J.08 Sample Task Order 2 - Revised.pdf

Sample Task Order Statement of Work for Riparian Habitat Restoration in Mesilla, NM

I. SUMMARY

This Statement of Work (SOW) proposes to implement two (2) river habitat restoration sites on a total of 34 acres located near Mesilla, in Doña Ana County, New Mexico in the Rio Grande Canalization Project.

II. SECTION I - BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The United States Section, International Boundary and Water Commission (USIBWC) constructed, operates, and maintains the Rio Grande Canalization Project (RGCP) to facilitate compliance with equitable allocation of water between the U.S. and Mexico under the U.S.-Mexico Convention of 1906 (Act of June 4, 1936, 49 Stat. 1463). The USIBWC is required to maintain acreage for the endangered southwestern willow flycatcher under the 2017 Biological Opinion issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under Endangered Species Act Section 7 consultation. This task order will implement two habitat restoration sites south of Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park, targeting the creation of dense riparian shrub habitat for the flycatcher and aquatic habitat backwater areas.

III. DESCRIPTION OF WORK / SPECIFICATIONS

Questions and clarifications regarding this statement of work shall be immediately directed through the Contracting Officer.

Task 1. Project Administration The Contractor shall:

1. Provide overall project management and work coordination. Duties include project tracking and schedule oversight. Maintain in close coordination with COR.

2. Submit a draft and final Restoration Plan.

3. Conduct regulatory consultation with USACE on behalf of USIBWC.

4. Abide by terms of USIBWC’s 2017 Biological Opinion and guidance documents such as 2009

Conceptual Restoration Plan

5. Coordinate with representatives from New Mexico State Parks and New Mexico Department of

Game and Fish for work within Mesilla Valley Bosque.

6. Coordinate with NMSHPO prior to work based on IBWC Programmatic Agreement (PA) for Cultural

Resources. This includes cultural surveys if required in PA.

7. Provide detailed monthly progress reports, which should include description of work performed, pending issues or concerns, work to be performed during the next two-month period, and corresponding detailed financial progress reports with the amount billed by task and percent task complete.

8. Provide documentation from 7 monitoring events, including reports, photos, and field sheets.

9. Submit interim report of restoration activities. Interim report can be combined with report for the last monitoring event of the first year’s monitoring. The report shall include, at a minimum:

a. Summary of work completed

b. Total trees and shrubs planted and acreage of saltcedar removed

c. Monitoring sheets and monitoring data

d. Maps of completed sites and planted areas

e. Before and after photographs

f. Recommendations for future work at these sites, including operations and maintenance requirements and a discussion of irrigation needs

10. Submit a Final report of restoration activities. The final report will incorporate the interim report and include all monitoring activities, provide a monitoring update, and have updated information based on the monitoring and any additional plantings. The previous reports, including the restoration plan, will be included as appendices. After USIBWC review and acceptance of the Final report, the Contractor will submit two (2) hardcopies, bound at a minimum with spiral.

11. Provide spatial data of restoration activities such as locations of tree planting areas and saltcedar removal areas. Delivered geospatial data shall be contained in an ESRI file geodatabase that is compatible with the ArcGIS version currently used by USIBWC, or some other mutually agreed upon format as described by task order. Delivered geospatial data must have complete metadata that meets or exceeds the minimum content required by either the Federal Geographic Data Committee's Content Standard for Digital Spatial Metadata (FGDC CDSGM) or the North American Profile of ISO 19115 2003 Standard or as specified in task order, and include detailed definitions of all layer attributes.

Task 2. Site Prep The Contractor shall perform the following to prepare each restoration site:

1. Restoration Plan. The Contractor shall prepare a plan for USIBWC approval of planned site preparation and restoration work. The Restoration Plan shall include information such as site project work plans, site specific restoration plans, re-vegetation plan, a monitoring plan, and maps such as anticipated planting areas. Sites are shown in Figure 1.

2. Post Restoration Signs. The Contractor shall post USIBWC restoration site signs at all threeboth sites. USIBWC will furnish the signs to the Contractor. Two kinds of signs will be posted: 2 steel posts at each site, and flexible delineator posts at approximately 200-400 feet apart. Signs will be posted on USIBWC property within restoration sites.

3. Remove Invasive Vegetation. The Contractor will remove invasive vegetation, particularly saltcedar, kochia, giant cane, exotic phragmites, and Russian olive, from bank and floodplain.

Control can be mechanical, chemical, or both, following guidelines in the USIBWC River Management Plan (RMP) for the Canalization Project (https://www.ibwc.gov/Files/USIBWC_RGCP_River_Management_Plan_FINAL_December_8_20 16_reduced.pdf), particularly Section 2.4. The Contractor may choose the best method of saltcedar and other non-native vegetation removal so that it does not return. The Contractor should verify with USIBWC if their methods differ from the RMP.

Some invasive vegetation is mixed within native vegetation stands, and the Contractor should take care to minimize impacts to native vegetation.

4. Elimination of vegetation debris. The Contractor shall eliminate vegetation debris. Options include conducting prescribed burns, on-site mulching, or hauling away. The solicitation response must state what method will be used for management of vegetation. The Contractor may present additional alternatives to be approved by USIBWC.

A. Prescribed burns of debris piles. The Contractor shall pile saltcedar and nonnative vegetation biomass with an excavator, and the debris piles should remain in place with sufficient time to allow for a reduction in fuel moisture. The Contractor shall mobilize resources to implement burning under prescription. The Contractor shall conduct regulatory compliance for any necessary burn plans and burning regulation compliance with Doña Ana and appropriate regulatory entities and prepare all plans and regulatory compliance documentation. The Contractor shall submit any burn plan to USIBWC for approval. Prescribed burns must follow National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) requirements for federal burns.

B. On-site Mulching. The Contractor shall determine the location and size of mastication or mulching material on-site. Mulch should not be excessive to impede growth of native grasses and other native vegetation. The contractor shall determine the location for placement of mulched material. On-site mulch may be placed over compacted roads within the restoration site, but not on the levee toe road.

C. Hauling away. The Contractor shall dispose of organic debris off-site according to local, state, and federal regulations.

5. Excavate Backwater Areas. The Contractor will excavate a backwater area at each arroyo within Site A and Site B. The Contractor will assume the lead for obtaining USACE concurrence for excavation work at the arroyos. The Contractor shall dispose of excavated sediment, to be determined by the Contractor in coordination with USIBWC. Spoil material must be hauled away to an upland area or landfill.

6. Environmental and Other Considerations:

A. All vegetation and sediment excavation work should be conducted prior to the beginning of the bird nesting season (March 1 to August 31). Contractor shall be responsible for complying with the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and avoiding impacts to nests and nesting birds for excavation activities and ground disturbing activities occurring from March 1 to August 31. In addition, USIBWC has identified special requirements for work during the flycatcher and cuckoo breeding seasons (mid-May to mid-August); work during this time frame should be limited and coordinated with USIBWC.

B. The Contractor shall have erosion protection measures in place for any ground-disturbing activity along the bank. Bank work should only be conducted during the non-irrigation season (typically October to March). The Contractor shall include erosion protection measures in the restoration plan.

C. USIBWC must approve of the sediment placement locations and may require consultation with the appropriate State Historic Preservation Officer. Early planning is essential for sediment placement locations.

D. For purposes of this Sample Task Order SOW, the Contractor shall assume that USIBWC has the appropriate easement/right of entry to conduct work on the land in question.

Task 3 – Native Plantings For each restoration site, the Contractor will perform the following to plant native plants:

1. Plant native trees, shrubs, forbs, and grasses, as specified in Table 1.

2. All pole plantings should be done in the winter months from approximately February to the end of March. If poles are harvested, they should be harvested in the timeframe from December to January and soaked for at least two weeks. Shrub plantings may be done in the winter or in the wetter summer months. The Contractor shall specify in the restoration plan the anticipated planting timeframe for shrubs.

3. Pole plantings should be deep enough to reach groundwater during the non-irrigation season.

Groundwater levels are typically ranging between three to nine feet at all three sites; however, the Contractor should anticipate planting at depths of up to 10 feet deep. Plantings should be different ages and heights. Plantings should not be done in lined rows like a farm. Plantings may be done in patches.

4. Contractors are encouraged to apply various restoration techniques to increase the percent cover and structural variability of the plantings. Such techniques may include planting several poles per hole to increase survival rate and density, as well as lopping off the top of the poles at the ground level at random and scattered holes to promote leafout from the base. Contractors should consider planting at least one third of poles plants with more than one pole per hole. The poles listed in Table 3 do not account for any doubling of poles.

5. All planted longstem shrubs should be flagged.

6. Wetland forbs shall be planted in the excavated backwater area.

7. Grass seed should be native and should follow Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) guidelines for restoration grasses in southern New Mexico.

8. The Contractor shall complete planting field sheets from the USIBWC monitoring protocol.

9. The Contractor shall water the planted poles with water trucks or other appropriate method at least once in the first season after planting during the critical leafing out period but prior to irrigation releases, in order to promote root growth and plant vigor. Suggested timeframe is March 15 to April 15. At least five gallons of water should be used per tree (or planting hole).

10. Water the planted longstem shrubs at least twice between March 15 to July 15. At least two gallons of water should be used per shrub.

11. Contractor may consider additional waterings, swale plantings, or other restoration techniques to improve survival rates.

12. Replant in the following year if survival rates are below 85%. Replant quantities to meet 85% of original planting requirements in Table 1.

Table 1. Minimum Number of Plantings at each Site Site Site

Area Grass and Forb seeding (acres)

Coyote willow poles

Gooding willow poles

Cottonwood poles

Wetland Forbs

Longstem riparian shrubs

Desert Willow and/or Arizona

Ash Site A 15 5 3000 500 350 100 400 10 Site B 19 5 3,500 750 400 150 400 10 Total 10 7,500 1,250 750 250 800 20

Task 3 – Monitoring Regarding monitoring, for each restoration site, the Contractor shall:

1. Establish Photo Points at each site for the purpose of photo documentation. A minimum of three Photo Points on each site should be set, and coordinates should be provided to USIBWC.

2. Conduct one (1) pre-implementation monitoring assessment.

3. Conduct six (6) additional monitoring events during following 16 months after restoration work is completed. Monitoring schedule shall be coordinated with USIBWC. Suggested monitoring schedule is April, July, and October and February, April and June of the following year.

4. Use field forms from the USIBWC monitoring protocol. Monitoring shall include collecting groundwater levels from the existing USIBWC wells, recovery species (both flora and fauna) and their abundance, and survival rates of pole plantings. Multiple poles per augured hole count as one pole for the purpose of survival rate calculations. Monitoring event documentation (minimum field sheets and photos) shall be submitted the month following the monitoring event.

5. Coordinate monitoring site visits with the USIBWC technical representative.

6. Treat re-sprouts of saltcedar and other exotic vegetation growing during the monitoring period.

7. If mortality rates of planted shrubs and poles are more than 15%, the Contractor shall re-plant in the 2018 planting season, equivalent to at least 85% of the original required plantings.

IV. Performance Period

1. The period of performance for this project will be 400 700 calendar days from the Notice to Proceed (NTP).

2. The Contractor will provide a draft schedule which identifies the key milestones and project deliverables.

3. Any project or schedule delays or unforeseen issues will be addressed immediately by the Contractor.

V. Deliverables and Deliverable Schedule

Table 2 lists the deliverables and their due dates.

Table 2. Deliverables and Targeted Schedule Deliverable Due Date (in calendar days after NTP, or a calendar date) Progress reports Monthly Draft Restoration Plan 35 days Final Restoration Plan 50 days Pre-implementation Monitoring Completed before on-the-ground work Site Preparation Work (Vegetation removal, excavation work, etc)

Completed by February 15

Plantings February 1 to March 31 Watering of Poles March 15 to April 15 Two Waterings of Shrubs March 15 to July 15 Monthly Monitoring Reports, Photo Point photographs The 15th of the following month 6 Monitoring Events April, July, and October and February, April and June of the following yearvariable Interim monitoring report November 15 Treat resprouts Following October monitoring event Replants Completed by DecemberJanuary 30 of the following year Draft Final Restoration Report with Monitoring Update 370 daysJuly following year Final Restoration Report 400 daysAugust following year Final Spatial Data 400 700 days Administrative Record, as necessary 400 700 days

VI. Government Provided Information and Property

The Contractor shall furnish all labor, material, supplies, equipment, and personnel, unless otherwise noted. The USIBWC will retain ownership of all equipment purchased for and billed through this contract.

The USIBWC will provide the following property for use by the Contractor, which shall be returned at the end of the task order:

1. Key to access levee gates. The Contractor shall not make copies of the keys.

2. Accessories for post installation (steel post driver, delineator post driver, sign hardware and wrench)

The USIBWC will provide the following information to the Contractor after solicitation:

1. Spatial data (GIS shapefiles of habitat restoration sites, groundwater monitoring well data and locations, and LIDAR data)

Existing project documents are available at http://www.ibwc.gov/EMD/Project_Documentation.html.

VII. TASK ORDER LOGISTICS

Quality Assurance The Contractor performance and deliverables shall be subject to review by USIBWC technical staff and management to ensure adequacy, accuracy, and completeness. If project performance and deliverables do not meet the USIBWC acceptance criteria, the USIBWC reserves the right to issue corrective action to remedy the deficiencies. Corrective action may include withholding of payment and denial of schedule modifications until project deliverables are met. The USIBWC acceptance criteria may include: timeliness of scheduled deliverables; degree of technical accuracy & coverage of subject; compliance with legal requirements and industry standards; efficacy of design; legibility. In limited circumstances the USIBWC may request that advance copies of specific sections of the field reports or survey reports be provided for review prior to completion of the full deliverable. USIBWC may consult with stakeholders for input prior to acceptable of deliverables.

Changes

Changes to scope requirements shall be provided in writing to the CO for approval.

Government Point-of-Contact Information

Contracting Officer

Lanisa McCollum

USIBWC

4171 N. Mesa, Suite C-100 El Paso, Texas, 79902

Phone

(915) 832-4120

Lanisa.McCollum@ibwc.gov

COR

TBD

Phone

TBD

TBD

IV.D Data and Information Management http://www.ibwc.gov/EMD/Project_Documentation.html

All photos, data and information collected and developed under this contract including intellectual property shall become the sole property of the USIBWC.

Control of Study and Analysis Reports All studies or reports that are produced as a result of this Contract and individual Task Orders are property of the USIBWC and shall not be released outside the USIBWC until final approval or official review of the study is accomplished. Accordingly, the Contractor shall affix to the cover or inside cover of all interim, draft, and final reports the following disclaimer: "The views, opinions, and findings contained in this report are those of the author(s) and shall not be construed as an official USIBWC position, policy, or decision, unless designated by other documentation."

Distribution of studies or reports in any stage of development or completion to other than the addressee as identified in each individual Task Order shall not be made without the study/report sponsor’s approval. The Contractor shall submit any request for distribution other to the addressee as identified in each individual Task Order to the Contracting Officer.

Control of Information The Contractor shall not duplicate or distribute in any form or manner any material generated during the performance of this Contract and individual Task Order; no public release is authorized without the express written consent of the Contracting Officer.

Figure 1. Map of restoration sites.