Specifications.pdf

White Oak & Stockbridge Cover Crop Project

List of Construction Specifications

Spec. No. Title No. of Pages

5 Pollution Control 3

6 Seeding, Sprigging, and Mulching 5

8 Mobilization and Demobilization 2

11 Removal of Water 3

94 Quality Control 3

Attachment #2 AG-5D21-S-13-0004

Construction Specification 5—Pollution Control

1. Scope The work consists of installing measures or performing work to control erosion and minimize the production of sediment and other pollutants to water and air from construction activities.

2. Material All material furnished shall meet the requirements of the material specifications listed in section 8 of this specification.

3. Erosion and sediment control measures and works The measures and works shall include, but are not limited to, the following:

Staging of earthwork activities—The excavation and moving of soil materials shall be scheduled to minimize the size of areas disturbed and unprotected from erosion for the shortest reasonable time.

Seeding—Seeding to protect disturbed areas shall occur as soon as reasonably possible following completion of that earthwork activity.

Mulching—Mulching to provide temporary protection of the soil surface from erosion.

Diversions—Diversions to divert water from work areas and to collect water from work areas for treatment and safe disposition. They are temporary and shall be removed and the area restored to its near original condition when the diversions are no longer required or when permanent measures are installed.

Stream crossings—Culverts or bridges where equipment must cross streams. They are temporary and shall be removed and the area restored to its near original condition when the crossings are no longer required or when permanent measures are installed.

Sediment basins—Sediment basins collect, settle, and eliminate sediment from eroding areas from impacting properties and streams below the construction site(s). These basins are temporary and shall be removed and the area restored to its original condition when they are no longer required or when permanent measures are installed.

Sediment filters—Straw bale filters or geotextile sediment fences trap sediment from areas of limited runoff. Sediment filters shall be properly anchored to prevent erosion under or around them. These filters are temporary and shall be removed and the area restored to its original condition when they are no longer required or when permanent measures are installed.

Waterways—Waterways for the safe disposal of runoff from fields, diversions, and other structures or measures. These works are temporary and shall be removed and the area restored to its original condition when they are no longer required or when permanent measures are installed.

Other—Additional protection measures as specified in section 8 of this specification or required by Federal, State, or local government.

4. Chemical pollution The contractor shall provide watertight tanks or barrels or construct a sump sealed with plastic sheets to collect and temporarily contain chemical pollutants, such as drained lubricating or transmission fluids, grease, soaps, concrete mixer washwater, or asphalt, produced as a by-product of the construction activities. Pollutants shall be disposed of in accordance with appropriate State and Federal regulations. At the completion of the construction work, tanks, barrels, and sumps shall be removed and the area restored to its original condition as specified in section 8 of this specification. Sump removal shall be conducted without causing pollution.

Sanitary facilities, such as chemical toilets, or septic tanks shall not be located next to live streams, wells, or springs. They shall be located at a distance sufficient to prevent contamination of any water source. At the completion of construction activities, facilities shall be disposed of without causing pollution as specified in section 8 of this specification.

5. Air pollution The burning of brush or slash and the disposal of other materials shall adhere to state and local regulations.

Fire prevention measures shall be taken to prevent the start or spreading of wildfires that may result from project activities. Firebreaks or guards shall be constructed and maintained at locations shown on the drawings.

All public access or haul roads used by the contractor during construction of the project shall be sprinkled or otherwise treated to fully suppress dust. All dust control methods shall ensure safe construction operations at all times. If chemical dust suppressants are applied, the material shall be a commercially available product specifically designed for dust suppression and the application shall follow manufacturer's requirements and recommendations. A copy of the product data sheet and manufacturer's recommended application procedures shall be provided to the engineer 5 working days before the first application.

6. Maintenance, removal, and restoration All pollution control measures and temporary works shall be adequately maintained in a functional condition for the duration of the construction period. All temporary measures shall be removed and the site restored to near original condition.

7. Measurement and payment Compensation for any item of work described in the contract, but not listed in the bid schedule is included in the payment for the item of work to which it is made subsidiary. Such items, and the items to which they are made subsidiary, are identified in section 8 of this specification.

8. Items of work and construction details

Items of work to be performed in conformance with this specification and the construction details therefore are:

A. Subsidiary Item, Pollution Control

(1) This item shall consist of scheduling operations, obtaining any required permits and plans, and performing work in a manner that minimizes soil erosion, sediment production and contamination of air and water. This item shall also include furnishing a Michigan Certified Stormwater Operator (CSO), if required, and the labor, equipment and materials for the installation, maintenance, and removal of erosion and sediment control practices required by the CSO or Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Permit.

(2) Construction equipment that leaks fluid(s) (fuel, lubricant, hydraulic, coolant, brake, etc.) onto the ground will not be allowed on site.

(3) Appropriate pollution control measures must be taken when refilling and replacement of construction equipment fluids will be performed onsite.

(4) No separate payment shall be made for Pollution Control. Compensation for Pollution

Control will be included in the payment for the following items as appropriate:

(a) Bid Item 2, Seed Bed Preparation, Spraying and Seed Planting, Construction Specification 6.

Construction Specification 6—Seeding, Sprigging, and Mulching

The work consists of preparing the area for treatment; furnishing and placing seed, sprigs, mulch, fertilizer, inoculant, lime, and other soil amendments; and anchoring mulch in designated areas as specified.

2. Material Seed—All seed shall conform to the current rules and regulations of the state where it is being used and shall be from the latest crop available. It shall meet or exceed the standard for purity and germination listed in section 7.

Seed shall be labeled in accordance with the state laws and the U.S. Department of Agriculture rules and regulations under the Federal Seed Act in effect on the date of invitations for bids. Bag tag figures are evidence of purity and germination. No seed will be accepted with a test date of more than 9 months before the delivery date to the site.

Seed that has become wet, moldy, or otherwise damaged in transit or storage will not be accepted. The percent of noxious weed seed allowable shall be as defined in the current State laws relating to agricultural seeds. Each type of seed shall be delivered in separate sealed containers and fully tagged unless exception is granted in writing by the contracting officer.

Fertilizer—Unless otherwise specified, the fertilizer shall be a commercial grade fertilizer. It shall meet the standard for grade and quality specified by State law. Where fertilizer is furnished from bulk storage, the contractor shall furnish a supplier's certification of analysis and weight.

When required by the contract, a representative sample of the fertilizer shall be furnished to the contracting officer for chemical analysis.

Inoculants—The inoculant for treating legume seeds shall be a pure culture of nitrogen-fixing bacteria prepared specifically for the species and shall not be used later than the date indicated on the container or as otherwise specified. A mixing medium, as recommended by the manufacturer, shall be used to bond the inoculant to the seed. Two times the amount of the inoculant recommended by the manufacturer shall be used except four times the amount shall be used when seed is applied using a hydraulic seeder. Seed shall be sown within 24 hours of treatment and shall not remain in the hydraulic seeder longer than 4 hours.

Lime and other soil amendments—Lime shall consist of standard ground agriculture limestone, or approved equivalent. Standard ground agriculture limestone is defined as ground limestone meeting current requirements of the State Department of Agriculture. Other soil amendments shall meet quality criteria and application requirements specified in section 7.

Mulch tackifiers—Asphalt emulsion tackifiers shall conform to the requirements of ASTM D 977, Specification for Emulsified Asphalt. The emulsified asphalt may be rapid setting, medium setting, or slow setting. Nonasphaltic tackifiers required because of environmental considerations shall be as specified in section 7.

Straw mulch material—Straw mulch shall consist of wheat, barley, oat or rye straw, hay, grass cut from native grasses, or other plants as specified in section 7. The mulch material shall be air-dry, reasonably light in color, and shall not be musty, moldy, caked, or otherwise of low quality.

The use of mulch that contains noxious weeds is not permitted. The contractor shall provide a method satisfactory to the contracting officer for determining weight of mulch furnished.

Other mulch materials—Mulching materials, such as wood cellulose fiber mulch, mulch tackifiers, synthetic fiber mulch, netting, and mesh, are other mulching materials that may be required for specialized locations and conditions. These materials, when specified, must be accompanied by the manufacturer's recommendations for methods of application.

3. Seeding mixtures, sod, sprigs, and dates of planting The application rate per acre for seed mixtures, sprigs, or sod and date of seeding or planting shall be as shown on the plans or as specified in section 7.

4. Seedbed preparation and treatment Areas to be treated shall be dressed to a smooth, firm surface. On sites where equipment can operate on slopes safely, the seedbed shall be adequately loosened (4 to 6 inches deep) and smoothed. Depending on soil and moisture conditions, disking or cultipacking, or both, may be necessary to properly prepare a seedbed. Where equipment cannot operate safely, the seedbed shall be prepared by hand methods by scarifying to provide a roughened soil surface so that broadcast seed will remain in place.

If seeding is to be accomplished immediately following construction operations, seedbed preparation may not be required except on a compacted, polished, or freshly cut soil surface.

Rocks larger than 6 inches in diameter, trash, weeds, and other debris that will interfere with seeding or maintenance operations shall be removed or disposed of as specified in section 7.

Seedbed preparation shall be discontinued when soil moisture conditions are not suitable for the preparation of a satisfactory seedbed as determined by the contracting officer's technical representative (COTR).

5. Seeding, sprigging, fertilizing, mulching, and stabilizing All seeding or sprigging operations shall be performed in such a manner that the seed or sprigs are applied in the specified quantities uniformly in the designated areas. The method and rate of seed application shall be as specified in section 7. Unless otherwise specified, seeding or sprigging shall be accomplished within 2 days after final grading is completed and approved.

Fertilizer, lime, and other soil amendments shall be applied as specified in section 7. When specified, the fertilizer and soil amendments shall be thoroughly incorporated into the soil immediately following surface application.

The rate, amount, and kind of mulching or mesh shall be as specified in section 7. Mulches shall be applied uniformly to the designated areas. They shall be applied to areas seeded not later than 2 working days after seeding has been performed. Straw mulch material shall be stabilized within 24 hours of application using a mulch crimper or equivalent anchoring tool or by a suitable tackifier. When the mulch crimper or equivalent anchoring tool is used, it shall have straight blades and be the type manufactured expressly for and capable of firmly punching the mulch into the soil. Where the equipment can be safely operated, it shall be operated on the contour. Hand methods shall be used where equipment cannot safely operate to perform the work required.

The tackifier shall be applied uniformly over the mulch material at the specified rate, or it shall be injected into the mulch material as it is being applied. Mesh or netting stabilizing materials shall be applied smoothly, but loosely on the designated areas. The edges of these materials shall be buried or securely anchored using spikes or staples as specified in section 7.

The contractor shall maintain the mesh or netting areas until all work under the contract has been completed and accepted. Maintenance shall consist of the repair of areas damaged by water erosion, wind, fire, or other causes. Such areas shall be repaired to reestablish the intended condition and to the design lines and grades required by the contract. The areas shall be refertilized, reseeded, and remulched before the new application of the mesh or netting.

6. Measurement and payment Compensation for any item of work described in the contract, but not listed in the bid schedule is included in the payment for the item of work to which it is made subsidiary. Such items and the item(s) to which they are made subsidiary are identified in section 7.

7. Items of work and construction details

A. Bid Item 2, Seed Bed Preparation, Spraying and Seed Planting

(1) This item shall consist of furnishing all materials, labor and equipment for the seed bed preparation, spraying, and seed planting. Work to be preformed shall include: tilling the soil, preparing a firm, smooth seed bed, pre-planting herbicide application, seeding, and post grass emergence herbicide application on all areas noted on the drawings.

(2) Sequence of Events: Conduct tilling operations on soil to knockdown weeds and to prepare a smooth, firm seed bed; after preparing the seed bed, spray weeds (when weeds are less than 6 inches in height and in the 3-4 leaf stage) with post-emergent broad spectrum non-selective herbicides (Glyphosate & Phenoxy Acid Type), labeled for use in wetlands, to kill 95% of all vegetation as determined by transect method; 3 to 5 days after spraying, plant Redtop Bentgrass (Agrostis gigantea) - 5lbs/Acre and Virginia Wild Rye (Elymus virginicus) - 5lbs/Acre ,with seed drill to a depth of 1/4 to 1/2 inch. When grass achieves a height of 2 to 4 inches and exceeds the 3-leaf stage, spray entire planted area with post-emergent broad spectrum selective herbicide (Benzoic Acid Type) labeled for use in wetlands, to kill 95% of all weeds as determined by transect method, and not the planted grass.

(3) Seeding will be performed from April 10 to May 20 OR July 20 to August 15 (Conservation Practice Standard 327, Conservation Cover).

(4) Seeding will be accomplished using a seed drill.

(5) Seeding depth will be from 1/4 to 1/2 inches.

(6) The following types of seed and rates of application shall be:

Types of Seed Rate of Application (Pounds / Acre) Redtop Bentgrass (Agrostis gigantea) 5 lbs/acre Virginia Wild Rye (Elymus virginicus) 5 lbs/acre TOTAL: 10 lbs/acre

On each bag of seed, the vendor shall attach a tag giving net weight of contents, seed name, percent by weight, lot number, purity and germination, and date of test.

(7) The contractor shall notify the contracting officer's technical representative (COTR) at least 48 hours prior to the date and time of any tillage, spraying or seeding operations are performed.

(8) Measurement and payment will be lump sum. For items of work for which specific lump sum prices as established in the contract, the quantity of work will not be measured for payment. Payment for this item will be made at the contract lump sum price for the item and will constitute full compensation for completion of the work.

(9) Payment for this bid item shall constitute full compensation for all related subsidiary items. Items of work subsidiary to this bid item are:

(a) Pollution Control, Construction Specification 5

(b) Removal of Water, Construction Specification 11

(c) Contractor Quality Control, Construction Specification 94

Operation, Management, and Maintenance

• Control weeds in cover crops by mowing or by using other pest management techniques.

• Control soil moisture depletion by selecting water efficient plant species and terminating the cover crop before excessive transpiration.

Construction Specification 8—Mobilization and Demobilization

The work consists of the mobilization and demobilization of the contractor's forces and equipment necessary for performing the work required under the contract. It does not include mobilization and demobilization for specific items of work for which payment is provided elsewhere in the contract. Mobilization will not be considered as work in fulfilling the contract requirements for commencement of work.

2. Equipment and material Mobilization shall include all activities and associated costs for transportation of contractor's personnel, equipment, and operating supplies to the site; establishment of offices, buildings, and other necessary general facilities for the contractor's operations at the site; premiums paid for performance and payment bonds including coinsurance and reinsurance agreements as applicable; and other items specified in section 4 of this specification.

Demobilization shall include all activities and costs for transportation of personnel, equipment, and supplies not required or included in the contract from the site; including the disassembly, removal, and site cleanup of offices, buildings, and other facilities assembled on the site specifically for this contract.

This work includes mobilization and demobilization required by the contract at the time of award. If additional mobilization and demobilization activities and costs are required during the performance of the contract as a result of changed, deleted, or added items of work for which the contractor is entitled to an adjustment in contract price, compensation for such costs will be included in the price adjustment for the item or items of work changed or added.

3. Payment Payment will be made as the work proceeds, after presentation of paid invoices or documentation of direct costs by the contractor showing specific mobilization and demobilization costs and supporting evidence of the charges of suppliers, subcontractors, and others. When the total of such payments is less than the lump sum contract price, the balance remaining will be included in the final contract payment. Payment of the lump sum contract price for mobilization and demobilization will constitute full compensation for completion of the work.

Payment will not be made under this item for the purchase costs of materials having a residual value, the purchase costs of materials to be incorporated in the project, or the purchase costs of operating supplies.

4. Items of work and construction details The items of work to be performed in conformance with this specification and the construction details therefore are:

A. Bid Item 1, Mobilization and Demobilization

(1) This item consists of the mobilization and demobilization of forces and equipment necessary for performing the work including but not limited to all preparatory and final clean-up.

(2) The demobilization shall include, but is not limited to, removal and disposal of all trash, debris, equipment, parts, and supplies. Disposal shall be at an off-site location in accordance with local, State, and Federal regulations.

(3) Payment will be made only for initial mobilization and demobilization of equipment necessary to perform the work. No additional payment will be made for equipment moved from or back to the site.

(4) Twenty-five percent (25%) of the lump sum payment will be held until the completion of the project to assure proper clean-up and removal of trash, debris, equipment, parts, and supplies.

Construction Specification 11—Removal of Water

The work consists of the removal of surface water and ground water as necessary to perform the construction required by the contract in accordance with the specifications. It shall include: (1) constructing, installing, building, and maintaining all necessary temporary water containment facilities, channels, and diversions; (2) furnishing, installing, and operating all necessary pumps, piping, and other facilities and equipment; and (3) removing all such temporary works and equipment after their intended function is no longer required.

2. Diverting surface water The contractor shall install, maintain, and operate all cofferdams, channels, flumes, sumps, and all other temporary diversion and protective works needed to divert streamflow and other surface water through or around the construction site. Control of surface water shall be continuous during the period that damage to construction work could occur. Unless otherwise specified and/or approved, the diversion outlet shall be into the same drainageway that the water would have reached before being diverted.

The contractor shall furnish the contracting officer, in writing, a proposed plan for diverting surface water before beginning any construction activities for which a diversion is required, unless waived in section 8 of this specification. Acceptance of this plan or the waiving of the plan requirement will not relieve the contractor of the responsibilities related to this activity during the process of completing the work as specified.

3. Dewatering the construction site Foundations, cutoff trenches, and all other parts of the construction site shall be dewatered and kept free of standing water and muddy conditions as necessary for the proper execution of the work. The contractor shall furnish, install, operate, and maintain all drains, sumps, pumps, casings, well points, and all other equipment required to properly dewater the site as specified.

Dewatering systems that cause a loss of soil fines from the foundation areas will not be permitted.

The contractor shall furnish the contracting officer, in writing, a proposed plan for dewatering before commencing with any construction activity for which dewatering may be required, unless waived in section 8 of this specification. Acceptance of this plan or the waiving of the plan requirement will not relieve the contractor of the responsibilities for completing the specified work.

4. Dewatering borrow areas The contractor shall maintain all borrow areas free of surface water or otherwise provide for timely and effective removal of surface and subsurface water that accumulates within the borrow area, unless waived in section 8 of this specification. Borrow material shall be processed as necessary to achieve proper and uniform moisture content at the time of placement.

If pumping to dewater borrow areas is included as a bid item of work in the bid schedule, each pump discharge pipe shall be equipped with a water meter. The meter shall be such that the measured quantity of water is accurate within 3 percent of the true quantity. The contractor shall provide necessary support to perform accuracy tests of the water meter when requested by the contracting officer.

5. Erosion and pollution control Removal of water from the construction site, including the borrow areas, shall be accomplished so that erosion and the transporting of sediment and other pollutants are minimized. Dewatering activities shall be accomplished in a manner that the water table water quality is not altered.

Pollution control activities shall not conflict with the requirements of Construction Specification 5, Pollution Control, if it is a part of this contract.

6. Removal of temporary works When temporary works are no longer needed, the contractor shall remove and return the area to a condition similar to that which existed before construction. Areas where temporary works were located shall be graded for sightly appearance with no obstruction to natural surface waterflows or the proper functioning and access to the works of improvement installed. The contractor shall exercise extreme care during the removal stages to minimize the loss of soil sediment and debris that was trapped during construction.

Pipes, casings, and any other material used to dewater the site shall be removed from temporary wells. The wells shall be filled to ground level with clean gravel or other suitable material approved by the contracting officer. The contractor shall exercise extreme care to prevent pollution of the ground water by these actions.

7. Measurement and payment Compensation for any item of work described in the contract, but not listed in the bid schedule is included in the payment for the contract line item to which it is made subsidiary. Such items and the items to which they are made subsidiary are identified in section 8 of this specification.

8. Items of work and construction details

A. Subsidiary Item, Removal of Water

(1) This item shall consist of removal of excess water from the areas for seeding.

(2) No separate payment shall be made for Removal of Water. Compensation for

Removal of Water will be included in the payment for the following items as appropriate:

Construction Specification 94—Contractor Quality Control

The work consists of developing, implementing, and maintaining a quality control system to ensure that the specified quality is achieved for all materials and work performed.

2. Equipment and materials Equipment and material used for quality control shall be of the quality and condition required to meet the test specifications cited in the contract. Testing equipment shall be properly adjusted and calibrated at the start of operations and the calibration maintained at the frequency specified.

Records of equipment calibration tests shall be available to the engineer at all times. Equipment shall be operated and maintained by qualified operators as prescribed in the manufacturer's operating instructions, the references specified, and as specified in section 10 of this specification. All equipment and materials used in performing quality control testing shall be as prescribed by the test standards referenced in the contract or in section 10.

All equipment and materials shall be handled and operated in a safe and proper manner and shall comply with all applicable regulations pertaining to their use, operation, handling, storage, and transportation.

3. Quality control system The contractor shall develop, implement, and maintain a system of quality control to provide the specified material testing and verification of material quality before use. The system activities shall include procedures to verify adequacy of completed work, initiate corrective action to be taken, and document the final results. The identification of the quality control personnel and their duties and authorities shall be submitted to the contracting officer in writing within 15 calendar days after notice of award.

The quality control system shall include, but not be limited to, a rigorous examination of construction material, processes, and operation, including testing of material and examination of manufacturer's certifications as required, to verify that work meets contract requirements and is performed in a competent manner.

4. Quality control personnel Quality control activities shall be accomplished by competent personnel. A competent person is:

One who is experienced and capable of identifying, evaluating, and documenting that materials and processes being used will result in work that complies with the contract; and, who has authority to take prompt action to remove, replace, or correct such work or products not in compliance. Off-site testing laboratories shall be certified or inspected by a nationally recognized entity. The Contractor shall submit to the Contracting Officer, for approval, the names, qualifications, authorities, certifications, and availability of the competent personnel who will perform the quality control activities.

5. Post-award conference The contractor shall meet with the contracting officer before any work begins and discuss the contractor's quality control system. The contracting officer and the contractor shall develop a mutual understanding regarding the quality control system.

6. Records The contractor's quality control records shall document both acceptable and deficient features of the work and corrective actions taken. All records shall be on forms approved by the contracting officer, be legible, and be dated and signed by the competent person creating the record.

Unless otherwise specified in section 10 of this specification, records shall include:

a. Documentation of shop drawings including date submitted to and date approved by the contracting officer, results of examinations, any need for changes or modifications, manufacturer's recommendations and certifications, if any, and signature of the authorized examiner.

b. Documentation of material delivered including quantity, storage location, and results of quality control examinations and tests.

c. Type, number, date, time, and name of individual performing quality control activities.

d. The material or item inspected and tested, the location and extent of such material or item, and a description of conditions observed and test results obtained during the quality control activity.

e. The determination that the material or item met the contract provisions and documentation that the engineer was notified.

f. For deficient work, the nature of the defects, specifications not met, corrective action taken, and results of quality control activities on the corrected material or item.

7. Reporting results The results of contractor quality control inspections and tests shall be communicated to the engineer immediately upon completion of the inspection or test. Unless otherwise specified in section 10, the original plus one copy of all records, inspections, tests performed, and material testing reports shall be submitted to the engineer within one working day of completion. The original plus one copy of documentation of material delivered shall be submitted to the engineer before the material is used.

8. Access The contracting officer and the engineer shall be given free access to all testing equipment, facilities, sites, and related records for the duration of the contract.

9. Payment Compensation for any item of work described in the contract, but not listed in the bid schedule, is included in the payment for the item of work to which it is made subsidiary. Such items and the items to which they are made subsidiary are identified in section 10.

10. Items of work and construction details

A. Subsidiary Item, Contractor Quality Control

(1) This item shall consist of ensuring that the specified quality is achieved and maintained for all materials and work performed under this contract.

(2) The Contractor’s project supervisor may also function as the Contractor’s quality control manager.

(3) No separate payment shall be included for this item. Compensation shall be included in the payment for the following items: