Minarets IRSC Appendix A.pdf

MWC Stewardship IRSC Sierra National Forest

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APPENDIX A

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR SERVICE WORK ITEMS

SECTION I – DESCRIPTION OF WORK:

The project aims to restore forest health, treat hazardous fuels along and adjacent to roads and reduce the future risk of high severity wildfire. The roadside fuels treatments are a vital step of the continued post-fire restoration activities to ensure safe access and working conditions at the

Minarets Work Center. To accomplish these objectives, the contract includes the following requirements:

1) Fall all fire killed and weakened trees that are inside Unit 1, 2, and 3.

2) Skid and/or yard contractor felled trees and previously downed trees in Unit 1, 2, and 3 shown on CAM to approved locations to be decked.

3) Pile hazardous fuels inside Unit 1, 2, and 3 to be disposed of by Forest Service.

SECTION II – WORK ITEMS:

Mandatory Item 1: Felling, Skidding, and Removal of Included Timber

Units 1 (26 ac), 2 (42 ac), and 3 (13 ac)

1. Cut and remove from Contract Area sawtimber trees which meet the minimum tree specifications as identified in Appendix B. Road maintenance shall be completed commensurate with use per the specifications of Appendix C.

2. Slope Limitations for Mechanized Harvesting: Mechanized equipment equip with a cutting head for bunching trees, capable of severing, lowering and placing trees up to 22 inches diameter at stump height on the ground prior to skidding. shall be limited to slopes of 35% or less except for short pitches (less than 100 feet) on slopes up to 45%.

Mandatory Item 2: Piling of Slash and Cull logs

Units 1 (19 ac), 2 (41 ac), and 3 (9 ac)

1. Contractor shall machine pile, construct firelines and treat slash and cull material in accordance with

Appendix B C6.7# Slash Treatment throughout units 1, 2, 3 as shown on the CAM.

2. Acres have been reduced for areas of no treatment.

SECTION III – CONTROL OF WORK

The Contractor agrees to conduct its operations under this contract and other related business activities in compliance with Federal, State, and local statutes, standards, orders, permits and other regulations.

The Contractor shall meet all State and local environmental quality laws applicable to National Forest system lands.

Work may be done any time during the term of the contract, except under the following conditions:

(1) When conditions are such that operations shall be restricted or ceased due to increased fire risk.

(2) Measures in Appendix B, C6.24# and C6.315# apply to service work.

Minarets Work Center (MWC) IRSC Sierra National Forest

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(3) When seasonal operating restrictions for active raptor nests are in effect. All active nest sites and areas of restriction are shown on CAM and listed in the solicitation under Protection Measures

Needed for Plants Animals, Cultural Resources, and Cave Resources. Restrictions would apply:

(4) If new nests are discovered.

(5) When soil moisture conditions create excessive risk of damage to the soil.

(6) When snow depth creates a situation where requirements cannot be met and/or work cannot be inspected, as determined by the COR.

(7) The government reserves the right to prioritize the order in which Units are treated.

(8) If any cultural or archeological sites are discovered during operations of this contract, work will be suspended in the immediate vicinity of the site until a reconnaissance survey is completed by the

Forest Archeologist. Areas excluded from treatment shall be deleted from the contract.

SECTION IV – INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

For All Work Items:

At any point during the project, the Contractor and/or Project Manager may request (documented through email, text, or hand-written request) an in the field consultation with the Forest Service to inspect work progress, review contract specifications, or clarify issues. The Forest Service shall respond to Contractor’s request within 5 working days, excluding weekends and federal holidays.

GOVERNMENT QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN

The COR, or a designated inspector (GTM), will make periodic inspections while work is in progress, usually daily at first, as needed to assure work is proceeding satisfactorily. The Contractor shall notify the COR when units are started, when problems are encountered and when contract work needs government oversight.

1. Each unit will be inspected as a separate unit. Unit will not be averaged with other units for acceptance or payment.

2. When units are completed and ready for government inspection, Contractor’s designated Project manager shall request unit inspection in writing, prior to moving out of the general area.

3. The COR, or designated inspector, will determine compliance with contract specifications through informal visual inspections. In the event visual inspection indicates work to be in non-compliance with specifications, prompt corrective action and/or rework shall be required.

Government Inspection Procedures – Items 1

1. In the event visual inspection indicates work and/or rework to be in non-compliance with contract specifications, a series of verification plots shall be installed by the Government to determine compliance with specifications and percent of satisfactory work for treatment of each unit not meeting specification as observed with visual inspection.

2. Government verification plots will consist of a series of fixed area plots that will have 4 quadrants of pass or fail.

3. Plots and grid will be distributed so that a representative sample is obtained. Pile locations including landings may be sampled in plots to determine overall quality.

4. The COR or designated inspector will mark the center of each plot on the ground using flagging, stakes, or pin flags. Additional flagging will be hung near the plot center so that it may be seen from a distance. The inspector will include the plot number, their initials and date on the flagging.

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5. Plots will be numbered to correlate with the inspection form and transects on a unit map.

6. The minimum number of verification plots, per treatment unit, shall be as follows:

7. Determination of acceptability of the work performed will be based on Government verification inspections and will be considered conclusive.

8. At each plot, the Government will examine the plot area and record findings that are not incompliance with contract specifications.

9. Government Inspection Procedures – Items 2: In the event visual inspection indicates work and/or rework to be in non-compliance with contract specifications, all piles will be counted, piles that do not meet specifications by the Government to determine compliance with specifications and percent of satisfactory work for treatment of each unit not meeting specification as observed with visual inspection.

Work quality will be calculated on the form as follows:

No. of Unsatisfactory piles

-------------------------------------------------- = % Unsatisfactory work

No. of total piles

100% – % Unsatisfactory work = % Work Quality

Unsatisfactory Performance

1. 1. If the work quality falls below the minimum AQL, the COR will immediately notify the Contractor, in writing, and order him to improve the quality of subsequent items. If the quality of subsequent items is not raised above the minimum AQL acceptable standard within 24 business hours after receipt of such written notice, the Contractor’s right to proceed may be terminated and the contract considered in default.

2. When the work quality falls below AQL, the Government may elect to do one of the following:

(a) Order rework to be performed and withhold payment until excess trees are cut and the results of a post-rework Government inspection show work quality to be at least at AQL percent or more. No rework shall be performed unless ordered or authorized by the COR.

(b) Order that no rework be performed and payment will either be made at a reduced rate, or not at all, as determined from the Thinning Inspection Report.

3. Repeated failure to produce work quality at or above the minimum AQL acceptable standard will be considered reason for contract termination and default action.

Unit Acreage

Minimum No. of

Plots

1 to 9 1 plot per 2 acres

10 to 29 10 plots

30 to 59 1 plot per 4 acres

60 to 99 20 Plots

100 1 plot per 5 acres

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Reinspection Upon Contractor Request

1. If Government inspection results are unacceptable to the Contractor, a reinspection may be requested, in writing, within 5 business days after receipt of notice of said inspection results. The same inspection procedure will be used; however, the inspection pattern will be shifted so that new inspection plots will not overlap previously inspected plots.

2. If reinspection results – rounded up to the nearest whole percent – indicate a variance of more than 5 percent from the first inspection, the results of the second inspection will be used to calculate work quality and payment, and the Government will bear the cost of reinspection.

3. If reinspection results – rounded up to the nearest whole percent – are within 5 percent of the first inspection, plots from the initial inspection and the reinspection will be combined and used to calculate work quality and payment, and the Contractor shall bear the cost of reinspection.

Government Inspection Procedures – Items 1 and 2

Table 1 – Minimum Acceptable Quality Levels (AQL) of Work

ITEM DESCRIPTION SCHEDULE UNIT Min AQL

1 Cut and Remove Included Timber MANDATORY ACRE 95%

2 Pile logging slash and Cull logs MANDATORY ACRE 95%

SECTION V – PAYMENT METHODS

Method of Measurement for Acreages

Acreages were determined by using Global Positioning Systems (GPS). The acreage for each work item will be rounded to the nearest acre and is final unless:

a. The contract is modified or,

b. The Government makes a determination to remeasure or,

c. The Contractor exercises his/her option under the following Remeasurement provisions:

Remeasurement

1. The Contractor may request, in writing, remeasurement of any units under this contract if he/she feels that acreage stated on the project maps is incorrect. The remeasurement must be within the existing perimeter of the respective unit. No variance of the unit perimeters as laid out on the ground for this contract will be allowed. All requests for remeasurement must be made prior to payment for each completed unit. Remeasurement will be performed by the Government.

2. If remeasurement indicates that a variance of ten percent or less exists on units of 1 to 5 acres, five percent or less exists on units of more than five but less than 20 acres, or if three percent or less exists on units of 20 acres or larger, the Contractor shall pay for the actual costs of the remeasurement.

Under this condition, payment will be made on the acreage stated on the project maps. If the remeasurement indicates the actual acreage varies by more than the above factors from that stated on the project maps, the payment will be made on the remeasured acreage and the Forest Service will pay for the cost of the remeasurement.

Acceptance and Payment

1. Percentages as calculated herein shall be rounded to the nearest whole percent.

2. No allowance for variation or portion of a variation will be added which will create a percentage greater than 100 percent.

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Acceptance and Payment –Items 1

1. If informal visual inspection indicates acceptable work quality, the Contractor will be paid 100 percent of their bid rate.

2. In the event that formal inspections are used, the rate of payment to the Contractor will be calculated as follows:

(a) For work quality of 95 percent or higher, 5 percent (adjustment for statistical variation) will be added and the Contractor will be paid 100 percent of their bid rate.

(b) For work quality from 85 to 94 percent, the 5 percent will be added to the work quality percent and the Contractor will be paid the total multiplied by the bid rate.

(c) For work quality 84 percent and less, the 5 percent will not be added and there will be no payment made to the Contractor.

(d) If, after rework, the percentage of satisfactory work is between 85% and 94%, payment will be made by the actual percentage. If the percentage is less than 85%, the work is unacceptable, and no payment will be made.

Acceptance and Payment –Items 2

1. If informal visual inspection indicates acceptable work quality, the Contractor will be paid 100 percent of their bid rate.

2. In the event that formal inspections are used, the rate of payment to the Contractor will be calculated as follows:

a) For work quality of 95 percent or higher, 5 percent (adjustment for statistical variation) will be added and the Contractor will be paid 100 percent of their bid rate.

b) For work quality from 85 to 94 percent, the 5 percent will be added to the work quality percent and the Contractor will be paid the total multiplied by the bid rate.

c) For work quality 84 percent and less, the 5 percent will not be added and there will be no payment made to the Contractor.

d) If, after rework, the percentage of satisfactory work is between 85% and 94%, payment will be made by the actual percentage. If the percentage is less than 85%, the work is unacceptable, and no payment will be made.

*Stewardship Credits will be earned first, whenever practical. Forest Service Funds will be used if the availability of Stewardship Credits is exhausted or if appropriated dollars are obligated to a specific item.

SECTION VI – DEFINITIONS

ACCEPTABLE QUALITY LEVEL (AQL): Acceptance of work will be based on compliance with all specifications corresponding to the appropriate task(s). A minimum AQL is required for all service work – hand or mechanical. The minimum AQL will receive a satisfactory performance rating.

BIOMASS TREES: Any conifer material 6 feet in height to 3.0 to 9.9 inches DBH.

BOLE SPACING: The horizontal distance in feet from the edge of one leave tree bole to another leave tree bole, measured from the outside bark of each tree.

CIRCULAR PLOT: A sample plot within a thinning unit that is used to determine the number of desirable trees and other contract specifications.

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COARSE WOODY DEBRIS: Woody material left on the ground to meet wildlife habitat requirements.

CROWN RATIO: The ratio of live crown length (tip of leader to base of the crown) to total tree length/height.

CROWN SPACING: The horizontal distance in feet between the dripline of a live crown to another live crown.

CLEARCUT: A cutting prescription in which all trees within a boundary are designated to be cut.

CROWN RATIO: The ratio of live crown length (tip of leader to base of the crown) to total tree length/height.

CROWN SPACING: The horizontal distance in feet between the dripline of a live crown to another live crown.

CUT TREES: Trees that do not possess the characteristics of desirable leave trees and are required to be cut.

As described by the contract or otherwise marked to be cut.

CUTTING UNIT: See Treatment Unit definition

DAMAGED TREES: Trees damaged beyond recovery. A tree that is larger than 2 feet in height, and has the top knocked out, is leaning more than 10 degrees, has less than one half of its original limbs, or has approximately 50% of bark removed from the circumference of the bole.

DBH: Diameter at breast height, measured at a point of 4.5 feet above the ground level on the uphill side of the tree.

DECKING: Stockpiling of trees in a designated area.

DEAD/DYING TREES: Trees with the crown foliage changing from green to red, yellow, or needleless. Any tree that has pitch tubes indicating Mountain Pine Beetle infestation.

DESIGNATION BY SPECIES AND DIAMETER (DXSD): A cutting prescription in which species and diameter are used to determine which trees will be left and which will be cut.

DIB: Diameter inside bark.

HANG-UP TREE: Any cut tree suspended above ground level.

HEALTHY REGENERATION: Young, healthy, dwarf mistletoe free conifers, less than 4.9 inches in diameter, free of defect or characteristics listed in Section II, 2.2.2.

LEAVE TREE: Trees that possess desirable characteristics and that serve to create the basis for designated spacing requirements or are otherwise designated to be left.

NON-SAWTIMBER TREE: For all conifer species, minimum diameter of 5 inches DBH to minimum diameter by species identified in Appendix B, Division A.

OVERSTORY REMOVAL: A cutting prescription where all trees greater than a specified size are cut. Trees less than the specified size are protected.

PAYMENT UNIT: See Treatment Unit.

PILING: Material moved to an agreed upon location shall be piled for future treatment by Forest Service.

PROGRESSION OF WORK: Work conducted in a progressive, workmanlike and orderly manner by the

Contractor.

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RESERVE CLUMPS: Groups of trees within a treatment area that are protected from cutting, may also include Individual Reserve trees.

SAWTIMBER TREE: Included timber meeting sawlog size specifications as defined in Appendix B, Division

A.2.

SLASH: Woody material existing or created that has accumulated on the forest floor. Woody material includes logs, pieces of logs, tops, and branches.

SURPLUS: Timber products that local industries and/or markets either cannot process prior to deterioration, are limited in capacity, and/or markets do not exist.

UNIT: See Treatment Unit.

TEMPORARY ROADS: Non-permanent roads that are constructed by Contractor for the purpose of treatment unit access.

TREATMENT UNIT: An individual area on the ground in which activities will be performed and which may appear as a separate pay item in the Schedule of Items.

UNSATISFACTORY WORK: If work quality falls below the AQL, the COR will issue a work order or notice of noncompliance to the Contractor in writing. Untreated or unsatisfactory treated areas shall be reworked to obtain satisfactory work quality.

WHOLE TREE YARDING: Whole tree logging includes cutting tree and removing the entire tree, including tops and branches, to the landing.

WILDLIFE TREE: Standing tree marked to be reserved as a wildlife tree. Used by birds and small mammals for shelter, nesting, perching, etc.