A04_SOW.doc

Duck Creek Basin, 2023 Cut/Hand Pile/Cover Performance Work Statement

A. Project Area Description and Location

The contractor is responsible for furnishing all labor, equipment, supervision, transportation, supplies and materials to treat 125 acres of cut, hand pile and covering the piles. All pinyon and juniper will be cut and piled, no other species are to be removed or damaged. Leave areas, acreage and boundaries may be altered prior to implementation of the project to mitigate sensitive resource concerns that may reduce the acreage.

Work under this Contract is located in White Pine County, State of Nevada. The project area is located in Duck Creek Basin along the west side of the Schell Creek Mountain Range (refer to attached Map). The area is typical Great Basin sagebrush communities with pinyon, juniper and mountain mahogany.

Access to the treatment area is along the Duck Creek Basin Highway State Route 486 which is a paved road that can be accessed from Highway 93 approximately 15 miles north of Ely. From this road there are a few improved and unimproved roads that intersect the treatment units. The treatment units are bordered on the western edge by private lands. Contractors wishing to cross private lands to access the treatment units will be responsible for securing permission.

Although the roads are in good condition and the terrain within the project areas is gentle, four-wheel drive vehicles are recommended due to the potential for unexpected inclement weather conditions.

There are no seasonal weather restrictions unless heavy rains occur or during periods of snow melt which may result in an intermittent work schedule due to muddy conditions. Work shall not occur if project implementation is creating excessive rutting. Roads will be considered impassable when saturated and access into the project area may be closed by the government during this time.

The following legal land descriptions apply:

· Township 18 North; Range 65 East; Sections 29 and 32; MDM.

· Township 17 North; Range 65 East; Sections 5; MDM.

The treatment area boundaries will be outlined on a map provided by the Government. The Contractor will be responsible for ensuring that they are within treatment boundaries by utilizing a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit. The contractor may flag the boundaries of the unit at their discretion however, the contractor would be responsible for the removal of all flagging. Leave areas and boundaries may be altered prior to implementation of the project to mitigate sensitive resource concerns.

It is recommended that potential bidders become familiar with access to and within the sites, the density of the trees to be cut and the trees to be left by unit, and the timing restrictions by unit (see Section C). There is a large variance in the density of the different tree species within the units. Pinyon and juniper is to be slashed and piled while mahogany will not be removed (see Section B.).

B. Specifications and Requirements

a. Cut/Hand Pile/Cover Cutting and piling will be conducted within the treatment units specified within the shapefile and the attached map. Trees shall be cut as specified within each treatment unit. Boles shall be cut as close to the ground as possible with a maximum height of 6 inches. Piles shall be constructed to be between 5 and 9 feet in diameter and 4 to 8 feet in height. Piles shall be placed as far as practical from other tree species not targeted and pinyon and juniper shall not be piled within 30 feet of live mountain mahogany within the treatment units. Areas where mahogany canopy cover does not permit this spacing and is not practicable, piles will be placed as far as possible from live mahogany.

Piles WILL be covered. Cover material shall be provided by Contractor. All piles shall be covered with a minimum of 6 foot by 6 foot piece of 4-mil polyethylene plastic, such that at least 80 percent of the pile's surface area shall be covered. All four corners and the middle of the plastic sheets shall be anchored with slash and/or other debris.

A requirement of no more than one live stem per acre remaining after treatment will be adhered to. If inspections indicate the quality of the work in all/some aspects does not meet this standard the unit will be reworked. Standard will be randomly sampled during inspections by the government representative via a transect and communicated to the contractor’s point of contact. The sampled areas may involve portions of a unit and not the entire unit and will be at the discretion of the government representative.

Contractors are to submit a single bid for each line item on a per acre basis using the table in Attachment 1.

Table 1 – Table of treatment units by line item, treatment and size.

C.

Environmental Considerations The project site shall be cleaned up, and all refuse removed to an approved landfill at the Contractor’s expense. The Contractor shall not disturb lands adjacent to the project site. Existing access roads and trails within the project area that are damaged by the Contractor shall be restored at the Contractor’s expense to the same condition they were in at the commencement of work. Stream channels, springs and other wet areas will be avoided by vehicles and heavy equipment.

Vehicles and other equipment used for implementation of the project shall be washed to remove any vegetation and potential noxious weed and invasive species parts prior to beginning the work and following completion of the work.

Due to wildlife restrictions, work may only occur between September 16th and February 28th on all units. Unit 3 will have additional timing restrictions from November 1st to February 28th. These timing restrictions shall be built into the proposal. No extensions to the performance period will be granted due to these timing restrictions. Waivers may be granted from November 1st through February 28th pending further agency consultation, but the contractor shall not include these dates when submitting a bid.

D. Work Camp

Camping will be allowed during project implementation only at sites approved by BLM in advance. All fire regulations and permits shall be followed. All garbage and refuse shall be removed from the camp site by the contractor within fifteen days of camp abandonment. Final payment will be reserved subject to inspection of these sites by BLM and approval of site cleanup.

E.

Pre-Work Conference

A pre-work conference will be held prior to the start of work, and within seven days of Contract award. The Contractor will be notified in advance of the meeting location, date and time. The purpose of the meeting will be to review the required work, the project location, project specifications, the work schedule, payroll and payments and administrative provisions of the Contract. The Contractor and the persons responsible for coordination of the work shall be present at the meeting. The Contractor shall be prepared to summarize and explain procedures planned for the project.

F.

Progress Meetings Meetings may be called by either the Contracting Officer or the Contractor. Meetings shall be held at the project site, or as determined by the Contracting Officer.

G.

Final Inspection

Final inspection for the project area shall be held at the project site or as otherwise mutually agreed by the Government and the Contractor. The Contractor shall notify the Government representative at least two (2) working days before the completion date, so the Government can schedule a final inspection. Final payment of the contract will be held pending the completion of a satisfactory final inspection of all associated areas.

H.

Measurement of Payment

Work will be measured and paid for by the number of acres within each treatment unit as that unit is completed. The total will be rounded up to the nearest whole acre. Once a treatment unit is complete the acreage completed may be billed for. Area measurements required under this Contract will be measured on a horizontal plane.

Prices and payment will be full compensation for the work described in this section. Payment will be made under the following:

The Contracting Officer or representative will make periodic inspections as a basis for progress payments and recommendations for adjustments in work quality. The Contractor or representative is encouraged to observe inspections at the time they are being made. Work performed according to the specifications will be considered acceptable for payment purposes.

I.

Performance Schedule Period of performance for this work shall begin as soon as possible following the award of the contract, not to exceed 30 days. The end of the performance period would be 1 calendar year from the award of the contract. The Contractor shall be required to start and complete the treatment area within the performance time identified above or as otherwise negotiated during the pre-work conference, provided weather conditions permit. If inclement weather conditions should occur prior to the Contractor completing the project, the Contractor shall be issued a stop work order and the project shall be completed as soon as weather conditions permit.

Due to wildlife restrictions, work may only in the timeframes as described in the environmental considerations.

Duck Creek Basin, Cut/Hand Pile/Cover 2023 Cut and Pile Performance Work Statement