A04_SOW.docx

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS)

Vegetation Removal and Mastication Sutter National Wildlife Refuge (NWR)

Part 1

General Information

1. GENERAL: This is a non-personnel services contract to provide Woody Vegetation Removal and Mastication. The Government shall not exercise any supervision or control over the contract service providers performing the services herein. Such contract service providers shall be accountable solely to the Contractor who, in turn is responsible to the Government.

1.1 Description of Services/Introduction: The contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, supplies, facilities, transportation, tools, materials, supervision, and other items and non-personal services necessary to perform Woody Vegetation Removal and Mastication as defined in this Performance Work Statement except for those items specified as government furnished property and services. The contractor shall perform to the standards in this contract.

1.2 Background: Sutter NWR (Refuge) is 2500 acres of wildlife habitat located in Sutter County, in the Sutter Bypass. The Refuge is comprised of a combination of wetlands, uplands, riparian forest, and oak groves. Sutter Refuge generally goes underwater when the Sacramento River floods as the Refuge sits in the bypass flood plain. In order to protect these important habitats from wildfire, the vegetation along the refuge boundaries needs to be removed/thinned to provide adequate fire breaks.

1.3 Objectives:

· Remove all woody vegetation that is less than 8 inches in diameter within identified areas of concern to help with flood control.

· Remove all woody vegetation that is less than 8 inches in diameter along a 15-foot buffer from each side of designated roads or interior fire breaks.

· Remove tree limbs from trees greater than 8 inches up to 10 feet from the ground.

1.4 Scope: The purpose of the project is to provide a sufficient fuel break near private property, reduce fuel loads, and protect valuable riparian habitat for fish and wildlife. The contractor is responsible for removing/masticating and mulching all woody vegetation 15 ft. on one side, or both depending on location, of designated roads on approximately 23 acres of interior roads and fire breaks. The contractor is also responsible for removing/masticating and mulching all woody vegetation within areas designated for helping with flood control on up to 67 acres. Mastication will be performed with appropriate heavy equipment and/or hand crews for a total of 90 acres. All trees greater than 8 inches in diameter will be left on site, although tree limbs below 10 feet from the ground will be removed. All elderberry trees, regardless of diameter, will not be removed to protect the threatened Valley Longhorn Elderberry Beetle. Refuge staff will help contractor identify elderberry trees. Depending on site conditions, mulch from mastication/removal will either be left on site or removed from the work site. Priority areas will be Refuge interior roads, trails, and drains, followed by identified flood neutral areas of concern. Services include removing potential fire hazards along interior fire breaks. The contractor shall accomplish all mastication and vegetation removal on as many acres as budgeted.

1.5 Period of Performance: The period of performance shall be from August 1, 2024 through March 1, 2025. Award is estimated to be made by mid-March 2024. Mastication and/or hand crew work will not be performed from March 15th to July 31st due to breeding migratory bird concerns.

1.6 General Information

1.6.1 Quality Control: The contractor shall develop and maintain an effective quality control program to ensure services are performed in accordance with this PWS. The contractor shall develop and implement procedures to identify, prevent, and ensure non-recurrence of defective services. The contractor’s quality control program is the means by which he assures himself that his work complies with the requirement of the contract. Contractors are required to submit a copy of their quality control plan with their quote for review.

1.6.2 Quality Assurance: The government shall evaluate the contractor’s performance under this contract by random visual inspections throughout the duration of the project.

1.6.3 Recognized Holidays: The contractor is not required to work on holidays.

Independence Day

1.6.4 Hours of Operation: The contractor is responsible for conducting business, between the hours of 7:00 am and 6:00 pm. Monday thru Friday except Federal holidays or when the Government facility is closed due to local or national emergencies, administrative closings, or similar Government directed facility closings. The Contractor must at all times maintain an adequate workforce for the uninterrupted performance of all tasks defined within this PWS when the Government facility is not closed for the above reasons. When hiring personnel, the Contractor shall keep in mind that the stability and continuity of the workforce are essential.

1.6.5 Place of Performance: The work to be performed under this contract will be performed at Sutter National Wildlife Refuge in Sutter County, California.

1.6.6 Type of Contract: The government will award a firm-fixed price.

1.6.7 Security Requirements: Not applicable.

1.6.7.1 PHYSICAL Security: The contractor shall be responsible for safeguarding all government equipment, information and property provided for contractor use.

1.6.7.2 Key Control. Not applicable

1.6.7.3 Lock Combinations: The Contractor shall establish and implement methods of ensuring that all lock combinations are not revealed to unauthorized persons. The Contractor shall ensure that lock combinations are changed when personnel having access to the combinations no longer have a need to know such combinations. These procedures shall be included in the Contractor’s Quality Control Plan.

1.6.8 Special Qualifications: Not applicable.

1.6.9 Post Award Conference/Periodic Progress Meetings: Not applicable.

1.6.10 Contracting Officer Representative (COR): The COR monitors all technical aspects of the contract and assists in contract administration. The COR is authorized to perform the following functions: assure that the Contractor performs the technical requirements of the contract, perform inspections necessary in connection with contract performance, maintain written and oral communications with the Contractor concerning technical aspects of the contract, issue written interpretations of technical requirements, monitor Contractor's performance and notifies both the Contracting Officer and Contractor of any deficiencies and provide site entry of Contractor personnel if required. The COR is not authorized to change any of the terms or conditions of the contract..

1.6.11 Key Personnel: The following personnel are considered key personnel by the government: Jacob Byers, Refuge Manager; Deb Stewart, Administration Officer; Frank Alves, Fuels Specialist. The contractor shall provide a contract manager who shall be responsible for the performance of the work. The name of this person and an alternate who shall act for the contractor when the manager is absent shall be designated in writing to the contracting officer. The contract manager or alternate shall have full authority to act for the contractor on all contract matters relating to daily operation of this contract. The contract manager or alternate shall be available between 7:00 am and 6:00 pm, Monday thru Friday except Federal holidays or when the government facility is closed for administrative reasons.

1.6.12 Identification of Contractor Employees: All contract personnel attending meetings and working in other situations where their contractor status is not obvious to third parties are required to identify themselves as such to avoid creating an impression in the minds of members of the public that they are Government officials. They must also ensure that all documents or reports produced by contractors are suitably marked as contractor products or that contractor participation is appropriately disclosed. Contractor employees will not be required to wear badges, although personnel working on a government installation shall have identification (i.e. company badge or uniform).

1.6.13 Contractor Travel: Not applicable

1.6.14 Other Direct Costs: Not applicable

1.6.15 Data Rights: Not applicable

1.6.16 Organizational Conflict of Interest: Not applicable

1.6.17 PHASE IN /PHASE OUT PERIOD: Not applicable

PART 2

DEFINITIONS & ACRONYMS

2. DEFINITIONS AND ACRONYMS:

2.1. DEFINITIONS:

2.1.1. CONTRACTOR. A supplier or vendor awarded a contract to provide specific supplies or service to the government. The term used in this contract refers to the prime.

2.1.2. CONTRACTING OFFICER. A person with authority to enter into, administer, and or terminate contracts, and make related determinations and findings on behalf of the government. Note: The only individual who can legally bind the government.

2.1.3. CONTRACTING OFFICER'S REPRESENTATIVE (COR). An employee of the U.S. Government appointed by the contracting officer to administer the contract. Such appointment shall be in writing and shall state the scope of authority and limitations. This individual has authority to provide technical direction to the Contractor as long as that direction is within the scope of the contract, does not constitute a change, and has no funding implications. This individual does NOT have authority to change the terms and conditions of the contract.

2.1.4. DEFECTIVE SERVICE. A service output that does not meet the standard of performance associated with the Performance Work Statement.

2.1.5. DELIVERABLE. Anything that can be physically delivered, but may include non-manufactured things such as meeting minutes or reports.

2.1.6. KEY PERSONNEL. Contractor personnel that are evaluated in a source selection process and that may be required to be used in the performance of a contract by the Key Personnel listed in the PWS. When key personnel are used as an evaluation factor in best value procurement, an offer can be rejected if it does not have a firm commitment from the persons that are listed in the proposal.

2.1.7. PHYSICAL SECURITY. Actions that prevent the loss or damage of Government property.

2.1.8. QUALITY ASSURANCE. The government procedures to verify that services being performed by the Contractor are performed according to acceptable standards.

2.1.9. QUALITY ASSURANCE Surveillance Plan (QASP). An organized written document specifying the surveillance methodology to be used for surveillance of contractor performance.

2.1.10. QUALITY CONTROL. All necessary measures taken by the Contractor to assure that the quality of an end product or service shall meet contract requirements.

2.1.11. SUBCONTRACTOR. One that enters into a contract with a prime contractor. The Government does not have privity of contract with the subcontractor.

2.1.12. WORKDAY. The number of hours per day the Contractor provides services in accordance with the contract.

2.1.12. WORK WEEK. Monday through Friday, unless specified otherwise.

2.2. ACRONYMS:

PART 3

GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY, EQUIPMENT, AND SERVICES

3. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED ITEMS AND SERVICES:

3.1. Services: The Government will provide maps and access codes for the refuge units (Figure 1).

3.2 Facilities: Not applicable

3.3 Utilities: Not applicable

3.4 Equipment: Not applicable

3.5 Materials: Not applicable

PART 4

CONTRACTOR FURNISHED ITEMS AND SERVICES

4. CONTRACTOR FURNISHED ITEMS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

4.1 General: The Contractor shall furnish all supplies, equipment, facilities and services required to perform work under this contract that are not listed under Section 3 of this PWS.

4.2 Secret Facility Clearance: Not applicable

4.3. Materials: Not applicable

4.4. Equipment: The Contractor shall provide all equipment needed to complete the objectives of this project.

PART 5

SPECIFIC TASKS

5. Specific Tasks:

5.1. Basic Services: The contractor shall provide services for mastication and woody vegetation removal, with either heavy equipment and/or hand crews, on approximately 90 acres of mostly interior roads, fire breaks, and areas of concern of Sutter NWR. The contractor will masticate all woody vegetation less than 8 inches in diameter for 15 ft. along each side of interior roads/fire breaks. The contractor will masticate all woody vegetation less than 8 inches in diameter in areas identified to help the refuge with moving flood water. All vegetation greater than 8 inches in diameter will be limbed to at least 10 feet from the ground. Mastication debris will be left on site or removed depending on site conditions and in consultation with refuge management. Vegetation mostly consists of riparian scrub habitat dominated by Arroyo Willow and Coyote Brush. Contractor will limit amount of disturbance to habitat not being masticated. Figure 1 shows the areas on Sutter NWR targeted for mastication work.

Quotes shall be submitted as a dollar / acre estimate.

5.1 Restrictions: No elderberry trees will be removed. Refuge staff will help contractors identify elderberry trees. Mastication and/or hand crew work will not be performed from March 15th to July 31st due to breeding migratory bird concerns. Mastication and hand crew work outside of the breeding migratory bird time will be coordinated with refuge management to minimize impacts to hunters, and to mitigate any fire concerns with the contractor, refuge management and refuge fire staff. The contractor is expected to remove all equipment and trash generated from the crew prior to job completion. No housing or camping is allowed.

5.2 Coordination: Access and timing of mastication work will be coordinated with the COR or COR’s designee. The contractor shall get approval from Refuge Manager on types of equipment used in mastication work. The contractor will report any illegal observations as soon as possible to the Refuge Manager. The contractor shall identify all safety concerns to the Refuge Manager within 24 hours.

PART 6

APPLICABLE PUBLICATIONS

6. APPLICABLE PUBLICATIONS

6.1. Not Applicable

PART 7

ATTACHMENT/TECHNICAL EXHIBIT LISTING

7. Attachment/Technical Exhibit List:

7.1. Attachment 1/Technical Exhibit 1 – Performance Requirements Summary

7.2. Attachment 2 – Site locations for mastication work along Sacramento River NWR’s boundary.

TECHNICAL EXHIBIT 1

Performance Requirements Summary The contractor service requirements are summarized into performance objectives that relate directly to mission essential items. The performance threshold briefly describes the minimum acceptable levels of service required for each requirement. These thresholds are critical to mission success.

Performance Objective (The Service required—usually a shall statement)

Method of Surveillance

PRS # 1.

The contractor shall provide mastication and vegetation removal along Sutter NWR interior roads, trails, and drains. The contractor shall provide mastication and vegetation removal within areas designated as concerns for holding flood water.

Figure 1. Interior roads of Sutter NWR targeted for mastication work with this contract. The units are located in the Sacramento Valley, CA.

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