127EAT25Q0015 Performance Work Statement dated 28 Feb 25.pdf

US Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Performance Work Statement

Tree Planting within

Lake Fire Sawmill Campground and the Sawmill Liebre Reforestation Project of the Angeles National Forest

127EAT25Q0015

Contents

Project Title

General Information

1.0 Background and Purpose

2.0 Definitions

Contractor Requirements

3.0 Technical Requirements / Tasks

4.0 Deliverable / Schedule

5.0 Government Furnished

6.0 Contractor Furnished Property………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….16

7.0 Contractor’s Key Personnel

8.0 Performance Requirement Measures

Attachment

Project Title FY25 Lake Fire Sawmill Campground and Sawmill Liebre Reforestation Release

General Information

1.0 Background and Purpose

The purpose of this requirement is to provide services for planting Government-furnished tree seedlings in plantations and native stands burned in the Lake Fire of 2020 and the Powerhouse Fire of 2014. The project is located within the Tujunga Ranger District of the Angeles National Forest. Project maps are intended to show only the general size and location of the units. Maps are located within the Attachment 5.

All specified roads are accessible unless otherwise noted on the map. No vehicles will be permitted to operate off Forest Service system roads without approval of the Contracting Officer and/or his representative.

Operators that drive Quad runners that receive permission to leave the system roads shall wear helmets.

Inaccessibility due to snow, fallen trees, mud, slides, or washouts on the: Elizabeth Lake Pine Canyon Road (LACO maintained), Maxwell Truck Trail (FS RD 7N08), and Liebre Mountain Road (FS RD 7N23) may or may not be corrected at the option of the Government. If road access is blocked, the Government may, under the Changes Clause (1) provide an alternate access route; (2) delete the inaccessible unit(s), (3) require an “unspecified walk-in” for planting, or delay planting/site prep until access is available.

See attached maps. Contract maps are intended to show only the general size and location of the units.

2.0 Definitions

1. ACCESSIBLE – Road access to a unit. Unit will be considered accessible when road access is within ¼ mile of the unit.

2. CHIP MATERIAL – Any woody chunks from bole wood, limbs, brush and other forest debris that exits the chute of a blade or drum type chipping machine.

3. COMMERCIAL ITEM – Consistent with the meaning contained in Federal Regulation 2.1010, Definitions.

4. CONTRACT INSPECTOR (CI) – Any individual designated in writing by the Contracting Officer’s Representative to assist the CO in the administration of a specific contract. The CI is responsible for the project inspection for a specific a specific contract. This person has contract administration experience and is qualified to conduct oversight and evaluations of the Contractor’s operations. The CI provides technical expertise to the COR regarding operations conducted under this contract.

5. CONTRACTING OFFICER (CO) – The Government representative that has the authority to enter, administer or terminate contracts and make related documents and findings. Contracting officers may bind the Government only to the extent of the authority delegated to them. Information on the limits of the Contracting Officer’s authority shall be readily available to the public and Agency personnel.

6. CONTRACTING OFFICER’s REPRESENTATIIVE (COR) – Any individual designated in writing by the Contracting Officer to assist the CO in the administration of a specific contract. The written designation defines the limitations of the COR’s authority which usually does not include authority to change the contract.

7. DEAD – More than 50% of the crown of pine pines species or 90% of the foliar crown of cedar and oak species is absent of needles or leaves.

8. DRIP LINE - The line where moisture dripping from the extremities of a living tree's crown strikes the ground.

9. DYING – More than 50% of the crown of pine species or 90% of the foliar crown of cedar and oak species exhibit a distinct alteration in normal foliar cover of needles and leaves.

10. EPHEMERAL STREAM – A stream or portion of a stream that flows only in direct response to precipitation. It receives little or no water from springs and no long-continued supply from snow or other sources.

11. EXCULSION/CONTROL AREAS – Equipment or activity exclusion zones delineated by flagging for the purpose of protecting sensitive plants, heritage resources or other protected resources. In some cases, these areas may be exempt from treatment, yet in others, the specified level of treatment is to be met without the use ground-based equipment.

12. EXCESS TREE - Seedlings that are planted in excess of the maximum allowable seedlings per plot.

Contractor shall correct as necessary.

13. HARDWOOD TREE – A broad-leaved tree which usually has a single well-defined trunk and/or attains a height greater than 20 feet. Includes, but not limited to, species such as black oak, canyon live oak, and other oak species. Sprouting hardwoods species may be in the form of multi-stemmed clumps.

14. HAZARD TREE – Any tree that is dead, dying a fire threat or otherwise deemed to be unsafe and/or has the potential to hit trails, utility lines, structures, facilities improvements or private property.

15. INTERMITTENT STREAM – A stream or portion of a stream that, in general, flows during west seasons and is dry during the dry season.

16. MINERAL SOIL - The state of soil where humus and large organic matter are not present.

17. LANDING – Area used to stage and load forest products just prior to removal from the project area.

18. LIMITED OPERATING PERIOD (LOP) – The period in which no project or noise generating may occur.

LOP locations and periods will be stipulated in the contract.

19. LOP AND SCATTER – The severing of limbs from the bole of felled trees at the point where the limb attaches to the bole and then scattering them across the ground to prescribed depth from mineral soil.

20. MOBILIZATION – The act of delivering all ordered personnel and equipment to the project area;

including labor, material, overhead and profit. The price for mobilization shall be included in the proposed unit prices.

21. PAY ITEM – A planting Item in which inspection plots are averaged together for the purpose of determining planting quality.

22. PERRENIAL STREAM – A steam or portion of a stream that flows throughout the year.

23. PLANTABLE SPOT - An area from which vegetation, ash, duff, snow, and debris have been or can be removed to moist mineral soil, and a tree seedling can be planted according to specifications.

24. PRODUCTS – Cut woody material that has commercial value.

25. RIPARIAN CONSERVATION AREA (RCA) – A zone established for the protection of riparian areas which the use of mechanical equipment is restricted. RCAs shall be identified, and restrictions stipulated by the contract.

26. ROOT COLLAR - The portion of the seedling stem where the cotyledon scar is located.

27. SATISFACTORILY PLANTED SEEDLING - A seedling planted in full accordance with all planting specifications set forth in this contract.

28. SCALP – A cleared area within a plantable spot in which a planting hole is created. All chips, bark, snow, ash, duff, sod, dry soil, crowns of living plants, roots and other material shall be removed to expose moist mineral soil.

29. SHADE ANCHORING – Shade material placed uphill from a planted seedling shall be anchored to prevent damage to seedling. Anchoring includes blocking material from rolling, orient material placement to prevent rolling, propping material against the shade material to prevent movement, and/or partially burying shade material to prevent movement.

30. SITE PREPARATION – Cutting. piling, chipping, masticating and or removal of existing vegetation and woody debris (slash) in preparation for new trees establishment that may include planting, coppice or natural regeneration methods.

31. SLASH – Woody material accumulated on the forest floor as the result of tree cutting, storm, fire or mortality, including tree boles, tops, and branches that are larger than 1 inch in diameter and longer than 3 feet or as stipulated by the contract.

32. SUBCONTRACTING – The transfer of commercial items between divisions, subsidiaries, or affiliates of the Contractor or subcontractor at any tier.

33. SUITABLE EXISTING TREE - A Jeffrey pine, ponderosa pine, sugar pine, Coulter pine, big cone Douglas-fir or incense cedar without any visible defects or damage, and a height of 6 inches or greater; a California black oak 3 feet or greater in height.

34. TOP - That portion of the seedling exposed above normal ground line.

35. TRACTOR – Ground based wheeled, or tract mounted machines equipped with dozer blades, grapples, cable winches, brush blades, chippers, etc., used to support work associated with this contract.

36. TREE -A woody perennial plan, typically large and with a well-defined stem or stems carrying as more or less defined crown, or as otherwise stated in the contract.

37. UNIT – An individual treatment unit delineated on the ground or provided in a GPS layer and stipulated by the contract.

38. UNIT BOUNDARY - The perimeter of the planting unit as indicated on the Forest Service GPS file.

39. UNPLANTABLE SPOT - An area within the specified limits in which it is not possible to plant a seedling according to the specifications.

40. UNSATISFACTORILY PLANTED SEEDLING - A planted seedling, which does not meet one or more of the specifications in this contract.

41. WASTED SEEDLING - Seedlings which are lost, damaged, destroyed, or handled contrary to the specifications for care of seedlings.

42. WATER BAR – An earthen barrier constructed to divert water runoff and control soil erosion.

Contractor Requirements

3.0 Technical Requirements / Tasks

This contract is to secure services for planting Government-furnished tree seedlings in plantations and native stands burned in the Lake Fire of 2020 and the Powerhouse Fire of 2014. The Contractor shall furnish all labor, equipment, supervision, transportation, supplies, except those designated as Government-furnished, and incidentals, to perform all work necessary on the areas specified. Contractor provided equipment includes a GPS unit for each planting crew. GPS users must have been trained and are proficient in the use of the GPS unit to be used.

• The Planting unit boundaries are not identified on the ground. The contractor shall provide and use a GPS unit to locate the planting unit boundaries as well as avoidance area boundaries. The Contractor will have at least 1 person per crew who is knowledgeable and proficient in the use of the GPS unit.

Proficiency will be demonstrated to COR or inspectors prior to the start of planting. The Government will provide a file that will contain the boundary polygons. The Government inspector will also carry a GPS unit.

• The Government will specify the number of seedlings and the spacing for each Planting Unit at the time of planting. Bareroot and container seedlings will be provided as Government Furnished Property.

Payment will be by the tree and the spacing will vary between 18 x 18 and 24 x 24 feet as specified during planting. All units will entail inter-planting filling in spaces where there are less than 75-100 tree per acre in the unit. Spacing will start at the average spacing 24 x 24 and depending on unplantable spots encountered, be adjusted up or down to average 76 seedlings per acre for Item 1, and 77 seedlings per acre for Item 2, and 125 seedlings per acre for Item 3. Seedlings will only be planted within the planting units shown on the Project Map and described in Attachment A.

• Trees will be available at the Government cooler no earlier than 5:30 am unless agreed to otherwise.

The Contractor shall haul seedlings and keep seedlings for different planting units separated. Work will be Monday thru Friday.

• The Government will provide a full-time inspector during planting for each of the Contractor’s crews.

Biological and Archaeological monitors will also be provided, as needed. During the planting the Gov.

Inspector will select the order which planting units are to be planted and to what spacing.

• In the presence of the Gov. Inspector the Contractor shall read the contract specifications to all employees, in their native tongue. Each employee shall demonstrate their proficiency at their task to the Government before commencing work.

• Riparian Conservations (RCA) may be identified with orange flagging. No mechanical equipment, piling, tree cutting, site preparation, or planting will take place within 300 feet from a streambank on either side of a perennial stream or 100 feet from a streambank on either side of an intermittent stream.

• Avoid and protect any cultural sites. These sites will be identified with orange flagging.

• Contractor’s operations shall not unnecessarily damage retained trees.

• Other “Control/No Activity areas will be identified with orange flagging.

• If the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) occurs within the project area hand treatments only will be done within 300 feet on either side of the Trail. No mechanical treatment (i.e., masticators, tractors etc.) within this 300-foot buffer. Mechanical equipment is not allowed on the PCT.

• All roads and trails will be always kept open, especially FS RD 7N08 and FS RD 7N23. Appropriate traffic control will be done roads and trails to facilitate Contractor and forest user’s safety and use.

Planting Operations and Work Standards

All operations shall be performed in an organized manner, and in groups of whole crews. This includes, but is not limited to, arrival, bagging, re-bagging, planting, and completion of a unit. Planting with scattered crews within or between units shall not be permitted except as necessitated by on-the-ground conditions and then only when approved by the Contracting Officer’s Representative.

Daily planting operations include Contractor loading of seedlings and transportation to the planting site. Tree seedling containers (boxes or bags) emptied during planting shall be transported back to the Governments storage facility by the Contractor. Boxes shall be broken down to facilitate handling and protected from damage. Boxes, plastic bags and associated trash shall be placed in designated areas at the storage facility.

Seedlings shall be planted to the boundary of all work areas and around the perimeter of all exclusion areas within the work unit.

The Contractor shall adhere to the following specifications for care, protection, and planting of all tree seedlings in his/her possession:

1. Care and Handling of Seedlings

a. Seedling containers shall not be dropped, thrown or kicked or otherwise mishandled during loading and transportation operations.

b. Seedlings shall always be protected from drying, heating, smothering, freezing, crushing, drowning, abrasion, rapid temperature fluctuations, or contact with injurious substances.

c. Seedlings stored in boxes, bags or bundles shall not be exposed to direct sunlight. Punctured or torn bags or boxes shall be promptly resealed. Containers of seedlings shall be opened only in full shade. Bundles, bags, or boxes shall be separated to provide free air movement.

d. Seedlings shall not be removed from shipping containers until needed for preparation for planting.

e. Seedlings shall be planted without further root or top pruning or culling. If pruning or culling appears necessary, or if mold, dry roots, evidence of injury, or dying is seen, the condition shall immediately be reported to the Contracting Officer and his Representative. Seedling roots shall not be pruned, clipped, or cut by the Contractor or Contractor’s employees.

f. Frozen seedlings shall not be handled until completely thawed. They shall be thawed in full shade.

g. Banding material shall be cut or removed over the tops of bareroot seedling bundles.

h. All bare root seedlings shall be dipped in a mixture of clean water and Terra-Sorb. The desired ratio is on hand full of Terra-Sorb per 5 gallons of water. Each bundle of bareroot seedlings shall be carefully broken open (rubber bands removed) and the roots swirled in the slurry. The slurry shall not be shaken from the roots. During this process the seedlings shall be protected from heat, the sun, drying, gasoline or oil. Dipping mixture should be changed at least once a week.

i. Seedlings carried in planting bags shall not exceed the number that can be carried and removed without injury, or which can be planted before heating or drying of the roots occurs. The latter will vary with the weather and will be determined by the Contracting Officer’s Representative. An acceptable limit of seedlings will be determined by the Contracting Officer’s Representative after inspections of the seedlings in the planters’ bags.

h. The media around the roots of container seedlings shall not be crushed, deformed or removed when loading and removing seedlings from planting bags.

k. Seedlings in planting bags shall have only their tops exposed.

l. Seedlings shall only be removed from planting bags immediately before planting in prepared hole.

m. Seedlings shall be gently removed, one at a time, to prevent stripping or other injury, and quickly and gently inserted into the planting hole.

n. Seedlings placed in bags shall be planted out before lunch, before the end of the day, or before any other significant work stoppage, and not returned to storage.

o. Seedlings returned to the Government after completion of a unit shall be counted, separated according to bareroot or container, and placed in packing containers by the Contractor. A count of seedlings shall be provided to the Government before moving to a new planting area.

2. Spacing

a. The Government will specify seedling spacing as units are planted, the Government’s goal is approximately

77 seedlings planted per acre in Item 1 and 76 seedlings per acre in Item 2 and 125 seedlings per acre in Item 3. Areas within the planting units that contain no evidence of conifers prior to the fire should be avoided. Seedlings should be planted in locations that are within 100 feet of snag, stump, standing tree, down log or stump hole. Spacing will start at 24’x 24’ in Items 1and 2, 19’ x 19’ in Item 3 and then fluctuate at the Government’s direction to insure: that all plantable areas within the entire planting unit are planted, there are adequate seedlings to plant all units, and there are not seedlings left over when the planting is complete. Seedlings shall not be planted closer than 10’x10’. Spacing is not a part of the payment formula though the minimum and maximum allowable trees per acre by spacing before rework will be required is given below:

Spacing

Trees plus unplantable spots per acre

Min.-Max.

+/- 5%

19 x 19 125 119-131 20 x 20 109 104-114 24 x 24 75 71-79

b. For individual seedlings the specified average spacing may be varied up to 25 percent in any direction to find a suitable planting spot. The number of seedlings planted per acre, however, shall not be materially increased or decreased due to planting spot selection.

3. Planting Spot Selection and Preparation (Scalp) see Attachment A.

a. Within spacing specifications, planting spots shall be selected where stumps, logs, dead brush, and terrain features provide partial protection from sun, wind, animals, loose debris, and other agents detrimental to seedling survival and growth. See Section E, Attachment B – Utilization of Material to Provide Shade.

b. No seedlings shall be planted closer than 9 feet from a planted or suitable existing tree (See

Attachment E: Glossary). Seedlings are to be planted at the drip lines of live residual live conifer or hardwood trees within and adjacent to unit boundaries. Planters shall ignore hardwood sprouts and not adjust spacing for them.

b. Seedlings shall be planted only in areas where there is evidence of prior tree cover. This evidence could be but is not limited to standing dead trees, stumps, fallen trees etc. Cat roads, skid trails, landings, road cuts, and fill banks shall be planted where satisfactory planting spots exist.

c. The Contractor shall clear the selected planting spot of all limbs, snow, bark, rotten wood, rocks, and other loose debris, and shall scalp ash, duff, sod, crowns of living plants, roots and other material to expose moist mineral soil. Refer to the attached Planting Data Sheet (Section E, Attachment A) for the size of the scalp. Minimum scalp will be 36 x 36 inches. (3-foot x 3 foot)

d. Big cone Douglas fir seedlings shall be placed, if possible, in the shade of canyon live oak (Quercus chrysolepis) where found on the planting units.

4. Planting Holes

a. Planting holes shall be located near the center of the scalp and shall be oriented at an angle between perpendicular to the slope and true vertical.

b. Should the initial attempt to make a planting hole fail because of subsurface rocks, roots or other obstacles, a second effort shall be made in a slightly different part of the same scalp or planting spot. If this effort also fails for similar reasons, a third attempt shall be made in another part of the scalp or planting spot. If the third effort also fails, the spot shall be abandoned as an unplantable spot.

c. Where an unplantable spot is encountered, the planter shall plant in the closest suitable spot and average spacing shall resume from that point.

d. For hand tools – an open hole shall be broken out that is deep and wide enough to fully accommodate the roots of the seedlings to be planted. Slit planting will not be permitted.

5. Seedling Placement

a. Bareroot seedlings: Hoedad: the seedling shall be pinned to the side of the hole before closing, with roots in a near natural arrangement at a depth that after filling, firming, and leveling, the soil comes to a point even with the lowest branches on the seedling. No portion of the root shall be exposed, nor any of the stem below the lowest branches of the seedling. The root system shall be aligned with the axis of the planting hole with all roots extending downward.

b. Containerized seedlings: Hoedad: the seedling shall be pinned to the back side of the hole before closing, deep enough so that two centimeters of soil shall be placed on top of the plug and leveled with the surrounding soil surface to seal the top of the plug to stop evaporation. Plug growing media shall not be distorted or broken from the root system during the planting process.

c. Filling and Firming: The Contractor shall leave no air pockets in the soil after planting. Hoedad:

After pinning the seedling the hoedad shall be inserted into the ground approximately five centimeters in front of the seedling and the blade rocked back and forth to wedge the bottom and top of the hole closed. The contractor shall then extract the tool and apply pressure not stomping with a foot to close the wedging hole and level the surrounding soil. All actions in this process shall be done in a manner that assures that dry soil, ash, organic matter rock and other foreign material does not enter the hole and that no air spaces remain after firming. After planting, the seedling stem shall be erect and free to grow. The seedling shall not be damaged during planting and shall not be weighted down with mud or debris.

6. Species Mixture

The Government Inspector will make available to the Contractor the mixture of species to be planted and their arrangement in the planting unit. Planting units with a large elevation spread may have seedlings specified for either the top or the bottom of the unit. Where a mixture of species is required, the mixture shall be evenly distributed throughout the planting unit or as directed by the Contracting Officer’s Representative.

7. Shading

If a plantable spot that provides shade for the seedling cannot be located within the spacing requirements, material such as small tree bows, limbs, and bark, within 5 feet of the scalp shall be moved to provide shade. Maximum size of material to be moved is 6 inches in diameter and 3 feet in length. Minimum size of material to be moved is 3 inches in diameter and 12 inches long. Material shall be located on the south side of the seedling and placed so that it will not cover the tree. After shading, the seedling stem shall be erect and free to grow. All shading materials placed uphill from the planted seedling shall be anchored to prevent damage to seedling being shaded.

Suspension of Planting Operations

Planting operations shall cease when it is determined by the Contracting Officer and/or his Representative that weather conditions are detrimental to the survivability of the newly planted seedlings. Weather Guidelines for Planting Seedlings (Section E, Attachment D) may be used as a determinant along with the predicted weather and local experience in the decision to stop planting. Weather data for use with Attachment D will be obtained at the planting site using handheld weather instruments.

Priority of Work

The Contracting Officer and/or his Representative will specify the spacing of trees and order of planting

Burying of Seedlings

Burying, hiding, or stashing of seedlings will be treated as a criminal matter as an attempt to defraud the Government, and will be referred to law enforcement for investigation. If seedlings are found stashed during the contract, the cost of the seedlings will be charged at the rate of $5.00 per tree. This is based on the cost of the seedling, shipping, and administration costs. Also, the foreman and crew may be replaced with a different planting crew at no additional cost to the Government and no time extensions.

Archaeological, Rare Plants, RCA’s or areas stocked with natural seedlings.

Sites of historical significance, and areas containing rare plants will be flagged in orange or otherwise identified for avoidance. It is the Contractor’s responsibility to know where the avoidance areas are as provided in the GIS layers and/or the flagging on the ground. No site preparation, planting or pass through will take place within 300 feet from a streambank on either side of perrenial stream or 100 feet from the streambank on either side of an intermittent stream. Within these RCA’s (Riparian Conservation Areas), and other avoidance areas provided on GIS layers and areas designated by orange flagging no activity by the Contractor shall not be allowed,. Considerable fines may be imposed for disturbance of these areas. Areas stocked with at least 100 live natural seedlings per acre shall be avoided at the direction of the Government.

Contracting Officer and/or his representative will notify Contractor and the Government Inspector of known cultural site locations prior to performance of services.

If a previously unidentified archaeological or historic site(s) is encountered, the Contractor shall discontinue work in the general are of the site(s) and notify the Contracting Officer and his representative immediately.

Worker Safety

1. The Contractor shall comply with the Planting Job Hazard Analysis Attachment F. The Contactor shall provide a Safety Officer on each crew whose responsibilities include directing the crew away from unsafe locations, identifying hazards, and stopping work with the weather or terrain make it impossible to work safely. The Safety Officer can also serve as foreman or inspector. The contractor shall not work or park around snags when the wind is blowing 14 MPH or greater, whether it be gusts or sustained.

The Government may stop work at any time when they deem the working conditions to be unsafe.

2. The Contractor shall train all workers on the job site in the safe operation of all tools and equipment used on the job site.

3. The Contractor shall provide all workers on the job site with information concerning the identification and avoidance of site-specific hazards or hazardous conditions.

4. The Contractor shall provide appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for each worker on the job site. Such equipment shall be in a serviceable, sanitary, and reliable condition; equipment that is found to be damaged or defective shall be immediately replaced and shall not be used.

5. The Contractor shall ensure that all workers on the site wear the provided PPE while working on the job site.

6. Consistent with US Department of Labor regulations, PPE shall be provided at no expense to the worker.

7. Appropriate PPE includes, but is not limited to, the following:

a. Foot protection that provides adequate traction and ankle support. For workers operating chain saws, foot protection that shall be constructed with cut-resistant material which will protect the employee against contact with a running chain saw.

b. Hard hat that meets the minimum requirements of American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard Z89.1-1997. Hard hats shall be worn where there is potential for head injury from falling or flying objects.

c. Eye protection that meets the minimum requirements of ANSI standard Z87.1-2003. Eye protection shall be worn where there is potential for eye injury due to flying objects or sharp objects encountered at eye level.

Contractor’s Sanitation Responsibilities

The Contractor shall provide access to clean drinking water for his/her workers. In addition, Contractors are required to provide toilets and hand washing capabilities, whether utilized or not, while working on National Forest land performing reforestation work.

Field Sanitation In accordance with US Department of Labor Fact Sheet No. ESA 97-28 “Field Sanitation Standards” (Ref.

29CFR 1928.110), employers must provide:

► Potable drinking water, suitably cool and in enough amounts, dispensed in single-use cups or by fountains, located to be readily accessible to employees.

► Facilities maintained in accordance with public health sanitation practices include upkeep of water quality through daily change or more often if necessary.

► Notification to each employee of the location of the water and allowance of reasonable opportunities during the workday to use them. The employer also must inform the employee of the relevant health hazards in the field and the practices necessary to minimize them.

Employees cannot be made to bear the costs incurred by the employer for providing required facilities.

Resource Protection Standards

Resource protection measures shall be implemented by the Contractor to protect soils from impacts of erosion, compaction and loss of productivity. Existing soil cover shall be left intact whenever possible;

disturbance to the duff layer shall be minimized (See C.3 General Information). As determined by the Contracting Officer, equipment shall not operate ehen ground conditions are such that excessive soil damag will occur. The Contrcator’s activities shall be conducted in a manner to retain the natural ground contour;

any mounding of soil material shall be returned to the natural contour. A minimum of 80% of their activity shall be left in a non-comacted, non-puddled, and/or non-dsiplaced condition.

All landings, skid trails and temporary roads shall be approved by the Contracting Officer prio to installation and/or use. After use, unless otherwise directed by the contracting Officer, all landings, skid trails and temporary roads shall be sub-soiled; waterbarred and covered with vegetative material including but not limited to slash, chips, cut brush, and logs; and clsoed to vehicle access.

Contractor operations shall be conducted in a maaner to prevent debris entering stream courses. The

Contractor shall remove debris cause to enter a stream course that may adversely affect the natural stream flow, water quality, or fishery resources as determined by the Contracting Officer as soon as practicable, but not to exceed 48 hours, in a manner determined by the Contracting Officer. The locations and method of all equipment water course crossing shall require prior approval by the Contracting Officer. Wheeled and/or tracked laying equipment shall not operate in water courses except at locations and reasons approved by the Contracting Officer. National Forest water sources may only be used if approved by the Contracting Officer.

Erosion control measures shall be implemented on all roads, skid trails, landings, temporary roads as directed by the Contracting Officer. Measures shall include but are not lmited to waterbarring, placement of slash and/or chips, re-contouring, out-sloping,and effectively blocking vehicel access. Erosion control measures shall be in place before seasonal periods of precipitation, run-off and prior to all National Waether Service predicted storm events with a greater than 30% chance of precipitation. Water bar size, configuartion and locations shall be specified by the Contracting Officer.

The Contractor shall conduct all contract related activiteis in a manner to prevent damage to other resources whicj includes but is not limited to the following:

• Land survey monument bearing trees, utlity poles and lines and underground facilities, water lines, gas lines, ditches, fences, research equipment, gates, traffic counters and animal traps.

• The Locations of protected and sensitive plant and animal species and their habitat which is located on the contract maps or which may be discovered afetr the contract award.

• Historic or prehistoric sites, buildings, objects or properties loacted on contract maps or dsicoverd after contract award.

Control acres located on the contract maps and/or flagged with orange flagging indicates araes with specifoiic treatment limitations, generally equipment shall be exclued and/or contact activities modified. Discovery of any area or object of a suspected control resource shall be immediately reported to the Contracting Officer.

Pollution Control

The Contractor shall prepare and implement a Spill Prevention and Countermeasures (SPCP) Plan when total oil and oil products storage exceeds 1320 gallons in containers of 55 gallon or greater. This plan will be submitted prior to or at the pre-work meeting. The SPCP shall meet applicable EPA and State requirements and be certified by a registered professional engineer. The Contractor shall immediately take action to contain and cleanup, without expense to the Government, all petroleum products spills caused directly or indirectly by the Contractor or Contractor’s employees. The Contractor shall be liable for all damages and costs deemed necessary by the Government for the spill containment and cleanup.

The Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer of any hazardous substances used on the project area and shall have Material Safety Data Sheets available for those materials. All such materials shall be labeled in accordance with Federal and State regulations. The Contractor shall maintain a Hazardous Substance Plan.

The plan shall include, but is not limited to, hazardous substances to be used in the project area and the identification of the Contractor Representative responsible for supervising initial containment action for releases and subsequent cleanup.

The Contractor shall notify appropriate agencies, including the Contracting Officer of all spills, leaks or other releases of hazardous materials including petroleum products on or in the vicinity of National Forest land caused directly or indirectly by the Contractor or Contractor’s employees.

The Contractor shall maintain all equipment operating on the project area in good repair and free of leakage of lubricants, fuel, coolant and hydraulic fluid. The Contractor shall properly transport and dispose of all contaminated soil, vegetation, debris, oil filters, oily rags and waste oil in accordance with local, State and Federal regulations. Disposal of any such contaminated material on the National Forest is prohibited. The Contractor shall take effective measures to prevent all leaking or spilled petroleum-based products from stationary equipment and equipment being serviced.

Noxious Weeds

The spread of noxious weeds will be controlled by the Contractor in the following manner:

The Contractor shall ensure that all off-road equipment be washed and free of soil, seeds, vegetative matter or other debris that could contain of hold plant seeds.

The Contractor shall certify in writing to the Contracting Officer that off-road equipment is free of noxious weeds prior to each start-up of operations and for subsequent moves of equipment to the project area.

The Contractor may be required to clean off-road equipment prior to moving between units on this project.

The Contractor shall follow protocol standards in the washing of equipment and tools to prevent the spread of noxious weeds. Documentation regarding this activity will be maintained by the Contractor and be available for inspection by the Contracting Officer or his/her representative. These protocols are detailed in Attachment J.

The Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer at least 5 days prior to moving each piece of off-road equipment into the project area; notification shall include the most recent location of the equipment to be moved. The Contracting Officer may require that the Contractor’s equipment be presented for inspection before being placed in service. The Contractor’s equipment may be cleaned on the National Forest subject to Contracting Officer approval.

New infestations of noxious weeds shall be promptly reported to the Contracting Officer.

Employees shall not wear cuffed pants that will transport and distribute weed seed. Crews shall walk single file when traveling but not working, to limit the noxious weed seed movement.

Camping

Under the terms of this Contract, camping is not permitted in Forest Service Campgrounds. The Contractor [(may (x) shall not] be permitted to camp elsewhere on the National Forest. Camping on the National Forest is not a right; and shall be subject to approval by the Contracting Officer.

Wildlife

Wildlife encountered during project implementation should be given the opportunity to evacuate the site.

This includes venomous species such as rattlesnakes. Personnel will be reminded that harassment or removal of wildlife from the site is not permitted.

Impacts to migratory birds will be minimized by avoiding nesting birds. If a nest is encountered during project implementation the nest will be avoided with a 300-foot buffer and the Contractor will notify the Contracting Officer.

Wet Weather Operations

Contractor operations may be conducted outside the Normal Operating Season subject to certain requirements and Contractor Officer approval. The wet weather/winter season normally begins approximately November 1st and ends approximately May 1st.

Transportation

Use of any roads, routes or temporary roads by the Contractor under the terms of this contract shall be subject to the approval by the Contracting Officer; such approval shall be obtained by the Contrcator prior to opening/or use.

• facilities, water lines, gas lines, ditches, fences, research equipment, gates, traffic counters and animal traps.

• The Locations of protected and sensitive plant and animal species and their habitat which is located on the contract maps or which may be discovered afetr the contract award.

• Historic or prehistoric sites, buildings, objects or properties loacted on contract maps or dsicoverd after contract award.

4.0 Deliverable / Schedule

Item No. Deliverable Objective Due 1 Plan of Operations/Progress

Work Schedule Describes the equipment type and size;

labor force; ingress and egress; start date;

planned rates of accomplishment: and end date.

No later than five (5) business days after contract award.

2 Quality Control Plan Describes the procedure for a self-inspection system to show compliance with Government’s Quality Assurance Plan standards and the contract specifications for the release work.

No later than five (5) business days after contract award

3 Safety Plan Describes the safety measures and protocol for workers performing work under this contract. See “Injury and Illness Prevention Program Template” and “Job Hazard Analysis for 2025 lake Fire Sawmill Campground Sawmill Liebre Reforestation Project Release”

No later than five (5) business days after contract award

4 Planting Inspection Sheet (Contractor provided or use USFS provided sheet)

Details the forest district, inspector contract #, plot size, unit #/name, contractor, date, plot #, average spacing, tally of planted trees. no. of planted trees,

no. of wasted trees, no. of trees satisfactory above ground, no. of trees dug, and no. of trees satisfactory below ground.

No later than one (1) day after each release unit is completed.

5.0 Government Furnished

• The Government will provide tree seedlings to the Contractor for use in this contract. This property shall be used and maintained by the Contractor in accordance with provisions of the FAR 52.245-4 Government Furnished Property clause incorporated by reference in Section I of the solicitation.

• GPS file containing unit boundaries and avoidance areas.

• Maps

• Terra-Sorb for dipping bare root seedlings

6.0 Contractor Furnished Property

Contractor shall furnish the following planting tools which shall meet the following minimum requirements:

1. The hoedads or shovels with blades long enough to prepare a hole that will accommodate the roots of seedlings to be planted.

2. Planting bags shall be a light color, shall not retain water or heat, shall have a minimum depth of 15 inches, and shall be free of defects.

3. Planting bags and liners shall be clean and free from dirt and residue from prior planting operations.

4. Water and dipping container shall be present at each location where bareroot seedlings are planted.

The container shall be of enough volume and dimensions to allow the planters to fully submerge the roots of bareroot seedlings without bending or damaging the roots.

5. Drinking water for workers.

6. Vehicle for transportation of tree seedlings from Government’s storage facilities to the planting site.

Only enclosed insulated trailers that can haul very heavy loads are acceptable. The space within which trees are transported shall be clean and free of petroleum products or any residue that could harm seedlings. The Contractor shall provide tarps or some other means to keep seedlings specified for one planting unit separated from those for another unit while in the trailer.

7. GPS units, one per crew. Contractors may call Gabriel Sarmiento at 661-236-4887 to check the adequacy of the Contractor’s GPS units.

8. Toilet facilities that meet MSPA requirements.

7.0 Contractor’s Key Personnel

The Contractor will have at least 1 person per crew who is knowledgeable and proficient in the use of the GPS unit. Proficiency will be demonstrated to COR or inspectors prior to the start of planting.

Before work starts, the Contractor shall designate, in writing, a person to be acting during Contractor’s absence from the work site. The Contractor shall list the extent of authority the representative will have on the job. The Contractor or the Acting Authorized Representative shall receive orders and instructions from the Contracting Officer’s Representative, or the Inspector, and shall take such action as is required to keep the job in progress under the terms of this contract.

The Contractor shall have a minimum of one designated non-working foreman and one designated inspector/safety officer for each crew. Crew size can vary from 14 to 18 crewmen. Each crew foremen and inspector shall be able to read and speak English. If no English-speaking foreman and inspector are available, work may be suspended until the situation is rectified. In this event, contract time will continue, unless contract is terminated for default.

8.0 Performance Requirement Measures

The Government’s Quality Standard is the standard against which all the Contractor’s performance shall be measured.

Acceptable Quality Level (AQL): The maximum allowable deviation from the Quality Standard established below by the Government for work performed in this contract before the Government will invoke rework. The AQL does not allow a Contractor to knowingly offer or perform defective services below the Quality Standard, but limits reduced payments to circumstances in which defective performance results in a measurable reduction in the value of services received by the Government.

TASK QUALITY

STANDARDS

ACCEPTABLE

QUALITY LEVEL

MEANS OF

MEASUREMENT

DEDUCTIONS INCENTIVES

Trees with Scalping

Technical Specifications

95% of all planted trees within a Planting Unit have been scalped to a 3-foot x 3-foot scalp.

Contractor’s Quality Control Plan Inspections or Government Inspection

Rework Good Performance Rating

Planting Technical Specifications

95% of all trees planted meet technical specifications.

Contractor’s Quality Control Plan Inspections or Government Inspection

Rework Good Performance Rating

Protection of Sensitive Plants/Cultural Sites

Avoidance of Damage to Plants or Cultural Sites

97% of all sensitive plants and 100% of cultural sites within grubbed circles are not damaged, cut, or removed.

Contractor’s Quality Control Plan Inspections or Government Inspections

Cost Reductions from Contract Total for Damage or Destruction

Loss of Revenue from Contract Price

If any planted tree, sensitive plant is intentionally cut, pulled from the ground or buried the occurrence will be treated as fraud and turned over to the Governments Law Enforcement personnel. Contractually the Contractor assessed damages that include new site preparation, seedling costs, and planting/inspection costs, and the government may terminate the Contractor’s right to continue.

Meeting the Government’s Quality Assurance: The Government Inspectors will be in the field inspecting planted seedlings and planting units as they are planted. The Government inspectors will also inspect the Contractors inspection plots to see if they adequately measure the Contractor’s compliance with the Government’s Quality Assurance Plan and the contract specifications for planting. The inspections may lag the Contractor’s completion of a unit. Units will not be accepted as complete until the Government Inspectors have completed their inspections and all contract specifications for planting and the Governments Quality Assurance Plan standards have been met.

Informal Visits: The Contracting Officer and/or his/her appointed representative may visit the work units to observe the Contractor’s work in progress.

Contractor’s Self-Inspection: Under this contract, The Contractor shall conduct quality control inspections using a Quality Control Plan submitted and approved by the Contacting Officer prior to the pre-work meeting.

This Quality Control Plan shall include a procedure for a self-inspection system to show compliance with the Government’s QAP standards and the contract specification for the planting work. The Contractor always has a non-working Foreman/Safety Officer and Inspector for every crew with the intended purpose of insuring quality control and overseeing the Contractor’s self-inspection.

The Contractor’s self-inspection shall comply with the following:

a. Shall be systematic in application.

b. Shall yield an inspection plot of at least one 1/50th ac. for every 7.5 acres or approximately 38 plots.

There shall be at least 1 plot per planting unit.

c. Shall be documented on a Contractor designed form.

d. Shall be timely in performance.

e. Shall address all the work specifications and the Government Quality Assurance Plan.

f. Shall show a method of determining quality attained.

g. Shall be designated on the ground by flagging and a latitude and longitude will be recorded sufficiently to be located by a Government inspector.

Each planting unit shall be inspected separately and the results of one unit shall not be averaged with those of other units for rework purposes.

Contractor’s Self-Inspection: For planting the Contractor’s inspection system shall consider, as a minimum, the following:

Above Ground Inspection Below Ground Inspection

1. Spacing 1. Planting hole orientation

2. Planting spot selection 2. Root configuration and orientation, L’s and J’ fail.

3. Planting spot preparation – Scalp 3. Altered root length and damage

4. Seedling location on spot 4. “Foreign” materials, or dry soil, in planting hole

5. Planting depth and exposed roots

5. Loose soil or air pockets

6. Stem position and damage

7. Firmness and leveling of soil

8. Shading

9. Planting depth and exposed roots

Contractor’s Timing of Inspections: Inspections for seedling planting shall be performed concurrently with the progress of work. A copy of each unit inspection along with any forms used in the inspection shall be given to the COR’s representative the morning following the completion of the planting unit.

Failure to Comply with the Specifications: In any planting unit, failure to comply with the Government’s Inspection may require rework of the area at Contractor’s expense. If the quality of future work is not improved to meet specifications within two consecutive workdays after Contractor’s receipt of notice, the Contractor’s right to proceed may be terminated. Failure of the Contractor to correct unsatisfactory conditions or continued failure to follow contract specifications will be considered non-compliance with terms of the contract and may be grounds for contract termination.

Unit Acceptance: The Contracting Officer will accept only completed work for evaluation. When notified by the contractor of completed work, such work will be evaluated for quality against the specifications of this contract. 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. The Contracting Officer may accept completed units based for the purpose of partial payments. Each Item will be inspected separately, and inspection results will not be averaged with those of other Items.

Work is deemed acceptable when the Contracting Officer Inspection meets the ACCEPTABLE QUALITY LEVEL…