Questions and Answers 12444323Q0060 07-06-2023.pdf

Questions and Answers 12444323Q0060 07-06-2023

1. How many trees does the Govt states which need treatment? Is this an exact number?

If more trees are found how will the Govt amend? Will the Govt need to verify infected trees?

a. The schedule of items includes 280 trees to be treated (140 trees 6-14”, 100 trees 14-20” and 40 trees over 20”. There are 14 separate site locations as shown on attached maps. Between 12 and 40 trees will be treated per site, with an average of 20 trees treated per site. Prospective contractor will provide unit prices for each diameter class. Any changes in the number of trees treated would result in amended amount payable based on those unit prices. (Any changes to the number of trees treated in the contract would need to be approved by the Contracting Officer and a modification issued before potential additional work is started). Trees are not necessarily infested at time of treatment and verification of infestation by the Government is not required. Most trees to be treated are not currently infested, but infestation is likely with 2 years.

2. Has the Govt marked the infected trees? How are they marked? Does the Contractor have to search for trees? If trees are discovered does the Contractor need to get permission to treat these trees? Will the Govt provide an onsite inspector (COR) to keep the work moving forward and not have to backtrack?

a. Trees to be treated will be designated by a site map, by verbal instructions from the COR, by flagging or by a written tree-by-tree site description. Trees are not currently marked at most locations, but government will designate trees using flagging at most sites prior to treatment. GPS coordinates for flagged trees can be provided on request. Trees at some sites may be selected by contractor using description and criteria provided by the COR. COR will work with contractor to ensure that designation methods are sufficiently clear to allow for efficient location and treatment of trees.

3. The maps provided are not very specific. Are there any signs indicating where the property lines begin and end? Are there fences around the areas to identify where they begin and end?

a. Some property lines are blazed and monumented with red paint and survey markers, but not all. Stand boundaries within National Forest Lands are not marked on the ground. Maps are georeferenced and can be used for navigation using a mobile app such as Avenza. Shapefiles of stand boundaries can also be provided by request to be used with GPS. COR will provide information to address specific areas of concern about the extent of treatment areas shown on maps.

4. What kind of records do the Contractors need to keep? Does the Govt want a GPS location for treated trees?

a. The Contractor must keep accurate, daily records (data sheets) of the dbh (inches) of each tree treated, live crown ratio, the amount of chemical (ml) for each tree, and the cumulative amount of chemical (liters) at each site as treatments proceed. After completing all treatments, and prior to receiving payment, the Contractor must provide a digital data set in Microsoft Excel format of all trees treated at each site, including tree number, dbh, live crown ratio, dose applied, cost for each tree, and cumulative cost. GPS coordinates are also required.

5. The Contract specifies that treated trees be tagged with and aluminum tag. What should the tag say?

Tree number? Date treated? Will a ledger of treatments need to be made by Contractor and presented to the Govt.?

a. . Tags will have unique tree numbers which must not duplicate per geographic location/bid item. Tree number will correspond to individual tree records provided by the Contractor as described in Question 4 above.

Questions and Answers 12444323Q0060 07-06-2023

6. What does the Govt term "Monumentalize" mean? Will the treated trees be tagged with any highly visible colorized tags for easy future locating?

a. The term refers to the creation of a record through tagging and collection of gps coordinates and required record keeping. Tree will be located in the future using gps coordinates, aluminum tags, and records provided.

7. The recommended retreatment cycle for Emamectin Benzoate for Emerald Ash Borer is every 2 years. Will the Govt be following this schedule

a. The Forest Service plans to retreat trees in 2-3 years.

8. The most effective treatment times for Emamectin Bensoate injections are when the trees vascular system is active.ie. spring and summer. What are the time windows that the Govt is expecting the treatments to be administered?

a. Weather, soil condition and insect activity influence optimum treatment timing for prescribed systemic insecticides identified within. Stem injection treatments shall be conducted during periods when the soils are not frozen nor excessively wet or dry, after trees have leafed out as specified on insecticide labels. Soil should be moist, with soil temperature generally above 45 F. Avoid treating trees that are moisture stressed. Spring and summer application is preferred when these conditions are met. Treatments should not be administered later in the fall than September. The contract allows for treatment in spring/ early summer of 2024 when conditions are suitable.

9. Does the Govt have a working phone number for contract personnel? The number provided is down.

a. All questions should be directed in writing to the Contract Specialist identified for this acquisition. Keith Reichard at keith.reichard@usda.gov.

mailto:keith.reichard@usda.gov