Highway149AppendixA.pdf

AG-82MK-S-15-9001

Highway 149 Stewardship

APPENDIX A

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR BASE WORK ITEMS

Based on the confidential Government Cost Estimate, the Forest Service intends to fund all Base work items listed in Section B – the Schedule of Items.

1. Scope of Work

The goal of this project is to create a fuel break along State Highway 149, which is an important emergency evacuation route for Lake City, Colorado.

The timber harvest and removal requirements of this contract, including all specifications and requirements for road maintenance, road reconstruction, and construction of temporary roads, are in Appendices B, C and D of this solicitation. Slash treatment associated with timber removal is also detailed in Appendix B.

The fuels treatments are in Appendix A.

Fuels treatment shall consist of cutting and machine piling or scattering trees and material greater than three inches. In the case of standing trees, this diameter will be taken at DBH (diameter breast height).

The Contractor shall determine the specific equipment for accomplishing these needs within the stated specifications.

Towards that end, it is important that bidders visit these units prior to bidding to determine the extent of work necessary to meet fuels treatment needs and assess the best way to accomplish that work.

2. Project Location and Description

(a) Accessibility – The general work area may be reached by State Highway 149, which is open year-round, and open Forest Service roads that are accessible by standard two-wheel drive pickup during periods of dry weather. The Contract Area is generally snow covered from November to June. While the Colorado Department of Transportation plows and maintains State Highway 149 year-round, the Forest Service assumes no obligation to plow snow or perform special maintenance to maintain access.

(b) Boundaries – Exterior boundaries of numbered treatment units are marked with orange paint, except along State Highway 149 where only corner trees have been designated and the nearer edge of the highway pavement serves as the treatment unit boundary.

(c) Acreage – Acreages of numbered treatment units have been determined by global positioning system (GPS) survey.

3. Contractor-Furnished Equipment and Services The Contractor shall provide skilled labor, experienced supervision, equipment, transportation, operating supplies, incidentals and inspection services, except those items listed as Government-Furnished property, sufficient to perform the work in compliance with the contract.

4. Government-Supplied Materials

The Government will provide the Contractor:

• Gunnison Basin Travel Plan maps to aid in determining legal modes of transportation

• Two solar electronic variable message signs to aid in traffic control.

5. Work Specifications

A. Treatment Unit Description Table

Treatment Unit Acres Approximate

Treatment Length (miles)

Associated Timber Activities

26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 35, 36, 37, 40, 41, 43, and 45

316 N/A Yes

1. Cut all live and dead conifer trees greater than or equal to 3 inches DBH.

2. Machine pile all conifer slash greater than or equal to three inches diameter at the large end and at least 20 (twenty) feet in length

34, 38, and 39 12 N/A Yes

1. Cut all live and dead conifer trees greater than or equal to 3 inches DBH.

2. Scatter all conifer slash greater than or equal to three inches in diameter at the large end and at least 20 (twenty) feet in length

B. Definitions

Conifer: Conifer trees shall include any evergreen, cone bearing tree, including pine, fir, and spruce.

Detrimental Soil Impacts: The compaction (including rutting over three inches deep), displacement (removal of surface soil), or erosion of soil resulting from equipment use.

DBH: “Diameter at Breast Height.” Tree diameter, in inches, from the upslope side of tree at 4.5 feet above ground height.

Dead: Dead trees include trees that have no green foliage OR trees containing 1/3 or more dead branches OR trees showing foliage discoloration in more than 40 percent of the crown OR trees showing borer attacks that are obvious and abundant.

Live: Live trees shall include all trees with green foliage that do not meet the definition of a dead tree.

Machine Pile: A vegetation treatment in which a felled tree bole is bucked and material is compacted and assembled into an area by a machine such as a bulldozer. Piles will be a minimum height of 6 (six) feet and a minimum width of 8 (eight). Piles shall not be more than 50 (fifty) feet in length. Piles shall be placed no closer than 50 (fifty) feet from the outside perimeter of the unit, State Highway 149, Forest Service system roads, wet areas, or other areas designated on the ground by the Forest Service, unless otherwise agreed to by the Forest Service. Piles shall be located so that burning operations do not damage desirable standing live trees. All material extending more than 6 (six) feet beyond the outside perimeter of the pile shall be trimmed off and returned to the pile.

Piles shall be reasonably dirt-free, compacted, and piled sufficiently tight, steep-sided, and pushed as tall as the equipment will allow in order to facilitate complete burning. Fine organic material from slash mats shall not be incorporated into slash piles.

Scatter: A vegetation treatment method in which a felled tree bole is bucked, branches are severed from the bole, and material is redistributed to a height not greater than twenty-four inches above ground level.

Slash: Vegetation debris resulting from work under this contract. Slash includes the tops, trunks, and branches of cut trees. For the purposes of this contract, slash shall be considered material that is greater than or equal to 3 (three) inches in diameter at the large and at least 20 (twenty) feet in length.

Stream course: A stream and the area adjacent to a stream that has riparian vegetation and other riparian characteristics. Stream courses are displayed on the project map.

E. Traffic Control Plan

Contractor shall be responsible for procuring Traffic Control Plans consistent with the requirements set forth in the temporary access permits obtained by the Forest Service from the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) as in Appendix B contract clause RO-K-F.1.1.3. The cost of procuring traffic control plans has been deducted from the value of the timber and CDOT will need to approve any Traffic Control Plans used on this project.

Except for the variable message board signs mentioned in Section 4 of this document, contractor shall be responsible for providing all personnel, signage, materials, and equipment necessary to meet the requirements of the Traffic Control Plans.

Active traffic control will be required at all times when operations are ongoing in units 34 and 38 and in all other units when felling operations are occurring within 125 feet (for trees over 8 inches DBH) or 60 feet (for material under 8 inches) or as determined necessary by the Forest Service or Colorado Department of Transportation.

F. Excluded Area

As per the temporary access permits the Forest Service has acquired from the Colorado Department of Transportation listed in Appendix B contract clause RO-K-F.1.1.3, the contractor is prohibited from using any portion of State Highway 149 for staging, storing, or parking of vehicles, materials, or equipment.

6. Government Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan

For all non-timber work activities, inspection of each unit first will be accomplished by visual inspection and will be based on adherence to the contract specifications. If visual inspection indicates that Contractor’s work meets specifications, payment will be made at the full price indicated in the Schedule of Items. If visual inspection indicates deficiencies, the Forest Service will quantify deficiencies using monitoring methods described below. Full payment for a unit will be made when items in the table below meet the Acceptable Quality Level (AQL).

A. Acceptable Quality Level (AQL)

B. Plot Inspections

For each performance item, the government will conduct a visual inspection to determine compliance with the Performance Standards listed in Section 6A of this document. If the government determines the results of the visual inspection may not meet the performance standards listed in section 6A of this document, the Contractor shall undertake sampling and measurements that result in an unbiased sample of AQLs. The Government may observe or re-inspect the Contractor’s plots at any time. Plots shall be numbered and identified on the ground. Contractor shall provide written inspection data by unit that meets contract requirements and a sketch map showing plot locations. The Contractor shall use the following form for inspections unless an alternate form proposed by the Contractor is approved in advance by the Government.

Performance Work

Statement Quality Standard

Performance Standard

(Acceptable Quality Level)

Monitoring Methods

Effect Of Not Meeting

Performance Standard

Cut all live and dead conifer trees greater than or equal to 3 inches DBH

Task accomplished in Section 5A.

Treatment Unit Description Table.

No more than 1 percent of the trees required to be treated remain untreated on site.

Visual inspection and/or circular sample plots.

Rework area at no additional cost to the Government.

Machine pile all slash greater than or equal to three inches DBH

Task accomplished in Section 5A.

Treatment Unit Description Table.

Machine piles meet the definition set forth in the machine pile definition.

Visual inspection and/or measuring up to 50 percent of the piles

Rework area at no additional cost to the Government.

Scatter all slash greater than or equal to three inches at the large end.

Task accomplished in Section 5A.

Treatment Unit Description Table.

Slash exceeds twenty four inch height specified in lop and scatter definition.

Visual inspection and/or circular sample plots.

Rework area at no additional cost to the Government.

Stubble height.

Task accomplished in Section 5A.

Treatment Unit Description Table.

All stumps and stubble heights shall be cut to less than or equal to 12 inches above the ground.

Visual inspection and/or circular sample plots

Cut stumps and stubble at no additional cost to the Government.

Quality Standard