a.2015_SS_Statement_of_Work.docx

2015 Stocking Survey—North Fork John Day Ranger District Statement of Work

1. Location of Work The 2015 Stocking Survey project is located on the North Fork John Day Ranger District, Umatilla National Forest. The project areas are located throughout the District around Ukiah, Oregon. Vicinity and Unit maps showing the locations of the worksites are attached in the appendix of this task order. For additional information in locating the project areas contact Kate Popescu (541) 427-5313 or Diane Shirley (541) 427-5315, North Fork John Day District Office, 401 West Main, Ukiah, OR 97880.

Contractors are encouraged to conduct site visits to the units before bidding on this work.

Accessibility: Most units can be reached by Forest Service roads that are accessible by standard 2-wheel drive pickup trucks during normal operating season. Forest Service assumes no obligation to plow snow or do special maintenance to keep roads open. Inaccessibility due to snow, fallen trees, slides or washouts on roads may or may not be corrected at the option of the Forest Service. If road access is blocked, the Forest Service may, under the Changes clause, (1) provide an alternate access route, (2) delete the inaccessible unit(s), (3) substitute similar unit(s), or (4) require “other modes of transportation”. Some roads may be temporarily or permanently closed in conformance with the current District Access Management Plan. The Contractor may or may not be issued a permit to drive behind road closures. The contractor WILL NOT be given authorization to drive behind any road closures during fall big game hunting seasons. This may require the contractor to use other modes of transportation, including walking, mountain bikes, motorcycles, horseback, etc. These modes of travel must be congruent with the Umatilla National Forest’s Access and Travel Management Plan. ATV use is not permitted off of system trails and roads. Walk-ins are considered incidental and no additional payment will be made. Contractor will be responsible for transportation of all equipment and supplies to the units requiring walk-ins.

2. Description of Work and Standards The objective of this Task Order is to collect tree data to support reforestation monitoring and various other natural resource programs on the Umatilla National Forest. Knowledge and experience identifying tree, plant associations, and ground vegetation species for the Blue Mountain region of northeast Oregon is required as well as knowledge of insect diseases and other pathogenic diseases associated with vegetation in the Blue Mountain region of northeast Oregon.

Quick Plots using 1/100 acre fixed radius plot size.)

A. Contractor shall reference stocking surveys to a readily identifiable point on the ground. Mark the reference point (R.P.) for each unit with one strip of plastic pink/black striped flagging and one strip of chartreuse green flagging (flagging shall be provided by the District). Each strip of flagging should be a minimum of 24” long. Documentation of the unit number, distance, and azimuth from the reference point to the first plot within the unit shall be put on the flagging and on the back of the Setting Form under unit map along with a description of the RP and how to locate it. For example, “The R.P is a 24” dbh Douglas-fir located on the north side of road 5412, approximately 0.10 miles from the west end of the unit. Plot number 1 is 2 chains at 360 degrees”. Reference points that are not easily located will be cause for rejection of the unit until the R.P. is marked for easy location by the Government Inspector.

B. Contractor shall note the direction of travel for each transect line, as well as between lines, and the distance in chains between plots. This shall be noted on the unit map on the back of the cover card (Setting Form). At a minimum, the unit map shall include an outline of the unit, the locations of each plot, the location of the reference point, the location of roads adjacent to the unit, and a north arrow. Record the number of stocked quads (in parentheses) next to each plot # on sketch map.

C. Identification of plot centers. Plots are to be marked so that they are easily found during inspection. Plots that cannot be found will be rejected and the Contractor shall rework. Additional inspection will be charged to the Contractor. Plot centers will be identified with a strip of flagging securely tied to a stick 24 inches high and positioned upright in plot center. The plot number will be written on the flag. The contractor may substitute pin flags for plot centers. In addition, mark an “X” on the ground, indicating plot center, using fluorescent orange spray paint (paint shall be provided by the Contractor). Secondary plot markings shall consist of one strip of chartreuse green flagging and another of pink/black striped flagging tied on trees or brush opposite one another with the plot center in between, if possible. Length of flagging for plot center and secondary plot markings shall be a minimum of 18 inches and hung a minimum of 24 inches above the ground surface.

D. Identifying desirable trees: Mark desirable trees on the ground near the base of the stem with fluorescent orange spray paint. However, no paint is permitted on the tree itself.

E. Determine limiting distances for seedlings by holding the tape parallel to the ground and measuring to the center of the seedling stem. Limiting distance for saplings and larger trees is the horizontal distance from plot center to the face of the tree at DBH (DBH is measured at a height of 4.5 feet from the ground surface on the uphill side of the tree).

F. Identifying trees on the edge of a plot: If a tree falls on the edge of a plot and is found to be out, spray paint a line on the plot-center side of the tree to indicate to inspectors that this tree was out and not missed. Likewise, identify borderline trees found to be inside the plot by a paint line sprayed on the ground on the outside of plot perimeter.

G. Contractor shall record data on individual trees, starting at North and progressing in a clockwise direction around the plot center. The Contractor shall record tree data for those planted seedlings > or = 4 inches in height, natural seedlings > or = 6 inches in height, and saplings measuring < 5 inches in diameter at breast height (DBH). The Contractor shall make exceptions for trees planted in current year’s contract with heights under the 4-inch requirement but otherwise healthy. Contractor shall document the approximate number and species of germinants less than 4 inches in height in Plot Remarks. Contractor shall document approximate number and species of trees > 5 inches DBH in Plot Remarks or Tree Data Remarks.

H. Contractor shall record on a separate line the data pertaining to each desirable tree. Each plot has a potential maximum of 4 adequately spaced desirable trees, spaced a minimum of 6 feet apart. First, contractor shall list all desirable tree information in plot data. After skipping a line, record excess tree data clockwise from the North following all desirable tree data. The Contractor shall record information for up to, but not exceeding, ten excess trees per plot unless trees of a species not yet encountered exist on the remainder of the plot. Contractor shall record tree information for the first tree in any species not listed in the first fourteen (4 desirable plus 10 excess) trees. Contractor may group together trees with identical tree information codes on a single line of data.

I. Dead seedlings on a plot: Dead seedlings encountered on a plot are to be identified to facilitate ease of location. Spray painting all dead seedlings would be acceptable in accomplishing this. Contractor shall attempt to determine cause of death by examining both above and below ground portions of the tree, whenever possible. If the Contractor has met the number of required trees before encountering the dead trees, discuss the dead trees in the remarks section or, if planted trees, document them as additional trees.

J. Plot comments: The relative number of germinants shall be documented in the plot comments. Any information pertinent to tree survival and plantability shall be documented such as rocky soils, standing water, gopher mounds, big game or livestock sign, scab flat, etc.. Likewise, if the plot is understocked but plantable, please say so.

Estimated start work date is August 17th 2015. Minimum acceptable rate of progress is 40 plots per man per day. All surveys are to be completed by Oct. 3rd 2015.

3. Period of Performance

The Period of Performance will be from issuance of the Notice to Proceed (estimated August 17th 2015) until October 3rd 2015.

4. Inspection The Government will make periodic inspections while work is in progress on a sample of completed exams. The Contractor shall notify and provide the electronic and/or paper copies to the COR at the ordering office on the North Fork John Day Ranger District, when groups of 5 to 10 stands or approximately 1 to 2 weeks worth of work are completed, and are ready for inspection prior to moving out of the general area. The Government will randomly select 10 percent of the plots of those stands submitted for inspection. If all required information is not fully legible and correctly completed, or if the percentage of work quality falls below 90 percent, the Government will immediately notify the Contractor in writing and order improvement of the quality of work. The Contractor shall rework all unsatisfactory areas to meet the 90 percent minimum acceptable specifications.

5. Payment Payments will be made for the total inspected and accepted plots not to exceed once a month. Only units inspected and accepted by a qualified government Inspector or the COR may be submitted for payment.

6. Government Furnished Property Government will furnish plot flagging, plot cards and maps. Contractor shall supply orange spray paint.

7. Suspension for other than Government Convenience The Contracting Officer may issue orders to suspend work wholly or in part for such periods of time as deemed necessary because of : 1) Weather or ground conditions when further prosecution of the work might cause environmental or resource damage to the project, access roads, or adjacent property. Such actions would include but are not limited to instances such as siltation of steams, damage to access roads, rutting of project roads which causes otherwise suitable soils to become muddy or unsuitable for further work; or 2) failure of the Contractor to comply with contract/task order specifications. Whether or not a suspend work notice is issued, the Contractor shall be responsible for correcting any damage caused by his/her operation, whether inside or outside project limits, at no cost to the government. Such suspensions shall not be considered as suspensions for the Convenience of the Government under FAR 52.242-14, Suspension of Work, and shall not qualify for equitable adjustment.

8. Safety Some of the hazards personnel need to be aware of on this project include:

· Driving on forest roads, gravel and dirt surfaces, blind corners, cattle and wildlife in road.

· Walking on steep ground covered with brush, rocks and forest debris.

· Some units are located in previous burn areas with standing dead trees. Be cautious, especially during windy conditions.