Appendix A Thinning.doc

PAGE

2020 CORP 2.0

Appendix A Thinning

1. Scope of Contract The work consists of tree thinning, girdling, and associated bucking, lopping and scattering of thinning slash.

BPA calls will include Detailed Information Sheets and maps. The acreage ordered throughout each year will vary depending on the funding received for that year.

The following information is offered for informational purposes only for thinning and should not be considered as being any kind of prediction of the work required:

2. Project Location and Description

The project work areas are located on the Deschutes, Ochoco and Fremont-Winema National Forests. Vicinity maps showing project location and access, a brief location description, and other information regarding specific items are contained in Detailed Information Sheets and Unit Maps and will be provided with each BPA call.

Accessibility

All work areas may be reached by Forest roads that are accessible by standard two-wheel drive pickup during summer months, unless otherwise indicated on Detailed Information Sheets. Spring and fall road conditions usually necessitate the use of a 4-wheel drive vehicle. Inaccessibility due to snow, fallen trees, slides or washouts on roads may or may not be corrected at the option of the Government. If road access is blocked, the Government may, under the commercial changes clause 52.212-4 (c) Changes (1) provide an alternate access route; (2) delete the inaccessible unit(s) or; (3) substitute similar unit(s).

Some units may require a short walk-in to access the unit.

No vehicles will be permitted to operate off system roads without approval of the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR).

Some units may be located behind closed gates. The contractor will be issued a key to the gate, allowing road access to the unit. The contractor shall keep the gate locked at all times.

Green dot road closures will be in effect during the fall on the Paulina District of the Ochoco. The Contractor will be issued a green dot permit, which provides access to units on closed roads. The Contractor shall follow the conditions of the green dot permit or is subject to termination of the BPA call.

Boundaries – Boundaries are marked with yellow flagging and lime-glo flagging. The boundaries may also be marked with timber sale or contract area boundary signs. Wildlife leave islands flagging color designation will be stated on the Detailed Information Sheet(s) and are marked with orange flagging and orange boundary signs. (Color of flagging may be different at each District, but this information will be specified in each BPA call)

3. Contractor-Furnished Services and Obligations

(a) The Contractor shall provide all sufficiently skilled labor, experienced supervision, transportation, equipment, operating supplies, incidentals and inspection services, except those items listed as Government-Furnished property, to perform the work in compliance with the BPA call.

(b) The Contractor shall furnish and place “Tree Felling Ahead” warning signs (yellow, diamond shaped, 24 by 24 inches with 3 inch black letters) along roads and trails within or near thinning units. These signs shall be placed 200 feet in advance of the danger area.

(c) The Contractor shall notify the COR of any changes in work schedule.

(d) The Contractor shall return all Government-Furnished property to the Deschutes, Ochoco or Fremont-Winema National Forest office, prior to request of a final payment.

4. Government-Furnished Property

The Government will furnish the Contractor the following list of materials, supplies, property or services (herein referred to as “Government-Furnished property” at the Deschutes, Ochoco or Fremont-Winema National Forest Headquarters building during the hours of 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday. (Could vary by Forest) In accordance with the contract specifications, the Forest Service will provide:

(1) District Map

(2) Key to access units behind locked gates

(3) Green dot permit, if applicable (Paulina RD).

(4) Optional: Plot cards, Form R6-2470-117a, see Exhibit A.

5. Definitions

(a) Thinning – The cutting of trees in excess of those to be left for future management.

(b) Dripline Thinning – The cutting of trees underneath the dripline (crown of a tree) of trees that are 15 inch DBH (and greater). Dripline cutting extends 10 feet beyond the dripline of these larger trees (other distances and diameters may be specified on the Detailed Information Sheets).

(c) Girdling – The removal of all the bark and cambium around the tree bole for a minimum height of 12 inches. The girdled area should be a minimum of three feet above the ground. Whether girdling is permitted is specified on each Detailed Information Sheet.

(d) Average Spacing – The distance in feet between leave trees as defined in the Detailed Information Sheets, which accompany each Task Order.

(e) DBH (Diameter at Breast Height) – Outside diameter of the tree stem at a point 4-1/2 feet above ground, measure from high side of the base of the tree.

(f) Leave Tree – Leave trees are those trees left uncut to meet the contract requirements and all trees over the maximum cut size. Other leave trees include the following, which are not included in spacing requirements:

(1) Engelmann spruce

(2) Deciduous trees and shrubs (for example willow, chokecherry, aspen, serviceberry)

(3) Mountain-mahogany and bitterbrush

(4) Dead trees (i.e. snags)

(5) Any tree, regardless of size, that is marked with an orange paint band and metal sign (R6-14-11) shall not be cut or damaged.

(6) Any tree, regardless of size that is marked with a red paint band and metal signs.

(g) Cut Trees – Generally are trees 12 inches tall to 9.0 inches DBH that are not selected as leave trees (or as specified in the unit data sheets). Cut trees include diseased, damaged defective trees and undesirable species (or as specified on the Detailed Information Sheets).

(h) Diseased Trees –

(1) Douglas-fir, western larch and lodgepole pine with a dwarf mistletoe severity rating of 3 or greater and all ponderosa pine with a severity rating of 3 or greater (see Dwarf Mistletoe Severity Rating Guide, Exhibit A).

(2) Ponderosa pine with a severity rating of 4 or greater (see Dwarf Mistletoe Severity Rating Guide, Exhibit A).

(3) Lodgepole pine with western gall rust bole infections or branch infections within 6 inches of the tree bole.

(4) Other diseases and/or ratings may be specified on the Detailed Information Sheets.

(i) Damage Trees and/or Defective Trees – Includes damaged and unhealthy conifers:

(1) Trees with crook, sweep, or snow bend (damaged) – (up to 12 inches DBH). Crooks or bends in the main bole which are less than 13 feet from the ground and offset more than 45 degrees from the longitudinal axis.

(2) Leaner Trees – (up to 12 inches DBH) – Leaner trees are those where the main bole is offset more than 45 degrees from the longitudinal axis within 13 feet of the ground surface.

(3) Damaged Trees – (up to 12 inches DBH):

(A) Trees that have been severely scarred or cut through the cambium for ½ or greater the circumference of the tree.

(B) Trees with broken boles up to 13 feet high, or more than two thirds of the live limbs are broken or missing.

(C) Trees that have been pushed over or are partially uprooted.

(D) Trees with top kill exceeding 30% of the total tree height.

(j) Undesirable Species – As listed below, unless otherwise specified on the unit data sheets:

(1) Western Juniper, 12 inches tall and up to 14 inches DBH.

(2) Grand fir, 12 inches tall and up to 9 inches DBH (locally grand fir is also referred to as white fir)

(k) Excess Trees:

(1) All uncut trees not needed to meet average spacing requirements and those trees defined as cull trees.

(2) Trees suspended in or leaning into leave trees.

(3) Trees not completely severed from the stump.

(4) Trees not cut below the lowest live limb.

(5) Stumps more than eight inches above the ground.

(6) Trees not girdled to specifications

(l) Deficient Trees – Those trees cut that should have been left to maintain average spacing requirements.

(m) Lopping and Scattering – The cutting of branches from the tree bole and the moving and/or rearranging of slash to meet a specified slash height.

(n) Bucking – The cutting of tree boles to a designated length. Bucking needs to saw completely through the tree bole.

(o) Handpiling – Hand placement of thinning slash into compact piles.

(p) Slash – The term “slash” means all vegetative material including cull logs, blasted or pushed out stumps, chunks, broken tops, limbs, branches, rotten wood, damaged brush, damaged or destroyed reproduction, saplings or poles which were created or disturbed by any type of vegetative cutting, clearing, construction, or cultural treatment. Any portions of trees or snags that were previously felled are considered to be part of the slash.

(q) Roadside Clearing –All 2 digit roads (i.e. 42, 12, 30) and 4 digit roads (i.e. 4254, 4270) will have roadside clearing performed as part of the thinning when a unit boundary is the road or adjacent to the road. This work involves the cutting of all trees (12 inches tall to 7 inch DBH) within 10 feet from the edge of the Road.

Riparian Habitat Conservation Areas (RHCAs)

· Class I and II RHCAs (generally streams utilized by fish) – 300 feet from the edge of the stream channel.

· Class III RHCAs (generally streams which flow year-round, but not used by fish, also includes wetlands, lakes, and ponds greater than one acre.) – 150 feet from the edge of the stream channel.

· Class IV RHCAs (generally streams with defined channels that do not flow year-round and are not utilized by fish, includes seeps, springs and wetlands less that one acre) – 50 feet from the edge of the stream channel.

6. SELECTION OF LEAVE TREES

(1) Species – The preference for leave trees species is the following order, unless specified differently on the Detailed Information Sheet:

ponderosa pine western larch

Douglas-fir lodgepole pine grand fir

Spacing – The Detailed Information Sheet(s) issued with each BPA call will specify the desired spacing between leave trees. To reduce the incidence of insect and disease problems in thinning units, the spacing guidelines may not be met. The average spacing will be varied plus or minus 25 percent to ensure retention of the best trees.

(3)Leave Tree Selection – The Contractor shall select leave trees based on the species preference specified on the Detailed Information Sheet(s) and then the criteria listed below. The contract definition and specifications also help in determining leave tree selection. The Government may mark individual leave trees and/or groups of leave trees prior to thinning. The general concepts of leave tree selection are as follows:

(a) First, leave the most dominant trees, with at least 30 percent live crown, good color and form, free of insects and disease, and free of damage or defect.

(b) Second, leave co-dominant trees, with at least 30 percent live crown, good color and form, free of insects and disease, and free of damage or defect.

(4) Thinning in Riparian Habitat Conservation Areas (RHCAS), along streams, near springs, seeps, ponds, and reservoirs – The thinning prescription is usually modified when cutting trees near these bodies of water and dry streambeds. Generally a leave area is specified for a specific distance along both sides of a stream where no thinning is done. In other cases, the desired spacing between leave trees near creeks may be closer than the spacing specified for areas outside of the RHCA. The slash treatment may also be modified, with little or no bucking, loping or scattering specified. The Detailed Information Sheet(s) issued with each task order will specify the treatment (or no treatment) within these areas. Unit maps will also detail the location of these features.

(5) Thinning in Botany Concern Areas – The thinning prescription is usually modified when cutting trees near and within botany concern areas. The prescription will be site specific for each unit. Some examples are, the prescription may allow thinning to occur up to the stream channel and other cases there may be directional falling requirements.

(6) Thinning around aspen or cottonwood – The thinning prescription is modified when cutting near aspen or cottonwood. Units containing these species will be identified on the Detailed Information Sheets. More conifers shall be cut within a specified distance from aspen or cotton wood as detailed on Unit Data Sheet(s).

7. Cutting Methods

(1) Trees shall be cut below the lowest live limb. Stump height of cut trees shall be no higher than 8 inches above ground level.

(2) Trees shall be completely severed from the stump.

(3) No cut tree shall be left suspended in or leaning against a leave tree or tree outside the unit boundary.

(4) Girdling may be permitted as specified by Detailed Information Sheets. No girdling will occur within 75 feet of any road, trail or dispersed campsite.

8. Slash Treatment

No thinning slash shall be allowed outside the contract boundary, unless otherwise approved by the Contracting Officer.

Contractor shall remove and scatter (pullback) all thinning slash from roads, fences and trails to keep them usable and passable at all times.

(A) Roads – within 10 feet of the cut and fill slopes on any road.

(B) Fences – within 10 feet each side of fences.

(C) Trails – within 10 feet each side of trails pathway.

(D) Firelines – within 5 feet from each side of fire line.

(E) Campground improvements – as specified on each task order

(3) Lop and Scatter – All slash shall be lopped and scattered except areas requiring handpiling (unless otherwise specified in the Detailed Information Sheets).

(4) Bucking - All thinning slash shall be bucked to lengths not to exceed 10 feet.

9. Contractor shall prepare and submit the following data, reports and plans:

1. Quality Control Plan (QCP) - The Government will evaluate the QCP to assure it meets the Tasks and critical sub-tasks of the contract. The plan must demonstrate how the Contractor shall assure quality performance, including the following:

a.

How quality will be monitored through an inspection system covering all services stated in the performance standards. The inspection system must be sufficient to represent work completed on the entire unit.

b.

How the work will be supervised.

c.

How monitoring will result in quality performance and customer satisfaction.

2. Inspection reports–

a. Current inspection results will be maintained.

b. Legibly written, inspection reports will be delivered to the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) upon completion of each unit or weekly. By submission of inspection reports, the Contractor is certifying that each unit is satisfactorily completed.

10. STANDARD INSPECTION PROCEDURES

(a) Install a series of well distributed circular plots over the entire unit with slope correction sufficient in number to yield at least the following:

ACRES IN SUBITEM

NUMBER OF PLOTS

1 – 5

5 Plots

6 - 20

1 per acre

20 - 40

1 plot per two acres

40 +

1 plot per five acres

(1) Plot size will be determined by the tree spacing requirements as shown in the Detailed Information Sheets.

(b) Inspection plots will be marked on the ground and recorded as follows

(1) Use flagged markers to locate the plot centers and identify them by consecutively numbering each plot, and also indicate the date of inspection and Inspector's initials. An additional piece of flagging shall be hung at eye level in order for plots to be seen from a distance.

(c) Inspection Within Each Plot - each plot will be completed as follows, but the sequence in which these steps are done may vary.

(1) Determine from Table 1 the average spacing requirements and plot radius;

TABLE 1

Avg.Spacing Trees/Acre Avg.Trees/Plot

Plot Size Plot Radius-Ft.

14 x 14

1/50

16.7

15 x 15

1/20

26.3

16 x 16

17 x 17

18 x 18

19 x 19

20 x 20

1/10

37.2

25 x 25

1/10

37.2

(2) Each plot will be examined to record findings on the items listed below:

(A) No. of Trees to be Left - Number of leave trees that should have been left.

(B) No. of Trees Left -

Number of trees that were left.

(C) Satisfactory Trees -

Number of satisfactory leave trees.

(D) No. of Trees Deficient - Number of missing leave trees.

(E) No. of Excess Trees -

Number of uncut trees that should have been cut.

NOTE: Girdling is considered a cut tree

(3) Upon inspection of all plots for a unit total columns 2, 5, and 6, the quality of thinning shall be calculated as follows:

1.00 - (No. missing leave trees + No. of excess trees) X 100 = Quality %

(No. of satisfactory leave trees)

(d) Bucking, Lopping, Scattering and Handpiling - Inspection of the area shall be accomplished by 100 percent visual inspection of the unit and will be based on adherence to the contract specifications. Note on the bottom of the plot card that the visual inspection indicates satisfactory or unsatisfactory work.

(e) Acceptable Work - The acceptable standard for thinning/lopping, scattering, girdling, and hand-piling quality is 90% or greater.

(f) Non-Acceptable Work - When the thinning/lopping, scattering, girdling, and hand-piling quality falls below 90%, work is considered unacceptable and must be reworked. If excess trees and slash treatment constitute any part of the unacceptable work, payment will not be made until the slash height has been corrected. If deficient trees are the cause of quality below 90%, refer to payment section. Inspections after rework shall be made in the same manner as the first inspection but on different plot lines. After one rework, Administrative costs shall be the responsibility of the Contractor.

11. GOVERNMENT QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN (may vary by each BPA call) Task

Performance

Standard Quality

Assurance

Process Acceptable

Quality Level

(AQL)

Incentive/Deduction

Correct Leave Tree Species

Correct Spacing

Correct selection of dominant and co-dominant trees including crown, color, form, damage, disease, and defect criteria

Correct riparian thinning treatment

Correct thinning in RHCAS

Correct thinning in Botany concern areas

Cut below lowest limb

Correct stump height

Completely severed

No suspended or leaning trees

Correct cutting near roads

Correct girdling

Treated in accordance with Detailed Information Sheets

Correct removal and scatter (pullback)

Correct lop and scatter

Correct bucking

Quality Control Plan

Inspection Data is accurate.

10.

GOVERNMENT QUALITY ASSURANCE INSPECTION

The Government will conduct quality assurance inspections to determine compliance with BPA call specifications, performance standards, provisions, Detailed Information Sheets, and Exhibits and to provide the basis for computing the rate of payment. Each unit will be verified separately and inspection results on one unit will not be averaged with those of other unit. If Government quality assurance inspection (Attachment 1) reveals quality below the acceptable quality level (AQL), then the Government may conduct a full inspection. Determination of the acceptability of the work performed will be based on this full inspection and will be considered conclusive.

11.

REINSPECTION UPON CONTRACTOR’S REQUEST

(a) If the original quality assurance inspection results are unacceptable to the Contractor, a re-inspection may be requested. Requests for re-inspection must be made in writing within five days after receipt of initial inspection results. The same inspection procedure will be used, as described in Attachment 1, but new plots will be selected. The inspection pattern will be shifted so new inspection plots will not overlap previously inspected plots.

(b) If the results of the Government’s full inspection procedures are within plus or minus 5 percent of the Contractor’s original inspection results, the Contractor’s results will be used for pay purposes. The Contractor will not be liable for the inspection conducted by the Government.

(c) If the results of the Government’s full inspection procedures differ more than 5 percent either higher or lower, the Government’s inspection results will be used for pay purposes. The Contractor shall be liable for the inspection conducted by the Government.

Standard rounding rules will be used in determining percentage discussed in this section.

12. ACCEPTABLE QUALITY LEVEL

(a) Acceptable Work – The acceptable quality level (AQL) for thinning, lopping, scattering, girdling, and hand piling shall be 90% or greater.

(b) Non-Acceptable Work – When the thinning, lopping, scattering, girdling, and hand piling quality falls below 90%, work is considered unacceptable and must be reworked. If excess trees and slash treatment constitute any part of the unacceptable work, payment will not be made until the excess slash height has been corrected. If deficient trees are the cause of quality below 90%, see payment section. Inspections after rework shall be made in the same manner as the first inspection but on different plot lines. After one rework, administrative costs shall be the responsibility of the Contractor.

13. Operating Restrictions

Contract operations shall be prohibited when:

(a) Industrial Fire Precaution Levels (IFPLs) prevents work from proceeding. Reference, “Fire Protection and Suppression”, R6-FS-6300-52 contained herein.

(b) Seasonal restrictions for wildlife (or other resources) as follows and/or stated on the Detailed Information Sheet(s) for specific units:

The following restrictions shall apply to work under this contract:

1. Units within Big Game Winter Range boundaries shall not be worked on from Dec. 1 to May 1.

2. Units within Goshawk nesting areas shall not be worked on from May 1 to October 1.

3. Units within Elk Calving areas shall not be worked from May 15 to June 30.

4. Units within Raptor Nest Area shall not be worked from March 1 to August 1.

5. Other project specific restrictions may be included on Detailed Information Sheets associated with task orders.

(c) Snow depth exceeds 8 inches on the ground.

14.

Method Of Measurement

The acreage was determined by using Global Positioning Systems (GPS).

15.

Method Of Payment

When the Government quality assurance inspection indicates a difference of less than 5 percentage points (plus or minus) of the Contractor's inspections, the Government will base payment on the Contractor's inspection percentages.

If the Government quality assurance inspection indicates a difference of more than 5 percentage points (plus or minus) of the Contractor's inspections, the Government will base payment on the Government’s quality assurance inspection.

(a) Payment for Thinning, bucking, lopping, scattering and girdling

The pay rate will be calculated by multiplying the inspection percentage for each unit times the contract unit price. When the percentage of satisfactory work is 90 percent or greater, payment will be made at 100%.

(A) No more than 100% payment will be made for any one unit

(B) When thinning/slash treatment quality falls below the acceptable quality level (AQL) of 90% due to excess trees or incomplete slash treatment, work is considered unacceptable and must be reworked. If after 1 rework, the percentage of satisfactory thinning is between 70% and 89%, payment will be made by the actual percentage. If the percentage is less than 70%, the work is unacceptable and no payment will be made.

(C) Bucking, lopping and scattering will be considered incidental to thinning and no separate payment will be made.

PAGE