A04_SOW_-_Updated_6_23_23_0001.pdf

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT:

FY23 Upper Slip Road Thinning Solicitation number: 140L3723Q0083

BLM, Wyoming, High Plains District, Buffalo Field Office

SECTION C: DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/STATEMENT OF WORK

C.1 SCOPE OF WORK

Period of Performance: July 15th, 2023 – December 31, 2023

This contract is for thinning, mechanical piling and decking, and mastication of mixed conifer for forest health and fuels reduction on approximately 80 acres.

These services are to be performed in Johnson County, Wyoming on portions of Township 45 North, Range 84 West, Sections 22 and 27. The approximated center of the treatment area is at: N 43° 50.871 x W 106° 56.511

Public access is available to all units and contractor must be aware of property lines to make sure crew footprint remains on public lands. This project is at 8000 feet elevation and can be impacted by significant snowpack and access from December to late May can be limited to tracked UTVs/ ATVs. BLM assumes no responsibility for trespass issues under this Statement of work.

A site visit has been scheduled for: June 22nd at 10:30am (Mountain time)

Participants are to meet on Slip road south of the project area. Directions from Kaycee, WY are to head West from town on HWY 191 for 14 miles where you turn left on Slip road. Travel 6.5 miles on slip road before you arrive at the project area on your right. Participants should arrive in a 4x4 pickup and expect graveled mountain roads with several switchbacks on the way to the project. Participants should expect to walk up to 2 miles to see all aspects of the project.

Potential bidders are to provide their own transportation at no cost to the Government. The Government assumes no liability on behalf of bidders attending the site visit. Bidders planning to attend the site visit tour shall contact Jordan Friedrich at (307) 285 - 8880 or via email at jfriedrich@blm.gov at least 48 hours before the scheduled site visit and advise him of the firms’ name and number of persons that will attend.

C.2 DEFINITIONS

C.2.1 General Definitions

ACCEPTABLE QUALITY LEVEL (AQL). Maximum deviation from the performance standard.

PERFORMANCE BASED ACQUISITION. A contracting method intended to ensure that required performance quality levels are achieved and that the Contractor’s total payment is related to the degree services meet contract performance standards.

PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS SUMMARY (PRS). An abridged version (summary) of the Performance Work Statement showing contract requirements, tasks/subtasks, standards, and acceptable quality levels. The PRS may also contain an abridged version of Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan showing the Government’s method of surveillance, incentives, and fee reductions for not meeting standards.

PERFORMANCE STANDARD. Standard of performance required by the Government.

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS). Specific requirements the Contractor must meet in performance of the contract. The PWS contains required services (tasks/critical subtasks), performance standards, acceptable quality levels, and incentives/disincentives.

QUALITY ASSURANCE. Actions taken by the Government to assure services meet contract requirements.

QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN (QASP) OR QUALITY ASSURANCE PLAN (QAP). A written document showing Government surveillance method and scheduling to be used to assess the Contractor’s performance against the performance standard.

QUALITY CONTROL. Those actions taken by a Contractor to control the performance of services to ensure services meet the requirements of the PWS.

C.2.2 Technical Definitions

Deck – logs neatly stacked in project area ready to be loaded for further transportation DBH – diameter of the tree at breast height, measured at a point 4 ½ feet above the ground from the uphill side of the tree.

C.3 GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY

None

C.4 CONTRACTOR FURNISHED ITEMS

The Contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, tools, materials, supervision, and other items and incidental services necessary.

Optimal Equipment (not required) Small feller buncher Skid steer with masticating head Skid steer with sheers Grapple skidder

Acceptable Equipment Hand falling with chainsaws Skid steer with skidding and piling capabilities Cable skidder

Unacceptable Equipment, not limited to Small garden or farm tractors

Equipment being used should be specified in a plan of operations attached with bid. This list is not all inclusive and is meant to be used as a guide for contractors bidding on the project.

C.4.1 Quality Control Plan

The Contractor shall establish and maintain a Quality Control Program to ensure the requirements of the contract are achieved. One copy of the Contractor’s Quality Control Plan shall be provided to the Contracting Officer prior to the start of contract work.

C.5 TASKS/CRITICAL SUBTASKS AND STANDARDS

C.5.1 Task 1: Cut/Pile/Deck 4” – 10” conifer trees

Inside Unit 1 – 47 acres, Thinning of conifer trees on 25 foot x 25 foot spacing

Standard/AQL:

1. Cut live and dead conifer trees with a DBH of 4” – 10” on a 25’ x 25’ spacing

2. Trees under 4” DBH and over 10” DBH will not be considered leave trees and will not be considered in the leave tree spacing.

3. When selecting leave trees, the healthiest and best formed trees shall be retained.

Characteristics for leave trees include the following:

a. No apparent damage to the main bole;

b. Main bole is straight and keeps a single stem throughout entire tree (no split tops)

c. Demonstrates good vigor and is disease/bug free; not chlorotic;

d. Has at least 40% crown ratio;

4. All Cut material 4 inches in diameter or smaller will be machine piled for future burning. referred to as slash piles.

a. Slash shall be piled to a minimum of 10 feet in height and as large as the site can accommodate.

b. Slash piles shall be tight and free of dirt and located as far as reasonable from leave trees.

c. Slash piles shall not block roads or 2 track trails.

d. Slash piles will be at least 10 feet away from decked material.

e. Contractor is allowed a maximum of 8 slash piles within Unit 1 and can clear cut an area

100 feet by 100 feet to accommodate this material. All other material must be piled in Unit 2.

5. Process and deck all material larger than 4” diameter

a. All limbs removed flush to the bole

b. Minimum 8 feet lengths down to a 4” diameter

c. Maximum length of 20 feet

d. Log Decks must be within the boundaries of the 5 deck locations (see maps) or otherwise approved by the COR

i. Contractor must provide adequate equipment to transport material up to 1300 feet to nearest deck location

ii. Equipment must be capable of skidding on up to 30% slopes in Unit 1

iii. Adequate equipment must be specified in plan of operations

e. Deck locations will be at least 10’ away from slash pile

6. Stumps shall be cut to a height of 4” or less on uphill side. With no live limbs attached.

7. The treatment unit will be marked with either flagging or tree marking paint. Additionally, a geo-referenced PDF map will also be provided. The contractor is responsible for using a mobile device with mapping software to follow treatment unit perimeters and maintain daily tracks showing work progress.

8. Work quality inspection will focus on quality of leave trees, proper 25’ spacing of leave trees, stumps with live branches, proper stump height of cut trees, slash piles being located as far from leave trees as possible and appropriate distance from log decks, and logs being processed to specifications given.

C.5.2 Task 2: Cut and pile conifer trees

Inside Unit 2 – 18 acres, Meadow Encroachment

Standard/AQL:

1. Cut all trees less than 12” DBH

2. All cut material 4“ in diameter or smaller will be piled for future burning. referred to as slash piles

a. Slash shall be piled to a minimum of 10 feet in height and as large as the site can accommodate.

b. Slash piles shall be tight and free of dirt and located as far as reasonable from leave trees.

c. Slash piles shall not block roads or 2 track trails.

d. Slash piles will be at least 10 feet away from decked material.

3. Process and deck all material larger than 4” diameter

a. All limbs removed flush to the bole

b. Minimum 8ft lengths down to a 4” diameter

c. Maximum length of 20 feet

d. Log Decks must be within the boundaries of the 4 deck locations (see maps) or otherwise approved by the COR

• Contractor must provide adequate equipment to transport material to nearest log deck, longest distance is approximately 1000 feet in Unit 2

• Adequate equipment must be specified in a plan of operations

e. Deck locations will be at least 10’ away from slash pile

4. Stumps shall be cut to a height of 4” or less on uphill side. With no live limbs attached.

5. The treatment unit will be marked with either flagging or tree marking paint. Additionally, a geo-referenced PDF map will also be provided. The contractor is responsible for using a mobile device with mapping software to follow treatment unit perimeters and maintain daily tracks showing work progress.

6. Work quality inspection will focus proper stump height of cut trees, slash piles being located as far from leave trees as possible and appropriate distance from log decks, and logs being processed to specifications given.

C.5.3 Task 3: Mechanical Mastication of conifer trees

Inside Unit 3 – 15 acres, Mechanical mastication of conifer trees 5” DBH and less

Standard/AQL:

1. Cut trees 5” DBH and smaller on a 25 feet by 25 feet spacing

2. Trees larger than 5” DBH will not be considered in the spacing

3. When selecting leave trees, the healthiest and best formed trees shall be retained.

Characteristics for leave trees include the following:

a. No apparent damage to the main bole;

b. Main bole is straight and keeps a single stem throughout entire tree (no split tops)

c. Demonstrates good vigor and is disease/bug free; not chlorotic;

d. Has at least 40% crown ratio;

4. Leave trees shall not be damaged or cut

5. Mechanically grind all slash and brush designated for cutting. No live limbs shall be left on the stump of any ground stem

6. Chip height must be a maximum of 4 inches and spread out evenly across the forest floor

C.6 SPECIFICATIONS, Timelines, and Constraints

1. Northern Goshawk activity and nests have been found North of Units 1 and 2. Contractor will avoid the northern portions of these units until August 15th.

a. Contractor must complete unit 3 first and then move into the southwest ends of units 1 and 2.

b. Dates are subject to change depending on activity of nests

2. Elk crucial winter range occurs in most of the project area. Activity from November 15 through

April 30 must be coordinated through the Contracting Officer Representative (COR). COR will coordinate with Wyoming Game and Fish to ensure work past November 15th is appropriate given winter range conditions.

3. A stock driveway bisects the project area. The primary seasons of use for the driveway are June 1-July 10 and September 1-October 15 each year. Treatments will be coordinated with the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) to avoid conflicts.

4. The Contracting Officer, by issuance of a suspend work order, may direct the Contractor to shut down any work that may be subject to damage due to weather conditions or fire danger. The Contractor shall be given a resume work order, which shall document the date the work suspension ends. An allowance has been included in the contract time for short-term environmental delays up to one day at a time. The count of contract time shall therefore continue during work interruptions of one day or less, but the count of contract time shall stop during work interruptions in excess of one day at a time. All periods of interruptions directed by the Government shall be documented. The Contractor shall not be entitled to additional monetary compensation for such suspensions regardless of duration.

5. ENDANGERED SPECIES - The Government may direct the Contractor to discontinue all operations in the event that listed or proposed threatened or endangered plants or animals protected under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, or Federal candidate (Category 1 and 2), sensitive or state listed species, identified under BLM

Manual 6840, are discovered to be present in or adjacent to the project area. Actions taken under this paragraph shall be subject to FAR 52.24214 Suspension of Work.

6. FIRE DANGER SEASON - the Contractor shall comply with all applicable state laws relating to fire prevention and with all special conditions of work as directed by the COR.

Fire prevention measures to be followed by the contractor:

a. Operate all internal and external combustion engines on federally managed lands per 36 CFR 261.52, which requires all such engines to be equipped with a qualified spark arrester that is maintained and not modified.

b. Carry shovels, water, and fire extinguishers that are rated at a minimum as ABC

- 10 pound on all equipment and vehicles.

c. Initiate fire suppression actions in the work area to prevent fire spread to or on federally administered lands.

d. Notify the appropriate dispatch center or 911 immediately of the location and status of any unplanned ignition.

e. Fire Watch

i. From June 1st to October 15th a one-hour fire watch is required to be on duty for 1 hour after the last shutdown of power-driven equipment for the day

ii. Fire watch must be physically capable and experienced in operating any firefighting tools, or equipment on-site and must be able to visually inspect area work was done during that day.

iii. Fire watch must be furnished with adequate transportation and communications to report a fire

7. Post signs on Slip Road when operations are impacting the road.

8. The Contractor shall pressure wash all equipment before arriving on BLM property under this contract. This wash shall remove all soil material that may contain weed seeds from the equipment. Contractor shall notify the COR three (3) days prior to inspection, which will then inspect said equipment prior to entering project area.

9. All wildlife trees, bearing trees, marked and/or boundary trees will be protected and left standing.