Attachment_1-_2024_Bayhorse_Fuel_Break_PWS-A05.pdf

IDAHO FALLS DISTRICT BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT

CHALLIS FIELD OFFICE

PERFORMANCE

WORKSTATEMENT

BAYHORSE FUEL BREAK

1. Introduction: The Challis Field Office of the Idaho Falls District, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is acquiring fuels management services to treat vegetation to reduce the risk of wildland fires while improving forest health.

2. Background: The Bayhorse Fuel Break project area consists of dense Douglas-fir forest with intermixed aspen stands. The main goals of the Bayhorse Fuel Break project are to reduce the risk of severe wildfire and to create a defensible space adjacent to the Bayhorse Townsite. The methods that will be used to reduce wildfire risk and create a defensible space include lopping and scattering, lopping and piling, pile burning, jackpot burning, and timber harvesting. A treatment was conducted on 51 acres of the adjacent forestland in 2023.

3. Purpose: The purpose of the Bayhorse Fuel Break project is to reduce fuel loadings and wildfire risk, as well as creating a defensible space. The Contractor shall furnish all tools, labor, supervision, equipment, materials, supplies, transportation, training, and incidentals necessary to accomplish the removal of trees and treatment of slash in accordance with the specifications provided. This contract is for the purpose of improving forest health and creating a fuel break to reduce the risk from severe wildfire.

4. Location of Project Area: The Bayhorse Fuel Break project is located in T 12N, R 18E sections 02 and 11.

5. Project Boundary Marking: The location and access to the areas are shown on the project location maps. The project areas shall be identifiable by flagging. The type and color of flagging will be identified prior to starting implementation. Project areas may also be marked by changes in vegetation, roads, topographic changes, or streams. If these types of project area boundaries are used, the contractor will be notified.

6. Access: Legal public access to the project area will be identified on a map prior to the contractor starting implementation. Seasonal road closures may exist (contractor will be notified of closures upon award). The contractor shall assume responsibility for any additional access if desired. If roads or any type of access become subject to damage, because of adverse weather conditions or other natural and/or political reasons, the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) will relay information to the contractor, and a Stop Work Order may be implemented by the Contracting Officer (CO) until other access can be decided.

7. Notification of Cessation or Restart of work: The contractor will notify the COR whenever they intend to cease operations for three or more days and will notify the COR before starting operations after a shutdown of three or more days.

8. Personnel Requirements: The crew is responsible for maintaining a safe working environment following OSHA standards. The contractor must attend the pre-work meeting and provide a written performance plan including crew size prior to starting work.

9. Crew Foreman: A crew foreman must be on-site directing work at all times. This person will also serve as an on the ground contact person for the COR and project inspector (PI).

Failure to maintain a crew foreman will result in suspension of work until a crew foreman is provided. A maximum of five (5) days will be allowed to produce a qualified foreman.

Failure to produce a qualified on the ground foreman within five days may result in the CO issuing a Suspend Work Order. The CO and COR must be informed of any changes in the Crew Foreman.

10. Detailed Unit Information: The Bayhorse Fuel Break project area consists of trees, mainly Douglas-fir but also some lodgepole pine, limber pine, and aspen trees. The total acreage for the project unit is approximately 70 acres. Because of the varying density of the vegetation, not all acres within the boundaries of the unit will require the same amount of labor to achieve the specifications outlined below. It shall be the responsibility of the Contractor (i.e., knowledge and experience of the crew leader) to determine the quantity of work needed to meet specification identified in this SOW. A road guard may be necessary to direct or delay traffic while working near the main Bayhorse road.

11. Work Camps: Camping on agency-administered lands will only be allowed in developed campgrounds and with the prior written authorization of the responsible land manager.

Should such a work camp be authorized, the Contractor shall maintain the camp in an orderly and sanitary manner. All fire regulations and permits shall be followed. All garbage and refuse shall be removed from the camp site by the Contractor and disposed of off-site before final payment is made.

Douglas-fir and Lodgepole Pine Cut and Pile Specifications for treatment of tree species to be cut:

A. All live and dead Douglas-fir and lodgepole pine trees less than or equal to 6 inches DBH shall be completely severed with the stump height not to exceed 4 inches. All stump cuts shall be flat.

B. All cut trees greater than 3 inches DBH shall be bucked and limbed.

C. No live limbs shall be left on the stumps of cut trees.

D. In areas where all trees have a DBH of 6 inches or less, trees shall be left following a spacing of approximately 15 feet by 15 feet. These areas shall be identified by the BLM prior to implementation. The selected leave trees should be the largest, healthiest, best formed and growing vigorously.

E. No mountain mahogany, aspen, or limber pine trees shall be cut.

F. All work shall be completed using hand tools, including chainsaws, hand saws, loppers, etc.

Specifications for piles:

A. Piles shall be constructed so they are tightly woven together, free of air pockets and dirt.

The piles shall consist of a mixture of small diameter and large diameter material (i.e., needles, stems, and boles).

B. All slash between 1 and 6 inches in diameter and greater than or equal to 3 feet in length shall be piled. Slash less than 1 inch or more than 6 inches in diameter and shorter than 3 feet in length shall be left on the ground. Slash on the ground shall not exceed 1 foot in depth. All slash shall be scattered away from existing roads and fences.

C. All piles shall be constructed by laying limbs, stems, boles, and other slash in the pile to make a triangular shape. Slash that causes large air spaces in piles shall be cut to eliminate the air spaces. Each pile shall include an area of small sized slash (small branches less than ¼ to ½ inch in diameter and/or small branches with needles attached) to provide “kindling” for ignition and to aid in combustion of larger slash. These smaller fuels shall be placed in the center of the pile.

D. Pile size shall be between 7 feet in diameter by 7 feet in height and 8 feet in diameter by 8 feet in height.

E. Piles shall not be closer than 10 feet to leave trees or 25 feet to a unit boundary, unless approved by the COR. Slash shall not be piled or placed on logs or stumps, in roadways or drainage ditches, or within channel bottoms or streams.

F. All piles shall be covered with material provided by the BLM.

Additional Information

1. Protection of Improvements: The COR may order a cessation of work if vehicles are operated on roads within the work area when ground or weather conditions cause or lead to loss of traction. Such conditions usually develop when frozen ground is thawing, when snow is melting, and during or immediately after rainstorms. Any soil and ground disturbance caused by equipment or vehicles during and after operations shall be rehabilitated by the contractor.

2. Work hours for this contract shall be limited to the time between one-half hours before sunrise to one-half hours after the sunset each day. No work shall be done on Saturdays, Sundays, or legal National Holidays unless authorized by the COR.

3. Salvage Rights: No salvage shall be allowed.

4. Weed Prevention: To prevent the spread of invasive weeds, all vehicles and equipment will be washed before being used on the project.

5. Fire Prevention:

Primarily for purposes of fire prevention and control, the Contractor shall comply with the following provisions:

A. The Contractor shall comply with all the applicable Idaho State Fire Prevention Laws, Rules, Regulations, and Standards.

B. Prior to starting operations during a closed fire season or periods of high fire danger, the Contractor shall prepare a fire prevention and fire control plan to the satisfaction of the COR.

C. Provide and maintain in good repair on the contract area the following equipment for use during a closed fire season or periods of high fire danger:

D. Firefighting tools shall be kept at vehicle staging areas or at such other place(s) as the COR shall designate whenever employees of the Contractor are working on the contract area. All firefighting tools shall be identified, organized, and easily accessible to all Contractor employees. The fire tools shall be in good condition, be tight on strong handles, and have sharp cutting edges. There shall be at least one (1) tool for each Contractor employee working on the contract area. Three-fourths (3/4) of all fire tools shall be shovels, hoes, or other scraping tools. The fire tools shall be used only for fighting fire.

i. A shovel in good condition with not less than a three (3) foot handle and a blade not less than seven and three-quarters (7 3/4) inches wide shall be within fifty (50) feet of any power saw when in operation.

ii. Two (2) back-pack pumps at each vehicle staging area to be kept full of water and in good operating condition.

iii. A serviceable chemical fire extinguisher of at least eight (8) ounces minimum capacity shall be carried during a closed fire season or period of high fire danger by each saw operator using a power saw on the contract area. Such fire extinguisher shall be filled and in operating condition and shall always be immediately available to the operator when the saw is being fueled or the motor of the saw is running. Any fueling of a power saw shall be done in an area which has first been cleared of all flammable material. Power saws shall be moved at least twenty (20) feet from the place of fueling before the engine is started. A shovel shall be available with each gas can when refueling. Each power saw shall be equipped with an exhaust system and a spark arresting device.

E. The CO may require additional fire tools and fire equipment as the fire danger may warrant.

Inspection and Acceptance Section:

Inspection:

1. The Government COR and/or PI will make periodic inspections as a basis for acceptance and payment and recommendations for adjustment in work quality while work is in progress. The Contractor is encouraged to participate in inspections while they are being conducted.

2. As the basis for payment, inspections for compliance with specifications will be made for work units reported as completed by the contractor. All plots will be averaged together to determine payment.

3. A combination of Ocular or Physical Inspections will be made on a series of plots located at different intervals across the unit. A sufficient number of plots will be taken to obtain at least a one percent sample of the work unit.

4. The following information will be recorded for each plot inspected if more than 10 percent of the treated area has these items found in them. The treated areas will be a failing grade if:

a. Stumps taller than 4 inches are present

b. Stumps are not cut flat

c. Live limbs are left on the stump

d. Piles are not tightly woven together and do not meet the size requirements

e. Slash is not scattered to a depth of 12 inches or less

f. Trees that were not cut

Determination of Work Quality Percentage:

Work quality percentages are derived from data developed from inspection plots. The final work quality percentage times the bid price determines the payment. A work quality percentage of 90 percent or higher will result in full payment. If any of the reasons states above in the Inspection section are the primary reason for unsatisfactory work, the Contractor shall rework areas designated by the Government until satisfactory work quality is obtained.

Acceptance

1. Satisfactory Work Quality: A minimum work quality standard of 90 percent is required.

2. Unsatisfactory Work Quality: Based on inspection results, if the work quality percentage falls below 90 percent, the CO will immediately notify the Contractor in writing and instruct the Contractor to improve the quality of work. The contractor may ask for a meeting between themselves, the CO, the COR, and the PI to discuss a resolution. If the quality of work is not raised to an acceptable level within two consecutive workdays after the written notification or within the time decided at the meeting, the CO may issue a stop work order and/or Termination of Contract.

3. Final payment shall not be granted until the project is complete to the satisfactory quality standard.

Designation of Contracting Officer’s Representative: The CO shall designate the COR and PI responsible for administering the performance of work under this contract. In no event, however, will any understanding, agreement, modification, change order, or other matter deviating from the terms of this contract be effective or binding upon the Government unless formalized by proper contractual documentation executed by the CO prior to completion of the contract.

Interested parties should take reasonable steps to ascertain the nature and location of the contract area and the work to be completed, as well as the general and local site conditions which can affect the work and cost of performance. Failure to take the actions described in this paragraph will not relieve the Contractor from the responsibility of properly estimating the difficulty and cost to successfully perform the work, or from successful completion of the work without additional expense to the Government.

Prework Conference: Prior to the commencement of work, a pre-work conference will be arranged to discuss the contract terms and work performance requirements.

Government-Furnished Property The BLM will provide the following items to the Contractor:

• Geo-referenced PDF maps of the unit boundaries

• Flagged unit boundaries

• A BLM representative (COR and/or PI) will be available for technical guidance and when inspection is requested by the Contractor. Regular communications between the BLM representatives and the contractor will alleviate any problems or delays.

Period of Performance:

Estimated dates for this project are July 29th, 2024-September 29th, 2024.