J-16 Sample Project Performance Work Statement

N62742-27-R-1801, Attachment J-16

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

BIOLOGICAL AND BENTHIC HABITAT SURVEYS

IN SUPPORT OF MAINTENANCE DREDGING

I.

INTRODUCTION

General

The Contractor shall perform various biological and benthic studies to document benthic habitats, coral density, quality and cover, biofouling communities, invasive species, fish species, and protected species within the dredge footprint. The Contractor shall also provide recommendations for which corals found within the dredge footprint can potentially be successfully translocated. The period of performance for this work, including all deliverables, is 9 months.
Objective
The Contractor shall provide services for completing the work identified in this task order Performance Work Statement (PWS). An objective of the work to be performed is to enable compliance with the Endangered Species Act (ESA), Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), and Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA). Additionally, these surveys will support compliance with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Section 401 Water Quality Certification (WQC), and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) permitting requirements under the Clean Water Act (CWA). Background
Maintenance dredging is required to sustain operational depth within harbor waters and will have direct and indirect effects for the marine environment. The potential for that level of effect necessitates a highresolution survey of benthic marine resources in the proposed dredge footprint. For the purposes of this PWS, the Navy is primarily interested in marine resources that could be affected, either directly or indirectly, by the planned maintenance dredge. The PWS describes biological and benthic surveys and reports to ensure compliance with the ESA, MMPA, and MSA. Additionally, these surveys will support compliance with NEPA, Section 401 Water Quality Certification (WQC), and USACE permitting requirements under the CWA. This PWS also supports the Integrated Natural Resource Management Plan (INRMP) for the installation, as well as environmental planning for future construction projects and activities that could result in bottom disturbance in or near the project areas. Federal government environmental mandates require all action proponents (i.e., the Navy) to use the best available science to conduct an assessment of the potential impacts on marine resources from performing in-water work. It is anticipated that during dredging, some corals, seagrasses, filtering communities,