A04_SOW.pdf

STATEMENT OF WORK

HERBICIDE TREATMENT

SOUTHERN NEVADA DISTRICT OFFICE

Sloan Herbicide Fuel Break

1.0 GENERAL INFORMATION AND REQUIREMENTS

A. INTRODUCTION

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is acquiring vegetation treatment services in the Sloan Shooting area which is administered by the Southern Nevada BLM District Office. The work consists of applying a pre-emergent herbicide fuel break in a select location on BLM-administered lands for the control of invasive annual grass such as red brome (Bromus Rubens) and cheatgrass (Bromus Tectorum). Ground-based application will not be permitted due to the potential to cause additional ground disturbance, the likelihood of spreading weeds and impacts to designated critical desert tortoise habitat (Gopherus Agassizii) stirring up the high concentration of lead from ammunition. The project area is located along Interstate Highway 15 and Las Vegas Boulevard and includes 1,473 acres of area needing treatment. There are 3 discontiguous sections needing treatment; the north most section is 385 acres, the central portion is 725 acres and the southern-most segment is 363 acres for a total of 1,473 acres. The location of work is approximately 5 miles south of Las Vegas and 3.74 miles south of the Speed Vegas racing track to the road access to the central segment. The project area is depicted on the Vicinity Map.

Applicable Directives

The Contractor shall hold a current Nevada Commercial Applicator License for the application of pesticides in the weed control category appropriate for the application type. Proof of licensing shall be provided with the quote package. All vegetation control measures shall comply with the provisions outlined in the Record of Decision for the Vegetation Treatments Using Herbicides on Bureau of Land Management Lands in 17 Western States Programmatic EIS, (September 2007 and 2016), DOI-BLM-NV-S010-2019-0053-EA Uplands Herbicide Use, and all applicable federal, state, and local regulations.

Location and Description

Vicinity and Project Maps showing the project area in which the treatment unit will be located are attached. The Contractor shall avoid treating areas outside of identified work areas. The project area is approximately 2-4 miles south of Las Vegas, Nevada. See attached map.

1. Treat 1,473 acres of BLM-managed public lands using approved pre-emergent herbicide to control invasive annual grass such as cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) or red brome (Bromus rubens) in popular firearm shooting areas.

B. SPECIFICATIONS

GENERAL

It is required that the areas identified on the attached Location Map, and as described in the Statement of Work, be treated in accordance with the specifications for the unit. The Contractor shall treat the designated area in conformance with the specifications. Unless otherwise specified, the Contractor shall furnish at worksites all equipment, labor, supplies, and materials required to complete the job. The Contractor shall be responsible for service and repair equipment as necessary to maintain satisfactory progress on work.

GPS REQUIREMENTS

1. GPS/ARC/INFO compatible navigation system: Equipment shall be equipped with a GPS Guidance/Tracking system capable of accepting and utilizing ARC/INFO GIS Shapefiles and of directly supplying Shapefiles of treatment coverage to the U. S. Government upon completion of each treated area.

2. Differentially Corrected Global Positioning System (DGPS): DGPS is required for tracking and data collection. The Contractor shall provide all guidance equipment, materials, computers, printers, personnel, and services required for the system to be used. The system shall be sufficiently sensitive to provide immediate deviation indications (real-time). The DGPS system must be capable of determining a differentially corrected location with an error of no more than one to two meters in the horizontal plane. The guidance system shall be capable of updating the current position at a rate of a minimum of one time per second. Differential correction must cover the complete operational area. During operation, differentially corrected signals must be accurately recorded at least 90% of the operational time. Differential correction may be provided by a portable differential station, FM radio fixed towers or satellite. Software provided with DGPS must be designed for parallel offset in increments equal to the assigned swath width of the application equipment.

3. Equipment Requirements:

a. Software: Software provided with DGPS must be designed for parallel offset in increments equal to the assigned swath width of the application equipment.

b. Project Log: Must be capable of a minimum rate of one-second logging intervals. The full record includes position, time altitude, speed, track, application system on/off, job name/number, and differential correction status. The computer program must be capable of calculating and showing the total acres treated during the application and capable of downloading to a computer for analysis and review. The project log must show and differentiate between spray-on and spray-off when viewed on a computer monitor or printer. Export files of each project log shall be provided electronically and must be compatible with ArcView or ARC-INFO GIS system. The

Contractor may provide software that is compatible, and which will enable the files to convert into viewable files for ArcView or ARC-INFO GIS. The Contractor shall provide project log data at the end of each day’s application. Additionally, the contractor shall, upon request by the COR or Project Inspector, be able to supply project log data on a USB memory drive for review at any time during the contract. The contract will not be considered complete until the data has been reviewed and deemed complete with no skips in the sprayed areas. The DGPS system must be capable of zooming in on any portion of the treatment to view a specific area with greater detail.

c. Hardware: Visual Display Monitor and Control Keypad: (1) Capable of displaying swath width over project path; (2) mounted in a location that will allow the applicator to view the screen; (3) have a method to display nested polygons to indicate sensitive or no-spray areas within or adjacent to treatment blocks; (4) have a feature that allows the applicator to return to the exact location of application shutdown and complete application without omitted or doubled treated areas; (5) be able to input reference waypoints (A-B line); (6) have a feature which alerts applicator when they are about to enter or exit a specific treatment block or an exclusion area within a block.

d. Course Deviation Indicator (CDI): The course deviation indicator or course deviation light must have the capability to display both cross-track errors and intercept angle to the desired heading. Cross-track error shall be adjustable down to one foot.

e. Memory: Must be capable of storing up to ten hours of continuous project log data.

f. Log: Must be capable of calculating and showing total acres treated during treatment, must show the entire track of the equipment from beginning to end, and differentiate between spray drop-on and spray drop-off. A color printout and Export files shall be provided on a standard removable drive, USB Drive, or other appropriate media approved by the contracting officer and the Southern Nevada BLM District Office and must be compatible with ARC/INFO GIS.

Shapefiles are the required file format.

SPECIFIC TASKS

1. Contractor shall provide a completed Pesticide Application Record (PAR) for the treated site (see attached). At a minimum, one PAR per day must be completed. Each PAR will match the corresponding project log data. The contractor must, upon request by the Contracting Officers Representative (COR) or Project Inspector (PI), be able to supply PARs for review at any time during the contract. The Contractor shall submit final PARs no later than two weeks after applying the herbicide specified in this contract.

2. An ESRI ArcGIS shapefile/project log containing treated areas is required daily. The shapefile will be in Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) Zone 11 datum NAD83. Contact information (e.g., email and phone number) for whom the Contractor shall provide project log data will be given to the Contractor during the Pre-Work Conference.

3. Herbicide will be applied utilizing water as a carrier, with no less than eight gallons/acre of tank- mix applied.

4. All roads (public and private) damaged or opened by the Contractor shall be restored at no cost to the U. S. Government to their condition before commencement of work.

5. Adhere to minimization and mitigation measures established by DOI-BLM-NV-2010-2019- 0053-EA Decision Record as applicable.

6. Contractor shall be responsible for managing public access to the project areas during treatment activities (e.g., signage).

7. If sensitive, endangered, or threatened species (plant or animal) are discovered within the treatment area the contractor is to immediately notify the COR. The project area is within the designated critical habitat for the desert tortoise it is ideal to spray during the desert tortoise inactive season (November 15-February 28). Ideal months of application are largely dependent on timing of moisture and germination of targeted invasive grasses since a preemergent will be applied. Ideally contract would be implemented November, December of 2023, or January of 2024. Temperature is an indicator of when tortoises are active as well, if temperatures are 65 degrees Fahrenheit or cooler, tortoises will likely not be actively moving across the project area.

The U. S. Government may issue a suspend work and/or partially terminate any portion of the work due to discoveries of sensitive, threatened, endangered species or archeological sites during contract operations.

8. One active ingredient is approved for this project- Imazapic also know under the trade names;

Plateau and Alligare Panoramic 2SL. Any approved BLM colorant may be used as an adjuvant.

Herbicide shall not be applied within 100 feet (31 meters) of water sources (troughs, ponds, open water). Upland areas are any non-riparian areas throughout the district and are at least 656 feet (200 meters) away from standing water. Contractor is expected to apply the herbicide consistent with the maps and shapefiles provided by the BLM.

9. Eye-level wind velocities for chemical applications of herbicides must be six mph or less at the application site. The contractor is responsible for checking site conditions at the project area using a device that provides quantitative data that is not subjective (for example a Kestrel).

10. Liquid application shall not be made during a rainstorm, snowstorm, or when the ground is frozen.

11. Contractor is responsible for the identification and avoidance of any ground and aerial hazards.

12. Spray strips shall be patterned in such a manner as to secure as high a uniformity of herbicide distribution as possible.

13. DGPS navigation unit shall ensure straight and regular application paths. Irregular paths will result in an immediate stoppage of work. Corrective action shall be taken immediately by the contractor to ensure evenly spaced, straight, and regular paths and complete coverage of areas included in the spraying activity. The entire surface within the designated boundaries of the project area shall receive uniform coverage with herbicide except for areas excluded by the U. S.

Government. Areas excluded from the herbicide operation within the designated boundaries, will not be included in the acreage computed for payment. Dispersal methods must be able to obtain proper distribution and uniform coverage of herbicide.

2.0 PROPERTY AND SERVICES

A. CONTRACTOR FURNISHED PROPERTY AND SERVICES

1. The contractor shall furnish all labor, equipment, fuel, chemical, water (for application), supervision, supplies, and incidentals to perform all work as outlined in the specifications. The contractor will be responsible for the transportation and storage of the supplies and equipment used for the project.

2. The Contractor shall be responsible for safely transporting, storing, and disposal of the herbicide (and disposal of herbicide containers).

a. The Contractor is responsible for ensuring that the application of the herbicide meets all label specifications and complies with all Federal, State, and Local regulations (most restrictive of these shall be followed). The contractor shall be responsible for cleanup of accidental spills, following proper handling and storage precautions, and ensuring proper exposure control and personal protection is provided as defined by the herbicide label and Safety Data Sheets.

3. Approved Herbicides and Adjuvants:

The prescribed herbicides will have the following EPA registration numbers and are approved for use on BLM lands:

a. For Imazapic, Plateau 241-365 or Panoramic 2SL 66222-141-81927. Rate: 6 Fluid ounces/acre (must be equivalent to 0.141 lbs. acid equivalent/ acre). Adjutants may be used and would need to be only one of the BLM approved colorants. Contractor must comply with the product label during use, application, and storage as required by BLM, Herbicide Treatment Standard Operating Procedures (attached 9011 Chemical Pest Control).

GOVERNMENT-FURNISHED PROPERTY

The U. S. Government will provide maps with the project area boundaries, and shapefiles of the project area boundaries (for GPS upload). The government will not be responsible for loading this information onto Contractor devices or equipment.

3.0 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

A. FIELD QUALITY CONTROL

1. The COR/PI will monitor to determine the uniformity of herbicide application. Randomly placed drift cards will be utilized. If less than 90% of drift cards show herbicide coverage, the contractor will be required to treat those areas at no additional cost to the U. S. Government.

2. The U. S. Government reserves the right to stop treatment operations at any time when conditions are considered sufficiently unfavorable to warrant stoppage. Stoppage shall continue until operations are again authorized by the U. S. Government.

B. EXPECTED DELIVERY OR PERFORMANCE TIMES

1. The period of performance begins on the date of award to excluding the months desert tortoise inactive season and they are subterranean (November 15 through February 28). The U. S.

Government’s preference is to start and complete the project as rapidly as practical, however, due to weather conditions during this time, soil moisture, soil temperature, and timeframes may need to be re-negotiated.

2. There will be a Pre-Work conference before the start of the project at an agreed-upon date between the COR/PI and the Contractor. At the pre-work conference, the Contractor shall provide the COR with a written “work progress” plan that details his/her proposed workforce and schedule to provide for the orderly completion of the work within the contract performance times. This work schedule must be acceptable to the U. S. Government. At a minimum, the schedule should reflect a work progress rate equal to the available amount of contract performance time. The unit sequence work schedule will be determined by the COR at the prework conference but may be subject to change because of normal variations in weather conditions.

3. The Contractor shall begin work within seven calendar days from the effective notice to proceed. The Contractor shall continue performance of the work under the contract without delay or interruption except by causes beyond the contractor’s control as defined by contract clauses, or by the receipt of a “Suspend Work Order” issued by the U. S. Government.

4. The Contractor shall contact the authorized BLM Contracting Officers Representative or Project Inspector (COR/PI) 72 hours before implementing any work specified in this contract.

C. CONTRACTING OFFICER’S REPRESENTATIVE (COR) AND/OR

PROJECT INSPECTOR (PI)

The COR and/or PI will be appointed by the Contracting Officer upon award of the contract.

Such COR/PI will be responsible for giving the contractor any special instructions or guidance necessary to complete delivery as required by the contract. The COR or PI does not have the authority to modify or in any way amend the terms of this contract.

D. PRE-QUOTE TOUR

A site visit to the contract area will not be conducted. The project area is in a publicly accessible location. It is at the offerors’ discretion to view the project area 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 priced and obtainable. In no event shall failure to inspect the site constitute grounds for a claim after contract award.

E. SAFETY

The contractor is responsible for providing a safety plan that identifies a point of contact in the event of an accident. The plan should include names and emergency phone numbers for personnel and facilities to contact, including Flight For Life/Life Flight/Care Flight, etc., in case an emergency warrants such actions. The plan should also include a description of onsite emergency procedures to follow in case of an accident. The plan should identify the insurance company providing coverage and the pertinent group coverage number.

It is the responsibility of the Contractor to identify all hazards within the work area. The Contractor shall take all appropriate precautions. The Contractor shall be responsible if chemical spills occur. The Contractor shall report spills and accidents immediately to the BLM authorized officers and appropriate local authorities. The Contractor shall provide immediate treatment of contaminated or injured persons and seek professional medical attention when necessary. The Contractor shall control chemical spills quickly and shall secure additional help when the Contractor cannot effectively or safely handle the spill cleanup. Spills will be the responsibility of the Contractor and shall be cleaned up to the satisfaction of the local authorities.

The Sloan Shooting area has extensive past and present use of firearms, leading to at least two hazards: people firing weapons and lead bullets concentrated in the area. The first hazard is easy to mitigate by clearing the area of the public from shooters using law enforcement. The hazards from high concentrations of lead are best avoided by limiting the time working in the area and by not disturbing the soils in the area by using the proper equipment.

4.0 CONTRACT TYPE

The BLM anticipates awarding a firm fixed price contract for this project.

5.0 TRAVEL

Approved allowable and allocable travel costs associated with the performance of the contract will be reimbursed. Contractor costs incurred for travel will be considered reasonable and allowable only to the extent they do not exceed daily maximum per diem rates in effect at the time of travel as set forth in the Federal Travel Regulations (FTR). As such, estimated allowable and allocable travel costs shall be included in the contract pricing when travel is anticipated.

Costs incurred for transportation and per diem (lodging, meals and incidental expenses) will be billed in accordance with the regulatory implementation of Public Law 99-234, FAR 31.205-46 Travel Costs. These costs are directly reimbursable.

The Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer for reimbursement of transportation and per diem expenses, prior to traveling.

The Government shall not be charged G&A fees for any travel. Contractor shall be reimbursed only for incurred costs at or below the “not to exceed” amount specified on the contract. Costs for transportation, lodging, meals, and incidental expenses incurred by contractor personnel on official company business are allowable subject to the limitations contained in FAR 31.205-46 Travel Costs