Landscape_Maintenance_Master_SOW_6APR18.pdf

Statement of Work National Arboretum Landscape Maintenance

6 April 2018

Section/Title Page

1.0 INTRODUCTION

2.0 LOCATIONS

3.0 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

4.0 SECURITY REQUIREMENTS

5.0 SCOPE OF SERVICES

5.1. Mowing

5.2. Edging

5.3. String Trimming

5.4. Turf Maintenance

5.5. Pruning

5.6. Weed Control

5.7. Leaf Removal

5.8. Plant Removal

5.9. Debris Removal

5.10. Mulching

5.11. Planting and Watering

5.12. Grading

5.13. Stone and Path Repairs

5.14. Snow Removal

1.0 INTRODUCTION

This Statement of Work specifies specific Landscape Maintenance services to be provided. The U.S. National Arboretum (USNA) requires the services of a full service landscape maintenance contractor to supplement grounds maintenance work performed by USNA staff. The work site will be at US National Arboretum locations in Washington, D.C and College Park, Maryland. Tasks will be identified throughout the year and contractor shall bid on tasks as they arise. Tasks may or may not be reoccurring.

2.0 LOCATIONS

U.S. National Arboretum, 3501 New York Ave., N.E., Washington, D.C. is a 446 acre (fenced) research, education, and gardens facility open to the public. The Arboretum has a complex mixture of land use consisting of natural areas and intensive germplasm collections/gardens. There are 3 main building complexes, 8 polyhouses, over 20 garden structures, and nine miles of road. The 446 acres is comprised of 198 acres of woodland, 67 acres of meadow, 102 acres of turf, 34 acres of nursery and the remaining acreage is buildings and roads. Intertwined throughout the woodlands, meadows and turf areas are the gardens/collections and other landscape features. See site map: USNA Aerial, 1pg.

U.S. National Arboretum, South Farm, 9367 Cherry Hill Rd. College Park, MD is approximately a 40 acre (fenced) Research Nursery (closed to the public) which includes, nursery plots, 4 polyhouses, 2 office trailers, and several equipment sheds, gravel parking lot, and gravel roads. See site map: South Farm aerial, 1 pg.

3.0 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

The contractor must be staffed and equipped to perform the task requirements listed under the Scope of Services. Task orders will be developed as specific needs arise.

All work must be supervised by a skilled landscape maintenance professional with a minimum of five years’ experience and previously approved by the Contracting Officer.

Site Supervisor must speak fluent English, including but not limited to, technical terms related to the work.

The Arboretum is open to the public and host special events throughout the year.

Special events may require an abbreviated response time between the RFP and mobilization. The response time may also be shortened in the occurrence of a storm.

Contractor to provide all: supervision, labor, materials, tools and equipment necessary to complete Task Orders (T.O.).

Working hours are between 8am and 4pm Monday – Friday. No work is to be performed on Federal Holidays or Weekends, unless specifically identified in the Task Order.

All chemical controls must be applied under the supervision of a licensed and qualified applicator. Contractor to apply: herbicides, fertilizer, lime, fungicides and pesticides in accordance with manufacturer and label specifications. All contractor supplied chemicals must be approved by the appointed Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) prior to application. Contractor to provide an MSDS spray sheets for all chemical applications prior to use and be present during use.

Off road access of any equipment larger than a commercial Z-turn mower is generally prohibited. Special accommodations for off road heavy equipment may be granted on a case by case basis. Contractor to perform tasks without damaging: turf, roads, structures, equipment, buildings, hardscapes or any Arboretum asset.

4.0 SECURITY REQUIREMENTS

Submit, at least 2 days prior to the desired date of entry, an alphabetical list of personnel who require entry into Government property to perform work on the project.

Furnish for each person:

a. Name

b. Citizenship

All Contractor employees shall sign in at the front desk in the Administration building and show picture identification to the COR for confirmation on the contractors personnel list. If the employee does not have a picture identification or the picture doesn’t match the list provided by the contractor, the employee will not be permitted to work on site.

5.0 SCOPE OF SERVICES

The specific Landscape Maintenance tasks to be provided are summarized below.

5.1 Mowing

A. Supplemental mowing shall be scheduled on an as needed basis. Primary mowing will be performed by Government personnel or through other contracted means.

B. Mowing shall include rough areas such as meadows and hillsides, push mowing and turf mowing.

C. Cutting height shall be 3 to 5 inches, unless otherwise directed in the T.O.

D. Clipping discharge must be away from beds, buildings, roads, and paths. If this can’t be achieved clippings will be removed by blowing or raking when discharged into these areas.

E. Mowers or equipment shall not touch or damage trees, plants, irrigation or structures. Mowers shall not rut, skid, track mud, or scalp turf areas.

5.2 Edging

A. Mechanical edging by use of shovel, edger or string/metal trimmer is an acceptable method as long as the tool used is not damaging what is being edged. Material displaced by edging must be raked, swept, blown or handled in such a way to maintain a groomed appearance.

B. Edging shall include: roads, parking lots, curbing, paths, sidewalks, hardscapes, plant beds, and tree circles.

C. Chemical edging by use of herbicides must be applied in a direct and targeted application to a narrow strip without damaging non-target turf or plants.

5.3 String Trimming

A. The use of string or metal blade trimming equipment is acceptable as long as, hardscapes, objects, trees or plants are not damaged. Strings or blades must not touch the object being trimmed around.

B. Trimming shall include areas such as hillsides/slopes, signs, rocks, edging, roads, parking lots, paths, sidewalks, within mulch beds, fences and other areas as needed.

C. The contractor must remove clippings that have discharged onto roadways, paths, mulch bed or areas where esthetically not pleasing.

5.4 Turf Maintenance

A. All chemical control must be applied by a Certified Pesticide Applicator holding a current D.C. license. Certificates will be on file with COR prior to work on site.

B. Contractor to apply herbicides, fertilizer, lime, fungicides and pesticides when specified.

C. Contractor to provide aeration or dethatching operations as required.

Contractor to remove any aeration or dethatching debris from roads and walkways

D. Turf restoration or repair may include: killing or removing existing vegetation, tilling, composting, liming, fertilizing, grading, rolling, sodding or seeding and watering.

E. Seeding can be accomplished through methods delivering a uniform distribution and seeding rate. All seed must be covered with mulching material or straw. Contractor is required to water seed or sod daily Mon – Fri for the first 2 weeks.

5.5 Pruning

A. Contactor shall comply with the American National Standards Tree, Shrub and other Woody Plant Management Standard Practices (Pruning) ANSI A300 (part-1)-2008.

B. Employ correct pruning methods on shrubs and young trees.

C. Use of tree climbers is prohibited, all work will be from the ground.

5.6 Weed Control

A. A weed is any plant growing in a place where it is not wanted.

B. All chemical control must be applied by a Certified Pesticide Applicator holding a current license.

C. Chemical control of weeds by pre-emergent and post-emergent control methods shall be targeted. Applicator shall be knowledgeable of wind (drift), temperature and rain limitations for applications. Contractor is required to complete a pesticide application records supplied by the USNA every day for all chemical applications.

D. Mechanical or hand pulling shall be performed in specified areas. All debris shall be raked and removed from area.

5.7 Leaf Removal

A. Contractor to rake, blow or vacuum up leaves and transport to designated USNA composting area.

B. Contractor to vacuum leaf piles along designated USNA roads. Leaves to be transported to composting area.

C. Leaf removal areas shall include: walks, patios, paths, roads, parking lots, turf, planting bed, and tree circles.

5.8 Plant removal

A. Contractor to remove unwanted plants in specified areas. Plants or area will be clearly marked by USNA staff.

B. Prior to any removal crew leader must walk the site with USNA staff for full understanding of the task.

C. All debris will be transported to the compost area where rubbish, bottles, cans, gravels can be thrown in the trash dumpster. All plant debris will be transported to the compost area and deposited in the compost. Some tasks may require the contractor to dispose of debris off site

5.9 Debris removal

D. Litter and trash including leaves, branches, rubbish, paper, bottles, cans, rocks, gravel, and other debris shall be removed from designated areas.

E. Storm clean-up of walkways, paths, roads, turf, and planting beds by raking, blowing and other approved methods of clean-up.

F. Removal sand, soil and other debris deposited in parking lots and along curbs.

G. All debris will be transported to the compost area where rubbish, bottles, cans, gravels can be thrown in the Government provided trash dumpster. All plant debris will be transported to the compost area and deposited in the compost.

5.10 Mulching

A. Contractor to mulch designated areas according to specifications provided by USNA. Requirement may include weeding, edging or herbicide application prior to mulching. Task Order (T.O.) will specify if the mulch is supplied by USNA or contractor.

B. Acceptable mulches for each task order will be defined in each T.O. The type of mulch will be site specific and mulch type may include but not limited to:

double shredded hardwood, shredded pine bark, pine needles, or woodchip mulch. A material submittal will be required with each T.O., to be approved by the Government prior to application.

C. Roads, paths, walkways, and turf will be, swept blown or raked free of dropped mulch. Contractor to assure no damage is caused during mulching activities.

D. In the process of mulching, plants shall not be damage. Mulch shall not be piled in the crowns of plants nor touching the bark of any tree.

E. Existing beds shall receive 1 to 2 inches of mulch. Mulch over the depth of 2 inches shall be removed. New planting beds shall receive 2 to 4 inches of mulch.

F. Mulching areas may include: tree circles, planting beds, and paths.

G. Small sized gravel may be spread instead of organic mulches where directed by the COR.

5.11 Planting and Watering

A. Contactor shall comply with the American National Standards Tree, Shrub and Other Woody Plant Management Standard Practices (Planting and Transplanting) ANSI A300 (part-6)-2012.

B. Contactor to plant bulbs, perennials, shrubs, and trees as outlined in specific T.O.

C. Planting tasks may include: stripping existing sod/vegetation, composting, grading, tilling, mulching and watering.

D. Watering of turf or plants by water hoses, gator bags or water tanks.

5.12 Grading

A. Contractor may be required to: grade, fill ruts, provide erosion controls, mitigate erosion, fill sink holes, and remove roots and stumps.

B. Grading can be accomplished by use of heavy equipment and grading implements, by hand, or other approved methods.

5.13 Stone and Path Repairs

A. Corrective path maintenance may be required where stone, sand, stone dust, mulch or soil has washed away or is depleted.

B. Placement of landscape stone may be required in areas where stone mulch is used.

5.14 Snow Removal

A. Supplemental snow removal on USNA grounds and on public sidewalks outside USNA grounds.

B. Removal may require: shovelling, plowing/pushing, or blowing.

C. Application of de-icing chemicals, cinder, or sand. Provide material submittal with each T.O. on proposed product, to be approved by Government prior to application.

END