A04_SOW.docx

Statement of Work Egan Johnson Basins 2023 Lop & Scatter General Information and Requirements Description of Work The contractor is responsible for furnishing all labor, equipment, supervision, transportation, supplies and materials to manually lop and scatter pinyon pine and juniper from 2,846 acres. All live and standing dead skeletons of pinyon pine and juniper trees (regardless of size) must be removed. 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.

Contractors are to submit a bid for each unit in accordance with Table 1. Bids are to be submitted on a cost per acre basis.

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

Total

2,846

Work Layout

The Government will provide a map to the Contractor with the treatment area boundaries (outside perimeter, islands, etc.) necessary for the work executed under the Contract. The Government will provide a shapefile (for upload on GPS or other) or georeferenced map of the project area boundary to the Contractor. A map with avoidance areas (cultural resources; springs; structural range improvements; cadastral markers such as sections corners, quarter corners, mining claims, etc.) will be provided to the contractor. Any range improvements or avoidance structures/resources disturbed or removed during operations shall be reset at the Contractor’s expense.

Location and Access to Work Sites Work under this Contract is located in White Pine County, State of Nevada, approximately 60 miles northwest of Ely, NV, approximately six miles west and nine miles southwest of Cherry Creek, NV. The project area is located in Egan Basin and Johnson Spring Basin in the Cherry Creek Range (refer to attached maps).

Treatment areas can be accessed by three primary methods:

1) Travel north approximately 46 miles along US Highway 93 and turn west onto State Highway 489 (White Pine County Road 21). Follow State Highway 489 west for approximately 9 miles toward Cherry Creek Town. From Cherry Creek Town, drive approximately 5 miles through Cherry Creek Canyon to the treatment area.

2) Travel north approximately 40 miles along US Highway 93 and turn west onto Schellbourne Road (White Pine County Road 18). Follow Schellbourne Road for approximately 10 miles to Egan Road (White Pine County Road 23). Once in Egan Basin, follow the Pony Express Road approximately 2.5 miles northwest or 1 mile west to the treatment area.

3) Travel west approximately 19 miles along US Highway 50 and turn north onto Thirty Mile Road (White Pine County Road 17). Follow Thirty Mile Road for approximately 3 miles. Continue northeast through Butte Valley for approximately 30 miles to the treatment area.

It is recommended using a four-wheel drive vehicle due to the potential for unexpected inclement weather conditions and for travel along the two-track roads within the project area.

The following legal land descriptions apply:

· Township 23 North; Range 61 East; Sections 2, 3, 12, & 13

· Township 23 North; Range 62 East; Sections 4, 9, 16, 21, 22, 28

· Township 24 North; Range 61 East; Section 35

· Township 24 North; Range 62 East; Sections 5-8, 16-21, 29, 30, 32-34 Environmental Considerations

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.

Roads will be considered impassible when saturated, or when there are deep snow drifts, or during periods of heavy snowfall and access into the project area may be closed by the government during this time.

Due to timing restrictions for sensitive resources, work will not occur from March 1 to July 1. These timing restrictions shall be built into the proposal. No extensions to the performance period will be granted due to these timing restrictions.

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. Other avoidance areas shown on the map should be avoided by vehicles and machinery unless authorized by the government.

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

PROJECT MEETINGS

Pre-Work Conference A pre-work conference will be held prior to the start of work. The Contractor and the Government will coordinate to determine meeting location, project specifications, work schedule, payments and administrative provisions of the Contract. 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.

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.

Final Inspection The meeting shall be held at the project site, or as determined by the Contracting Officer Representative. The Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer 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.

Government Furnished and contractor furnished Property Materials Furnished by the Government The Government will provide a map and shapefile (for GPS upload) with the project area boundaries, and avoidance areas. Maps provided within this statement of work represent a general depiction of the work area boundaries, but some minor changes could occur prior to the initiation of work. Tree densities, terrain and geographic area will be similar to those depicted within the units on the attached maps.

Equipment Furnished by the Contractor The contractor shall be responsible for providing all labor, equipment, supervision, transportation, supplies and materials to complete the work described for the duration of the project.

The contractor will at a minimum provide a functioning device (e.g., GPS or tablet) capable of downloading shapefiles or georeferenced maps and displaying them in a manner that can be navigated by the Contractor’s personnel. It is expected that the individual assigned by the Contractor who is responsible for using the navigation device to follow and/or mark project area boundaries will be able to operate and troubleshoot the device.

Measurement and Payment Measurement of Payment Work will be measured and paid for by the number of acres within each treatment unit (see Attachment 1) 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, and invoice for that unit may be submitted. Area measurements required under this Contract will be measured on a horizontal plane and recorded with a GPS unit.

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

The Contracting Officer 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.

Specifications and Requirements

Methods

· Trees to be cut are pinyon pine and juniper.

· 100% of live and standing dead skeletons of pinyon pine and juniper trees (regardless of size) shall be completely severed at the stump and will be left on site.

· Stump height not to exceed 6 inches from the ground on the uphill side.

· Slash shall be scattered with a maximum height of 36 inched above ground level or the height of the surrounding shrubs (whichever is higher).

· Stumps shall be cut where there are no living branches, bark, or other parts of the tree left attached. All limbs below the cutting point must be removed from the bole. Whips and low branches left at the base or stump are unacceptable and will require correction at Contractor’s cost.

· Boles and branches over 6 inches in diameter must be cut into lengths no more than 4 feet in length.

· Large boles and branches that exceed 12 inches in diameter may be longer than 4 feet such that they are completely severed from the ground and smaller branches are removed.

· Lop and scatter crews may be shut down if snow accumulation reaches depths that hide young/small trees or prevents safe access to the treatment areas.

· The contractor may flag the boundaries of the unit at their discretion however, the contractor would be responsible for the removal of all flagging.

· 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 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 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.

· Cutting and slashing will occur to trees that are part of a fence line, unless damage to the fence will occur. Slash shall be pulled back at a minimum or 5 feet from the fence line to allow travel for wildlife.

· Any tree that is severed/slashed and blocks any road, two-track, trail, or barrow ditch/road cut shall be moved to allow travel by vehicles or UTV/ATV and upkeep of roads. Contractor shall keep roads clear and free from cut trees at the end of each working day.

Loading, Unloading and Transporting Property Loading and unloading of equipment would occur on established roads or within the treatment units.

Overland travel may be authorized by the BLM to transport fuel with UTVs/ATVs to saw crews within the treatment units. This will be determined on a unit-by-unit basis.

Equipment Maintenance and Repairs The Contractor is responsible for all maintenance and repairs of Contractor furnished equipment. The Contractor shall complete sufficient maintenance of the equipment to prevent down-time on the project sites. The Contractor is responsible for all maintenance measures to ensure proper functionality and for safety precautions.

Performance Schedule Period of performance for this work shall begin as soon as possible following the initial award of the contract, not to exceed 30 days, within the appropriate treatment timeframes (see Environmental Considerations). The end of the performance period will be November 15, 2024.

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.

Map 1. Treatment Area Location Map

Map 2. Treatment Area Topographic Map

Map 3. Treatment Area Aerial View Map

Map 4. Treatment Area Land Status Map

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