R--US Native Turtles - Housing Care Testing

This Scope of Work from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) International Affairs Program outlines a pilot project to house, care for, test, and manage up to 500 confiscated native U.S. turtles and tortoises to support their safe repatriation into the wild. The initiative addresses a critical capacity shortage within law enforcement and zoological networks to handle large-scale turtle seizures resulting from illegal international trafficking. The contracted partner must operate a year-round, secure, climate-controlled facility in the United States that meets or exceeds Association of Zoos and Aquariums standards. Key responsibilities include providing daily husbandry and specialized veterinary care, implementing sterile PIT tag identification, and conducting comprehensive genetic and pathogen testing to inform disposition decisions. Because seized turtles are considered active legal evidence, the contractor must adhere to strict chain-of-custody protocols, prevent reproduction, restrict public display, and maintain absolute confidentiality. The contract also establishes rigorous data management protocols, designating all project data, test results, and derivatives as exclusive U.S. government property. The contractor must store data on secure domestic servers and report any breaches within 12 hours. The period of performance runs from September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2027, with the facility prepared to accept animals by October 1, 2026. Deliverables include an initial facility compliance report, quarterly progress presentations, and a comprehensive final project report detailing turtle origins, health, and testing outcomes.