SOW__Shortleaf_pine_planting.docx

DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/WORK STATEMENTS

CONTAINERIZED SHORTLEAF PINE PLANTING

Division 100 - GENERAL SPECIFICATION

110 - Scope of Contract

Contractor shall furnish all labor, material, equipment, tools, transportation, supervision, supplies, and perform all work required to plant Containerized Shortleaf Pine Seedlings in accordance with specifications and provisions of the contract. No materials, labor, or equipment will be furnished by the Government unless specifically identified in the Government-Furnished Property Clause.

120 - Description and Location

The areas to be planted are within the boundaries of the Uwharrie National Forest, Uwharrie Ranger District, Montgomery County, North Carolina (see attached maps).

130 - Government-Furnished Property

The Government shall deliver to the Contractor the following listed materials, supplies, and property (hereafter referred to as "Government-furnished property") at the place and time specified below. The Contractor shall be liable for all loss or damage of such delivered Government-furnished property until completion and final acceptance of work required under this contract. If the Government fails to make timely delivery of such Government-furnished property suitable for its intended use, and upon written request from the Contractor, Contracting Officer shall make an equitable adjustment of contract delivery or performance dates or contract price, or both, pursuant to "Changes" clause of the General Provisions of this contract.

131 - The Forest Service shall furnish the following:

Seedlings will be furnished by the Forest Service to the Contractor in proper containers. The contractor is responsible for loading and transporting seedlings from the cooler storage site located at the Uwharrie Ranger District Workcenter cooler building, 2 miles east of Troy, NC (see attached vicinity map).

For purposes of Clause 130 above, seedlings will be considered delivered to the Contractor upon Contractor's loading of the seedlngs onto their vehicle for transporting to planting areas.

Seedlings will be signed out by contractor at cooler each morning. Seedlings must be picked up and delivered daily, between 7:00 A.M. and 12:00 P.M. Monday - Friday. Not more than one day's supply of seedlings will be picked up on any one work day unless authorized by the COR. Any change in the above time for seedling pick-up must be coordinated with the COR.

140 - Crew Organization

The Contractor shall provide a competent foreman or superintendent experienced in planting Containerized Shotleaf seedlings. Crews will not exceed ten and not be less than five workers. The foreman or superintendent shall be with the crew at all times while they are working and will insure that quality control is maintained. The worker(s) will be capable of communicating to Contracting Officers Representative (COR) or a qualified inspector.

Each crew will perform work as an individual working unit, and during normal daily work operations crews will not be separated or divided into smaller working units unless prior consent is received from COR. This consent will be most applicable to finishing small areas where normal crew size (six people) would be impractical; in other work circumstances, crew members will perform together as a working unit. Contract time is based upon a 6 person crew.

Contractor shall furnish a 5-day notice prior to a significant change of crew change (+ or – five tree planters) in order for the Forest Service to provide sufficent seedlings.

DIVISION 200 - TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

210 - Planting Instruction

Tree seedlings shall be planted in accordance with the following instructions:

1. Plant one tree seedling in a trash-free hole or trench. (For hand planting, the leaves, litter, duff, etc., shall be removed sufficiently to prevent any duff buildup around planted seedling. Duff removal shall be accomplished before planting tool is inserted in the ground.)

2. Plant containerized Shortleaf Pine seedling as instructed by the COR. Take care not to bury terminal bud during planting. Leave plug slightly exposed ABOVE the soil surface.

3. Planted Shortleaf Pine seedling spacing shall be approximately 10’x12’.

Acceptable minimum and maximum number of Longleaf and Shortleaf Pine seedlings, properly planted, per acre shall be:

The Contractor may adjust the placement of seedling to meet ground conditions. The number of properly planted seedlings must not be less than the specified minimum.

4. Pack soil firmly around each planted seedling. Close planting trench or hole at the bottom as well as the top.

5. Do not plant seedlings in frozen ground or during freezing weather unless approved by COR.

6. Do not plant within 5 feet of clearing limits of any designated system road, fence, powerline, or pipeline right-of-way, or within 10 feet of existing tree line.

7. To avoid possible root damage, do not use planting tool to maneuver roots of seedling.

8. Do not plant seedlings when soil moisture drops below 20 percent as determined by COR.

9. Remove seedling from bag one at a time. Seedlings are not to be fanned.

10. Seedlings shall not be planted within 12" of large mounds of dirt, rock, holes, or stumpholes large enough to hamper root growth of seedling.

11. Trees must be planted vertical to the ground.

220 - Care and Handling of Seedlings

221 Protections The Contractor must protect the seedlings and take precaution to prevent damage to them from time received by the Contractor until they are planted. This shall include, but is not limited to:

1. Protection From Sun, Wind, and Adverse Temperatures

Seedlings must be handled, stored, and transported in a manner to protect them from sun and wind and to maintain the air temperature of bags between 32 and 65 degrees Fahrenhit.

An insulated box or heat resistant tarp will be used to protect the seedlings.

If seedlings are furnished in boxes, boxes of seedlings shall be kept sealed prior to planting of the seedlings. Only one box shall be opened at a time. Partially used boxes will be kept closed to prevent exposure of the seedling roots to air. If any box is torn or separated, contractor shall immediately patch or otherwise seal it using "duct tape".

If seedlings are furnished in bundles, bundles shall be kept intact prior to planting. Partially used bundle will be kept rolled and tied to prevent exposure of the seedling roots to air.

Seedlings not planted must be returned to the cooler at end of the work day.

2. Keeping Seedling Roots Moist

Seedling roots must be kept moist at all times prior to and during planting.

3. Protection From Contamination

Seedlings shall be protected from contamination by materials such as gasoline, diesel fuel, oils, or chemicals which may damage the seedlings.

222 - Pruning of Tree Seedlings

Shortleaf seedlings are containerized stock and NO pruning will be required or permitted.

230 - Equipment Requirements

Hand planting tool will be a dibble bar or an approved hoedad. Penetrating portion of blade shall not be less than 10 inches long and 2-3/4 inches wide. (Dibble Bars or Hoedads will not be provided by USDA Forest Service.)

241 - Erosion Control

All vehicles will be operated in a manner that will minimize disturbance to the soil. Access roads may not be passable during wet weather. The contractor shall take sufficient precautions to prevent soil erosion or run-off. The contractor will be responsible for water barring, smoothing, and seeding of damaged roads. Contractor will use the below grass seed at the following rates:

Fertilizer 10-10-10 1,000 lbs./acre

Lime 4,000 lbs./acre Orchard Grass 30-40 lbs./acre

KY 31 Fungus Free Fescue 30-40 lbs./acre

Inoculated White Clover 3-5 lbs./acre Rye or Winter Wheat 25-30 lbs./acre

242 - Protection of Streams, Lakes and Reservoirs

Contractor shall use every precaution necessary to prevent pollution of streams, lakes, and reservoirs by fuel, oils, other chemicals, silt or other harmful materials. All streams will be kept free of contractor-generated debris.

243 - Protection of Archaeological/Historical Resources

The contractor upon discovery of suspected archaeological or historical materials shall cease work in the vicinity of such material and immediately notify the COR.

250 - Disposal of Debris

All seedling bale wrappers/bags, binding straps, and Contractor-generated debris shall be removed from National Forest System Lands.

260 - Camping

If requested by contractor camping areas are available. Camping areas are designated by COR and absolutely no driving or camping in designated wildlife fields.

DIVISION 300 - INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

310 - Inspection Services

(a) Definitions. "Services," as used in this clause, includes services performed, workmanship, and material furnished or utilized in the performance of services.

(b) The Contractor shall provide and maintain an inspection system acceptable to the Government covering the services under this contract. Complete records of all inspection work performed by the Contractor shall be maintained and made available to the Government during contract performance and for as long afterwards as the contract requires.

(c) 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.

(d) If any of the services do not conform with contract requirements, the Government may require the Contractor to perform the services again in conformity with contract requirements, at no increase in contract amount. When the defects in services cannot be corrected by reperformance, 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.

(e) 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.

320 - Inspection Procedures

Upon completion of work on the area, the contractor shall notify the COR that work on the area is completed and the COR will make an overall inspection of the work completed. If the work meets inspection requirements, then the contractor shall proceed with work on the next area.

Inspection of completed areas will take place Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

All planting areas will be sampled at a rate of one plot per two acres. Sampling will consist of 1/100th acre plots to determine the total number of seedlings planted and the number improperly planted within the sample plots. Some seedlings will be dug in each plot to determine trees planted in an unsatisfactory manner.

The total number of seedlings planted per acre and the number improperly planted per acre on a contract area will be determined by averaging the results of the sample plots and multiplying the plot average by 100 (see Division 210-3).

330 - Acceptance

The specified minimum number of seedlings per acre is the minimum number of seedlings that must be properly planted per acre (natural seedlings shall not be considered). Planting up to the maximum number of seedlings per acre is allowable. (see Division 210-3).

If a need for remedial work prior to acceptance is reflected by the COR`s overall inspection, or by plot sample results, such remedial work will be performed before Contractor moves to the next area.

If the initial inspection results in acceptance of the area, Contractor may immediately proceed with work on the next area.

340 - Deliveries or Performance

Commencement, Prosecution, and Completion of Work (FAR 52.212-3,ALT I) (APR 1984)

The Contractor shall be required to (a) to start planting on February 21, 2017. (b) prosecute the work diligently, and (c) complete the entire work ready for use not later than 12 days. The time stated for completion shall include final cleanup of the premises.

The completion date is based on the assumption that the successful offeror will receive the Notice to Proceed on or before 2/14/2017. The completion date will be extended by the number of calendar days after the above date that the Contractor receives the notice to proceed, except to the extent that the delay in issuance of the notice to proceed results from the failure of the Contractor to execute the contract and give the required performance and payment bonds within the time specified in the offer.

350 Contract Administration Data

Contracting Officer's Representative

The Contracting Officer will designate, upon award of contract, an individual as the Contracting Officer`s Representative (COR):

The COR is responsible for administering the performance of work under this contract. In no event, however, will any understanding, agreement, modification, change order, or other matter deviating from the terms of this contract be effective or binding upon the Government unless formalized by proper contractual documents executed by the Contracting Officer prior to completion of the contract.

DIVISION 400 - MEASUREMENT AND PAYMENT

410 - Method of Measurement

Acreage listed in the bid schedule was determined by GPS around the area perimeters as marked by orange paint. The surveys were plotted and total acres were determined by computer generated traverse. Any acreage deleted under Clause 2 of the Supplemental General Provisions will be measured using the same method.

420 - Basis of Payment

1. Value of the number of seedlings planted in excess of the maximum per acre (see 210-3, and 320) based on a rate of $60 per 334 count box of containerized Shortleaf Pine seedlings.

2. Value of seedlings lost or damaged (see 130) based on a rate of $60 per 334 count box of containerized Shortleaf Pine seedlings.