A04_STATEMENT_OF_WORK_AND_MAPS_-_2022_VEGETATION_REMOVAL_revised_2.docx

MSTATEMENT OF WORK

Contract Specifications: VEGETATION REMOVAL, BIG BRANCH MARSH NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE (NWR) AND BOGUE CHITTO NWR (totaling estimated 960 acres)

Statement of Objectives: Mechanical clearing/mulching of selected midstory vegetation to the ground surface to remove hazardous fuels and hardwood debris from forested areas on Big Branch Marsh and Bogue Chitto NWR: Removal of this debris provides access for wildland firefighting and removed ladder fuels near urban areas and reduced the total fire fuel load in these urban areas, while encouraging pine dominated communities.

Scope of the contract:

Contractor shall furnish all labor, materials, equipment, tools, transportation, supervision, and supplies and perform all work necessary for the reduction of hazardous fuels and organic hardwood debris on refuge lands within designated areas on attached maps. No equipment or supplies will be furnished by the government. Contractor assumes all liability for work operating in or adjacent to public road right of ways.

The Contracting Officer reserves the right to substitute at the contract price the same type and amount of work in other areas similar in topography and conditions within the refuge boundaries shown on the maps in lieu of the original areas when it is determined by the Contracting Officer that the original areas or portions thereof are unsuitable or unavailable for performance of the specified work. The Contracting Officer reserves the right to reduce total acreage to encompass allocated funds for the project contract. Bids are to be received per acre and per unit.

Description of scope:

The contract areas consist of stands with variable density of trees, stems, and brush. The contract shall consist of up to approximately 960 acres of hardwood fuel and debris reduction which have been identified in 18 units within the boundaries of the Big Branch Marsh NWR and Bogue Chitto NWR (estimated 839 acres on Big Branch Marsh NWR and an estimated 121 acres on Bogue Chitto NWR). The areas are identified in Figures 1-14 below as line items and option items. The work area will be identified by refuge personnel as needed. Contractors may use smart phone or tablet APPS with georeferenced Adobe PDF maps to identify boundaries of each unit if not marked with fagging or paint. Prior to the beginning work, the contactor shall meet with refuge personnel for a site visit to identify the staging work areas.

In all identified areas for midstory fuel and debris reduction, the contactor shall completely clear/much all live hardwood trees less than 12 inch in diameter at DBH to be masticated to mineral soil, including all brush, except additional leave trees identified in this scope of work within each unit shall be retained unharmed. All downed dead trees shall be mulched in place within the treatment units. At least 95% of vegetation must be cut and downed by the contractor and will be mulched in place to 4" in chip diameter or less. Trees from 6" to 12" in diameter after cutting may be left in place after downing without mulching the bole. However, all vegetation left in place after mulching must be below 12" from ground height. Therefore, all tops must be mulched from downed trees. Contractor may cut pine less than 6 inches in diameter at DBH only to assist feasibility of travel throughout the forest as needed to access the hardwood vegetation. Otherwise, all pine trees are to be left unharmed, unless otherwise specified. Damage to residual pine trees and other identified leave trees from clearing operations shall not be greater than five (5) percent. Some sites, as identified below, allow for specific trees to be left uncut from 6” to 12” in diameter at breast height.

The Crew Supervisor shall be responsible for notifying the COR /GR within one week of treatment completion so that the area can be inspected. The Contractor shall be responsible for 100% treatment of the identified area.

The Contractor shall complete the treatment during the specified dates as directed by the COR/GR due to endangered species activity as directed by the refuge manager, refuge biologist or refuge forester and during wet soil conditions.

The Contractor shall coordinate with the Government to determine the date(s) and time(s) of treatment to minimize impacts on other Government activities and so refuge staff has time to close roads and trails in the treatment area prior to treatment beginning. Contractor must have work dates and a plan of work approved by the USFWS 48 hours prior to beginning work, preferably established during a face-to-face pre-work meeting.

The Contractor shall clean and wash equipment in accordance with Environmental Protection Agency and refuge guidelines to prevent the introduction of exotic flora and fauna onto the refuge. Refuge guidelines require all equipment to be pressure washed prior to entering refuge property. Prior to leaving the worksite for the day, the Contractor shall remove all equipment and materials associated with contract activities on government property unless approval has been granted by the Refuge Manager, COR or GR and/or a storage site has been identified.

This is not a land clearing operations and disturbance to mineral soil shall be kept to the minimum necessary for efficient operations. Work may be performed in very wet soils. Specialized equipment is required to avoid excessive soil disturbance. Equipment shall be wide tracked, with low ground pressure, and capable of maneuvering in very wet soils. Excessive soil disturbance will be determined by the Refuge Manager. In general, any rutting in excess of six (6) inches deep may be considered excessive. A site visit is recommended.

The contact will be performed within a two-year contract period from the issuance of the notice to proceed from the government, following the contract award and ending on September 30 of the second year. The awarding contractor must complete at least 50 % of the work area by October 30 of the first year after awarded. Work may be postponed due to inclement weather or high water for the purpose of preventing adverse impacts to the soils and access roads or for the convenience to the government. General cutting activities may be limited from October 30 through February 28 of each year due to hunting activities and wet ground conditions. The government may allow an extension of the contract term if it is determined that that contactor could not complete the contract within the normal contract period due to excessive inclement weather or government caused delays that exceed a total of 21 days. Preferred time period for the contract work is the late summer to early fall due to wet soils at other times of the year.

All trees and brush identified earlier, within the designated units, must be mulched, mowed, or compacted by machine to lie within 1 foot of the ground over the entire contract area. All vegetation must be cut to mineral soil level. Tops laid into streams or along roads and firelines must be pulled back or completely mulched by the contractor. No materials shall be cut and allowed to remain on private land. If fences or non-refuge property are damaged, same shall be repaired or replaced immediately by the contractor in a manner satisfactorily to the property owner, at no additional expense to the government.

Location:

The contract area is in St. Tammany Parish in Louisiana and Pearl River County, Mississippi. See accompanying maps. Georeferenced PDF maps will be provided to the bidders for each bid location for real time identification using smart phone/tablets with georeferenced APPS such as Adobe Avenza Maps.

Type and amount of Equipment proposed

Submit with your bid the type of equipment proposed and the number of each piece of equipment proposed to be used. Preferred method of treatment will be by low ground pressure tracked equipment. The government is open to alternative method of treatment by low ground pressure equipment but must be approved prior to commencement of work. All work must be done according to work statement, equipment capability restrictions and any local and state regulations. The government will select the proposed bid that provides best value for the government including equipment used and ability to complete the job within the performance period and restrictions hereunder.

Line Item 10; bid per acre:

Big Branch Marsh NWR. Oaklawn Units (76 and 132 acres). Total bid is for 208 acres in line item 10.

Figure 1. Location of Oaklawn Unit brushcut area on Big Branch Marsh NWR, located in St Tammany Parish, LA.

Line Item 20; bid per acre:

Big Branch Marsh NWR. Boy Scout trail brush cutting unit (54 acres).

Figure 2. Location of Boy Scout trail unit brushcut area on Big Branch Marsh NWR, located in St Tammany Parish, LA.

Line Item 30; bid per acre:

Big Branch Marsh NWR. Sapsucker brush cutting unit (16 acres).

Figure 3. Location of Sapsucker unit brushcut area on Big Branch Marsh NWR, located in St Tammany Parish, LA.

Line item 40; bid per acre: Mossler M South (130 acres). A ½ acre hardwood hummock within the unit on the south end of the unit will not be treated. Where opening between pine trees that are sawtimber sized (12” DBH or greater) are greater than 1 acre in size and the presence of straight 6-12 in DBH (pole class) oak trees (Quercus sp.) exist, those pole class oaks will not be treated and must remain unharmed. In addition, all mayhaw (Crataegus sp.) trees within the unit will be left untreated within this unit.

Figure 4. Location of Mossler M South brushcut unit, located in St Tammany Parish, LA.

Line item 50: bid per acre: Mossler R North brush unit (74 acres). Where openings between sawtimber sized (12” DBH or greater) pine trees are greater than 1 acre in size and the presence of straight 6-12 in DBH (pole class) oak trees (Quercus sp.) exist, those pole class oaks will not be treated and must remain unharmed.

Figure 5. Location of Mossler R North brushcut unit, located in St Tammany Parish, LA.

Line item 60: bid per acre: Mossler V brush cut unit (63 acres).

Figure 6. Location of Mossler V brushcut unit, located in St Tammany Parish, LA.

Line 70: bid per acre: Bremmerman: Unit A (33 acres): Unit B (15 acres): Total bid for the Bremmerman units is 48 acres.

Figure 7. Location of Bremmerman brushcut units, located in St Tammany Parish, LA.

In the Bremmerman brushcut units, retain all oaks from brushcutting or damage between 6” diameter and 12” diameter in addition to all hardwoods greater than 12” diameter and all pines. Unit must only be cut when extremely dry and generally when Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) is above 500.

Line Item 80: Bid Per Acre: Mossler P brushcut unit (160 acres).

Figure 8. Location of Mossler P brushcut unit, located in St Tammany Parish, LA.

Within the Mossler P brushcut unit, all previously described scope of work ap0plies, except, all oak trees greater than 6” diameter at breast height (DBH) must be retained without damage and all mayhaw (Crataegus Aestivalis) trees. Some mayhaw trees were marked to aid in ease of identification. Unit must only be cut when extremely dry and generally when Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) is above 500.

Bogue Chitto NWR brushcut units:

Line Item 90: bid per acre: Company Road brushcut units: (40 acres and 48 acres). Total bid for the company road brushcut units is for 88 acres.

Leave all hardwoods greater than 6” diameter at breast height uncut and undamaged.

Figure 9. Location of Company Road brush cut units in Pearl River County, Mississippi.

Bogue Chitto NWR brushcut unit:

Option Item 01: bid per acre: Dot Burge brushcut unit (19 acres).

Figure 10. Location of Dot Burge brush cut unit, located in Pearl River County, Mississippi.

Bogue Chitto NWR brushcut unit:

Option Item 02: bid per acre: Pink Smith brushcut unit (14 acres).

Figure 11. Location of Pink Smith brushcut unit, located in Pearl River County, MS

Big Branch Marsh NWR brushcut unit:

Option Item 03: Bid Per Acre: Mossler F brushcut unit (4 acres)

Figure 12. Location of Mossler F brushcut unit, located in St Tammany Parish, LA.

Option Item 04; bid per acre: Mossler I (23.5 acres) and L (17 acres) brushcut units. Total bid is for 40.5 acres in line item 50.

Figure 5. Location of Mossler I and L brushcut units, located in St Tammany Parish, LA.

Option Item 05: bid per acre:

Mossler G brushcut unit: 42 acres.

Figure 10. Location of Mossler G brushcut unit, located in St Tammany Parish, LA.

End of Scope of Work.

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