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Please respond with your corporate capabilities and any other relevant information that would allow USDA to determine your ability to perform the following type of requirement.
C.1.1 Background - (Introduction)
The objective of the project is to produce estimates of pollination service response to land use changes associated with implementation of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and in particular CRP pollinator habitat practice. The project will provide a methodology the Farm Service Agency (FSA) can use to annually assess CRP effects on pollination services. While the change in overall pollination services generated is of greatest interest, separate estimates of services provided by native and non- native pollinator species is also desired. A fundamental question is "How do pollinator populations and pollinator services (i.e., their contribution to agricultural productivity) respond to CRP pollinator habitat and other CRP practices?" What portion of landscape area needs to be placed in CRP and CRP pollinator habitat to improve pollination services? Estimates of changing pollination services on agricultural productivity will increase the competiveness of a proposal.
Under the CRP, environmentally sensitive cropland is being retired to conserving uses such as introduced and native grasses, trees, restored wetlands, riparian buffers, and grass filters. These covers provide multiple benefits including the creation of habitats for a wide set of wildlife species, including pollinators. In 2010 FSA working with Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) developed a CRP conservation practice using a seed mix to create improved habitat for pollinator species.
While the Secretary is required by statute to "ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, the completeness and relevance of the standards to local agricultural, forestry, and natural resource needs, including ... native and managed pollinators..." no examination of the effect of CRP practices on pollinators and pollinator services has been conducted to date. To comply with the 2008 Farm Bill and to develop CRP pollinator performance measures as required by the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA), FSA needs to assess the response of pollinator services to establishment of CRP habitats. Accordingly, FSA seeks monitoring, analysis, and documentation (MAD) of CRP pollinator habitat and other CRP practices on pollinator populations and services.
C.1.2 Objectives
To answer the questions "What portion of landscape area needs to be placed in CRP and CRP pollinator habitat to improve pollination services?", and "How does CRP pollinator seed mixes change pollination services on a landscape?" the objectives of the project are as follows:
• To increase understanding of the relationship between pollinator populations and pollination services and land-use change and other factors.
• To quantify the relationship between the extent and amount of CRP on the landscape and pollinator populations and the services they confer.
• To develop a means by which FSA can readily assess CRP effects on pollinator populations and services as needed.
The estimates of pollinator response will be used to meet the GPRA requirements that programs set measurable goals and measure progress in meeting those goals. Further, results will be used for communication with the public and decision and policy-makers concerning CRP benefits and refinement of program priorities.
C.1.3 Scope of Work
The contractor(s) shall develop a model to quantify the relationship between the extent and type of CRP on the landscape and pollinator populations and the services they confer. Relevant CRP grassland and tree practices include CP1, CP2, CP3, CP4, CP10, CP11, CP12, CP21, CP22, CP42 , and the CRP pollinator habitat cover established in 2010. (Conservation practices are defined below in C.2.) If a statistically significant relationship between CRP covers and pollinator services cannot be established and the change in services quantified, the use of an ordinal scale is minimally sufficient.
The geographic scope of the project(s) is at a minimum state level, but those proposals covering multi-state or regional effects of CRP pollinator habitat will be given greater consideration. The contractor shall make use of relevant available data, as well as collect field observations following accepted sampling protocols. Potentially useful available data include the USDA National Resources Inventory (NRI) data, CRP contract data, and common land unit data. Field sampling of pollinator species and initiation of new field studies is within the scope of this project and required.
Contractor(s) will develop and apply landscape models and other tools to determine pollinator population and pollination service responses to CRP conservation including specifically the CRP pollinator habitat practice. Models should seek to address the portion of landscape area placed in CRP and CRP pollinator habitat and relate it to pollination services provided.
C.1.4 Quality Assurance
The contractor will document model development, use of data, and statistical results. FSA must be able to replicate results from the model provided and data used. Data collection, aggregation, and analysis will follow accepted statistical and analytical methods. The report will be clear and concise, fully documenting and supporting the use of the model and the model results.
C.2 Definitions
CRP Landscapes without pollinator habitat practices - Center point will be land enrolled in a CRP contract that does not have a pollinator habitat practice. These practices include CP1, CP3, CP4, CP10, CP11, CP12, CP21, or CP22 established in any year, and CP2 established prior to 2010 or CP2 in 2010 not using an approved pollinator seed mix. These CRP without pollinator habitat practices landscapes will not have pollinator habitat practices within a 2 mile radius, but can include agricultural land.
Landscapes with CRP pollinator habitat practices - Center point will be at a CP2 established in 2010 or after using an approved pollinator seed mix, or CRP land using CP42. These landscapes can include CRP without pollinator habitat practices and agricultural landscapes
Cropland landscapes - Center point will be at a land planted to crops including: corn, soybeans, wheat and other commodities. These cropland landscapes will not include any CRP lands within a 2 mile radius.
Conservation Practice definitions
CP1 - Establishment of Introduced Grasses and Legumes
CP2 - Establishment of Native Grasses
CP3 - Tree Planting, includes both CP3 and CP 3A
CP4 - Wildlife Habitat, includes both CP4A, CP4B, and CP4D
CP10 - Existing Grass
CP11 - Existing Trees
CP12 - Wildlife Food Plots
CP21 - Grass Filters
CP22 - Riparian Buffers
CP42 - Pollinator Habitat
C.3 Requirements/Tasks
The contractor(s) shall develop a model to quantify the relationship between pollinator populations and the services they confer and landscape cover. Specifically the models will estimate how the extent and type of CRP (with or without pollinator habitat) and cropland within the landscape affect pollinator populations and services. The model estimates must include measures of statistical reliability.
If a statistically significant relationship between CRP covers and pollinator services cannot be established and the change in services quantified, the use of an ordinal scale is minimally sufficient.
In order to estimate this model(s), the contractor shall make use of relevant available data, as well as collect field observations following accepted sampling protocol. Potentially useful available data include the USDA National Resources Inventory (NRI) data, CRP contract data, and common land unit data.
The methods used to collect field data will include at a minimum the following protocols:
- Honey Bees will be used to assess differences in the habitat quality for pollinators. This can be accomplished by partnering with local bee keepers who have or can place colonies on the landscapes being examined. At a minimum these will include landscapes with CRP pollinator habitat practices, landscapes with CRP without pollinator habitat practices, and agricultural landscapes. Care will be taken not to exceed the number of colonies that can be supported in the study region. Local bee keepers will have experience that will assure the site isn't saturated by hives. Hives from each site are to be sub-sampled randomly.
- The study will estimate pollen availability (and diversity) among landscape types. This can be done by installing a commercial pollen trap on a minimum of 2 hives to sample the incoming pollen of the honeybee hive. Once installed the traps can be opened and closed to collect pollen from honey bees returning to the hives. The traps will permit estimation of the pollen weight brought to the hives in different locations as a function of time. The pollen diversity can be estimated by looking at the variety of colors present. Traps also permit analysis of the pesticides present in the pollen.
- The study will use 3 hive scales per bee yard that are electronically monitored 24/7 and download data from these scales. These scales will allow monitoring of variations in phenology, specifically when the flowers produce nectar. This data will permit comparisons to hive scale data from other sites across the country to see how CRP covers fit within seasonal pattern norms.
- Sample native bees using tube traps (see in slide), pan traps (also in slide; basically a little water and soap that attracts bees to where they drown), sweep nets, or other accepted methods. Each specimen needs to be individually packaged to keep pollens attached to a particular species and avoid cross-contamination with pollens collected from different species. The objective is to establish which flower species each unique bee species forages upon.
- Sample flowers that are actively blooming. These should be packaged by species to avoid mixing pollens from different specie. Flower samples will be sent to USGS for analysis and to establish a reference collection of important pollens (plants) for pollinators.
- Studies shall define land use in each of the land use polygons within a 2 mile radius (the approximate flight range of a honey bee) of each bee yard. Land uses of interest include: cropland planted to each commodity, fallow cropland, CRP (with and without pollinator habitat), orchards, alfalfa, farm sheds, grasslands woodland, and major roadways, pasture and rangeland, and water.
The common protocol will permit data collected at separate sites to be compared and where appropriate aggregated.
The contractor shall provide the model in a stand-alone tool or application suitable for FSA use. This tool must allow FSA to readily estimate as needed the impact on pollinator populations and services of changes in the extent and type of CRP, along with other factors, on the landscape. The model's output must be scalable so as to inform policy development at the national level.
The model parameter estimates must include a measure of statistical reliability.
Contractor will estimate population response of pollinators and pollinations services to land use changes and habitat development associated with the CRP particularly the pollinator habitat practice. These estimates must include a measure of statistical reliability.
The final report will include a comprehensive description of the data and the methods used in developing the model, and a comprehensive description of the field methods used and the data collected.
The timeframe for the project is two years from the signing of the contract. Proposals will provide dates when preliminary estimates of pollinator populations and pollination services response(s) will be available. If multiple contractors are selected to address separate species or regions, these contractors will coordinate with one another to provide consistent, comparable methodologies.
C.3.2 Deliverables
The contractor will provide 10 paper copies and an electronic copy (in Microsoft Word 2007) of the final report. Databases developed will be provided in Microsoft Excel or Access (2007 version).
Contractor will provide quarterly reports detailing progress in delivering literature review, field work, vegetative and pollinator sampling, and modeling efforts. These reports will relate back to the timetable in the proposal.
The report will include:
• A literature review comparing the data and model to precedents and alternatives in the literature;
• A comprehensive description of the field methods used and the data collected;
• A dataset that includes all field and other data collected;
• Description of the data and methods used to develop the model. The description will be sufficient to enable FSA to replicate the model;
• Discussion of use of model beyond study area;
• Assessment of the model's fit to data using accepted statistical and/or validation procedures;
• Analysis of how pollinator populations and pollination services vary between landscapes with cropland, CRP with pollinator habitat, and CRP without pollinator habitat. The analysis will include estimates of the impact of CRP in the study area on pollinator populations and pollinator services;
• Assessment of factors observed to affect pollinator populations and pollination services (e.g., water availability, land use, weather variables);
• The pollinator tool, itself, and documentation for its appropriate use;
Contractor will be expected to provide quarterly reports detailing data base development, model development, and providing preliminary results when available. Each report will identify any barriers to timely completion of project.
Quarterly Progress Reports shall be delivered within 10 business days after the end of the quarter.
Final Report shall be delivered within 10 business days after the end of the study.
Delivery will be made to:
Skip Hyberg
Economic Policy Analysis Staff
Farm Service Agency
1400 Independence Ave, NW
Room 3720, Mail Stop 0519
Washington, DC 20250
202-720-9222
[email protected]
C.3.3 Deliverable Schedule
The timeframe for the project is two years from the signing of the contract. Proposals will provide dates when preliminary estimates of pollinator populations, pollination services response(s) will be available, and expected progress by quarter in delivering literature review, field work, vegetative and pollinator sampling, and model development. If multiple contractors are selected to address separate species or regions, these contractors will coordinate with one another to provide consistent, comparable methodologies.
The final report will be delivered no later than 24 months after the contract is signed.
Progress reports will be made on a quarterly basis.
C.4 Government Furnished Property
FSA will provide county level summaries of contract data including acres and age of annual CRP enrollments by conservation practice, and common land unit data. Conservation covers include CP1, CP2, CP3, CP4, CP10, CP11, CP12, CP21, or CP22, CP42.
FSA will if available provide geographic locations of specific CRP contracts with conservation practice data.
FSA will assist contractor in contacting landowner with land enrolled in CRP to request access to carry out the pollinator assessments. FSA will contact landowners with both CRP without pollinator habitat practices and CRP with pollinator habitat practices to gain access to land using CRP and CRP pollinator practices.