MST Qualification

Gregory L. Fulling, Dagmar Fertl, Kristen Ampela, Daniel Engelhaupt, Thomas A. Jefferson, Joseph R. Mobley, Jr., and Mari A. Smultea

Contracting Vehicle: Indefinite-delivery/indefinitequantity (“ID/IQ”) contract General Tasking: Marine species monitoring, evaluations, and assessments Customers: U.S. Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Atlantic and NAVFAC Pacific Reward Amount: Up to $50 million over 5-year period Work locations predominately in: Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico: Florida; North Carolina; Virginia; South Carolina; Texas Pacific: California; Hawaii; Washington; Alaska Outside the U.S.: Mariana Islands

Aerial, shipboard, and/or underwater surveys; Passive acoustic monitoring; Assessments to determine acoustic and other impacts; Behavioral studies; Biopsy darting; Tagging; Analysis of data and technical assistance to ensure legal compliance; Preparation of necessary reports; Consultation package and/or permit applications; and Management and coordination of complex projects.

HDR and key personnel possess extensive previous experience directing and participating in: U.S. Navy projects Protected resources work for National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) (e.g., marine mammal and sea turtle research)

Previous marine mammal survey/monitoring experience Emphasis on military readiness exercises by the U.S. Navy

Executed exclusivity agreements with key firms and experts Personnel had demonstrated experience preparing: Marine Resources Assessments (MRAs) Navy Operating Area Density Estimates (NODEs) National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents Endangered Species Act (ESA) consultations Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) requests for authorizations

Conduct military readiness exercises with least impact to protected marine resources Includes training and testing activities

Comply with Federal legislation including: National Environmental Policy Act (EPA) Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) Endangered Species Act (ESA) Executive Orders (e.g., coral reef) Fulfill commitment to environmental stewardship

• Stranding events after mid-frequency active sonar usage • Notably Bahamas

• Ear damage in stranded animals • Lawsuits • e.g., Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)

• Provides overarching framework for coordination of U.S. Navy monitoring program • Focuses Navy monitoring priorities • Managed as “Living Document” • Evaluated annually by adaptive management process

Goals: Systematically locate, identify, and monitor occurrence, distribution, and surface behavior of marine mammals and sea turtles Provide baseline information on occurrence, distribution, and behavior

U.S. Navy Marine Species Monitoring | NOAA Permit 14451

U.S. Navy Marine Species Monitoring | NOAA Permit 14451

U.S. Navy Marine Species Monitoring | NOAA Permit 14451

Goals: Similar objectives as compared with shipboard surveys Monitor for injured or harmed animals

Advantages: “Big picture” view Cover larger area in shorter time period Focal behavioral studies possible

U.S. Navy Marine Species Monitoring | NOAA Permit 14451

U.S. Navy Marine Species Monitoring | NOAA Permit 14451

NMFS sea turtle aerial surveys

U.S. Navy Marine Species Monitoring | NOAA Permit 14451

Goals: Provide vital information on stock structure and life history

Studies/Methods: Tagging Photo-identification Biopsy sampling

Goals: Examine diving behavior of deepdiving cetacean species (i.e., beaked whales and pilot whales) Characterize movement and behavior in association with training exercises or controlled exposure experiments

Methods: Satellite tags, D-tags, and Time-depth recorders

Goals: Distribution & localization of animals (esp. good for deepdiving, vocal species) Some species density estimation

Methods: Passive acoustic monitoring: towed arrays, bottom-mounted devices

Goal: Monitor corals, benthic habitats, seagrasses, fishes, and sea turtles Small component of program

Research Development Testing & Evaluation Marine mammal detection and mitigation projects Controlled exposure experiments, such as Bahamas (2007-2008), Mediterranean (2009), and Southern California (2010)

RIMPAC 2010; ship survey, Feb. 2010, Hawaii PAM deployment; Feb.-Dec. 2010, Hawaii IMPASS Gunnery & ASW training events; aerial survey, Aug. 2010, Virginia MAVEX VP-30; aerial survey, Aug. 2010, Florida Koa Kai 11 exercise; ship survey, Nov. 2010, Hawaii SEASWITI exercise; aerial and ship surveys, Dec. 2010, Florida Winter/Summer 2011 ship surveys; Guam