ATCH 1 RCW_SCOPE OF WORK_FY12_20120603.docx

ATCH 1 PART I. SECTION C, SPECIFICATIONS

C. 1 - SCOPE OF WORK

This contract solicitation is for red-cockaded woodpecker (RCW) habitat and cavity inspection surveys to be performed on the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Savannah River Site (SRS). Contractor shall furnish all equipment, labor, transportation, supervision, and perform all required work in accordance with the specifications and provisions of the contract.

C.2 - DESCRIPTION AND LOCATION

One (1) service contract with 2 line items to address aspects of the red-cockaded woodpecker management program at the Savannah River Site.

The Contractor shall conduct surveys for the presence of red-cockaded woodpeckers in selected forested stands within Resource Compartments 30*, 31*, 53*, 54, 60, 62, 76, 77, 79, 80, and 81, located in the Red-cockaded Woodpecker Management Area (Appendix A). Additionally, the Contractor shall conduct cavity and tree inspections in known RCW clusters, currently located in Resource Compartments: 18, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30*, 36, 55, 56, 78, 80, 81, 82, and 84 (Appendix B).

* Advanced Tactical Training Area (ATTA) – Consist of timber compartments 31 and sections of compartments 30, 52 and 53. Access to these compartments can be restricted for short periods of time due to training and access will require coordination with the contract Contractor Officer Representative (COR) .

Line Item 001: For all compartments listed, approximately 3,440 acres scheduled for intermediate thinning shall be surveyed for the presence of RCWs and cavity trees, with an option by mutual agreement to survey an estimated minimum of 200 acres annually for a period of two years (2014-2015). Of the 3,440 acres, 1092 are located in the ATTA watershed and 2,348 are located in the Lower Three Runs (LTR) watershed.

Of the 1,092 acres, 539 acres in compartment 31 and 142 acres in compartment 53 are located in the ATTA restricted access areas. Four hundred and eleven acres in compartments 30 and 54 are not restricted. The presence of RCWs has not been documented in the stands scheduled for treatment. Surveys may be initiated in June 2012 and shall conclude by 30 December 2012 or as specified on each task order.

Surveys in the LTR watershed may be initiated in January 2013 and shall conclude by 1 June 2013 or as stated in each task order.

Line Item 002: Cavity and tree inspections shall be done in known RCW clusters as designated by the COR. A minimum of 73 clusters will be inspected each year. Inspections shall be conducted from 1 March to 1 April of the given year. Contractors are required to have Federal Fish and Wildlife Permit for red-cockaded woodpeckers and be authorized to work in South Carolina.

Inspect natural and artificial cavity trees and cavity starts in RCW clusters on the SRS annually for a period of 3 years (2013, 2014, and 2015), with an option by mutual agreement to extend until 2017. In 2012, approximately 130 natural cavities, 520 inserts and 130 starts were documented in 750 trees within 73 clusters. Information on RCW trees will be recorded, cavities and inserts will be cleaned out and their condition assessed, recommendations for installing inserts and habitat management will be given, a search for new trees will be conducted, and new trees will be gps’d, and tagged in each cluster.

Cavities on SRS will be inspected annually. A Peeper may be used for inspection and assessment. The cavities will be cleaned of debris, nest material, etc. if needed. Methods used to clean the cavities may vary (i.e. vacuum or extractor) and it is up to the contractor’s discretion to use the most efficient, effective, and safe method to complete the task. All of the designated clusters are accessible from woods roads and none of the clusters are greater than ¼ mile from a road. All-terrain vehicles are not permitted on SRS.

Contractor must meet at the Forest Service Headquarters (FSH) at a time determined by the COR to get Forest Service radios and check in as remote workers. Contractor may not exit the site without checking out at the FSH. Any variance to these procedures must be requested by contractor and approved by COR.

Contractors will be required to attend a pre-work meeting.

The work schedule will be Monday through Saturday (6 days per week) unless otherwise arranged with the COR.

Detailed information on both line items is described below.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Line Item 001:

Stands scheduled for intermediate thinning shall be surveyed for cavity trees of RCWs. Currently, no active clusters occur in the areas scheduled for survey.

· Habitat shall be surveyed by running line transects through stands and visually inspecting all medium sized and large pines for evidence of cavity excavation by RCWs.

· Transects must be spaced so that all trees are inspected. Spacing will vary but shall be 46 m (150 ft) or less in areas with dense midstory. Transects shall be run north-south, because many cavity entrances are oriented in a westerly direction.

· If RCWs are observed, record their location and behavior.

· Use a mapping grade global positioning system (GPS) unit with computer downloading capabilities to take site location readings for each cavity tree. All GPS locations shall have a horizontal accuracy of 5 meters or less, and documentation of accuracy, such as that typically contained in differentially corrected GPS data files, shall be provided. Recreational grade GPS units generally are not capable of this level of accuracy and are not acceptable for use on this contract.

· Provide GPS data; all electronic files containing GPS data will be in ESRI shape file format and shall be in UTM zone 17 N projection, NAD 83 datum.

· Flag all cavity trees located.

· Record all the information requested in the RCW Cluster Field Data Collection Data Form as described in items 2-9 in Line Item 002.

· Provide hard copies of RCW Cluster Field Data Collection Data Form

· If cavity trees are found, more intense surveying within 457 m (1,500 ft) of each cavity tree shall be conducted to locate all cavity trees in the area.

Line Item 002:

1. Record all data on furnished inventory forms (RCW Cluster Field Data Collection Form, Cavity Competitors Data Form, Management Recommendations and Tracking Data Form).

2. Record tree species or verify species (longleaf, loblolly, or slash).

3. Record tree status (active or inactive).

4. Record tree condition (healthy, distressed, or dead).

5. Record cavity type (natural cavity, natural start, or insert) for each cavity tree.

6. Record cavity height and azimuth.

7. Record cavity status (active cavity, active start, inactive cavity, inactive start, or non-RCW cavity).

8. Record entrance/chamber condition (normal, enlarged, reduced, or unknown).

9. Record occupant species (RCW, none, unknown, other).

10. Record restrictor status (full, half or none) for each cavity tree.

11. Record if there is a restrictor plate on the cavity.

12. Record habitat management recommendations (prescribed fire, manual, mechanical, or chemical treatment).

13. Record artificial cavity recommendations (install inserts, or replace inserts).

14. Record cavity recommendations (install restrictor plate).

15. Clean out debris in cavities following cavity inspection if needed.

16. Record competitor species and number in cavity.

17. Remove and euthanize flying squirrels if encountered (record number removed, escaped, and sex).

18. Search within 750 ft. radius of all cavity trees for new cavity trees.

19. Record all data for any cavity trees found in search.

20. Check all cavity trees to insure they are properly tagged with the corresponding number on the supplied inventory sheet.

21. If tag is missing or improper number is present, place a correctly numbered tag on the cavity tree.

22. All new cavity trees will be tagged with the next available number (ex. last tree recorded was no. 9, new tree would be no.10).

23. GPS new cavity trees using a mapping grade global positioning system (GPS) unit with computer downloading capabilities to take site location readings for each cavity tree. All GPS locations shall have a horizontal accuracy of 5 meters or less, and documentation of accuracy, such as that typically contained in differentially corrected GPS data files, shall be provided. Recreational grade GPS units generally are not capable of this level of accuracy and are not acceptable for use on this contract.

24. Provide GPS data; all electronic files containing GPS data will be in ESRI shape file format and shall be in UTM zone 17 N projection, NAD 83 datum.

25. Supply the US Forest Service with data (RCW Cluster Field Data Collection Form, Cavity Competitors Data Form, Management Recommendations and Tracking Data Form) both in hard copy and electronic form.

PART II - SECTION G- CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

G.1- GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY

Government furnished property should be returned upon completion.

· PDF file of forested stands to be surveyed. GIS map (available for viewing by request for potential bidders) shall be given to selected contractor(s) at pre-work meeting.

· GIS Shape file of Forest stands and RCW cavity trees to be surveyed shall be given to selected contractor(s) at pre-work meeting.

· Aerial images of locations (1951 and 2010; available by request for the selected contractor(s)).

· Tags

· Steel Stamps for making tags

· Inventory sheets to record data

· USB flash drive

· USDA Forest Service handheld radio or remote worker pager

· Trimble GPS unit

G.2. INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

1. Inspection and acceptance will be performed by the COR.

2. Acceptance will not occur until government furnished property has been returned.