Background The mission of the National Park Service (NPS) is to preserve sites significant to United States natural and cultural heritage for the education, benefit and inspiration of present and future generations. The mission of Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park (PAAL) is to preserve the sites of the opening battles of the U.S.-Mexican War 1846- 1848 and provide a well-balanced, objective interpretation of the battles; the war; the related political, diplomatic, military, and social causes; and the lasting consequences of this pivotal point in our nation's history (Figure 1-2). In the Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Site Act of 1991, the NPS/PAAL is specifically charged with restoring and maintaining the historic open coastal prairie that characterized the core battlefield area of Palo Alto. However, twentieth century cultural activities, such as the damming of the Rio Grande and the construction of region-wide drainage diches to address widespread flooding, have permanently altered the hydrological regime of the Rio Grande Delta allowing woody vegetation to encroach upon the historic coastal prairie at Palo Alto. This situation was exacerbated by localized land management activities (such as vegetation clearing, crop cultivation, and cattle grazing) on the battlefield while it was in private ownership. Since the natural hydrological regime of the Rio Grande Delta cannot be restored, PAAL must use vegetation management techniques to restore and maintain the historic coastal prairie (the Cultural Landscape) within the Core Battlefield Management Zone (Figure 3). This involves the mechanical reduction of woody vegetation that is encroaching upon the historic coastal prairie; the application of herbicide on the woody regrowth in the areas that have been previously mechanically treated, the reintroduction of the native prairie vegetation in the areas it was removed; and cultural application of prescribe fire to efficiently maintain the historic coastal prairie in an environmentally sensitive manner. Objective The objective of this project is to reintroduce Gulf Cordgrass (Spartina spartinae), which once dominated the historic coastal prairie, to the areas of the Core Battlefield Management Zone where it had been removed. Scope of Work The selected contractor will need to acquire enough mature Gulf Cordgrass plants (approximately 300-400) from sources in eastern Cameron County to produce 18,000 viable grass plugs. The Park can assist the selected contractor with finding source location for the mature cordgrass plants if needed. The contractor will need to split the mature plants and grow out viable plugs in cone-tainers or biodegradable plant bands at their own facility. Then during the fall of 2022, preferably during the month of November, the contractor will plant 18,000 viable cordgrass plugs in an area prepared by the park. Period of Performance The period of performance of this contract is from May 9 to December 31, 2022. Place of Performance o The selected contractor will obtain enough mature Texas Gulf Cordgrass plants from properties in eastern Cameron County. The Park can facilitate the introduction to private landowners willing to sell or donate mature cordgrass plants. o The selected contractor will split the mature plants and grow out the viable grass plugs at their own facility. o The selected contractor can stage the developed plugs at the park's nursery facility at Palo Alto prior to planting the plugs on site (No more than two weeks prior to the initiation of planting the plugs in November). o The selected contractor will plant 18,000 viable cordgrass plugs on the area prepared by the park within the Palo Alto Battlefield Core Battlefield Management Zone.
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