4-Attachment B Scope of Work.docx

ATTACHMENT B SCOPE OF WORK

NC27-107

Meadow Canyon Cut and Pile

PROJECT: Deer Springs Ranch (DSR) Fuels Reduction Project Meadow Canyon Lop, Prune, and Pile

LOCATION: Deer Springs, approximately 11 miles East of Alton, UT. Kane County, Utah

PRE-QUALIFICATION:

Pursuant to the Utah Procurement Code, participation in this is limited to pre-qualified contractors only. Bids or quotes submitted by a non-prequalified contractor will not be considered.

Introduction: The U.S. Forest Service- Powell Ranger District, Dixie National Forest is acquiring services in this contract to provide for wildfire hazard reduction and improved wildlife habitat by hand cutting, thinning, pruning, and slash piling (lop, prune, and pile) activities. The objective is to decrease stand density and ladder fuels. This will be achieved by reducing small-diameter trees (<12.0” DBH), primarily Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine, white fir, and all standing live and dead pinion/juniper. The stand composition will transition to favor large-diameter ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir while reducing small-diameter conifers in aspen stands. This will increase sunlight penetration to the forest floor, promoting seedling regeneration of these species allowing for natural fire to be reintroduced into the system. The work includes treating project areas totaling approximately 501 acres. Bids should be submitted on a per/acre basis and total cost basis. Per acre and total bid prices will include all mobilization and operation costs. There will be no fuel surcharges or adjustments negotiated. There will be no government provided materials for this project. The contract will be awarded at the sole discretion of the government. Acres could be added or removed based on price per acre.

SECTION I – PROJECT REQUIREMENTS

SITE SPECIFICS:

Location and Description: Work under this contract is located on USFS land in Kane County approximately 11 miles east of Alton, Utah. Elevations range from 7500 to 8700 feet within the project site. Slopes range from 20% to 45% with the majority of the project averaging around 30%. The work location is shown on the attached Project and reference map. The treatment boundaries may have areas that will not be flagged and must be located by GPS or by using the PDF maps attached and applications such as, or similar to the Avenza map app. The work location is shown on the site maps.

Acreage: Up to 501 acres based on budget constraints. Units are sequenced based on priority and will be awarded based on budget.

Access to the site: Access onto the project site is provided by a combination of paved highways, Forest service roads, county dirt surface roads and jeep trails. Four (4) wheel drive vehicles are recommended in and around the project area. It will be the contractor’s responsibility to get the equipment to the work site. During certain years, snow levels can be prohibitive during winter months from December to April.

SPECIFIC TASKS:

Work Limits: Only areas shown on the Project Map will be treated. Treatment and non-treated areas within the project area may be flagged and/or described verbally. A shapefile for GPS and a PDF map of the project area will be provided prior to work beginning. It will be the contractor’s responsibility to furnish either a GPS unit(s) or smartphone(s) with PDF map application to be utilized in identifying project boundaries.

Government staff (Project Inspector) will identify unit boundaries for the work to be executed under this contract. The Contractor shall immediately upon entering the project area, begin treatment work, locate treatment boundaries, locate control points, section corners, and take such action to prevent their destruction.

1. Lop and Prune 501 acres:

· Pinyon-Juniper:

· All standing live or dead Pinyon pine and Juniper trees and sapling trees within the project boundaries shall be completely severed from the stump(s).

· No live limbs shall be left on the stump of cut trees.

· All branches or stems shall be cut from the trunk of the tree to meet scattering requirements.

· White Fir-Blue Spruce:

· All standing live or dead white fir and blue spruce trees that have a DBH of 12” and smaller.

· Prune live branches on residual trees up to 10 feet.

· All trees infected with Dwarf Mistletoe rating of 3 or greater (see table below) will be cut.

· Douglas Fir:

· All standing live or dead trees that have a DBH between 5” and 12” will be cut.

· Prune live branches on residual trees up to 10 feet.

· All trees infected with Dwarf Mistletoe rating of 3 or greater (see table below) will be cut.

· Ponderosa pine:

· All standing live or dead trees that have a DBH between 5” and 12” will be cut.

· Prune live branches on residual trees up to 10 feet.

· All trees infected with Dwarf Mistletoe rating of 3 or greater (see table below) will be cut.

2. Piling 501 acres:

· Hand pile all slash and boles 8” diameter and smaller.

· This includes existing and project generated slash and boles.

· All materials with a minimum size of 1” diameter and 18” in length up to 8” diameter shall be piled.

· Logs over 8” diameter will not be piled but will have all the branch removed from the bole with a cut that is flush to the bole.

· Cut material left on site shall not exceed 48” in length.

· Piles will be constructed in a dome style with smaller branch wood on the inside of the dome and larger bole wood covering the outside layers of the pile.

· Minimum pile dimensions for hand piles are 6 feet in height and 6 feet in diameter.

· Maximum hand pile dimensions will not exceed 10 feet in height and 10 feet in diameter.

· Piles will not be constructed in the drip lines of residual trees.

· Piles will be located outside of any riparian vegetation and at least 50 feet from the edge of any stream, spring, or wet meadow.

· All slash piles will be at least 50 feet away from stream channels.

· Piles will be located away from existing large down dead logs.

Additional treatment specifications (applies to all cutting units):

1. Only established roads shall be used. No overland travel by vehicle will be allowed.

2. Bristlecone Pine and aspen will not be cut.

3. Any trees identified as bearing trees, or any tree blazed or tagged to mark the line of any Government survey, shall not be cut, or destroyed under penalty of law. Trees with reference tags will be left uncut.

CONTRACTOR FURNISHED EQUIPMENT:

Equipment Requirements: The Contractor shall furnish chainsaws on a fully operational basis, with competent, fully qualified operators, and shall meet the following specifications:

1. Equipment/vehicles shall be free of fluid leaks and be in good operating condition.

2. Equipment/vehicles shall be washed before entering and exiting federal and state lands. All soil and plant parts shall be removed to prevent the spread of noxious weeds in and out of the project area.

Contractor shall also furnish either GPS unit(s) or smartphone(s) with pdf map application to be utilized in identifying project boundaries.

GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY:

No Government property shall be furnished on this project.

EQUIPMENT AND WORKMANSHIP:

All equipment and/or materials incorporated into the work covered by this contract shall be of the most suitable grade for the purpose intended, unless otherwise specifically provided in this contract. All work under this contract shall be performed in a skillful and workmanlike manner. The State may require, in writing, that the contractor remove from the work any employee deemed by the State to be incompetent, careless, or otherwise objectionable.

Surface Disturbance: Public or private access roads damaged by the Contractor shall be restored at the Contractors expense to the same condition they were in at the commencement of work. Equipment and vehicles must not be operated or driven outside of identified roads or trials.

CONTRACT TIME –Project must be completed by 12/31/2026.

SECTION II – BID REQUIREMENTS/INFORMATION

SITE VISIT:

A site visit will NOT be held prior to bidding. It is strongly recommended that each potential bidder inspect the site where services are to be performed and satisfy themselves regarding all general and local conditions that may affect the cost of contract performance, to the extent that the information is reasonably obtainable. In no event shall failure to inspect the site constitute grounds for a claim after contract award.

MAPS/FILES

Any .pdf files provided in this bid document, and the actual physical site location shall govern any contractual interpretation or dispute related to this project.

QUESTIONS:

Only questions specific to the site should be asked at the site visit (if held). Questions related to this solicitation, specifications, or bidding procedures MUST be asked in writing on the Q&A board within the solicitation to keep the process fair and transparent. There are no exceptions to this.

BIDDING:

This contract will be bid on a per-acre price. The per-acre price will be extended based on the number of acres to show a total project price. The total price shall include all labor, equipment, and materials necessary to complete the job, which includes all mobilization and operating costs. There will be no fuel surcharges or adjustments negotiated.

CONTRACT AWARD:

A contract will be awarded to the lowest responsive/responsible bidder who meets any experience and equipment requirements noted elsewhere in this solicitation.

USE OF SUBCONTRACTORS:

The Project Manager must approve the use of all subcontractors in writing prior to their performance of any work on the project. Any company or individual who submitted a bid on the project, was offered the project as the low bidder, and declined that award, or who defaulted on project after being awarded the contract, is ineligible to be a subcontractor for, or an employee of, the successful bidder.

SECTION III – ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS:

Project sites shall be cleaned up, and all refuse removed by the Contractor. The Contractor shall be responsible for the disposal of materials in a manner consistent with State, Federal, and local laws and for all expenses incurred with the disposal. Public or private access roads damaged by the Contractor shall be restored at the contractor's expense to the same condition they were in at the commencement of work.

Use of 2-wheel and 4-wheel vehicles is permitted in the project areas. Off-road driving will be prohibited when soils are wet and rutting may occur.

Hazardous Materials:

1. Use of Hazardous Materials and/or petroleum products requires that all appropriate State and Federal Regulations be complied with including, but not limited to, Materials Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) on hand and use of necessary Personal Protective Clothing (PPE).

2. On-site disposal of Hazardous Materials or Waste including hydrocarbons is not authorized. On-site disposal will subject the contractor to at least the cost of reclamation and the appropriate disposal of contaminated soil.

3. Incidental (de minimus) leaks from fittings, gaskets, or ruptured hoses will not subject the contractor to remedial requirements. They will be considered to be normal and unavoidable losses. Continual leaks will be noted on inspection reports and correction through maintenance is required.

4. Maintenance and repair operations that require the draining of engines or hydraulic systems may be conducted on-site only if the fluids are captured, containerized, and removed from public lands for proper disposal.

PUBLIC ACCESS:

Access into and through the project site shall remain open to the public at all times. The Contractor shall maintain roadways free of vehicles, tools, and debris.

SECURITY OF EQUIPMENT AND PROPERTY:

The Contractor may leave equipment at the work site, however, the Contractor shall be solely responsible for the protection of equipment and is solely responsible if the equipment is lost, stolen, or damaged.

CREW SUPERVISION:

1. The contractor shall designate one English-literate supervisor who will be on site during operation hours. Supervisors shall be identified during the pre-work conference. Any changes in supervisory designations must be submitted in writing to the Project manager at least 24 hours before the change takes effect.

2. The person designated by the Contractor, as supervisor must remain with and effectively direct the crew by (1) making periodic inspections of the crew’s work, (2) advising them as to improper work methods, (3) providing instructions for correcting any improper work methods encountered.

3. Emergency transportation will be provided by the Contractor at all times.

WORK CAMPS:

Work camps may be established only in locations authorized in advance by the Project Manager in coordination with the Government. Should such a camp be authorized, the Contractor shall maintain the camp in an orderly and sanitary manner. Upon vacating a camp and before final payment, the Contractor shall remove all refuse and other signs of occupancy to the satisfaction of the Project Manager.

WORK HOURS:

Work hours under this contract shall be limited to the time between one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset each day. Work hours may extend into darkness only when the contractor’s equipment is suitably outfitted with exterior lighting sufficient to allow safe operation; AND only when mutually agreed upon between the contractor and the project manager. Work may be done on Saturday, Sunday, and legal national holidays as mutually agreed between the Contractor and the Project Manager.

WORK SCHEDULE:

The work schedule shall be submitted at the pre-work conference.

DELAYS:

The contractor is expected to complete all contract performance in a timely manner, regardless of the contractor or subcontractor's other workload, including any work being performed under other state contracts. A delay or failure to perform may be considered excusable when the delay or failure arises from causes beyond the control and without the fault or negligence of the Contractor or subcontractor. Examples of these causes are (1) acts of God or of the public enemy, (2) acts of the State in either its sovereign or contractual capacity, (3) fires, (4) floods, (5) epidemics, (6) quarantine restrictions, (7) strikes, (8) freight embargoes, and (9) unusually severe weather. In each instance, the failure to perform must be beyond the control and without the fault or negligence of the Contractor or subcontractor.

Upon request of the Contractor, the Contracting Officer shall ascertain the facts and extent of the failure. If the Contracting Officer determines that any failure to perform results from one or more of the causes above, the delivery schedule may be revised, subject to the State’s contract termination rights under the contract.

Note: “Unusually severe weather” means weather that is outside the normal weather patterns for a specific area at a specific time of the year. For example, strong wind and snow storms in fall and winter, or strong wind, rain or hail storms in spring and summer are not considered unusually severe. An unusually severe snow, wind or rain storm is one that is worse than even the harshest normal conditions during a season.

PROJECT MEETINGS:

Pre-work Conference:

Location: Meetings shall be held at the project site, or as determined by the Project Manager.

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

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

Presentation: The Contractor shall be prepared to summarize and explain procedures planned for each project and present the work schedule requested in the specifications.

Progress Meetings:

Location: Meetings shall be held at the project site, or as determined by the Project Manager.

Notification: Meetings may be called by either the Project Manager or the Contractor. Request shall state who should attend.

FIRE DANGER SEASON:

If the Project Manager allows the Contractor to continue work during the periods of declared fire danger or season, the Contractor shall comply with all applicable state laws relating to fire prevention and with all special conditions of work as directed by the Project Manager

PRESERVATION OF HISTORICAL AND ARCHEOLOGICAL DATA:

The Contractor agrees that should he or any of his employees in the performance of this contract discover evidence of possible scientific, pre-historical, historical, or archeological data he will notify the Project Manager immediately giving the location and nature of the findings.

Where appropriate by reason of discovery, the Project Manager may order delays in the time of performance and/or changes in the work. If such delays and/or changes are ordered, the time of performance and contract price shall be adjusted.

The Contractor agrees to insert this paragraph in all subcontracts, which involve the performance of work on the terrain of the site.

PROTECTION OF CULTURAL RESOURCES:

Location of known historic or prehistoric sites, buildings, objects, and properties related to American history, architecture, archaeology, and culture, such as settler or Indian artifacts, protected by American Antiquities Act of 1906 (16 U.S.C. 431-433), National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 470) and the Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 (16 U.S.C. 470aa-ll) (36 CFR 296.4 and 36 CFR 261.9(g)), shall be identified on the ground by the Government. The Government may unilaterally modify or cancel this contract to protect an area, object of antiquity, artifact, or similar object that is or may be entitled to protection under these Acts regardless of when the area, object, or artifact is discovered or identified. Discovery of such areas by either party shall be promptly reported to the other party and operations will be suspended at that location until the significance or potential significance of the site is determined.

The contractor shall protect all known and identified historic or prehistoric sites, buildings, objects, and properties related to American history, architecture, archaeology, and culture against destruction, obliteration, removal, or damage during the Contractor's operations. The contractor shall immediately notify the Government if disturbance occurs to any known site, and shall immediately halt operations in the vicinity of the site until the Government authorizes the Contractor to proceed. The contractor shall bear costs of evaluation and restoration in accordance with 36 CFR 296.14(c), provided that such payment shall not relieve the Contractor from civil or criminal remedies otherwise provided by law.

NOTICE TO PROCEED: Unless notified by the project manager that notice-to-proceed will be delayed, receipt of the contract or purchase order by email shall constitute a Notice to Proceed. The Project Manager may issue a separate delayed notice-to-proceed for any reason including adverse soil, vegetative, climatologic, or other environmental conditions.

CONTRACT PERFORMANCE: The Contractor shall submit a work plan within seven (7) calendar days from the effective date of the notice to proceed. There will be a pre-work meeting, at the site, prior to commencing each phase or operating season. The Contractor shall continue performance of the work under the contract without delay or interruption except by causes beyond his control identified in the Delays clause. Once the contractor is on site working, the contractor shall work diligently and complete all work priorities within the project performance time in the Contract Time clause below.

It is the contractor’s sole responsibility to complete contract requirements regardless of contractor’s current work load, including other state contracts. If necessary, the contractor will be expected to take whatever means are necessary to ensure timely contract performance. At the discretion of the contractor, this may include sub-contracting, additional equipment/manpower and/or any other necessary action. Any necessary action taken by the contractor to ensure timely completion shall be at no additional expense to the State of Utah beyond the original contract price.

INSPECTION:

Surveillance Plan: The Government will inspect completed acres and provide recommendations to improve work quality while work is in progress. The Contractor is responsible for providing quality control to ensure that work complies with the contract specifications.

Final Inspection:

Location: Meeting shall be held at the project sites, or as determined by the Project Manager.

Notification: The Contractor shall notify the Project Manager at least three (3) working days before the completion date so the Government can schedule the final inspection.

Deficiencies: The Contractor shall correct deficiencies and project areas will be re-inspected by the Project Manager.

ACCEPTANCE:

Based on inspection results, if the quality level falls below contract specifications, the Project Manager will immediately notify the Contractor in writing and instruct the Contractor to improve the quality of work. If the quality of the work is not raised to an acceptable level after written notification, the Project Manager may issue a suspension work order to resolve the problem, during which time contract time will continue to run.

If untreated or unsatisfactorily treated areas are the primary reason for unsatisfactory work, the Contractor shall rework acres designated by the Government until satisfactory work quality is obtained.

PAYMENT:

One lump-sum final payment will be made for the actual number of acres completed following a final inspection of the completed project, and consistent with the payment clause in the State’s standard terms and conditions. Normally, requests for partial payments will not be considered. However, if a partial payment request is considered, approval of said request shall be at the total discretion of the State. The contractor must get a partial payment request approved in writing before submitting an invoice for partial payment. Partial payment invoices received without prior approval will be returned to the contractor as not proper for payment.

WINTER STOPPAGE:

At the sole discretion of the State and or the Federal Partner this contract may be stopped at any time due to frozen soil or other winter conditions. Once the contract work is stopped for winter, the state may pay the contractor and cancel the remaining portion of the contract, or issue a resumption of work order when spring weather permits. The contractor must proceed diligently with all work as weather permits until a stop-work order is issued.

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