Pest_Control_PWS_FY19_Edits_(002).pdf

GROUNDS MAINTENANCE AND FACILITY CLEANING SERVICES

UNIT PRICING SUMMARY

CLIN DESCRIPTION QTY Base Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 Option 4 Total

Pest Control FY19 FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23

0001 Interior Pest Control year

0002 Exterior Pest Control

0002AA Fly Control - Wranglers treatment

Fly Control - Wranglers (bid per treatment OR per year) year

0002AB Fly Control - SBR treatment

0002AC Termite Control year

0002AD Carpenter Bee Control (paid under Interior) year

0002AE TICK CONTROL AREAS (excluding 'special response' areas)

Brandon Springs Group Camp treatment

Energy Lake Campground treatment

Golden Pond Target Ranges treatment

Golden Pond Visitor Center treatment

Hillman Ferry Campground treatment

Homeplace 1850 treatment

Intern Village treatment

Nature Station treatment

Piney Campground treatment

0002AF TICK CONTROL TRAILS

Brandon Springs Group Camp Trails treatment

Woodland Walk treatment

0002AG

Hillman Ferry Campground treatment

Piney Campground treatment

0003 Hourly Rate (Special Response)

0003AB Flies hr

0003AC Ticks - B&F hr

0003AD Carpenter Bees hr

0003AE Termites hr

0003AF Interior Pests hr

0004 Materials/Supplies for Special Response est Contractor does not bid this line item - to be reimbursed at actual cost

LAND BETWEEN THE LAKES

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS)

INDOOR AND OUTDOOR PEST CONTROL

C.1 GENERAL

For the purposes of the Performance Work Statement (PWS), the United States Department of

Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service (FS) Land Between the Lakes (LBL) National Recreation Area

(NRA) shall be referred to as either LBL or the Government. The Offeror(s) for work covered by this

PWS shall be referred to as the Contractor.

All work shall be performed in compliance with all appropriate local, State, and Federal rules, regulations, codes, laws, the Forest Service Handbook (FSH), and the Forest Plan (FP). The Contractor shall at all times observe and comply with those laws and regulations in effect at contract award, as well as new legislation and amendments that become effective during the term of this contract. The

Contractor shall follow all manufacturers’ and regulatory guidelines in the application of pest control services.

The Contractor shall meet the licensing requirements of the States of Kentucky and Tennessee to provide pest control in the categories specified in this contract. All pesticide applicators shall meet the licensing and certification requirements for the respective state portion of LBL on which they are applying product. The Contractor shall provide proof of certification and licensing prior to award.

Proof of certification from any state shall be provided with the proposal.

C.2 FACILITIES/AREAS TO BE MAINTAINED

Information on facilities/areas to be maintained can be found below and within Exhibits 4, 5, 6, and 7, Facility Square Footage, Tick Treatment Trails, Tick Treatment Areas, and Mosquito Treatment Areas.

Further information on facilities may be found at www.landbetweenthelakes.us. Additional facilities or programs may be added at the Government’s discretion. The cost for service shall be at the current contract rates. All mowed areas within each listed facility’s management boundary are to be protected by tick and mosquito spraying. Trails shall be treated to include a protective buffer to limit trail users’ contact with target insects (approximately 10-15 foot minimum beyond edges of trails).

C.3 PEST MANAGEMENT PLAN

The Contractor shall maintain a Pest Management Plan, which includes the method for treatment, frequency, equipment, and quantifiable measures of success. The Pest Management Plan shall include a separate section for each type of treatment requested. Treatment and monitoring for Carpenter Bees, Ticks in Facilities, Ticks along trails, Mosquitos in facilities, Flies at Wrangler’s facility, and Fly treatments for South Bison Range bison shall each be addressed separately in the Pest Management Plan with lump sum costs provided for each facility and trail treatment separately. Monitoring shall be included in costs.

Situations that may affect the effectiveness of outdoor pest control work include a lack of Government funding to achieve full area pest control and/or the Government’s inability to clean up or remove all sources of pest harborage sites for nesting, resting, feeding, breeding, etc. These types of limitations http://www.lbl.org/ shall be understood and addressed by the Contractor to explain proactive methods and/or pesticides that are planned to limit the problems these situations may cause.

The Government intends to group requests for treatments based on funding, location, time periods, and the Pest Management Plan. Parts of this plan may be priced separately in the event that the services cannot all be afforded or otherwise implemented by the Government. Material costs would be priced separately from labor costs.

Alternative and/or experimental measures are encouraged; these measures shall demonstrate environmental and fiscal soundness, and they shall be appropriate for the use and setting.

C.4 SPECIFIC TECHNICAL TASKS

The Contractor shall provide all labor, supervision, equipment, tools, and other items, resources, and services necessary to provide routine, non-routine, special response (unscheduled), preventive and cyclical pest control services. Pest control services include, but are not limited to, management of ticks, mosquitos, flies, termites, carpenter bees, ants, spiders, mice, roaches, bed bugs, and other interior and exterior pests at LBL’s facilities, lands, and programs.

As new materials and methods become available, the technical specifications of this contract may be altered to accommodate such changes, such as those which would reduce reliance on pesticides or use safer materials. The Contractor shall recommend specification changes to the COR when:

Newer, safer, and more effective methods become available

More selective pesticides become available

Less toxic and less persistent pesticides become available

Less expensive chemicals and/or methods are known

C.4.1 PESTICIDES

All pesticides used by the Contractor shall be registered with the EPA and applicable State agency for the use intended. Pesticide approval requests, including justification, labels, and safety data sheets

(SDS) for each pesticide intended to be used shall be submitted to the LBL Forest Service Pesticide

Coordinator for approval prior to use. Approval may be limited to specific pests and/or sites. Any proposed changes in approved pesticide usage shall be submitted to the Pesticide Coordinator for approval at least 90 business days in advance of the anticipated use.

All pesticide usage shall be in strict conformance with label directions. The Contractor shall maintain a label book of pesticides used and SDS’s, and have it readily available upon the

CO’s, COR's or Inspector’s request.

The Contractor shall use only EPA-approved pesticides, ensuring strict compliance with label directions.

All pesticides shall remain in locked storage compartments at all times when left unattended.

C.4.3 FLY CONTROL SERVICES

Fly Control shall be conducted at the South Bison Range, and at Wranglers Campground.

C.4.3.1 FLY CONTROL SERVICES - WRANGLERS

Scheduled services at Wranglers have typically been conducted starting June 25th, and ending the second week of September, weather dependent. The Contractor shall identify Fly Control Services in the Pest

Management Plan. A combination of control methods may be used and shall be addressed in the plan as a proposal to achieve fly control for the entire season.

C.4.3.2 FLY CONTROL SERVICES - BISON

Bison fly control has historically involved spraying animals directly. If needed, Forest Service personnel or volunteers will be on site during these applications to assist with grouping the animals together. In the event that animals contact the spray vehicles and cause damage, the Government shall not be responsible for repair costs from any damage occurred. Fly control mineral is used for the bison;

otherwise, fly control will need to be accomplished using direct spray or similar methods. Pricing shall be provided as a per-treatment cost for labor plus materials. All direct spray treatments would be conducted in an open pasture setting as no barn or stable area exists at this location, and applicators would have to be within the safety of a vehicle during applications.

C.4.3.3 ACCEPTABLE LEVEL OF CONTROL - FLIES

Sampling may be conducted by the Contractor to monitor fly populations and treatment success. One acceptable method would require that no more than 10 adult biting flies on a standard fly grid left for one minute adjacent to a breeding or resting site. Sampling may be conducted by the Contractor for quality control purposes at no cost to the Government, or sampling may be conducted by Forest Service personnel or volunteers for monitoring purposes. The Contractor shall address monitoring methods they would normally use or otherwise find acceptable.

C.4.4 TICK CONTROL

Tick Control shall be conducted at the following locations (see Exhibits 5 and 6): Brandon Spring Group

Camp, Brandon Spring Trails, , Energy Lake Campground, , Golden Pond Visitor Center, Hillman Ferry

Campground, Homeplace, Intern Village, Nature Station, Nature Station Area Trails, Piney

Campground, . Trail spraying shall be conducted by hand or by UTV mounted sprayer or other acceptable equipment; ATVs are not allowed for pesticide spraying on LBL.

C.4.4.1 TICK CONTROL – NATURE STATION

Nature Station is serviced in the back yard area around and in the animal enclosures. Nature Station staff must accompany the person doing the spraying for safety and animal care reasons. The Nature

Station parking area, entrance, and picnic area can be done without such supervision.

C.4.4.2 ACCEPTABLE LEVEL OF CONTROL - TICKS

Sampling may be conducted by the Contractor to monitor tick populations and treatment success. One acceptable method would define acceptable control as less than 0.65 adult and nymph ticks per CO2 trap, and less than 0.1 larval clusters per drag sample. A CO2 trap is defined as an 80 g. cube of Dry Ice placed in the middle of a white polyester cloth panel (approx 55 x 90 cm) on the ground for one hour. A drag sample is defined as an approximately 1 meter square (surface area) smooth cotton cloth dragged over the ground and low growing vegetation for a distance of 20 meters per sample. Control shall be obtained within 48 hours of application. Sampling may be conducted by the Contractor for quality control purposes at no cost to the Government, or sampling may be conducted by Forest Service personnel or volunteers for monitoring purposes. The Contractor shall address monitoring methods they would normally use or otherwise find acceptable.

C.4.5 TERMITE CONTROL

Termite Control Service shall be conducted at locations as specified in Exhibit 4. The Contractor shall inspect structures within 30 calendar days of Contract Award..

Report of any conditions that are likely to cause re-infestation problems

Provide a written inspection report to the Pesticide Coordinator

The next full treatment of termite control shall be scheduled within the month of October 2021.

Treatment of all necessary areas for the eradication of termites in accordance with the Standards for Subterranean Termite Control as set forth by the Pest Control Advisory Board

Provide certification of termite treatment to the Pesticide Coordinator

C.4.5.1 ACCEPTABLE LEVEL OF CONTROL – TERMITES

The acceptable level of control of termites is 100%. If it is determined that retreatment is necessary, after the completed application in Oct. 2021 it shall be accomplished at no additional cost to the

Government.

C.4.6 CARPENTER BEE CONTROL

Carpenter Bee Control services shall be conducted at locations as specified in Exhibit 4. The Contractor shall perform on an annual basis:

Inspection of structures

Treatment of all active nest areas for larvae and adults

Treatment shall be performed by hand application of all required chemicals. Truck spraying is not permitted due to potential hazards to animals present at facilities.

C.4.6.1 ACCEPTABLE LEVEL OF CONTROL – CARPENTER BEE

Elimination of 95 percent or more of the targeted pests shall be established in one visit, and within 72 hours of application. If it is determined that retreatment is necessary, it shall be accomplished within 10 days of the original treatment at no additional cost to the Government.

C.4.7 INTERIOR PEST CONTROL

Interior Pest Control services shall be conducted at locations as specified in Exhibit 4. The Contractor shall inspect and treat all interior spaces for roaches, ants, silverfish, moths, fleas, water bugs, spiders, roaches, mice, and other bugs indigenous to the area.

C.4.7.1 ACCEPTABLE LEVEL OF CONTROL – INTERIOR PESTS

Elimination of 95 percent or more of the targeted pests shall be established in one visit and shall last until the next scheduled treatment.

C.4.8 RE-PERFORMANCE

The Contractor shall perform corrective action within 48 hours after receipt of notice from the COR that inspection has revealed control measures applied by the Contractor were ineffective in reducing target pests to an acceptable level. Re-performance shall be made at no additional cost to the Government and shall be required until the desired results are achieved.

C.5 RECORDS AND REPORTS

The Contractor shall maintain daily records of all pest control operations, both chemical and nonchemical. Records shall be completed on-site as operations are performed. Field data may be collected electronically or on a paper form. Data collected in the field will be similar to that on the form in Exhibit 1a, Pesticide Application Record. See Exhibit 1b for an example of a completed form. This form applies to exterior pesticide applications; however a similar form for interior and carpenter bee applications can be designed by the Contractor as long as it is converted to MS Excel format for the monthly reports. Forms shall be filled out legibly and completely for the Contractor to receive credit for the applications.

Records rejected by the COR or LBL Forest Service Pesticide Coordinator due to improper preparation shall be corrected by the Contractor and returned within 24 hours at no additional cost to the

Government. Records shall include name(s) of Contractor’s personnel, license number, location, date, time begun and ended, weather conditions, operations performed, active ingredients and brand names of chemicals, EPA registration number, concentrations, amounts applied, and other pertinent information as shown on Exhibit 1a. Calibration records of spray equipment shall also be forwarded to the COR each time the equipment is calibrated or re-calibrated.

The Contractor shall submit a copy of each completed form to the LBL Forest Service Pesticide

Coordinator within 7 calendar days of each pesticide application. These may be scanned copies, Microsoft Excel forms, or paper copies. MS Excel files of the application record data shall be submitted to the LBL Forest Service Pesticide Coordinator monthly. Paper forms shall be maintained on file with the Contractor, and available for inspection upon request.

On or before October 30 of each year, the Contractor shall provide a single MS Excel file to the LBL

Forest Service Pesticide Coordinator which contains pesticide application records from every application conducted by the Contractor (and subcontractors) on LBL during that fiscal year, separated by facility, one facility per tab. Dispersed facility areas, such as picnic sites, that do not receive many herbicide treatments may be grouped under a single MS Excel tab but shall be separated by facility (one column should allow facility name to be listed for each row).

C.6 CONTRACT LOGISTICS

C.6.1 CORs

LBL utilizes multiple Contracting Officer Representatives (CORs), and one Lead COR. Each COR is responsible for a specific facility, program, or area. The Lead COR is responsible for a facility, program, or area, as well as invoice processing and oversight of the contract. The Contractor shall be provided COR designation letters and contact information within 5 business days of contract award.

Many facilities have a staff of Resident Attendants (RAs) or Land Between the Lakes Association

(LBLA) employees. These employees do not have the authority to provide direction to the Contractor or

Contractor’s employees.

C.6.2 FUNDING

Funding for contracts at LBL may be provided at once by passage of a full budget, or throughout the year using Continuing Resolutions (CRs). Upon receipt of funding, the CO shall issue a modification to apply funding. Funding must be obligated on contract prior to work being performed. Funding must be obligated on contract prior to work being performed.

C.6.3 CONTRACT LINE ITEMS (CLINs)

The Contractor shall propose costs per the attached bid sheet/schedule of items. The price shall include all costs associated with this PWS, including any fees, rental costs, supplies, reporting, etc. CLINs are also established for Special Response hourly rates. The Contractor shall bid on each year (base and all options). The Government will accept proposals presented as value engineering.

Services may also be requested by modification as “Special Response”; therefore, the Contractor shall provide hourly rates for treating each pest category. See Attachment 1, Bid Sheets. Typically, treatments for various facilities and trails will be grouped into one request, requiring work at all locations to be performed within a certain period of time; however, some locations will periodically require extra treatments that will not involve other locations near the same facility. Pricing per hour is established to address extra round trips for such special response work. All tick or mosquito treatments will be ordered as a group to complete during a specific time period to eliminate the need for extra site-specific trips to LBL.

For tick and mosquito tasks, campground areas/loops and trails that are not treated during a visit will be deducted from the total cost based on treatment acreage of the section(s) involved. For example if only

Hillman Loop A is not treated (29.4 acres) then the total Hillman Campground area treatment cost

(126.8 acres) would be reduced 23% (Loop A= 23% of the total acreage). These types of area and trail exclusions would be needed only when the area(s) are closed to campers or bypassed due to having a pest population below the treatment threshold (not enough pests to justify the activity). If part of an area/loop is treated, then the contractor’s labor fees will be paid as if the entire area was treated (which often occurs when too many campsites are occupied for a complete treatment)

Wrangler’s and South Bison Range fly treatments may occur as often as once per week, depending on need; however, extra control measures at these facilities may be instituted at these locations to reduce the number of spraying sessions needed, as recommended by the Contractor.

Special incidents may occur, such as a bed bug outbreak that will be priced per event- to control the problem at that one facility.

C.7 PROTECTION OF LAND AREAS

The land, facilities, structures, programs, activities and areas outside the limits of work performed under this contract shall be preserved in the condition at contract award, minus fair wear and tear. The

Contractor shall confine activity to areas defined for work or specifically assigned for Contractor use.

C.8 PROTECTION OF WATER RESOURCES

The Contractor shall comply with all Federal, State, and County laws concerning pollution of rivers and streams. The Contractor shall take special measures to prevent materials from entering public waters including, but not limited to, soil, chemicals, fuels, oils, greases, bituminous materials, herbicides, and insecticides. Container rinse water shall be added to the tank mix or removed from LBL. Washing of equipment, vehicles, containers, etc. on site is prohibited. Pesticides shall not be applied to water or within at least 30 horizontal feet of lakes, wetlands, or perennial or intermittent springs and streams. No pesticide shall be applied within 100 horizontal feet of any public or domestic water source.

C.9 CLEAN UP

Contractor-generated debris and rubbish shall be removed from the work site daily. The Contractor shall not dispose of Contractor-generated debris in dumpsters located on LBL. The Contractor may utilize dumpsters located at the Maintenance Complex, with prior permission provided by the CO.

Debris shall be removed and transported in a manner to prevent spillage on the roads, parking areas, and adjacent areas. The Contractor shall notify the CO and COR within 2 hours of any spills or leaks caused by the Contractor’s (employees or subcontractors) actions.

All pesticides, rinse water, and containers shall be disposed of in accordance with label directions.

Pesticides and containers shall not be disposed of on LBL unless specifically authorized by the COR.

The Contractor is solely responsible for any and all spills or leaks and subsequent clean ups that may be required during the performance of this contract which occur as a result of or are contributed to by the actions of its agents, employees, or subcontractors. The Contractor shall clean up such spills or leaks to the satisfaction of the Government. Pesticide spills shall be cleaned, decontaminated, and reported as specified by the Emergency Spill Plan.

C.10 CONTRACTING OFFICER NOTIFICATION

All inquiries, comments or complaints arising from any matter observed, experienced, or learned as a result of or in connection with the performance of this contract shall be directed to the CO.

C.11 CONTRACTOR HOURS OF WORK

The Contractor shall schedule treatments to satisfy the requirements of each facility or activity at LBL, which will vary by season, pest species, visitation, and workload. The Contractor may be required to provide service at facilities and activities on weekdays, weekends, and holidays based on the facility/activity’s operating schedule.

The Contractor’s schedule presented shall be flexible in order to work around the visitation schedules in facilities. The Contractor shall establish periods of work so as to cause the least disturbance to LBL visitors, employees, and other contractors in the normal occurrence of Government business. In those cases where some interference is unavoidable, the Contractor shall make every effort to minimize the impact.

The Contractor shall submit a schedule to the LBL Forest Service Pesticide Coordinator at least weekly.

The schedule shall state the location, the treatment, and the approximate date and times that each location is to be treated. The Government reserves the right to negotiate the Contractor’s schedule as necessary, at no additional cost to the Government. The Contractor shall notify the CO prior to any deviation from the established schedule. In the event that the deviation affects notices which have been posted, the Contractor shall contact Facility Managers and provide updated posting information. See

Section C.17 regarding notification requirements.

The Contractor shall schedule personnel so that overtime rates are not applied, other than on special response tasks. The Contractor shall perform special response as required outside of regularly scheduled hours. See Section C.23 for Special Response procedures. See Attachment 4, Facility Information for the operating hours of each facility.

C.12 CONTRACTOR’S PERSONNEL

C.12.1 CONTRACTOR’S MANAGER

The Contractor shall provide a Contract Manager who shall be responsible for ensuring the requirements of this PWS are met. This person, and an alternate(s) who shall act for the Contractor when the Contract

Manager is absent, shall be designated in writing to the Contracting Officer (CO) for approval within 7 calendar days prior to the contract start date. The Contract Manager and the alternate(s) shall be given authority to make on-site decisions on contract matters on behalf of the Contractor and shall be the central point of contact for the Government. The Contractor shall notify the CO and CORs of the name of the current designated Contract Manager, the time period for which they shall be contacted, and a contact phone number. This information shall be provided via e-mail as changes occur.

The Contract Manager or an alternate shall be available at all times during normal business hours and shall be available within two hours of notification by the Government to discuss and/or meet on matters related to the contract. The Contract Manager or alternate shall be available when Contractor staff is working on LBL by telephone to respond to emergency requests.

The Contract Manager shall have a minimum of five years of experience and proven success in the management of similar maintenance and service operations. The Contract Manager and alternate shall be able to communicate effectively in English, both orally and in writing.

C.12.2 CONTRACTOR’S WORK FORCE

The Contractor shall provide all necessary labor, equipment, personal protective equipment (PPE), chemicals, resources and materials necessary to meet the specifications of this PWS. The Contractor shall furnish all personnel required for efficient operation of all phases of work required under this PWS, including those incidental to performing the services. The Contractor shall provide all uniforms (see

Section C.12.3), and apparel (i.e., safety glasses, shoes, headwear, etc.) required for use by Contractor personnel performing work under this PWS.

The Contractor shall ensure that a background investigation is conducted on all Contractor employees who will come into contact with children. When requested, a copy of each background check shall be furnished to the CO along with the Contractor’s recommendation for hire. The Contractor shall ensure employees who have dealings or contact with Government employees or LBL’s visiting public speak and understand English. The Contractor shall submit a list of personnel names, job titles, and work locations to the CO within 15 calendar days of contract award and as changes occur. The list shall be submitted no less than annually, but no more than monthly.

C.12.3 CONTRACTOR’S WORK FORCE APPEARANCE AND CONDUCT

Minimum uniforms required under this contract shall consist of a shirt with the company name/logo. If the Contractor chooses to issue caps, the cap shall also contain the company name/logo. The name of the employee shall be prominently displayed on the shirt, either by a badge, nametag, or sewn on, unless this causes a safety issue. The employees shall dress appropriately and shall present a neat and clean appearance. The Contractor shall submit a sample uniform to the CO within 15 calendar days prior to the contract start date.

The Contractor shall be responsible for the conduct of all Contractor employees and shall inform the CO of any complaints received. The Government reserves the right to require the Contractor to remove any employee(s) for misconduct, for security reasons, or for otherwise endangering the physical security of persons or property at LBL. Removal of employees for such causes does not relieve the Contractor of the requirement to provide sufficient personnel to adequately perform tasks and services required under this contract.

Due to the close integration of the Contractor in daily operations at LBL, the Contractor is commonly considered part of LBL’s staff by the public/visitors. Therefore, Contractor personnel shall understand the importance of quality customer service in the operation of LBL and be courteous, helpful, and friendly to LBL staff and visitors.

C.12.4 CONTRACTOR’S WORKFORCE TRAINING

The Contractor shall ensure Contractor personnel (employees and subcontractors) are adequately trained or certified to meet the requirements of this PWS. The Contractor shall maintain records of all training received by Contractor personnel, providing documentation to the Government upon request.

The Contractor shall ensure employees have the following current and valid professional certifications, when required, before starting work under this contract:

A valid state driver’s license

A valid state commercial driver’s license (CDL) when required by law

CPR & first aid certification

Contractor personnel conducting pesticide applications shall be certified in the state category and location for the pesticide that is being sprayed.

The Contractor shall provide copies of operator and applicator’s licenses to the CO within 14 business days of contract award and as changes occur.

C.12.5 CONTRACTOR’S EQUIPMENT

Contractor property shall be maintained in a clean, neat, safe, and operable condition as specified by the manufacturer and shall meet local, State, and Federal licensing, inspection, and insurance requirements.

All vehicles shall be clearly marked with the Contractor’s company name/logo, and shall be free from observable pesticide spills, residues, or build-up, and present a clean, sound, and neat appearance. The

Contractor shall remove property identified as not meeting the above safety requirements, by inspection of the CO or COR, within one hour of notification by the CO.

Prior to equipment usage, the Contractor shall provide the CO with a list of personal protective equipment (PPE) required for each piece of equipment to be used on LBL. Vehicles shall not be cleaned or washed on Government property or otherwise specified in the contract.

C.13 PESTICIDE DISPERSAL EQUIPMENT

Herbicide mixing, loading, or cleaning areas in the field cannot be located within 200 feet of private land, open water or wells, or other sensitive areas.

All tanks, hoses, pumps, control valves, and gauges shall be free of visible deterioration, shall not leak, and shall operate at the manufacturer's recommended rates and pressures. Equipment which has failed shall be replaced and/or repaired by the Contractor prior to resuming operations.

Screens, strainers, and filters shall be used and maintained in accordance with the pump, sprayer, and nozzle manufacturer's instructions.

Spray nozzles shall deliver spray patterns as specified by the nozzle manufacturer. Nozzles which become clogged or eroded shall be repaired or replaced by the Contractor prior to resuming operations.

Ultra-Low Volume (ULV) equipment shall be calibrated to assure proper flow rate and droplet size of pesticide as required by the label of the pesticide to be used. ULV equipment shall be calibrated, including droplet size analysis, prior to use each season (or more frequently according to need, manufacturer's recommendations, or laws), and when the machine is repaired in a manner that could affect calibration results. Calibration and droplet analysis reports shall be maintained on file and submitted to the COR within 72 hours after completion of calibration.

Ensure state regulations and permit requirements are adhered to regarding calibration of this equipment.

All pesticide dispersal equipment, including bait stations and trays if applicable, shall be clearly and plainly marked with "DANGER"..."PESTICIDES", or as required by applicable regulations.

Storage and transport containers shall conform to state and federal regulations and exterior hazard/warning messages and placards shall be properly displayed when required by law.

Vehicles used to transport pesticides shall be equipped with a UL approved and functional fire extinguisher, a spill and decontamination kit as specified in the Emergency Spill Plan, and emergency wash water.

All pesticides carried on vehicles shall be secured in locked compartments at all times on LBL.

Vehicles shall not be left unattended at any time unless properly locked and secured.

Vehicles capable of off road travel with suitable tires, drivetrain, and ground clearance will be needed for safe and efficient operation during Bison fly spraying operations and for various other locations across LBL.

All equipment shall be parked out of sight of visitors when not in use, unless prior COR approval is granted.

Care shall be taken to avoid rutting and turf damage; avoid equipment use on moist soils unless specifically authorized by the COR.

To avoid cross contamination and unwanted weed seed dispersal and livestock disease transfer, equipment used at the SBR shall be thoroughly cleaned of seed, mud, and manure prior to entering these facilities.

C.14 REMOVAL OF CONTRACTOR PROPERTY

Within 20 business days after expiration or termination of this contract, the Contractor shall remove all

Contractor-owned vehicles, tools, supplies, materials, and other items from LBL. The Government will not be responsible for any Contractor-owned property remaining on LBL after contract expiration or termination. If the Contractor does not remove said property from LBL within the stated time, the

Government will dispose of the property and the Contractor shall be billed for any or all the costs.

C.15 KEY CONTROL/PHYSICAL ACCESS

The Contractor shall obtain access to buildings and facilities from the COR or Facility Manager. Most facilities on LBL are closed December through February; therefore, the Contractor shall coordinate access of facilities with Facility Managers prior to treatment. See Section C.17 regarding Check

In/Check Out and Notification Requirements.

Many facilities have a staff of Resident Attendants (RAs) or Land Between the Lakes Association

(LBLA) employees. These employees do not have authority to provide access to buildings or facilities without a COR or Facility Manager’s approval. The Contractor shall ensure buildings and facilities are secured at the end of each day, if the Contractor is the last person present.

When deemed necessary, the Government will provide the Contractor with numbered keys or key codes to facilities being accessed. The Contractor shall restrict the use of keys and codes. All keys not assigned to an employee or not in use for other reasons shall be kept in a locked cabinet or cupboard in the Contractor’s office. The Contractor shall understand and maintain the hierarchy of LBL’s keyed access system, to be provided to the Contractor upon contract award.

The Contractor shall not duplicate any keys issued by the Government without the approval of the CO.

The Contractor shall immediately report to the CO any occurrence of lost or duplicated keys by

Contractor personnel, or any occurrence of key codes being distributed to unauthorized individuals. In the event keys are lost or duplicated or key codes are incorrectly distributed by Contractor personnel, the

Contractor shall be required to re-key, re-code, or replace the affected lock or locks at the Contractor’s expense. The Contractor shall prohibit the opening of locked areas by the Contractor’s employees to permit entrance of unauthorized persons.

The Contractor shall provide a system of accountability to track the location of all keys and authorized persons in possession of a key or key code. The Contractor shall submit a current inventory of keys

(name of employee, job title, and key number/location) to the CO within 30 calendar days of contract award and as changes occur. All keys shall be returned to the CO within 5 business days of contract expiration or termination.

C.16 COMMUNICATION

The Contractor shall specify the method of communication while on LBL property for communication between the Contractor and the Government, and between the Contractor and Contractor employees

(i.e., cell phones, two way radios, etc.).

Each applicator shall have a useable communication device in/on their equipment whenever transporting or applying pesticides. Communication devices shall be operational in the area the applicator is currently working, and shall communicate to a receiving device that is constantly monitored by someone familiar with emergency notification procedures. Communication may be to Forest Service staff, with prior coordination.

The Contractor shall advise COR and facility managers in writing of any improvements necessary in vegetation management, sanitation, waste handling, and other measures beyond the Contractor's purview, which impact effective pest management.

The Contractor shall supply written notification of significant events (i.e., issues affecting the health and safety of staff and visitors) within 24 hours of discovery of such an event. Notification shall be provided to the CO, the lead COR, and the Facility Manager. Notification during normal business hours shall be in the form of e-mail, with the CO supplying the Contractor with e-mail acknowledgment of the notification. During non-business hours or holidays, notification shall be by phone with a follow up e-mail on the next normal business day. The Contractor shall provide updates on the status of the event to the CO, the lead COR, and the Facility Manager in writing until such time as the event has been remediated. Updates shall be supplied at least weekly, unless the CO approves a less-frequent schedule.

C.17 CHECK IN/CHECK OUT AND NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

The Contractor's pest control applicator shall check in by phone or e-mail prior to the commencement of each day's work (the frequency of check-in may be changed at a later date, but if changed will be less frequent than daily). At the time of check in, the pest control applicator shall indicate:

The services planned to be provided during the day

The location and order of the planned services

Planned services which were not completed during the previous day

Schedule of any proposed follow-up treatments needed

Estimated time of completion

For tick, mosquito, or fly treatment the Contractor shall notify each Facility Manager at least 24 hours in advance of any scheduled services to be performed. Information shall include the date, approximate begin time, approximate end time, and any needs prior to application (posting, etc.) Areas which have not been properly prepared shall not be treated, and the Contractor shall coordinate with the Facility

Manager as required until all preparations have been completed. Prior to treating facilities which do not have an on-site Facility Manager, the applicator will drive through the area immediately prior to application and alert all the occupants of work to be done and necessary protection measures to take prior to initiating application. This will be done at no additional cost to the Government.

Twenty-four (24) hours prior to tick, mosquito, or fly treatment, the Contractor shall ensure that notifications are posted for the visiting public about the chemical being applied (i.e., commercial or common name), mitigation for human and animal use, and proximity to treated areas. The Visitor

Notification Form, Exhibit 2, or other COR approved form may be used for this purpose. Specific sites that have people, pets, exposed food or food containers, etc. shall not be treated unless permitted by the product label and COR. The form(s) shall be posted in obvious public places in sufficient enough size and quantity. The Contractor may request Facility Managers, CORs, or Inspectors post the form(s);

however, Facility Managers shall be provided the form and all necessary information in sufficient time for posting to be accomplished. Information shall be provided via e-mail, with reminders provided, as needed.

The Contractor shall be responsible for ensuring that posted notices are removed upon completion of application.

C.18 SAFETY/EMERGENCIES

Deviations from or violations of any of the provisions of this section will, in addition to all other criminal and civil remedies provided by law, subject the Contractor to immediate termination for default and/or the individuals involved to a withdrawal of the Government's acceptance and approval of employment.

The Contractor shall comply with all safety requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), 29 CFR 1910, General Industry’s Regulations, and the Forest Service Handbook

(FSH) 6709.11, Health and Safety Code Handbook.

The Contractor shall maintain a Pesticide Emergency Spill Plan, as created and submitted during the solicitation phase. An updated copy of the Contractor’s Spill Plan shall be provided to the

CO for approval as changes occur. See Exhibit 3 for an example of a Pesticide Emergency Spill

Plan.

The Contractor shall maintain a comprehensive health and safety program, as created and submitted during the solicitation phase. An updated copy of the Contractor’s health and safety plan shall be provided to the CO for approval as changes occur.

The Government provides limited law enforcement services on LBL. The Contractor shall make themselves available for official investigations when requested through official channels.

The Contractor shall be responsible for arranging emergency medical services for Contractor personnel.

The Contractor shall report exposure data, and all accidents resulting in death, trauma, injury, or occupational disease to the CO within 2 hours of their occurrence.

The Contractor shall immediately notify LBL’s Law Enforcement & Investigation department when Contractor’s actions (employees and subcontractors) result in damage to Government, Contractor, or visitor property or person.

The Contractor shall submit a full written report of damage to the CO and COR within 24 hours of the occurrence. See also Section C.27 regarding damage to Government property.

Care shall be taken at all times to prevent animal escapes or injuries.

C.19 WEATHER AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

Average weather occurrences are not a reason for delivering services later than scheduled or requested;

however, abnormal conditions are a legitimate reason. Environmental conditions caused by weather events, such as excessive rainfall, can cause some areas to become inaccessible due to soil conditions, flooding, etc. The Government understands that this may cause delays or cancellations of planned work.

All delays shall be coordinated with the COR and any delays not agreed upon shall be taken to the CO for consideration.

When pesticide labels do not list specific weather or environmental conditions for the pest being treated, Contractors shall follow the following guidelines for outdoor pest control spraying applications:

PEST/Equipment Temperatures Humidity Wind Other Considerations

Ticks 65-90 ≥ 30% 0-10 mph

Follow label

Flies 70-90 72-85preferred

≥ 30% 0-10 mph

Most effective within 2 hours of dawn or dusk during daylight only

Mosquitos 65-85 ≥ 30% 0-10 mph

Treat from dusk to dawn. Temperature inversion preferred.

ULV Machines Follow label Follow label

2-10 mph

Slight wind helps disperse properly

All Mechanical Spraying

32-90 deg F ≥ 30% 0-10 mph

LBL required limits. Follow label

All Hand Spraying

32-98 deg. F ≥ 20% 0-15 mph

LBL required limits. Follow label

Granular Machine

Spreading

Any Any 0-10 mph

LBL required limits. Follow label

Additional weather monitoring and limitations to follow when working on LBL:

The National Weather Service shall be used to determine % chance of rain within a given time period.

On-site weather conditions shall be collected by applicators before and during applications using accurate temperature, wind, and humidity measuring devices.

Do not spray when temperature inversions exist near pest area levels, except when treating mosquitos.

Do not spray against the winds. Use the wind to help disperse pesticides over prescribed areas uniformly.

Treatments cannot occur during rainfall.

Treatments shall not occur when there is more than a 35% chance of rainfall within the following 6 hours of pest species activity (use chart above for activity temperature ranges of ticks and flies).

This rule shall be followed when applying pesticides that have residual effectiveness, such as tick sprays and some fly sprays used for stable treatments, as well as animal fly treatments. For example, activity may cease overnight when temperatures drop, then resume again later the next morning.

Pesticides shall be able to dry on surfaces or animals before next rainfall and as much as possible before visitors come into contact with application surfaces, and shall be completely dry on structures

(tables, chairs, building surfaces, etc.). Applications shall be dry by nightfall (except mosquito applications).

Dew or rain cannot be present on surfaces or vegetation when applying pesticides that have residual effectiveness, such as tick sprays and some fly sprays used for stable treatments.

C.20 VIOLATION/FINES

Any fines, penalties, or other monetary assessments levied against the Contractor, or levied against the

Government as a result of the Contractor’s performance, shall be the responsibility of the Contractor.

The cost of redemption or restoration caused by the Contractor’s (employees or subcontractors) actions shall be the responsibility of the Contractor. The Contractor shall report any violations or fines in writing to the CO within 24 hours of notice.

C.21 QUALITY CONTROL (QC)

The Contractor shall maintain a comprehensive Quality Control Program (QCP), as created and submitted during the solicitation phase. An updated copy of the Contractor’s quality control plan shall be provided to the CO for approval as changes occur.

C.22 TASK ORDERS

LBL may use task orders for notification of planned work to request and schedule tasks. Task orders include a date, unique tracking number (task order number), job code (funding code), required date of completion, labor category/contract line item number (CLIN), amount of hours, materials required, and a brief scope of work. A task order form is included as Exhibit 8.

The Contractor shall have a tracking system in place in order to track task orders.

The Contractor shall be available to consult with CORs in order to develop a comprehensive understanding of the scope of work. The Contractor shall ensure complete understanding of the scope of work prior to work commencing. Information provided to the Contractor from the COR shall be provided by the Contractor to those Contractor personnel performing the work (i.e., the personnel performing the work should consult with the Contract Manager on specifics of work to be performed).

The Contractor will not be reimbursed for the time required for the Contract Manager to consult with

CORs nor for the time required for the Contract Manager to consult with the personnel performing the work.

The Contractor personnel performing the work shall have a full understanding of the task and a copy of the task order in hand when performing work. The Contractor personnel may not have a copy of a

Special Response task order, but they shall have a full understanding of the task. When a color copy of an attachment (map, exhibit, etc.) is included with the task order, the Contractor shall provide a color copy of the attachment to the Contractor personnel performing the work.

Prior to the contract start date, the CO shall provide the name of each COR and the dollar threshold assigned. The CO shall approve any task orders above the COR’s threshold. The Contractor shall accept task orders in hard copy or electronic format. Task orders may be signed by the CO or COR using an electronic signature.

Each task order shall be considered a not to exceed amount. The Contractor shall request approval for any task that requires more time or materials than what is authorized on the task order. The COR, and the CO when appropriate, shall submit approval for the required increase. Approval may be in the form of a revised task order, or the Contractor may write in the changed amounts for the COR and/or CO signature. Approval is not required when the task requires less time or materials than approved on the task order, the Contractor shall simply write in the actual amounts used.

Upon completion of the task order, the Contractor shall submit the task order to the COR for inspection and approval. The completed task order shall reflect actual hours and materials. The COR shall either sign final approval or notify the Contractor of any disagreement within 14 business days.

The COR may approve payment for a partial completion of the task order. The task order shall be annotated as partial completion by both the COR and the Contractor. The Contractor may submit partial completion task orders for materials received against a task order.

Once a task order is signed, either partial or final completion, the task order shall be available for invoicing. The Contractor shall maintain copies of all completed task orders for the entirety of the contract, to include options years. The Contractor shall be able to produce copies of task orders upon request of the Government.

C.23 SPECIAL RESPONSE (SR)

Special response requests cannot be planned for; they are unanticipated occurrences requiring attention.

Special Response tasks must have funding obligated to the contract prior to services being performed by the Contractor. Funding may be applied at contract award or throughout the year via modification(s).

Special Response services may be requested by the COR via e-mail, phone, or text, once funds are obligated. Special response rates shall be the same as non-special response rates, unless overtime rates apply.

The Government may request additional treatments, which may include locations or pests not included in the scheduled treatment. The Contractor shall provide labels and SDS’s for any additional chemicals to be used in “Special Response” work. These treatments shall be effective for 30 calendar days unless otherwise agreed to by the Government. Upon reinfestation within 30 calendar days following Special

Response Work, the Contractor shall respond within 48 hours and re-treat at no cost to the Government.

The Government recognizes that legal methods do not exist to control some pest species in outdoor areas for 30 days; therefore, the Contractor shall address any limitations in their Pest Management Plan for those species.

Special Response tasks may be requested at multiple facilities with identical response dates. The

Contractor shall ensure that each task is sufficiently staffed to ensure completion by the required deadline(s). Special Response requests do not alleviate the Contractor from meeting normally scheduled deadlines.