Attachment_1_-_D_Arbonne_NWR_Reforestation_Thinning_PWS_2024.pdf

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS)

D’Arbonne National Wildlife Refuge Reforestation Thinning- Cut and Leave

Part 1

General Information

1. GENERAL: This is a non-personnel services contract to provide thinning of reforested areas by cutting standing trees and leaving them on site. 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: This is a fixed price per acre contract. The contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, fuel, lubricants, supplies, facilities, transportation, tools, materials, supervision, and other items and non-personal services necessary to mechanically cut trees on D’Arbonne NWR, for a total of up to 475 acres 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. Final acres treated will depend on bid prices.

1.2 Background NWRS inventory data confirms over 95% of bottomland hardwood forests are outside desired habitat conditions for wildlife, with forest management being essential to restore and maintain desired habitat conditions. Up to 40,959 acres need to be assessed and potentially treated annually to establish and maintain desired conditions. Like most of the LMV, hydrology was altered in the D’Arbonne watershed in the 1970s when the Ouachita River was raised to 9 feet for navigation purposes. This resulted in prolonged flooding into the growing season causing the die off of hundreds of acres of willow oaks.

During the early 1990s, refuge foresters harvested dying willow oaks in an attempt to regenerate them, hoping the new generation of oaks would be more tolerant to the changed hydrological regime. 475 acres of regenerated willow oaks are now 20-25 years old and in need of a first thinning. Stands are overstocked, dense and consist of almost pure willow oak. Sunlight is not reaching the forest floor resulting in few understory plants for wintering waterfowl food, deer browse, or nesting songbird structure. The refuge has been unable to commercially thin the plantations to improve wildlife habitat due primarily to volatile pulpwood markets and a very limited entry window for treatment. For these reasons, a first thinning would have to be contracted to accomplish the desired forest conditions as described in the refuge Habitat Management Plan. This thinning would enhance habitats by promoting understory growth and regeneration of hard mast species. In turn, nesting structure for priority songbirds and food for wintering waterfowl would be increase.

1.3 Objectives:

The total potential area to be treated under this contract covers approximately 475 across multiple management units on D’Arbonne NWR. This is a per acre bid, therefore the total acres treated will depend on bid price.

Note: The Government reserves the right to make an award on any item for a quantity less than the quantity offered, at the unit cost or prices offered, unless the offeror specifies otherwise in the proposal.

These areas are irregular in shape and were naturally regenerated. Thinning should result in an overall reduction of roughly half of the current standing trees. This will be equal to leaving a stand that measures approximately 70 sq. ft of basal area per acre on average.

The contractor will use forestry cutting machinery to cut trees and leave them on the forest floor. Trees may be bunched together to meet standard cutting practices or trees may be felled and dropped individually.

Trees across all diameters may be cut within the designated treatment areas.

Trees will be cut as close to the ground as possible to leave a minimal stump.

Woody material from the cutting will be left on site.

Woody material from the cuttings will be left so that the majority of them are in contact with the soil surface to promote decomposition.

Uncut (leave) trees larger than 6” (six inch) ground line diameter will remain intact and undamaged.

The contractor must have GPS capability to locate and follow treatment area boundaries. A shapefile and / or georeferenced map will be provided to the contractor for navigation and location of treatment areas.

1.4 Scope: Services include supplying, operating and maintaining forestry equipment to mechanically cut/thin regenerated forest stands in multiple management areas within D’Arbonne NWR. The project area will be treated with a heavy duty forestry cutting machines that cut trees at or slightly abouve ground level.

The equipment will be tracked or rubber tired with sufficiently low ground pressure to minimize rutting, soil compaction and tree root damage. The machine must be 90 (ninety) horse-power or greater. The machine must be capable of felling trees up to 16” (sixteen inches) ground line diameter.

The contractor will thin forest stands within the treatment boundaries to meet future stand objectives.

Thinning may be a combination of several methods, including cutting a down “row” or path and then thinning the remaining trees on either side of the cut row. Also, some patch/group selection cutting may occur. Residual stand basal areas should measure around 70 sq. ft. of basal area per acre on average.

The majority of the treatment areas are open and contain very little understory or ground cover. Current estimates show that approximately half of the trees will need to be cut to meet future forest habitat goals for these stands. Prospective contractors are encouraged to conduct a site visit prior to bidding to form their own assessment as to number of trees that are currently growing and the resulting work and conditions that affect cost of performance required to thin the stands within the treatment areas. It is impractical to determine by other means the exact nature of work and the work site conditions under which the contract will be executed. The submission of a bid is considered certification that the site has been inspected and nature of work has been determined. Site visits and / or tours can be scheduled by calling the Government Representative or visiting the Refuge prior to submitting bid.

The treatment areas are spread across several forest compartments on the refuge and all are accessible by vehicle. All of these areas were previously harvested in the mid 1990’s.

The treatment areas may be inundated with flood water yearly. Portions of some of the units may be wetter than others. Care should be exercised during periods of wet weather to prevent rutting and soil compaction.

All off-road equipment used for this contract shall be inspected by the Government Representative for the presence of invasive weed seeds or propagates prior to being off loaded at the Refuge. Off-road equipment includes cutting machine and any support off-highway utility vehicles, but does not include service trucks, pickup trucks, over the road transport trucks etc. All off-road equipment shall be cleaned with a pressure washer prior to arriving at the Refuge to remove all soil, plant parts, seeds, vegetative matter or other debris which could hold seeds. The visual inspection will be conducted by Government Representative and will focus on, but not be limited to air breathers, tracks or tires, frame openings, floor plates, skid plates or other areas that can trap seeds. If seeds, clumps of soil or propagates are found the equipment will not be off-loaded and the contractor will be required to remove the equipment from the Refuge and wash it before engaging in contract implementation.

All work is subject to inspection by Government Representative during and after the Contractors operation.

Unsatisfactory work shall be corrected promptly at no expense to the government.

1.5 Period of Performance: The period of performance shall be for 12 months of one (1) year. The Period of Performance reads as follows:

The performance period will begin on September 15, 2025 and end on September 14, 2025.

Work may be postponed by the Government, due to inclement weather, high water, high wildfire danger or to prevent adverse impacts to the soils and access roads or for the convenience to the Government. The Government may allow an extension of the contract term if it is determined that the contractor could not complete the contract within the normal contract period due to excessive inclement weather or government caused delays that exceed a total of 14 days. The preferred time period for completing the contract work is late summer to early fall due to the potential disturbance and presence of Northern Long Eared and Tricolored Bats in these forested areas.

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 Quality Assurance: The government shall evaluate the contractor’s performance under this contract in accordance with the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan. This plan is primarily focused on what the Government must do to ensure that the contractor has performed in accordance with the performance standards. It defines how the performance standards will be applied, the frequency of surveillance, and the minimum acceptable defect rate(s).

1.6.3 Recognized Holidays: The Contractor may, but is not required to perform services on these holidays:

New Year’s Day Labor Day Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday Columbus Day President’s Day Veteran’s Day Memorial Day Thanksgiving Day Independence Day Christmas Day

1.6.4 Hours of Operation Active cutting operations should take place during daylight hours. The contractor should make the Government Representative aware of times scheduled to work.

1.6.5 Place of Performance: The work to be performed under this contract will be performed within the boundaries of D’Arbonne National Wildlife Refuge, in Ouachita and Union Parishes Louisiana. The treatment area begins roughly 5 (six) miles north of the city limits of West Monroe, Louisiana.

1.6.6 Type of Contract: The government will award a Firm, Fixed Price.

1.6.7 Security Requirements: Not applicable, no security requirements necessary.

1.6.7.1 Physical Security: The contractor shall be responsible for safeguarding all contractor equipment and property owned by the contractor. No government owned equipment will be utilized by the contractor.

The Government will not provide any security for contractor owned equipment.

1.6.7.2 Key Control. Not applicable

1.6.7.3 Lock Combinations: Not applicable.

1.6.8 Special Qualifications: The Contractor shall, without additional expense to the Service, be responsible for obtaining any licenses and permits, and for complying with any applicable State and Federal laws, codes, and regulations in connection with prosecution of the work.

1.6.9 Post Award Conference/Periodic Progress Meetings: The Contractor agrees to attend any post award conference 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), and other Government personnel, as appropriate, may meet periodically with the contractor to review the contractor's performance. 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, if any, being experienced. Appropriate action shall be taken to resolve outstanding issues.

These meetings shall be at no additional cost to the government.

1.6.10 Government Representative (GR): The (GR) will be identified by separate letter. The GR monitors all technical aspects of the contract and assists in contract administration. The GR 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, including Government drawings, designs, specifications: monitor Contractor's performance and notifies both the Contracting Officer and Contractor of any deficiencies;

coordinate availability of government furnished property, and provide site entry of Contractor personnel.

The GR is not authorized to change any of the terms and conditions of the resulting order.

1.6.11 Key Personnel: The follow personnel are considered key personnel by the government: Chris Foster (318) 366-3014. 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 while work is being performed, 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 working in 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.

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. WORK DAY. 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:

ACOR Alternate Contracting Officer's Representative AFARS Army Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement

AR Army Regulation CCE Contracting Center of Excellence CFR Code of Federal Regulations CONUS Continental United States (excludes Alaska and Hawaii) COR Contracting Officer Representative COTR Contracting Officer's Technical Representative COTS Commercial-Off-the-Shelf DA Department of the Army DD250 Department of Defense Form 250 (Receiving Report) DD254 Department of Defense Contract Security Requirement List DFARS Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement DMDC Defense Manpower Data Center DOD Department of Defense FAR Federal Acquisition Regulation HIPAA Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 KO Contracting Officer OCI Organizational Conflict of Interest OCONUS Outside Continental United States (includes Alaska and Hawaii) ODC Other Direct Costs PIPO Phase In/Phase Out POC Point of Contact PRS Performance Requirements Summary PWS Performance Work Statement QA Quality Assurance QAP Quality Assurance Program QASP Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan QC Quality Control QCP Quality Control Program TE Technical Exhibit

PART 3

GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY, EQUIPMENT, AND SERVICES

3. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED ITEMS AND SERVICES:

3.1. Services: The Government will provide paper and / or digital, georeferenced map and GIS shapefile of treatment area. The Government, upon specific request from the contractor will mark the centerline of the treatment area with timber marking paint or flagging. The Government will provide access to the treatment area.

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

(This section is used to identify the materials and equipment that the contractor must provide. Examples provided below.)

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: The Contractor shall furnish all supplies, equipment, facilities and services required to perform work under this contract that are not listed under Part 3 of this PWS including but not limited to fuel, fluids, maintenance and repair items required to operate equipment required to conduct mastication within the identified treatment area.

4.4. Equipment: The contractor will provide a heavy duty forestry cutter with a cutting head that can be raised and lowered. The carrier must be greater than 90 horsepower and be of sufficiently low ground pressure as to minimize rutting, soil compaction or tree root damage.

PART 5

SPECIFIC TASKS

5. Specific Tasks:

5.1. Basic Services. The contractor shall provide forestry cutting services to mechanically thin forest vegetation on up to 475 acres. The treatment areas are naturally regenerated forest stands that are irregular in shape and generally contiguous. Within the identified treatment areas, forest stands will be thinned and remaining standing trees will be undamaged. All cut trees will be left in the treatment area. Thinning methods will vary and likely be a combination of cutting an access path or “row” every 50’ (50 feet) and then thinning the trees on each side to leave a basal area of approximately 70 sq. ft. per acre.

PART 6

APPLICABLE PUBLICATIONS

6. APPLICABLE PUBLICATIONS (CURRENT EDITIONS)

A Refuge Special Use Permit is required for access into the refuge after the contract is awarded. The Refuge will issue the permit which will include the following:

• A pre-entry conference between the Government Representative or designee and the successful bidder representative will be required before beginning operations to insure understanding of the permit conditions and thus avoid serious conflicts.

• The contractor must complete each individual area before moving to another area. Also, the contractor must work from one starting point in a contiguous fashion. Hopscotching, leap frogging or pin balling from one part of the treatment area to another will not be allowed.

• No damage should occur to residual trees remaining in the stands (>6” ground-line diameter)

• Except where specifically authorized by a Special Use permit, all regulations governing activities on D’Arbonne National Wildlife Refuge in general and specific public use regulations for D’Arbonne NWR (including littering, possession and use of firearms, and protection of wildlife) apply.

• All mechanical treatment will be within the boundaries specified (see attached map) and coordinated with the Government Representative or his designee.

• Vehicles and other equipment will be operated in a safe manner at all times. Both refuge personnel and the visiting public use the refuge roads. The speed limit on refuge roads is 25 miles per hour unless posted otherwise.

• Contractor and his employees shall not build fires on the refuge. The Contractor and his/her employees will be reasonably prudent in preventing and suppressing forest fires. Contractor shall be liable for all fire suppression cost resulting from his operations.

• Clean up of oil, hydraulic fluid and other contaminants as a result of the operation is the responsibility of the Contractor.

• The Project Leader and/or Contracting Officer Representative/Government Representative shall have authority to temporarily close down all or any part of the operation during a period of high fire danger, wet ground conditions, or for any other reason deemed necessary. The government may allow an extension of the contract term if it is determined that the contractor could not complete the contract within the normal contract period due to excessive inclement weather or government caused delays that exceed a total of 14 days.

• Failure of the Contractor to comply with any of these Special Conditions, with the State or Federal law, or special refuge regulations will be sufficient cause for refusal of future Special Use Permits being granted to the permitted party.

• All work must be coordinated with the Government Representative or designee.

• All refuge regulations are in effect unless otherwise designated in writing.

• No collection of plants, animals, rocks, or artifacts allowed.

• No alcohol is permitted on the refuge.

• Persons possessing, transporting, or carrying firearms on National Wildlife Refuges must comply with all provisions of state and local law. Persons may only use (discharge) firearms in accordance with refuge regulations (50 CFR 27.42 and specific refuge regulations in 50 CFR Part 32).

• Vehicle traffic is restricted to gravel roads designated as open except as marked on attached map of the project work area.

• Contractor is responsible for daily cleanup of work area.

• Application will not be permitted when the ground is wet and subject to rutting or severe soil compaction. The Contractor will be required to fill any ruts made as a result of their operation.

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 – Map: D’Arbonne 2024 Reforestatioin Thinning PWS

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)

Standard Performance Threshold (This is the maximum error rate. It could possibly be “Zero deviation from standard”)

Method of Surveillance

PRS # 1.

The contractor shall provide mechanical cutting of standing live trees(thinning) within identified treatment area on D’Arbonne National Wildlife Refuge.

The contractor provides competent thinning of entire treatment area on D’Arbonne NWR. Residual stand should have half of the original trees left standing(basal area around 70)

+/-10 sq ft of Basal Area Random plots will be measured to ensure compliance.

PRS # 2

The contractor shall thin stands with minimal damage to residual(leave) trees.

Trees with a stump diameter of >6” shall be left undamaged.

>1% of the remaining stand Visual inspection. Plot sampling to determine trees per acre residual.

PRS # 3

PRS # 4

Attachment 2-D’Arbonne Reforestation Thinning 2024