USHRL SOW Lawn Treatment .pdf

STATEMENT OF WORK

LAWN TREATMENT

US Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service

US Horticultural Research Laboratory 2001 South Rock Road Fort Pierce, FL 34945

The US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, U.S Horticultural Research Laboratory is in need of a single Contractor to provide materials, supervision, transportation, labor, work plan, schedule, and assure effective performance for the lawn maintenance treatment program for US Horticultural Research Laboratory 2001 South Rock Road, Fort Pierce, FL 34945.

1. SCOPE OF WORK

The terms under this contract is to provide lawn treatment program to approximately 43,560 sq. yd. (392,040 sq. ft.) which includes fertilizing, herbiciding, fire ants mound control and lawn pest treatment. Primary objective is to maintain a good healthy, vigor, and green lawn throughout the year.

The lawn treatment contract covers the base year and 4 option years as follows:

Year Period of Performance Base Year Jan 2, 2022 – Jan 2, 2023

1st Option Year Jan 2, 2023 – Jan 2, 2024 2nd Option Year Jan 2, 2024 – Jan 2, 2025 3rd Option Year Jan 2, 2025 – Jan 2, 2026 4th Option Year Jan 2, 2026 – Jan 2, 2027

The minimum suggested lawn treatment plans are as follows:

Month Herbicide Fire Ant

Mounds Liquid Pesticide

Granular Fertilizer

January X February X March X X April X May X June X July X August X September X October X X X November X December X X X

TOTAL 6 3 6 2

Granular Fertilizer – Twice a year Herbicide – 6 treatments/year Liquid Pesticide – 6 treatments/year Fire Ants Mound – 3 treatments/year

a. Fertilizing. Applied slow release granular fertilizer timed to cover the 3-4 months per application.

b. Herbiciding. Applied to any visible weeds growing in the pavement, concrete slabs, parking lot islands, curbs, sidewalks, walkways, planters, tree ring, fence line, building perimeter, and rock beds.

c. Reemergence herbicide to control annual weed problems.

d. Lawn Pest. Treat lawn for any indication presence of cinch bugs, web worm and or any signs of lawn infestation.

e. Pesticide: Applied to any visible fire ant mounds within the property.

f. Contractor will scout the area for any signs of disease and insect problems and apply appropriate treatment to prevent lawn damage.

g. Contractor shall post signs to notify that lawn treatment and pesticides are being applied.

h. Contractor must develop an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program to minimize use of pesticides. Proper culture, pest monitoring, sanitation and timing are all part of the IPM program.

i. Apply lawn chemicals after grass cutting for lawn chemicals to effectively react to lawn. Coordinate with lawn maintenance contractor for lawn cutting schedules.

j. Add sticker to lawn chemicals to prevent chemicals from being washed out when it rain.

k. Any lawn chemicals must have an interval minimum of 2 weeks in between applications to be more effective and prevent any cross contamination of lawn chemicals.

l. Due to the mission of USHRL, recommend pest control be accomplished primarily by granular application except spot spraying of insecticide.

m. Due to research sensitivity in the greenhouses and insectary building, all scheduled applications must be coordinated ahead of time with the Facility Manager/Contracting Officer Representative (COR) and Greenhouse Manager.

n. Keep the sprayer as low as possible when treating near sensitive areas such as greenhouses and Insectary to prevent being pulled by air conditioners, cooling and exhaust fans.

o. Communication is very important. Contractor shall inform or call Facility Manager/COR when to schedule the monthly lawn treatment and type of lawn treatment application. Verification of contractor presence in applying lawn treatment is very important in processing invoice.

p. Lawn treatment service ticket must be provided to the location to document when and type of lawn chemicals was applied.

q. Transparency and accountability are both norms for all government contracts, particularly regarding information on what is being invoiced.

2. CONTRACTOR QUALIFICATIONS

a. The Contractor’s firm must have a thorough understanding of lawn maintenance treatment program. Contractor who will be carrying out the assigned task must have a minimum of three (3) continuous years’ experience in the ownership and direct management of lawn maintenance treatment.

b. Contractor must carry current state licenses and or certificates to perform the assigned tasks.

c. The contractor lawn treatment applications must be made in accordance with the Federal, State, County and City laws, regulations, and ordinances governing use of such chemicals.

d. Contractor must be responsible in obtaining any permits, licenses, certificates or fees required for the performance his duties.

e. Contractor must provide at least (3) references of successful completed contracts.

f. The Contractor will be responsible to supply all power tools, hand tools, personal protective equipment, covering, cleaning equipment, supervision, transportation, and all effort necessary to carry out the assigned task herein. The service cost to include any equipment rented or owned by the contractor.

g. All services shall be completed in a workmanship manner and in accordance with the industry standards. Any services which shall not present in an orderly and reasonable neat and or workmanlike appearance shall be reworked when so directed by the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) at no cost to the Government.

h. The Contractor shall perform the work in a way to minimize disruption to the normal working operation of building occupants. Upon completion of work, the Contactor is responsible for cleaning and removing from site all debris, materials, and equipment associated with the work performed.

i. Contractor must wear appropriate uniform in accordance to applicable Local, State and Federal regulations. Uniform clearly identify employee of the Contractor. Vehicles clearly identify Contractor’s name.

3. SUBMITTALS

a. The Contractor shall submit proposed detailed Lawn Fertilization Schedule, Execution Plan and Quality Control Plan and procedures to Contracting Officer for approval before work is started.

b. Submit manufacturer’s product data sheets, manufacturer application instructions, and Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) in accordance with the contract specifications.

c. Product submittals must be approved before applying to the lawn. The Contractor shall not change approved products at any time during the term of this contract without written approval by the Contracting Officer.

d. The commencement of the lawn treatment shall only begin after the all the chemicals are verified complete

e. Once contract awarded, contractor must submit work schedule to Contracting Officer within 5 working days.

f. Contractor must provide copy of completed service ticket to the COR.

Service ticket must specify type of lawn chemicals applied.

g. Submit monthly invoice in a set amount. Monthly invoice must specify the type lawn treatment applied and date of service was completed.

4. WARRANTIES

a. The Contractor shall provide necessary workmanship in such a manner that does not damage the Government property. In the event damage occurs to the property, or any adjacent property by reason of any repairs or installations performed under this contract, the Contractor shall replace or repair the same at no cost to the Government.

b. Unless otherwise specified, contractor will warrants that all services provided shall be performed in a timely and first class workmanship manner for the Government maximum benefits.

c. Contractor warrants that all workmanships provided under the contract shall fit for the purpose (s) for which intended and shall conform to the requirements and specifications herein. Acceptance of any service and inspection incidental thereto by the Government shall not alter or affect the obligations of the Contractor.

d. The Contractor warrants that all applications of fertilizers or chemicals will accomplish the intended results. Any damages to any existing landscaping caused by misapplication will be replaced with new landscaping equal to original or equivalent at no cost to the Government.

5. GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

a. To provide access to the facility during working hours Monday thru Friday 7:00 AM till 4:00 PM, excluding all Government holidays, until work is completed. Work schedule other than working hours must be coordinated with the Government authorize representative for approval.

The Government observes the following holidays:

New Years’ Day January 1 Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Third Monday January President’s Day Third Monday February Memorial Day Last Monday in May

Juneteenth Independence Day June 19th Independence Day July 4th

Labor Day First Monday in September Columbus Day Second Monday in October Veteran’s Day November 11th Thanksgiving Fourth Thursday in

November Christmas December 25th

Note: When holiday falls on a Saturday, the proceeding Friday shall be considered a holiday. When holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday will be considered a holiday. Contractor service, as schedule by Contractor, to be performed on days that fall on observed holidays will be performed the following working day.

b. No waiver by the Government. The failure of the Government to insist upon the strict performance of any one or more of the terms of this contract shall not construed as a waiver or relinquishment of the right to assert or rely upon strict performance or option on any future occasion.

c. The Contractor will not be granted access to classified information, but will be required to perform duties in controlled areas whereas classified information is process and stored provided will abide by all security regulations imposed.

d. The Government will furnish utility services (water & electricity) at no cost to the Contractor for the completion of the work.

e. The Government will make every effort to review and process Contractor payment request in an expeditious manner, thereby assuring earliest possible payment under the contract terms and provisions.

6. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS AND DELIVERIES

a. The submitted price quotes are to be all inclusive. That is, any cost over runs to be absorbed by the Contractor, or any cost savings profit.

b. All change orders in the contract must be in writing, referencing the contract number assigned, and approved by the Contracting Officer prior to any authorization to proceed. The Contractor who fails to acquire change orders in writing runs the risk of incurring these additional costs without payment. All Contractors are to have an opportunity to quote on service scope of work. Proposed pricing shall include everything the Contractor anticipates necessary to complete the job (i.e., rental equipment, labor, supervision, transportation, subcontractor costs, mobilization costs, demobilization costs, permits, testing, etc.). These costs to be inclusive part of the overall proposed price and as such not itemized.

c. The Government will assume no responsibility for Contractor materials and equipment which are damaged due to mishandling, misuse and abuse.

d. Request payment in accordance with the terms of the contract shall consist of :

d.1. Contractor’s monthly invoice must be presented for payment at the completion of the service.

d.2. Obligation of the government to make any payments shall, in the discretion of the CO, be subject to (1) reasonable deductions on account of defects in materials or workmanship, and (2) any overpayments to the contractor shall, unless otherwise adjusted, be repaid to the government upon demand.

d.3. Payments will not be made for materials and equipment in transit.

e. The Contractor shall report to the CO or authorized representative by telephone, to any accidents involving injury, death, damaged to Government property resulting from the activities of the Contractors his subcontractors or employees within the time limit set forth in the Contractor’s Safety and Health Plan.

e.1. The Contractor written accident report shall be forwarded to the COR or COR within 1 hour.

e.2. The Contractor shall cooperate and provide data to any follow up investigation of an accident.

f. The Contractor shall keep records of pest identified and treatment rendered for control. No pesticide shall be applied without the approval of the Contracting Officer.

7. PROGRAM MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL REQUIREMENTS

The work is under the general direction of the Contracting Officer or designated Contracting Officer Representatives, referred to as “COR”. Except in connection with major disputes, the Contracting Officer (CO) has complete charge of the work and of the Government. The action taken pursuant thereto, are not intended to and shall not relieve the Contractor of responsibility for the accomplishment of the work either as regards to sufficiency or time of performance.

a. The Contractor shall provide a Contract Manager who shall be responsible for the performance of work. This individual is responsible for the supervision, administration, and coordination of all required services and shall be the direct point of contact with the Government.

The person assigned and alternate (s) who shall act for the Contractor shall be designated in writing to the CO prior to the award. When the Contract Manager is absent, the Contractor shall provide telephone number of the Contract Manager and alternate(s) where these persons may be contacted outside normal duty hours.

b. The Contract Manager or alternate shall meet as necessary with Government personnel designated by CO to discuss problem areas. After normal duty hours, the contract manager or alternate shall available within 2 hours upon request without any cost to the Government.

c. The Contractor shall ensure that employees have the following current and valid certified qualifications to perform the work. Employees not properly certified and qualified will not be allowed to perform the work.

d. The Contractor will not employ persons to work for this contract if such employee is identified to the contractor by the CO or authorized representative as a potential threat to health, safety, security, general well-being or operational mission of the facility and its employees.

e. The Contractor will provide a listing of all personnel performing work under this contract. Any changes to personnel list must be made in writing prior implementation of such change (s).

f. The Contractor will develop and maintain a work schedule for each area to achieve performance standards as identified. The work schedule should indicate the task and frequencies for each work description identified. Fifteen days before commencement date of contract, the Contractor will submit to the CO the planned work schedules. Notify CO or his authorized representative, in writing of any pending changes to the service schedule five days before implementation.

g. The Contractor shall be responsible safeguarding Government property.

At the close of each work period, government facility, equipment and materials shall be secured. Prior to leaving, the Contractor’s work area shall be secure to prevent theft or vandalism.

h. The Contractor will be responsible for any damage caused by their personnel to the building, finishes, furnishings, equipment, etc., and shall repair, clean, replace, or restore damaged items to the condition existing prior to the item being damaged. Report damages to COR.

i. The Contractor shall ensure all personnel are alert to and report any facility discrepancies observed to the Contractor’s Supervisor on duty who shall notify the COR. Report any damage to fixtures, structures, clogged or inoperable drains, or other conditions which prevent the proper performance of their duties. Report all evidence of vermin infestations (i.e. ants, mice, bugs, etc.) to COR immediately upon discovery.

j. The Contractor will establish and maintain his complete quality control plan to ensure the requirements of this contract are met. Quality control plan will be considered as work or service will be subject to acceptance throughout the term of the contract, to include extensions of contract terms. Submit daily reports to track progress and quality of the project.

8. INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE REQUIREMENTS

a. The Contracting Officer (CO) will assign a Contacting Officer Representative (COR) who will be the primary point of contact for the Contractor with the Government.

b. The COR will review Contractor quality control program, perform surveillance of Contractor’s testing and inspection procedures and perform such job inspections as deemed necessary. Agricultural Research Service reserves the right to perform any type of inspections set forth herein.

c. COR will visit the work site whenever it is considered necessary or advisable. The Government will monitor the Contractors performance using different methods of inspection. Contractor shall correct any deficiencies identified during inspection at no additional cost to the Government.

d. The Government reserves the right to use other methods of inspection as necessary to assure Contractor performance meets all the requirements of the contract.

e. If re-performance will not correct the defects or is not possible, the Government may seek an equitable price reduction or adequate consideration for acceptance of nonconforming supplies or services.

f. As a minimum, inspection procedures shall be performed and recorded to ensure that all requirements are satisfied and good safety practices are followed.

g. All work accomplished by the Contractor which is not in compliance with the contract specifications for which Government approval is not obtained, if discovered by Government field inspection, shall be completely reworked and replaced in accordance with the specifications at no additional cost to the Government. In the event the work performance of the Contractor is unsatisfactory, the Contractor will be notified by the Contracting Officer and be given one day to correct the work. Labor for all re-work will be at no cost to the government.

9. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

As general requirements, Contractor shall provide and maintain environmental protection during the life of the contract as define herein.

Environmental protection shall be provided to correct conditions that develop ground and water pollution. Contractor shall remove and transport all waste off the Government property and dispose of it in a manner complies with Federal, State and Local requirements at his own expense.

a. All products to be applied in such a manner as to insure public safety.

b. The Contractor shall comply with all applicable Federal, State, Local environmental control and anti-pollution laws, regulation and ordinances.

c. The Contractor shall prevent any washouts that may contribute any sediment to storm drain which may run off to city waters.

d. The Contractor shall provide spill and clean up contingency plan in response of emergency in nature on a 24 hour on-call basis.

e. If Contractor spills or releases any substance into the environment, the contractor or its agent shall immediately report the incident to the CO or COR.

f. The liability for the spill or release of such substance rest solely with the Contractor and its agent. A written report shall be submitted to the CO no later than 24 hours after initial telephonic report. The report shall be in narrative form and as a minimum include the following:

c.1. Description of item spilled (identity, quantity, manifest number).

c.2. Exact time and location of the spill including area involved.

c.3. Containment procedures initiated.

c.4. Description of clean procedures employed or to be employed at the site including disposal location of spill residue.

10. CONSERVATION OF UTILITIES

a. Contractor shall instruct employees in utilities conservation practices. The Contractor shall be responsible for operating under conditions which preclude the waste of utilities, which shall include lights shall be used only in areas where and when work is actually performed.

b. Mechanical equipment controls for heating, venting, air conditioning systems shall not be adjusted by contractor or contractor employees unless authorized.

c. Water faucets or valves shall be turned off after required usage has been accomplished.

11. ATTACHMENTS

a. USHRL Landscaped Areas

11. ATTACHMENTS

a. USHRL Landscaped Areas