127EAS23Q0124.pdf

127EAS23Q0124

Southwestern Region

Sierra National Forest, Buffin Meadow Site Prep

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial services prepared in accordance with (IAW) the format prescribed in FAR Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotes are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued.

Solicitation 127EAS23Q0124 is issued as a request for quote (RFQ).

This procurement is being issued as a 100%, SMALL BUSINESS SET ASIDE.

North American Industrial Classification Standard (NAICS) 115310, Size standard of $34 Million.

This solicitation document incorporates provisions and clauses of those in effect through Federal Acquisition

Circular 2023-04 and Agriculture Acquisition Regulation (AGAR) last updated 11 March 2021. The result of this requirement will be a firm fixed priced (FFP) contract.

ATTACHMENTS:

1. Schedule of Items (SOI)

2. Statement of Work

3. Evaluation Criteria and Instructions for Quote Submission

4. Representations and Certifications

5. Wage Determination

6. Maps

CONTRACTOR MUST SUBMIT:

Completed and Signed SOI

Technical Approach Document

Past Performance Information

• Please see evaluation criteria attachment for further information.

All questions pertaining to this acquisition shall be asked no later than, 8/28/23 at 2:00PM, PST. Questions shall be sent to Perry Rinato via email at perry.rinato@usda.gov. Email must be titled, “127EAS23Q0124 – RFQ

Question”.

It is the responsibility of the offeror to view the website for any changes or amendments to this RFQ.

Quotes are due to Perry Rinato via email at perry.rinato@usda.gov no later than, 9/4/23 at 2:00PM, PST. Quote emails must be titled, “127EAS23Q0124 – RFQ Submission”.

Schedule of Items/Price Schedule

SCHEDULE OF ITEMS

PROJECT Sierra National Forest, Buffin Meadow Site Prep

UNIT Southwest Zone

SOL # 127EAS23Q0124

PR # 1089029

ITEM

NO. DESCRIPTION

UNIT

of

ISSUE

UNIT

QTY

UNIT

PRICE TOTAL PRICE

BLRD BUFFIN Meadow Site

Prep 10 d. IAW the stated terms and conditions of the SOW Acre 37 $_________ $_________________

BLRD BUFFIN Meadow Site

Prep 10 a. IAW the stated terms and conditions of the SOW Acre 95 $_________ $_________________

TOTAL $

NOTES 1. Responses for quantities less than those listed in the numbered items may be rejected

2. Responses without prices for each item and sub-item may be rejected.

PRICE SUBMITTED BY

Signature

Phone:

Vendor Fax:

Address Email:

Cage

Code POC:

UEI

Statement of Work

Scope of Contract

The purpose of this contract is to secure services for site preparation of conifer plantations and wild stands, by hand felling of standing dead trees and mechanical piling of brush and existing slash, dead trees, logs and woody debris on approximately 132 acres. Install a ten foot wide fire line around each created burn pile/bunch. Work shall be done in a manner that does not damage residual trees or vegetation not specified to be treated.

Description of Work:

The required services are site preparation within conifer stands, including both the natural stands and conifer plantations that have standing and down insect-killed conifer trees. Black Oak, Live Oak and Golden Oak trees shall not be cut during site preparation activities.

Site preparation activities include the following:

Utilize chainsaws to cut standing dead trees and utilize mechanized equipment to pile to produce teepee shaped burn piles consisting of both whole tree cutting, hand felled trees, naturally fallen trees, activity-generated and existing previously cut trees and slash. Down trees may also be contributed from windblown weather conditions.

Retain approximately 8 to 10 feet of undisturbed vegetation and slash, between the outer edge of the teepee shaped burn pile and the inside edge of the 10 foot wide fire line. Fire line shall be installed around individual, group teepee shaped bunches/piles or the perimeter of the section of the worked area when natural resource conditions such as slope or rock prevent group or individual lining. Created fire lines installed on slopes shall have open ended water bars to slow down the rate of rainwater runoff and to prevent soil movement. Mechanical operations shall be completed in a safe and practical manner on 0 to 40 percent slopes, with short pitches up to

45 percent slope. Project objectives shall be completed, while ensuring natural resource protection measures are met, protecting aquatic and riparian habitat, vegetation, snags, down logs for wildlife species, Forest improvements and Heritage Areas.

As needed pile with a track excavator with a boom, grapple or thump and shovel type attached head, capable of lifting previously felled trees, limbs, and other slash to stack into a teepee shaped burn pile. Install a 10 foot wide fire line with dozer. Buck trees as needed to safely lift and stack into a teepee shaped burn pile. A small dozer equipped with a brush rake may be needed to pile brush.

Contractor Responsibility: Work performed shall be performed in compliance to the contract terms, specifications and provisions. The Contractor shall furnish labor; equipment; supervision; transportation

(including but not limited to mobilization) and operating supplies.

Contractors and employees working on Federal projects on the Sierra National Forest will be expected to follow guidelines prepared by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) including guidance for

COVID-19 to identify risk levels in workplace settings and to determine appropriate control measures to implement.

For more information please visit the links below.

https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/covid-19/ https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3990.pdf

Project Location and Description

Location:

This project is located on the Sierra National Forest, Bass Lake Ranger District.

The project area is located northeast of Oakhurst, California within Sections 18 and 19, Township 5S, Range

22E, MDBM at the 5400’– 5,800’ elevation. The vegetation consists of mostly dead 60 year old ponderosa pine plantation overstory with live mixed conifer understory trees oak, and brush. The project areas are generally identified by changes in vegetation, roads, drainages, flagging, or through geographical information (GIS) data.

The estimated boundary can be the original plantation boundary, an area of surviving ponderosa pine plantation trees, or natural or manmade features that clearly define the boundary as noted in the project maps. In most cases, the interior and exterior boundaries of the project will be the edge of the failed portion of the original plantation or otherwise described below or by the Contracting Officer Representative (COR). If there is any discrepancy on the boundaries of individual work areas within units the COR must be contacted as soon as possible and no work will continue until the discrepancy is resolved.

The contractor shall have Avenza Maps™, or like equivalent installed on a portable device to be used in the field to delineate general boundary locations of contract units. The COR will issue a geo-referenced PDF map to the contractor to assist in identifying boundaries and landmarks shown on the contract map.

Project Area Description:

Access:

Access routes and direction are given from Fresno, California. To reach the Fish Camp Project site take

Highway 41 North to Oakhurst. Proceed north on Highway 41 approximately 15.5 miles, right at Road 5S43

(Buffin MDW Road). The project site begins approximately 3 miles from the intersection of Highway 41 and

Buffin MDW Road. The Government will not provide special maintenance or snow plowing to open roads or keep roads open.

Project Treatment Areas

Item 1: Buffin Meadow Unit 10 d. - This unit is approximately 37 acres and located on forest road

05S043 and borders unit T-10a. Special features/requirements include Streamside Management Zones

(SMZs) protection of class 4 (25 feet) and a Limited Operating Period (LOP) for the Pacific fisher from

March1st through June 30th.

Item 2: Buffin Meadow Unit 10a. - This unit is approximately 95 acres and located on forest road

6S090 and borders unit T-10d. Special features/requirements include protection of Streamside

Management Zones (SMZ) protection of class 3 (50 feet), class 4 (25 feet) and a Limited Operating

Period (LOP) for the Pacific fisher from March1st through June 30th.

Maps

Maps showing the general vicinity and/or specific work areas are included in Section J. Contract maps are estimated shapes and are not to be considered as definitively identifying locations. Unit boundaries will be defined on site.

Electronic files (geo-referenced PDF’s) will be emailed to contractor prior to commencement of work. Foremen will be expected to use geo-referenced maps to identify approximate boundaries and predetermined leave areas as shown on the contract area maps. These areas may not be flagged in their entirety or flagging may be disturbed by other forest users and wildlife.

Contract Time

Estimate start work date is upon contract award, the contract time is estimated for 33 days. Contract time includes delays for weather; project activity level restrictions; all applicable wildlife limited operating periods locating and transporting supplies and materials; and final cleanup.

Restrictions of Work

The Contracting Officer or their representative may specify an order of work by item or sub-item (unit) within an item, without additional cost to the Government. Work may be performed at any time during the period of the contract, except as specified as followings:

(a) In accordance with the attached fire plan, if included in Section J.

(b) When the Contracting Officer and/or his representative determine that adverse weather has made access or project production too dangerous or that continued vehicular travel would cause unacceptable road damage.

(c) When the Contracting Officer and/or his representative has determined that weather conditions are unfavorable for mechanical thinning operations to continue due to increased risk of insect infestation.

(d) Limited Operating Period’s (LOP) are for the protection of the Pacific fisher from March 1st through June

30th when activities are prohibited for all or part of the treatment area in specific units. LOP designations are for the 2022 calendar year.

In the event that an active Pacific fisher (Pekania pennanti) den site is located near operations, operations should cease and the COR will notify the District Terrestrial Wildlife Biologist shall be notified as soon as possible.

In the event that a threatened, endangered, or Forest Service sensitive species is located near operations, a LOP for their protection shall be applied as directed by the Land Management Plan (LMP) as amended in 2004.

(e) Weather predictions indicate a hazardous fire condition warranting curtailment of operations, as specified elsewhere in this contract.

(f) Between dusk and dawn.

(g) Between December 1st and June 30th when shredded/cut/chipped material is larger than 3" diameter and consists of Pine species.

(h) Before 7:00 A.M. on weekdays or 8:00 A.M. on weekends when operating within ¼ mile of residences.

(i) When the Contracting Officer and/or their representative has determined that soil conditions are too wet and unfavorable for mechanical operations to continue due to the increased risk of soil compaction and /or resource damage. Refer to Section H, Non Work Areas/Resource Protection.

Camping and Housing

Camping is not permitted in US Forest Service campgrounds. Contractor [ ] will [✓] will not be permitted to camp elsewhere on US Forest Service land. Camping on Forest Service land is not a right; permission may be revoked for failure to comply with the terms of the permit. (See also Section H, Camping Permit Compliance)

Technical Requirements

Contractor Furnished Equipment:

Unless otherwise specified herein, The Contractor shall furnish labor, personnel, supervision, transportation

(including but not limited to mobilization), operating supplies and equipment necessary to perform the work as described herein.

The following are minimum equipment requirements:

a) Tractor, hydraulic (cable operated blades are unacceptable) crawler type, maximum length not to exceed 14 feet. The overall width of the tractor and blade shall not exceed 8 feet. The tractor shall have an OSHA approved rollover protection system. The equipment shall be capable of collecting and lifting felled and broken logs, tops and branches, existing and activity generated slash and placing the woody material onto the burn pile.

b) Mechanical equipment shall be capable of piling within a 10 foot spacing without causing damage to leave trees. Brush Rake - The brush rake shall:

• Be strong enough to move large woody material;

• Give the Contractor enough control to push woody material into soil free piles

c) The Contractor shall provide all transportation of equipment, tools, personnel, and supplies to the work site necessary for making emergency and routine repairs and servicing.

d) The Contractor shall be responsible for all fuel, lubrication, repair, and replacement for his/her equipment.

e) Use of power or hand saw(s) is anticipated to complete the tasks. All chainsaws and other motorized equipment shall be equipped with Forest Service approved spark arrestors and meet Calif. Division of Industrial

Safety specifications.

Contract Furnished Operators:

The Contractor shall provide Equipment Operators with the following experience:

a) The Equipment Operator(s) and Contractor’s representative must be able to speak fluent English and understand the written English language.

b) Experience operating the equipment in a safe and practical manner while working in Natural-Wild Stands, plantations and DFPZ Fuelbreaks.

c) Experience operating the equipment to meet work methods and standards, and work description and spacing requirements without damaging leave trees, natural resources and protected sites.

d) Experience operating the equipment on slopes 0 to 45 percent and on short pitches up to 50 percent slope, while protecting soil conditions and residual trees or vegetation not specified to be treated.

Government-Furnished Property

None.

Definitions of Terms

1. Blister Rust Fungus: A disease occurring in white pines (sugar pine) that girdles branches and eventually kills the tree. Symptoms of this disease will be swelling in the branches and patches of dead needles.

2. Berm: A raised barrier of soil or duff separating two areas that may contribute to the rechanneling of rainfall runoff. An example of a berm is where the soil is unevenly disturbed by the movement of the equipment tracks.

3. Buffer: An area of untreated vegetation that serves to protect, shield or cushion, such as along the stream side management zone of a draw, creek or river, underneath a mature Black Oak, Incense Cedar 30 inch DBH or larger or along the roadside edge.

4. Conifer: A cone-bearing tree with needles or leaf scales (e.g. pine, fir, cedar). Conifer Plantations are areas that have been planted with conifer seedlings.

5. Cover: any duff, vegetation, leaves, branches or slash that covers bare soil to reduce erosion.

6. Created Slash: Debris created from work during this contract, including all treated tops, trunks and branches of trees and shrubs.

7. Crop/leave Tree: A healthy looking, well formed, undamaged tree that will remain in the stand.

8. Cull (Down) Log: A non-utilized log over 18 inches in diameter on the small end, and 10 feet in length.

9. Cut Tree: Tree to be removed from the stand that are not needed to meet spacing-leave crop trees per acre requirements.

10. Damaged Trees: (Created): Any damage created by work under this contract which includes stripping or removing of branches, debarking the bole of a crop tree in excess of ¼ of the circumference. Damaged Trees:

(Existing): Includes any defect or deformity of a tree resulting from agents such as wind, snow, animals, insects, disease, and equipment. Indicators include dead or broken tops or branches, bark that has been removed extending more than ¼ of the circumference of the tree.

11. D.B.H.: (diameter at breast height): The diameter of a tree measured outside the bark at 4 ½ feet above the ground on the uphill side.

12. Dead Fall: An area with a significant amount of downed jack-strawed trees.

13. Debris: Woody plant material.

14. Dripline-Crown: The tip of the tree’s branches where rain water will drip. The tip of the tree’s branches also identifies the edge of the trees crown.

15. Down Log: All or part of the trunk of a felled tree in various stages of decomposition.

16. Dwarf Mistletoe: A leathery evergreen plant growing as a parasite on trees. Produces long yellowish shoots and causes swells and cankers in the trees stems.

17. Dominant and/or Codominant: A tree displaying greater height and diameter than its closest competitors. A mature dominant and /or codominant tree is also considered as a mature overstory tree.

18. Existing Slash: Debris existing prior to work under this contract, that may, or may not, have been previously windrowed or piled. Seventy-five percent of workable concentrations of existing and generated slash, exceeding

24 inches in length and 3 inches in diameter, shall be added to the burn pile. Slash that has been left on site, shall be less than 18 inches in height. Where conditions allow, maintain a minimum of fifty percent of soil covered with fine fuels, leaves, twigs, vegetation, organic mulch, slash, small size diameter branches and or broken/crushed brush in areas not designated as the 10 foot wide fire line. Slash and brush may be left in place where vegetation is so close to leave trees that the removal of the vegetation would cause damage to the leave trees.

19. Excess Trees: A tree other than a crop tree, that shall be removed during the shredding/masticating/mulching thinning process.

20. Fuel Break DFPZ: A wide strip or block of land on which the native vegetation has been or plans to be modified so that fires burning into it can be more readily extinguished.

21. Fuel ladders: An arrangement and volume of vegetation (brush and/or trees) that grows beneath the drip line or whose bole/stem lies within 8 feet from the drip line of a residual overstory tree. This vegetation increases the threat of ignition and spread of fire into the canopy of trees it grows under.

22. Hardwood: A tree with broad leaves rather than needles (e.g. oak, madrone).

23. Insect and drought triggered mortality: Conifers showing signs of fading needle colors from green to yellow or brown needles and or pitch tubes that dot the tree bole are indicators that the tree is dead. Trees within the diameter limit shall be cut and masticated to meet leave tree spacing.

24. Limited Operating Period (LOP): A timeframe in which vegetation treatment is prohibited in order to protect the breeding period of various threatened, endangered, and/or Forest Service Sensitive species.

25. Machine/Equipment: Machinery such as but not limited to bulldozers, excavator, skidders, boom mounted rotary type mowers/shredders/masticators for accomplishing work.

26. Major Damage: Includes any defect or deformity of a tree resulting from such agents as wind, snow, animals, insects, disease, and equipment, and evidenced by such things as dead or broken tops or trunks, large crooks, and barking extending more than ¼ of the circumference of the tree.

27. Mapping Boundary: An artificial perimeter established by a series of connecting straight lines, which approximate an average of the irregularities of the unit boundary. The mapping boundary is used in the computation for payment of the enclosed area.

28. Minor Damage: Crooks in the trunk, which are offset less than 3 inches from the long axis and within 13 feet of the ground, and barking of ¼ or less the circumference of the tree.

29. Mosaic Design Criteria: An arrangement or design of small to medium size patches/ribbons of untreated understory vegetation in a natural state, consisting of conifers, oaks and a diverse species of brush vegetation, covering no more than 10 percent of the lower profile of the stand. Mosaic patches/ribbons in conifer plantations are approximately 1/10th acre in size and approximately ¼ acre in size within wildstand treatment areas. These mosaic patches/ribbons must be preserved to maintain stand diversity primarily to provide cover for the Pacific fisher as well as other native wildlife species.

30. Multi-storied stands: A varying-aged forested area that consists of various types of trees that have different ages and heights. These trees are considered either dominate, co-dominate, intermediate, or suppressed.

31. Natural-Wild Stands: An area of land that consists of an array of natural vegetation such as trees, brush and grass. The condition and arrangement of these trees and brush are requiring a mechanical thinning treatment.

These natural-wild stands have not been treated in recent years.

32. Noxious Weeds: Those plant species designated as noxious weeds by the Secretary of Agriculture or by the responsible State official. The primary species of concern for the project area are: yellow starthistle, medusa head, Klamath weed, bull thistle and Italian thistle. Any plant species designated as noxious by the California

Department of Agriculture would be of concern if found in the project area. This list can be viewed at www.cdfa.ca.gov/weedhome.

33. Regeneration Protection: Protection of various species of seedlings and saplings that are naturaling growing in the project area.

34. Release: Removal of unwanted vegetation adjacent to a leave tree.

35. Residual: A single tree or shrub/brush or pockets of trees and shrub/brush designated to remain following treatment.

36. Rut: A furrow or sunken track worn into the soil surface, as by the passage of wheels, equipment tracks or by the depression of the cutting head.

37. Screening: A visual barrier consisting of natural vegetation strategically placed parallel to the roadside to maintain habitat concealment for a variety of terrestrial wildlife species including mule deer.

38. Shred/Masticate/Mulch: Created and existing slash which has been treated shall lie in close contact with the soil. Trees and brush shall be shredded, torn, and broken into narrow strips to 3 or 5 feet in length.

39. Shrub/brush: A woody plant with no main stem, which may grow higher than 7 feet, commonly called brush.

For example: ceanothus, manzanita, and chokecherry.

40. Site Preparation: The cutting and piling of snags, competing brush, damaged and/or poor vigor small residual conifers to make planting possible

41. Slash: Coarse and fine woody debris generated during logging operations or through wind, snow or other natural forest disturbances.

42. Slope Break: The point where the pitch of the slope drastically changes beyond 50 percent.

43. Snag Retention Patches: Groups of snags retained around riparian areas, brush fields, meadows and rock outcrops to provide perches and nesting cavities. These groups may be predetermined with either paint and/or flagging or by designated description on site.

44. Spacing: The horizontal distance from the trunk of one crop tree to the trunk of the next nearest crop tree.

45. Stream Management Zones (SMZ): Management zones established to protect and maintain water quality, site productivity, channel stability, wildlife habitat and ripierian vegetation. Class 1 streams require a 100’ buffer each side, Class 2 streams require a 75’ buffer each side, Class 3 streams require a 50’ buffer each side and a Class 4 stream requires a 25’ buffer each side.

46. Stump Diameter: The diameter of a tree measured outside the bark at six inches above the ground on the uphill side.

47. Terrace: Any of a series of flat platforms of earth with sloping sides, raising one above the other, mechanically constructed on the contour, as on a hillside with slopes. The terraces were planted with seedlings on the flat portion of the platforms.

48. Thinning: The removal of trees in excess of those leave/crop trees to be left for future management.

49. Threatened, Endangered, or Sensitive Plants (TES Plants): Threatened or Endangered Plants are species officially listed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Sensitive plants are those plant species identified by the

Regional Forester for which population viability is a concern. Please see the Biological Assessment/Biological

Evaluation for TES plants for details (in the project file at the Bass Lake Ranger District Office in North Fork, CA).

50. Unit: A subdivision of a bid item with a closed perimeter.

51. Unit Boundary: The perimeter of the work unit as indicated by the Forest Service markings at various points along an irregular perimeter. In some instances, the perimeter of the work unit will be defined by roads, drainages, uncut timber stands, natural barriers such as rocks, washouts, or others. Some situations require the exercise of common sense, as it is only possible to mark points along the irregular line.

52. Windrow: Rows of pushed brush, trees, and debris. The rows are normally on the contour.

53. Work Areas: An area of forestland where the Forest Service has an established fuel break, plantation or natural-wild stands consisting of planted and/or natural conifers. These conifers may be surrounded by various brush species. Competing brush species may impede the conifers growth.

Specifications

Piling Specifications:

a) Manzanita, whitethorn and other large brush shall be uprooted and placed in a pile and crushed. This facilitates making a tightly compacted pile.

b) The Contractor shall clear and pile seventy-five percent (75%) of all slash exceeding 24 inches in length and

3 inches in diameter and shall pile all dead and live brush. Slash and vegetation may be left in place where vegetation is so close to leave trees that the removal of the vegetation would cause damage to the leave trees.

Materials which are less than 3 inches in diameter and less than 24 inches in length may be left to attain the ground cover requirements. If the slash cover exceeds 25%, the Contractor shall pile the smaller fuels to meet the slash piling requirements.

c) Piles shall consist of mixed brush, mixed conifer trees with limbs, tops, branches, broken tree boles, bucked boles, bark, and components from existing and generated slash that shall be independently and or systematically added to the pile to produce good ignition and burning results.

d) Piles are not to be made on uncut vegetation.

e) Leave trees and vegetation not specified to be treated shall be left undisturbed and undamaged.

f) The Contractor is not required to clear and pile bear clover, if present.

g) Most slash is cut into 8 foot sections or less. On occasion there might be longer lengths. If this occurs, the

Contractor shall cut the slash into 8 foot sections or less to avoid damage to leave trees.

h) As needed, pile with a track excavator with a boom, grapple or thump and shovel type attached head, capable of lifting previously felled trees and limbs to stack into a teepee shaped burn pile. Install a 10 foot wide fire line with dozer. Buck trees as needed to safely lift and stack into a teepee shaped burn pile.

i) Where a dozer is used to pile, a brush rake shall be suspended near ground level, approximately 6 inches (15

cm) above ground level, to prevent soil and duff from being piled. The object is to retain 50% ground cover/duff layer. Materials which are less than 3 inches in diameter and less than 24 inches in length may be left to attain the ground cover requirements. If the slash cover exceeds 25%, the Contractor shall pile the smaller fuels to meet the slash piling requirements.

j) Equipment operations shall follow all soil protection and erosion control measures. Deep track berms shall be smoothed.

Pile Specifications:

a) Piles shall be in teepee shaped. The teepee shaped burn pile can be as tall and wide as the natural openings allow, while providing for distance to protect leave trees, logs and snags from thermal damage. No decking of logs shall be permitted.

b) Piles shall be free of soil. Piles that are not a minimum of 90 percent soil free shall be reworked. If, in the judgment of the Contracting Officer Representative, the piles contain excessive soil, the piles shall be broken apart, re-piled, and the soil dispersed over the area.

c) Materials overhanging the pile’s edge that are greater than 6 feet (2 m) in length, shall be cut off and materials placed into piles. Woody materials shall not overhang into the 10 foot wide fire line.

d) The piles should also be spaced a minimum of 15 feet from one another.

e) There should be 8 foot spacing on the downhill side of the pile and 10 foot spacing on the uphill side.

f) Piles shall also be spaced a minimum of 8 feet from down logs, stumps and snags.

g) All materials partially pushed over, hung up, left in an unsafe position, or dead woody stems higher than 24 inches shall be either reworked (with the equipment or felled by hand) to mitigate the hazard.

h) Soil disturbance caused by the Contractor’s operations which may cause erosion shall be cross raked on the contour.

Pile Placement:

a) The piles shall be placed in the best opening possible for safe burning and that material will not roll when burned.

b) The size of the pile shall be adjusted in relation to the size of the opening. A larger opening can accommodate a larger pile.

c) Development and placement of cut tree piles/bunches shall protect residual leave trees, down logs and snags from thermal damage. Avoid establishing a burn pile within 500 feet of a Forest Service Sensitive species, nest tree or den tree.

d) Piles shall be placed at least thirty (30) feet outside of the canopy edge of residual live conifers and oaks.

e) Piles shall be placed at least twenty five (25) feet from wildlife logs, snags, untreated vegetation, improvements, corrals, fencing, sensitive plants, noxious weeds unit boundary and the roads edge.

f) Unless designated by the Contracting Officer Representative, no piles shall be placed within 100 feet from meadows.

g) Piles shall be placed away from leave trees, protected plants Control Areas (CA) and 30 feet from snags so that there will be no damage when the piles are burned.

h) No piles shall be made on private property. Piles should be spaced at least 25 feet from private property.

i) Piles shall be spaced at least 100 horizontal feet from power lines.

j) Piles shall not be made in drainages or stream channels. SMZ distance requirements shall be followed as described in C.7-4.40.

Fire line:

a) All piles shall have a constructed fire line surrounding them that is 10 feet wide and free of all vegetation, slash, and duff down to mineral soil.

b) Piled material shall not extend into the 10 foot wide fire line.

c) To prevent radiant heat from starting a fire on the outside edge of the fire line, the edge of the burn pile shall have a 10 foot wide strip of natural vegetation with slash between the edge of the pile and up to the inside edge of the 10 foot wide fire line.

d) When natural resource conditions prevent individual fire line installation, group fire line installation is acceptable (group lining). Groups of piles can be lined with one 10 foot wide fire line around the outer perimeter of the group of piles. The natural vegetation between the piles shall be left in its natural state to aid in the consumption of the woody material in the burn piles.

e) When individual or group lining is not attainable, a fire line along the edge of the worked area shall be installed. Natural forest conditions such as rocks, slope or cut banks are a few examples that may prohibit individual or group lining.

f) When slope is a factor, install water bars on the 10 foot wide fire line, to reduce the flow of water and to stabilize the cleared soil.

g) Leave trees shall not be pushed over to meet the requirements and placements of a fire line.

h) Fireline construction may include mechanical raking and mowing activities and shall be constructed with a small size track operated equipment that will minimize soil compaction and disturbance on slopes and soil conditions.

i) Tops branches and boles of residual live trees, wildlife downed logs and wildlife snags shall be protected from mechanical equipment during the fire line construction.

j) Mechanical travel routes shall be established in a manner that does not damage residual leave trees, roads structures, culverts, Control Areas, wildlife protection areas or other natural resources.

k) Where soil has been disturbed during implementation, deep track berms shall be smoothed, to prevent the movement of soil during rain events.

l) Where conditions allow, maintain a maximum of 50% ground cover consisting of fine fuels, leaves, organic mulch, small size diameter branches and or crushed brush in areas not designated as the 10 foot wide fire line.

Water bars:

a) New and or existing water bars on travel routes, fire lines and roads, shall be reinstalled or constructed so the mound extends the entire width of the travel route and the top of the mound is a minimum of 18” above the natural ground-line along its entire length.

b) The drainage of the water bar shall have a minimum slope of 2% and shall provide for the unrestricted discharge of water to the outside of the travel route.

c) Erosion control work shall be completed in a timely manner to be prepared for any weather events that are predicted or may occur.

d) Contract generated woody debris shall be removed from all Streamside Management Zones (SMZ). The work in the unit shall be considered completed after all the piles are lined, water bars installed and culverts are free of debris, access is blocked and erosion control measures have been installed.

Stump Height:

All project created stumps, including those of shrubs, shall be less than 6 inches high as measured from the uphill side. Scattered stump heights up to no more than 8 inches from any natural obstacles such as rocks or downed logs will be tolerated on up to 10% of the area. Ninety percent of the live limbs or stems of trees and brush will be severed from the stump.

Public Safety

A safety plan will be discussed with Contractor upon award and may vary on complexity and proximity to high use areas.

COVID-19 federal and state requirements will be followed until further notice.

Road Maintenance

Road maintenance is not required. All roads shall remain open, unobstructed, and free of trees and/or slash at all times during the Contractors’ operations.

Any damage caused by contractors’ activities to gates, drainage structures or deleterious road bed re- shaping shall be repaired at the contractors’ expense and under the direction of the Contracting Officer.

INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

Quality Control:

The Contractor shall conduct inspections in accordance with the Quality Control Plan provided to the

Contracting Officer. The Quality Control Plan shall be approved by the Contracting Officer prior to the start of work. The Contracting Officer may implement quality control measures in additional to those provided by the

Contractor.

Acceptance:

The Contracting Officer will accept only completed work for evaluation. When notified by the Contractor of completed of work, such work will be evaluated for quality against the specification of this task order. The evaluation will include, but is not limited to a review of the quality control measures performed by the

Contractor. Additional measures may be implemented by the Contracting Officer including, but not limited to, a

2 percent sample of the completed work using either a plot or transect sampling system. Only work described by the Contractor as completed will be evaluated.

Work is deemed acceptable when final Contracting Officer inspection indicates at least 90% quality achievement of the task order specifications described.

Unit Acceptance

Each unit shall be inspected separately and inspection results shall not be averaged with those of other units.

The Government will accept a unit when all work has been completed and formal and informal inspections show that all work specifications have been met.

A. The Contracting Officer and/or his Representative (COR) will make periodic inspections. The

Contractor or his/her representative is encouraged to observe the inspection summaries upon request.

B. The inspection procedure will consist of a series of formal and/or informal plots distributed randomly over the entire worked area. Results of these plots will be recorded.

C. Inspection procedures shall consider the following:

1. Control areas, resource protection design measures, natural resources, OHV trails, rangeland improvements, culverts, road structures have not been disturbed. Soil berms have been smoothed and water bars have been installed on travel routes and firelines to divert overland flow.

2. Condition of worked area: stump height, brush and 75% of the existing and project generated slash has been piled. Retained an average minimum of 4 snags per acre, 3 to 5 downed logs per acre, Resource Protection

Design Measures have been met for wildlife, riparian, aquatic species, sensitive plants, noxious weeds, LOP guidelines and archaeological sites.

3. Mechanically cut trees, hand felled trees, created and existing slash and brush has been piled to create a teepee shaped pile free of dirt.

4. Teepee shaped piles have 10 feet wide strip of natural vegetation between the edge of pile and up to the inside edge of the 10 foot wide fireline.

5. Ten foot wide fireline is free of vegetation with no overhanging woody material.

6. Ten foot fireline has been installed around individual piles, group of piles or around the edge of the perimeter of a small work area.

7. Number of trees with bole or top damage. Number of trees hung up and posing a safety concern.

8. Preserving wildlife design criteria, reserve snags and down log requirements per acre, stream management zones and meadow buffers have been met.

9. Utilized the proper equipment to meet the contract requirements.

10. Soil ground cover is protected with approximately 50% cover of duff, twigs, leaves, vegetation and slash.

Rework and Re-inspection of Rework

When inspection results are not acceptable and excess/trees make up any part of the deficiency, payment will not be made until the excess/cut tree deficiency has been corrected. Inspections after rework will be made in the same manner as the first inspection but on different plot lines. The Contractor shall pay $10.00 per acre for inspections necessitated by the rework.

DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE

Work Timing

Estimated Start Date: TBD

Estimated Completion Date: 33 Days from star of performance.

The Contractor shall begin work within __3__ calendar day after the effective date of the Notice to Proceed and shall prosecute the work at a rate that will result in completion of all work within the following time frame:

A post award conference with the successful offeror is required. It will be scheduled and held within 10 days after the date of contract award. The Conference will be attended by the Contracting Officer, the Contractor, and the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR), and Forest Service representatives who may be involved in the administration of the contract. The conference may be conducted by telephone. The meeting will be held by the

Contracting Officer to discuss the resulting contract in detail.

The Contractor shall provide to the COR, for approval, a practicable work schedule at the prework conference.

If the Contractor fails to submit a schedule within the time prescribed, the Contracting Officer may withhold approval of payments until the Contractor submits the required schedule.

If, in the opinion of the COR, the Contractor falls behind the approved schedule, the Contractor shall take steps necessary to improve its progress, including those that may be required by the Contracting Officer, without additional cost to the Government. In this circumstance, the Contracting Officer may require the Contractor to increase the number of shifts, overtime operations, and days of work. The Contractor is required to submit for approval any supplementary schedule or schedules in chart form as the Contracting Officer deems necessary to demonstrate how the approved rate of progress will be regained. Failure of the Contractor to comply with the requirements of the Contracting Officer under this clause shall be grounds for a determination by the

Contracting Officer that the Contractor is not prosecuting the work with sufficient diligence to ensure completion within the time specified in the contract. Upon making this determination, the Contracting Officer may terminate the Contractor's right to proceed with the work, or any separable part of it, in accordance with the default terms of this contract.

Delays due to normal adverse weather, weekends, and holidays have been included in the calculation of contract time. The Government reserves the right to set the priority of items or sub-items.

If this solicitation has more than one numbered item, award of more than one item to one contractor will not change the start work dates or the amount of contract time; times will run concurrently.

Method of Measurement

a) Acreage shown in this contract is estimated. Acreage for completed units will be determined by using one of the following methods; GPS, a laser mapper, field data recorder or compass and chain. Acreage results for laser mapper are accurate within a 2% error of closure. GPS acreages will meet the Washington Office GPS mapping standards (copy available upon request).

b) Any contiguous non-work areas exceeding ½ acre (.020 hectare) in size shall be excluded from payment.

c) Partially completed units shall not be GPS mapped unless agreed upon by the Contracting Officer.

Acreage Re-measurement

a) Re-measurement of the acreage under this contract will be made upon the written request of the Contractor.

Request for re-measurement must be made in writing within l0 days after the work and/or the mapping has been completed on an individual unit.

b) Re-measurement will be made along the boundaries using the same criteria and method as specified above.

c) If re-measurement indicates an acreage difference of no more than 5 percent from the original acreage measurement, the Contractor shall pay for the actual cost of the re-measurement. Where the difference is less than 5 percent the results of the first measurement will be used. Payment will be based on the second measurement where the difference is more than 5 percent. No adjustment will be made for differences of 1 acre or less

SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

Invoice Processing Platform (IPP)

The "Submit Invoice-to" address for USDA orders is the Department of Treasury's Invoice Processing Platform

(IPP). The contractor must register and submit invoices via IPP. All invoices shall be submitted via the electronic Invoice Processing Platform. This platform is managed by the

U.S. Department of Treasury and additional information is available at this website https://www.ipp.gov/index.htm.

Vendors register at https://www.ipp.gov/vendors/enrollment-vendors.htm to establish an account.

Non-work Areas / Resource Protection:

Within the general project area, the Contracting Officer will exclude non-work areas such as: open areas, rocky areas, wildlife areas, non operable portions of terraces, noxious weeds and sensitive plant areas, streamside protection zones, meadows, and/or areas with a dense oak canopy, Cultural Resources Protection areas and other special areas such as excessively steep slopes. The Contracting Officer will provide on site documentation that supports cultural and topographical designated non-work areas. Such areas exceeding ½ acre in size will be excluded from payment. The attached maps are intended to show only the general size and location of work areas and are not intended to be accurate as to shape and dimensions.

a) Non-work areas may be flagged, or otherwise designated with on site documentation.

b) The Contractor shall not operate and shall not refuel within Stream Management Zones (SMZ). Stream management zone boundaries could be identified with blue and white polka-dot flagging, or otherwise designated prior to commencing unit treatment.

c) Equipment shall not cross meadows, stream channels, and/or designated non-work areas except at locations designated by the Contracting Officer and/or their representative. The following SMZ buffer distance shall be maintained; 100’ buffer along meadows unless otherwise designated by the Contracting Officer’s

Representative, Class 1 streams require a 100’ buffer each side, Class 2 streams require a 75’ buffer each side, Class 3 streams require a 50’ buffer each side and a Class 4 stream requires a 25’ buffer each side. Equipment shall treat a booms length inside the SMZ buffer as directed by the Contracting Officer’s Representative.

d) Log Retention- Retain five down logs per acre as directed in the SNF Land and Resource Management Plan.

If available, three of the down logs shall be at least 20 inches in diameter and 20 feet long in varying stages of decay.

e) Leave trees and seedlings shall be avoided. The Contractor shall work in such a manner that will not damage

(surface or sub-surface) the bark, bole, or roots of these live trees. When avoidable damage occurs, the

Contractor shall be liable for actual damages.

f) Equipment shall not operate on areas steeper than 45%, tractors up to 35%.

g) Mechanical operations shall be restricted to periods when surface soils in the operating area are drier than the

"plastic limit", to a depth of 10 to 20 cm (4 to 8 inches). A test to determine the plastic limit can be measured by rolling soil with your hand on a flat surface that produces a wire of soil 1/8 inch in diameter. Equipment shall be operated only when soil moisture conditions prevent unacceptable compaction or soil displacement. Typically, soil moisture conditions are a concern between the months of November and April.

h) Equipment operations shall minimize soil erosion and damage. Erosion control mitigations shall be kept current and prior to any seasonal period of precipitation or runoff. Damage resulting from failure to perform required work shall be repaired by the Contractor at the Contractor’s expense.

i) Protection of Land Survey Monuments. The Contractor shall protect all known survey monuments, witness corners, reference monuments, and bearing trees against avoidable destruction, obliteration, or damage during the Contractor's operations. Known corners are identified on the contract maps by black diamonds. It is the

Contractor's responsibility to locate and protect them during operations.

If the Contractor causes damage as detailed in the above paragraph, the Contractor shall hire the appropriate registered land surveyor to establish or restore at the same location the monuments, corners, or accessories. Such surveyors shall use procedures in accordance with the "Bureau of Land Management Instructions for the Survey of the Public Lands of the United States" for the General Land Office surveys, and in accordance with the State law for others. The Contractor shall record such survey in the appropriate county records.

j) Protection of Improvements. Contractor shall protect improvements from damage and shall be responsible for their timely restoration if damaged by Contractor's Operations. Improvements include but are not limited to;

water tanks, fences, gates, pipeline, culverts, helispot, existing roads, water bars, underground fiber optic cable, stock driveways, power lines, established land corners, established hiking and motorcycle trails and all private property.

k) Equipment shall not be walked between units on paved or chip-sealed roads. The walking of equipment between units shall be at the direction of the Contracting Officer, to avoid the possibility of damage by entering a Control Area and/or other resource protection areas.

l) Exit and entry of units shall be confined to within unit boundaries unless otherwise stated by the Contracting

Officer and/or COR. Entry and exit points to the unit shall be chosen in a manner as to reduce resource damage and soil erosion.

m) Spill Plan: If the total oil or oil products storage exceeds 1,320 gallons or if any single container exceeds a capacity of 660 gallons, the Contractor shall prepare and implement a Spill Prevention and Countermeasures

(SPCC) Plan. Such plan shall meet applicable EPA requirements (40 CFR 112), including certification by a registered professional engineer. The Contractor, under the direction of the Contracting Officer, or in the absence of said officer, acting independently, shall immediately take action to contain and clean up, without expense to the Government, all petroleum products spills on or in the vicinity of the project which are caused by the Contractor's employees directly or indirectly as a result of contract operations.

The Contractor may be held liable for all damages and costs of additional labor, subsistence, equipment, supplies, and transportation deemed necessary by the Government for the containment and cleanup of petroleum products spills caused by Contractor's employees or resulting from contract operations.

Contractor shall notify appropriate agencies, including Contracting Officer, of all reportable (40 CFR 110) spills of oil or oil products on or in the vicinity of the project area that are caused by the contractors employees or contractor directly or indirectly as a result of contractors operations. Contractor will take whatever initial action may be safely accomplished to contain all spills.

Contractor shall notify the National Response Center and Contracting Officer of all releases of reportable quantities of hazardous substances on or in the vicinity of the project area that are caused by the contractors employees or the contractor, directly or indirectly, as a result of operations, in accordance with 40 CFR 302.

See also Landscape Preservation & Resource Protection

n) Protection of Cultural Resources: Pursuant to the First Amended Programmatic Agreement Among the

U.S.D.A. Forest Service, Pacific Southwest…