1240BG26Q0016 Attachment 04 - Planting Instructions.pdf

QUALITY/PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS SUMMARY

8.3 TREE PLANTING ACTIVITIES

A. Contractor Inspection Procedures

1. The Contractor shall provide quality control for all planting operations, including tree care and handling. The Contractor is also responsible for the quality of planting on site and is expected to conduct their own prompt inspections to ensure proper planting procedures are being followed. Government inspections are for payment determination only and are not intended to be used as a quality control by the Contractor. Any delay in Government inspections will not cause the Government to be responsible for the Contractors planting quality.

1. Contractor shall install a series of circular plots with slope correction (see Section 7, Exhibit K). Plots shall be located throughout the planting areas to obtain a representative sample of the work. Number of required plots is listed below in Table 8.3.1.

Table 8.3.1. Required Number of Plots

Acres in Sub-Item Number of 1/50th Acre Plots < 3 ac. 3 plots total

3 - 39 1 plot per acre

40 - 80 40 plots total

81+ 1 plot per 2 acres A 1/50th acre plot has a radius of 16.65’

a) Label inspection plots consecutively on the ground with flagging at the plot centers.

Write the plot number, date, and initials of the Inspector with indelible ink on the flagging. An additional piece of flagging shall be hung above the highest brush on the plot adjacent to the marked plot center.

b) Declare seedlings handled in a manner inconsistent with contract specifications as wasted seedlings.

c) Inspect planting procedures on representative sample plots and examine the planted seedlings to ensure and measure compliance with the specifications in Section 4.

d) Utilize the following codes for recording above- and below-ground compliance on the planting plot cards:

Table 8.3.2. Above- and Below-Ground Inspection Codes

Code Above-Ground Inspection Code Below-Ground Inspection A Planting Spot Selection I Planting Hole Preparation

B Planting Spot Preparation (scalping) J Planting Hole Orientation

C Tree Location on Planting Site K Root Configuration and Orientation

D Planting Depth and Exposed Roots L Altered Root Length and Damage

E Stem Position or Damage M "Foreign" Material in Planting Hole

F Firming N Loose Soil or Air Pockets

G Shade II Other Specifications

H Spacing

AA Mixture of Planting Stock

2. Each plot shall be inspected as follows:

a) Determine from Table 8.3.3 below the average number of planting spots for the plot based on the specified average spacing. From this number, subtract the number of suitable trees and the number of unplantable spots. Record the difference as the number of plantable spots on which seedlings should be planted. See Section 7, Exhibit L.

Table 8.3.3. Average Number of Planting Spots

Average Spacing (Feet) Average Number of Planting

Spots On 1/50th Acre Plot 6 x 6 24 7 x 7 18 8 x 8 14 9 x 9 11

10 x 10 9 11 x 11 7 12 x12 6 13 x 13 5 14 x 14 4 15 x 15 4 16 x 16 3 17 x 17 3 20 x 20 2

b) Determine and record the maximum/minimum number of allowable seedlings from

Table 8.3.4. This table has been modified to include a minimum number of seedlings in order to take into account variable spacing.

TABLE 8.3.4. Minimum/Maximum Number of Allowable Seedlings Plantable

Spots Minimum Number of Seedlings Maximum Number of Seedlings 0 0 1 1 0 2 2 1 3 3 2 4 4 3 5 5 4 6 6 5 7 7 6 8 8 6 10 9 7 11 10 8 12 11 9 13 12 10 14 13 10 16 14 11 17 15 12 18 16 13 19

c) Record the number of seedlings planted on the plot.

d) Determine and record the number of wasted seedlings on the plot. This will be the number of seedlings determined by subtracting the maximum number of allowable seedlings from the number of planted seedlings recorded, but not less than zero.

When planted wasted seedlings are found, and they are considered minor in nature and in no way indicate a trend that average spacing requirements are being exceeded, the Contracting Officer may waive the wasted seedling charge. In no case will a waiver be given if the total of the Planting Inspection Sheet column "Planted Seedlings" exceeds the total of column “Maximum Number Allowable Seedlings" or the number of wasted seedlings is not minor and indicates a trend that average spacing requirements are being exceeded.

Total wasted seedlings will be calculated for the unit by the following:

total # of wasted seedlings x reciprocal of plot size x sub-item acreage + seedlings wasted due to mishandling

= # of wasted seedlings

# of plots taken x 50 x 60 + 200 = 2,225

e) Inspect and record the number of planted seedlings meeting the above-ground contract specifications. The maximum number of satisfactory seedlings to be credited shall not exceed that shown in Table 8.3.4. Record above-ground planting errors on the plot card using the codes provided.

f) Determine and dig the number of seedlings from those determined satisfactory above-ground as shown in Table 8.3.5. Dug seedlings shall be identified on the ground with a small piece of flagging.

TABLE 8.3.5: Number of Satisfactorily Planted Seedlings

The satisfactory above-ground seedlings shall be dug starting with those closest to the plot center and progressing outwards. Each dug tree shall be immediately replanted in accordance with specifications.

g) Record the number of seedlings meeting below-ground contract specifications.

Record below ground planting errors on the plot card using the codes provided.

h) Compute the planting quality for each plot by the following formula:

# of sat. trees above ground x

# of sat. dug seedlings x 100 = Planting Quality variable spacing value* # of dug seedlings

*Variable Spacing Value is the greater value between minimum number of seedlings and the number of seedlings planted.

Example: Seedlings Planted 14

Plantable Spots 10 Maximum Number of Seedlings 12 Minimum Number of Seedlings 8 Satisfactory Above Ground 10

Number of Satisfactorily Planted Seedlings on Plot

Above Ground Number To

Be Dug 1 1

2-6 2

7-9 3

10 + 4

No. of Seedlings Dug 4 No. of Satisfactory Dug Seedlings 4 x x 100 = 71%

14 4

i) Add the total plot percentage of all plots in the sub-item (see 8.2.A.3.h above) and divide by the total number of plots in the sub-item to get the average percentage of plot quality in the sub-item.

The percentage of planting quality as calculated above will be rounded to the nearest whole percent. Maximum allowable percentage shall be 125 percent per plot as computed in 8.2.A.3.h above.

Average planting spots and maximum number of satisfactory seedlings shown in Tables 8.2.3 and 8.2.4 have been rounded to the nearest whole number and it is mutually understood and agreed that these figures will be used for determining planting quality even though they are not precisely correct from a mathematical standpoint.

3. Inspection Results

a) Inspection shall be maintained concurrent with contract work. Contractor inspection results shall be available to the Contracting Officer Representative at the completion of each planting day for the work completed that day. Completed Planting Inspection Sheets (Section 7, Exhibit L) shall be turned in to the COR within 12 hours upon completion of each sub-item/unit and will remain a part of the permanent contract file.

b) The Contractor shall submit legible, signed, plot cards. Illegible and incomplete sheets will be returned to the Contractor for correction and resubmission before Government verification inspections are performed.

c) By submission of the plot cards to the Government, the Contractor is considered to be certifying that the unit is:

(1) satisfactorily completed;

(2) tree handling was completed in accordance with the contract provisions stated elsewhere in the contract; and,

(3) plot cards reflect the work accomplished.

In the event the Contractor falsifies inspection results, as determined by the Contracting Officer, the Government may declare the contract to be in default.

Additionally, the Government may refer such falsification to the U. S. Attorney's Office for possible prosecution pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1001 (Falsification of Government Documents) or U.S.C. 287 (Fraud).

4. Unsatisfactory Planting

a) If the percentage of planting quality for any sub-item falls below 90 percent due to an insufficient number of satisfactory trees or plants above ground, the Contractor may be allowed to replant the sub-item in order to achieve a higher planting quality percentage.

Replanting will be subject to availability of stock and shall be requested in writing by the Contractor. Replanting, if allowed, shall be done a maximum of one time.

Replanting will not be allowed where the average below-ground quality for the sub-item is less than 90 percent.

Following completion of replanting, a new inspection shall be made by the Contractor.

Payment will be based on the new inspection.

b) The Contractor shall replant any sub-item where the average planting quality falls below 80 percent, provided that:

(1) Additional supplies of suitable seedlings are available

(2) The original inspection indicated an average below-ground planting quality of not less than 90 percent.

# of sat. dug seedlings x 100 = Below-ground Planting Quality

# of dug seedlings

c) The Contractor may be required to replant any one (1) acre or larger portion of a sub-item, as identified on the ground by the Government, where the average planting quality falls below 80 percent, provided that additional supplies of suitable stock are available.

d) Only one replant will be permitted. Payment will be based on a new inspection made after planting. The Contractor shall bear the cost of all re-inspections after replanting.

B. Government Verification

1. Government verification inspection will consist of observation of tree handling, site preparation, planting and inspection procedures, and examination of individual trees to determine above- and below-ground conformance with the technical specifications.

Ongoing operations will be inspected to assure compliance with the requirements for care and protection of trees. Trees that are handled in an unsatisfactory manner will be declared "wasted trees".

2. When a less formal inspection fails to support the Contractor's inspection results, a series of plots sufficient in number to yield a 1 percent sample of the sub-item with not less than five sample plots and a maximum of 20 plots will be taken by Government inspectors. If the Governments’ verification inspection results differ by more than 5 percentage points from the Contractor's inspection results, the Government's verification will be used for payment.

QUALITY/PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS SUMMARY