Code with the quote.

• Questions are due no later than May 7, 2026, at noon Alaska Daylight Savings Time.

• The offer due date is May 11, 2026, at 1700 Alaska Daylight Time.

• Evaluation will be based on technical acceptability and price.

• The Government intends to award without discussions.

• This acquisition is set aside 100.00% for Small Business.

• The contract will be awarded to a registered/certified small business concern using FAR Part 12.201-1, Simplified Procedures.

• Monitor SAM.gov for solicitation amendments.

• Standard Form (SF) 1449 is the primary document for this solicitation.

• FAR clauses 52.212-1, 52.212-3, and 52.212-5 are incorporated by reference or attached.

Statement of Work (SOW) / Performance Work Statement (PWS)

The primary goal is to develop a national protocol for monitoring the condition and trends of non-wadeable streams and rivers, addressing a gap in current Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring (AIM) Strategy protocols. The project aims to propose scalable metrics and methods for a national non-wadeable stream monitoring program.

The contractor will conduct a comprehensive technical review of existing literature (peer-reviewed, agency white papers, gray literature) related to monitoring methods for non-wadeable streams. This review will focus on biotic and abiotic habitat conditions, including:

• Geomorphology (bed material, bank stability)

• Streamflow and depth variability

• Water quality

• Macroinvertebrates

• Riparian vegetation The review should identify successful methods and technologies, group them logically (e.g., remotely sensed, image analysis, field observation), and capture attributes such as geographic application, major findings, and links to resource management (e.g., status and trends monitoring). The contractor should also consider advancements like SONAR, LiDAR, computer vision, and remote sensing data products.

• A complete bibliography with hyperlinks to cited works.

• A draft report summarizing the literature, grouping methods, recommending metrics, and identifying research gaps.

• A final report incorporating BLM feedback and edits, adhering to BLM reporting standards.

• A presentation of findings to the BLM Aquatics Program Office.

Contractors are encouraged to review the BLM AIM program and its existing wadeable lotic systems protocol. The review should consider the feasibility of methods across vast landscapes (national extent) and their relevance to resource management questions. The final reports must meet BLM reporting standards.