AG67TOS164002-SwampouAppendix_Av1.docx

AG-67T0-S-16-4002 Swampou Stewardship Appendix A

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR SERVICE WORK ITEMS

SECTION 1 – DEFINITIONS

1.1 DEFINITIONS

ACCEPTABLE QUALITY LEVEL: Acceptance of work will be based on compliance with all specifications corresponding to the appropriate task(s) in Section 4; refer to the Performance Requirements Summary. A minimum AQL is required for all service work – hand or mechanical. The minimum AQL will receive a satisfactory performance rating.

BIOMASS TREES: Any conifer material 1.0 foot in height to 4.9 inches DBH.

BOLE SPACING: The horizontal distance in feet from the edge of one leave tree bole to another leave tree bole, measured from the outside bark of each tree.

CIRCULAR PLOT: A sample plot within a thinning unit that is used to determine the number of desirable trees and other contract specifications.

COARSE WOODY DEBRIS: Woody material left on the ground to meet wildlife habitat requirements.

CROWN RATIO: The ratio of live crown length (tip of leader to base of the crown) to total tree length/height.

CROWN SPACING: The horizontal distance in feet between the dripline of a live crown to another live crown.

CUT TREES: Trees that do not possess the characteristics of desirable leave trees, and are required to be cut. As described by the contract or otherwise marked to be cut.

CUTTING UNIT: see Treatment Unit definition DAMAGED TREES: Trees damaged beyond recovery. A tree that is larger than two feet in height, and has the top knocked out, is leaning more than 10 degrees, has less than one half of its original limbs, or has approximately 50 percent of bark removed from the circumference of the bole.

DBH: Diameter at breast height, measured at a point of 4 ½ feet above the ground level on the uphill side of the tree.

DECKING: Stockpiling of trees in a designated area.

DEAD/DYING TREES: Trees with the crown foliage changing from green to red, yellow, or needleless. Any tree that has pitch tubes indicating Mountain Pine Beetle infestation.

DIB: Diameter inside bark.

HANG-UP TREE: Any cut tree suspended above ground level.

LEAVE TREE: Trees that possess desirable characteristics and that serve to create the basis for designated spacing requirements.

NON-SAWTIMBER TREE: Lodgepole pine 5.0 inches DBH to 8.9 inches DBH; ponderosa pine 5.0 DBH to 9.9 inches DBH; other conifers 5.0 inches DBH to 7.9 inches DBH.

PAYMENT UNIT: See Treatment Unit.

NON-SAWTIMBER TREE: Lodgepole pine 5.0 inches DBH to 8.9 inches DBH; ponderosa pine 5.0 DBH to 9.9 inches DBH; other conifers 5.0 inches DBH to 7.9 inches DBH.

PAYMENT UNIT: See Treatment Unit.

PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS SUMMARY (PRS): Identifies the key service outputs of the contract that will be evaluated by the Government to assure contract performance standards are met by the contractor.

PILING: Non-merchantable material moved to an agreed upon location shall be piled for future treatment by Forest Service.

PROGRESSION OF WORK: Work conducted in a progressive, workmanlike and orderly manner by the Contractor.

RESERVE CLUMPS: Groups of trees within a treatment area that are protected from cutting, may also include Individual Reserve trees.

SAWTIMBER TREE: Lodgepole pine 9.0 inches DBH and above; ponderosa pine/douglas-fir 10.0 inches DBH and above; other conifers 8.0 inches DBH and above.

SUBDIVISION: See Treatment Unit.

TEMPORARY ROADS: Non-permanent roads that are constructed by contractor for the purpose of treatment unit access.

TREATMENT UNIT: An individual area on the ground in which activities will be performed and which may appear as a separate pay item in the Schedule of Items.

UNSATISFACTORY WORK: If work quality falls below the AQL, the COR will issue a work order or notice of noncompliance to the Contractor in writing. Untreated or unsatisfactory treated areas shall be reworked to obtain satisfactory work quality.

WILDLIFE TREE: Standing dead and/or dying trees. Used by birds and small mammals for shelter, nesting, perching, etc.

SECTION II – ACTIVITY ITEMS

2.1 TASK DESCRIPTIONS:

Task 1 - Felling:

a. All trees are designated for cutting when meeting the minimum specifications for cutting as shown on the table below and not selected as Leave trees.

b. All non-sawtimber trees (Lodgepole pine 5.0 inches DBH to 8.9 inches DBH; ponderosa pine 5.0 DBH to 9.9 inches DBH; other conifers 5.0 inches DBH to 7.9 inches DBH) are to be felled.

c. Cut biomass trees: Any conifer material 1.0 foot in height to 4.9 inches DBH.

All cutting designations are subject to the following criteria:

1) Aspen is not considered in the spacing. Aspen may be cut for logging operations when designated/marked in advance of cutting by Forest Service. Aspen shall be treated as slash.

2) Biomass shall be thinned to leave healthy non-mistletoe infected trees.

Table A - DBH AND SPACING CRITERIA

Table B – TREATMENT OF BIOMASS MATERIAL

*Incidental biomass size that cannot be feasibly skidded or fall out of the grapple during the skidding operation maybe treated by lopping and scattering, not to exceed a depth of 18 inches.

Task 2 - Skidding/Yarding:

a. All non-sawtimber trees are to be yarded (whole tree skidded) to landing with exception of meeting criteria in Table A DBH and Spacing Criteria for Coarse Woody Debris.

b. Skidding within 100 feet of live streams shall not be permitted. Skid trails shall be located high enough out of draws and swales to permit diversion of runoff water to forest ground cover. Prior to periods of accelerated water runoff, Contractor shall inspect and open culverts, drainage structures, construct cross ditches for road runoff and take other reasonable measures to prevent erosion.

Task 3 - Slash:

a. All non-sawtimber trees shall be whole tree skidded (trees are intact when skidded). All non-sawtimber trees are to processed (limbs and tops removed) at the landing.

b. Bring all slash from designed non-sawtimber trees to landing and pile.

c. Lop and scatter cut biomass trees: Biomass trees will be cut, have the limbs and tops cut off; this slash will be scattered within the treatment units not exceeding a depth of 18 inches.

Slash Treatment of Non-Sawtimber and Biomass Material:

Contractor's Slash Responsibility Table – Non Sawtimber/Biomass

Task 4 - Removal: All non-sawtimber trees are to be removed (loaded on to a truck and hauled) from the project area.

Task 5 – Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) BARRIER SPECIFICATIONS:

The contractor will use rocks, cull material, or merchantable trees (in that preference) and create a barrier that is 50 feet in width along designated unit boundaries (see contract map for locations). Trees (obstacles) will be placed horizontally along unit boundaries and spaced at 10 foot intervals for a distance of 50 feet. Barrier trees shall not be bucked. Barrier trees shall be slashed with the slash left in place to enhance the barrier. The final result will be an effective closure to prohibit OHV and vehicular traffic access.

2.2 TREE CHARACTERISTICS:

2.2.1 Dead/Dying Tree: Remove in accordance with Table A cutting designation.

2.2.2 Desirable Leave Trees: Within the following size classes, 1.0 foot tall to 4.9 inches DBH, where possible, retain mistletoe free regeneration that does not display characteristics listed in 2.2.4.

2.2.3 Cut Tree Characteristics: Trees with the following characteristics are examples of trees that may be selected as cut trees.

1) Crook or sweep greater than 20%

2) Dead or broken tops

3) Multiple tops

4) Mistletoe rating of 2 or greater

5) Leaning more than 20%

6) One half of bole is missing bark

7) Less than 40% live crown ratio

8) Any mistletoe located in the stem of tree.

SECTION III – OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

3.1 PROTECTED IMPROVEMENTS

So far as practicable, Contractor shall protect Specified Roads and other improvements (such as roads, trails, telephone lines, ditches, and fences):

1) Existing in the operating area

2) Determined to have a continuing need or use, and

3) Designated on the Contract Area Map as “PI” Protected Improvements included in this task order:

All protected improvements will be protected from damage by the contractor. If any protected improvements are disturbed the contractor will immediately contact the COR and will be liable for the cost of repairs.

* The Contractor shall be responsible for the protection from damage by their actions of all noted Monument Posts and Bearing Trees identified by the Forest Service within the contract area. The Contractor shall immediately notify the COR if any damage occurs to these resources.

3.2 FIRE PRECAUTIONARY PERIOD

The Fire Precautionary Period is July 01 to October 31 inclusive. Contracting Officer may change the dates of the Fire Precautionary period by advanced written notice if justified by unusual weather or other conditions. Equitable Adjustment will not be granted for a change in the Fire Precautionary Period dates. Required tools and equipment shall be kept in a serviceable condition and immediately available for firefighting at all times during the Contractor’s Operations in the Fire Precautionary Period.

3.3 FIRE PRECAUTIONS

Prior to initiating Contractor’s Operations during Fire Precautionary Period, Contractor shall file with Forest Service a Fire Prevention and Control Plan providing for the prevention and control of fires on Contract Area and other areas of Contractor’s Operations. See attachment.

3.4 CAMPING

Unless otherwise agreed camping within the Contract Area will not be permitted under the terms of this contract.

SECTION IV – PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS SUMMARY

· Visual Inspection – walk thru units.

· Random verification of compliance - Plots inspections.

Regular onsite review of specification compliance.

Periodic verification of compliance with the use of walk through and 1/20 acre inspection Plots.

Written documentation of visual inspection

Written documentation of visual inspection

Regular onsite review of specification compliance.

Periodic verification of compliance with the use of walk through and 1/20 acre inspection Plots.

Regular onsite review of specification compliance

*Disincentives for failure to meet the above standards may be as follows:

1) Rework will be completed at contractor’s expense.

2) If re-work is not physically possible, payment deductions will be made for work falling below AQL (see Section G.3.1 Payment Reductions).

3) Damage to the residual stand or infrastructure will be assessed against the contractor.

4) Government re-inspection charges may apply.

5) Poor Performance Rating will be given.

SECTION V – QUALITY ASSURANCE INSPECTIONS

The purpose of this plan is to provide a Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) for contract bid items and tasks performed. This plan provides a basis for the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) to evaluate the quality of the Contractor’s performance. The oversight provided for the contract and this Plan will help to ensure that quality levels of Contractor’s service(s) reach the required levels of performance.

By monitoring the Contractor’s service work, the COR will determine whether the performance levels set forth in the contract have been attained. Quality standards for all tasks are specified in the Performance Work Statement in Section C.6 and individual tasks will be identified in the Task Order Supplemental Specifications.

The Government has the right to inspect and test all services called for by the contract tasks in the Task Order(s), to the extent practicable at all times and places during the term of the contract. The Government will perform inspections and tests in a manner that will not unduly delay the Contractor(s) work.

If any of the services do not conform to 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 reworking, the Government may:

a. Require the Contractor to take necessary action to ensure that future performance conforms to contract requirements; and

b. Reduce the contract price to reflect the reduced value of the services performed.

5.1 Government Inspection of Services

The Government will inspect service tasks completed by the Contractor (or Subcontractor) as a basis for acceptance and payments, and to provide recommendations to improve work quality while work is in progress. The Contractor is responsible for providing quality control to assure that work complies with requirements of contract specifications.

All work included in the contract specifications/issued Task Order(s) is subject to inspections by the Government at periodic intervals throughout the performance of this contract. Treatment inspections are for the sole benefit of the Government and shall not release the Contractor of the responsibility of providing quality control measures to assure that the work strictly complies with the contract requirements.

5.2 Inspection for Fuels Reduction Treatments

Once the Contractor notifies the Government of unit completion, the Government will have 14 days to start inspection for payment. Timeframe to complete inspections will depend upon number of acres to inspect and availability of inspectors. Work with CO to determine when units will be inspected.

5.2.1 Work Quality Percentage: Work quality percentages are derived from data developed from inspection plots. The total number of satisfactory quadrants divided by the number of quadrants inspected determines the quality rate. The rate multiplied by 100 provides the work quality percentage.

For each completed task, the Contractor’s quality control inspection percentage services completed will be compared to the Government’s assessment results. If the results differ by < 5%, and the inspection has been conducted to the standards specified, the Contractor’s inspection will be considered acceptable and the quality percentage will be used as the basis for payment. When the results differ by more than 5%, the Governments percentage will be used as the basis for payment.

Government will pay 100% of line item price if work quality of all plots meeting the AQL% or greater. If below, the government will issue a letter of non-compliance. Contractor will be permitted to bring work quality to an acceptable standard. If the Contractor is unable to bring the work to an acceptable standard, then line item pricing will be reduced according to Clause G.3.1 Payment Reductions.

In the event that work is performed that is contrary to the requirements in the contract, the Government is not liable for costs incurred by the Contractor during negligent performance that is without the fault or negligence of the Government.