Attachment 1 - Specifications.doc

PROJECT WFM-0811-17FHF

INVASIVE SPECIES CONTROL IN THE LINVILLE GORGE AREA OF THE PISGAH NATIONAL FOREST: INVASIVE PLANT SPECIALIST

STATEMENT OF WORK, SCOPE AND SPECIFICATIONS

Summary and Context This contract is part of a larger effort in the Linville Gorge Area to reduce the abundance of Princess Tree (Paulownia tomentosa) and other non-native invasive species(NNIS). Princess Tree abundance both inside and outside of the Linville Gorge Wilderness has increased dramatically, especially in areas that have been severely impacted by wildfire within the last decade. The larger project, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, funds 3 private contractors, a cooperative agreement with the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NCDENR) to utilize the Bridge Crew program, and the employment of Job Corps crews and leaders. The goal is to treat as many acres possible within the next 5 years and inventory invasive species in the Linville Gorge Wilderness Area. Priority treatment areas also include the Linville Gorge Wilderness, where herbicide use is currently prohibited. Efforts to gain approval for treating heavily infested areas of the Wilderness are underway, thus creating the possibility of treating select areas of the Wilderness within the project period, 2010-2014. Thousands of acres outside of the wilderness contain Princess Tree and other invasives and serve as the current target areas for treatment. The current contract request is for an invasive plant specialist to treat invasives in areas in the Dobson Knob Area (and other similar areas) of Linville Gorge, one of the more remote areas outside the Wilderness, during 2010 and 2011.

Specifications The contractor is responsible for surveying and treating for invasives in designated areas, many of which were heavily burned by wildfires in the last decade. The Forest Service requires a 2-person crew (made up of the Invasive control Specialist and one other person) because of safety considerations while working in remote, rough terrain and the need for timely completion of the project. The contractor will communicate regularly with the Forest Service Contract Officer Representative (COR) and the Inspector/Coordinator, who will be directing and inspecting the overall invasives treatment in Linville Gorge.

The contractor shall furnish all labor, supervision, and transportation, and perform all work required to perform control treatment on National Forest land in accordance with the specifications and provisions contained herein. Also, the Contractor shall furnish all materials, equipment, tools, and supplies needed except herbicide, surfactant, dye, and oil which will be supplied by the Grandfather District Mixmaster on the Pisgah National Forest. The areas to be treated are located in the Dobson Knob area of the Linville Gorge Area. Additional areas, similar to the Dobson Knob area, may also be treated. See the attached site maps detailing roads and areas for invasive species control. All contract map locations are approximate; therefore, actual locations designated on the ground take precedence over the contract maps. The contractor will complete all treatment work during the period June 15 – September 30, 2010 and 2011. Data and reports are due periodically, as described below. Final reports and data are due no later than November 15, 2011.

The species known or suspected to occur within the Linville Gorge area are given in the table below. Microstegium vimineum and Lonicera japonica are prevalent across the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forest and undoubtedly occur within and adjacent to the Linville Wilderness.

Table 1. Documented or potential non-native invasive plant species in the Linville Gorge Area.

Herbicide Application, Technical Specifications and Safety

Method of herbicide application will be a combination of the following:

· Foliar Application: spraying the plant foliage directly

· Cut Surface Application : cutting stem of vegetation and spraying or painting herbicide mixture on the cut surface

· Basal Bark Application: spraying a herbicide mixture on the lower part of the woody stem. National Forests in North Carolina Staff will serve as the point of contact when determining which application method is best for questionable situations (it is unlikely that this will be used given the time frame of the contract, but it is listed here as a possibility).

Technical specifications for herbicide treatment are as follows:

· Target plants to be treated by cut stump method - Any plant with a woody stem; plants may be treated up to the edge of surface water.

· Target plants to be treated by foliar spray method - Plants that are less than 8 feet high Plants may be treated up to the edge of surface water.

· Target plants to be treated by basal bark method - Woody stems that are at least 30 feet away from surface water; Woody stems that are no more than 6” diameter at ground level Application Method Procedures

· Cut Stump Method - Cut stems within 12 inches of ground level with loppers, handsaw, pruners or chainsaw. The stump will be sprayed, or painted, with the herbicide mixture within one minute after the cut. Air temperature must be above 40°F. No treatment will occur during periods of rainfall or while stems are wet. Herbicide mixture for this treatment will be a 50% mixture of Garlon 3A (or equivalent) herbicide in water with a dye added.

· Foliar Method - Leaves will be sprayed with the herbicide mixture until they are mostly wet, but not to the point that the herbicide mixture is running off the leaves and dripping on the ground. Spraying will be accomplished with a pump-up, compression sprayer. Air temperature must be above 65°F. No treatment will occur during periods of rainfall or while foliage is still wet. Herbicide mixture for this treatment will be a 4% mixture of Garlon 3A (or equivalent) herbicide plus 0.5% non-ionic surfactant in water, with a dye added. Garlon 3A will be utilized for control of all the targeted species except for Chinese silvergrass, Chinese yam, and privet. A 4-10% glyphosate solution will be utilized for these species.

· Basal Bark Method - This method will be used only when directed by US Forest Service Personnel or designated contractors. Spray the basal portions of the target plant, including the root collar, so that the lower 12 inches of the plant is thoroughly wet, but not to the point of runoff. Spraying will be accomplished with a pump-up, compression sprayer. No treatment will occur during periods of rainfall, while foliage is still wet, or the ground is frozen. Herbicide mixture for this treatment will be a 20% mixture of Garlon 4 (or equivalent) herbicide mixed with JBL Oil (or equivalent), with dye added. Seedlings and juveniles of targeted species can be mechanically removed (hand or weed wrench) within the 30 foot zone around surface water.

Mixing, Supply and Transport of Herbicides

· Herbicide will be supplied to the Contractor at the work site or a mutually agreed location. The Contractor shall give at least 2 working days advance notice to the COR prior to picking up the herbicide. Sufficient supplies of herbicide will be made available to the Contractor for work on weekends and holidays.

· At the pre-work conference, or when herbicides are initially issued to the Contractor, the mixmaster or COR will furnish a packet to the Contractor containing pesticide labels and material safety data sheets for the herbicides and adjuvant being used. The Contractor and crew shall become familiar with the contents of the packet and its location in case of an emergency.

· The Contractor shall use every precaution necessary to prevent pollution of streams by fuel, oils, herbicides, silt, or other harmful material. Application equipment will be filled and cleaned inside or adjacent to the treatment areas and at least 100 feet from private land and/or 30 feet from flowing streams.

· The contractor is legally responsible for the safe transportation of herbicides. Contractor shall follow travel routes designated by the COR when transporting herbicides from the public road system to the treatment sites. Transport vehicles shall be parked inside the treatment site or in an area designated by the COR.

· Transportation of herbicides used on this contract shall be in accordance with label instructions and the general approved and accepted procedures for safe transportation of herbicides. The following precautions should be taken by the Contractor to prevent spills, accidents, injury or theft:

1) Transport herbicides in the cargo compartment of a truck or other vehicle away from the passenger compartment.

2) No personnel should ride in the back of a vehicle with the herbicide.

3) All herbicide containers should be tied down or otherwise constrained to prevent breakage or spillage.

4) Pesticides should not be transported in the same compartment with food or clothing.

5) If any herbicide is spilled in-or-from the vehicle it should be cleaned up at once.

6) Unlocked herbicides should not be left unattended.

· Contractor shall be responsible for all costs of damages, clean-up, and decontamination should a herbicide spill occur. If a spill occurs, every effort will be made to keep it from contaminating water and other off-site areas. The spill shall be cleaned-up as quickly as possible. Appropriate Federal, State and local officials will be notified. Herbicide spills shall be handled in accordance with the standard procedures for spill clean-up. (40 CFR 117) COR shall be notified immediately of any herbicide spill or accident.

· Handling and application of Herbicides: Personnel handling herbicides should wear protective clothing and/or equipment as recommended by the herbicide manufacturer. Herbicide shall not be applied or equipment cleaned outside of areas designated by COR. Following these simple rules will help make the use of the herbicide safer for everyone:

1) Read the safety information on the label.

2) Wear the proper protective clothing.

3) Keep first aid equipment and supply of clean water readily available, including soap and eye wash equipment meeting OSHA regulations.

4) If at all possible, do not work alone.

5) Keep the container below eye level when pouring to avoid splashing or spilling any herbicide on the face or into the eyes.

7) If herbicides are spilled, stop immediately, wash out eyes if contaminated and remove contaminated clothing. Wash the skin thoroughly with soap and water. Speed is essential. Once clean, put on clean protective clothing and equipment and clean up the spill. See a physician as appropriate.

8) Keep measuring cups and other equipment clean and properly stored when not in use.

9) Wash hands carefully before relieving yourself, eating, or smoking.

· Herbicides used on this contract will not be stored or left overnight except at storage facilities approved by the COR or mixmaster. Unused herbicides will be returned to the storage facility at the end of each work day or kept in a secure location approved by the COR or mixmaster. All empty containers shall be returned to the storage facility at the Forest Service Workcenter for disposal by the Forest Service. No empty containers will be left at the worksite.

Quality Control The contractor will document areas surveyed and/or treated (i.e., some areas may not contain invasives but still need to be mapped and documented) using GPS, field notes and field maps. GPS data can consist of boundaries of surveyed/treated areas, “tracks” that represent the search and treat routes taken by the treatment crew, as well as points that indicate significant infestations, or other significant landscape features. A field log will be kept of work accomplishments. Within each area treated and GPS’ed, the contractor will estimate the percent cover by species treated. Electronic data (GPS or otherwise) and/or paper copies of field data/maps will be delivered to the COR or to the Project Coordinator/Inspector on a weekly basis unless otherwise approved by the COR.

The Contractor will maintain an accurate daily treatment log of work activities and chemicals applied in treatment areas with a copy made available to FS at billing or upon request. The daily log must record the following:

· Date

· Name of licensed commercial applicator (first and last name)

· Names of other licensed applicators and noncertified applicators

· Time of day (start time and stop time based on a military clock)

· Treatment location

· Approximate acres treated (actual extent in acres of pesticide application)

· Treatment method/equipment used

· Target invasive species

· Herbicide

· chemical used (product name),

· quantity of herbicide (calibrated volume and volume applied & unit of measure – including carrier and dilutant),

· product rate (label rate in which the product is applied (oz/acre)

· adjuvant used (product name & rate applied, if any).

· Weather information

· air temperature (°F) range during treament

· relative humidity (percent)

· wind speed and unit of measure (MPH or knots)

· wind direction (E, N, NE, S, SE, SW, W, NW)

· daily precipitation (inches).

The contractor is responsible for meeting the effectiveness standards expected by the Forest Service as described in Table 2 (attached). This table describes 1) task, 2) quality/performance standards, 3) acceptable quality levels (AQL), 4) method of assessment that the Forest Service will use to inspect the work, and finally, 5) penalty for not meeting the AQL.

Equipment and Supplies

The contractor is responsible for all equipment and supplies required for the job, except where otherwise noted.

Provided by the Forest Service Maps of the project area will be provided to the Contractor (see attached maps), that show access to the site, as well as specific areas to be treated. Forest Service will provide access behind gated roads as appropriate. Grandfather Ranger District personnel will mix and supply the contractor with all herbicides needed.

Pre-bid Meeting

The Forest Service will hold a pre-bid meeting for interested contractors at the National Forests in North Carolina office in Asheville, NC, May 6, 2010, from 9:30-11:30 pm. The address is 160-A Zillicoa Street, Asheville, NC.

Deliverables

The contractor will provide the COR and Project Coordinator/Inspector with electronic copies of the field log, data including estimates of cover by species treated, GPS data on a weekly basis and estimates of acres treated. The contractor will submit a brief summary of accomplishments in addition to the weekly submittals of data described above. All other deliverables – remaining field data, reports, GPS files, maps and photos etc. - will be delivered to the Forest Service COR no later than November 1, 2010.

Access and Travel

Linville Gorge is located approximately 70 miles E-NE of Asheville, NC and 20 miles NE of Marion, NC off of I-40. From I-40, Linville Gorge can be accessed via 1) US 221 out of Marion, 2) State Highway 126 from Nebo, and 3) State highway 181 from Morganton. Three areas within the Linville Gorge Area, but outside the Wilderness boundary, serve as the project treatment areas and can be seen in the attached map. Dobson Knob can be accessed by foot from State Road 1236, FS Road 117 or Forest Service Road 106.

The Government will issue a key to any gated Forest Service roads needed for access by the Contractor. The Contractor shall be responsible if unauthorized entry to the facilities is gained by the use of the key. Issued key(s) shall be returned to the COR prior to final payment. Access on roads which are gated or waterbarred will be coordinated with the Contracting Officer`s Representative. Contractor will keep all gates locked at all times, unless otherwise directed by the COR.

The Contractor shall conduct his operations so as to minimize damage to all roads, road banks, trails, ditches, and other improvements in the operating area. Any damage caused by the Contractor, other than normal wear, shall be repaired at the Contractor`s expense. Access roads, trails, and/or protected streams will be kept free of logs, slash and other Contractor generated debris at all times. Road banks, ditches, and culvert openings must also be kept clear of Contractor generated debris Attachments (Documents, maps, links)

· Table 2. Performance assessment methods and acceptable quality levels (AQL): AQL_Assessment.doc

· Maps:

· Vicinty Map: LG_project_overview.pdf

· LG_Dobson_aerial.pdf

· LG_Dobson_aerial_trt.pdf

· LG_Dobson_aerial_trt_East.pdf

· LG_Dobson_aerial_trt_West.pdf

· LG_Dobson_topo_trt.pdf

· LG_Dobson_access.pdf