S01 Dummy Project.pdf

February 27, 2023

To : IDIQ Bidders

NEGOTIATIONS – PROPOSAL NO. 2022-1

Introduction

The Natural Resources Conservation Service has been approved to construct the LA-39 Year

10 Little Vermilion Bay 3 and Tigre Lagoon, Vermilion Parish, Louisiana. The objectives of this project is to plant Schoenoplectus californicus – trade-gallon-sized plants (trade gallons) in shallow open areas in the vicinity of Little Vermilion Bay in Vermilion Parish, Louisiana, and in the vicinity of Tigre Lagoon in Iberia Parish, Louisiana as prescribed on the attached plans and specs.

Details of Proposal

This is a Request for Proposal for a fixed priced task order to grow, transport, and plant coastal wetland plants as specified. The offeror is required to provide a cost proposal and workplan to complete the work identified in the plans and specs included.

Task and Deliverables

The deliverables for this task order shall include:

In accordance with the plans and specifications.

Information Provided by NRCS

We have attached the following documents:

A. Bid Schedule

B. Special Provisions

C. Construction Specifications

D. Drawings

E. Wage Determination

USDA – Farm Production and Conservation

500 W. Felix Street Bld 23 Fort Worth, TX 76104

USDA is an Equal Opportunity Provider, Employer, and Lender

The Contracting Officer (CO) and the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) are as follows:

Kristine Baker Angela Trahan

Contracting Officer COR

Kristine.Baker@usda.gov Angela.Trahan@usda.gov

Estimated Period of Performance

The estimated Period of Performance is 175 calendar days.

Requirements

The cost proposal must be submitted on a company letterhead signed by an authorized representative including, at a minimum, the following information: workplan and cost.

Please submit your cost proposal for this work on or before 1 June 2023 by 08:00 a.m.

Eastern Time, to Howard.Stover@usda.gov

The Site Showing Conference is scheduled as follows:

Date: May 1, 2023

Time: 9:00 AM Central Time

Location: Abbeville Harbor and Terminal Public Boat Launch at Intracoastal City (25191 LA

Hwy 333, Abbeville, LA 70510)

You are required to supply your own transportation (airboat required) from the launch to the project site. Under no circumstances will you be allowed to ride in Government owned equipment.

If you should have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me by email at

Howard.Stover@usda.gov

Kristine Baker Contracting Officer mailto:Kristine.Baker@usda.gov

COASTWIDE VEGETATIVE PLANTINGS (LA-39)

Year 10 Little Vermilion Bay 3 and Tigre Lagoon

Bid Schedule

Schedule of Items Item

No.

Work

Spec.

No.

Quantity Unit Unit Price

Amount

Mobilization and Demobilization

8 1 Job Lump Sum $

Coastal Wetland Plants - Schoenoplectus californicus, Bayou Lafourche Germplasm or a Louisiana Coastal Ecotype - Trade Gallons

436 13,270 EA $ $

Total Bid $

NRCS - LA

10/26/2021

NRCS – November 2021

LA – Coastwide Vegetative Plantings (LA-39) Year 10 Little Vermilion Bay and Tigre Lagoon SP-1

SPECIAL PROVISIONS

1. Known pipelines are shown in the construction drawings. It is possible that some pipelines and/or utilities exist that have not been shown. The contractor shall be on the alert for such pipelines and utilities and shall report them immediately to the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR). In order to locate utility lines, the contractor shall notify Louisiana One Call (LA ONE CALL) at 811 at least 72 hours prior to digging.

2. No excavation will be allowed within 50 feet of the center line of any pipeline unless otherwise approved by a pipeline representative and the COR. No activities will be permitted that will result in the reduction of the existing cover over any pipeline.

3. Watercraft shall not anchor, spud, or dredge within 50 feet of the center line of any pipeline without specific prior approval from the pipeline company. All vessels shall be floating when crossing any pipeline. Spuds shall be welded or pinned up while traveling in and/or crossing any pipeline ROW.

4. All coordinates in the construction drawings refer to State Plane Louisiana South, NAD 83 feet. All imagery in the construction drawings are 2020 imagery.

5. The contractor shall not begin planting prior to May 31, 2022 and shall not plant beyond July 1, 2022.

6. Unless otherwise directed by the Contracting Officer Representative (COR), work limits shall follow the vegetated edge of each pond that has a prescribed planting, plus the access routes.

7. Airboats, plants, and personnel will have to be transported across a vegetated bank into the pond near Tigre Lagoon. A primary location and alternate location are shown in construction plans, but the final location will be prescribed by the COR just prior to planting based on site conditions at that time. The location shall not be located along the bay shoreline. The contractor’s work plan shall include means, methods, and materials (plywood, pvc, or other) to create up to a 100-ft long protective surface over the vegetated bank. The proposal will have to be deemed acceptable by the COR. All contractor traffic over the vegetated bank shall be limited to the area of the protective material.

8. The pond near Tigre Lagoon contains monitoring station CRMS 0532 which includes wooden structures and pvc marker poles. Contractor shall avoid disturbance of any kind to those features.

9. Contractor is allowed to utilize boat launch of its choice; however, the contractor shall provide to the COR the name and location of the boat launch to be utilized during planting operations. One possible boat launch is the Abbeville Harbor and Terminal Public Boat Launch at

Intracoastal City (25191 LA Hwy 333, Abbeville, LA 70510). This launch provides access to the Intracoastal Canal.

10. Airboats may be used to perform the work. Marshbuggy use shall not be allowed.

LA – Coastwide Vegetative Plantings (LA-39) Year 10 Little Vermilion Bay and Tigre Lagoon SP-2

11. The contractor's responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

a. The contractor shall not disturb or impact any fish or wildlife resources.

b. The contractor shall not place or stage any plant material, equipment, etc., including, the parking of boats, on any emergent marsh or land or areas outside of the designated access routes.

c. All tools, equipment, materials, and other property (excluding project features) taken upon or placed upon the land or water bottoms by the contractor shall remain the property of the contractor. All such tools, equipment, materials, and other property shall be removed by the contractor prior to the final payment being made. The contractor shall be responsible for removing and disposing of all debris and litter from the project sites daily.

d. Repair or replace, in like manner any survey monuments, property line markers, fences, roads, bridges, launches, trails, waterways, and other facilities which may be damaged or destroyed during the installation of plantings and/or appurtenances as part of the project. Any survey monuments or property line markers damaged or destroyed shall be replaced promptly and certified correct by a Professional Land Surveyor registered in the State of Louisiana.

e. In the event of surface alterations resulting from activities of the contractor beyond those alterations absolutely necessary for accessing the sites and conducting project activities, the contractor is responsible for restoring the site, to the greatest extent practical, to the condition existing at commencement of contractor activities, or the contractor or its insurance carrier will be responsible for the cost of such restoration.

f. The contractor shall include the following landowners as additional insured parties on any and all pertinent liability insurance policies maintained by the contractor during the construction of the project. Such insurance policies shall include completed operations coverage and shall provide that those parties will be protected from and defended and insured against, without costs or expense to those parties, any liability or loss (including loss of life), or damage to property of any kind, arising wholly or in part from or in connection with operations on their properties. Prior to the Notice to Proceed being given, the contractor shall provide to the Contracting Officer (CO) a certificate of insurance identifying coverage limits and verifying all additional insured parties to said policy.

Additional Insured Parties:

State of Louisiana

Apache Louisiana Minerals, LLC

12. The project area and access to the project area occurs within a dynamic coastal environment subject at any time to significant temporary or permanent changes in environmental conditions, including tidal fluctuations that will vary due to weather and daily tides. The contractor is responsible for taking the appropriate measures to ensure that tidal fluctuations, rainfall events, and soil conditions do not interfere with access to and from the job site, LA – Coastwide Vegetative Plantings (LA-39) Year 10 Little Vermilion Bay and Tigre Lagoon SP-3 maneuverability, and/or planting activities at the job site. Planting elevations and high water limitations are provided in Construction Specification 436 and/or in the contract plans.

13. Conservation Measures for the West Indian Manatee include:

a. All on-site personnel are responsible for observing water-related activities for the presence of manatee(s). If a manatee(s) is sighted in or near the project area, the contractor shall notify the NRCS Inspector and COR, as well as the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries at 225-765-2809 or 1-800-442-2511.

b. All work, equipment, and vessel operation should cease if a manatee is spotted within a 50-foot radius (buffer zone) of the active work area. Once the manatee has left the buffer zone on its own accord (manatees must not be herded or harassed into leaving), or after 30 minutes have passed without additional sightings of manatee(s) in the buffer zone, in-water work can resume under careful observation for manatee(s).

c. If a manatee(s) is sighted in or near the project area, all vessels associated with the project should operate at “no wake/idle” speeds within the construction area and at all times while in waters where the draft of the vessel provides less than a four-foot clearance from the bottom. Vessels should follow routes of deep water whenever possible.

d. Contractor shall post temporary signs provided by NRCS in a prominent location on each vessel involved in construction activities.

e. Collisions with, injury to, or sightings of manatees should be immediately reported to the NRCS Inspector, COR, and/or Contracting Officer.

CAUTION

BOATERS:

MANATEE AREA/ IDLE

SPEED IS REQUIRED

LA – Coastwide Vegetative Plantings (LA-39) Year 10 Little Vermilion Bay and Tigre Lagoon SP-4

IN CONSRUCTION

AREA AND WHERE

THERE IS LESS THAN

FOUR FOOT BOTTOM

CLEARANCE WHEN

MANATEE IS PRESENT

CAUTION:

MANATEE AREA/

EQUIPMENT MUST

BE SHUTDOWN

LA – Coastwide Vegetative Plantings (LA-39) Year 10 Little Vermilion Bay and Tigre Lagoon SP-5

IMMEDIATELY IF A

MANATEE COMES

WITHIN 50 FEET OF

OPERATION

Construction Specification 5—Pollution Control

1. Scope

The work consists of installing measures or performing work to control erosion and minimize the production of sediment and other pollutants to water and air from construction activities.

2. Material

All material furnished shall meet the requirements of the material specifications listed in section 8 of this specification.

3. Erosion and sediment control measures and works

The measures and works shall include, but are not limited to, the following:

Staging of earthwork activities—The excavation and moving of soil materials shall be scheduled to minimize the size of areas disturbed and unprotected from erosion for the shortest reasonable time.

Seeding—Seeding to protect disturbed areas shall occur as soon as reasonably possible following completion of that earthwork activity.

Mulching—Mulching to provide temporary protection of the soil surface from erosion.

Diversions—Diversions to divert water from work areas and to collect water from work areas for treatment and safe disposition.

They are temporary and shall be removed and the area restored to its near original condition when the diversions are no longer required or when permanent measures are installed.

Stream crossings—Culverts or bridges where equipment must cross streams. They are temporary and shall be removed and the area restored to its near original condition when the crossings are no longer required or when permanent measures are installed.

Sediment basins—Sediment basins collect, settle, and eliminate sediment from eroding areas from impacting properties and streams below the construction site(s). These basins are temporary and shall be removed and the area restored to its original condition when they are no longer required or when permanent measures are installed.

Sediment filters—Straw bale filters or geotextile sediment fences trap sediment from areas of limited runoff. Sediment filters shall be properly anchored to prevent erosion under or around them. These filters are temporary and shall be removed and the area restored to its original condition when they are no longer required or when permanent measures are installed.

Waterways—Waterways for the safe disposal of runoff from fields, diversions, and other structures or measures. These works are temporary and shall be removed and the area restored to its original condition when they are no longer required or when permanent measures are installed.

Other—Additional protection measures as specified in section 8 of this specification or required by Federal, State, or local government.

4. Chemical pollution

The contractor shall provide watertight tanks or barrels or construct a sump sealed with plastic sheets to collect and temporarily contain chemical pollutants, such as drained lubricating or transmission fluids, grease, soaps, concrete mixer washwater, or asphalt, produced as a by-product of the construction activities. Pollutants shall be disposed of in accordance with appropriate State and

Federal regulations. At the completion of the construction work, tanks, barrels, and sumps shall be removed and the area restored to its original condition as specified in section 8 of this specification. Sump removal shall be conducted without causing pollution.

Sanitary facilities, such as chemical toilets, or septic tanks shall not be located next to live streams, wells, or springs. They shall be located at a distance sufficient to prevent contamination of any water source. At the completion of construction activities, facilities shall be disposed of without causing pollution as specified in section 8 of this specification.

(210-VI-NEH, January 2009) 5–1

5. Air pollution

The burning of brush or slash and the disposal of other materials shall adhere to state and local regulations.

Fire prevention measures shall be taken to prevent the start or spreading of wildfires that may result from project activities.

Firebreaks or guards shall be constructed and maintained at locations shown on the drawings.

All public access or haul roads used by the contractor during construction of the project shall be sprinkled or otherwise treated to fully suppress dust. All dust control methods shall ensure safe construction operations at all times. If chemical dust suppressants are applied, the material shall be a commercially available product specifically designed for dust suppression and the application shall follow manufacturer's requirements and recommendations. A copy of the product data sheet and manufacturer's recommended application procedures shall be provided to the engineer 5 working days before the first application.

6. Maintenance, removal, and restoration

All pollution control measures and temporary works shall be adequately maintained in a functional condition for the duration of the construction period. All temporary measures shall be removed and the site restored to near original condition.

7. Measurement and payment

Method 1—For items of work for which specific unit prices are established in the contract, each item is measured to the nearest unit applicable. Payment for each item is made at the contract unit price for that item. For water or chemical suppressant items used for dust control for which items of work are established in section 8 of this specification, measurement for payment will not include water or chemical suppressants that are used inappropriately or excessive to need. Such payment will constitute full compensation for the completion of the work.

Method 2—For items of work for which lump sum prices are established in the contract, payment is made as the work proceeds and supported by invoices presented by the contractor that reflect actual costs. If the total of all progress payments is less than the lump sum contract price for this item, the balance remaining for this item will be included in the final contract payment. Payment of the lump sum contract price will constitute full compensation for completion of the work.

Method 3—For items of work for which lump sum prices are established in the contract, payment will be prorated and provided in equal amounts on each monthly progress payment estimate. The number of months used for prorating shall be the number estimated to complete the work as outlined in the contractor's approved construction schedule. The final month's prorate amount will be provided with the final contract payment. Payment as described will constitute full compensation for completion of the work.

All Methods—The following provisions apply to all methods of measurement and payment. Compensation for any item of work described in the contract, but not listed in the bid schedule is included in the payment for the item of work to which it is made subsidiary. Such items, and the items to which they are made subsidiary, are identified in section 8 of this specification.

8. Items of Work and Contract Details

Items of work to be performed in conformance with this specification and the contract details are:

a. Subsidiary Item, Pollution Control.

(1) Petroleum products such as fuels and lubricants shall be stored in tightly sealed containers that are clearly labeled. The storage and dispensing of all petroleum products shall be in accordance with

(210-VI-NEH, January 2009) 5–2 part 1926.152 of the OSHA Construction Industry Safety and Health Standards. All spills shall be cleaned up on the same workday of the spill occurrence or whenever discovered.

(2) Soils contaminated with petroleum products shall be removed from the site and disposed of in accordance with State and Local regulations.

(3) All onsite vehicles and equipment shall be monitored for leaks and receive regular preventive maintenance to reduce the chance for leakage. Leaks shall be repaired as soon as they are identified.

(4) Sumps used to control chemical pollution shall be sealed with plastic sheets having a minimum thickness of 20 mils.

(5) The contractor shall anchor all temporary materials used for pollution control in such a manner to prevent its being transported off the worksite by storm runoff water. Damage caused by such temporary materials being transported downstream by storm water shall be the responsibility of the contractor.

(6) The contractor shall have an oil boom on site at all times sufficient in size to encompass the largest piece of equipment used in the completion of this project. The boom shall be sufficient to contain any leaks or spills that may occur from the equipment.

(7) The contractor shall not store fuel or refuel equipment within the general boundaries as shown on Sheet 1 in the contract plans.

(8) The contractor shall make maximum use of biobased products that are United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)-designated items. Information about this requirement and these products is available at http://www.biopreferred.gov.

(9) In Section 7, Measurement and payment, no separate payment will be made for this item.

Compensation for this item will be included in following bid items:

a. Bid Item 2, Coastal Wetland Plants – Schoenoplectus californicus, Bayou Lafourche Germplasm or a Louisiana coastal ecotype – trade gallons.

http://www.biopreferred.gov/ http://www.biopreferred.gov/

NRCS – November 2021 5–4

LA – Coastwide Vegetative Plantings (LA-39) Year 10 Little Vermilion Bay and Tigre Lagoon

Construction Specification 8—Mobilization and

Demobilization

1. Scope

The work consists of the mobilization and demobilization of the contractor's forces and equipment necessary for performing the work required under the contract. It does not include mobilization and demobilization for specific items of work for which payment is provided elsewhere in the contract. Mobilization will not be considered as work in fulfilling the contract requirements for commencement of work.

2. Equipment and material

Mobilization shall include all activities and associated costs for transportation of contractor's personnel, equipment, and operating supplies to the site; establishment of offices, buildings, and other necessary general facilities for the contractor's operations at the site; premiums paid for performance and payment bonds including coinsurance and reinsurance agreements as applicable; and other items specified in section 4 of this specification.

Demobilization shall include all activities and costs for transportation of personnel, equipment, and supplies not required or included in the contract from the site; including the disassembly, removal, and site cleanup of offices, buildings, and other facilities assembled on the site specifically for this contract.

This work includes mobilization and demobilization required by the contract at the time of award. If additional mobilization and demobilization activities and costs are required during the performance of the contract as a result of changed, deleted, or added items of work for which the contractor is entitled to an adjustment in contract price, compensation for such costs will be included in the price adjustment for the item or items of work changed or added.

3. Payment

Payment will be made as the work proceeds, after presentation of paid invoices or documentation of direct costs by the contractor showing specific mobilization and demobilization costs and supporting evidence of the charges of suppliers, subcontractors, and others. When the total of such payments is less than the lump sum contract price, the balance remaining will be included in the final contract payment. Payment of the lump sum contract price for mobilization and demobilization will constitute full compensation for completion of the work.

Payment will not be made under this item for the purchase costs of materials having a residual value, the purchase costs of materials to be incorporated in the project, or the purchase costs of operating supplies.

4. Items of Work and Contract Details

(210-VI-NEH, May 2001) 8-1

Items of work to be performed in conformance with this specification and the contract details are:

a. Bid Item 1, Mobilization and Demobilization

(1) This item shall consist of mobilizing personnel and equipment in preparation to perform the work within the scope of this contract.

(2) The project area lies within a dynamic coastal environment subject to significant changes in site and environmental conditions. Access to the project area and within the planting sites may be impeded due to changing conditions.

The contract shall not be modified to increase the performance time or monetary value as a result of these conditions or changes which may occur during performance. No excavation or propwashing shall be allowed to increase flotation or draft depths for access to these sites.

(3) Pipelines may be located below some of the access channel bottoms. All floating equipment will be loaded in a manner to ensure that they will float at all times.

(4) This item shall not include the transportation of personnel, equipment and operating supplies within the work site associated with the daily operation of the contractor's work force.

(5) This item shall include both:

(a) Mobilizing and demobilizing equipment and operating supplies to the general work area in this contract;

(b) Mobilizing and demobilizing equipment and operating supplies between each of the specific planting areas specified by this contract.

(6) All access routes and staging areas shall be restored to pre-planting conditions after planting is complete.

(7) Payment shall be as specified in Section 3, Payment, of this specification.

LA – Coastwide Vegetative Plantings (LA-39) Year 10 Little Vermilion Bay and Tigre Lagoon 8-22

NRCS – November 2021 436-1 LA – Coastwide Vegetative Plantings (LA-39) Year 10 Little Vermilion Bay 3 and Tigre Lagoon

Construction Specification 436—Coastal Wetland Plants

1. SCOPE

The work consists of furnishing, transporting, and placing vegetative plants and ancillary materials as specified in the designated areas.

2. PLANTS

Unless otherwise specified, all plants used shall be true to name in conformity with one or more of the following standards:

National Experiment Station Committee on Organization and Policy for Developing and Releasing

Improved Plants, (revised November 1988). 136 Agriculture Hall, 1450 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706.

Plant List of Attributes, Nomenclature, Taxonomy & Symbols (PLANTS) Database

USDA, NRCS. 2018. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 1 October 2018). National

Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA.

American Standards for Nursery Stock. (2014). American Nursery & Landscape Association, Washington, DC.

Guide to Commercial Nomenclature. (2003). American Nurseryman Publishing, Chicago, IL.

a. Requisite Information and Certifications: All plants shall be obtained from a state licensed and/or permitted nursery grower.

(1) Prior to the start of planting, the contractor shall obtain from the nursery and submit to the CO and the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) the following:

(a) Written certification that all project plants are grown at the specified nursery or nurseries.

(b) Written certification that plants are true to name (genus, species, and if specified, variety, cultivar or ecotype). In addition, for each species required to be propagated from foundation material released by the NRCS Golden Meadow Plant Materials Center

(GMPMC), the source nursery or nurseries shall provide a legible copy of the GMPMC

Distribution and Delivery Record verifying that nursery’s receipt of the specified foundation material from the GMPMC.

(c) Written certification that plants are true to all specifications as required by the contract.

(d) Written certification that all plants have been produced and shall be transported in accordance with applicable federal regulations and state statutes. Federal & State

Quarantine Summaries are available through the National Plant Board at http://nationalplantboard.org/laws/index.html, or through the Regulatory Affairs Director, American Nursery and Landscape Association, Washington, DC. Information regarding applicable Louisiana State laws and regulations, and the Summary of Plant Quarantine

Regulations in LA (revised February 2015) can be obtained from the Louisiana http://plants.usda.gov/ http://plants.usda.gov/ http://nationalplantboard.org/laws/index.html http://nationalplantboard.org/laws/index.html

NRCS – November 2021 436-2

Department of Agriculture & Forestry, 5825 Florida Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA 70806.

b. Plants Species: Schoenoplectus californicus Bayou Lafourche Germplasm or a Louisiana coastal ecotype of Schoenoplectus californicus (also commonly known as Bayou Lafourche Germplasm

California bulrush or California bulrush, respectively). All the specified Schoenoplectus californicus plant material for this contract shall be either an ecotype of Schoenoplectus californicus released as the Bayou Lafourche Germplasm by the NRCS Golden Meadow PMC in

2007 or shall be a Louisiana coastal ecotype of Schoenoplectus californicus. The complete and proper name for acceptable plant materials for this contract is Schoenoplectus californicus (C.A.

Mey) Palla Bayou Lafourche Germplasm, or Schoenoplectus californicus (C.A. Mey) Palla. The contractor's workplan shall indicate whether the Bayou Lafourche Germplasm or a Louisiana coastal ecotype of Schoenoplectus californicus will be supplied for this contract.

(1) If Schoenoplectus californicus Bayou Lafourche Germplasm is provided, acceptable plants for the purpose of this contract shall be plants produced vegetatively from first generation foundation material and/or plants produced vegetatively as accessional generations from foundation material of Schoenoplectus californicus Bayou Lafourche Germplasm. Plants produced from seed, cell and tissue culture lines, DNA fragments and pollen, or other methods of biotechnology are not acceptable. Foundation material as it relates to

Schoenoplectus californicus Bayou Lafourche Germplasm and this contract is defined as 1) vegetative germplasm released and maintained by the NRCS Golden Meadow PMC; 2) foundation material provided directly to the nursery from the Golden Meadow PMC; and/or

3) vegetative propagules subsequently produced as direct accessional generations from the original foundation material provided to the nursery by the Golden Meadow PMC. If a

Louisiana coastal ecotype of Schoenoplectus californicus is provided, acceptable plants for the purpose of this contract shall be 1) an original collection of Louisiana coastal

Schoenoplectus californicus or 2) plants produced as accessional generations from foundation material of Schoenoplectus californicus originally collected from within coastal Louisiana.

(2) Trade-Gallon-Sized Plants (trade gallons): The contractor shall furnish, transport, and plant

Schoenoplectus californicus Bayou Lafourche Germplasm or a Louisiana coastal ecotype of

Schoenoplectus californicus grown in trade-gallon-sized containers or pots.

(a) All finished plants shall consist of multi-stemmed potted or containerized vegetative material. Each trade-gallon-sized plant shall have a minimum of

i. five (5) live and actively growing stems per container with two (2) of the five required stems having a minimum stem height/length of forty inches (40”) from forty the stem-root interface to the stem tip and the remaining three (3) required stems shall have a minimum stem height/length of thirty inches (30”) from the stem-root interface to the stem tip; or

ii. three (3) live and actively growing stems per container having a minimum stem height/length of forty inches (40”) from the stem-root interface to the stem tip.

(b) Within 10 days prior to mobilization, to facilitate transportation and planting, stems may be neatly pruned to a height/length of no less than forty-eight inches (48”) if they exceed this height/length. Acceptable stem count is limited to stems within the container. Stems attached to, or growing through or outside of the container wall will not be acceptable

NRCS – November 2021 436-3

c. Production Requirements:

(1) All trade-gallon sized plants shall be in the contract containers for at least 100 days prior to planting. Plant material shall be viable and actively growing as indicated by a proliferation of new root development within the container. Plants must show sufficient growth so that a soil rootball remains formed when the plant is removed from the container. No plants shall be loose in containers.

(2) Within the final thirty (30) days prior to planting, all plants shall be hardened outdoors in full sun exposure, not in greenhouse, shade house or other protected condition, for at least twenty

(20) consecutive days.

d. Inspection: The CO, COR or representative may inspect project plants at any time at the place of growth. Inspection of plants at the place of growth will not impair the right to reject plants at any time during the execution of this contract.

(1) All plants shall be free of defects, disfigurement, sun scalding, diseases, insects, insect eggs, borers or other forms of infection or infestations, including but not limited to weeds.

(2) Plants and ancillary support materials not meeting specifications or not installed according to the specifications shall be replaced at the contractor’s expense.

(3) During the execution of this contract, the contractor shall keep a copy of the contract documents, including modifications and amendments, at the planting site. Documents shall be kept in proper order and marked to show the location of problem conditions and all approved changes or revisions made during planting.

e. Shipping and Handling: All plants shall be packed for delivery to ensure adequate protection against climatic, seasonal, mechanical, or other injury during transit, loading and unloading, holding, staging and planting.

(1) Stems cannot be broken, crushed or otherwise physically damaged during transportation or planting. Within 10 days prior to mobilization, to facilitate transportation and planting, tradegallon-sized Schoenoplectus californicus stems may be neatly pruned to a height/length of no less than forty-eight inches (48”) if they exceed this height/length.

(2) Plants shall not become stressed due to lack of water prior to planting. Plants shall retain their stem and leaf rigidity at all times. The contractor shall take all necessary precautions to ensure that the plants receive adequate water prior to planting; that is, plants shall stay moist during mobilization and while on site prior to planting.

(3) Plants appearing discolored, shriveled, dehydrated, weed-infested, or otherwise stressed or damaged will be rejected and shall be removed and replaced immediately at the contractor’s expense. Plants not meeting plants specifications or not installed in compliance with contract specifications shall be replaced and replanted according to the contract specifications at the contractor’s expense.

NRCS – November 2021 436-4

(4) Each shipment of plants to the site shall be accompanied by a delivery slip indicating source of plants, exact quantity, size, and species delivered. A copy of all delivery slips shall be submitted to the COR or inspector within one day of delivery.

3. OTHER MATERIAL

a. Plant containers – trade gallon: Plant containers shall be trade gallon or full gallon in size.

Containers must be round in shape and must be individual containers, not molded trays or tray liners. An acceptable container shall have dimensions that are not less than five and three-quarter inches (5 ¾”) nor more than seven inches (7”) across the top (outside diameter) and not less than six inches (6”) nor more than eight inches (8”) in height (outside dimension). Containers must be constructed of rigid plastics. Paper, polystyrene (Styrofoam), peats, or other biodegradable materials are not acceptable.

b. Potting Medium (potting soil): Potting medium must be completely free of any foreign objects such as glass, shell, stones, pottery, or other debris not generally considered standard potting media. Standard potting media are various concentrations of silt, sand, and/or clay separates with or without the addition of organic matter.

4. LAYOUT

a. The NRCS will stake a sufficient number of coordinate locations for the contractor to follow the access routes and locate the planting sites shown in the contract plans. Staking by the NRCS will be on a one time basis. If any stakes or marks are destroyed by the contractor, these will have to be replaced by the contractor at his or her own expense. Prior to planting, the contractor shall be responsible for any additional staking required to meet the plant location requirements as shown in the contract plans and as concurred in by the COR. Planting locations, configurations, and the method for locating correct plant position shall be indicated in the work plan and approved by the

CO and COR prior to planting. Any staking or layout performed by the contractor shall utilize a

GPS unit with an accuracy of 3 meters or less for horizontal positioning. The type and accuracy of GPS equipment to be used shall be submitted in the work plan. The NRCS will establish one water level gauge within each planting area (Little Vermilion Bay and near Tigre Lagoon). If additional gauges are needed, it shall be the contractor’s responsibility to establish these as needed. All materials used for staking by the contractor shall be removed upon completion of the work prior to final inspection.

b. The contractor shall stake the locations of all known utilities and subsurface obstructions prior to planting. In the event that surface or subsurface obstructions exist that do not allow planting, then alternate locations may be selected by the COR. In the event such changes are deemed necessary, a revised work plan shall be submitted to the CO for approval prior to implementing the change.

c. In the event an obstruction or a problem is encountered, such as excessive water depths (see

Section 7), the contractor shall notify the inspector and/or COR immediately to discuss and request approval for a proposed corrective or modified action. In the event such changes are deemed necessary, the contractor may be required to submit a revised work plan to the CO and

COR for approval prior to implementing the change. The contractor shall be required to stake the end points or boundaries of problem areas encountered at the planting site with wooden or PVC stakes with a minimum diameter of one inch (1”) and minimum length of six feet (6’). The contractor shall also record the coordinates of each stake’s location and provide to the COR.

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5. PLANTING

a. Each plant shall be removed from its container immediately prior to planting. When the container is removed, the roots and medium shall be held intact in the same shape and size as the container and shall remain intact throughout the planting operations. Loosening of the outer roots of tightly-rooted plants is desirable immediately prior to placing the plant into the ground.

b. Each plant shall be planted in a dug hole. Depth of the planting hole shall be fixed so that the top surface of the plant’s soil/rootball shall not be above the surrounding ground level or more than two inches (2”) below the surrounding ground level.

c. The planting hole shall be tightly closed around the plant and plants must remain erect after planting. If backfill material is necessary to close the hole, material shall be placed under, around, and/or on top of the plant rootball as necessary, and tamped firmly. At no time shall any plant be rammed or forced into the soil. Plant roots shall not be turned upward or left exposed or protruding from the soil. A description of the contractor’s method of digging the planting hole, inserting the plant, and closing the planting hole, shall be included in the contractor’s proposed work plan.

d. Plants may be installed using an alternate method to planting in a dug hole only if approved in advance by the COR. If such approval is granted, NRCS reserves the right to require the contractor to revert to installation in a dug hole if, at any time as work progresses, the alternate method is determined by NRCS to be insufficient or detrimental to the project planting objectives.

e. All containers, sacks, or other materials used to contain the transplants during transport, handling and planting shall be removed from the project site and recycled, or disposed of according to all applicable regulatory requirements. The contractor shall remove all staking and layout tools and materials from the project site upon completion of the work, unless otherwise approved by the

COR. All other trash and debris resulting from the planting operation shall be collected on a daily basis and removed from the job site and disposed of properly. At no time shall the contractor allow trash, debris or other materials to blow, drift or be wave washed from the immediate staging or planting sites.

f. The contractor shall notify the CO of the planting start date at least ten (10) days prior to commencement of planting. For purposes of scheduling a final inspection, the contractor shall notify the CO at least seven (7) working days prior to the anticipated completion date of planting.

6. MEASUREMENT AND PAYMENT

For items of work for which specific unit prices are established in the contract, the quantity of plants will be determined by actual count in the field by NRCS when feasible or an alternate method as agreed upon by the COR and the contractor when actual count is infeasible. Payment for each plant will be made at the contract price. Such payment will constitute full compensation for furnishing, transporting, staking out, and planting the requisite number and species of plants complete in place.

Compensation for any material or work detailed in this specification but not listed in the bid schedule will be included in the payment of the bid items listed in Section 7.

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7. ITEMS OF WORK AND CONTRACT DETAILS

Items of work to be performed in conformance with this specification are:

a. Bid Item 2, Coastal Wetland Plants – Schoenoplectus californicus, Bayou Lafourche Germplasm or a Louisiana coastal ecotype – trade gallons

(1) This item shall consist of furnishing, transporting, and planting the designated plant species and sizes in the quantities stipulated in the following table for the specified project feature locations, and as shown on the construction drawings:

Planting Site

Bid Item 2

Schoenoplectus californicus, trade gallons

L. Verm. Bay 3 Double Row Points 1003 - 1004 160

L. Verm. Bay 3 Double Row Points 1005 - 1006 280

L. Verm. Bay 3 Double Row Points 1007 - 1008 240

L. Verm. Bay 3 Double Row Points 1009 - 1010 240

L. Verm. Bay 3 Double Row Points 1011 - 1013 150

L. Verm. Bay 3 Area Planting Points 1014 - 1017 1200

L. Verm. Bay 3 Area Planting Points 1018 - 1021 980

L. Verm. Bay 3 Area Planting Points 1022 - 1025 320

L. Verm. Bay 3 Area Planting Points 1026 - 1029 710

L. Verm. Bay 3 Area Planting Points 1030 - 1033 660

L. Verm. Bay 3 Area Planting Points 1034 - 1037 270

L. Verm. Bay Subtotal 5,210

Tigre Lagoon Double Row Points 1045 - 1046 620

Tigre Lagoon Double Row Points 1047 – 1048 630

Tigre Lagoon Double Row Points 1049 - 1050 500

Tigre Lagoon Double Row Points 1051 – 1052 520

Tigre Lagoon Double Row Points 1053 - 1054 190

Tigre Lagoon Double Row Points 1055 - 1056 220

Tigre Lagoon Double Row Points 1057 - 1058 150

Tigre Lagoon Double Row Points 1059 - 1060 120

Tigre Lagoon Double Row Points 1061 - 1062 60

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Tigre Lagoon Double Row Points 1063 - 1064 140

Tigre Lagoon Double Row Points 1065 - 1067 300

Tigre Lagoon Area Planting Points 1068 - 1069 4200

Tigre Lagoon Area Planting Points 1070 - 1071 180

Tigre Lagoon Area Planting Point 1072 230

Tigre Lagoon Subtotal 8,060

Total 13,270

(2) For the double row plantings, trade-gallon-sized Schoenoplectus californicus plants shall be installed on double rows ten feet (15’) apart and parallel to the planting centerlines shown in the construction drawings or as concurred in by the COR. Plants shall be installed on five-foot (5’) alternating centers to the extent possible.

(3) For the area plantings at Little Vermilion Bay, trade-gallon-sized Schoenoplectus californicus plants shall be installed in parallel rows ten feet (10’) apart. Plants shall be installed on ten-foot (10’) alternating centers to the extent possible. The row alignment shall be along and parallel to the longest line(s) formed by point numbers shown in the plans.

(4) For the area plantings near Tigre Lagoon, trade-gallon-sized Schoenoplectus californicus plants shall be installed in parallel rows seven feet (7’) apart. Plants shall be installed on seven-foot (7’) alternating centers to the extent possible. For the areas defined by point numbers 1068-1069 and 1070-1071, the row alignment shall be along and parallel to the line formed by point numbers shown in the plans. For the area labelled by point 1072, specific planting row alignment shall be as specified in the contractor’s work plan.

(5) Excess Schoenoplectus californicus shall be planted as an additional row(s), parallel to and seven (7), ten (10), or fifteen (15) feet away from one or more of the planted rows as needed to match the adjacent pattern, with plants on the appropriate distance alternating centers (5’, 7’, 10’ or 15’).

(6) Plants shall not be planted at an elevation lower than -1.0 ft NAVD 88 Geoid 12A unless concurred in by the COR. NOTE: In the case of prolonged abnormal weather, tides, or other event of unusually elevated water levels at the site, planting shall cease when surface water elevation exceeds +1.5 ft NAVD 88 Geoid 12A. Planting shall remain suspended until water levels return to acceptable conditions, as concurred in by the COR. The contractor may submit a request to the CO for approval to continue planting in shallower planting areas within the project boundaries at no additional cost to NRCS.

(7) No order of progression is required among or within the planting rows, and the planting sequence shall be as specified in the contractor’s work plan. The contractor shall consider the access routes shown on the plans when developing the work plan to assure that boats do not traffic over or disturb previously planted areas.

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(8) The location and placement of all plant rows shall be as shown in the contract plans and as concurred in by the COR. The method(s) used by the contractor for staking and establishing the designated planting arrangements and rows and for locating the correct position of individual plants shall be approved by the CO and COR prior to the Notice to

Proceed. See section 4, LAYOUT, for additional information.

(9) Plants shall be placed as close as possible to the locations and configurations shown in the drawings and described above; however, the project area lies within a dynamic coastal environment subject at any time to significant temporary or permanent changes in environmental conditions. As a result, irregularity in, or changes to elevations or configurations of the substrate, the marsh edges or the planting areas, re-colonizing natural emergent vegetation, or the presence of aquatic vegetation or rack, may occur prior to or during planting. Where existing vegetation is encountered, no plants shall be installed until the next unvegetated location is reached.

(a) Said changes may be such that the requisite plant numbers may exceed, or be inadequate for, that needed to plant the designated areas according to the specifications. If all plantings are complete and some contract plants remain unplanted, the excess plants shall be planted at the location, elevation, and spacing specified above and shown in the construction drawings, or as concurred in by the COR.

(b) In the event that conditions are changed or encountered during planting layout or operations that would preclude planting according to these specifications, the contractor shall consult with the CO and COR and a revised work plan shall be submitted to the CO and COR for approval. The contractor may be required, at no additional cost to NRCS, to adjust planting depths or spacing, to adjust planting row alignments, to adjust planting arrangement within planting areas, or to eliminate or add portions or locations of planting rows or areas.

(c) In the event of abnormal weather, rough wave conditions, or excessive aquatic vegetation at the site or access routes, planting activities may be temporarily suspended at no cost to the government until acceptable conditions resume, as concurred in by the COR.

(d) If abnormal weather, tides, river stages, or other event results in water levels greater than

+1.5ft NAVD 88 Geoid 12A for more than 5 consecutive days or for a continuous period that is anticipated by the COR to exceed 5 days (based on predicted stages, tides, winds, and/or other meteorological conditions), the CO may suspend planting activities until water levels return to acceptable conditions as concurred in by the COR. The contractor may submit a request to the CO for approval to continue planting in shallower areas within the project boundaries at no additional cost to NRCS.

(10) Existing emergent marsh vegetation shall not be damaged or destroyed in the process of installing contract plants. Any damage to existing marsh shall be restored to pre-existing conditions as approved by the COR.

(11) The contractor shall provide to the COR and Inspector the number of contract plants in place in each designated planting area at the end of each planting day.

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(12) Prior to final inspection, all missing and damaged plants shall be replaced. At the time of final inspection, the required number of contract plants shall be in place and meet contract plans and specifications.

(13) The contractor shall not begin planting prior to May 31, 2022 and shall not plant beyond

July 1, 2022.

(14) Measurement and Payment will be as stated in Section 6, Measurement and Payment.