Sub-Fossil Pollen Analysis

SOURCES SOUGHT: This is a SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE. The U.S. Geological Survey is conducting a MARKET SURVEY to determine the interest and capability of any firm eligible to to compete under NAICS code 541380 with a Small Business Size Standard $16.5 M for an upcoming requirement. This is not a solicitation. All cost associated with providing information as requested by this notice shall be the responsibility of the contractor. Submission is voluntary. It is anticipated that a firm fixed priced contract will be awarded that will consist of a period of performance of one year.

1.0 INTRODUCTION
The USGS requires the processing of lake-sediment samples and analysis of sub-fossil pollen for research seeking to understand the long-term dynamics among climate change, wildfire, and human impacts in forest ecosystems of the Southern Rocky Mountains.

2.0 BACKGROUND
Drought and fire are powerful agents of change in forests of the western US. Over the last decade, observed increases in fire size and severity coincided with warming, drought, and earlier snowmelt, factors that projected climatic changes are likely to exacerbate. Therefore, managing western forests in a warming climate requires understanding factors that (1) promote ecological resiliency and (2) thresholds for ecological change. Long-term data are crucial for developing such understanding. Recent observations are brief relative to the lifespans of trees and include limited examples of rare events that can define successional processes for decades (e.g., sustained droughts, extensive fires, episodic regeneration).

The USGS Climate Research & Development Program funds reconstructions of past ecological changes that span tens to thousands of years. Analysis of sub-fossil pollen preserved in geological archives such as lake sediments is a prominent technique used to understand long-term changes in forest ecosystems. Lake sediment are first treated to remove non-pollen materials. Pollen analysis is then performed by specialists who identify and count individual pollen grains on microscope slides. Pollen counts are used to reconstruct past vegetation dynamics. When combined with evidence of past disturbance (e.g., abundance of sedimentary charcoal) or climate change (e.g., isotopic composition of lake sediments), pollen data can provide quantitative understanding of the drivers and consequences of vegetation change.

3.0 SCOPE
Pollen processing and pollen and microscopic charcoal counts are sought for sediment samples from lakes in the Southern Rocky Mountains of New Mexico and Colorado. Data will (1) be used to reconstruct vegetation changes during the Holocene in the Southern Rocky Mountains, and (2) be used for quantitative analysis of interactions among climate, wildfire, humans, and vegetation. Pollen counts for 50 – 100 samples are planned for each year of the contract, with 100 samples required in the first year. USGS personnel will subsample the sediment cores, and provide sediment samples for processing and analysis.

4.0 REQUIRED TASKS
Task 1: The contractor will receive unprocessed sediment samples of known volume and follow a standard pollen processing protocol to isolate pollen, spores, and microscopic charcoal for counting. A known quantity of an exotic tracer (e.g., Lycopodium spores) will be added to each sample.
Task 2: The contractor will mount pollen samples on slides and count pollen and exotic under a microscope. Counting will proceed to a minimum of 300 pollen grains per sample and use high taxonomic specificity, including the identification of different types of Pinus pollen (i.e., separation of P. ponderosa, P. monticola, and P. edulis types), and non-pollen palynomorphs (e.g., Sporomiella).
Task 3: The contractor will count microscopic charcoal and exotic on each pollen slide for charcoal analysis. Counting will proceed until a minimum count of 200 microscopic charcoal particles per slide is reached.
Task 4: The contractor will record all pollen counts electronically or on paper counting sheets, and enter counts into a spreadsheet format (e.g., Tilia). Counts should be clearly labeled with the sample depth.
Task 5: The contractor shall return all leftover sample materials for archiving by the USGS upon completion of the work.

4.0 APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS N/A

5.0 TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
The contractor will provide facilities to perform the chemical processing of pollen samples and pollen counting including a microscope for pollen analysis. Preference will be given to an analyst near the Denver Federal Center so that the analyst may be readily engaged in the interpretation of results through in-person meetings. For consistency among samples, we require that a single analyst completes all pollen counts. This aspect is critical given the need for quantitative analysis of the pollen counts, including time-series analysis that combines pollen with other paleoecological proxies. Strong preference will be given to contractors who have previously provided pollen analysis for the USGS. The pollen analyst will be an expert the analysis of pollen from sedimentary archives, as demonstrated by peer-reviewed scientific publications.

6.0 DELIVERABLES
The contractor will provide spreadsheets of all pollen and microscopic charcoal counts. The USGS may ask for delivery of a portion of the counts in electronic form before the completion of all work.

7.0 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS AND MONITORING METHODS
The completion of counts for the Holocene vegetation overview will be used to assess performance by the contractor. Successful completion of the overview will result in additional samples for high temporal-resolution analyses. The USGS may ask for delivery of a portion of the counts in electronic form before the completion of all work.

8.0 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE
The period of performance of the tasks detailed above will be one year.
Responses to this announcement are requested from (1) SBA certified Small Business HubZone firms; (2) Small Business firms certified by a Small Business Administration (SBA) district or regional office for participation in the 8(a) program; (3) Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned small Business firms; (4) Small Businesses.

In response to this announcement, please indicate your firm's socioeconomic status (e.g. small business, service-disabled veteran-owned, women owned, HUBZone, etc.) This information will assist the Government in determining how small businesses can fit into the acquisition strategy.

Interested small business firms shall submit (1) NAME, ADDRESS, and PHONE NUMBER OF THE FIRM (including UEI NUMBER); (2) a CAPABILITY STATEMENT including (a) RECENT (within the last three fiscal years) RELEVANT (similar projects to this requirement) performance history (identify the name of the owner and their point(s) of contact with telephone and fax numbers, e-mail addresses; and (b) in what capacity (e.g., prime, subcontractor etc.) they performed the work; and (3) their SIZE STATUS.


Your company must have a UEI number and be registered on-line at the System for Award Management (SAM).

All responses must be submitted NLT February 14, 2024 at 5:00pm MD via e-mail to: kosman@usgs.gov