Aerial_Seeding_CubandCedarFires_ContractSpecs.docx

Fire Suppression Repair Seeding Cedar and Cub Creek 2 Fires

PART 1 - SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS SCHEDULE OF ITEMS

Total Price:

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS)

PURPOSE.

To aerially seed by Helicopter approximately 207 acres within the Cub and Cedar Crk fires. The Cub Fire is located approximately 5 miles north of Winthrop, Washington and the Cedar fire is 4 miles west, southwest from Mazama, WA. (Figure 1)

A previously procured seed mix will be applied by helicopter (and spread with hand crews as necessary) in a uniform cover to reduce the likelihood of invasion and displacement of native plant communities by noxious weeds and other weedy plants including cheatgrass.

SCOPE OF WORK.

The work under this contract consists of applying seed to areas designated in Figure 2 (including all recommended areas shown in this figure) at an application rate of approximately 25 lbs/acre with a previously procured seed mix located at the North Cascades Smokejumper Bas e which is in between the towns of Winthrop and Twisp, Washington. All work will be completed in compliance with contract terms, specifications, and provisions. This includes furnishing labor, equipment, supervision, transportation, operating supplies, clean-up, and incidentals to complete all facets of the contract. A designated area will be available for use by the vendor at the Methow Valley Airport, which is adjacent to the Smokejumper base, just prior to, during, and immediately after operations.

Bid Item 001 - Aerial Seeding via Helicopter Treatment (PLS-PURE LIVE SEED)

Item 001 - Description The unit will be seeded at a rate of approximately 25 PLS lbs/acre. The seed will be provided by the government and will be supplied in 50 pound bags. The contractor is responsible for the application of government provided seed. Equal distribution of 25 PLS lbs/acre (≈83 seeds per square foot) will be expected and evaluated within the 207 acres associated with this item. The species of the seed mixes for Item 001 will consist of those more or less shown in Tables 1.0. and 1.1 below.

Table 1.1 Methow Combination Seed Mix and Associated Acres Methow Combo Seed Mix (approx. 207 acres) – 5,175 lbs. of seed needed.

TREATMENT LOCATIONS AND STAGING AREAS

The areas to be treated within the Cub and Cedar Crk fire perimeters are in mountainous terrain with elevations at approximately 1200 ft. to 7500 ft. Seed is to be applied at the prescribed rate within mapped polygons on slopes of variable steepness.

The Government has determined the staging area will be at the North Cascades Smokejumper Base, in between the towns of Twisp and Winthrop, Washington. This Work Center includes a helipad which will be available for use at the contractor’s discretion during aerial seeding operations. This staging area is located approximately 5-29 miles of areas to be seeded. Methow Valley District personnel can give information on helispots used for previous air operations but will not assume any control of air or ground operations at those sites. If the contractor identifies helispots closer to treatment areas, seed can be staged at those areas. Seed must be kept dry and on tarps if stored on truck beds or on the ground.

For staging/working area locations areas, the contractor will be responsible for all rental agreements, liability to property, and transporting of equipment and supplies necessary to execute this contract.

The routes leading to the staging area consists of primarily paved road with some amount of travel on gravel/natural surface road conditions.

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE. The timing of this contract is important to increase the likelihood of seeding success. Consequently, it is the Government’s intention to that all areas are seeded between the time the contract is awarded and October 30th. Work shall not begin until the Contracting Officer issues a Notice to Proceed. The contractor shall begin work within two calendar days of the effective date of the Notice to Proceed. Once started, work is to continue in a timely manner until project completion. Contract performance time will be approximately 3-5 calendar days.

DELAYS. The Contractor is expected to complete all contract performance in a timely manner, regardless of the Contractor’s other workload – including, any work being performed under other government contracts. A delay or failure to perform may be considered excusable when the delay or failure arises from causes beyond the control and without the fault or negligence of the Contractor. Examples of these causes are (1) acts of the Government in either its sovereign or contractual capacity, (2) wildfires, (3) floods, (4) epidemics, (5) quarantine restrictions, (6) labor strikes, (7) freight embargoes and (8) unusually severe weather. In each instance, the failure to perform must be beyond the control and without the fault or negligence of the Contractor.

Upon request of the Contractor, the Contracting Officer shall ascertain the facts and extent of the failure. If the Contracting Officer determines that any failure to perform results from one or more of the causes above a partial payment may be made to the Contractor and the delivery schedule may be revised, subject to the Forest Service’s contract termination rights.

PROJECT MEETINGS:

A Pre-Work Meeting will be held prior to the start of work. The Contractor will be notified in advance of the meeting time, date and place. The purpose will be to review required work, project specifications, schedules, payments and administrative provisions of the contract.

The Contractor, sub-contractors 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 each project and present the work schedule requested in the specifications.

Daily Progress Meetings are expected at the beginning and end of each operational period.

Informal meetings shall be held at the project site, or as determined by the Government COR.

Meetings may be called by either the Government COR or the Contractor. Request shall state who should attend.

GOVERNMENT-FURNISHED PROPERTY, MATERIALS, SERVICES

Electronic Files. Geo-referenced shape files of the treatment location for GPS purposes.

Staging Areas. The Government has identified and provided the mandatory project staging area. If the contractor can identity helispots in which to work that are closer to the treatment areas, seed can be staged at the helispots. Seed must be kept dry, on tarps and off the ground.

Seed. The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest will furnish and transport all seed to the project staging area (North Cascades Smokejumper Base, in between Twisp and Winthrop, Washington). The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest will also store all seed at this Smokejumper Base prior to and during seeding operations. The contractor will transport this seed to the helipad which is located at this work center. If helispots are identified closer to the treatment areas, the contractor is responsible for seed transport.

Waste. Trash receptacles for bag waste will be arranged by the Forest Service. The contractor will place all bag waste within these receptacles. Pallets will be stacked on site by the contractor and disposed of by the Forest Service. However, if the contractor choses to use helispots closer to the treatment areas, the contractor will be responsible for all disposals and can take trash to Forest Service identified receptacles.

Inspection. One or more project inspector(s) on-the-ground will communicate the overall effectiveness of the seed application. The Government COR will inspect completed acres and provide recommendations to improve work quality to the Contractors supervisor if adjustments are needed while work is in progress. The Contractor is responsible for providing quality control to assure that work complies with the contract specifications.

If the quality level falls below contract specifications, the Government COR will immediately notify the Contractor and instruct the Contractor to improve the quality of work. If the quality of the work is not raised to an acceptable level after notification, the Government COR may issue a suspend work order to resolve the problem, during which time contract time will continue to run.

If any of the services performed by the Contractor are not acceptable, the Contractor shall rework acres designated by the Government until satisfactory work quality is obtained. If satisfactory work quality is not obtained the Government may terminate the contract for default.

A Final Inspection shall be held at the project site, or another site as determined by the Government COR. The Contractor shall notify the Government COR three working days before completing the project so the Government can schedule the inspection. The Contractor, or his designated superintendent, shall be present during this inspection.

Public Official Not Personally Liable. There shall be no personal liability upon the Government COR(s) for any act performed in the discharge or any duty imposed or the exercise of any power of authority conferred upon them, by or within the scope of the contract it being understood that in all such matters they act solely as agents and representatives of the Government.

CONTRACTOR-FURNISHED ITEMS/SERVICES.

a) Disposal of spilled seed, packing materials, pallets and/or other waste as previously described. No restoration or rehabilitation is expected to be required for the area.

Clean-up will require that sites are restored to original pre-use conditions. To limit spread of seed materials, special precautions will need to be in place prior to aerial operations. This may include but not limited to daily clean-up of work site to reduce spread of project materials. Contractor will submit a plan outlining what precautions, and mitigation will be in place to limit spread of material prior to project initiation. This will include daily clean-up plans, mitigation strategies, and equipment that will be used to meet above mentioned specifications. A written plan will be provided to the Contracting Officer for evaluation.

b) Contractor is responsible for providing spill containment kits for all petroleum products used to complete contract. All fueling will be at a distance greater than 100’ from perennial or intermittent streams. A written plan will be provided to the Contracting Officer for technical evaluation regarding spill containment strategies.

c) Contractor is responsible for cleaning up any spills of diesel fuel, aviation fuel or gasoline, all considered hazardous materials. If a spill occurs, the Contractor will assume all liability and responsibility for clean-up to meet EPA and Washington water quality standards. A written plan for dealing with such spills will be provided to the Contracting Officer for evaluation.

d) Contractor is responsible for providing a personal computer, and printer to complete daily progress report for CO or their designate.

e) Contractor shall provide a communication system so that contractor personnel, aircraft, and Government project inspectors can communicate at all times with each other to discuss performance matters, or safety issues. VHF-FM radios must have high band capabilities and must be capable of reaching narrow band frequencies.

f) Contractor furnished Quality Control personnel must have electronic equipment capable of capturing coordinates using a Global Positioning System (GPS). The Government will provide coordinates for each treatment area as GIS shapefiles. All treatments sites are required to be flown by using geo-referenced shape files that are available as polygons to be downloaded in aircraft GPS units. No field personnel will be provided at sites to direct flight routes while dispensing seed. A completed map of coverage areas will be required to be provided by the contractor during and at the end on the project denoting where all aerial operations have occurred. Contractor must also supply SATLOC or similar GPS tracking information on a daily basis.

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT TASKS AND CRITICAL SUBTASKS

Tasks. The following tasks are to be performed to the quality performance requirements shown on the Performance Requirements Summary table of the Quality Assurance Plan in Section 2.12

Aerial Seeding Treatment Details.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): PPE is required for the pilot and loading crew on- the-ground.

Required Helicopter Capability: The helicopter must be maneuverable enough to fly in mountainous terrain and with superb visibility, light control, sufficient air speed and rapid maneuverability for the pilot.

Aerial / Geo-Referencing Capability: The treatment area is required to be flown while using geo-referenced shape files that show the seeding treatment polygons that can be downloaded into helicopter GPS tracking units. The Contractor will provide a map denoting where all aerial seeding operations occurred at the end of the project.

Fuel Purchasing: The availability of aviation fuel is not available at the mandatory helicopter staging site. The Contractor will be responsible for his/her own fuel.

Project Safety and Resource Protection Objectives.

Contractor shall comply with all Government Safety and Health regulations and the Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA) standards, and Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations.

General Safety: Contractor will provide a list of all motor vehicle, aviation and personal accidents, for the last 3 years. The name of the Insurance Company with a contact person and phone number will also be required to verify list.

Contractor will also submit a list of aircraft to be used along with Identification Numbers (tail #).

Quality Control Objectives.

Assure program objectives are met through a quality control system which monitors all phases of project activities.

Project Information – Air Operations

All aerial seeding projects require the skills of an experienced Air Operations Manager. This person should be familiar with helicopter operations. He/she should fully understand the capabilities of the aircraft involved including its payload, maneuverability and navigation requirements.

Proper air-to-ground and ground-to-ground communications are essential on aerial application projects. Air operations personnel need to familiar with communications equipment and procedures.

Since this person will be overseeing aerial application operations, he or she must be familiar with FAA and internal agency aircraft safety rules and procedures.

This person also needs to be familiar with other kinds of equipment used in aerial application of seed. This includes seed delivery systems and their proper calibration, loading equipment, such as preload chutes and bins, along with seed storage and its transportation.

SPECIAL PROJECT REQUIREMENTS

FAR 52.236-7, Permits and Responsibilities (Nov. 1991). The Contractor shall, without additional expense to the Government, be responsible for obtaining any necessary licenses and permits, and for complying with any Federal, State and municipal laws, codes, and regulations applicable to the performance of the work. The Contractor shall also be responsible for all damages to persons, or property that occurs as a result of the Contractor’s fault or negligence. The Contractor shall also be responsible for all materials delivered and work performed until completion and acceptance of the entire work, except for any completed unit of work, which may have been accepted under the contract.

DOCUMENTATION

A) Daily Operational Report. Daily progress reports are to be provided to the Government representative at the end of each operational period or the next day during the morning briefing. No additional work that day will commence until documentation is provided.

1.Updated map indicating the area within the unit that has been treated.

2.The approximate number of acres treated.

3.Estimate of total of seed applied to the unit(s).

4.Total flight time (hours) for each aircraft and treatment or assignment.

B) Final Report. A final report (1 hard copy) shall be provided which includes at a minimum:

1. A written report shall contain daily field conditions, application rates and areas covered, site conditions, and any other pertinent data that records the application of the product. The report shall contain a summary of the results of the application.

QUALITY ASSURANCE PLAN (QAP).

TASK/ SUBTASK

PERFORMANCE STANDARD

ACCEPTABLE QUALITY LEVEL (AQL)

METHOD OF SURVEILLANCE

DISINCENTIVES FOR NOT MEETING STANDARDS

Period of Performance.

Begin work in a timely manner and complete all contract within prescribed time.

100% started and completed on time.

Visual, reviewing record for excusable days.

Withhold final payment.

Accomplish aerial seed treatment objectives.

The seed will be applied to achieve an even distribution over the treatment units.

Item 001 – 25 PLS (Pure Live Seed) lbs per acre or 83 seeds per square foot.

(1) Review ground application quality control reports.

(2) Visual observation during & after application.

(3) Final approval by Inspectors.

(4) FS will conduct random sampling tests of seeds per square foot application rates and coverage.

Contractor will be required to rework any area in a unit that fails to meet the seed application standards.

Non-acceptance of work until treated to the AQL levels.

Withhold final payment.

Contractor to manage the project to meet the Project Safety and Resource Protection Objectives.

Carry out all provisions of the Project Safety and Resource Protection Objectives.

100% acceptable level of performance.

Visual inspection by Forest Service of contractor’s actions and documents.

Curtailments of performance until corrective actions are implemented.

Non-acceptance of work until quality control work is accomplished.

Contractor to manage quality control.

Provide Quality Control Plan (QCP).

100% of the requirements shall be met.

Visual inspection by FS inspectors.

Curtailment of performance until compliance is obtained.

Contractor to manage the project within the identified constraints.

Manage constraints to minimize impacts of project.

100% of the requirements shall be met.

Visual inspection by FS inspectors.

Curtailment of performance until compliance is obtained.

Non-acceptance of work. Withhold final payment.

Provide daily progress reports

Daily progress reports submitted timely with accurate information.

100% of requirements shall be met.

Review report.

Curtailment of services until adequate report is submitted.

Provide Final Report.

Provide a complete final report.

100% of requirements shall be met.

Review report.

Withhold final payment.

Clean-up and restoration of staging areas.

100 % clean-up of site related to seeding operations.

Acceptance by Methow Valley Ranger District

Acceptance by Methow Valley Ranger District

Withhold final payment.

Figure 1- Vicinity Map of Cub and Cedar Creek Fires.

Figure 2- Dozerlines to be Aerially Seeded image1.png image2.jpeg