2025-2027_Pole_Inspection_&_Treatment_RFP-revised.pdf

This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Central Florida Electric Cooperative, Inc.

PO Box 9, Chiefland, FL 32644 11491 NW 50th Ave, Chiefland, FL 32626

ISSUED DATE: January 3, 2025

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

Central Florida Electric Cooperative, Inc. (CFEC) is seeking proposals from qualified contractors to provide Pole Inspection and Treatment Services for CFEC for 2025-2027. This document is a request for a proposal for the scope of work described below. This Request for Proposal (RFP) establishes minimum requirements a bidder must meet to be eligible for consideration as well as information to be included in the Contractor’s bid response.

TERRITORY DESCRIPTION

Central Florida Electric Cooperative, Inc., is an electric distribution Cooperative in north central Florida, serving 36,456 active services as of year-end, 2023. The Cooperative maintains 4,016 miles of overhead distribution line, 381 miles of underground distribution line, and 43 miles of transmission line in Alachua, Dixie, Gilchrist, and Levy Counties.

The Cooperative operates 16 distribution substations, purchasing power at 69 kV from Seminole Electric Cooperative, Inc., a statewide cooperative power supplier.

The Cooperative’s service territory, located in the “Big Bend” area of Florida, is flanked by the Gulf of Mexico on the west; Tri-County and Clay ECI’s to the north and northeast, respectively; and Sumter and Withlacoochee ECI’s to the south and southeast, respectively. The majority of the area is rural where small farms, multiple dairies, and timberlands are the predominant land usage. There are several small towns within the service area, along with some “pockets” of residential development. The service area is bisected by U.S. Highway 19 & 98, which runs from the northwest to the southeast, and by U.S. Highway 27A, which runs west to east.

BID SUBMISSION

All proposals should be submitted through the VendorLink portal where the opportunity was broadcast.

Proposals are due by 3:00 p.m. on February 3, 2025.

GENERAL QUESTIONS

CFEC will entertain questions for clarification until January 17, 2025, at 3:00 pm. All questions must be submitted in writing by email to cbeauchamp@cfec.com. No questions will be answered after that date.

mailto:cbeauchamp@cfec.com

MANDATORY SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

• Submittal of Proof of Insurance as required by the requirements below

• Submittal of Resume

• Completion of Unit Price Bid Sheets

• Submittal of 3 Letters of Reference

• Completion of Exhibit “B”

RFP TIMETABLE

The anticipated schedule for this RFP and contract approval is as follows:

Question Deadline January 17, 2025–3:00 p.m.

Proposal Due Date and Time February 3, 2025 – 3:00 p.m.

Proposal Evaluation Date February 18, 2025

Contract Award Date February 27, 2025

INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

Contractor shall, at its own cost and expense, procure and maintain in full force and effect during the term of this Agreement, policies of insurance, of the types and in the minimum amounts stated herein, with responsible insurance carriers duly qualified in those states (locations) where the Services are to be performed, covering the operations of Contractor, pursuant to this Agreement.

TYPES OF INSURANCE Required (X)

LIMITS OF LIABILITY

(Minimum Amounts)

Comprehensive or Commercial General Liability and Third-Party Property Damage

X $1,000,000 per occurrence, $3,000,000 aggregate

Excess Liability Insurance X $2,000,000 per occurrence, $2,000,000 aggregate Comprehensive or Business Automobile Liability; Personal Injury (including bodily injury) and Third-Party Property Damage

X $1,000,000 per occurrence, $3,000,000 aggregate

Workers' Compensation X Statutory limits Employer’s Liability X $500,000 per accident Professional Errors and Omissions Insurance N/A

CFEC shall be named as an additional insured in such policies which shall contain standard cross liability clauses. The contractor shall cause the liability it assumed under this Agreement to be specifically insured under the contractual liability section of the liability insurance policies. The liability policy shall be primary without the right of contribution from any insurance by CFEC. Such policies shall require that CFEC be given not less than thirty (30) days prior written notice of any cancellation thereof or material change therein.

CFEC shall have the right to request an adjustment of Limits of Liability for General Liability and Errors and Omissions Insurance as Contractor’s exposure to CFEC increases (i.e. if Contractor’s annual payment is expected to be $2,000,000 then $1,000,000 limits are no longer adequate). Such policies shall provide coverage for CFEC during the term of this Agreement and up to and until the expiration of any applicable statute of limitations applicable to the occurrences triggering any of the insurance, indemnification, subrogation, and defense clauses included in this Agreement.

Upon CFEC’s request, Contractor shall provide CFEC with certificates of insurance evidencing all of the above coverage, including all special requirements specifically noted above, and shall provide CFEC with certificates of insurance evidencing renewal or substitution of such insurance thirty (30) days prior to the effective date of such renewal or substitution.

CHANGES, INTERPRETATIONS, QUESTIONS

CFEC reserves the right to cancel a solicitation at any time prior to the execution of the resulting contract.

The decision to cancel a solicitation cannot be the basis for a protest.

CFEC reserves the right to request clarification of information submitted and to request additional information from any Respondent. Any such request should not be construed by a Respondent as an indication of the selection to provide proposed services.

Any proposal may be withdrawn until the date and time set above for the submission of the proposals. Any proposal not so withdrawn shall constitute an irrevocable offer, for a period of 90 days, to provide to CFEC the services set forth in this RFP, or until one or more of the proposals have been awarded.

Respondents shall not direct any queries or statements concerning their proposal to CFEC staff during the selection process, from the time of submission of a proposal until the execution of a contract. Any respondent who initiates any discussions with staff in any manner other than that described below is subject to disqualification from this procurement. No oral interpretation of this RFP shall be considered binding.

EVALUATION AND AWARD

CFEC will evaluate and rank the most advantageous proposals and make a selection for contract negotiation and award. The selected Respondent will be notified in writing with an intent to award letter. CFEC reserves its right to award the contract to someone other than the lowest-priced offeror.

Award criteria may include, but is not necessarily limited, to the Contractor’s background and experience in performing requested services, availability, and best financial value.

Each proposal will be evaluated individually and in the context of all other proposals. Proposals must be fully responsive to the requirements described in this RFP and to any subsequent requests for clarification or additional information made by CFEC through written addenda to this RFP. Proposals failing to comply with the submission requirements, or those unresponsive to any part of this RFP, may be disqualified. There is no obligation on the part of CFEC to award the proposal to the lowest-priced Respondent, and CFEC reserves the right to award the contract to the Respondent submitting the best overall responsive proposal which is most advantageous to and in the best interest of CFEC consistent with the evaluation criteria. CFEC shall be the sole judge of the proposals that are in the best interests.

SUCCESSFUL EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

Respondents shall provide a summary regarding their ability to deliver the requested services in a specific timeframe, including a proposed project timeline. Information regarding dedicated staff and the current workload should be provided. Resumes of key personnel should also be included. Resumes should not exceed two pages per person. Resumes should include a description of:

• Training, education, and degrees.

• Related experience and for whom.

• Professional certifications, licenses, and affiliations.

Respondents shall provide three letters of reference demonstrating their experience and/or skill with similar projects. Prior experience and skills with other rural electric cooperatives are desirable. Respondents are responsible for verifying correct phone numbers and contact information provided. Failure to provide accurate information may result in the reference not being obtained or considered.

OPTION FOR EXTENSION

CFEC may at its discretion, extend the contract term, by written notice to the contractor within ten (10) days of the contract expiration date, provided that CFEC gives the contractor a preliminary written notice of its intent to extend at least 60 days before the contract expires. The preliminary notice does not commit the contractor to an extension.

DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE

CFEC is a Drug-Free Workplace. CFEC also requires its Contractors to be drug-free and have their employees periodically drug tested by the Contractor.

SCOPE OF WORK

GENERAL

1.1 Scope

1.2 Qualifications and Training

1.3 Workmanship and Damages

1.4 Quality Control

1.5 Definitions for Inspection and Treatment

2.0 GENERAL PRECAUTIONS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR PRESERVATIVE

APPLICATIONS

2.1 General Restrictions and Requirements

2.2 Pesticide Licensing and Reporting Requirements

2.3 Spill Prevention

2.4 Proper Equipment

2.5 Pesticide Training

3.0 INSPECTION

3.1 Preparation

3.2 Above-Ground Inspection

3.3 Excavation

3.4 Sounding

3.5 Boring

3.6 Chipping

4.0 DETERMINING THE SERVICEABILITY DECAYED POLES

4.1 Serviceability

4.2 Determine Minimum Circumference

5.0 TREATMENT

5.1 General

5.2 External Ground Line Treatment

5.3 Internal Treatment

6.0 RESTORATION OF WORK SITE

6.1 Back-filling

6.2 Clean-up

7.0 POLE MARKING and RECORDING

7.1 Tagging

7.2 Data Collection

7.3 Pole Inspection Detail Reports

8.0 INVOICING

9.0 PENALTIES

1.0 GENERAL

1.1 Scope

This Scope of Work and its specifications are intended as a basis for the inspection and treatment of approximately 6,083 wood poles located in the service areas known as Neals Substation Service Areas, 7,891 wood poles located in the service areas known as Dempsey Substation Service Areas, 2,521 wood poles located in the service areas known as Town of Suwannee Substation Service Areas, 7,653 wood poles located in the service areas known as Cross City Substation Service Areas, 6,515 wood poles located in the service areas known as Newberry Substation Service Areas, 6,914 wood poles located in the service areas known as Trenton Substation Service Areas, System-wide Meter Audit of approximately 36,500 meters, and Outdoor Light Audit of approximately 6,500 lights.

CFEC currently utilizes Partner Software (“DI”) to map their facilities and to identify each CFEC pole with a Pole Number. All work shall be recorded in Partner Software’s Distribution Inspection form (see Appendix A1-9) or other Distribution Inspection platform CFEC decides to use. It is the Contractor’s responsibility to ensure the accuracy of the information used to populate Partner Software’s database.

The Contractor shall furnish all computer tablets or laptops required by their crews to accomplish this Scope of Work. All computer performance issues not related to Partner Software performance issues are the sole responsibility of the Contractor. Computer tablet or laptop minimum requirements and capacity are listed below:

Windows-based Minimum Hardware Specifications:

• Windows 10 (32 or 64 bit)

• RAM: 3+ GB

• CPU: Dual Core 1.5 GHz or Higher

• HDD: 20+ GB free drive space

• Ethernet or Wi-Fi network capability

• Bluetooth® if using Bluetooth GPS.

• Java Runtime Environment 1.8+ (32 or 64 bit)

• .NET Framework Platform 3.5+

Apple-based Minimum Hardware Specifications (iOS – Partner Next App.) for map viewing and inspection of new or existing poles in map:

• iOS version 12 or higher

• iPads: iPad Air or higher

• iPad Mini: 3rd Generation or higher

• iPhone: 6S or higher

• 3G/4G LTE or better Recommended for Field Communication and improved Location Services accuracy.

The computer tablets or laptops shall have a GPS module to allow GPS coordinates of each pole to be entered in DI’s database.

GPS Receivers (Modules):

• Bluetooth, USB or Serial GPS receivers which are capable of outputting NMEA® data, or;

• Bluetooth, USB or Serial Trimble® GPS devices which use the TSIP protocol.

The computer tablets or laptops will have DI’s program installed by CFEC.

DI will be utilized to show locations of line supported by poles which are the subjects for inspection and/or treatment.

This Scope of Work shall accomplish the following in the service area known as Neals, Dempsey, Town of Suwannee, Cross City, Newberry, Trenton substations:

• Above ground visual inspection, sounding, and tagging of all CFEC poles within the designated service areas.

• If the pole does not have the 6-digit Tag Number, and/or if the pole number in the field does not match the pole number in the map, the 6-digit Tag Number shall be accurately recorded on the Pole Number entry line in DI’s Inspection form and place a check-on Pole Map Correction (Appendix A-2). CFEC shall provide the tags and screws for attachment.

• Full or partial excavation of all CFEC poles within the designated service areas, except those with risers or other obstructions that prevent excavation of at least three-fourths the circumference of the pole or those poles exempted by 2.1 General Restrictions and Requirements.

• Full or partial External Ground Line treatment for all CFEC poles within the designated service areas found to be a candidate for external preservative treatment, including moisture barrier and livestock wrap where applicable. Poles which cannot be fully excavated due to risers or other obstructions shall be internally treated with solid melt fungicides. Avoid allowing treatment material on risers or cables. Poles exempted by 2.1 General Restrictions and Requirements shall not include ground-line treatment.

• Visual inspection of approximately 2,014 (Neals), 2,853 (Dempsey), 1,335 (Town of Suwannee), 2,080 (Cross City), 2,080 (Newberry), 2,652 (Trenton) consumer owned meter facilities within the designated service areas with the kilo-watt hour reading accurately recorded on the appropriate entry line in DI’s form (Appendix A-8).

• The Contractor shall take and record on the appropriate entry line in DI’s form (Appendix A-3) ohm reading of the resistance to ground at driven ground locations with a clamp-on tester such as a Fluke 1630 provided by the Contractor. Any reading of ‘0’ or ‘OL’ shall be recorded as a 999 to ensure that CFEC personnel is able to further investigate resistance to ground at such locations.

• Install or replace missing or damaged guy markers. Record replacement on the appropriate entry line in DI’s form (Appendix A-3).

• Add or reseat pole bond staples (6-inch spacing from ground line to maximum reach of treatment specialist). Record that staples were added on the appropriate entry line in DI’s form (Appendix A- 3).

All CFEC wood poles within the above designated service areas are to be visually inspected above the ground, sounded, tagged, and reported per 3.2 Above-Ground Inspection.

Unless exempted by 2.1 General Restrictions and Requirements and found to be candidate for ground line or internal treatment, Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA) poles with a Vintage Date of 1990 (for 2025), 1991 (for 2026), 1992 (for 2027) or older, shall be treated per 5.0 TREATMENT.

In addition, an exterior visual inspection of all consumer owned meter facilities and meter poles within the designated service areas is required. Obvious signs of deterioration, missing or broken hardware, infestation, cut or missing meter enclosure seal, poles out of plumb or other information pertaining to serviceability is to be reported on the appropriate entry line in DI’s form (Appendix A-8). These poles are not to be sounded, bored, or treated. Each meter seal shall be inspected by pulling down on the meter seal to check for cut seals. Cut or damaged meter seals are to be reported to the CFEC dispatchers immediately.

Priority Poles shall not be treated.

All poles exempted by 2.1 General Restrictions and Requirements shall be inspected above the ground, sounded, and tagged. If decay is evident, the CFEC representative shall be notified.

All other CFEC wood poles within the designated service areas are to be inspected both above and below the ground line area. Poles found suitable for ground line treatment, except poles exempted by 2.1 General Restrictions and Requirements, shall be treated per 5.0 TREATMENT.

Broken or missing ground wires will be noted on the appropriate entry line in DI’s form (Appendix A-3) and repaired by CFEC personnel. The Contractor will reseat loose staples and replace missing staples, where more than 50% of staples are missing, to secure the pole bond to the pole. Record that staples were added on the appropriate entry line in DI’s form (Appendix A-3)

Each guy owned by CFEC shall have a guy marker. Using CFEC’s materials, replace missing, cracked or broken guy markers within the designated service areas. Record replacement on the appropriate entry line in DI’s form (Appendix A-3).

1.2 Qualification and Training

Contractor Requirements

The Contractor shall furnish all supervision, labor, tools, equipment, transportation and material necessary for the inspection and treatment of CFEC’s poles and consumer owned meter facilities as identified.

CFEC safety rules will be provided to the Contractor prior to the commencement of work. These safety rules will apply to all Contractor activities in conduct of work under the awarded contract. The Contractor must have documented policies conforming to EPA, OSHA, and FDOT regulations. These policies must include Pesticide Training Manual and standards for safe storage of preservatives on vehicles and procedures for disposing of empty containers used for pole treatment and OSHA regulations involving personal protective equipment.

Personnel Qualifications

All pole inspection and treatment must be performed by professional in-service ground-line pole inspection and treatment specialists. The pole inspection and treatment specialist must be trained in the inspection and treatment of in-service wood poles and have a minimum of 6 months of experience. CFEC reserves the right to ask for evidence of previous experience and training in the form of letters of reference and test results. Personnel are subject to approval by CFEC before awarding the contract and at any time thereafter. Failure to maintain an adequately trained inspector will result in payment being withheld by CFEC in the area being inspected.

Supervision of pole inspection and treating shall be performed by a full-time foreperson with at least 2 years of field experience in in-service pole inspection and treatment. A foreperson must work onsite with the crew from the beginning of the awarded contract to completion.

Personnel not specifically qualified to inspect and treat in-service poles as outlined above shall not be transferred to work as pole inspectors from other contractual work.

At least one person per crew, whether supervisor or other personnel, shall have the appropriate pole-treatment license (see section 2.2).

1.3 Workmanship and Damages

All work shall be performed in a workman-like manner and shall be in accordance with the specifications herein and all applicable Federal, State and Local governmental regulations. The Contractor shall always exercise care to prevent injury to any persons and to prevent damage to any property during performance of the work.

CFEC considers work not in accordance with the specifications in this Scope of Work or work not in accordance with Federal, State and Local governmental regulations, or unskilled or careless work to be sufficient reason to order the Contractor to stop work. Work will not be allowed to resume until deficiencies are corrected to the satisfaction of CFEC. Further, CFEC reserves the right to require the Contractor to replace any worker before work can continue. If not satisfied, CFEC will consider this to be just cause for termination of the contract.

Any damages, real or personal, off the right-of-way arising directly from the performance of the work specified herein, or any damages on the right-of-way resulting from negligent operations, shall be settled promptly by the Contractor and to the satisfaction of CFEC.

1.4 Quality Control

A quality control inspection shall be performed by the Contractor for each time-period of not less than one week's work but not to exceed two weeks' previous work. The quality control will be conducted with the Contractor's supervisor and CFEC’s representative when available. The quality control inspection shall consist of the complete re-inspection of those poles selected by the Contractor to compare the results shown on the DI’s report query with those existing in the field. The re-inspection shall include, but not be limited to, the re-excavation and re-treatment and re-wrapping of those poles that were inspected below ground line. Contractor's cost of said re-treatments shall be borne by the Contractor. At least 3 poles will be selected for each quality control inspection; these will be selected at random by the Contractor.

Discrepancies in the quality control re-inspection shall be documented on the appropriate “Comment” line in the DI’s form (Appendix A-1).

In addition, a quality control inspection may be performed by a CFEC representative at any time for each time-period of no less than one week's work but not to exceed two weeks' previous work. Up to 3 poles may be selected for each quality control inspection; these poles will be selected at random by the CFEC representative. All quality control inspections shall be marked as “Quality Check Only” in the DI’s form (see Appendix A-1).

Discrepancies and Corrective Action

Any serious errors will be brought to the attention of the Contractor. Corrective action, satisfactory to CFEC, must be taken by the Contractor to remedy the situation before the next quality control check. Corrective action may include, but not be limited to re-working each pole back to the previous quality control checkpoint at no cost to CFEC.

1.5 Definitions for Inspection and Treatment

Pole inspection and treatment categories are defined as follows:

Reported Pole (Visual Inspection): A Reported Pole is a pole about which CFEC desires information.

All CFEC poles within the designated service areas shall be visually inspected above the ground, sounded, tagged and reported on the appropriate line in the DI’s form (Appendix A1-9). The following information shall be required:

• The report shall include the pole Tag Number, age of preservative application, and pole class and height. Brands on some poles may not be legible, but their identity may be estimated from other poles in line.

• Severe tree and vegetation conditions such as primary lines burning in trees or tree limbs lying on secondary lines should be reported.

• A visual inspection of the general condition of the pole:

Deterioration of pole shell or crossarms;

Woodpecker holes;

Osprey Nest or any other bird nest;

Correct Plumb;

Pole bond broken or missing;

Split or bowed.

• General condition of the facilities on the pole:

Leaking transformers;

Blown lightning arresters;

Loose, broken, or missing hardware.

Sounding: Consumer owned service poles within the designated service areas are not to be sounded.

CFEC poles, including CCA poles, shall be sounded with a hammer from either ground line or above ground line as applicable, to as high as an inspector can reach to locate exterior decay or interior pockets of decay.

Boring: CCA poles within the designated service areas are to be sounded to locate exterior decay or interior pockets of decay and reported, but not bored unless the Vintage Date is 1990 (for 2025), 1991 (for 2026), 1992 (for 2027) or older. Poles with a Vintage Date of 1991 (for 2025), 1992 (for 2026), 1993 (for 2027) or newer, when sounding indicates decay is present, shall be reported to the CFEC representative.

When decay is suspected following visual inspection and sounding of all other CFEC poles within the designated service areas, the inspector shall bore pole at least once to detect interior decay. If decay is present, the pole shall be bored the sufficient number of times to determine location and extent of decay.

Bored holes shall be plugged with the appropriate tight-fitting plug.

Externally Treated Pole: An externally treated pole is any pole designated by CFEC which, upon inspection, is found to be a candidate for external preservative treatment, provided enough sound wood remains.

Reject Poles: A reject pole is any pole designated by CFEC which, upon inspection, is found deteriorated below the required minimum as indicated on the RUS circumference tables, RUS Bulletin 1730B-121.

Externally Treated Reject Pole: A reject pole that, after inspection, meets criteria for pole restoration. A pole, found to be restorable, will be ground-line treated. The inspector will make a notation on the appropriate entry line in the DI’s form (Appendix A-2) as to whether a pole can or cannot be restored. If the pole top or pole hardware has defects, this will be noted on the appropriate line in the DI’s form (Appendix A-3).

Liquid Internal Treatment: Contractor’s E.P.A. registered, and approved for use as specified herein, insecticide and preservative solution applied internally under pressure to any chambers and internal decay voids that constitute a size of 1" or larger.

Fumigant Internal Treatment: Application of E.P.A. registered, and approved for use as specified herein, fumigant to poles which meet criteria, listed in section 5.3 Internal Treatment.

Priority Pole: A pole that needs immediate replacement which usually has an average shell of one inch or less.

2.0 GENERAL PRECAUTIONS AND REQUIRMENTS FOR PRESERVATIVE APPLICATIONS

2.1 General Restrictions and Requirements

All preservatives shall be handled and applied in a manner that will prevent damage to vegetation and property. CFEC will consider for approval only preservatives registered, and approved as specified herein, by the Local, State, and Federal Environmental Protection Agencies and the State of Florida Department of Agriculture.

NO preservatives shall be applied by Contractor where a pole is readily identifiable as:

• located on any school property (Day care(s) and Grades K-12)

• located in a vegetable garden

• located in organic farm fields

• located in water or below the high-water mark

• located within 10’ of a stream or standing body of water

• located within 10’ of a well head

• supporting Osprey or other large bird nest

• CCA poles with a Vintage Date of 1991 (for 2025), 1992 (for 2026), 1993 (for 2027) or newer.

Any container in which a preservative is stored shall be securely locked or bolted to vehicles on the right-of-way and kept locked when left unattended. Empty preservative containers shall be removed from the right-of-way and kept in a locked compartment until disposal. Disposal of preservatives and their containers shall be in accordance with the rules and regulations of all appropriate Federal and State agencies.

2.2 Pesticide Licensing and Reporting Requirements

The Contractor shall be a certified commercial pesticide business for the preservative application set forth under this Scope of Work. These wood preservatives can only be purchased and applied by someone who has a pesticide applicator license or whose immediate supervisor has a pesticide applicator license certified by the State of Florida. The Contractor shall be responsible for the accurate recording and submitting of all pesticide usage forms required by the various pesticide regulatory agencies and for meeting all applicable Federal and State rules and regulations.

The Contractor is required to have in his possession SDS’s, and copies of the preservative labels of all the preservatives, insecticides and fumigants being used. The labels shall list the preservative composition, description, directions for use, precautionary statements, warnings, environmental hazards, practical treatments, storage and disposal instructions and any other relevant information about the preservatives used. Upon request, the labels must be shown to anyone desiring this information.

The Contractor shall be solely responsible for any fines, penalties, or legal actions resulting from employee negligence or noncompliance with applicable Federal, State, and Local rules and regulations for a period of one year after the inspection and treatment project is satisfactorily completed.

2.3 Spill Prevention

Preservative spills shall be immediately cleaned up in a manner consistent with label restrictions, Federal and State regulations, and acceptable environmental procedures.

The Contractor shall provide each crew with a spill kit containing sufficient materials for cleaning up and neutralizing potential spills of liquid preservatives. The spill kit shall consist of, but not be limited to the following materials: absorption material (such as sawdust or oil dry), baking soda or laundry detergent, ammonia (undiluted) and approved trash bags for disposal of waste.

2.4 Proper Equipment

The Contractor shall provide each crew with the following EPA required equipment: full-face air respirator (when required), goggles, sleeves, non-permeable gloves and aprons, hard hats, reflective vest, and a change of clothing.

The Contractor shall provide a truck that has covers and locks adequate to satisfy Federal and State DOT regulations in which to store and transport the preservatives.

2.5 Pesticide Training

Each pole inspector and foreperson shall be required to pass a pesticide training program and be able to pass a written test to CFEC’s satisfaction.

3.0 INSPECTION

3.1 Preparation

The Contractor shall inspect and perform work on all CFEC poles within the designated service areas.

The Contractor shall gain access to poles on property where access is blocked by bad dogs, fences, or locked out with a non-CFEC lock. The Contractor shall establish contact with the property owner, by any means (letter, door hanger, etc.), and make all arrangements for access to the property. All locations where there has been an inability to access the property, can be marked in a meter inspection as “Unable To Access” check-box (see Appendix A-7), as reminders to access at a later date.

When work is to be done within the proximity of a private residential dwelling, the property owner should first be notified as to the scope and necessity of the work. Brush will be removed from around the pole to allow for proper excavation, inspection and/or treatment unless the property owner denies permission for removal. “Denial” will be indicated on the appropriate “Comments” line in the DI’s form (Appendix A-2).

If permission for excavation is denied, the pole will be sounded and bored and fumigant treated, provided the pole is serviceable.

3.2 Above-ground Inspection

A Visual inspection shall be considered the first step for inspecting poles but has the lowest accuracy.

Since most decay is underground or internal, this method will not detect the majority of the defective poles. CFEC Reported Poles are to be reported on the appropriate entry line in the DI’s form (Appendix A-2). The following information shall be required:

• The report shall include age of preservative application, class and height. Brands on some poles may not be legible but their identity may be estimated from other poles in line.

• Severe tree and vegetation conditions such as primary lines burning in trees or tree limbs lying on secondary lines should be reported.

• A visual inspection of the general condition of the pole:

Deterioration of pole shell or cross arms;

Woodpecker holes;

Osprey Nest or any other bird nests;

Correct Plumb;

Pole bond broken or missing;

Split or bowed.

• General condition of the facilities on the pole:

Leaking transformers;

Blown lightning arresters;

Loose, broken, or missing hardware.

If the pole is obviously not suited for continued service due to serious defects, it shall not be tested further but simply be reported and marked on the appropriate entry line in the DI’s form (Appendix A-2) as a Reject Pole or Priority Pole.

The approximate location of all poles shall be keyed into a computer tablet or laptop with GPS modules provided by the Contractor.

Consumer owned service poles within the designated service areas shall have an above ground visual inspection. Obvious signs of deterioration, missing or broken hardware, cut or missing meter socket seal, poles out of plumb or other information pertaining to the serviceability of these poles is to be reported on the appropriate entry line in the DI’s form (Appendix A-9). These poles are not to be sounded or treated.

All meter installations shall be visually inspected and have kilo-watt hour readings read and recorded in the DI’s form (Appendix A-8).

Each down guy owned by CFEC shall have a guy marker. Using CFEC’s materials, replace missing, cracked or broken guy markers.

The Contractor shall take and record ohm reading of the ground at driven ground locations with a clamp-on tester, such as a Fluke 1630, provided by the Contractor. Some locations may require removal of pole bond staples, so space can be provided for the tester to clamp around the pole bond. Driven grounds exist at transformer, lightning arrester, regulator, and other equipment locations. Ohm readings shall be taken and recorded on the appropriate entry line in the DI’s form (Appendix A-3). Broken or missing ground wires will be noted on the appropriate entry line in the DI’s form (Appendix A-3) and repaired by CFEC personnel. The Contractor, for as far as can reasonably be reached, will reseat loose staples and replace missing staples that secure the pole bond to the pole. Ground wire shall be stapled at 6-inch intervals from the ground line to as far as can be reached by the pole inspection and treatment specialist.

3.3 Excavation

All CFEC poles, except CCA poles with a Vintage Date of 1991 (for 2025), 1992 (for 2026), 1993 (for 2027) or newer, that pass the above ground visual inspection shall be fully or partially excavated around to a depth of 18" below ground line. The excavation will be approximately 10" from the pole at ground level and 4" from the pole at the 18" depth. Poles with risers or other obstructions need not be excavated but shall be bored and solid-treated per 5.33 Solids to avoid damaging the riser or cables below the riser. For excavation in lawns or sod grass areas, care will be taken to keep surrounding area as clean as possible.

The sod around pole shall be carefully cut and neatly stacked. Poles installed on slopes shall be excavated to a minimum depth of 18" on the down slope side and 18" on the high side. Tarpaulins or ground cloths shall be used with all excavations.

3.4 Sounding

All CFEC poles within the designated service areas, including CCA poles, shall be sounded from as high as the inspector can reach to the exposed ground line area to locate interior pockets of decay. Hammer marks should be visible to indicate that the area was sounded.

3.5 Boring

For CCA poles with a Vintage Date of 1990 (for 2025), 1991 (for 2026), 1992 (for 2027) or older that pass the above ground visual inspection, the Inspector shall bore pole with a 1/2" bit to check for heart rot.

Bore-hole shall be located at ground line and should be drilled at a 45-degree angle to a depth of the center line of the pole. Shell thickness indicator shall be used to detect the extent of the interior decay.

If no decay is evident, a solid melt fungicide shall be inserted in the hole and plugged with a tight-fitting plug.

If heart rot or enclosed decay pockets are evident from sounding, a minimum of five (5) borings will be taken to determine the size and extent of decay. Bored holes shall be plugged with tight-fitting plugs.

3.6 Chipping

Significant loose and decayed wood is to be removed from 18" below ground-line to 6" above ground-line.

Shell rot and external decay pockets should be removed from the pole using a specially designed chipper.

The chipping tool will be used for this procedure to obtain a smooth, clean removal of wood. External decay pockets will be shaved or chipped to remove decay from pole. It is essential that exterior decay is removed from the excavated hole and surrounding ground and disposed of properly. Care should be taken not to remove good wood, as this will reduce the strength of the pole. The pole shall be scraped using a check scraper to remove dirt from the treatment zone.

4.0 DETERMINING THE SERVICEABILITY OF DECAYED POLES

4.1 Serviceability

The decision to treat or replace a decayed pole depends upon the remaining strength or serviceability of the pole. The permissible reduced circumference of a pole is a good measure of serviceability. The following procedure may be used to assist in determining if a pole should be replaced or reinforced.

Decay Classifications

Decay at the ground line should be classified as:

• General external decay

• External pocket

• Hollow heart, or

• Enclosed pocket.

Permissible Reduced Circumference

The 2023 edition of the National Electric Safety Code (NESC) requires that wood structures shall be replaced or rehabilitated when deterioration reduces the structure strength to 2/3 of that required when installed for NESC wind district loading. The 2023 NESC also requires that wood structures shall be replaced or rehabilitated when deterioration reduces the structure strength to 3/4 of that required when installed for NESC extreme wind or extreme ice with concurrent wind loadings.

4.2 Determine Minimum Circumference

Supervisors and pole inspection and treatment specialists shall have expertise in applying RUS circumference tables, RUS Bulletin 1730B-121, to determine strength or serviceability of the pole.

Measure minimum circumference at or below ground line wherever the least sound wood is present. Make the adjustments in circumference to account for external decay pockets and internal decay in accordance with RUS Bulletin 1730B-121. Check effective circumference against loading tables in accordance with RUS Bulletin 1730B-121.

Poles with a shell thickness less than the RUS Bulletin 1730B-121 specified minimum circumference shall be a Reject Pole, and so marked in the field per 7.0 POLE MARKING AND RECORDING.

Poles with a minimum shell of 1 inch or 50% of original circumference or less will be designated a Priority Pole or another appropriate name per 7.0 POLE MARKING AND RECORDING.

5.0 TREATMENT

5.1 General

Poles exempted by 2.1 General Restrictions and Requirements are not to be treated.

All other poles within the designated service areas which are suitable for treatment shall be treated in accordance with 5.2 External Ground Line Treatment. If internal decay is indicated, per 3.0 INSPECTION, an appropriate solution shall be selected and applied.

5.2 External Ground Line Treatment

Whenever a pole is fully or partially excavated during an inspection and the pole is sound or decay is not so far advanced that the pole must be replaced or rehabilitated, External Ground Line Treatment shall be applied.

Poles which are fully or partially excavated, and upon inspection are determined serviceable, are to be ground line treated with a preservative paste or pole wrap registered, and approved for use as specified herein, by the Local, State, and Federal Environmental Protection Agencies and the Florida State Department of Agriculture. The ground line preservative shall be approved by CFEC and shall be applied to the pole (a minimum of 1/16" thick) from 18" below ground line to 2" above ground line. External preservatives used for ground line treatment typically contain active ingredients that are either water soluble, oil soluble or practically insoluble.

Before application of external preservatives, decayed wood should be stripped from the pole and removed from the excavation. The preservative paste is most commonly brushed onto the pole following label directions. Liberally treat and fill all exposed pockets and cracks using brush or trowel. Where obstructions occur such as fences, curbs, and walls, the preservative shall be applied in excessive amounts next to obstruction to ensure complete coverage.

Preservative treatment should penetrate a minimum of two (2) inches into the pole.

Wrapping of External Treatment

A moisture barrier registered, and approved for use as specified herein, by the Local, State, and Federal Environmental Protection Agencies and the Florida State Department of Agriculture, is to be applied over the wood preservative. The moisture barrier shall be approved by CFEC and shall cover preservative at 18" depth and extend 2" above the top of treatment zone, for a total of 22" wide. It shall be of sufficient length to go around the pole with an overlap of approximately 4" and shall be stapled to the pole at the top and side seams of the barrier. Livestock wrap shall also be used in pastures or other areas where animals are present. The livestock wrap will be stapled to top of the moisture barrier to act as an additional protective barrier. The mil thickness of the moisture barrier shall not be less than 4 mils thick.

5.3 Internal Treatment

No internal treatment shall be applied by Contractor where a pole is readily identifiable as:

• located on any school property (Day care(s) and Grades K-12)

• located in a vegetable garden

• located in organic farm fields

• located in water or below the high-water mark

• located within 10’ of a stream or standing water body

• located within 10’ of a wellhead

• supporting Osprey or other large bird nest

• CCA poles less with Vintage Date or 1985 or later.

The fumigant treatment shall be approved by CFEC and shall be applied when prescribed below:

All other CFEC poles which cannot be fully or partially excavated shall receive a solid melt fungicide treatment in portions of the pole that cannot be ground line treated.

The three basic types of preservatives used for internal treatment are liquids, fumigants (gas), and solids.

5.31 Liquid Internal Preservative

Liquid internal preservatives should be applied by pressurized injection through a series of borings that lead to internal decay pockets or voids. Adequately saturating the pocket and surrounding wood should arrest existing decay or insect attack and prevent further degradation for an extended time.

Liquid internal preservatives contain water soluble or oil soluble active ingredients. Sodium fluoride, boron and various forms of copper solutions are the principle active ingredients used today. Moisture that is present in the pole will help facilitate diffusion of the active ingredients into the wood beyond a decay pocket.

Oil based internal preservatives most often incorporate Copper Naphthenate as an active ingredient with fuel oil or mineral spirits as the solvents. Since oil-based Copper Naphthenate is not soluble in water, it is likely to migrate into the surrounding wood only as far as the oil will travel.

5.32 Fumigants (gas)

Most of the fumigants in use for wood poles today were originally developed for agricultural purposes.

Applying fumigants to soil will effectively sterilize the ground. Due to high levels of microorganisms and chemical activity in soil, the fumigants will degrade rapidly and dissipate so that new crops can be planted in a short time.

These same fumigants do not degrade rapidly in wood and will remain affixed to sound wood cell structure for many years. Fumigants have also been found to migrate longitudinally in wood, several feet away from the point of application. This helps control decay in a large section of the pole. When the vapors migrate into a decay void, however, they may dissipate through associated checks and cracks. This reduces the long-term efficacy and requires more frequent application.

Registered pole fumigants include Sodium N-methyldithiocarbamate (NaMDC), Methy-lisothiocyanate (MITC), tetrahydro-3, 5-dimethyl-2H-1,3,5-thiadiazine-2-thione (Dazomet) and Chloropicrin. Chloropicrin is a very effective wood fumigant. However, the liquid must be applied from pressurized cylinders, and the applicator must wear a full-face air respirator.

MITC, NaMDC and Dazomet are the most widely used wood pole fumigants. Pure MITC is a solid below 94°F and contains 97 percent active ingredient. Solid MITC sublimes directly into fumigant vapors.

Avoiding the liquid stage helps to minimize loss of fumigant during application through checks and cracks. MITC is packaged in aluminum tubes to facilitate installation. Just before placing the tube into a treatment hole, the cap is removed. As with any fumigant, application holes should be plugged with pressure treated wooden or plastic plugs.

NaMDC is soluble in water to a maximum amount of 32.7 percent. Treatment holes drilled in a wood pole are filled with the aqueous solution, so the appropriate dosage is applied. Recommended dosages vary according to pole size. The NaMDC back decomposes and generates MITC as the main fungi-toxic ingredient. The maximum theoretical amount of resultant MITC at ideal conditions is 18.5 percent by weight. After decomposition the MITC vapors then migrate up and down the pole to help control decay.

Dazomet is a very fine granular material that is 98-99% active ingredient. Treatment holes drilled in a wood pole are filled with the granular material, so the appropriate dosage is applied. Like NaMDC, Dazomet decomposes and generates MITC as the main fungi-toxic ingredient. The maximum theoretical amount of resultant MITC at ideal conditions is 45.0 percent by weight. The MITC vapors then migrate up and down the pole to help control decay.

A fumigant treatment shall be registered, and approved for use as specified herein, by the Local, State, and Federal Environmental Protection Agencies and the Florida State Department of Agriculture.

5.33 Solids

Currently there are several solid diffusible rods available as a supplemental preservative treatment for wood poles.

Active ingredients used in these rods include Sodium Fluoride, Boron and Copper. The migration of these ingredients through the wood to control or prevent internal fungal decay is aided by the moisture content present. The zone of effective treatment is determined by the distance the active ingredients move from the point of application at fungi-toxic levels. Studies have shown wood moisture content exceeding the fiber saturation point (approximately 30%) is necessary for significant migration to occur. However, at wood moisture levels typically found at ground line in the internal regions of in-service utility poles, adequate diffusion can be achieved with an appropriate drill pattern in the treatment zone. Active ingredients from rods will tend to move slower than fumigants. Preservative rods should be applied according to the label directions. The rods are typically applied through a pattern of downward angled holes beginning at ground line or below with application rates varying with pole circumference. Diffusible rods can also be used to sterilize inspection holes and to control or prevent pole top decay.

Application

Pole Circumference Number of Holes Drilled 30" to 35" 3 holes spaced 120 degrees apart and 6" to 8" higher than the previously bored hole.

36" to 49" 4 holes spaced 90 degrees apart and 6" to 8" higher than

50" to 59" 5 holes spaced 70 degrees apart and 6" to 8" higher than

60" & larger 6 holes spaced 60 degrees apart and 6" to 8" higher than

• Bore suitable slanting holes per manufacturer’s instruction to a minimum of 10" depth.

• Insert preservative into each hole per manufacturer’s instructions.

• Plug holes using the appropriate plug per manufacturer’s instructions.

Priority poles and Reject poles not suitable for treatment, shall not receive a fumigant treatment.

6.0 RESTORATION OF WORKSITE

6.1 Back-Filling

After excavation and/or treatment, all poles will be solidly back-filled. The first half of excavation will be back-filled and tamped completely around the pole; the second half back-filled and tamped completely around the pole. The excess soil should be banked up to a maximum of 3" above normal ground level to allow soil to settle. In grass areas the sod shall be carefully placed around the pole. Rocks or stones should not be laid against the pole except where they serve to key the pole or where no other fill is available. Extreme care should be taken to not tear the moisture barrier while back-filling.

6.2 Clean-up

No debris, loose dirt, etc., is to be left in the pole area. Private property turf, including that between curb and sidewalk, bushes, plants and shrubbery are to be replaced with care. If any preservative is spilled on the ground, it shall be cleaned up immediately. All containers shall be disposed of according to approved environmental practices.

7.0 POLE MARKING AND RECORDING

7.1 Tagging

All CFEC poles included in this Scope of Work, except poles that have already been tagged, shall be tagged with a 6-digit numbered tag provided by CFEC. The 6-digit tag number shall be recorded in the entry line adjacent to Pole Number in the DI’s form (Appendix A-2).

It is the Contractor’s responsibility to ensure the tag number is recorded accurately in the DI’s form (Appendix A-2). Failure to correct a tag recording error by the Contractor shall result in a penalty (see 9.0

PENALTIES).

The Contractor's inspector will make a notation on the appropriate entry line in the DI’s form (Appendix A-2) as to whether the pole can or cannot be restored. If the pole has top defects, this will be noted on the appropriate “Comments” line in the DI’s form (Appendix A-2).

Red flagging tape or spray paint, furnished by the Contractor, shall be used to help in the identification of Priority or…