Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFACSYSCOM), Mid-Atlantic is seeking a CESU partner from the Chesapeake Watershed Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CHW CESU) to perform Density and Movement of Coyotes on Onslow Beach, Camp Lejeune for T&E Species Protection.  Please see the attached Request for Statements of Interest (ROSI) and Scope of Work.  Interested parties should respond by 2:00 pm Est, Friday August 29, 2025. Do not divulge the contents of your proposal to anyone other than the Contract Specialist.  Your proposal must be submitted via e-mail to ebonie.robinson.civ@us.navy.mil.   In the event you are unable to e-mail your proposal and/or you require clarification, please contact Ebonie Robinson at 757-341-1975 or ebonie.s.robinson.civ@us.navy.mil.

This email is not a commitment by the Government and any expense incurred prior to the receipt of a contractual document is not authorized.  Only a Contracting Officer is authorized to obligate the Government under this contract.  Further, the Government is not obligated until a Contracting Officer executes the contract.  No information contained in this email should be divulged to persons other than those having a definite “Need to Know” without prior approval in writing from this Command.

From the REQUEST FOR STATEMENTS OF INTEREST PROJECT TO BE INITIATED IN 2025:

Project Title: DENSITY AND MOVEMENT OF COYOTES ON ONSLOW BEACH, MCB CAMP LEJEUNE, NC FOR T&E SPECIES PROTECTION

Responses to this Request for Statements of Interest will be used to identify potential investigators for a project to be funded by the United States Marine Corps (USMC) to establish a study design and conduct a multi-season project using telemetry tracking collars, camera traps, scat analysis, or a combination of these methods for coyotes on Onslow Beach to obtain more information about population density, seasonal movements, home range size and locations, habitat use, behavior (including response to removal of coyotes), and immigration into the vacant territories to assist us in evaluating current strategies for protection of T&E species and develop new strategies to improve predator management in support of the military mission. The authority for this Cooperative Agreement is 16 USC §670c-1 (Sikes Act).

This proposed project contributes to the objectives of the CESU network by providing usable knowledge to support informed decision making; creating and maintaining effective partnerships among the federal agencies and universities to share resources and expertise; encouraging professional development of current and future federal scientists, resource managers, and environmental leaders; and managing federal resources effectively. In addition, this work is consistent with both the Chesapeake Watershed CESU and the Piedmont – South Atlantic Coast CESU mission of providing research, technical assistance, and education to federal land management, environmental, and research agencies within terrestrial ecosystems.

Background:

Coyotes (Canis latrans) have expanded their geographic range and are now established across most of North America. Coyotes are adaptable generalist predators, taking advantage of whatever prey is most abundant in a given area. The beaches of offshore islands are critical nesting habitat for sea turtles and numerous bird species, and there is concern that coyote predation could jeopardize those species (some of which are federally listed as threatened or endangered). The Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune (MCBCL) Environmental Conservation Branch (ECON) annually partners with USDA Wildlife Services for assistance with reducing the impacts of coyote predation on nesting shorebirds and sea turtles. Even with active trapping efforts occurring throughout the year, we seemed to have an increase in coyote predation in 2022 to several shorebird species (e.g., American oystercatcher and Least terns) and sea turtle nests. Coyotes were even observed harassing sea turtles in the process of nesting causing them to abandon their egg laying activity.

The proposed project consists of tasks associated with a project to better understand the coyote population related to movement patterns, behavioral information, home range size and locations, habitat use, scat analysis, and population densities to inform future management and removal actions for the conservation of the federally threatened or endangered shorebirds species and sea turtles at MCBCL.

Description of Anticipated Work:

ECON is proposing to work with a university and/or non-governmental organization to establish a study design and conduct a multi-season project using GPS tracking collars, camera traps, scat analysis, or a combination of these methods for coyotes on Onslow Beach. The goal would be to obtain more information about population density, seasonal movements, home range size and locations, habitat use, behavior (including response to removal of coyotes), and immigration into the vacant territories to assist us in evaluating current strategies for protection of T&E species and develop new strategies to improve predator management.

Depending on budget, we may also want to include diet metabarcoding to determine what coyotes are eating through genetic scat analysis and impacts of the use of fladry on coyote and shorebird behavior.

For more information, including timelines and how to apply, please download the following documents: 

Request for Statements of Interest  (PDF) 

Scope of Work (PDF)