B08_Solicitation_Attachment_1_-_SOW_Specs_PERI_WUI_Tree_Thinning.pdf

RFQ 140P6219Q0059 ATTACHMENT 1

Scope of Work and Specifications

Pea Ridge National Military Park WUI Project - Mechanized Tree Thinning

Arkansas National Parks Fire Management Group Garfield, Arkansas

A. SITE DESCRIPTION: The work to be performed under a resultant contract consists of the Contractor providing all labor, supervision, transportation, equipment, materials, tools, supplies, and incidentals to thin approximately 136 acres of forested areas, and removal of approximately 1,500 pieces of pre-cut lumber at Pea Ridge National Military Park, located in Garfield, Arkansas. All work required by the project documents to successfully and satisfactorily complete the work in its entirety will be performed by the Contractor, to include minor items/services that may not be specifically addressed in the project documents.

B. PROJECT AREAS

1. Total estimated acreage for tree thinning is approximately 136 acres, comprised of two

(2) prioritized areas. Both areas are made up of cedar and black locust thinning operations.

a. Tree Thinning - Thin approximately 136 acres of forested areas comprised of eastern red cedar and hardwoods in designated areas within the boundary of Pea Ridge National Military Park.

b. Areas involve the removal of cedar and black locust trees only. Work site locations will vary but will be marked and identified within the designated area.

These areas are prioritized and numbered on Attachment 2, Map 1, as Unit #1, approximately 126 acres; and Unit #2, approximately 10 acres. Unit #1 shall be completed in its entirety prior to Contractor beginning Unit #2.

c. The sites are generally flat to steeply sloping, and are made up of eastern hardwood forest and shrubs. Species composition is primarily oak, hickory, locust and cedar. Trees range in height from 5 to 60 feet. Trees are both scattered and also densely grouped throughout the units. Diameters average approximately 3-22 inches.

2. Removal of approximately 1,500 pre-cut eastern red cedar logs to an authorized off-site location. They are on average, approximately 10 feet long, and 10 inches dbh on the small end.

a. The logs are in three (3) piles along Ford Road; refer to Attachment 2, Map 2.

b. Since these piles are along Ford Road, removal of the logs can only occur when the road is dry. Prior to removal of logs, Contractor will verify with the Project Inspector that Ford Road is in a dry enough condition to move the logs.

C. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

1. It is anticipated that a contract will be awarded in the mid to late September 2019 time frame, with a contractor performance start date of not later than seven (7) calendar days after being issued a written Notice to Proceed by the Contracting Officer. The contract completion date will be not later than March 31, 2020.

2. The normal operational working hours for Park staff are Monday thru Friday, excluding federal holidays, from 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. central time. There is no weekend or federal holiday work contemplated to be performed by the Contractor. The Park reserves the right to deny any Contractor’s requests to work outside the normal operational working hours of Park Staff.

LEGAL FEDERAL HOLIDAYS Oct’ 2019 – Sep’ 2020 Columbus Day Second Monday in October Veteran’s Day 11 November Thanksgiving Day Fourth Thursday in November Christmas Day 25 December New Year’s Day 1 January Martin Luther King Day Third Monday in January President’s Day Third Monday in February Memorial Day Last Monday in May Independence Day 4 July (Observed on 3 July) Labor Day First Monday in September

3. In addition to weekends and the aforementioned federal holidays, Contractor shall not perform work at the contract site during the following periods due to shortage of Park personnel and/or occurrence of Park Special Events:

November 25, 2019 thru November 29, 2019 December 16th 2019 thru January 1, 2020

4. Contractor is expected to be on site each day for work performance except for conditions that would prohibit Contractor from safely proceeding with work, which include but are not limited to, inclement weather, ground conditions, fire, acts of God, and contractor’s requests. Such exceptions will require notification by the Contractor to the Park’s Project Inspector in advance, to the extent possible or practical. Other exceptions would also include those which would impede Park operations, Park special events, and prescribed burns. In those circumstances, the Contracting Officer or Project Inspector would provide Contractor with a minimum 72-hour notice. In an emergency situation of the Park, a 72-hour notice may not be provided, but as much notice as possible will be given to the Contractor.

5. Contractor must notify the Project Inspector each day when arriving and departing from the contract site. Such notification may be made by phone, text, personal contact, or other form of communication acceptable to the Project Inspector.

6. It is intended that the work by the Contractor is to be completed in the order of priority as stated in this work document and as on the Aerial Maps, with the exception of the conditions identified below. Should such conditions exist, the Contractor shall deviate from the numbered prioritization or temporarily suspend work, as deemed appropriate for the circumstance and as instructed and/or authorized by the Contracting Officer or Project Inspector.

a. When adverse weather and/or ground conditions in the particular area are as such that would cause work delay, result in harm or damage to the Park's valuable resources (such as but not limited to soil, tree, roads or other damage to Park assets from Contractor’s equipment/actions), or jeopardize the safety and well-being of Contractor’s and Park’s personnel and properties.

b. When conditions exist which place the Park in extreme fire danger as determined by the Park’s Biologist Nolan Moore or other competent NPS source, when a controlled burn has been prescribed, or a determination is made by the Contracting Officer that continuation of Contractor’s operations creates an unacceptable risk of wildfire ignition.

c. When Park events exist which would distract from the event or place the safety and well-being of properties and persons in jeopardy.

7. No Government equipment will be made available for the Contractor’s use in the performance of this contract. Should a portable sanitation facility be needed, it shall be the Contractor’s responsibility; however, its placement must be approved by appropriate Park personnel.

8. No activities outside the work zone are permitted.

9. At no time will any artifacts or any other material not specifically identified in the contract, be removed from the Park.

10. All cultural landscape features including fences and cannon tubes or carriages shall not be damaged during any work performed. If damage occurs, it is the responsibility of the Contractor to repair or replace at the discretion and at the direction of the Contracting Officer.

11. Contractor’s work shall not impede or limit visitors, park employees, and/or traffic in the Park or on state or county roads or highways.

12. Contractor is responsible for clearly marking work areas for safety purposes as it relates to and/or affects visitors, by-standers, passerby vehicles, etc…. Contractor is responsible for implementing and providing crowd control measures such as barriers, cones, crowd control tape, signs, flag persons, or other means deemed appropriate by the Project Inspector for the work being performed in the particular area.

13. Contractor is responsible for conducting work in a safe manner for his/herself, as well as for any other person that may enter the area by any method. The Contractor shall have a written safety and communications plan in place for the type of work, conditions, and hazards expected to be encountered in the performance of this contract. A copy of the Contractor’s Safety Plan and Communications Plan shall be submitted and accepted by the Contracting Officer prior to start of work under this contract.

14. The Contractor is to anticipate that the designated Park Project Inspector(s) will inspect work daily and will be available to answer any questions.

15. Throughout the duration of the contract, the Contractor shall make him/herself available for progress meetings with the Contracting Officer and the Park. These progress meetings may be conducted at the contract site, the Park offices, or telephonically.

16. The Contractor shall be fully responsible for contract compliance in an acceptable and timely manner via use of sound quality control, monitoring and management.

D. ALLOWABLE EQUIPMENT

1. No motor vehicle access is allowed in the forested areas. Parking of Contractor’s motor vehicles to/at the contract site will be at locations as designated by the Park.

2. Hand felling with chainsaws or similar equipment will be needed. Use of chainsaws in all areas can be expected with heavier use in some areas than others.

3. Dependent upon terrain and ground moisture content, any low impact rubber tracked skid steer, or similar type of equipment, can be utilized as long as it exerts no more than 11 lbs. per square inch on the ground and has no more impact at the worksite(s), or during ingress or egress than a T300 rubber tracked skid steer loader with a tree cutting/mulching attachment, such as a forester blade. An absence of this type or similar equipment will require the work be restricted to chainsaws or other hand tools.

4. Ground disturbances shall be kept to a minimum. Ground disturbance deeper than 3 inches anywhere on the Park is not acceptable. Contractor shall be responsible for rehabilitation to National Park Service standards if this occurs.

If ground disturbance occurs, work shall be immediately stopped and appropriate NPS personnel shall be notified to assess the area.

5. Tractors with chippers will only be allowed in designated areas.

6. The use of bulldozers or similar types of equipment is not allowed.

7. Only that type of heavy equipment which has been authorized by the Park for the

Contractor’s use may be utilized.

8. When requested by the Contracting Officer, the Contractor shall provide copies of the maintenance and repair records of that equipment which the Contractor is employing at the contract site and/or requesting to be used at the contract site.

9. Pea Ridge National Military Park reserves the right to suspend Contractor’s use of any equipment or tools, at no cost to the Government, which appear to be causing damage to, or having a negative impact on the Park’s resource or surrounding areas, regardless of its previous approval by the Park to be used in the performance of the contract.

E. SECURITY OF EQUIPMENT

1. The Contractor may park/stage equipment only in designated areas.

2. The Contractor may leave the equipment in the designated areas; however, the

Contractor remains solely responsible for its security and safety, as well as safety to others. The Government shall not in any way be liable should it be lost, stolen, damaged, or cause harm to others.

F. SPECIFICATIONS – In addition to any and all requirements stated elsewhere within this

Scope of Work, the Contractor shall also comply with the following specifications:

1. Tree Thinning Operations – The Contractor shall thin (cut, remove and/or mulch) trees (eastern red cedar/Black Locust), as identified in the aforementioned Project Area section of this Scope of Work, as follows:

a. All cedar and black locust trees, regardless of size, unless identified otherwise.

b. Multi-stemmed trees.

c. Completely cut and sever from the base of the tree.

d. Maximum stump height is to be no more than 3.0 inches

e. Minimum stump height is to be no less than 1.0 inch above ground.

f. The removal of trees from park property will be allowed, depending upon location. The park management team will pre-determine those locations. Trees that aren’t removed shall be chipped. The depth of chipping/mulching shall be no greater than 4 inches. The construction of brush piles are NOT guaranteed but may be established on a case-by-case extremely limited basis and will only occur in approved areas designated by the Park. Consideration will only be given for the construction of brush piles if trees are too big to mulch safely. If brush piles are allowed, then they must be piled into tight, burnable piles. The piles should be no larger than 8 feet in diameter, and no taller than 6 feet. Piles are not to be placed near “leave / save” trees (any hardwood or species other than cedar/locust, unless marked) so that when burned, damage will not result to any adjacent standing live trees. It is not the responsibility of the Contractor to conduct burning operations. When possible, piles shall be placed on open or rocky areas or previous burn areas. Piles are to be placed in locations where they are not visible to the public.

g. After completion of a project area, Contractor is to pull mulch 4 feet away from around the base of all hardwood, saved, and understory trees, and 4 feet away from fences.

h. There may be trees in work area locations that may be identified for leave trees.

The Park will clearly mark those trees in those locations. Marked leave trees are to remain untouched and left in place by the Contractor. The Project Inspector retains the right throughout contract performance to mark additional leave trees or unmark previously marked leave trees.

i. Non-target trees of any species may be felled and then are to be mulched if they become entangled in cut cedar/locust trees, identified by the Park, or pose a threat to the Contractor. Diameter at breast height (DBH) must not exceed 12 inches.

j. If drainage areas are encountered in the performance of this contract, then the

Park’s Project Inspector will provide the contractor with buffer distances around them that are to be avoided by the Contractor regardless of whether or not trees are cedar/locust or fall within the specified ranges for fire line establishment.

Buffer distances will differ but no buffer distance shall exceed 10 feet from either side of the drainage.

k. Damage shall not occur on more than 3% of non-target trees by prioritized area.

l. Trees felled on the edge / perimeter of the project area must be relocated and mulched at a safe distance to eliminate the threat of thrown material.

m. If debris is authorized by the Contracting Officer to be removed from the worksite, impact to soil must be minimal, and disposal of debris is the responsibility of the Contractor.

2. Pre-Cut Logs Removal

a. Since these piles are along Ford Road, removal of the logs can only occur when the road is dry. Prior to removal of logs, Contractor will verify with the Project Inspector that Ford Road is in a dry enough condition to move the logs.

b. Unlike Unit #1 and Unit #2, there is no priority in which these logs need to be removed. They can be removed at anytime during operational hours when dry conditions exist.

c. Coordinate with the Project Inspector in advance when logs will be removed.

d. The type of vehicle used to remove the logs must first be approved by the Project

Inspector.

G. DEFECTS – Not precluding the specifications and requirements where otherwise stated in the contract and its attachments, the following defects, as applicable to the pertinent project areas, will NOT be acceptable or allowed by the Government:

1. NO hang-up trees.

2. NO live limbs on stumps.

3. NO partially-cut trees.

4. NO barber-chair trees with uncut bark and wood.

5. NO stumps greater than 3.0 inches in height or less than 1.0 inch in height.

6. NO missed cedar or black locust trees will be allowed.

7. NO single or double stemmed trees greater than 4 inches in diameter, 12 inches in diameter for cedar/locust, or no-cut trees damaged or cut.

8. NO slash is allowed to be left out on any trail or any road or private property.

9. NO ground disturbances greater than 3 inches in depth.

10. NO mulch in thicknesses of greater than 4 inches.

11. NO damage shall occur on more than 3% of non-target trees by prioritized area.

12. NO debris on roadways or trails from Contractor’s operations.

H. DELIVERABLES – The contract is to be completed in its entirety to the satisfaction of the Government no later than March 31st, 2020.

END OF STATEMENT OF WORK