RFP_No._AG-05M6-S-16-0023.pdf

SOLICITATION/CONTRACT/ORDER FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS

OFFEROR TO COMPLETE BLOCKS 12, 17, 23, 24, & 30

1. REQUISITION NUMBER

792700

PAGE OF

2. CONTRACT NO. 3.AWARD/EFFECTIVE DATE 4. ORDER NUMBER 5. SOLICITATION NUMBER

AG-05M6-S-16-0023

6. SOLICITATION ISSUE

DATE

5-4-2016

7. FOR SOLICITATION

INFORMATION CALL�:

a. NAME

Brian A. Johnson Contracting Officer

b. TELEPHONE NUMBER (No collect calls)

(425) 783-6056

8. OFFER DUE DATE/

LOCAL TIME

6-3-2016 at 1530

9. ISSUED BY CODE 10. THIS ACQUISITION IS UNRESTRICTED SET ASIDE 100 % FOR

USDA Forest Service Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Attn: Brian A. Johnson 2930 Wetmore Ave., Suite 3A Everett, WA 98201-4067

SMALL BUSINESS WOMAN –OWNED SMALL BUSINESS (WOSB)

HUBZONE SMALL BUSINESS ELIGIBLE UNDER THE WOMEN OWNED SMALL

BUSINESS PROGRAM

SERVICE DISABLE VETERAN- EDWOSB

VETERAN-OWNED SMALL

BUSINESS 8(A)

NAICS Code 115310 Size Standard $19.0 million

11. DELIVERY FOR FOB

DESTINATION UNLESS

BLOCK IS MARKED

SEE SCHEDULE

12. DISCOUNT TERMS 13A. THIS CONTRACT IS RATED

ORDER UNDER DPAS (15 CFR 700

13B. RATING Not Rated

14. METHOD OF SOLICATION

RFQ IFB RFP

15. DELIVER TO CODE 16. ADMINISTERED BY CODE

See Block 9

17a. CONTRACTOR/ OFFERER

TELEPHONE NO. DUNS #____________________

FAX NO. TIN #_____________________

E-Mail Address: ________________________

18a. PAYMENT WILL BE MADE BY

Invoice Office: Invoice Processing Platform (IPP). All invoices must be submitted electronically through the Invoice Processing Platform (IPP) via www.ipp.gov.

Payment Office is: USDA, OCFO, COD, APB.

P.O. Box 60075, New Orleans, LA 70160

17b CHECK IF REMITTANCE IS DIFFERENT AND PUT SUCH

ADDRESS IN OFFER

18b. SUMBIT INVOICES TO ADDRESS SHOWN IN BLOCK 18A UNLESS

BLOCK BELOW IS CHECKED SEE ADDENDUM

19.

ITEM NO

20.

SCHEDULE OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES

21.

QUANTITY

22.

UNIT

23.

UNIT PRICE

24.

AMOUNT

2016-2017 PCT, LFR, Pruning, Pullback and Handpile, Cle Elum & Naches Ranger Districts, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest

Insert Prices on Schedule of Items

25. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA 26. TOTAL AWARD AMOUNT (For Govt. Use Only)

27a. SOLICITATION INCORPORATES BY REFERENCE FAR 52.212-1, 52.212-4. FAR 52.212-3 AND 52.212-5. ARE ARE NOT ATTACHED.

27b. CONTRACT/PURCHASE ORDER INCORPORATES BY REFERENCE FAR 52.212-4. FAR 52.212-5 IS ATTACHED. ADDENDA ARE ARE NOT ATTACHED

28. CONTRACTOR IS REQUIRED TO SIGN THIS DOCUMENT AND RETURN ONE

COPY TO ISSUING OFFICE, CONTRACTOR AGREES TO FURNISH AND DELIVER

ALL ITEMS SET FORTH OR OTHERWISE IDENTIFIED ABOVE AND ON ANY

ADDITIONAL SHEETS SUBJECT TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SPECIFIED

HEREIN

29. AWARD OF CONTRACT: REFERENCE _____________ OFFER

DATED . YOUR OFFER ON SOLICITATION (BLOCK 5),

INCLUDING ANY ADDITIONS OR CHANGES WHICH ARE SET FORTH

HEREIN , IS ACCEPTED AS TO ITEMS:

30a. SIGNATURE OF OFFEROR/CONTRACTOR 31a. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (Signature Of Contracting Officer)

30b. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (Type or Print) 30c. DATE SIGNED 31b. NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or Print)

Brian A. Johnson, Contracting Officer 31c. DATE SIGNED

AUTHORIZED FOR LOCAL REPRODUCTION

PREVIOUS EDITION IS NOT USABLE

STANDARD FORM 1449 (Rev. 2/2012) Prescribed by GSA-FAR (48CFR 53.212

1 91

RFP No. AG-05M6-S-16-0023 2016-2017 PCT, LFR, Pruning, Pullback and Handpile Page 1 of 91 bajohnson03 Highlight

19.

ITEM NO.

20.

SCHEDULE OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES

21.

QUANTITY

22.

UNIT

23.

UNIT PRICE

24.

AMOUNT

2016-2017 PCT, LFR, Pruning, Pullback and Handpile, Cle Elum & Naches Ranger Districts, Okanogan-Wenatchee National

Forest

Enter your prices on Page 3.

See Section L for the required documents / information to be submitted with your proposal. Return to the address in Block 9.

On your sealed envelope, e-mail, or facsimile include “RFP No. AG-05M6-S-16-0023, Attn:

Brian A. Johnson, CO.”

Proposals submitted are considered to be confidential. The name of the successful offeror and the award amount will be disclosed only after contract award.

32a. QUANTITY IN COLUMN 21 HAS BEEN

RECEIVED INSPECTED ACCEPTED, AND CONFORMS TO THE CONTRACT, EXCEPT AS NOTED: ________________________________________

32b. SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED GOVERNMENT

REPRESENTATIVE

32c. DATE 32d. PRINTED NAME AND TITLE OF AUTHORIZED GOVERNMENT

REPRESENTATIVE

32e. MAILING ADDRESS OF AUTHORIZED GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE 32f. TELPHONE NUMBER OF AUTHORZED GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE

32g. E-MAIL OF AUTHORIZED GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE

33. SHIP NUMBER

34. VOUCHER NUMBER 35. AMOUNT VERIFIED

CORRECTFOR

36. PAYMENT

COMPLETE PARTIAL

FINAL

37. CHECK NUMBER

PARTIAL

FINAL

38. S/R ACCOUNT NUMBER 39. S/R VOUCHER NUMBER 40. PAID BY

41a. I CERTIFY THIS ACCOUNT IS CORRECT AND PROPER

FOR PAYMENT

42a. RECEIVED BY (Print)

41 b. SIGNATURE AND TITLE OF CERTIFYING OFFICER 41 c. DATE 42b. RECEIVED AT (Location)

42c. DATE RECD (YY/MM/DD) 42d. TOTAL CONTAINERS

STANDARD FORM 1449 (REV.2/2012) BACK

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PART I – THE SCHEDULE

SECTION B – SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS

2016-2017 PCT, LFR, PRUNING, PULLBACK AND HANDPILE

CLE ELUM & NACHES RANGER DISTRICTS

OKANOGAN-WENATCHEE NATIONAL FOREST

WASHINGTON STATE

(KITTITAS COUNTY)

B.1 SCHEDULE OF ITEMS

Pre-Commercial Thinning, (PCT), Ladder Fuel Reduction, (LFR) Handpiling, (HP), Lop/ Scatter (LP), Pruning and Pullback (PB) – Westside/Eastside. Review contract unit maps to distinguish unit locations on the Cle Elum and Naches Ranger Districts. See Detailed Unit Information Sheet for unit information. Due to closures of temporary roads or other blocked access, distance, and geographic location of units walk-in access may be required. It is up to the contractor to know the contract areas and bid accordingly to available access. No additional cost will be appraised. Cost per acre shall include walk-in cost.

BASE ITEMS:

Item No.

Description (See detailed information sheet)

Quantity Est. Acres

Unit Price $ / acre

Total Price $

001 Teanaway Fuels HH, HHa, LFR,HP, (Cle Elum) 21 $ $

002 North Ridge 1, 2B, 2C, PCT/HP, (Cle Elum) 49 $ $

003 Upper Hurley 1, 3, 7, PCT/HP, (Cle Elum) 64 $ $

Liberty Fuels 10, 11, 16, 17, 19 HP Logging Slash, (Cle Elum)

36 $ $

Glass 118, 189, 190, 220, 225, 229, 296, 681, PCT/HP/L&S (Naches)

159 $ $

006 Pole Buck 1, PCT/HP (Cle Elum) 5 $ $

007 Ridge LP 1. PCT/HP (Cle Elum) 12 $ $

Teanaway Reoffer 8, 10, 11, 12, 12T and 13, (Cle Elum)

49 $ $

010 Ridge LP 1. PCT/HP (Cle Elum) 12 $ $

Total Price: $______________

B.2 CAMPING PERMIT

A camping permit to occupy the jobsite by contractor personnel will NOT be issued under this contract.

B.3 SITE ACCESS

For site information or access questions, please contact Ms. Judi Sandretto-Reed at (509) 852-1023 or via e-mail at jsandrettoreed@fs.fed.us.

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B.4 SYSTEM OF AWARD MANAGEMENT (SAM) REQUIREMENT

No award will be made to a Contractor not registered in the System of Award Management (SAM). In addition, the Contractor’s Representations and Certification must be listed in the SAM database. Reference https://www.acquisition.gov or https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/.

Note: There is no fee to register and use this site.

During the contract, the Contractor must maintain an active account in SAM during the life of this contract.

Invoices will be paid using the financial information provided in the Contractor’s SAM profile. Failure to keep an active status may result in payment delays and other administration delays.

B.5 TECHNICAL PROPOSAL

The Contractor’s technical proposal will become part of this contract (Refer to Section M).

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SECTION C – DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/STATEMENT OF WORK

C.1 SCOPE OF WORK

Work shall include sapling thinning, ladder fuel reduction by hand (typically chainsaw), handpiling pullback, lop/scatter, pruning and associated treatments in compliance with the terms, specifications, and provisions of this contract. This includes furnishing labor, equipment, supervision, transportation, operating supplies and incidentals except those items, if any, listed as Government furnished property (GFP).

C.2 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance is sixty-seven (67) calendar days from date of Notice to Proceed for all items listed. This performance time does not include the seasonal restrictions listed below. Performance time will cease during the seasonal restriciton and commence after those timeframes.

C.3 SEASONAL RESTRICTIONS (Cle Elum)

Unless a special waiver is granted (based on spotted owl surveys) all activities are prohibited between March 1 and July 31.

Activities are prohibited between May 1 and July 15 for elk calving restriction.

SEASONAL RESTRICTIONS (Naches)

Thinning shall be done in late July to early winter to reduce growth of Ips pini (pine engraver) population.

C.4 PROJECT LOCATIONS

The project locations are on the Cle Elum and Naches Ranger Districts of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Due to closures of temporary roads or other blocked access, distance, and geographic location of units walk-in access may be required. It is the contractor’s responsibility to know the contract areas and propose accordingly to available access. Cost per acre shall include walk-in cost.

C.5 OBLIGATIONS OF THE CONTRACTOR

At all times during performance of this contract and until the work is completed and accepted, the contractor shall directly superintend the work or assign and have on the project site a foreman who is conversant in the English language, who is satisfactory to the Contracting Officer and who has authority to act for the contractor.

Contractor must have a non-working foreman on site at all times to oversee contract work. The Government may at its option, suspend work with full count of contract time continuing if the contractor fails to provide a non-working foreman who is conversant in the English language and who is able to read and understand the contract.

Sawyers and other workers employed by the contractor shall have sufficient skill and experience to properly perform the work to specifications. Any operator or other worker who, in the opinion of the Contracting Officer, does not perform their work to specifications or does not perform in a skillful manner, shall be removed by the Contractor upon written request from the Contracting Officer.

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The contractor shall be responsible for any damage to existing structural improvements such as water developments, fences, monumented corners, bearing trees, road surfaces and/or drainage structures as a result of contract activities. The Contractor shall restore any damage, immediately, back to its existing condition prior to the damage.

The Contractor shall be responsible for excessive damage to natural resources, for example, damage to residual trees or streams. The Contractor shall be required to repair restorable damage and may be held monetarily responsible for unrestorable damage.

At all times when work is being performed under this contract; a copy of the contract must be on the work site and must be readily available to the Contractor, its representative, and the individuals performing the work.

C.6 SALVAGEABLE MATERIAL

No salvage is offered under the terms of this contract.

C.7 DEFINITIONS

1. Average Spacing - The average of the distance between all crop trees necessary to provide the desired number of crop trees per acre.

2. Bucking - Cutting thinning slash left in place into lengths as indicated by technical specifications and project map(s).

3. Chipping - Mechanically chipping and blowing chips back into thinned units as indicated by technical specifications and project map(s).

4. Conifer - A cone-bearing tree with needles or leaf scales (e.g., pine, fir, larch).

5. Created Slash - Debris created from work under this contract, including all cut trees and shrubs (tops, trunks, branches).

6. Crooked Trees - Trees with a sharp crook on the main bole, offset more than 6 inches from the longitudinal axis.

7. Crop Tree - Any tree that is selected or required to be left standing as provided in the specifications.

8. Cull Tree - Any severely damaged, deformed, or diseased tree (trees with broken tops, conks, any mistletoe and root rot infections, insect damage, and severe wounds).

9. Cut Tree - Trees designated to be removed from the stand.

10. Damage - Includes any defect or deformity of a tree resulting from agents such as wind, snow, animals, insects, disease, and equipment, and evidenced by such things as dead, forked or broken top or trunks, crooks, and deep scars.

11. DBH (Diameter breast height) - Diameter of the trunk measured at a point 4-1/2 feet above the ground level on the uphill side of tree.

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12. Deficient Trees - Those crop trees cut which should have been left to maintain average spacing requirements; or trees not selected according to the technical specifications requirements; or trees that are excessively damaged by the thinning operation.

13. Excess Tree - A tree or live limb left uncut by the Contractor, which is designated within technical specifications to be cut; and, any cull tree not cut or girdled, as required in the technical specifications.

14. Existing Slash - Debris created prior to work under this contract. (Both natural and as a result of previous operations.)

15. Forked Tree - Tree with one or more forks in the live crown.

16. Fuel Break - An area within a thinned unit where thinning slash is removed or treated to reduce spread of fire to adjacent areas.

17. Girdling - A cut through the bark and cambium tissue completely encircling the tree trunk for the purpose of killing the tree.

18. Hang-up Tree - Any cut tree suspended more than 3 feet off the ground by a crop tree.

19. Hardwood - A tree with broad leaves rather than needles (e.g., willow)

20. Ladder Fuel Reduction (LFR) - To eliminate undesirable trees in the lower canopy layer that are a ladder fuel which would allow surface fires to transition into crown fires.

21. Leave Strip - An area within a thinned unit in which no cutting will be done to create a fuel break.

22. Live Limb - A woody stem with green needles growing from the trunk or main stem of a tree that exceeds 2 inches in length.

23. Lopping and Scattering - Cutting limbs from trunks of cut trees and moving and rearranging of slash concentrations to reduce the fuel bed height as specified.

24. Machine - Rotary type mowers, chippers or chain saws.

25. Minor Damage - Crooks in the trunk, which are, offset less than 6 inches from the long axis. Top or bark damage extending less than 1/4 the circumference of the tree.

26. Piling - Gathering and stacking of thinning slash by hand methods into piles constructed and located as incdicated by technical specifications and project maps.

27. Pullback - Pulling thinning slash by hand methods back into thinned unit to clear roadway, and ditch lines or into unit away from private land boundaries.

28. Pull-In - Pulling thinning slash by hand methods to edge of road with butt end of slash pointing toward road as indicated by technical specifications and project maps.

29. Pruning – Limbing branches back to the bole of the tree, severing the limb with ¼ inch of limb uncut outside the branch collar.

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30. Roadway - The area between the outside edges of the fill slope and the back slope.

31. Shrub - A woody plant with no main stem, which does not usually grow higher than seven feet (brush). For example: buck brush.

32. Slash - Any vegetation that was cut by the Contractor.

33. Spacing - The horizontal distance from the trunk of one crop tree to the trunk of the next nearest crop tree.

34. Thinning - The cutting of trees in excess of those to be left for management.

35. Whip - A tree with less than 30 percent crown ratio.

C.8 GENERAL PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

The boundaries are breaks in timber type or major roads. Portions not following timber types are marked pink and black striped flagging with orange or orange boundary tags for Cle Elum. Naches units are flagged with pink flagging and orange boundary tags. It is the contractor’s responsibility to ask the government for boundary clarification. Maps illustrate approximate unit locations.

Inaccessibility due to snow, fallen trees, slides or washouts on roads may or may not be corrected at the option of the Government. If road access is blocked, the Government may, under the changes clause, (1) provide an alternate access route; (2) delete the inaccessible unit(s) or (3) substitute similar unit(s).

Unit map road symbols are only to indicate access to units and not to suggest the roads are open within units or for any further travel. Access to some units may require a walk-in.

Use of motorized equipment other than hand held equipment such as power saws and brush cutters will not be permitted off designated roads in the project area without approval of the Contracting Officer or as hereinafter provided.

C.9 SPECIFICATIONS

Cle Elum Ranger District Specifications:

The following specifications are applicable on the Cle Elum Ranger District to build diversity in plantations.

As a general rule, TPA spacing should be wider on upper slopes and lesser on lower slopes because of site capacity. Range of spacing can vary from 14 ft. to 22 ft.

Crop trees shall be selected according to their height relationship to adjacent trees of different species. A higher priority species that is at least 75 percentof the height of an adjacent lower priority species shall be left as the crop tree.

Example: Item 3-1 - In choosing between a 10 foot tall lodgepole pine and a 8 foot tall Douglas-fir, the Douglas-fir would be left because it is at least 75 percent the height of the lodgepole pine.

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All Contract Units - All Western White Pine, Western Red Cedar and Western Larch shall not be cut, unless specified otherwise.

REFERENCE DETAILED UNIT INFORMATION SHEET FOR HIGHEST PRIORITY

SPECIES FOR EACH UNIT.

On high elevation sites, create complex clumps around existing advanced regeneration, no thin for a 15-20’ radius around advanced regeneration.

On all sites with open roads: create clumps along XXX specified roads to limit sight distance and create some secure forage areas.

Create small complex patches 3-4 trees deep around downed woody debris (>20” DBH, shade large wood and slow decomposition rates). : Create small complex patches 3-4 trees deep around super stumps to shade stumps and slow decomposition rates.

On all sites- expand natural opening to create gaps by thinning out all trees – 2-3 trees in depth from the natural opening edge. One side of the opening should be expanded 5-6 trees.

Protect Large Remnant Trees: In units with seed trees and shelterwood trees, thin wide to leave only 7-10 trees within 30’ of the drip line; if the leave trees have mistletoe, these trees should be of a non-host species.

Create complex clumps in riparian reserves by expanding no thin zones from 1 tree height to a

3-5 tree height, wider areas: exclude during layout if possible.

In pre-designate laminated root rot pockets, thin to a 50’ radius of infected stumps leaving pine, larch

Around mistletoe infect trees on upper 1/3 of slopes, pile slash to burn and kill back the mistletoe brooms and create snags.

In some select areas where grand fir dominates> 60% of the pre-treat TPA – remove all grand fir where there is larch or pine to retain, unless no other tree is available within 75’.

Crop trees shall generally be those of greatest height, largest crown, and straightest single stem and that are free of damage due to insects, disease, physical, or mechanical causes. The Contractor shall select crop trees in the following priorities:

Leave all conifer trees, which exceed maximum d.b.h. cut limit specified in the Detailed Unit

Information Sheet(s).

Contractor shall leave a mixture of species whenever possible. Units on the Detailed Unit

Information Sheet will list crop tree priority.

Select crop trees from healthy undamaged conifers within specified height cut limits as necessary to achieve average spacing specified in the Detailed Unit Information Sheet(s).

Spacing may be varied, up to 25 percent. Spacing control using the original guides shall be

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If no healthy undamaged tree exists at the required spacing interval, leave a tree with minor damage.

Any tree being at least the minimal height to cut as listed on the Detailed Information Sheet with no major damage shall be considered in the species and height priorities. When a choice must be made between several healthy trees of the same species, the selected crop tree shall be the tallest one having the longest terminal leader and the fullest crown.

All hardwood trees and brush (willow, alder, maple, aspen, pacific yew, etc.) will be left to enhance diversity within the developed stand.

Maximum cut tree d.b.h. limit is 8 inches. (See Detailed Unit Information Sheet)

CROP TREE SPACING INFORMATION BY STAND (Average Overall Crop Tree)

Actual Trees Inspection

Average Average Inspection Circular Spacing Trees/ac Plot Plot Radius 18’ x 18’ 134 7 26.3 feet 20 ' x 20' 109 5 26.3 feet 22’ x 22’ 90 6 30.4 feet

SPECIFIC TASK INFORMATION

Contractor shall be required to perform the following tasks:

* Leave tree spacing 18 feet X 18 feet

* Leave tree spacing 20 feet X 20 feet

* Leave tree spacing 22 feet X 22 feet

* See Detailed Unit Information Sheet for priority selection of leave trees by species:

1. Douglas-fir (DF)

2. Englemann Spruce (ES)

3. Grand Fir (GF)

4. Lodgepole Pine (LPP)

5. Ponderosa Pine (PP)

6. Sub Alpine Fir (SAF)

7. Western Hemlock (WH)

8. Western Larch (WL)

9. White Pine (WWP)

10. Western Red Cedar (WRC)

11. Pacific Silver Fir (PSF)

12. Mountain Hemlock (MH)

13. Noble Fir (NF)

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Leave unthinned patches of conifers and hardwoods scattered across thinning units. Residual trees clumped together that are greater than 8 inch diameter are acceptable for an unthinned patch. Wet areas and strips along creeks and roads may be used as an unthinned patch.

All streams shall have a no-cut buffer of 25 feet from the bankfull or inner gorge, as deifned by having a both scoured streambed and streambank. An unthinned buffer of 25 feet will be left around all wet seeps.. If the stream is in an insized channel, then go 25 ft. from the top of incision.

Stump Height - Removal of Live Limbs All cut trees are to be cut below the lowest live limbs. All limbs shall be removed from the stump. if live limbs are attached to the stump it will be considered an excess tree. Hand loppers, hand operated "weed eater" machines or chain saws will be accepted to thin units. Pulling by physically and completely uprooting the excess tree is an acceptable means of thinning. A pulled tree shall be completely detached from the ground.

Stump heights shall not exceed 8 inches above ground level or 4 inches above natural obstacles.

Felling Cut trees shall be felled away from unit boundaries, roads, telephone lines, established trails, stock driveways, fence lines, established land corners, and streams. Any trees falling on such areas shall be removed as specified elsewhere herein.

Hang-Ups All thinning slash shall be placed on or near the ground surface, so that it will not lean against or be suspended by a crop tree.

Live limbs Cut trees with live limbs attached to the stump shall be considered excess trees.

Ladder Fuels Reduction Procedures The falling of trees in the 0”-6.9 inches DBH class. Work must be accomplished manually or manually with chainsaws. Work will take place within the units identified on the Detailed Unit Information Sheet. Ladder fuel reduction slash will be handpiled and covered.

Species exemption: 0”-7” western larch must be retained in ladder fuels reduction treatment areas.

The end result will be a stand with reduced ladder fuels in the 0”-6.9” depending on class felled and cut up into sizes that will allow for hand piling (see hand piling specs). Ladder fuels slash will be bucked into pieces suitable for hand piling.

Technical Specifications

Ladder Fuels Reduction

The objectives of this treatment is to eliminate undesirable trees in the lower canopy layer that are a ladder fuel which would allow surface fires to transition into crown fires.

Not to exceed 6-inch stump height.

Flat topped reproduction due to suppression.

Heavy crowned shade tolerant trees with branches close to the ground.

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Cut trees with poor vigor (live crown ratios < 40%).

Cut unhealthy trees. Unhealthy trees display evidence of disease including dwarf mistletoe (brooms or sprouts) on ponderosa pine, lodgepole pine, Douglas fir or gall rust bole cankers on lodgepole pine, Douglas-fir or true firs > 40% defoliated.

Retain all seedling and sapling western larch.

Cut out all ladder fuels except where there is greater than (>50’) distance from residual stand thinned trees, so that at a minimum, after treatment there is a residual commercial thin tree or retained ladder fuel tree every 50’, where available.

Priority for removal where a choice exists: Any mistletoe tree 0”-6.9”, grand fir, Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine.

Activities are prohibited between April 1 and July 15 for elk calving restriction.

Activities are prohibited between March 1 –July 31 for spotted owl nesting protection, unless a special waiver is granted (based on spotted owl surveys).

Genetically Select Trees shall not be felled regardless of any diseases or damage that they may have.

Conifers which exceed 7.0 inches DBH shall not be felled.

No hardwoods shall be felled.

No snags (dead trees) shall be felled.

Pruning Procedures

A. Trees to be pruned – Leave trees greater than 10 feet tall are to be pruned. No pruning of western red cedar and pacific yew. Trees shall be pruned with shears or a saw designed for pruning and keep them sharpened.

Use a chain saw only for limbs too large for hand tools. Never use an axe.

B. Removal of Live and Dead Limbs – Pruning is defined as the removal of live and dead limbs as close as possible to the tree bole to the specified pruning height. Limb stub length shall not exceed ¼ inch.

C. Pruning Height – The pruning height shall be 10 feet or 50% of the tree height, whichever is less above the ground. Mistletoe brooms that descend within 10 feet or 50% of the ground must be thinned at the 10 foot or 50% minimal level. Mistletoe branches higher than 10 feet above ground level can be completely removed in order to facilitate the removal of the mistletoe broom to its minimum level.

D. Operational damage – Pruning shall not cause deep bark gouges, rips or tears to the cambium or other damage exceeding one-quarter of the circumference of the tree. Tree climbing spurs shall not be used.

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Pruning Exhibit

Proper pruning keeps shade trees healthy, safe, and attractive. In the forest, pruning can reduce fire hazard, and improve aesthetics and timber quality. .

Make pruning cuts at "intersections," not in mid-branch. Avoid "crew cut" pruning. Cut where two limbs intersect or where limbs intersect the main tree trunk.

Make your cut at the branch bark collar.

Avoid "flush cuts" which remove the branch bark collar or "stub cuts" which leave branch stubs protruding.

Use proper pruning tools. Use shears or a saw designed for pruning and keep them sharpened. Use a chain saw only for limbs too large for hand tools. Never use an axe.

For large limbs, use the three-step technique (see illustration).

Proper Pruning Using these illustrations, final cuts should be made from points C to D. Do not cut along C-X, which is an imaginary vertical line to help you locate C-D. First cut part-way through the branch at A, then cut it off at B. Make the final cut at C-D

Naches Ranger District Specifications:

The following specifications are applicable on the Naches Ranger District to build stand diversity through Release/Weeding Treatments which promote the growth of earlier and mid-seral species, and also promote foraging and cover for elk, deer, and snowshoe hare. As a general rule, Traditional spacing patterns will not be utilized in order to promote spatial variation within the stand. Instead a combination of thinning from below, and “release” of early/mid seral species to keep in the stand will be done.

All Contract Units - All Western White Pine, Western Red Cedar and Western Larch shall not be cut, unless specified otherwise.

REFERENCE DETAILED UNIT INFORMATION SHEET FOR HIGHEST PRIORITY

SPECIES FOR EACH UNIT.

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Complex patches will be created by no-thin zones established around dominant overstory leave trees > 12” DBH where all tree species shall be left growing within a 25’ radius measured from the bole of the dominant overstory leave trees > 12” DBH.

Within Glass Contract Units 190, 220, and 225, DF and PP infected with dwarf mistletoe, as well as those growing within 50’ whether displaying or incipient, shall be removed. Refer to the Detailed Unit Information Sheet for maximum DBH cut limits.

Exceptions to preferred conifer removal specifications are identified for each Contract Unit, and each species within the Detailed Unit Information Sheet.

Refer to Detailed Unit Information Sheet specifications for GF clump development (Glass Unit 118), WWP Clearing treatments ( Glass Units 190, 229, and 681), and LP thicket treatments (Glass Unit 229).

Leave all conifer trees, which exceed maximum d.b.h. cut limit specified in the Detailed Unit

Information Sheet(s).

Contractor shall leave a mixture of species whenever possible. Units on the Detailed Unit Information Sheet will list crop tree priority.

All hardwood trees and brush (willow, alder, maple, aspen, pacific yew, etc.) will be left to enhance diversity within the developed stand.

Maximum cut tree DBH limit is 7 inches, except for GF in Glass Unit 190, and DF infected with dwarf mistletoe in Glass Unit 225 where the maximum cut tree DBH limit is 8 inches.

(See Detailed Unit Information Sheet)

NACHES: SPECIFIC PILING / LOP AND SCATTER TASK INFORMATION

Contractor shall be required to perform the following tasks:

* Pile slash greater than 2” diameter

* Specified tree species 6”–8” DBH shall not be piled, but fell and left whole for temporary snowshoe hare habitat. See Detailed Unit Information Sheet(s).

* Refer to Detailed Unit Information Sheet(s) for Lop and scatter specifications for each unit.

Generally, the contractor shall lop and scatter in openings with few trees where possible.

* See Detailed Unit Information Sheet for priority selection of leave trees by species:

1. Douglas-fir (DF)

2. Englemann Spruce (ES)

3. Grand Fir (GF)

4. Lodgepole Pine (LPP)

5. Ponderosa Pine (PP)

6. Sub Alpine Fir (SAF)

7. Western Larch (WL)

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8. White Pine (WWP)

9. Western Red Cedar (WRC)

10. Mountain Hemlock (MH)

Stump Height - Removal of Live Limbs All cut trees are to be cut below the lowest live limbs. All limbs shall be removed from the stump. if live limbs are attached to the stump it will be considered an excess tree. Hand loppers, hand operated "weed eater" machines or chain saws will be accepted to thin units. Pulling by physically and completely uprooting the excess tree is an acceptable means of thinning. A pulled tree shall be completely detached from the ground. Stump heights shall not exceed 8 inches above ground level or 4 inches above natural obstacles.

Felling Cut trees shall be felled away from unit boundaries, roads, telephone lines, established trails, stock driveways, fence lines, established land corners, and streams. Any trees falling on such areas shall be removed as specified elsewhere herein.

Hang-Ups All thinning slash shall be placed on or near the ground surface, so that it will not lean against or be suspended by a crop tree.

Live limbs Cut trees with live limbs attached to the stump shall be considered excess trees.

Cle Elum and Naches Slash Treatment (See Attachment 3. Hand Piling Exhibits A, B and C)

Daily Slash Treatment, All Items - Slash generated from each day’s work shall be removed from roadways, trails, ditches, and from the top of cut banks along all roads in the project area, even if not shown on project maps. This slash shall be pulled back by the end of each workday.

All slash between ¼” and 8” in diameter and over 2 feet in length that is created from contract operations shall be piled. All existing slash between ¼” and 8” diameter and over 2 feet in length shall be piled.

Construction and Covering of Slash Piles

Construction of Piles - Piles shall be constructed as compactly as possible and placed with its long access up and down the hill slope. All material shall be bucked into pieces less than 5 feet in length. Piles shall be constructed with vertical sides and a base wide enough to keep them from toppling. Piles shall be constructed so the lower 25% of the pile consists of fuels 2 inches and smaller in diameter and sufficient fine fuels to act as kindling when piles are burned.

Location of Slash Piles - No piles shall be made in stream channels, roads, on private property boundaries/section lines or drainage ditches. Piles shall be a minimum of 5 feet away from the drip line of any leave tree. Slash piles shall be constructed a minimum of 5 feet from any stump or log greater than 20 inches in diameter, measured on the horizontal plane.

Size of Piles – Standard pile size is 4 1/2 feet wide by 4 1/2 feet long by 4 1/2 feet tall. Pile size may increase by 1/2 a foot for each additional foot the pile is away from any crop tree. No pile size shall be greater than stated below. Minimum pile size is 4 feet wide by 4 feet long and 4 feet tall. The height of piles may increase without increasing the width and length of the piles.

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Maximum Pile Size

Examples:

Distance from a crop tree drip line Adjusted pile size

5 feet 4 1/2 by 4 1/2 by 4 1/2 6 feet 5 by 5 by 5

8 feet 6 by 6 by 6 10 feet 7 by 7 by 7

Covering of Piles

The contractor shall cover all hand piles with waterproof material Care shall be taken not to puncture the covering material. Two sheets of waterproof material shall be placed on the uphill side of the pile and no more than 1 foot from the top of the pile. Waterproof material shall be placed during construction when the pile is approximately 75 percent completed. The waterproof material shall then be secured with slash material when the remaining 25 percent of the pile is completed. This will assure that it the waterproof material is not affected by wind and will protect the majority of the pile from rain and snow. The width of the covering shall be at least 4 feet.

MEASUREMENT/ QUALITY CONTROL/SELF INSPECTION

Measurements

1. All linear and area measurements under this contract shall be on the horizontal plane.

2. Remeasurement

a. The contractor may at any time after award request remeasurement of any treatment area. The request for remeasurement must be in writing within 10 days after thinning has been completed on the sub-item. Remeasurement will be made within the established boundaries.

b. If remeasurement indicates a variance of five (5) percent or less from the original measurement, the Contractor shall pay for the actual cost of remeasurement and no adjustment will be made in the acreage.

c. If remeasurement indicates a variance greater than five (5) percent, payment will be based on the remeasured acreage and the Government will pay for the remeasurement. No adjustments will be made for a difference of 1 acre or less.

Contractor Quality Control Plan

The Contractor shall provide a Quality Control Plan as part of the proposal. The Quality Control Plan must demonstrate how the Contractor shall assure that quality of performance meets the objectives and requirements of the contract. The quality Control Plan shall specify:

(a) How quality will be monitored and reported to the Contracting Officer to assure the performance standards are met.

(b) How the work will be supervised.

(c) How results of the monitoring will result in quality performance.

(d) Who will be responsible for performing quality control.. How quality will be monitored and reported to the Contracting Officer to assure the performance standards are met.

(e) How work will be inspected.

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(f) What type of equipment the Inspector will use to do the inspection.

(g) The supervision of the work.

(h) Personnel who will be performing the quality control. Indicate whether persons who will conduct inspections will have other responsibilities (supervision, production work, etc.).

Contractor Certification - Contractor Inspection of Pre-commercial Thinning

For each completed unit, the contractor must furnish a certification of quality assurance. By his or her signature on the inspection report, the contractor certifies that all of the treatments outlined for the specific unit listed in the Schedule of Items have been completed, and that all work complies with the technical specifications set forth in Section C. Only after receiving written certification will the Government performs the final inspection of a work item.

The contractor may opt for a self-inspection process that involves a taking plot data along a systematic grid.

Should the contractor wish more information about this method, details will be offered by the Contracting Officer upon request.

GOVERNMENT VERIFICATION/PAYMENT

Government Quality Assurance - Government Inspection

The Government has the right to inspect and test all services called for by the contract, to the extent practicable at all times and places during the term of the contract. The Government shall perform inspections and tests in a manner that will not unduly delay the work. The contractor or a designated representative is encouraged to be on hand when Government inspections are being made.

Final acceptance will be determined by a 100 percent visual inspection of the areas requiring treatment and will be based on adherence to the requirements stated in the Detailed Unit Information Sheet. Nonconformance with any of the specifications will classify the treatment as unsatisfactory and rework will be required to bring the treatment up to specifications standards at no increase in contract amount.

When the defects in services cannot be corrected by re-performance, the Government may--

(1) Require the Contractor to take necessary action to ensure that future performance conforms to contract requirements; and

(2) Reduce the contract price to reflect the reduced value of the services performed.

If the Contractor fails to promptly perform the services again or to take the necessary action to ensure future performance in conformity with contract requirements, the Government may—

(1) By contract or otherwise, perform the services and charge to the Contractor any cost incurred by the Government that is directly related to the performance of such service; or

(2) Terminate the contract for default.

Acceptance - Acceptance of the work under this contract will be made when the Contracting Officer has made the determination of satisfactory compliance with the specifications and the Contracting Officer approves contract payment(s).

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Government Furnished Property and Services

The Government will provide the following item(s) of Government property to the Contractor for use in the performance of this contract. This property shall be used and maintained by the Contractor in accordance with the provisions of the “Government Property” FAR clause contained elsewhere in the contract.

Item Description Where, When, How

Project Maps Maps of unit areas with access roads. 1 Fireman’s Map.

Located in Section J.

Access Roads

Most access roads are accessible by 2 wheel drive vehicle. 4-wheel drive may be needed. The Contractor is responsible for clearing down trees from access roads.

Access Behind Locked Gates

Some areas are behind Forest road closures (locked gates).

Contractor will provide locks for gated roads, unless walk-ins are required.

Lock provided by the Contractor.

Contractor Furnished Critical Items and Services

A. The Contractor shall furnish everything required to perform this Performance Work Statement. The Contractor shall furnish all labor, equipment, supervision, transportation, supplies and incidentals except those specifically listed as Government-furnished property. Examples of supplies include the following, but are not limited to:

1. Chainsaws

2. Diameter Tape

4. Azimuth Compass

5. Logger’s tape.

6. Pruning Shear or Loppers

7. Lock for Gated Roads

B. The Contractor shall provide tools, transportation and sufficient workforce to complete the contract in the specified time. The Contractor shall also have, at all times of contract performance, a properly designated representative that understands and speaks fluent English. Contractor shall also provide proof of a Washington State Farm Forest Labor license and proof of Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act Registration.

C. The Contractor shall provide a Quality Control Plan (QCP) in their proposal as described in this solicitation/task order. The Quality Control plan must demonstrate how the Contractor will assure quality meets the requirements and specifications of the contract. It shall describe: how quality will be monitored to assure the performance standards are met; the supervision of crew and work; and personnel that will be performing the quality control. Quality control shall include monitoring quality while work is in progress, tree care, and other associated tasks, and using an unbiased sample of work and determining actual quality percentage.

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D. Contractor shall have in his/her employ, inspectors with at least one year of experience in thinning Forest Service trees and who are adequately trained in the required inspection procedures.

Payments, Incentives and Deductions

A. Request for Payment

Contractor may request payment when Quality Assurance (QA) results indicate a pay item has been satisfactorily completed.

B. Payment

1. When Contractor's inspection (QA) percentage and the Government's verification inspection (V-I) are both above ninety percent, or, when the Contractor's QA is greater than ninety percent and Government's V-I is +/- five percent, payment will be made at 100% of the sub-item unit bid price.

2. When the Contractor's QA inspection is less than 90 percent and the Government's VI is +/- five (5) percent, including incidental work, payment will be made at the Contractor's QA inspection percentage. Note:

Minimum acceptable quality is 80 percent.

3. When the Government's V-I differs by more than +/- five percentage points of the Contractor's QA, the Government may take more V-I plots up to the number taken by the Contractor, and payment will be made at the Government's V-I percentage unless re-thin or re-prune, reverification, or both occur.

4. If reverification yields a result within +/- five percent of Contractor's QA results, payment will be based upon Contractor's QA results.

5. If reverification results are more than +/- five percent of Contractor QA results, payment will be based upon the Government's reverification percentage, less re-inspection costs.

6. Reverification of any re-thin or re-prune shall be at the expense of the Contractor.

7. Pull back, bucking, lopping and scattering, girdling and fence repairs shall be considered incidental to thinning and no separate payment will be made at the unit price.

Contractor’s Quality Control Plan and Government Verification and Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan

Contractor Quality Control Plan

A. Quality Control Plan. The Contractor shall provide a Quality Control Plan (QCP) as part of this Technical Proposal. The Contractor shall supplement the QCP within 10 days of contract award or start work, based on items awarded to the Contractor and Government comments. The Plan must demonstrate how the Contractor will assure that quality of performance meets the objectives and requirements of the contract. The QCP shall specify:

1. How quality will be monitored to assure performance standards are met.

2. How the work will be supervised.

3. How results of the monitoring will result in quality performance.

4. Identify the personnel responsible for performing quality control.

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B. Contractor Quality Control Inspection. The Contractor shall assure themselves that performance meets contract specifications, in accordance with Inspection/Acceptance (FAR 52.212.4) paragraph (a), prior to requesting the Government to inspect for payment or acceptance. Upon completion of plot cards, the Contractor shall contact the Contracting Officer to set a mutually agreed upon date for inspection of completed work. The Contracting Officer may observe the Contractor’s inspection at any time and shall otherwise have unlimited access to the inspection data.

C. Standards for Contractor Inspection

1. Contractor shall inspect all work performed, concurrently with each day's work.

2. A daily written record shall be prepared and, upon request, shall be made available to the Government.

3. As a minimum, Contractor record shall show rate of progress compared to required rate of progress as required.

D. Quality Assurance (QA) Requirements - Contractor Inspection

The Contractor’s Quality Control Plan must address the Contractor’s Plot Inspection Procedures. Below is a guideline for the Contractor Plot Inspection Procedure. If the Contract’s Plot Inspection procedures vary from these procedures, the Contractor must state the revision in their Quality Control Plan submitted with their quote and these maybe modified.

Government Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan and Acceptance Requirements

The objective of this plan is to provide a quality surveillance plan for tree thinning treatment performed on the Cle Elum and Naches Ranger Districts, Okanagan Wenatchee National Forest. This plan provides a basis for Contracting Officer to evaluate the quality of the Contractor’s performance. The oversight provided for in the contract and in this plan will help ensure that quality levels reach the required levels of performance.

A. Government Quality Assurance Inspection. The Government will, at its convenience, make periodic visual inspections of the work to assure itself of contract compliance and to perform Quality Assurance Inspections to determine or confirm that the Contractor is performing quality control in accordance with its QCP and that Contractor monitoring results in quality performance of contract objectives.

B. Government Verification Inspection (V-I).

1. The Government will conduct verification inspections of thinning to determine compliance with specifications. Each sub-item will be verified separately and inspection results on one sub-item will not be averaged with those of other sub-items. Determination of the acceptability of the work performed will be based on V-I and will be considered conclusive. The Contractor or a designated representative is encouraged to observe V-I being made.

2. Inspection of Pre-commercial Thinning, Ladder Fuel Reduction, Handpiling, Lop and Scatter and Pullback treatment is 100% visual inspection.

Acceptance will be determined by a 100 percent visual inspection of the areas requiring treatment and will be based on adherence to the requirements stated in the Technical Specifications and Detailed Unit Information Sheet (also referred to as the Performance Requirement Summary Sheet) of each task order. Nonconformance with any of the Specifications will classify the treatment as unsatisfactory and rework

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3. Government V-I will be completed within 72 hours, not including Saturday, Sunday, or holidays, after Contractor inspection is completed, and completed plot cards are submitted to the Contracting Officer for the sub-item.

4. Contractor Requested Reinspection:

1. The Contractor may accompany the Government inspector during the reinspection.

2. The results of this reinspection will supersede the original inspection for determining acceptability and payment.

3. If reinspection does not result in an additional payment for the Contractor, the Contractor must pay for the reinspection.

Re-thin, re-Ladder Fuel Reduction, re-handpile, re-Lop and Scatter and re-pullback the sub-item:

1. Re-thin may be allowed if excess trees exist.

2. Re-thin shall require re-inspection by the Contractor and reverification by the Government in the same manner as the first inspection.

C. Minimum Acceptable Quality

The minimum acceptable quality for thinning is 80 percent whether it be Contractor QA or Government VI.

Repeated failure to achieve 80 percent quality or above shall be grounds for Termination for Cause.

D. Rework and Reinspection after Rework

When inspection results are below 90 percent and excess trees constitute any part of the deficiency, payment shall not be made until the excess tree deficiency has been corrected (see definition of Excess Tree in section C, Technical Definitions) and the Contractor has assured his/her Quality Control measures have corrected the…