12444523Q0035 Attachment 2 SOW WZ Roadside Mowing and Brushing HNF.docx

US Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Statement of Work

Contents

Project Hiawatha National Forest Westzone Roadside Mowing & Brushing

General Information

1.0 Scope of Work

The project consists of Roadside Mowing & Brushing, on the Westzone of the Hiawatha National Forest, Alger and Delta Counties, Michigan.

2.0 Background

The Contractor shall provide any and all mobilization, equipment, labor, supplies, tools, supervision, transportation, materials including safety and other incidentals necessary to perform and complete Roadside Mowing & Brushing, on the Westzone of the Hiawatha National Forest, Alger and Delta Counties, Michigan, as stated in the specifications and shown on the maps.

Contractor Requirements

3.0 Technical Requirements / Tasks

Period of Performance The work shall take place between July 10th and September 30th, 2023.

Roadside Mowing Road Mowing shall consist of removing all vegetation (grass, brush, and small trees) having a diameter of 4-inches or less (measured at breast height) from the edge of the traveled way to 10-feet (two passes) as shown on the attached “Roadside Mowing” Map, with a heavy-duty rotary mower designed to cut and masticate. Cutting height shall not exceed 6-inches above the ground surface or obstructions such as rocks or existing stumps. This activity shall also include mowing around road signs, culverts, culvert markers, barrier posts, gates, bridges and other appurtenances. Mowing shall be to a point one foot (1’) beyond the appurtenance and then tapered back to the normal mowing width. Manual removal of vegetation in these areas where operation of mowing equipment is impractical may be required and is considered incidental to this work.

The Contractor is to remove all trees having a diameter of 4" or larger at breast height which have fallen into the traveled way. The tree is to be removed by means determined by the Contractor as most beneficial to his/her operation so long as this does not damage adjacent trees. The tree is to be moved outside of the road clearing limits and made to lie in a stable position on the ground. If the Contractor elects to use heavy machinery to aid in the removal of the trees, any subsequent damage to the road or ditches will be repaired at the Contractor’s expense. This item shall be paid for with the mowing per mile of road completed. It is the Contractor’s responsibility to drive the roads and record the number of fallen trees before submitting bids.

Signs, markers, land survey monuments, and other road appurtenances shall not be damaged or defaced during operations. Any damage to these items will be replaced by the Contractor at no cost to the Government. If other items are to remain, they shall be marked on the ground or specified in a work order.

Take precautions and exercise care during the operations to prevent damage to tree trunks.

Take precaution to not contact culverts. The Contractor will use care to identify locations of existing culverts and to not damage them. Forest Service can provide lists of existing culverts and mileposts.

All loose rocks, debris, or slash (windfall trees or branches) larger than three inches (3”) in diameter within mowing limits shall be removed. Slash shall be scattered outside mowing and clearing limits. Slash shall not be placed into a stream or ditch. All woody material larger than one inch (1”) in diameter or two feet (2’) in length and any sharp object shall be removed from the traveled way. Unless approved by the COR, all work shall be completed on each road prior to moving on to the next road.

Expect that there are rocks along the roadside. Some roads have more rock than others, this will be discussed at the pre-work meeting.

The mowing shall include additional areas at road intersections as shown on Attachment D Typical Road Intersection Mowing & Brushing.

Roadside Brushing Roadside Brushing shall consist of trimming, removing, and disposing of branches from live trees within the existing clearing limits and shall include all those within 20 feet vertical clearance above and 10 feet (measured horizontally) from the edge of the traveled way. The roads to be brushed are shown on the attached “Roadside Brushing” Map.

Limbing and pruning shall be done by means of pruning saws, power saws, nippers, bow saws, boom mounted saws, or a rotary mower. Branches shall be cut as near flush with the trunk as practicable. Branches removed shall be scattered outside of the existing clearing limits unless otherwise directed. Branches shall not be bunched or piled during scattering operations.

The brushing shall include additional areas at road intersections as shown on Attachment D Typical Road Intersection Mowing & Brushing.

Pollution abatement Collect and properly dispose of all waste developed from the clearing and brushing operation including lunch bags, bottles and cans, paper, fuel, equipment waste, etc.

Repair of Damage The Contractor shall be responsible for the repair of damage to existing road and/or shoulders that is caused by the Contractor when performing work specified in this contract. The cost for these repairs and corrections shall be the responsibility of the Contractor and shall be made at no cost to the Government.

Debris disposal Dispose of debris resulting from mowing operations that is larger than 3 inches in diameter or 3 feet in length that falls in the traveled portion of the roadway or in culvert inlets and outlets, outside of the clearing limits. Debris resulting from mechanized brush mowing operations shall be scattered outside the edge of clearing or shall be lopped and scattered to within 8” of the ground if prior written approval is given by the COR.

Equipment Requirements Roadside mowing & brushing: a heavy-duty commercial mower(s) capable of removing woody stems up to four inches (4”) in diameter is the minimum required to perform the specified mowing. The mower shall be a side-mounted or articulated boom arm rotary type with a protective shroud or deck to direct cuttings downward and limit the amount of cuttings expelled from the underside. The mower shall be equipped with a rotating amber light visible for 360 degrees, roll-over protection structure (R.O.P.S.), a safety screen, impact resistant glass (lexon), enclosed cab, a spark arrestor, and a fire extinguisher. The mower shall have the minimum capability of cutting a 5-foot-wide swath per pass. Tractor shall have a slow-moving vehicle sign visible from behind.

Equipment Cleaning Deliver mowing equipment to the National Forest clean and free from vegetative material, dirt, soil, and organic matter. The equipment will be inspected and approved by the COR at the pre-work meeting or upon delivery and before starting work. Remove equipment that does not pass the cleaning inspection from the National Forest and have it cleaned. Clear the mower head/deck of debris and plant material upon completion of each road segment to minimize spread of invasive weed species.

Pre-Work Meeting Prior to starting work, the COR will coordinate a pre-work meeting with the Contractor. At this meeting, the Contractor will supply each of the following submittals printed on Contractor’s company letterhead. Work will not start until all submittals are received and approved. The Contractor will not be paid for work performed before these submittals have been provided and are approved.

a. Safety plan including but not limited to emergency numbers (fire, hospital, 911, point of contacts for workers, company phone number, etc.).

b. All pertinent phone/page/cell numbers for workers on project, superintendents, foremen, office, etc.

Schedule of work (how many workers, equipment, hours working per day, etc.).

Superintendence by the Contractor At all times during the performance of the contract and until the work is complete and accepted, the Contractor shall directly supervise the work or assign and have on the work site a competent superintendent who is satisfactory to the Contracting Officer and has authority to act for the Contractor.

Responsibilities of the site superintendent include, but are not limited to contract performance, day-to-day coordination of activities, control over employees/subcontractors and coordination with local COR and Inspectors. The site superintendent shall be available in person, by telephone, or radio to respond to any and all problems during normal working hours.

The contractor/site superintendent shall follow the requirements of FAR Clause 52.236-13 Accident Prevention. The contractor/site superintendent shall observe rules and regulations of Federal (OSHA), State and local health and safety officials. Do not permit any worker to work in surroundings or under conditions that are unsanitary, hazardous or dangerous.

Roles And Responsibilities of Government Officials The following government officials will participate in assessing the quality of the contractor’s performance. Their roles and responsibilities are described as follows:

The Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) is responsible for monitoring, assessing, recording, and reporting on the technical performance of the contractor on the schedule of inspections submitted by the contractor and approved by the government. The COR will have primary responsibility for completing “Contract Daily Diaries” and other inspection forms as appropriate which will be used to document the inspection and evaluation of the contractor’s work performance.

The Contracting Officer (CO) will have overall responsibility for overseeing the contractor’s performance. The CO will also be responsible for the day-to-day monitoring of the contractor’s performance in the areas of contract compliance, contract administration, cost control, and property control; reviewing the COR’s assessment of the contractor’s performance; and resolving all differences between the COR’s version and the contractor’s version.

Equipment Requirements and Transportation All equipment proposed to be used for performance of the work shall be of the size, type, number and in such condition to properly pursue the requirements of this contract.

The Contractor's proposed equipment shall be made available for inspection prior to award of the contract. If at any time during the course of this contract the equipment is deemed unsatisfactory, the Contracting Officer may order removal and may require a satisfactory replacement, at the Contractor’s expense. Replacement equipment, if ordered, is to be onsite and working within 48 hours.

Any movement or transportation of equipment to or from work areas required to repair or replace equipment, or for the Contractor's convenience shall be at the Contractor's expense.

Public Safety and Traffic Control The Contractor shall exercise caution and care while pursuing the work to prevent unnecessary conflict with, or potential hazards to, road users or others within the work area. The Contractor shall comply with all Federal and State safety requirements for the type of work to be performed. Refer to the Occupation Safety and Health Standards (OSHA) for details of these and other safety requirements.

The Contractor is to pursue all work on site in accordance with all Federal, State, and Local laws governing the transportation and work being performed.

The Contractor shall post warning signs on each end of the section of road being worked. Signs are to be of the size, quantity, and colors as required in the current edition of the "Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devises", (MUTCD). These signs shall be moved as needed to properly delineate and identify the section of the road being maintained. At no time shall these signs be more than two miles from operating equipment and shall be in place only when road equipment or persons are performing operations. All slow-moving equipment is to have a reflectorized "slow moving" vehicle emblem properly attached. Sign No. W21-4 “road work ahead”, or W21-3 “road machinery ahead”, can be used.

All work requiring closure of a road must be scheduled and approved by the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) prior to the commencement of that portion of work. All work is to be scheduled so that at the end of a working day, the road is passable for the type of traffic normally using the road. All debris shall be removed from the roadbed area. Any piles, berms or other potential hazards located within the traveled way shall be removed prior to the end of the workday. If for any reason traffic hazards are left adjacent to the roadbed after normal working hours, the work is to be properly signed as hazardous and flashing warning devices may be required as directed by the COR. Any roadway damage caused by the contractor’s operations shall be repaired at the contractor’s expense as directed by the COR. All signs shall be removed immediately following operations.

4.0 Use of Roads by Contractor

The Contractor is authorized to use roads under the jurisdiction of the Forest Service for all activities necessary to complete this contract, subject to the limitations and authorizations designated in the Road Order(s) or described in the contract, when such use will not damage the roads or national forest resources, and when traffic can be accommodated safely.

5.0 Method of Measurement

Method of Measurement Roadside Mowing will be measured and paid for per mile of road, round trip including both sides of the road.

Roadside Brushing will be measured and paid for per mile of road, round trip including both sides of the road.

Basis of Payment Payment shall be made for all work completed, inspected and accepted per the bid unit prices. Payment will be determined by the rates in the Bid Schedule multiplied by the unit of measurement. The unit price shall include all work items necessary for a complete job.

Schedule of Items See Attachment E, Schedule of Items – Quote Form (List of Roads)

Attachment(s) Attachment 1 – Schedule of Items – Quote Form (List of Roads) Attachment 3 - Map Roadside Mowing Attachment 4 - Map Roadside Brushing Attachment 5 - Typical Road Intersection Mowing & Brushing Attachment 6 – Service Contract Act Wage Determination #2014-4871 image1.png