A04_Parker_River_Geotechnical_Boring_SOW_1.docx

STATEMENT OF WORK (2014 11 18)

Type of Service or Construction (NAICS) Title of Project (if any)

PR Number: _______________

Instructions: Complete all Bold Elements below and mark N/A for elements that are not applicable and delete sub elements. This will ensure that each element is considered.

1. General:

1.1 Describes the project in general terms.

Who: Nancy Pau, Parker River NWR, 6 Plum Island Turnpike, Newburyport, MA 01950 What: Geotechnical evaluation and soil characterization for Stage Island Where: Stage Island Impoundment berm, Plum Island, Ispwich, MA

1.2 Purpose/End Application: Geotechnical boring and characterization of soil samples are needed to support design of a proposed tidal restoration project and pedestrian crossing. A new tidal opening (up to 160 feet) is proposed to be excavated to restore a historical salt marsh. Preliminary soil environmental characterization is required to beneficially reuse the sediment on site. We are also proposing constructing a pedestrian bridge across the new opening to maintain access to a popular refuge trail. Subsurface soil characterization is needed to determine suitability of subsurface soil for bridge footing. The berm was constructed by USFWS staff in the 1960s, presumably from adjacent material and fill from a nearby quarry (old drumlin) just north of the site.

The final design and permitting of the tidal restoration for the restoration project is funded by our State partner, MassWildlife. This task was not included in the original scope; but is needed to expedite bridge design and permitting of restoration and bridge construction. USFWS has budgeted funds for bridge design and construction in FY 2027.

1.3 Contractor Qualifications: State in terms to maximize competition and include relevant experience and/or required (by law) certifications.

The team that is assigned to the Stage Island project have following criteria:

· A masters degree in civil or geotechnical engineering, and a minimum of 5 years experience in geotechnical engineering.

· A licensed professional engineer registered in the State of Massachusetts on staff or on contract.

· The person conducting and/or overseeing the drilling, soil sampling, and analysis should have experience with:

· Deep and shallow bridge foundations

· Earthern structures and retaining walls made of natural materials (living shoreline)

· Subsurface exploration in coastal environments, including in salt marsh and tidal river substrates

· Coastal geomorphology and designing structures in a high energy coastal environment.

· Sampling and laboratory testing for estuarine wetlands and upland soils, including field screening characterization of soil, collecting representative samples, mixing composite samples, proper chain of command, logging, preparing and sending samples to laboratory, following all State and Federal soil standards for wetland restoration and bridge design.

· The person operating the drill must have a minimum of three years experience in geotechnical drilling operations and be licensed in Massachustts. They should have experience with:

· Soil sampling during drilling

· Instrument installation

· Borehole logging

· Calculating N-value

· The Standard Penetration Test (SPT) hammer should have been calibrated less than 2 years prior to drilling.

1.4 Other: Include, a relevant statutory authority, regulations, and/or references, pertinent background materials, or other relevant info. For extended information, reference an attachment or digital reference is recommended.

All work shall be performed in accordance with Mass DEP, FHA, and AASHTO standards and guidelines and general stands of sounds engineering practices and other Federal and State regulations

Background materials for Stage Island project can be provided as needed.

2. Place of Performance and Period of Performance (Where and When) the project is being completed.

The boring will take place at Stage Island berm, located on Plum Island, MA. The berm is located approximately 6 miles south of the entrance gate in Newbury, MA. The exact location is 42.712666, -70.778866). See map for exact location of areas to be excavated.

2.1 Annotate the complete address and zip + 4 or closest complete address and zip + 4. Annotate if work is to be performed at the contractor site.

Boring will take place at xy coordinates provided above. Thereis no physical address; but 39 Refuge Road, Ipswich, MA gets to the start of the berm on Google maps. Contract will process samples at their own facility and sent to approved laboratory for further analysis.

2.2 Annotate the Performance start and end date. Annotate any conditions, limitations, or windows of opportunity impacted by the habitat, seasons or weather, or other projects. Performance start date: July 20, 2026; Performance end date: December 1, 2026

Gravel road rehab is planned for July 7 to July 19—performance start date may be delayed if there is a delay in the gravel road project.

The boring site is located behind locked pipegate and is along a public trail. Please coordinate with project officer 48 hours prior to visit to ensure vehicle and equipment access to site. We will also provide notification of work to Refuge visitors.

Work is to happen when the Refuge is open: sunrise to sunset. Refuge entrance gate may be closed due to parking capacity if weather is hot (beach days). Entrance will be granted; but expect delays at the entrance gate.

2.3 Project officer’s normal duty hours Monday thru Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. In the event of emergencies, Contractor shall provide contact information.

2.4 Non‑duty hours include week nights, weekends, and Government holidays (New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King JR.s’s Birthday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day). Limited refuge staff works on weekends and holidays.

3. Scope

3.1 This element does not repeat what is stated above and is technical to the extent of the requirement; describe more precisely what is expected of the contractor, not how to perform the work, (leave actual deliverables out of this element; annotate activities such as meetings, management requirements, strategy and any specialized expertise and services, training, and documentation (will be included in paragraph 4); use "shall" statements to make requirements binding.

Familiarization with project to date:

There is significant project investigations, soil profile and results for the Stage Island project, dating back to 2017. Upon selection, USFWS will provide contractor with reports and data concerning prior background investigations, including soil sampling conducted in 2025 and goal of restoration project and pedestrian bridge.

Geotechnical subsurface exploration and evaluation:

Conduct a geotechnical subsurface exploration and evaluation to meet purpose/end application identified above. It is assumed that project area is fill underlain by salt marsh and/or glacial outwash deposit. For the purpose of this proposal, it is assumed that the pedestrian bridge will be founded on non-cohensive and reasonably dense soils suitable to support a conventional, shallow spread footing foundation system. If actual subsurface condiations require a deeper foundation or ground improvement to support proposed structure, please provide a revised scope that include additional exploration, laboratory test and analysis and estimated cost. Subsurface exploration will include:

· Complete 2 borings, one at each of the proposed abutment locations, as access allows. Boring will target a depth of 60 feet below ground surface, or refusal, whichever is shallower. If refusal is encountered at shallower depth, it will be confirmed by split-spoon refusal.

· Samples will be obtained continuously through to a minimum depth of 12 feet, and at 5 foot intervals thereafter. Groundwater levels will be noted during drilling, if encountered.

· If feasible, classify soils in the middle of the proposed breach to a depth of 15 feet, and visiually classify and log.

· Borehores will be backfilled with cuttings. If insufficient, sand may be used to backfill to return to adjacent grade.

· If subcontracting the drilling, the Contractor will be on site to mark the drilling locations, coordinate and supervise the drilling, and log and process the soil samples.

· Contractor will submit four (4) select soil samples obtained in the exploration to a certified laboratory for grain size and/or organic content analysis to aid in soil classification.

· Contractor will correlate properties of subsurface material and evaluate suitability of materials for re-use as fill on site.

· Contractor will prepare a geotechnical evaluation report to aid in the foundation design of the pedestrian bridge, and will include the following elements:

· Provide a description of subsurface conitions based on the exploration performed at the site and laboratory testing.

· Provide a brief description of the proposed structure and site grading, if available at the time of the report.

· Provide recommendations regarding suitable foundation types for the subsurface conditions encountered and a commentary on American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) provisions as they pertain to foundation design. Provide nomial and factored bearing pressure, an estimate of the anticipated total and differential settlements, and estimated bottom of footing elevation.

· Provide recommendation for lateral earth pressure for bridge abutments and wingwalls.

· Provide a seismic evaluation based on soil conditions encountered during subsurface exploration. Analysis will include evaluation of the liquefaction susceptibility of soils and identify design parameters as specified in the AASHTO Guide specifications for Load and Resistance Factor Design Seismic Bridge Design.

· Provide geotechnical construction recommendations, including excavation and backfilling, temporary excavatition support and dewatering, suitability of site soils for re-use as backfill, and subgrade preparation for proposed bridge foundation.

Preliminary Soils Environmental Characterization Concurrent with the geotechnical subsurface exploration, collect soil samples to submit to National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Conference (NELAC) accredited environmental laboratory for analysis of potential contaminants that may affect re-use of sediment as wetland or upland soils (to be place above MHW mark).

An estimated 2,500 cublic yards of soil from the berm will be excavated. Preffered disposal is to fill in the existing water control structure west of the berm, or as beneficial reuse in the restored impoundment to create higher elevation vegetated salt marsh.

Propose sampling frequency and method needed to characterize the observed soil stratas (depth, type of sediment: marsh deposit, fill, tidal flats, etc.) found during boring.

Following receipt of laboratory results, the data will be tabulated and compared to the following standards:

· MassDEP Massachusetts Contingency Plan (MCP) RCS-1 Reportable Concentrations of Oil and Hazardous Materials in Soil, established in 310 CMR 40.0361

· MassDEP identified background levels, established in MassDEP Technical Update “Background Levels of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Metals in Soil”

· Consensus-Based Sediment Quality Guidelines (Ecological Thresholds) – Threshold Effects Levels (TELs) and Probable Effects Levels (PELs) for Marine Sediment from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Screening Quick Reference Tables (SQuiRTs) and Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME), developed predominantly by MacDonald et al. (2000)

· MassDEP maximum allowable contaminant levels for sediment reuse at lined landfills, established in MassDEP Interim Policy COMM-94-007: Dredged Sediment Reuse or Disposal

· Background Levels of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Metals in Soil.

A narrative of the soils environmental characterization and recommendation for disposal will be incoprporated in the report.

4. Deliverables and/or Delivery Schedule: (for extended list a bid schedule and/or use of line item detail on the PR is recommended)

4.1 Clearly state the deliverables required, the schedule for delivery, the quantities, schedule (for multiple items).

The following deliverables will be submitted to USFWS by November 15, 2026, at the latest.

· Geotechnicalevaluation report, including boring logs and geotechnical laboratory results.

· A report on the environmental characterization of soils, results presented in tabular format compared to MassDEP standards, and recommendations for reuse or disposal.

4.2 Identify the type of documentation (printed and electronic-such as manuals) to be provided, as well as those quality indicators desired by the Government.

For laboratory results, please provide tabular data in excel and in PDF format. For reports and analyais, electronic versions can be emailed.

5. Data Management Plan (DMP) for Science Data Agency Reference. The general criteria is if the contract has a data collection component. Ideally, these requirements are flagged by the different program data stewards.

No Data Management Plan exist. Boring and sampling will follow all State and federal standards as outlined elsewhere in this Scope. Results from the environmental characterization will be incorporated into a Sediment Management Plan being developed for the restoration project.

5.1 Annotate if a DMP is being used for data collection, when data is collected for a decision document, when new data is collected in the field, or with continued data collection such as in annual surveys. If a DMP is not relevant for ADHOC or when downloading existing data from the internet so state. NOTE: The Project Lead or technical cognizant has used discretion as to whether or not a DMP is relevant or not relevant and has determined it to be ___relevant or _x__ not relevant .

5.2 If the Plan is to be a deliverable as a prerequisite to data collection, so state and note as a deliverable in the Deliverable Element (above). OR

5.3 If the Plan exists and will be available as Government Furnished Information, so state and note as GFI in the GFI Element (below) and attach or reference the Plan.

6. Government-Furnished Equipment (GFE) / Government-Furnished Information (GFI)

6.1 Identify any Government-furnished equipment (GPE) and Government furnished information (GFI) or note N/A

Background information on the project (including soil sampling plan for adjacent wetland soils) will be provided by the government if needed. No other government-furnished equipment provided.

6.2 Identify any limitations. Timing as access as provided in 2.0

7. Evaluation and Acceptance

7.1 The contractor will be evaluated as detailed herein. Government acceptance is contingent upon: the adherence of sampling and boring to federal and state stands as outlined in this Scope; review of report and tabular data provided by the contractor and sufficient details of soil characterization to proceed with bridge design; and to ascertain suitability of soil for beneficial resuse or if other disposal alternatives need to be pursued.

8. Quality Control/Quality Assurance:

8.1 For commercial supplies reference clauses for inspection and acceptance. Where appropriate, QC will be maintained according to industry standards and made available to the agency with the contractor’s proposal.

Quality Control/Assurance is adherence to bridge design and sediment control standards as established by MassDEP, EPA, NOAA, Federal Highway Administration.

8.2 Identify and detail measures for assessing quality control and acceptance; each requirement is unique and a table format is visually friendly and may be desirable.

9. Technical Coordinator:

9.1 Identify the primary individual responsible for the final product or service. This individual is ordinarily the author of this document, the Program Manager, or other. Include the Name, title, address, phone number and email for each individual.

Nancy Pau, Wildlife Biologist 6 Plum Island Turnpike Newburyport, MA 01950 Nancy_pau@fws.gov 978-572-5624 (office) 978-270-1539 (cell)

9.2 Identify the secondary or co-individual responsible with same pertinent information.