A04_2023_Scope_of_Work_(2).pdf

United States Department of the Interior

FWS Pocosin Lakes NWR

205 South Ludington Drive

Columbia NC 27925

Scope of Work:

Aerial Herbicide Spraying Request

A contract is needed for a base year (FY 2023) plus 4 option years to aerially treat by helicopter

Phragmites, alligator weed, and woody plants on Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge.

The contractor is required to provide services and aircraft (i.e. crop-duster and helicopter) to provide annually scheduled aerial spraying of herbicides to treat approximately 200 to 500 acres of Phragmites, alligator weed and woody plants. Multiple spraying applications are required during the growing season from early May through mid-August. Herbicides to be applied consist of Habitat (or aquatic imazapyr equivalent) and AquaNeat (or aquatic glyphosate equivalent). Habitat or its equivalent is labeled for helicopter application only and is ideally applied in May. It is recommended that AquaNeat or its equivalent be applied by fixed-winged airplane and ideally applied in July – August 20. The active ingredient for AquaNeat is 53.8% glyphosate. AquaNeat will be sprayed at a minimum of 6 pints per acre and within accordance to the herbicide and surfactant labels. The active ingredient of Habitat is 27.77% isoproplyamine salt of imazapyr. Habitat will be sprayed at a minimum of 4 pints per acre and within accordance to the herbicide and surfactant labels. NOTE: Ultimately, it is the contractor’s responsibility to determine the actual number of pints to spray per acre to ensure effective and environmentally safe application.

The contractor will provide the ferrying of aircraft to the sites to treat the invasive plants. The exact locations to apply herbicides are on the attached map. Only the areas treated is included in the acreage.

Special Requirements/Additional Information:

1) The resulting award will contain a Base Year (2023) plus four option years (2024, 2025, 2026, 2027). As such, Offereors must provide pricing for each year (i.e. the base year and each option year).

2) Offered price must include ferrying cost for aircraft.

3) Pilot must be properly and currently licensed and registered to fly aircraft within the State of the application.

4) Pilot must be able to identify patches of Phragmites from the aircraft.

5) Acreage includes only the acres treated, not the entire management unit.

6) Follow-up treatments are required to ensure effective control of Phragmites. (Note: follow-up treatment must be covered/included in offered pricing).

Base year (2023): Need approximately 400 acres of Phragmites, alligator weed and woody plants aerially treated by helicopter with Habitat and or aquatic-labeled glyphosate and methylated seed oil (MSO) surfactant between May 1 through June 1, 2023

*The contractor will provide the services and ferrying the helicopter to sites to treat the sites. The exact locations to apply herbicides will be included on the attached map. The refuge will supply the herbicides and surfactants.

Quality Assurance: Herbicide application is successful if browning (or die off) occurs on 70% of the treated vegetation after 3 weeks post application. Refuge Staff Wendy Stanton will be monitoring pre and post herbicide applications.

Period of performance:

Herbicide will be applied with the following stipulations:

Aquatic-labeled Habitat: application will occur between May 1 – June 1, 2023.

6) Any special requirements:

-Quote must include ferrying cost for ships transported greater than 20 miles away.

-Pilot must be able to identify patches of Phragmites from the aircraft.

7) COR suggestion: CGS

8) Supporting documents: Please see attached map

9) Evaluation factors for solicitation: Must follow scope of work and include ferrying costs.

Map 1. Areas and coordinates to be treated at Pocosin Lakes NWR.