A04_SOW_Morris_Tract_Hardwood_Plantation_Thinning_Cache_River_NWR.pdf

Performance Work Statement Morris Tract Hardwood Plantation Thinning Cache River NWR

Project Title: Morris Tract Hardwood Plantation Thinning Cache River NWR

Project Time Frame: Fall of 2026 for 365 days

Purpose: This project is part of the Refuge Forest management program to improve forest habitat in older hardwood plantations. The trees are not desirable in current markets.

Completing the project with chainsaws is prescribed to release quality residual trees and allow a flush of lower vegetation to improve current and future habitat for waterfowl, forest breeding birds, bats, upland birds and other native wildlife. This operation must be performed following prescription guidelines; monitor as required.

Parameters:

Contractor must fell (cut and drop to the ground) designated trees within the Project Area (Plantation); see Scope of Work.

For the duration of this Project, the Contractor must carry Commercial General Liability Insurance, with a per occurrence limit of not less than $1,000,000; and Worker’s Compensation Insurance and Employer’s Liability Insurance with a limit of at least the amount required by applicable law, but not less than $500,000, fully covering all employees and supervisors participating in the Contractor’s operations. The Contractor shall save, hold harmless, defend, and indemnify the United States of America, its agents and employees for loss, damages, or judgments and expenses on account of bodily injury, death or property damage, or claims for bodily injury, death, or property damage of any nature whatsoever, and by whomever made, arising out of the Contractor’s, his employees, subcontractors or agents with respect to conducting activities connected with this Project within the lands administered by Central Arkansas National Wildlife Refuge Complex.

The Contractor must give the Government Representative (GR) notice three days before any day in which work will be done. The Contractor must meet with the GR on-site before any work is begun.

Work will be allowed all days through the project time frame including Federal Holidays;

however, work must be accomplished during favorable weather conditions, i.e., dry ground conditions. Contractor will be responsible for maintaining all access roads and trails in equal or better condition. To avoid transport of invasive pests, all equipment must be pressure washed before coming on to the refuge.

Scope of Work:

On 210 acres, contractor will fell all “harvest” trees within the Plantation designated as follows:

Contractor will follow guidance from refuge forestry staff to fell all trees on every fifth row to their entirety, and in the first and second adjacent rows, one of four trees will be removed. Tree selection in these adjacent rows will favor dominant and codominant trees with vigorous crowns and good form. Trees selected for removal will include those exhibiting low forks, stem damage, restricted crowns, poor form, or multiple stems. This method will result in 40% tree reduction throughout the stand. In areas where sweetgum is dominant, Crop tree release method will be used by reducing sweetgums on all four sides of crop trees (Red Oaks). The target for this method will be to leave 40 red oaks per acre, that are 40 feet apart. Harvested trees don't need to be stacked or have their limbs removed, but they should be placed on the ground in a way that avoids creating overhead hazards or blocking roads, drains, boundary lines, gas pipeline rights-of-way, and similar areas. Once site conditions allow, the contractor must successfully complete no less than 60 acres of this project per week; allowances for wet weather or unfavorable site conditions may be granted by the Technical POC. See Attachment1: Performance Requirements Summary. At the Refuge Manager’s discretion, a Special Use Permit may be issued to allow the contractor to take harvested trees off site at the contractor’s own risk and expense.

Site Visit:

Site visit will take place on November 10, 2026 from 9 am through 12 pm CT.

Site Location: 35.18299, -91.29827. (Cemetery Road, Gregory AR)

All visitors are required to sign the sign-in sheet. The POC for the site visit is Samuel Mills;

Email: samuel_mills@fws.gov Phone: 501-530-6587.

Payment:

The GR will make regular inspections and conduct random sampling to survey completed work according to the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP). Areas not meeting the Acceptable Quality Levels (AQL) will be retreated by the Contractor to meet the AQL. If damage to unharvested trees is beyond Acceptable Quality Levels (AQL), payment will be reduced as described in the QASP. The Contractor will be paid according to the contracted amount for the acres successfully treated. The Contractor may submit for an acreage-prorated-payment for those acres that have been successfully treated monthly or may wait to submit for payment when the entire treatment is complete, at their option.

mailto:samuel_mills@fws.gov

Project Area Coordinates: 35.1831992, -91.3025783

ATTACHMENT 1: PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS SUMMARY

Required Services (Tasks)

Performance Standards

Acceptable Quality Levels

Methods of

Surveillance

Incentive (Positive and/or Negative)

(Impact on Contractor Payments)

Crop tree release method is performed correctly in Sweetgum Dominated areas.

Percentage of trees in residual rows are felled to prescription specifications.

Unharvested trees are not damaged.

Contractor meets

90%

90%

≤5% of un-harvested trees are damaged.

Periodic Inspections/ Sample plots

Periodic Inspections/ sample plots

Sample plots

If number of sweetgums removed around crop trees fall short of prescription, the contractor will fell additional trees to meet Acceptable Quality Levels.

If sample area falls short of prescription, the contractor will fell additional trees to meet Acceptable Quality Levels. Areas with too many trees or the wrong trees felled will be deducted from the contract payment on a prorated acreage basis.

If sample plots show ≤5% of unharvested trees are damaged, then contractor can receive full payment. If sample plots show more than 5% of unharvested trees are damaged, a penalty will be deducted from the contract payment on a percentage basis equal to the percent of damage according to sample plots. For example, if 20% of unharvested trees are damaged, then contractor will have 20% deduction from full payment.

- continued -

Contractor meets production.

Contractor successfully completes 60 or more acres per week unless allowances are made by the Technical POC for unfavorable site conditions.

100% or more

Field Inspection, GPS, GIS

Contractor will be put on probation after not making production. If production is not made the following week or any week thereafter, then contractor may be terminated.

Stand ACRES Trees Per

Acre

Basal

Area

(ft2)

Mean

Diameter

(IN)

Common Species

Morris

Tract

210 150 90 10 Southern Red Oak, Cherrybark Oak, Willow Oak, Water Oak, Sweetgum

ATTACHMENT 1: PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS SUMMARY