Mapping Invasive Species with Unmanned Aircraft Systems Based Remote Sensing at Naval Support Activity Crane, Crane, Indiana

May 31, 2022

Request for Statements of Interest

Responses to this Request for Statements of Interest (RSOI) will be used to identify potential Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) partners for a project to (1) evaluate the viability and success of using UAS, advanced sensors and large data sets to identify, map, and quantify invasive plant species on a landscape scale and (2) develop protocols and remote sensing packages for streamlined invasive species monitoring at NSA Crane. The Department of the Navy (DoN) will fund this study to provide professional and technical support for the forest management program at Naval Support Activity (NSA) Crane located in Crane Indiana. It is NSA Crane’s mission to provide shore support to fleet, fighter, and family to enable Commanders to focus on their mission. To accomplish this mission, NSA Crane must maintain a functional ecosystem consistent with stewardship and legal requirements outlined in the Installation Natural Resource Management Plan (INRMP).

Background:

NSA Crane is located within Martin, Greene, and Lawrence Counties, in southwest Indiana. The installation is approximately 25 miles southwest of Bloomington, Indiana, 71 miles southwest of Indianapolis, Indiana, and 75 miles northwest of Louisville, Kentucky. NSA Crane is a 62,467 acre (97.6 square miles) contiguous block of land, except for 461 acres at the Glendora Test Facility in Sullivan County. The installation is bordered primarily by rural farmland and forest. Approximately 83 percent (51,578 acres) of the installation is classified as Central Hardwoods Forest consisting primarily of oak-hickory and mixed hardwoods.

Invasive plants have the potential to affect the federally threatened Indiana bat (Myotis sodalist) as well as several state flora and fauna species listed by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (INDNR) as endangered, rare, or species of concern. The conservation of these rare species is another important component of the INRMP. As part of the installation INRMP, NSA Crane has committed to working with the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and INDNR to preserve habitat for listed species on the installation which includes management of invasive species.

NSA Crane is dedicated to the prevention and control of invasive species per Executive Order 13112. At this time, NSA Crane has a limited amount of resources that can be allocated to mapping and control of invasive plants. Current mapping methods employed to manage invasive species at the installation include on-the-ground surveys which are labor intensive. Effective early detection and intervention is desired but limited due to lack of detailed mapping. Use of Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) technology has the potential to increase the effectiveness of invasive species mapping and control efforts.

Study Objectives:

Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) plans to (1) evaluate the viability and success of using UAS, advanced sensors and large data sets to identify, map, and quantify three problematic invasive species: ornamental pear (Pyrus calleryana), autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellate), and Tree-of-heaven (Ailantus altissima) plants on a landscape scale and (2) develop protocols and remote sensing packages for streamlined invasive species monitoring at NSA Crane.

Study Overview:

Base Award: 2022-2023

The Cooperator will develop protocols and learning models to identify and map invasive ornamental pear (Pyrus calleryana) using UAS remote sensing platforms. In addition, protocols and learning models should include the ability to collect basic data about the target species to include tree height (sub-foot accuracy) and diameter (sub-inch accuracy) using UAS remote sensing. The Cooperator will utilize an existing platform or design a customized platform (UAS and sensors) that allows the fusion of multi-temporal high spatial resolution images and 3D LiDAR data to evaluate UAS applications useful in the mapping of ornamental pear. The Cooperator will test and calibrate the protocols, learning models, and UAS in the field to evaluate efficacy. The Cooperator will include ground based survey(s) and/or test plots to provide a quantitative comparison between traditional survey methods and UAS remote sensing.

At the end of the base year, the Cooperator will provide a digital summary report describing the actions completed and the data collected. At a minimum the report will include a description of the work completed and a summary of results. The report will include a table of contents, purpose/objectives, study plot description, describe methods, provide the results and any analysis, make recommendations for follow-on work, and list literature cited, and provide any references. GPS location data will be depicted on maps/figures and the Geographic Information System (GIS) shapefile data provided to installation staff.

Option Year 1: 2023-2024

Refine and improve the developed protocols and learning models on ornamental pear with collection of second growing season data using UAS. In addition, the Cooperator will develop protocols and learning models to identify and map invasive autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellate) and Tree-of-heaven (Ailantus altissima) species using UAS remote sensing platforms. Protocols and learning models should include the ability to collect basic data about the target species to include tree height (sub-foot accuracy) and diameter (sub-inch accuracy) using UAS remote sensing. The Cooperator will utilize an existing platform or design a customized platform (UAS and sensors) that allows the fusion of multi-temporal high spatial resolution images and 3D LiDAR data to evaluate UAS applications useful in the mapping of both autumn olive and Tree-of-heaven. The Cooperator will test and calibrate the protocols, learning models, and UAS in the field to evaluate efficacy. The Cooperator will include ground based survey(s) and/or test plots to provide a quantitative comparison between traditional survey methods and UAS remote sensing.

At the end of the option year, the Cooperator will provide a digital summary report describing the actions completed and the data collected. At a minimum the report will include a description of the work completed and a summary of results. The report will include a table of contents, purpose/objectives, study plot description, describe methods, provide the results and any analysis, make recommendations for follow-on work, and list literature cited, and provide any references. GPS location data will be depicted on maps/figures and the Geographic Information System (GIS) shapefile data provided to installation staff.

Option Year 2: 2024-2025

Using developed protocols and learning models, the Cooperator will utilize UAS to conduct surveys for all three target species (ornamental pear, Tree-of-heaven, and autumn olive) on at least three timber stands identified by NSA Crane Foresters that are scheduled for harvest. The total area to be surveyed will be approximately 150-acres.

At the end of the option year 2, the Cooperator will provide a digital summary report describing the actions completed and the data collected. At a minimum the report will include a description of the work completed and a summary of results. The report will include a table of contents, purpose/objectives, study plot description, describe methods, provide the results and any analysis, make recommendations for follow-on work, and list literature cited, and provide any references. GPS location data will be depicted on maps/figures and the Geographic Information System (GIS) shapefile data provided to installation staff.

Option Year 3: 2025-2026

The Cooperator will use the protocols and learning models developed at the stand level to test the feasibility of landscape level mapping of ornamental pear. The landscape level data collected should supplement NSA Crane’s ornamental pear invasion map. The total area to be surveyed will be approximately 300 acres.

In addition, the Cooperator will conduct stand level surveys to determine the establishment, speed of dispersal, extent and abundance of ornamental pear after disturbance (recent timber harvest). The total area to be surveyed will be approximately 100 acres.

At the end of the option year 3, the Cooperator will provide a digital summary report describing the actions completed and the data collected. At a minimum the report will include a table of contents, purpose/objectives, study plot description, describe methods, provide the results and any analysis, make recommendations for follow-on work, list literature cited, and provide any references. GPS location data will be depicted on maps/figures and the Geographic Information System (GIS) shapefile data provided to installation staff.

Option Year 4: 2026-2027

The Cooperator will use landscape level mapping to survey ornamental pear in areas of low occurrence to provide a detailed distribution of the target species that may be used to facilitate early detection and rapid response. The total area to be surveyed will be approximately 150 acres.

In addition the Cooperator will conduct stand level surveys to determine the establishment, speed of dispersal, extent, and abundance of ornamental pear two years after a disturbance (timber harvest). The total area to be surveyed will be approximately 100 acres.

At the end of the option year 4, the Cooperator will provide a digital summary report describing the actions completed and the data collected. At a minimum the report will include a description of the work completed and a summary of results. The report will include a table of contents, purpose/objectives, study plot description, describe methods, provide the results and any analysis, make recommendations for follow-on work, and list literature cited, and provide any references. GPS location data will be depicted on maps/figures and the Geographic Information System (GIS) shapefile data provided to installation staff.

Deliverables

  • At the end of the base year award and option years 1-4, the Cooperator will provide a digital summary report, which will include at a minimum: description of the work completed and a summary of results.
  • The Cooperator will prepare a technical summary of invasive survey protocols, UAS platforms and sensor recommendations, and invasive mapping and measuring workflows that can be used by installation foresters and other installations.
  • The Cooperator will prepare a technical fact sheet that will be used by installation foresters and distributed to local forestry offices and landowners to promote the use of UAS in invasive mapping.

Substantial Government Participation

  • The Navy will coordinate base access for Cooperating partner and delivery vendors.
  • NSA Crane foresters will assist the Cooperators with study site selection, participation in study design, assist with surveys, and review Cooperator Reports.
  • NSA Crane will provide existing ground survey data for known invasive plant locations and other related field data.
  • The Navy will coordinate with the Cooperator to request/obtain permission to fly UAS within NSA Crane.
  • NSA Crane foresters will mark and manage all timber harvests.

Period of Performance:

The period of performance covered by this Agreement is for one year beginning the date this Agreement is awarded. The Government may award up to four additional option years by modification to the Agreement unless terminated by written notification from either Party. The total duration of the Agreement, including award of any option years, shall not exceed 5-years.

  • Base Award: 2022-2023 (Funding FY 2022)
  • Option Year 1: 2023-2024 (Funding FY 2023)
  • Option Year 2: 2024-2025 (Funding FY 2024)
  • Option Year 3: 2025-2026 (Funding FY 2025)
  • Option Year 4: 2026-2027 (Funding FY 2026)

The Government may, at its sole discretion, exercise the option years to renew the services set forth in this Agreement. Any requirement for the payment or obligation of funds, under the terms of this Agreement, shall be subject to the availability of appropriated funds, and no provision herein shall be interpreted to require obligation or payment of funds in violation of the Anti-Deficiency Act, 31 USC §1341 et seq. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed as implying that Congress will, at a later time, appropriate funds sufficient to meet deficiencies.

Materials Requested for Statement of Interest/Qualifications:

Please provide the following via e-mail attachment to: Kimberly Kahler (MIDLANT GRANTS OFFICER) (Maximum length: 7 pages, single-spaced 12 pt. font)

  1. Name, CESU affiliation and contact information
  2. Statement of credentials/qualifications of key personnel
  3. Project proposal to include timelines, roles and responsibilities of personnel, specific tasks to be conducted, and deliverables. Please be as specific as possible.
  4. Cost estimate of the proposed work to include labor, materials and travel. (Note: labor shall include labor category, hourly labor rate, and number of hours; materials shall include an itemized breakdown of material, quantity, and unit cost; and travel shall include number of persons traveling, estimated airfare or privately owned vehicle mileage, estimated rental car, and estimated lodging.)
  5. Narrative of safety practices/procedures.

Review of Statements Received:

Proposals will be evaluated based on the four factors listed below. Evaluation factors are co-equal to each other.

Factor 1 - Credentials of Key Personnel

Project Manager. This individual must have:

  • a PhD in Forestry, Ecology, or a related science discipline with advanced, professional training in UAS remote sensing and GIS technologies; and
  • a minimum of 5 years’ experience in a responsible position providing oversight of, support to, or directly involved in the study of UAS systems and their use in remote forestry applications; and
  • experience within the last 3 years with forest management practices within the Western Mesophytic sub-region of the Central Hardwoods Forest Region; and
  • leverage to multidisciplinary expertise in drone technology, sensors, large data sets, and computer processing to complete the project.

Technical Staff. These individuals must have:

  • a minimum of a Bachelor of Science in Forestry or related science discipline with training in remote sensing and GIS technology; and
  • a minimum of 1 year experience in a responsible position providing oversight of, support to, or directly involved with UAS systems and technology.

The Offeror shall include a brief Statement of Qualifications (including):

  1. Biographical Sketch,
  2. Relevant past projects and clients with brief descriptions of these projects,
  3. Staff, faculty or students available to work on this project and their areas of expertise,
  4. Any brief description of capabilities to successfully complete the project you may wish to add (e.g. equipment, laboratory facilities, field facilities, etc.).

Factor 2 – Scientific Approach

The Offeror shall develop a proposal addressing the proposed management actions on NSA Crane. The Offeror shall discuss their proposed approach and techniques to accomplish the objectives. Offeror’s proposals will be evaluated by a team of technical and contracting personnel from NAVFAC Midlant and NSA Crane. Proposals will be evaluated based on the use of standardized methods and established UAS practices, use of multidisciplinary technology (including digital technology, advanced sensors, large data sets, and computer technology) and/or the soundness of the overall approach to accomplish the anticipated work’s stated objectives.

Factor 3 – Reasonableness of Cost

The Offeror’s proposals shall be analyzed to determine whether they are balanced with respect to prices or separately priced items, and for fair and reasonable pricing. Evaluations will include an analysis to determine the Offeror’s comprehension of the requirements of the solicitation as well as to assess the validity of the Offeror’s approach.

Factor 4 – Technical Approach to Safety

The Offeror shall provide a narrative of describing how safety practices/procedures will be implemented to complete the proposed work. Proposals shall be analyzed to determine how the Offeror will implement safety practices/procedures and determine the degree to which innovations are being proposed that may enhance safety on this procurement. The Government is seeking to determine that the Offeror has demonstrated a commitment to safety and that the Offeror plans to properly manage and implement safety procedures for itself.

Please send responses or direct questions to:

Kimberly Kahler
Chief of the Contracting Office, NAVFAC MIDLANT
Phone: 757-341-0074
Email: [email protected]

Timeline for Review of Statements of Interest:

This Request for Statements of Interest will remain open until an investigator team is selected.

 

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