2. Appendix A Bovee Restoration IRSC.pdf

Bovee Restoration IRSC Nebraska National Forest

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APPENDIX A

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR SERVICE WORK ITEMS

SECTION I – DESCRIPTION OF WORK:

The objectives of this project are to salvage fire-killed timber, to reduce hazardous fuels in preparation for reforestation and/or active forest management activities, and to improve the aesthetics and recreational value of the area by accomplishing the following:

1. Clearcut fire-killed Ponderosa pine, Jack pine, and Eastern red cedar. Protect residual live trees as marked and leave 4 snags/acre.

2. Remove included sawtimber from the Contract Area. Prepare timber subject-to-agreement for removal, if removal is not agreed upon, by decking at landings.

3. Ensure slash remains within the units, spread on skid trails, lopped and scattered, masticated, and/or chipped to a depth of no more than 12”.

4. Maintain and/or repair roads and trails to meet current uses.

SECTION II – WORK ITEMS

Mandatory Item 1: Cut and Remove – Priority 1 Units

Units 2-5, 9, 10, 13, 14, 24, 25, 28 (512 Acres, 11,500 Tons)

1a. Cut, Skid and Deck: Cut, skid and deck, in separate decks; all sawtimber, non-sawtimber and biomass trees meeting utilization standards in and in accordance with requirements in Appendix B. The use of a self-propelled mechanical harvester for felling, limbing, bucking and prebunching; and full suspension log forwarding to agreed-upon landings is required. All slash shall remain in the woods and arranged according to Item 1c. Whole tree yarding shall not be used. Forwarders must follow reasonable speed limits and use low ground pressure tires. Skid trails shall not be more than 15 feet in width nor less than 50 feet apart. The skid routes that are to be used to transport material from the units to the landings, as well as the landing locations, will be as approved by the COR.

1b. Remove: Removal includes all material meeting minimum tree specifications for sawtimber in Appendix B.

Hauling is prohibited along NFSR 203 and NFSR 288.

1c. Slash Treatment: Slash generated from operations in Mandatory Item 1a shall be used to create slash mats arranged on all in-woods skid trails to reduce rutting and compaction, in accordance with Appendix B. Slash mats shall be a semi-continuous to continuous layer of slash, as approved by the COR, laid perpendicular to the direction of travel, with a depth of less than 12 inches and wide enough for the harvest equipment being used. All remaining slash shall be lopped and scattered to lay within 12 inches of the ground. Mastication and/or chipping may be used to meet slash height requirements only as necessary. A proposal may employ a combination of these and other methods. Any slash that is on an open road or trail caused by contractor operations that impedes travel, safety and creates the potential for damage to vehicles shall be removed each day to ensure access and protection of the road surface.

Mandatory Item 2: Road Maintenance

6.5 Miles

See Appendix C for Road Maintenance requirements.

Roads being used for forwarding material are subject to the same Road Maintenance Requirements as hauling.

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Optional Item 3: Cut and Remove – Priority 2 Units

Units 6, 11, 12, 15-23, 26, 27, 29, 30 (623 Acres, 7,600 Tons)

3a. Cut, Skid and Deck: Cut, skid and deck, in separate decks; all sawtimber, non-sawtimber and biomass trees meeting utilization standards in and in accordance with requirements in Appendix B. The use of a self-propelled mechanical harvester for felling, limbing, bucking and prebunching; and full suspension log forwarding to agreed-upon landings is required. All slash shall remain in the woods and arranged according to Item 3c. Whole tree yarding shall not be used. Forwarders must follow reasonable speed limits and use low ground pressure tires. Skid trails shall not be more than 15 feet in width nor less than 50 feet apart. The skid routes that are to be used to transport material from the units to the landings, as well as the landing locations, will be as approved by the COR.

3b. Remove: Removal includes all material meeting minimum tree specifications for sawtimber in Appendix B.

Hauling is prohibited along NFSR 203 and NFSR 288.

3c. Slash Treatment: Slash generated from operations in Mandatory Item 3a shall be used to create slash mats arranged on all in-woods skid trails to reduce rutting and compaction, in accordance with Appendix B. Slash mats shall be a semi-continuous to continuous layer of slash, as approved by the COR, laid perpendicular to the direction of travel, with a depth of less than 12 inches and wide enough for the harvest equipment being used. All remaining slash shall be lopped and scattered to lay within 12 inches of the ground. Mastication and/or chipping may be used to meet slash height requirements only as necessary. A proposal may employ a combination of these and other methods. Any slash that is on an open road or trail caused by contractor operations that impedes travel, safety and creates the potential for damage to vehicles shall be removed each day to ensure access and protection of the road surface.

Optional Item 4: Remove Timber Subject to Agreement

Units 2-6, 9-30 (10,900 Tons)

Consists of any non-sawtimber and biomass associated with Items 1 and 3 meeting minimum tree specifications for non-sawtimber and biomass in Appendix B.

SECTION III – CONTROL OF WORK

The Contractor agrees to conduct its operations under this contract and other related business activities in compliance with

Federal, State, and local statutes, standards, orders, permits and other regulations.

The Contractor shall meet all State and local environmental quality laws applicable to National Forest system lands.

Work may be done any time during the term of the contract, except under the following conditions:

(1) When conditions are such that operations shall be restricted or ceased due to increased fire risk.

(2) When seasonal operating restrictions for Northern Long-eared Bats are in effect, June 1st through July 31st.

Cutting and skidding is prohibited, but yarding from the unit to the landing and/or removal may occur. If a bat or bat roost is identified, work will be suspended in the immediate vicinity of the site until the Wildlife

Biologist can inspect the area.

(3) When snow depth creates a situation where requirements cannot be met and/or work cannot be inspected, as determined by the COR.

(4) During the fall rifle deer hunting season. The season encompasses the 2nd Saturday through the 3rd Sunday of

November. For 2023, this will be 12 November – 20 November.

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(5) The government may prioritize the order in which units are treated, as necessary.

(6) If any cultural or archeological sites other than survey monuments are discovered during operations of this contract, work will be suspended in the immediate vicinity of the site until a reconnaissance survey is completed by the Forest Archeologist. Areas excluded from treatment shall be deleted from the contract.

(7) Yarding/forwarding on road surfaces may be restricted during periods of heavy rain when the aggregate road surfaces are in danger of rutting.

SECTION IV – INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

For All Work Items:

At any point during the project, the Contractor and/or Project Manager may request (documented through email, text, or hand-written request) an in the field consultation with the Forest Service to inspect work progress, review contract specifications, or clarify issues. The Forest Service shall respond to Contractor’s request within 5 working days, excluding weekends and federal holidays.

GOVERNMENT QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN

Government Inspection Procedures - The COR, or a designated inspector (GTM), will make periodic inspections while work is in progress, usually daily at first, as needed to assure work is proceeding satisfactorily. The Contractor shall notify the COR when units are started, when problems are encountered and when contract work needs government oversight.

1. Each unit will be inspected as a separate unit. Unit will not be averaged with other units for acceptance or payment.

2. When units are completed and ready for government inspection, Contractor’s designated Project manager shall request unit inspection in writing, prior to moving out of the general area.

3. The COR, or designated inspector, will determine compliance with contract specifications through informal visual inspections. In the event visual inspection indicates work to be in non-compliance with specifications, prompt corrective action and/or rework shall be required.

Government Inspection Procedures – Formal (Plots)

1. In the event visual inspection indicates work and / or rework to be in non-compliance with contract specifications, a series of verification plots shall be installed by the Government to determine compliance with specifications and percent of satisfactory work for treatment of each unit not meeting specification as observed with visual inspection.

2. Government verification plots will consist of a series of fixed area plots and variable radius plots along transects to record whether density, basal area, best tree selection, and other requirements are being met and to what extent.

3. Plots and grid will be distributed so that a representative sample is obtained.

4. The COR or designated inspector will mark the center of each plot on the ground using flagging, stakes, or pin flags. Additional flagging will be hung near the plot center so that it may be seen from a distance. The inspector will include the plot number, their initials and date on the flagging.

5. Plots will be numbered to correlate with the inspection form and transects on a unit map.

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6. The minimum number of verification plots, per treatment unit, shall be as follows:

Unit Acreage Minimum No. of Plots

1 – 9 1 plot per 2 acres

10 – 29 10 plots

30 – 59 1 plot per 4 acres

60 – 99 20 plots

100 1 plot per 5 acres

7. Determination of acceptability of the work performed will be based on Government verification inspections and will be considered conclusive.

8. At each plot, the Government will examine the plot area and record findings on the items listed below:

a. Plot number

b. Number of trees to be left on plot.

c. Number of trees left on plot.

d. Number of satisfactory trees.

e. Number of deficient trees.

f. Number of excess trees.

- Stumps containing live limbs which are not in accordance with specifications herein will be counted as excess trees.

- Cut trees which are still attached at the stump will be counted as excess trees

- Trees meeting cut specifications will be counted as excess trees

- Trees in excess of trees to be left will be counted as excess

9. Work quality will be calculated on the form as follows:

No. Trees Deficient + No. Excess Trees

-------------------------------------------------- = % Unsatisfactory work

No. Trees to be left

100% – % Unsatisfactory work = % Work Quality

Unsatisfactory Cutting

1. If the work quality falls below 85 percent, the COR will immediately notify the Contractor, in writing, and order him to improve the quality of subsequent tree cutting. If the quality of subsequent tree cutting is not raised above the 85 percent minimum acceptable standard within 24 business hours after receipt of such written notice, the

Contractor’s right to proceed may be terminated and the contract considered in default.

2. When the work quality falls below 90 percent as a result of excess trees, the Government may elect to do one of the following:

(a) Order rework to be performed and withhold payment until excess trees are cut and the results of a post-rework

Government inspection show work quality to be at least 85 percent or more. No rework shall be performed unless ordered or authorized by the COR.

(b) Order that no rework be performed and payment will either be made at a reduced rate, or not at all, as determined from the Thinning Inspection Report.

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3. Repeated failure to produce work quality at or above the 85 percent minimum acceptable standard will be considered reason for contract termination and default action.

Reinspection Upon Contractor Request

1. If Government inspection results are unacceptable to the Contractor, a reinspection may be requested, in writing, within 5 business days after receipt of notice of said inspection results. The same inspection procedure will be used; however, the inspection pattern will be shifted so that new inspection plots will not overlap previously inspected plots.

2. If reinspection results – rounded up to the nearest whole percent – indicate a variance of more than 5 percent from the first inspection, the results of the second inspection will be used to calculate work quality and payment, and the Government will bear the cost of reinspection.

3. If reinspection results – rounded up to the nearest whole percent – are within 5 percent of the first inspection, plots from the initial inspection and the reinspection will be combined and used to calculate work quality and payment, and the Contractor shall bear the cost of reinspection.

Government Inspection Procedures – Items 1-4

Table 1 – Minimum Acceptable Quality Levels (AQL) of Work

ITEM DESCRIPTION SCHEDULE UNIT Min AQL

1a Cut, Skid and Deck – Priority 1 MANDATORY ACRE 100%

1b Remove – Priority 1 MANDATORY TON 100%

1c Slash Treatment – Priority 1 MANDATORY ACRE 90%

2 Road Maintenance MANDATORY MILE 100%

3a Cut, Skid and Deck – Priority 2 OPTIONAL ACRE 100%

3b Remove – Priority 2 OPTIONAL TON 100%

3c Slash Treatment – Priority 2 OPTIONAL ACRE 90%

Remove Timber Subject to Agreement-

Non-Sawtimber

OPTIONAL TON NA

SECTION V – PAYMENT METHODS

Method of Measurement for Acreages

Acreages were determined by using Global Positioning Systems (GPS). The acreage for each work item will be rounded to the nearest acre and is final unless:

a. The contract is modified or,

b. The Government makes a determination to remeasure or,

c. The Contractor exercises his/her option under the following Remeasurement provisions:

Remeasurement

1. The Contractor may request, in writing, remeasurement of any units under this contract if he/she feels that acreage stated on the project maps is incorrect. The remeasurement must be within the existing perimeter of the respective unit. No variance of the unit perimeters as laid out on the ground for this contract will be allowed.

All requests for remeasurement must be made prior to payment for each completed unit. Remeasurement will be performed by the Government.

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2. If remeasurement indicates that a variance of ten percent or less exists on units of 1 to 5 acres, five percent or less exists on units of more than five but less than 20 acres, or if three percent or less exists on units of 20 acres or larger, the Contractor shall pay for the actual costs of the remeasurement. Under this condition, payment will be made on the acreage stated on the project maps. If the remeasurement indicates the actual acreage varies by more than the above factors from that stated on the project maps, the payment will be made on the remeasured acreage and the Forest Service will pay for the cost of the remeasurement.

Acceptance and Payment

1. Percentages as calculated herein shall be rounded to the nearest whole percent.

2. No allowance for variation or portion of a variation will be added which will create a percentage greater than

100 percent.

Acceptance and Payment – Item 1 and 3 Cut and Remove

1. If informal visual inspection indicates acceptable work quality, the Contractor will be paid 100 percent of their bid rate.

2. In the event that formal inspections are used, the rate of payment to the Contractor will be calculated as follows:

(a) For work quality of 95 percent or higher, 5 percent (adjustment for statistical variation) will be added and the

Contractor will be paid 100 percent of their bid rate.

(b) For work quality from 85 to 94 percent, the 5 percent will be added to the work quality percent and the

Contractor will be paid the total multiplied by the bid rate.

(c) For work quality 84 percent and less, the 5 percent will not be added and there will be no payment made to the Contractor.

(d) If, after rework, the percentage of satisfactory work is between 85% and 94%, payment will be made by the actual percentage. If the percentage is less than 85%, the work is unacceptable, and no payment will be made.

Acceptance and Payment – Item 2 Road Maintenance

1. If informal visual inspection indicates acceptable work quality, the Contractor will be paid 100 percent of their bid rate.

2. Only one rework opportunity will be allowed for this item.

Acceptance and Payment – Item 4 TSA

1. Invoicing for payment to the contractor for removal of timber subject to agreement will be paid on the average load rate of 26.25 tons per load for all timber products. Returned scalers portion of load count tickets from final delivery point will be used to validate invoices for product removal.

2. Lost load receipts will not be counted as volume that may be invoiced for payment to the contractor unless another form of verifiable evidence of the haul can be shown, such as a completed weight receipt from the final delivery point that is identifiable to the lost load.

Acceptance and Payment

1. Percentages as calculated herein shall be rounded to the nearest whole percent.

2. No allowance for variation or portion of a variation will be added which will create a percentage greater than

100 percent.

3. Payment rate for work quality at or above 85% will be calculated as follows:

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% Work Quality + 5 % Statistical Variation (SV) = % Payment rate

4. Examples:

(a) 2 Trees Deficient + 4 Trees Excess 6

------------------------------------------- = --------- = 5.22% = 5% Unsatisfactory work

115 Trees to be left 115

100% – 5% = 95% Work Quality

95% + 5% (SV) = 95% 100% Payment rate

(b) 2 Trees Deficient + 9 Trees Excess 11

------------------------------------------- = --------- = 11.96% = 12% Unsatisfactory work

92 Trees to be left 92

100% – 12% = 88% Work Quality

88% + 5% (SV) = 88 93% Payment rate

2 Trees Deficient + 14 Trees Excess 16

-------------------------------------------- = --------- = 16.84% = 17% Unsatisfactory work

95 Trees to be left 95

100% – 17% = 83% Work Quality - - No payment made

* Stewardship Credits will be earned first, whenever practical. Forest Service Funds will be used if the availability of Stewardship Credits is exhausted or if appropriated dollars are obligated to a specific item.

SECTION VI – DEFINITIONS

ACCEPTABLE QUALITY LEVEL (AQL): Acceptance of work will be based on compliance with all specifications corresponding to the appropriate task(s); refer to the Performance Requirements Summary in Section

E.4 of the contract. A minimum AQL is required for all service work – hand or mechanical. The minimum AQL will receive a satisfactory performance rating.

BIOMASS TREES: Any conifer material 2 feet in height to 4.9 inches DBH.

BOLE SPACING: The horizontal distance in feet from the edge of one leave tree bole to another leave tree bole, measured from the outside bark of each tree.

CIRCULAR PLOT: A sample plot within a thinning unit that is used to determine the number of desirable trees and other contract specifications.

COARSE WOODY DEBRIS: Woody material left on the ground to meet wildlife habitat requirements.

CROWN RATIO: The ratio of live crown length (tip of leader to base of the crown) to total tree length/height.

CROWN SPACING: The horizontal distance in feet between the dripline of a live crown to another live crown.

CLEARCUT: A cutting prescription in which all trees within a boundary are designated to be cut.

CROWN RATIO: The ratio of live crown length (tip of leader to base of the crown) to total tree length/height.

CROWN SPACING: The horizontal distance in feet between the dripline of a live crown to another live crown.

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CUT TREES: Trees that do not possess the characteristics of desirable leave trees and are required to be cut. As described by the contract or otherwise marked to be cut.

CUTTING UNIT: See Treatment Unit definition

DAMAGED TREES: Trees damaged beyond recovery. A tree that is larger than 2 feet in height, and has the top knocked out, is leaning more than 10 degrees, has less than one half of its original limbs, or has approximately 50% of bark removed from the circumference of the bole.

DBH: Diameter at breast height, measured at a point of 4.5 feet above the ground level on the uphill side of the tree.

DECKING: Stockpiling of trees in a designated area.

DEAD/DYING TREES: Trees with the crown foliage changing from green to red, yellow, or needleless. Any tree that has pitch tubes indicating Mountain Pine Beetle infestation.

DESIGNATION BY SPECIES AND DIAMETER (DXSD): A cutting prescription in which species and diameter are used to determine which trees will be left and which will be cut.

DIB: Diameter inside bark.

HANG-UP TREE: Any cut tree suspended above ground level.

HEALTHY REGENERATION: Young, healthy, dwarf mistletoe free conifers, less than 4.9 inches in diameter, free of defect or characteristics listed in Section II, 2.2.2.

LEAVE TREE: Trees that possess desirable characteristics and that serve to create the basis for designated spacing requirements or are otherwise designated to be left.

NON-SAWTIMBER TREE: For all conifer species, minimum diameter of 5 inches DBH to minimum diameter by species identified in Appendix B, Division A.

OVERSTORY REMOVAL: A cutting prescription where all trees greater than a specified size are cut. Trees less than the specified size are protected.

PAYMENT UNIT: See Treatment Unit.

PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS SUMMARY (PRS): Identifies the key service outputs of the contract that will be evaluated by the Government to assure contract performance standards are met by the Contractor.

PILING: Material moved to an agreed upon location shall be piled for future treatment by Forest Service.

PROGRESSION OF WORK: Work conducted in a progressive, workmanlike and orderly manner by the

Contractor.

RESERVE CLUMPS: Groups of trees within a treatment area that are protected from cutting, may also include

Individual Reserve trees.

SAWTIMBER TREE: Included timber meeting sawlog size specifications as defined in Appendix B, Division A.2.

SLASH: Woody material existing or created that has accumulated on the forest floor. Woody material includes logs, pieces of logs, tops, and branches.

SNAG: See Wildlife Tree.

UNIT: See Treatment Unit.

TEMPORARY ROADS: Non-permanent roads that are constructed by Contractor for the purpose of treatment unit access.

TREATMENT UNIT: An individual area on the ground in which activities will be performed and which may appear as a separate pay item in the Schedule of Items.

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UNSATISFACTORY WORK: If work quality falls below the AQL, the COR will issue a work order or notice of noncompliance to the Contractor in writing. Untreated or unsatisfactory treated areas shall be reworked to obtain satisfactory work quality.

WHOLE TREE YARDING: Whole tree logging includes cutting tree and removing the entire tree, including tops and branches, to the landing.

WILDLIFE TREE: Standing tree marked to be reserved as a wildlife tree. Used by birds and small mammals for shelter, nesting, perching, etc.