Attachment_1-Statement_of_Work_rev1_0002.pdf

United States Department of the Interior U.S. FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE-Alligator River NWR

PO Box 1969, Manteo, NC 27954

Performance Work Statement

Ground Herbicide Treatment of Phragmites

On Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge

13518 Milltail Road, East Lake, NC 27953

& Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge

14500 NC Hwy 12, Rodanthe, NC 27968

1. GENERAL INFORMATION

1.1 General: This is a non-personal services contract to provide herbicide application/spraying via ground methods for treatment of invasive phragmites (Phragmites australis) within delineated project boundaries on Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and Pea Island NWR (collectively Refuge) in Dare County, North Carolina. 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 tum is responsible to the government.

The contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, supplies, facilities, transportation, tools, materials, supervision, and other items and non-personal services necessary to perform work services as defined in this Performance Work Statement (PWS) except for those items specified as government furnished property and services. The contractor shall perform to the standards in this contract.

Payment will be processed online through the Invoice Processing Platform System (IPP) at http://www.ipp.gov.

1.2 Purpose: Treatment of invasive exotic plants and their management have been identified as one of the highest priorities within the National Wildlife Refuge System. Invasive exotic plants threaten native plant communities and native wildlife including threatened and endangered species. Alligator River and Pea Island NWRs have a problem with phragmites outcompeting native vegetation and forming dense, monoculture areas. Areas to be treated are highly visible to the public, on sensitive soils, or not practical for employees to treat due to staffing limitations.

1.3 Objective: Ground application of herbicide for controlling/treating phragmites within the designated project boundaries on Alligator River and Pea Island NWRs to reduce the size of monoculture stands of phragmites and to prevent spread of phragmites into non-infested areas on the refuges. The contractor will apply the appropriate herbicide and adjuvant to adequately treat 85% or more of all phragmites within the delineated project area. Project size (acres sprayed) is approximately 75 acres at Alligator River NWR and 85 acres at Pea Island NWR but may increase or decrease based on submitted bids.

1.4 Place of Performance: The work to be performed under this contract is located in delineated areas on the Alligator River NWR and the Pea Island NWR in Dare County, North Carolina. See maps Exhibits 1-3.

http://www.ipp.gov/

1.5 Period of Performance: The period of performance shall be for one (1) Base Year from Contract award through September 7, 2023, and four (4) option years for the same monthly time period. Option years are subject to availability of funds and agreement of both the government and contractor. Treatment of phragmites outside this time period has been found to be less effective. Contractor should let the government know when treatment is completed so inspection can occur two-four weeks post last treatment and allow for re-treatment, if necessary, as close to the preferred time period as possible.

The Service Schedule reads as follows:

Base Year Option Year I Option Year II Option Year III Option Year IV

May 15, 2024 – May 14, 2025 May 15, 2025 - May 14, 2026 May 15, 2026 - May 14, 2027 May 15, 2027 - May 14, 2028 May 15, 2028- September 7, 2029

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

1.6.2 Recognized Holidays: The contractor is not required nor permitted to perform services on these holidays:

New Year's Day Labor Day

Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday

President's Day

Memorial Day In

Juneteenth Day

Columbus Day

Veteran's Day

Thanksgiving Day

Christmas Day

Independence Day

1.6.3 Hours of Operation: Normal operating hours for the refuge are between 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM Monday thru Friday, excluding Federal Holidays, or when the government facility is closed due to local or national emergencies, administrative closings, or similar directed government closings. Depending on weather conditions and wind speeds, the work may have to occur outside the normal business day as otherwise arranged with the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR)/Govemment Representative (GR). The contractor shall provide contact information in the event of emergencies.

1.6.4. Contractor Qualifications: The contractor, its employees, and any subcontractors performing work under this contract shall:

• possess a valid state certified aquatic pesticide applicator's license for the state of North Carolina as required or be under direct supervision of a license holder, and

• shall comply with all Federal, State, and local laws and regulations applicable to the contract work and to the products and material used by the contractor in performing that work, and

• be familiar with how phragmites looks to ensure that desirable, non-target vegetation is not sprayed.

1.6.5. Post Award Conference/Periodic Progress Meetings: The Contractor agrees to attend any post award conference or progress meetings convened by the contracting activity or contract administration office in accordance with Federal

Acquisition Regulation Subpart 42.5. The Contracting Officer, Contracting Officers Representative (COR), Government Representative (GR), and other Government personnel, as appropriate, may meet periodically with the Contractor to review the Contractor's performance and/or status of work. At these meetings, the Contracting Officer will apprise the Contractor of how the government views the Contractor's performance and the Contractor will apprise the Government of problems being experienced, if any. Appropriate action shall be taken to resolve outstanding issues. These meetings shall be at no additional cost to the Government.

1.6.6. Identification of Contractor Employees: All contract personnel 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 or performing an unauthorized task. Contractor personnel will be required to obtain and wear badges or company attire indicating name of company in performance of this service.

2. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED ITEMS AND SERVICES

2.1. Services:

2.1.1 The Refuge will supply the Contractor with any restrictions or directives contained in the approved Pesticide Use Proposal that must be followed in addition to what is listed on the herbicide label.

2.1.2. The government will provide paper copies of maps of areas to be treated (Exhibit 1-3) to the contractor. If an Option Year is exercised, the Government will supply the Contractor with a new description of priority areas to spray and an updated Treatment Area Maps, if needed, no later than April 15 of each year.

2.1.3. Assessment of the treatment areas will be made 2-4 weeks after spraying to make sure that 85% of the mapped area was treated. GPS and GIS will be used to make that assessment.

2.2 Facilities: The government will provide no facilities.

2.3 Utilities: The government will provide no utilities. The contractor will need to have a water truck capable of refilling spray equipment with clean water.

2.4. Equipment: The government will provide no equipment.

3. CONTRACTOR FURNISHED ITEMS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

3.1. General: The Contractor shall provide all personnel, labor (i.e., herbicide application), equipment, supplies, transportation, tools, materials, supervision, and other non-personal services necessary to perform the requirements of this contract order and shall plan, schedule, coordinate, and ensure effective performance of required services for the entire duration of contract. Treatment application shall be performed in such a manner as to protect non-target plant species, the environment, and the public. NOTE: The Contracting Officer reserves the right to require the Contractor to replace any operating personnel, or equipment used in the performance of this Contract if the personnel, or equipment are violating, or have violated, any state or federal laws; or are unsafe; or for any valid reason. In this event, the Contractor shall as soon as reasonably possible, upon written or verbal notice (to be later reduced to writing) from the Contracting Officer, provide replacements satisfactory to the Contracting Officer at no additional cost.

3.2. Materials: The contractor will provide all chemicals needed for application of the herbicide by ground methods.

Chemicals approved for use in this contract include glyphosate and imazapyr labeled for aquatic use and methylated seed oil as an adjuvant. Application rates and number of applications shall be no more than the maximum permitted by label for controlling species to be treated or otherwise specified in the approved Pesticide Use Proposal (PUP). The contractor must abide by all applicable regulations, publications, manuals, and local policies and procedures under an approved PUP.

The Contractor shall provide GIS polygon data for the areas treated no later than two weeks following application.

3.3. Equipment: The contractor shall provide the ground equipment, PPE (personal protective equipment), and any other supplies and equipment to complete the requirements of this PWS.

3. SCOPE/ SPECIFIC TASKS

3.1. Basic Services: Herbicides by brand name, application rate, number of applications, and adjuvants proposed for use by the Contractor in the bid proposal must be approved by the Refuge through a PUP and Endangered Species Act Section 7 Consultation prior to application. The Refuge proposes that the contractor use a tank mix of 4 pints/ac glyphosate, 3 pints/ac imazapyr, and 2 pints/ac methylated seed oil. The brand names listed below are expected to be approved for use in 2023. The contractor may propose different chemicals or application rates based on their experience, but work cannot proceed until a PUP is completed and approved for the herbicide(s) that will be used.

• Glyphosate: Roundup Custom, AquaNeat, Glyphoste 5.4, Rodeo

• Imazapyr: Polaris AC Complete, Arsenal Applicators Concentrate, Imazapyr 4SL

3.1.1. The contractor will coordinate with the COR/GR no less than 48 hours prior to applications.

3.1.2. Work performance shall be defined as 85% or more treatment of identified areas of phragmites up to agreed upon number of acres. The Contractor shall provide GIS polygon data for the areas treated within two weeks of treatment.

Repeat applications, if required, will be at no additional cost to the Government. The COR/GR shall conduct surveys two-four weeks post treatment to determine if the 85% of the area has been treated using GIS and GPS.

3.2 Treatment Areas:

3.2.1. The phragmites varies from isolated, small patches to large, continuous patches of dense plants. Contractor should make best effort to treat as much of the phragmites in each Treatment Area as possible up to the agreed upon total acres per refuge.

Treatment Area on Maps Estimated Acres of

Phragmites Pea Island NWR Priority 1 (Red) 28.0

Priority 2 (Orange) 19.2 Priority 3 (Yellow) 38.5

Total 85.7 Alligator River NWR Koehring Road 21 Possum and North Dry Ridge Roads 6 Milltail Road Gust above bridge down to Possum) 6 Pollock, West Widgeon, Cedar Roads Loop 7 Field 3 in South Twiford (ST) C impoundment 5 Outside of ST-C, D, E & F impoundment dikes 30

Total 75

3.2.2. Pea Island Treatment Area priority (see Exhibit 1)

• Priority 1 Treatment Area (red) is the area between NC 12 and South Pond impoundment. This area is about 40 acres with approximately 70% coverage of phragmites.

• Priority 2 Treatment Area (orange) is the area between NC 12 and North Pond impoundment. This area is about 24 acres with approximately 80% coverage of phragmites.

• Priority 3 Treatment Area (yellow) is the area between NC 12 and New Field impoundment. This area is about 55 acres with approximately 70% coverage of phragmites.

3.2.3 Alligator River Treatment Area priority (see Exhibit 2 and 3)

• Road shoulders on Koehring Road

• Road shoulders on Possum and North Dry Ridge Roads

• Road shoulders on Milltail Road (just above bridge down to Possum Road)

• Road shoulders on 3 roads that form loop - Pollock, West Widgeon, and Cedar Roads

• Farm field 3 in South Twiford C farm unit

• Outside of impoundment dikes in South Twiford units C, D, E & F

3.3. Special Considerations:

3.3.1. Treatment areas at Pea Island NWR are on sand subject to erosion from wind and water events, so limiting soil disturbance is an important consideration. Equipment must be capable of operating in soft sand with minimal soil disturbance (such as tracked equipment).

Treatments areas at Alligator River NWR are either along roads or within a farming unit that has organic soils. Inside the farming unit, equipment must be capable of operating on muck soils with minimal soil disturbance (i.e., low ground pressure and/or tracked equipment).

3.3.2. Some places have phragmites growing among woody vegetation. In these cases, Contractor should limit treatment to phragmites as much as possible, but some affect to the woody vegetation is acceptable. Damage to other non-target species should be avoided, so wind direction will be critical when spraying in the farming units at Alligator River NWR.

Consult with the COR/GR if there are any concerns with a particular area of phragmites, prior to treatment.

3.3.3. The Contractor will be responsible for all unloading/loading operations and the safe transportation of herbicides.

Movement of chemicals, water, and equipment in and around the treatment locations will be the sole responsibility of the Contractor. All personnel and equipment to be used will be appropriately licensed and certified for the work to be done.

The Contractor will be responsible for providing sufficient equipment, fuel (for equipment), safety items, spill response kit, personnel and their subsistence needs during the project period, as well as checking all work sites for hazards of any type which could affect their ability to accomplish the spray project. Unused, mixed pesticides will be disposed of and spray equipment cleaning accomplished in accordance with local, state and EPA guidelines. The Contractor will ensure that no contamination of any water source occurs, that emergency spill containment equipment is at the worksite, and said spill equipment is capable of containing all potential herbicide spills from Contractor vehicles/equipment. The COR/GR shall be notified immediately of any herbicide spill or accident.

3.3.4. The Contractor will supply equipment to meter chemicals and water mixtures, and will provide mixing and loading equipment and water. Water hauling services will be required. The Contractor must be capable of calibrating equipment to the final application rate specifications.

3.4. Safety:

3.4.1. Public and contractor safety must be ensured when spraying or using pesticides. Treatment areas at Alligator River NWR are open to the public with some areas adjacent to crops of our cooperative farmer. Pea Island NWR is heavily visited by the public with treatment areas near NC Hwy 12 and under power lines. The Contractor shall mitigate for herbicide contamination on federal land and any adjacent waters. Any fines or penalties for herbicide contamination or resultant environmental damage shall be the responsibility of the Contractor.

3.4.2. Treatment areas will be posted with appropriate Restricted Entry Interval (REI). The contractor should coordinate with the COR/GR if needed to assist with sign removal after the REI is over.

3.4.3. The Contractor shall be responsible for complying with the label and Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for each chemical used and making these SDSs readily available to all contract employees working with chemicals.

4. DELIVERABLES

4.1 Treatment Data to include a chemical use report and polygon of areas treated in a shapefile format. Chemical use report should detail total amount of pesticides applied, total acres sprayed, and estimated efficacy of treatment. GIS data of the areas sprayed will be provided in a shapefile format with a projection of either WGS 84 or NAD 83 within two weeks of treatment.

4.2 Schedule:

Deliverable Frequency # Of Copies Medium/Format Submit To

Chemical Use Report Once/year within 2 weeks of final treatment for that treatment year

Electronic/ Narrative or table

Kelley Van Druten at kelley_vandruten@fws.gov

GIS data of area sprayed Within 2 weeks of any treatments done that treatment year

Electronic/ Shapefiles Kelley Van Druten at kelley_vandruten@fws.gov mailto:kelley_vandruten@fws.gov mailto:vandruten@fws.gov mailto:kelley_vandruten@fws.gov mailto:vandruten@fws.gov

5. EVALUATION AND ACCEPTANCE

5.1 The Contractor will be evaluated as detailed herein. The task shall be considered completed following a thorough final inspection of the treated areas by the COR/GR, and only if it is determined that the Contractor treated 90% or more of the phragmites within the delineated area. It shall be the responsibility of the Contractor to re-treat areas until 90% or more of the area is treated at no additional cost to the Government.

5.2 Surveillance Methods:

5.2.1. Inspection of materials, equipment, and chemicals. The COR/GR reserves the right to inspect, at any time upon notice to the Contractor, the Contractor's procedures, spray system, spray solution, and other ancillary equipment, and operating personnel. Inspection, however, shall not relieve the Contractor of any obligations or responsibilities, nor shall it transfer any liability to the Refuge.

5.2.2. The Contractor shall be responsible for notifying the COR/GR when treatment is completed so that the project area can be inspected 2-4 weeks post treatment. Within a treated area, 90% of the treated vegetation should showing significant yellowing or decline 2-4 weeks post treatment.

6. QUOTES

6.1 Contract is a Firm-Fixed price contract.

6.2 Quotes should be submitted on a cost per acre sprayed. Total target project size is approximately 160.7 sprayed acres per year (85.7 ac at Pea Island NWR and 75 acres at Alligator River NWR). Acres to be treated each year may decline depending on response to treatment.

6.3 Quotes should include brand name of herbicide(s) and adjuvants to be used, their proposed application rates, and the proposed number of applications anticipated by the contractor.