Attachment_2_-_Procurement_Work_Statement_-_Landscaping_Services.docx

Solicitation No. 129AD618Q0006 Landscaping Services for Riverside, CA 92507 Attachment 2

SECTION C – Performance Work Statement USFS, PSW, Riverside Fire Laboratory Landscaping Services

C.1. General Requirements

C.1.1. Scope of Work. The Contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, tools, materials, transportation, employee training and insurance as specified herein. Training and performance of this contract shall include and comply with all applicable OSHA, EPA, local, State and Federal codes, mandates, and standards. Supplies and materials shall be of a quality and type customarily utilized by current industry standards and equipment ratings and shall be subject to the approval of the Contracting Officer (CO) or Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) (industry standards only applicable where they do not violate any of the afore mentioned codes/mandates). The Contractor shall at all times provide adequate supervision of employees ensuring all required services are accomplished in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract. Contractor shall ensure that grounds maintenance is performed in a manner that will maintain healthy grass, trees, shrubs, plants and present a clean, neat and professional appearance at all times throughout the year. See attached map of site, indicating areas to be serviced.

C.1.2. Personnel

C.1.2.1 Contract Manager. The Contractor shall designate, in writing to the CO someone who will be responsible for the performance of the work. The Contract Manager will have full authority to act for the Contractor on all contract matters relating to the daily operation of this contract. The Contract Manager will be available by means of a communication system so the Contractor may respond in person or by phone within 15 minutes during normal duty hours or within one (1) hour after normal duty hours. The name of this person shall be submitted to the CO at pre-performance meeting and within 1 workday of any change(s). The Contract Manager shall have two full years of grounds maintenance experience within the last six years and demonstrate an active knowledge of such.

C.1.2.2. Personnel List. In accordance with Homeland Security Presidential Directive-12 (HSPD-12), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidance M-05-24 and Federal Information Processing Standards Publication (FIPS PUB) Number 201, the Contractor shall, within ten (10) working days prior to the start of the contract, furnish the CO a complete list of the name, address, social security number, and date of birth of each employee engaged in the performance of this contract.

C.1.2.3. Background Checks. All applicable Contractor employees requiring routine physical access to Federally-controlled facilities and/or routine access to Federally-controlled information systems must go through the identity proofing and registration process, must have been successfully identity proofed, and have a successfully adjudicated National Agency Check with (Written) Inquiries (NACI) or Office of Personnel Management (OPM)/National Security (NS) community background investigation to serve on the contract

The Contractor shall furnish to the CO, a NACI or OPM/NS background investigation for each employee performing work at, or having access to, the Government buildings or facilities prior to performance of the work. Eligibility to perform work under this contract shall be contingent upon a favorable background investigation result. The Contractor shall be responsible for the cost of all background checks for its employees, and shall be considered incidental to the work being performed under the Contract. In the event of a change in employees, the Contractor shall inform the CO promptly of the change, normally within one (1) calendar day after new employee hire or employee dismissal.

The Contractor shall also furnish employees with a uniform bearing the company name and logo, which shall be worn at all times when work is performed under this contract. At a minimum, the uniform shall consist of a shirt or vest.

C.1.3. Contractor Quality Control

C.1.3.1. General Requirement. The Contractor is responsible for quality control and shall establish and maintain an effective quality control system. The quality control system shall consist of plans, procedures, and organization necessary to produce services that comply with the contract requirements and shall cover all operations as set forth in this contract. The Contractor shall be responsible for the quality of work on the job and is subject to termination for non-compliance with quality requirements specified in the contract.

C.1.3.2. Quality Control System. The Contractor shall implement and maintain a documented quality control system, including a Quality Control Plan (QCP), that identifies and results in correction of potential and actual problem areas throughout the entire scope of the contract. An electronic copy of the QCP shall be provided to the CO/COR at the pre-performance meeting. The Government will consider an interim plan for the first 30 days of operation. The QCP or interim plan shall be implemented on the first day of contract performance. When the plan is acceptable to all parties, it shall be signed by the Contractor, CO, and COR. The Contractor's Quality Control system shall include, as a minimum, the following to cover all work stated herein, including work by subcontractors:

C.1.3.2.1. Be structured to assure the individual(s) responsible for Quality Control is independent from any other parts of the Contractor's organization.

C.1.3.2.2. Assure the Quality Control Manager has direct accountability to the Contractor's top management.

C.1.3.2.3. Contain procedures for written and verbal communication with the Government regarding performance of the contract.

C.1.3.2.4 Contain procedures for handling corrective action without dependence upon Government direction.

C.1.3.2.5. Contain, as a minimum, specific surveillance procedures for each contract service identified herein. These surveillance procedures shall identify who shall perform the surveillance, the frequency, the method, listing of items under surveillance, and corrective action that will be taken to correct Contractor identified deficiencies.

C.1.3.2.7. Maintain records of all Contractor quality control checks and corrective action. These files shall be maintained by the Contractor throughout the term of this contract and shall be made available to the CO or designated representative during the term of this contract. The Contractor shall retain its quality control files for not less than one year after the completion or termination of the contract.

C.1.3.2.8. Acceptance of Plan. Government acceptance of the QCP is conditional and will be predicated on satisfactory performance during the contractual period. The Government reserves the right to require the Contractor to make changes in its QCP and operations including removal of personnel, as necessary, to obtain the quality specified. After acceptance of the QCP, the Contractor shall notify the CO in writing of any proposed change. Proposed changes are subject to acceptance by the CO/COR.

C.1.4. Safety. The Contractor shall conduct its operations in strict conformance with all United States Department of Agriculture, United States Forest Service, and all applicable provisions of 29 CFR 1910 and 1926 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. The Contractor shall implement a suitable safety program for employees performing work under this contract. The safety program shall be in writing and a copy shall be furnished to the CO/COR within thirty (30) calendar days after commencement of work under the contract. Immediately after a job-related injury, the Contractor shall prepare a report of the injury using its own accident report form or other documentation and within five (5) days send the report to the CO who will forward it to the Pacific Southwest Research Station (PSW) Safety Manager and COR. Any technical advice and assistance necessary for reporting and investigating accidents may be requested from the Safety Officer through the CO.

C.1.5. Security. Contractor shall immediately report fires by calling 911. The Contractor shall report any hazardous conditions to the COR, turn in lost and found articles to the COR, and notify the COR when an unauthorized or suspicious person is seen on the premises. Contractor shall report any items in need of repair to the COR. In the event that there is an onsite emergency and the buildings need to be evacuated, the Contractor’s employees shall comply with the evacuation of the building(s) as directed by the competent authority, either PSW Safety Manager or police and/or fire officials.

C.1.6. Meetings. The Contractor and COR shall meet monthly during the first year of the contract. Meetings shall be conducted quarterly thereafter. Mutual effort will be made by both parties to resolve any problems identified during the performance of the contract requirements. Written minutes of the meetings will be prepared by the COR and signed by the Contractor. Should the Contractor not concur with the minutes, the Contractor shall notify the CO, in writing, of any areas of disagreement within five (5) days following issuance of the minutes.

C.2. Government Furnished Property/Supplies/Items. None

C.3. Contractor-Furnished Items

C.3.1. Supplies/Equipment. All required equipment, tools & supplies necessary to perform grounds maintenance. If a piece of equipment needs repair or is determined unsafe by the COR, the Contractor shall immediately stop using the equipment and shall repair or replace within 72 hours. The Contractor shall provide bio-based nontoxic materials to the maximum extent possible without jeopardizing the intended end use or detracting from the overall quality delivered. See para C.5.10 for additional information.

C.3.2. All containers of chemicals, hazardous materials, and similar products shall be conspicuously marked with a factory label to identify contents. Hazardous materials shall be labeled with appropriate Department of Transportation (DOT) or Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) hazard labels (flammable, corrosive, acid, etc.), as specified on the Material Safety Data Sheet.

C.3.3. Safety Data Sheets (SDS). The Contractor shall submit SDS sheets obtained from the manufacturer or dealer concerning all hazardous materials (i.e., chemicals) to be used under this contract through the CO/COR to the Pacific Southwest Research Station Safety Office. Reference: 29 CFR 1910-1200. SDS sheets shall be submitted and products approved prior to the use of any products. Materials or supplies shall not be used in performance under this contract (or placed or stored on Government property) until the applicable Safety Data Sheets have been furnished to the COR/CO. No item containing a CAUTION or WARNING label will be added to the Contractor's products list until the COR/CO has given verbal approval for its addition. The Contractor shall not use any material which the COR/CO determines would be unsuitable for the purpose or harmful to the surfaces to which applied. Costs for correcting damage caused by misused materials will be borne by the Contractor. The COR/CO reserves the right for final approval on all materials and supplies utilized by the Contractor. Log sheets shall be maintained by the Contractor to document all usage. Contractor shall submit copies of these log sheets annually to the COR. The Contractor should be aware that SDS for chemical stored or used at this facility are readily available via hard or electronic copy on site. To get a copy contact the Safety Manager or COR. There are no precautionary measures that need to be taken during normal operations. In case of an emergency due to a chemical spill, Contract employees should follow their established evacuation procedure. If the incident occurs due to normal facility operations, contractor employees should follow the emergency procedures given by competent Forest Service personnel. The labeling system used at this facility is in compliance with the Globally Harmonized System of classification and labeling of chemicals

C.3.4. Removal of Property Upon Expiration of the Contract. The Contractor shall, within five days after the expiration of this contract, remove from Government premises all Contractor owned vehicles, equipment, tools, supplies, materials, or other items. If the Contractor does not remove said items within the stated period, the items will be delivered to the designated property office and disposition will be made in accordance with Government regulations.

C.4.1. Grounds Maintenance

C.4.1. Schedules. The base performance schedule shall include weekly services July through October (4 times per month), and bi-monthly services November through February (2 times per month for a total of 40 services in a calendar year). The Contractor shall submit an annual schedule for services described in this PWS for acceptance at the pre-work meeting, identifying facilities by title and approximate time services will occur. The Contractor shall be allowed 30 days to adjust work schedules based on inspections. If necessary, this second work schedule shall be submitted to the CO/COR for acceptance within 10 days after the first contract month period. The Contractor shall not deviate from the accepted schedule without prior written approval from the CO/COR. Any permanent changes must be submitted 10 days before implementation and receive CO/COR written acceptance before the Government will allow the proposed changes.

C.4.2. Specific Tasks

C.4.2.1. Mowing. Grass shall be cut according to the schedule for each month (see C.4.1). Grass clippings shall be mulched or removed after mowing. Grass cutting on ground shall be so that height of grass is between 2-1/2-inches - 3-1/2-inches. Grounds shall look well-manicured at all times throughout the year. Grass clippings shall be cleaned off sidewalks after each mowing.

C.4.2.2. Edging. Sidewalks, driveways, curbs, and other concrete or asphalt edges located on the grounds areas shall be edged twice per year, once in the spring and once in the fall. Edging shall include removal of vegetation from cracks in sidewalks, driveways and curbs.

C.4.2.3. Pruning/Trimming. Grass shall be trimmed around trees, shrubs, buildings, fences, poles, posts, fire hydrants, parking lot bumper blocks, boulders and other fixed obstacles. Trimming height shall match surrounding area grass heights. All areas shall be trimmed concurrent with mowing. Damage to trees or shrubs from trimming shall be repaired by the Contractor.

All pruning shall be coordinated with COR before service. Pruning shall be accomplished in accordance with industry (ANSI Z133.1 - 1994) standards. Class II medium pruning shall be used in general on all trees. Class IV pruning shall be used only for lifting, removal, and/or cutback of branches that conflict with normal traffic or safety in the vicinity of the trees. Minimum safety clearance is 14 feet over streets, 12 feet over driveways, 8 feet over walk areas, and 4 feet from buildings. Other trees shall be pruned on an as-required basis to provide safety, clearances and/or to prevent structural damage. Topping and de-horning shall not be permitted.

Shrubs, small trees, and other plants shall be maintained according to the American Society of Landscape Architect's standards. They shall be pruned as required to maintain their natural growth characteristics. Shrubs and small trees shall be trimmed and pruned to enhance the beauty and health of the plant. Hedges shall be maintained to their natural mature height and shape. Broadleaf evergreens and flowers beds shall be pruned annually or as required maintaining clearances of minimum of 3 inches from buildings, sidewalks, or other obstructions. Damage to trees or shrubs from trimming shall be repaired by the Contractor. If a plant should die or become unhealthy due to damage, the Contractor shall be responsible for replacing the damaged plant with a plant of same size and type. Plant replacement shall occur within 15 days of noticed damage.

C.4.2.4. Watering. (NOT USED)

C.4.2.5. Weeding. Contractor shall monitor all work areas weekly and remove all noxious weeds, to include tree sprouts, as necessary. Disposal of all debris shall be off-site in accordance with existing local, state, and federal regulations. All weeds shall be removed or eradicated manually or mechanically, but not chemically. Parking lot weeding with chemicals must be preapproved by COR.

C.4.2.6. Fertilize. The Contractor shall perform an effective commercial fertilizer application program for all grounds and trees/shrubs/hedges under six feet tall. Approved fertilizers shall be applied in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions. Ex: Early spring, apply a fertilizer with a pre-emergent herbicide; early fall fertilize to stimulate root growth. Schedule to be provided by Contractor at pre-performance meeting for base year and on anniversary date of each option year.

C.4.2.7. Aerate Soil. Aerate soil twice per year on improved grounds to maintain grounds in a healthy state, to be completed during the months of April and October.

C.4.2.8. Grounds Monitoring / Litter Removal. The Contractor shall perform general litter patrol in all areas throughout the year. Responsibilities shall include, but not be limited to, the removal and disposal of all natural debris, (tree limbs, dry brush, rodent habitats, dead animals, etc.), and any man-made debris and/or litter. Contractor shall police areas, as a minimum, once weekly. The Contractor shall check in with the COR for each weekly site visit. At other times leaves/pine needles/pine cones/palm fronds shall be removed as necessary. The Government will furnish pick up and disposal of man-made debris and litter generated in or associated with the performance of this contract. Mowing or pruning clippings shall not be placed in government trash dumpsters (see C.4.2.1. Mowing). The Contractor shall be responsible for the placement of trash in the nearest dumpster. Trash shall not be placed in dumpsters/roll-a-ways belonging to other contractors. If such an event occurs and results in a claim against the Government for disposal of the trash, the Contractor will be charged for the amount of the negotiated claim.

C.5. General Information

C.5.1. Government Responsibilities The Government will not be responsible for damage occasioned by fire, theft, accident, or otherwise to the Contractor's supplies, materials, or equipment in storage, or the Contractor's and their employee's personal belongings.

C.5.2. Contractor Responsibilities The Contractor is responsible for loss, theft, damage, or destruction of any Government or personal items belonging or assigned to Forest Service employees when such acts can be proven, beyond a reasonable doubt, to be the fault of the Contractor or one of their employees.

C.5.3. Fire Prevention Fire prevention shall be exercised at all times by the Contractor and employees. All combustible material shall be used and stored in a safe manner. Contractor shall report to the COR/CO any fire hazards.

C.5.4. Full compliance with all Federal, State, Local, USDA and Forest Service regulations is required.

C.5.5. The work of this contract shall be done in accordance with all applicable local codes and industry standards to include any safety requirements established by the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)

C.5.6. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Full compliance with environmental and hazardous waste management laws, rules, and regulations is applicable.

C.5.7. Tobacco Control The Contractor and its employees shall observe the Tobacco Control requirements contained in DR4400-006, 5 U.S.C. 301; 5 U.S.C. 7901; 29 U.S.C. 666; 41 CFR 101-20.105-3; and 41 CFR 101-39.300(d) whenever performing services in or visiting Government facilities/buildings.

C.5.8. Federal, State, and Local Codes and Laws. All chemicals used will be those commercially available which meet Federal, State, and local codes and which have been approved by the COR/CO.

C.5.9. Biobased Products. The Contractor shall comply with the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 and the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (7 U.S.C. 8102(c)(3)) as required under the clause - 52.223-1 Biobased Product Certification (Page 69) and 52.223-2 Affirmative Procurement of Biobased Products Under Service and Construction Contracts (Page 11).

C.5.9.1 Examples of acceptable Biobased products can be found at: http://www.biopreferred.gov

C.6. Contract Authority. Except as specified herein, no order, statement, or conduct of Government personnel who visit the Contractor’s facilities or in any other manner communicate with Contractor personnel during the performance of this contract shall constitute a change under the “Changes” clause of this contract. The Contractor shall not comply with any order, direction or request of Government personnel unless it is issued in writing and signed by the CO, or is pursuant to specific authority otherwise included as part of this contract. The CO is the only person authorized to approve changes in any of the requirements of this contract and notwithstanding provisions elsewhere in this contract, the said authority remains solely with the CO. In the event the Contractor effects any change at the direction of any person other than the CO, the change will be considered to have been made without authority and no adjustment will be made in the contract price to cover any increase in charges incurred as a result thereof. In the event the contract administration is transferred to a new CO, notification to all parties concerned shall be provided within 30 days of the change.