(02) SOW.pdf

US Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Hurricane Zeta recovery—research plots on Harrison Experimental Forest

Statement of Work

Contents Project

General Information

1.0 Scope of Work

2.0 Background

Contractor Requirements

3.0 Technical Requirements / Tasks

4.0 Government Furnished

5.0 Deliverables / Schedule

6.0 Travel

7.0 Contractor’s Key Personnel

8.0 Security Requirements

9.0 Data Rights

10.0 Section 508 – Electronic and Information Technology Standards

Attachment

Project Hurricane Zeta recovery—research plots on Harrison Experimental Forest

General Information

1.0 Scope of Work

Tree and woody debris mulching work will take place on three sites on the Harrison Experiment Forest, near Saucier, MS. The sizes of the three sites are 72, 36, and 84 acres for a total of 192 acres.

Work will consist of (1) felling leaning trees (one site only, about 4 TPA), (2) skidding/pulling out felled trees (see task 1) to a landing site (one site only), and (3) mulching the entire site (all three sites) to a 3-6 inch average chip thickness (sites 1 and 2, typically one pass) or a 2-4” thickness (site 3, two passes).

2.0 Background

The Harrison Experiment Forest (HEF) is important site for forest genetics and other forest-based research in the southern US. It lies at the far southern end of the DeSoto National Forest in southern Mississippi. Many of the research plots on the HEF were extensively damage during Hurricane Zeta in 2020. The specified work for sites 1, 2, and 3 is needed to recover access to valuable genetic resources and research sites on the HEF.

The sites and their sizes are as follows:

Site 1 - Clone Bank (72 Acres)—mulching only (one pass) Site 2 - TX/LA Loblolly Genetics Plantings (36 Acres)—felling marked trees (~5 trees/ac), skidding, and mulching (one pass) Site 3 - SPSSS Research Site (84 Acres)—mulching only (two passes)

Contractor Requirements

3.0 Technical Requirements / Tasks

Tree and woody debris mulching work will take place on three sites on the Harrison Experiment Forest, near Saucier, MS.

Site 1 is 72 acres of an orchard like planting (clone bank) the holds genetic resources collected over the past 70 years.

Site 2 is 36 acres are loblolly pine research plantations (row and columns) planted in the early 1970s with seedlings from genetic crosses originating from natural stands in Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi.

Site 3 is 84 acres is a clear-cut site that hosted original plantings of the historic South wide Southern Pine Seed Source Study.

The work will consist of (1) felling marked leaning trees (site 2 only), (2) skidding/pulling out felled trees to landing site (site 2 only), and (3) mulching the entire site (all three sites).

The contractor will take care not to damage the standing trees on sites 1 and 2. Site 3 has been clearcut so there are no standing trees. Trees are considered damaged if they have been driven onto, had bark scrapped from the main stem, or had live limbs broken. The USFS will withhold payment of $200 per documented damaged tree.

The contractor will furnish all labor, supplies, tools, transportation, and supervision necessary for felling and skidding marked trees (site 2 only) and mulching to an average chip thickness of 3-6 inches (typically one pass; sites 1 and 2) and 2-4 inches (site 3, two passes).

The contractor is responsible for quality control and compliance checks and will be required to turn checks into the USFS weekly. These checks will include photos showing worked completed daily, including representative chip sizes. The USFS will check for damaged trees weekly as described above.

The USFS will furnish no materials, labor, or equipment unless specifically identified in the Government-Furnished Property Clause.

4.0 Government Furnished

The USFS will provide a map to the contractor with the site boundaries drawn for each site. In addition, to facilitate on the ground reckoning, several “corners” of the sites will be flagged by the USFS.

For site 2, the trees that need to be felled and skidded before mulching with be painted BLUE by the USFS. On average about 4 trees per acre will need to be felled and skidded.

Access will be limited only if site conditions are such that the work on the site could damage the site. USFS reserves the right to deny access if site conditions warrant.

5.0 Deliverables / Schedule

Key Deliverables

Item No. Deliverable Objective Due 1 Site 1 mulched, one pass to 3-6” avg chip thickness

Mulch the entire site to a 3-to-6-inch average chip size (typically one pass). Damage allowed on 0 trees per acre.

Complete work within 90 days of contract award

2 Site 2 all painted trees felled and skidded and left on site as described above.

Fell all painted trees. For BLUE painted trees skid to designated landing. Damage allowed on 0 trees per acre.

3 Site 2 mulched, one pass to 3-6” avg chip thickness

Mulch the entire site to a 3-to-6-inch average chip size (typically one pass). Damage allowed on 0 trees per acre.

4 Site 3 mulched, to 2-4” avg chip thickness

Mulch the entire site to less than 2-to-4-inch average chip size (two passes, cross-cut).

5 Provide weekly status report with photos

Report documenting tasks completed, quality achieved, and issues encountered weekly.

Weekly, every Friday, by 4:00 PM central time until the contract expires

6.0 Travel

No travel will be required or reimbursed by the USFS.

7.0 Contractor’s Key Personnel

Work supervisor and quality control inspector Experienced tree feller Experienced tree skidder operator Experienced mulcher operator

8.0 Security Requirements

No security clearances are required.

9.0 Data Rights

The USFS reserves the right to collect data on the contracted operations for research purposes. This could include GPS tracking of the equipment on a daily basis. As well as pre- and post-treatment vegetation and soils assessments, including post-treatment assessment of chip size, damaged trees, and soil disturbance.

All data collected by the USFS will be shared with the contractor and may be used in research publications. The name of the contractor will not be shared without written consent of the contractor.

10.0 Section 508 – Electronic and Information Technology Standards

No IT is to be acquired.

Attachment

Maps depicting the locations and approximate shapes and sizes of the three sites located on the Harrison Experiment Forest, Saucier, MS are attached.