Attachment_1_SOW_and_Drawings.pdf

Bureau of Land Management

Skull Valley

2024 Maintenance

Statement of Work

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

Purpose: The purpose of this order is to secure the services for mechanical maintenance

(mowing/grinding) of approximately 200 acres of chaparral communities within the Skull Valley unit near the communities of Skull Valley and Wilhiot, AZ (see attached map).

Vegetation: The primary plant community found within the Planning Area is Interior Chaparral. The vegetation is dominated by shrubs with small, thick, evergreen leaves and wide-spreading, deep root systems. Historic fire was an important component of the ecosystem (Pase and Brown 1982a). As such, the shrubs are well adapted to fire and reproduce readily from heat-scarified seed that is stored in soil for decades. Some species readily sprout from root crowns after fire. The dense compacted leafy growths of the shrubs are naturally flammable, which leads to a high fire hazard. The eastern portions of the planning area are dominated by bunch grass species, including sideoats grama, ring muhly, black grama, and squirreltail. Shrubs include snakeweed, apache plume, and barberry. The western and rolling hill portions of the planning area are dominated by Sonoran scrub oak and catclaw mimosa. Shrub cover in the western portion of the planning area is nearly contiguous in many of the upland areas, particularly along north and western facing slopes. Other shrubs include desert ceanothus, snakeweed, and fairyduster.

Location: Work under contract is in Yavapai County, State of Arizona, as shown on location map.

Project is located east and southeast of Skull Valley, northeast of Kirkland, Arizona, and northwest of

Wilhoit, Arizona.

Access to the Work:

Project site is accessible in dry conditions with two-wheel drive, high clearance vehicle. In wet conditions four-wheel drive high clearance vehicle may be needed.

Site Tour: Prospective contractors are encouraged to conduct a site tour prior to submitting a bid.

SPECIFIC WORK REQUIREMENTS

Description of Work: The work shall be the mechanical (mowing or masticating) of approximately 200 acres on rolling terrain. Contractor will furnish a minimum of one tracked masticator with a boom arm to complete the work.

Specifics area as follows:

• The BLM will mark the treatment area boundary with Georeferenced PDF maps and or high visibility ribbon-flagging as needed.

• The BLM will flag areas within the treatment boundary where mechanized equipment is not allowed with pink and blue-ribbon flagging. The contractor will not treat or enter these areas;

• No treatment will occur outside the marked treatment area;

• Down dead material will be left untreated;

• Masticated brush and trees will not have stumps left exceeding six inches (6”) above the ground;

• Tracked equipment with a boom arm is preferred but wheeled equipment is acceptable;

• The contractor will provide temporary signs along the roads immediately adjacent to the project that notify drivers that equipment is working in the area (see enclosed map);

• The contractor will be responsible for all maintenance and repairs to equipment. If welding is required in the field the contractor will notify project inspector prior to making the repair.

• The BLM may temporarily suspend work during periods of high fire danger;

• The BLM may temporarily suspend work to mitigate concerns in regard to migratory birds;

• The BLM may temporarily suspend work to mitigate concerns in regard to weather;

• The BLM may temporarily suspend work to mitigate concerns in regard to safety;

Surface Conditions: Tractors shall not be operated when soil becomes wet and the tractor causes a three inch or greater rut. If such conditions are encountered, the Contractor shall stop work and notify the

Contracting Officer or Contracting Officers Representative.

Terrain:

Slope: The project area generally consists of gentle slopes not greater than 30% in most areas.

Areas where terrain is too steep or inaccessible to equipment can be excluded. Contractor will notify project inspector of the excluded area.

Rock: Rock is present in some areas.

Access to Work Site: Public or private access roads damaged by the contractor shall be restored, at the contractors’ expense, to the same condition they were in at the commencement of work.

Project Layout: The Government will flag or otherwise define areas to be treated by this Contract, as identified above. The Contractor is required to protect all section corners, benchmarks, and other markers and stakes. In case of destruction or removal by the contractor, they will be replaced by the

Government and actual cost for replacement will be deducted from payment due the Contractor. The

Contractor shall also avoid areas flagged in pink and blue-ribbon flagging by the Government to preserve historical, archaeological, paleontological, wilderness, or other resources.

Cultural Considerations: Because cultural resources may be present in the area, project activities and any other action which causes disturbance of the earth’s surface shall be limited to those areas approved by the BLM. Deviations from routes flagged or shown on the drawings are not allowable without prior written approval of the Contracting Officer. The Contractor shall insure that he/she, employees, or representatives do not collect or disturb historic or prehistoric artifacts in accordance with the

Archaeological Resources Protection Act (43 CFR 7). Should the condition of the cultural resources in the area be altered during construction due to unauthorized activity by the Contractor or his employees, the Contractor shall be responsible for all costs of mitigating the cultural resources involved. If deterioration of the archeological sites is found to be occurring during the construction phase, work on the project shall be terminated until a data recovery plan is prepared and completed in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act (36 CFR 800). The Contractor shall immediately bring to the attention of the Contracting Officer any and all cultural resources including, but not limited to, historic and prehistoric sites or artifacts, buried artifacts, and buried features such as fire pits, burials, and house floors discovered as a result of drilling operations. The Contractor shall immediately suspend all activities in the immediate vicinity that might harm the object(s), notify the Contracting Officer, and shall leave such discoveries intact until instructed to proceed by the Contracting Officer.

Work Camps: The location of any work camps established by the contractor must be approved in advance by the Contracting Officer Reprehensive. Contractor shall maintain the camp in a sanitary, orderly manner, and upon vacating the camp, remove refuse and any other signs of occupancy. In the equipment maintenance area, special precaution shall be taken to contain spilled fuel, lubricants, and wash water.

Work Hours: Operations shall be permitted only during daylight hours unless additional working hours are authorized by the Contracting Officer.

CONTRACTOR PROVIDED EQUIPMENT

General: Contractor shall furnish at the worksite all equipment, labor, supplies, and materials required to complete the work within the specified performance time. The Contractor shall service and maintain such equipment as necessary to maintain satisfactory progress on the work.

Tractor: Rollover protection structures are required on equipment regardless of age, as defined in

CFR1920-1000-1002. Operators skilled in the operation of the furnished tractors shall also be supplied by the Contractor. Tractors shall be furnished and maintained in good mechanical conditions throughout the term of the contract. The Contractor shall furnish all required fuel, oil, and lubricants for operation of the tractors and the Government-Furnished equipment.

Motor Vehicles: The Contractor shall finish motor vehicles for hauling equipment and personnel to the worksite. The Contractor shall not load or unload equipment on public highways unless authorized by the Contracting Officer.

Fire Prevention/Suppression: Contractor Shall:

Ensure all equipment diesel and/or gas engines are equipped with an approved spark arrester. Spark arresters shall meet the requirements of the U.S. Forest Service Spark Arrester Guide, dated May 1985.

Have at minimum of one 10-pound ABC fire extinguisher and one shovel for each tractor. Shovel and fire extinguisher be accessible to operator.

Provide and staff fire suppression equipment at minimum in the form of a fire extinguisher or bladder bags, and shovels. It is preferred that a minimum of 50 gallons of water is kept on site.

Contractor will suspend daily work one hour before leaving project site for fire watch.

Government furnished Property and Service: The BLM will:

• Supply maps (electronic GPS refrenced or paper) depicting project area.

• The Government will flag or otherwise define areas to be treated by this Contract. The

Contractor is required to protect all section corners, benchmarks, and other markers and stakes.

In case of destruction or removal by the contractor, they will be replaced by the Government and actual cost for replacement will be deducted from payment due the Contractor. The Contractor shall also avoid areas flagged in pink and blue-ribbon flagging by the Government to preserve historical, archaeological, paleontological, wilderness, or other resources.

SEQUENCING AND SCHEDULING:

Work Schedule: The schedule shall be submitted at the pre-work conference. When requested, the

Contractor shall submit an updated schedule within three (3) calendar days.

Performance Period: Work must start on or before September 1, 2024 and complete work by March

29, 2025.

Pre-work Conference: A pre-work conference will be held prior to the start of work. The Contractor will be notified in advance of meeting time, date and place. The purpose will be to review required work, project drawings and specifications, construction schedules, payroll and payments, and administrative provisions of the contract.

The Contractor, subcontractors and the persons responsible for coordination of the work shall be present at the meeting.

The Contractor shall be prepared to summarize and explain procedures planned for the project.

Final Inspection: The meeting shall be held at the project site, or as determined by the Contracting

Officer. The Contractor shall require his or her superintendent (if designated) to be present during the inspections. The Contractor shall correct any deficiencies noted and the project will be re-inspected by the Contracting Officer.

The Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer, in writing, at least three (3) working days before the completion date so the Government can schedule a final inspection.

MOBILIZATION, MEASUREMENTS AND PAYMENTS

Mobilization: Includes all preparatory work and operations, including those necessary to the movement of personnel, equipment, supplies and incidentals to the project site; and for other work and operations which must be performed, or cost incurred prior to beginning work on the various items on the project site. All costs associated with mobilization will be incorporated into the cost per acre to be mowed.

Measurement and Payment: Measurement for payment for mastication will be the number of acres satisfactorily completed in accordance with these specifications. Measurements will be made from GPS

Survey. Payment will be made at the unit price per acre specified in the Bid Schedule and shall include cost of all work described in these specifications. All measurements will be based on horizontal distances. Re-measurement of the acreage under this Contract will be made upon the written request of the Contractor. Request for re-measurement must be made in writing within 10 calendar days after mastication has been completed. If re-measurement indicates a difference of not more than 5% from the original measurement, the Contractor shall pay the actual cost of the re-measurement. Payments will be based on the second measurement where the difference between measurements is more than 5%. Where the difference is less than 5% the results of the first measurement will be used.

mailto:srogersbailey@blm.gov mailto:dyounger@blm.gov rhenriques Cross-Out