Inactive Total Small Business Set-Aside (FAR 19.5)

Data scientist for FireBGCv2 Landscape-Fire Model Study. This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with addi... Data scientist for FireBGCv2 Landscape-Fire Model Study. This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested. The solicitation number is issued as a request for quotation (RFQ) 140G0323Q0147. The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2023-04 dated 06/02/2023. NAICS: 541690, Other Technical and Consulting Services, $16.5 Million. Small business set-aside. Place of Performance: Vendor's facility. Period of Performance are estimates only: 09/01/2023 to 08/31/2025 and 3 Option years, subject to availability of funds. Your submission shall include the following: 1. Signed SF 18 form filled in with firm information, person signing, and line-item prices, offered, etc) 2. Technical submission (information regarding technical qualifications and experience sufficient for government to evaluate your qualifications to perform this work. Examples are resumes, published works, listings of prior relevant and recent contracts, references, etc.) 3. Firm, fixed price quote for base award and each Option year 4. System for Award Management UEI Attached Pages: Statement of Work, 7 pages 889 Certification Document, require check mark and signature, 2 pages Clauses and Provision, 18 pages Questions are due in writing to yangzhideng@usgs.gov by 07/07/2023, 1500 PST. Responses are due to the Contracting Officer's email address at yangzhideng@usgs.gov by 07/13/2023, 1500 PST. Quotations submitted by hardcopy shall not be accepted or considered.

Inactive

DATA SCIENTIST FOR ASSESSING WILDFIRES AND CLIMATE AS DRIVERS OF LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION IN VULNERABLE ECOSYSTEMS: IMPLICATIONS FOR ECOLOGICAL RESILIENCE, CARBON, AND HUMAN AND NATURAL COMMUNITIES SO... DATA SCIENTIST FOR ASSESSING WILDFIRES AND CLIMATE AS DRIVERS OF LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION IN VULNERABLE ECOSYSTEMS: IMPLICATIONS FOR ECOLOGICAL RESILIENCE, CARBON, AND HUMAN AND NATURAL COMMUNITIES SOURCES SOUGHT The US Geological Survey (USGS) is conducting market research to determine the availability of qualified businesses to use landscape-fire models to identify landscape and ecosystem attributes that are vulnerable or resistant to climate- and wildfire-driven change as described in the Statement of Work. This sources sought announcement is not a request for quote or proposal and the Government is not committed to award of a purchase order or contract pursuant to this announcement. The information resulting from this market research is simply for planning purposes to assist the Government in determining its acquisition strategy. The Government will not pay for any costs incurred in the preparation of information for responding to this notice. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code: 541690, Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services, and associated size standard 16.5 million apply to this announcement, along with Product Service Code: B510, Environmental Assessment. All responsible sources may submit a capability statement detailing the ability to meet the statement of work included with this announcement. Responses to this announcement shall only be accepted through electronic mail addressed to yangzhideng@usgs.gov and must be uploaded and received in their entirety no later than 06/09/2023 at 1500 PST. Proposals submitted by hardcopy or any web portal shall not be accepted or considered. The objective of this project is to identify the impacts of shifting climate and wildfire regimes and patterns on ecosystem patterns and fundamental ecosystem processes and to assess the resilience and vulnerability of landscapes to ecological transformation. Importantly, this project focuses on identifying the spatial patterns and temporal dynamics of refugia, places where habitats and distributions of plants species and plant communities are expected to remain relatively buffered from past, current, and future regional climate extremes and wildfire impacts. This work represents a novel application in spatial simulation modeling studies, and resulting information provides an important focus for science and conservation planning. Among landscape fire models FireBGCv2 modeling platform is uniquely able to assess presence and persistence of refugia, which are influenced by the complex interaction of multiple factors ¿ stable landscape features that influence microclimate, reduce flammability or create topographic or hydrologic barriers to fire spread, stochastic weather factors, long-term climate, and legacies from past fires ¿ because these elements are explicitly incorporated into the FirebGCv2 complex modeling framework. Specifically, for the FireBGCv2 landscape-fire model study regions described above, this project develops advanced metrics and analytical methods to identify refugia and quantify refugial dynamics (e.g., shifts in species dominance or community composition) and spatial extent of refugia over long time frames, understand and attribute the influence of natural processes and human activities, and compare outcomes under varying future climates; use spatial model attributes generated across centuries-long simulations to develop species-specific definitions of fire refugia that reflect expected response to fire at different return intervals and severities, and identified links between ecological stability and underlying environmental (physical and bioclimatic) characteristics. Spatial-statistical analytical methods will then be used to identify landscape and ecosystem attributes that are vulnerable or resistant to climate- and wildfire-driven change, and places or characteristics of places in each landscape that may serve as refugial legacies, initially in the Tanana Valley, Alaska, and the Jemez Mountains of New Mexico with potential to expand to other ecological regions pending available funding. We will relate those findings to science and management issues of concern including landscape carbon stores, wildlife habitat, biodiversity, resilience, sustainability, and longevity of cultural and heritage landscapes, in the form of maps, models, publications, and management-ready assessments and summaries. II. WORK REQUIREMENTS A. Technical requirements: Several technical issues must be considered to successfully complete the project goals within the larger context of USGS Land Change Science/Southwest Climate Science Center goals and priorities. Performance requires on-site or cloud-based capacity for computer-intensive data processing; assembly of spatial datasets and data layers in georeferenced formats; and development of advanced spatial analytical code and metrics using the very large array of tabular and spatial data produced as outputs by the FireBGCv2 modeling platform. Analysis functions designed to complete project tasks must be tested for performance and reliability; and delivery of computer code, georeferenced and tabular products must be delivered in accessible formats for use in commonly available GIS, spreadsheet, and statistical software. B. Specific requirements: The project has specific technical and background knowledge requirements. Demonstrated experience working with large spatial data sets is necessary to completion of tasks. Experience in the use of advanced spatial analysis and modeling, visualization of spatial data, generalized linear and flexible modeling techniques, multivariate statistics, as well as machine learning approaches for spatial modeling are prerequisite. Modeling experience will preferably be documented by published studies. The R Project free software environment will be used for statistical and spatial analysis; prior experience and proficiency in R programming is essential. Successful completion of the project will require a PhD with emphasis in ecology, fire ecology, and/or landscape ecology. Good communication and professional relationship skills will ensure successful participation on a research team. C. Tasks and Deliverables Task 1: For two FireBGCv2 landscape-fire model study regions (Tanana Valley, Alaska and the Jemez Mountains of New Mexico), develop advanced metrics and analytical methods to identify refugia and quantify refugial dynamics (e.g., shifts in species dominance or community composition) and spatial extent of refugia over long time frames, understand and attribute the influence of natural processes and human activities, and compare outcomes under varying future climates; use spatial model attributes generated across centuries-long simulations to develop species-specific definitions of fire refugia that reflect expected response to fire at different return intervals and severities, and identified links between ecological stability and underlying environmental (physical and bioclimatic) characteristics. Task 2: For two FireBGCv2 landscape-fire model study regions (Tanana Valley, Alaska and the Jemez Mountains of New Mexico), apply analytical methods described in Task 1 to identify landscape and ecosystem attributes that are vulnerable or resistant to climate- and wildfire-driven change, and places or characteristics of places in each landscape that may serve as refugial legacies. Task 3: Through development of maps, models, graphical summaries, and contributions to publications and management-ready assessments and summaries, relate findings to science and management issues of concern including landscape carbon stores, wildlife habitat, biodiversity, resilience, sustainability and longevity of cultural and heritage landscapes. Task 4: Expand the scope of the work described above in Tasks 1-3 above to additional study areas in the intermountain West, to allow for comparative analyses of climate- and fire-driven changes across broad regions and to encompass additional resource and management concerns. Deliverables: Contractor will provide written documentation on methods that describes the process in enough detail that the work could be replicated, and with enough metadata information that would be suitable for publication in a USGS data release and/or a scientific manuscript. The contractor will provide digital maps, tables, graphs and code resulting from each of the above tasks. III. SUPPORTING INFORMATION A. Place of Performance: TBD B. Period of Performance: 9/01/2023 ¿ 10/31/2028 C. Government Furnished Property (GFP): None D. Special Considerations.