Surveillance des impacts des contaminants associés au traitement des sables bitumineux sur la santé et le développement d’une espèce amphibienne indicatrice (grenouille des bois).

Monitoring the impacts of contaminants associated with oil sands processing on the health and development of amphibian (wood frog) indicator species.
Intellectual Property
Environment Canada has determined that any intellectual property arising from the performance of the work under the contract will vest in Canada, on the following grounds: the main purpose of the Contract, or of the deliverables contracted for, is to generate knowledge and information for public dissemination .
Background
The oil sands are a strategic natural resource and a key of economic development, and their rapid expansion has led to a need for a more comprehensive understanding of the potential cumulative impacts from the development of this resource. The assessment of the health of sensitive wildlife species that may be exposed to oil sands-generated contaminants is currently underway under the Joint Canada-Alberta Oil Sands Monitoring Program. In particular, the assessment of the health of wood frog populations in Alberta and the Northwest Territories is one mandate of this provincial-national monitoring program. Correlations between proximity to oil sands operations and endpoint measures such as disease prevalence (amphibian ranavirus and chytrid fungus), rates of developmental abnormalities, and residues of heavy metals and organic contaminants (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and naphthenic acids) in amphibian tissues are to be determined to assess the overall health of boreal forest wood frog populations located in northern Alberta and the Northwest Territories.
Objectives
There are 3 major objectives associated with the amphibian oil sands monitoring project. All objectives are aimed at assessing the health of wood frog populations living inside and outside the oil sands region. The third work objective is optional and will only be completed if the Option Period is exercised. The third objective is outlined below.
Initial Contract Period (Contract award to March 31, 2014):
Objective 1. Provision of molecular biology services and chemical analyses of amphibian tissues collected from the oil sands region of northern Alberta;

Objective 2. Produce high quality analytical reports, analyse data and prepare scientific manuscripts for the dissemination of data generated.
Tasks (Objectives 1 +2)
1. Conduct the isolation, purification and quantification of DNA/RNA from up to 1200 biological samples;

2. Design, optimize and validate the necessary DNA primers in order to screen DNA/RNA isolated from tissue samples (Task 1) for the presence of ranaviruses, chytrid fungus and other potential amphibian pathogens as requested by the Departmental Representative;

3. Conduct polymerase chain reactions to screen up to1200 tissue samples for disease (e.g.ranaviruses, chytrid fungus) in order to quantify infection rates; provide Report #1 on Tasks 1-3;

4. Conduct multiple chemical analyses of the study tissue (n=50). Samples to be analysed for oil sands-related contaminants in an ISO 17025 accredited laboratory, with expertise in analysing oil sands-related contaminants from various matrices. These include concentrations of heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and naphthenic acids; provide Report #2 on these chemical analyses;

5. Use scientifically defensible statistical analyses, including multi-variate and linear and logistic regressions, to determine whether correlations with molecular endpoints (e.g. infection rates) and ecological measurements (e.g. population demographics, water quality measurements, vicinity to anthropogenic disturbances etc.) exist; provide Report #3 on the results of Task 5.
Deliverables
The Contractor must provide the following deliverables:
Deliverable #1: Draft Report 1 on work done in Tasks 1-3. Environment Canada will provide comments on this deliverable, which must be incorporated in the Final Report (Deliverable #4).
Deliverable #2: Draft Report 2 on work done in Task 4. Environment Canada will provide comments on this deliverable, which must be incorporated in the Final Report (Deliverable #4).

Deliverable #3: Draft Report 3 on work done in Task 5. Environment Canada will provide comments on this deliverable, which must be incorporated in the Final Report (Deliverable #4).
Deliverable #4: Final Reports 1, 2 and 3. Final Reports must incorporate comments submitted by the Departmental Representative based on his/her review of the draft reports (Deliverables #1, #2 and #3).
All reports must be provided in Electronic formats (Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel (the raw data)).
Schedule
Tasks 1-5 must be completed on or before March 15, 2014. Deliverables #1, #2, and #3 must be submitted on or before March 15, 2014 and Deliverable #4 must be completed and submitted on or before March 31, 2014.
Option Period (April 1, 2014 – September 30, 2014):

This contract has the option to extend for 1 additional 1 year period, as follows:

Canada may exercise this option at any time by sending a written notice to the Contractor at least ten (10) calendar days before the Contract expiry date, or any extension thereof. The Contractor agrees that, during the extended period of the Contract, the rates/prices will be in accordance with the provisions of the Contract.

The option period may only be exercised by the Contracting Authority, and will be evidenced, for administrative purposes only, through a formal Contract Amendment
Objectives for Option Period

Objective 3: Conduct field work at amphibian breeding sites in the oils sands region of northern Alberta and at sites north of the oil sands region beginning spring 2014. Field work portion of the contract is considered optional work and will go forward if the Departmental Representative exercises the option.

Tasks (Option Period)
6. Ensure all access and sampling permits are in place to conduct field work under appropriate conditions, i.e. all site access permits are in place, all field personal are appropriately trained, and all federal and provincial permits are in place to conduct field work at amphibian breeding sites on lease-hold land in the oil sands region and surrounding areas; obtain appropriate and necessary permits and permissions for conducting work with amphibians in the region and at chosen locations; Task to be completed on or before May 15, 2014.

7. Locate and assess/evaluate areas (a minimum of 11 locations) with wood frogs in oil sands industrially-impacted areas and in areas north of the oil sands and provide an assessment of their possible future use for oil sands environmental monitoring programs;

8. Provide the assessment and location information on the identified breeding and potential long-term monitoring sites to the Departmental Representative; provide Report #4 on Tasks 7 and 8;

9. At assessed sites, determine study sites useful for long-term monitoring of individual amphibian health and disease status, and amphibian population stability, establish monitoring plots at appropriate sites (a minimum of 11 sites) and install appropriate equipment as requested by the Departmental Representative. Equipment to include passive air and water sampling devices for measurement of heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and naphthenic acids;

10. Conduct field work under appropriate conditions and with appropriate protocols to collect wood frogs (n=12 adult frogs (whole specimens) and 120 tissue samples (i.e. toe clippings) per site monitored) in oil sands industrially-impacted areas and in areas north and south of the oil sands. Collect water samples from each site, three times over the course of the season for chemical analyses (metals, PAHs, NAs) as requested by the Departmental Representative;

11. Appropriately store collected biotic and abiotic samples prior to shipping, and preserve and store wood frog samples using appropriate techniques;

12. Ensure samples are shipped or delivered to the appropriate laboratory for analyses;

13. Provide Report #5 on activities conducted (Tasks 9-12), including a database of all sample numbers and labels, and collection location for each sample collected.

Deliverables (Option Period)
The Contractor must provide the following deliverables:
Deliverable #5: Draft Report 4 on work done in Tasks #7 and #8. Environment Canada will provide comments on this deliverable, which must be incorporated in the Final Report (Deliverable #7).
Deliverable #6: Draft Report 5 on work done in Tasks #9-#12. Environment Canada will provide comments on this deliverable, which must be incorporated in the Final Report (Deliverable #7).

Deliverable #7: Final Reports 4 and 5. Final Reports must incorporate comments submitted by the Departmental Representative based on his/her review of the draft reports (Deliverables #5 and #6).
All reports must be provided in Electronic formats (Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel (raw data)).
Schedule (Option Period)
Deliverables #5 and #6 must be submitted on or before September 1, 2014. Deliverable #7 must be submitted on or before September 30, 2014.
Acceptance Criteria
All deliverables for this contract are subject to the review and acceptance of the Departmental Representative.
Crown Input
Environment Canada will provide advice on the where the Contractor could conduct sampling. It is up to the contractor to determine whether or not it is reasonable and feasible to follow the advice and visit the Environment Canada recommended sites.

Budget

The total proposed cost of fees proposed by the Bidder for the Initial Contract Period must not exceed 71,000, excluding taxes.

The total cost of fees proposed by the Bidder for the Option Period must not exceed 71,000, excluding taxes, and including a maximum of $38,000.00 for travel expenses.

Travel, living and other miscellaneous expenses that are the direct result of discharging the duties noted herein may be reimbursed at cost, with no allowance for mark-up or profit. Original invoices or certified true copies must be submitted for reimbursement. Travel and living expenses shall be reimbursed in accordance with Treasury Board guidelines. All such expenses require the prior approval of the Departmental Representative.