A04_-_Statement_of_Work_-_Herbicide_Application.pdf

STATEMENT OF WORK

Phragmites Chemical Treatment

Kirwin National Wildlife Refuge 703 E Xavier Rd, Kirwin 67644

1. General:

1.1 In General

This is an invasive species management project intended to chemically treat phragmites infestations at Kirwin National Wildlife Refuge (Kirwin NWR). Treatment methods shall account for terrain, vegetation density, surface water, soil conditions, access limitations, and environmental sensitivity within the designated treatment areas. The selected application equipment must be capable of operating effectively across variable terrain and within irregularly shaped treatment areas, providing adequate maneuverability, precision, and coverage to treat target vegetation while minimizing impacts to non-target vegetation, soils, surface water, and sensitive areas. Equipment and application methods shall allow the operator to navigate around natural features, vegetation, and other site-specific obstacles while maintaining accurate application and minimizing herbicide drift.

Increasing infestations also produces dense biomass and ladder fuels that elevate wildfire risk within wetland and riparian units, making targeted removal of phragmites an important component of hazardous fuels reduction and overall habitat protection.

1.2 Purpose/End Application:

Kirwin National Wildlife Refuge supports an abundance of native wetland habitat that phragmites (Phragmites australis) or “common reed” has invaded. Phragmites is a highly invasive, non-native perennial grass that grows in monotypic stands up to 20 feet tall. It spreads rapidly through dense seedheads and by root systems and rhizomes which extend underground far beyond the observable stand. Phragmites outcompetes native species for water, nutrients, and space, dominating the habitat and destroying wetland biodiversity.

The purpose of Kirwin NWR is the conservation, maintenance, and management of wildlife resources and habitat, with an emphasis on migratory birds. The growing phragmites infestations on Kirwin NWR are compromising the refuge’s capacity to provide food, water, and resting areas for migratory waterfowl and shorebirds. This project will address early detection of new stands and recolonization, as well as rapid response to reduce further spread.

While native plant recovery may be minimal in the short-term (1-2 years), we expect a reduction in phragmites, facilitating the return of diverse plant communities and a healthier habitat in the long-term (3-5+ years). Combining chemical treatment with other techniques, such as livestock grazing and prescribed burning, will strengthen treatment effectiveness, restore wetlands, and improve habitat for migratory birds.

At Kirwin NWR, designated treatment areas occur within and adjacent to wetland and shoreline habitats, including areas with uneven or sloping terrain, saturated soils, exposed sand or mud, open water, embankments, and dense vegetation. Side-slope hazards, natural drops-offs, surface irregularities, and variable soil conditions make access to portions of the treatment areas impractical and potentially dangerous. Areas of bare mud or loose sand may present a risk of equipment becoming stuck or losing traction, particularly when soil conditions are wet. Dense stands of cottonwood saplings and other woody vegetation may further restrict maneuverability and limit access to individual target plants within otherwise accessible treatment areas. In addition, portions of the treatment areas are located near the reservoir shoreline, where application activities must be conducted with particular care to avoid herbicide drift or unintended application to open water. The method of chemical treatment should provide the maneuverability and controlled application needed to effectively treat target vegetation while limiting the need for equipment to travel through wetland and shoreline habitats and minimizing impacts to non-target vegetation, soils, and surface water.

1.3 Contractor Qualifications:

The Contractor must comply with all laws, regulations, licenses, certifications, and safety requirements applicable to their proposed application method. The Contractor shall address key safety considerations, including field emergency communications, maintenance of an emergency contact list, first-aid readiness, use of personal protective equipment, proper equipment fueling procedures, fire prevention and suppression measures, and protection of public safety. All work shall be conducted in a manner that minimizes risk to both personnel and the public. The Contractor is responsible for obtaining all required local, state, and federal permits and licenses, and for paying any associated fees, in accordance with the contract.

1.4 Other:

Contractors shall provide a technical approach demonstrating relevant training and experience in chemical treatment services. Refuge staff strongly recommend that prospective contractors conduct a site visit prior to submitting a bid to fully understand the project scope, site conditions, and operational requirements.

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

2.1 Place of Performance:

Work will be conducted at Kirwin National Wildlife Refuge, a 10,778-acre refuge located in Phillips County, Kansas, within the rolling hills and narrow valley of the North Fork of the Solomon River. Refuge headquarters are located at 702 E. Xavier Road, Kirwin, KS 67644.

Terrain and surface conditions within project areas may include rolling or sloping ground, wetland soils, shoreline margins, drainage features, embankments with natural drops-offs, infrastructure, and dense stands of vegetation. These conditions may limit safe and effective access to portions of the treatment areas and make precise chemical application difficult in areas where physical access is constrained. For example, the spillway area of Kirwin Dam, within the Bureau of Reclamation management area, includes infrastructure and areas adjacent to open water. Access to the spillway requires traversing steeply sloped concrete surfaces to reach the bottom where the phragmites infestation is located, creating additional logistical and safety concerns. Application methods should be capable of effectively treating target vegetation in these difficult-to-access areas while maintaining appropriate control over application and minimizing exposure to non-target areas.

Unnecessary disturbance to soils, vegetation, wetland and shoreline habitats, and surface water shall be avoided. Chemical application methods should be selected based on site-specific conditions and should minimize the need for physical access within sensitive or hazardous areas while providing adequate coverage and precise application of the treatment.

Site conditions at the refuge will vary depending on precipitation, soil characteristics, and surface and groundwater conditions. These conditions will be evaluated to ensure safe application operations and proper chemical treatment. These descriptions are not intended to represent a comprehensive assessment of site conditions.

Project areas are open to the public and may be adjacent to private lands. Prospective contractors are strongly encouraged to conduct a site visit prior to bidding to fully understand site conditions and project requirements. Site visits shall be coordinated with the Station Manager to address questions and facilitate access.

2.2 Period of Performance:

Proper timing of treatment is critical to project success and the protection of species within the treatment areas.

Kirwin NWR: The authorized Period of Performance is August of 2026 through October of 2026, prior to the first frost (2026). The preferred treatment window is late August of 2026 through September of 2026. October operations may be more constrained due to fall migration activities.

All work shall be conducted during daylight hours only; operations from sunset to sunrise are prohibited. Work may occur during Normal or Non-Duty Hours, provided coordination has occurred in advance with the Station Manager and approval is obtained from the Contracting Officer.

Because project areas are located on lands open to hunting and other public uses, work schedules may need to be adjusted to minimize conflicts with refuge visitors.

Exclusion Requirement: Kirwin National Wildlife Refuge provides critical stopover habitat for the endangered whooping crane (Grus americana). If whooping cranes are observed on the refuge, all operations shall cease immediately. While cranes typically arrive in early November, earlier arrival is possible depending on annual migration patterns.

A Notice to Proceed will be issued only after contract award and authorization by the Contracting Officer. All work must be completed within the established Period of Performance unless a schedule modification is approved by the Station Manager and the Contracting Officer. Contract extensions may be granted when justified and supported by required documentation (see Section 4.2).

2.3 Normal Duty Hours

Normal duty hours for both refuges are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., excluding Federal holidays. Refuge access is available 24 hours per day; however, night operations are prohibited. All treatment activities must comply with herbicide label requirements and be conducted under appropriate environmental conditions. The contractor shall provide emergency contact information to the Station Manager prior to commencing work.

2.4 Non-Duty Hours

Non-duty hours include week nights, weekends, and Government holidays (New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans’ Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day).

3. Scope The Contractor shall treat approximately 211 acres of phragmites infestations at Kirwin National Wildlife Refuge (see attached maps).

The Contractor shall furnish all labor, equipment, herbicides labeled for aquatic use and containing the active ingredient imazapyr, appropriate surfactants, and all incidentals necessary to control target species. The Contractor shall use Polaris at a rate of 4 pints/acre with Rainier EA. Any proposed substitution of these products must be approved by the Station Manager and authorized by the Invasive Species Coordinator prior to use.

Due to treatment areas within wetlands, shorelines, developed areas, and dense vegetation, as well as saturated soils, open water, and other access constraints, the chemical application method shall provide sufficient maneuverability, accessibility, coverage, and precision to treat designated infestation boundaries while minimizing herbicide drift and impacts to native vegetation, soils, wetlands, and surface water.

To improve treatment effectiveness and ensure control of rhizomatous growth, a buffer of approximately 50 feet shall be applied around identified infestation boundaries. All herbicide applications shall be conducted in strict accordance with label requirements. Application timing and effectiveness are influenced by environmental conditions; therefore, herbicide application shall not occur when wind speeds exceed 10 miles per hour, in accordance with label restrictions, to minimize drift and off-target impacts.

Prospective contractors are strongly encouraged to conduct site visits prior to submitting quotes. The Contractor is responsible for ensuring all work complies with contract requirements, including quality control and monitoring standards, and for completing all assigned treatment areas in a timely and acceptable manner. Coordination meetings will be held prior to the start of work, periodically during project implementation, and upon completion to review project requirements, progress, and outcomes.

4. Deliverables and/or Delivery Schedule:

4.1 Deliverables

The Contractor shall provide all labor, services, equipment, materials, and supervision necessary to chemically treat phragmites infestations at Kirwin NWR.

4.2 Required Documentation

The Contractor shall maintain and submit daily work logs documenting areas treated, acres completed, weather conditions, and operational details. Requests for extensions to the Period of Performance will not be considered without submission of complete and accurate documentation.

5. Data Management Plan (DMP):

If the Contractor uses mapping technology to document treatment activities and treatment areas, the resulting data shall be provided to the Refuge in a compatible electronic format, with shapefiles preferred. Refuge staff will use the submitted data to document completed work in accordance with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service requirements.

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

6.1 GPE and GFI

The Government will not provide equipment, services, labor, or day-to-day supervision of the Contractor or its personnel. The Contractor shall be responsible for furnishing all the chemical required for application method, with products labeled for aquatic use and containing the active ingredient imazapyr, or other herbicide approved by the Station Manager. Polaris will be applied at a rate of 4 pints/acre with Rainier EA. The Government will provide overall project guidance and oversight and will furnish maps and access to the project area, as necessary.

6.2 Limitations

Limitations are previously discussed in sections 1-3. Funds will not be expended on covered UAS, as defined in OPM-11, for achieving approved objectives and will not be operated on Department-managed lands.

7. Evaluation and Acceptance

7.1 The contractor will be evaluated as detailed herein. Government acceptance is contingent upon:

Refuge staff will monitor and inspect work throughout project implementation to verify quality and assess progress toward completion. The Contractor shall notify the Government upon completion of treatment areas, after which Refuge personnel will conduct inspections to evaluate treatment effectiveness.

https://www.doi.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2025-05/opm-11.pdf

Government acceptance is contingent upon the work meeting all requirements and specifications outlined in this Statement of Work.

8. Quality Control/Quality Assurance:

Refuge staff will conduct periodic observations and field checks during project implementation to assess adherence to application requirements, treatment coverage, and overall work quality. These quality assurance activities are intended to verify that operations are being performed in accordance with contract specifications and best management practices.

Following notification from the Contractor that treatment of a site is complete, and sufficient time has passed to observe treatment effects, Refuge personnel will perform follow-up inspections to evaluate treatment effectiveness and confirm that target species response is consistent with project objectives. If project objectives are not met for any reason, the Government reserves the right to call the Contractor back to complete the project to the Station Manager’s satisfaction.

8.1 Measures for assessing quality control and acceptance.

Quality control will be assessed based on proper application techniques, compliance with herbicide label requirements, and documentation of work performed. Acceptance of work will be based on verification that herbicide treatments were applied to all designated acreage and meet the requirements outlined in this Statement of Work.

9. Technical Coordinator:

Refuge Contact Name Title Phone Email

Kirwin

NWR

Primary Jillian Boyd Station Manager

O: (785) 543-6673 x14 M: (308) 238-6280 jillian_boyd@fws.gov

Alternate Michael Nelson Maintenance Worker

O: (785) 543-6673 x18 M: (785) 302-8676 michael_nelson@fws.gov mailto:jillian_boyd@fws.gov mailto:michael_nelson@fws.gov

9. Technical Coordinator: