task_order_manual_james_creek.doc

FRLT STEWARDSHIP PROJECT

James Creek DRAFT TASK ORDER

DELIVERY ORDER NUMBER:__XXXXXXXXX__

Date of Request /Order:_ XXXXXXXX___________________ Master Contract Number: _XXXXXXXX_____________________

Ranger District: ____Boulder Ranger District___________________________ Contractor: ______XXXXXXXXXXX________________________________

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: __XXX_Calendar Days.

Notice To Proceed will be issued on or about:___XXXXXXXXXX__ PERFORMANCE DATA: (See attached supporting documents for selection of treatment to be performed and all requirements.)

Project Specifications and Project Area Map provided separately PLACE OF DELIVERY OR PERFORMANCE (Where will the Contractor begin work):

Boulder Ranger District

BILLING AND PAYMENT INSTRUCTIONS:

Billing Address:

COR Manny Diaz Supervisor’s Office Lincoln National Forest 1101 New York Avenue

Alamogordo, NM 88310

TASK ORDER ADMINISTRATION:

Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR):

Name: Manny Diaz

Address: 1101 New York Avenue Phone: (505) 434-7391 Fax: (505) 434-7218 E-mail: mediaz@fs.fed.us

CONTRACT ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATED WITH SCHEDUEL OF ITEMS ORDERED AND PRICE:

Contract Item Number(s):

IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE: Proposed start date: XXXXXXXXX

TASK ORDER ACCEPTANCE:

Contractor’s Authorizing Official

Date

TASK ORDER APPROVALS:

$ AMOUNT

TOTALS-----------(

B & F Officer Certification of Funds Availability

Contracting Officer

FRLT Stewardship James Creek Manual Project Specifications for Cutting Units 1-2a-2b-3-4-5a-5b-6-7-8a-8b-9

UNIT SPECIFICATIONS:

Table 1: Unit Treatment Description and Level of Dificulty

Number

Slope %

UNIT BOUNDARIES (Solicitation, H.10.3) - The boundaries of work units are designated as shown in the following table. The trees used for boundary designation are not to be cut.

Cutting Unit Boundary Designation Table

Cutting Unit Paint Color

Designation

1, 4, 7, 8a, 8b & 9 Orange

Each boundary tree is marked with one Orange stripe and two Orange dots. These marks are painted at eye level. One stripe faces into the cutting uint and the dots on the sides of the tree face the adjoining boundary tree. Each boundary tree has a orange mark below the stump height.

Cutting Unit Paint Color

Designation

2a, 2b, 3, 5a, 5b, & 6 Blue

Each boundary tree is marked with one Blue stripe and two Blue dots. These marks are painted at eye level. One stripe faces into the cutting uint and the dots on the sides of the tree face the adjoining boundary tree. Each boundary tree has a orange mark below the stump height.

CUTTING PRESCRIPTIONS:

H.11.12 DESIGNATION BY SPACING. (9/04) Within Unit(s) _1-2a-2b-3-4-5a-5b-6-7-8a-8b_, as shown on Contract Area Map, all _conifer _ trees, except spruce, sub-alpine fir, or trees Marked with ___orange____ paint or described to be left uncut, that meet Utilization Standards or specifications for cutting in Appendix A and one or more of the following criteria are designated for cutting.

1) Units 1-2a-2b-3-4-5a-5b-6-7-8a-8b: Non-Sawtimber and Biomass – Designation by Spacing (Solicitation, H.11.2) - This task involves cutting non-sawtimber ponderosa pine, lodgepole pine, Douglas-fir and other conifer species trees 5.0 - 6.9 inches DBH and biomass ponderosa pine, lodgepole pine, Douglas-fir and other conifer species 1.0 to 4.9 inches DBH. This task is to be accomplished by hand falling methods.

Use the following criteria for thinning (Units 1-2a-2b-3-4-5a-5b-6):

1. Leave all trees greater than 7.0” DBH unless designated by the COR for such reasons:

· Access to or within Treatment Units.

· Trees damaged beyond recovery by the Contractor during the thinning operation. Damaged beyond recovery means; top of the tree is missing, 1/3 of the bole is damaged, or the tree is leaning more then 15%. Damaged trees requiring cutting will be noted by the COR in quality assurance inspections.

· Where minimal clearing limits are needed to create openings for slash piling, the Contractor shall not cut greater than 10” DBH unless designated by COR.

2. Cut all trees less than 7”DBH to a 25 x 25 spacing, select the largest and the healthiest as leave trees.

3. When present, cut Rocky Mountain Juniper, leaving only one per acre. When selecting which Rocky Mountain Juniper to leave, select the largest and the healthiest.

4. Cut all individual or patches of dead standing trees less than 6”DBH.

5. Girdle all trees with xxx paint.

6. Aspen are not included in spacing criteria, but shall be enhanced. When an aspen clone is present (greater than 25 stems at least 6 feet tall), cut all conifers from 2 feet in height to 5 inches dbh from within the clone and to a distance of 50 feet from the edge of the clone. Within aspen clones, girdle conifers greater than 5 inches dbh to 14 inches in dbh.

7. Aspen, spruce, trees with metal wildlife signs, witness or corner trees, or trees with orange paint are not to be cut nor girdled.

Use the following criteria for thinning (Units 7-8a-8b):

1. Leave all trees greater than 7.0” DBH unless designated by the COR for such reasons:

· Access to or within Treatment Units.

· Trees damaged beyond recovery by the Contractor during the thinning operation. Damaged beyond recovery means; top of the tree is missing, 1/3 of the bole is damaged, or the tree is leaning more then 15%. Damaged trees requiring cutting will be noted by the COR in quality assurance inspections.

· Where minimal clearing limits are needed to create openings for slash piling, the Contractor shall not cut greater than 10” DBH unless designated by COR.

2. Cut all trees less than 7”DBH to a 50 x 50 spacing, select the largest and the healthiest as leave trees.

3. Cut all Rocky Mountain Juniper, leaving only one per acre.

4. Cut all individual or patches of dead standing trees less than 6”DBH.

5. Aspen are not included in spacing criteria, but shall be enhanced. When an aspen clone is present (greater than 25 stems at least 6 feet tall), cut all conifers from 2 feet in height to 5 inches dbh from within the clone and to a distance of 50 feet from the edge of the clone. Within aspen clones, girdle conifers greater than 5 inches dbh to 14 inches in dbh.

6. Aspen, spruce, trees with metal wildlife signs, witness or corner trees, or trees with orange paint are not to be cut nor girdled.

H.11.6 DESIGNATION BY DESCRIPTION – Understory Removal (Solicitation, H.11.6) - As shown on Contract Area Map, the following criteria shall be used by Contractor to designate trees and other products for cutting within the Subdivision(s) or unit(s) listed below:

1) Unit 9-Cut Biomass (Appendix A, 6.2) This task involves cutting ponderosa pine 1.0 to 4.9 inches DBH, Douglas-fir and other conifer species 1.0 to 4.9 inches DBH, and lodgepole pine 1.0 to 4.9 inches DBH. This task is to be accomplished by hand falling methods.

Use the following criteria for thinning (Unit 9):

1. Leave all trees greater than 5.0” DBH unless designated by the COR for such reasons:

· Access to or within Treatment Units.

· Trees damaged beyond recovery by the Contractor during the thinning operation. Damaged beyond recovery means; top of the tree is missing, 1/3 of the bole is damaged, or the tree is leaning more then 15%. Damaged trees requiring cutting will be noted by the COR in quality assurance inspections.

· Where minimal clearing limits are needed to create openings for slash piling, the Contractor shall not cut trees greater than 10” DBH unless designated by COR.

2. Cut all trees less than 5”DBH and less than 20ft in height outside of patch cut areas.

3.

Patch cuts are designated with Yellow paint, cut all trees within the patch cut areas.

4. Cut all individual or patches of dead standing trees less than 6”DBH.

5. Aspen are not included in spacing criteria, but shall be enhanced. When an aspen clone is present (greater than 25 stems at least 6 feet tall), cut all conifers from 2 feet in height to 5 inches dbh from within the clone and to a distance of 50 feet from the edge of the clone. Within aspen clones, girdle conifers greater than 5 inches dbh to 14 inches in dbh.

6. Aspen, spruce, trees with metal wildlife signs, witness or corner trees, or trees with orange paint are not to be cut nor girdled.

DBH AND SPACING CRITERIA

Criteria for Selection of Leave Trees

a. The best available acceptable leave trees, both conifers and hardwoods, shall be selected as leave trees and treated in accordance with spacing requirement and the number per acre. The average spacing may vary + or - 20% of the spacing stated in the above table in order to select the best leave trees without numerically changing the average number of leave trees per acre.

b. The largest, healthiest, best-formed trees shall be selected as leave trees. Characteristics used in the selection of leave trees include the following:

1) Has no apparent damage to the main bole;

2) Is not chlorotic;

3) Demonstrates good vigor and is disease/bug free;

4) Has at least 40 percent crown ratio.

5) When Rocky Mountain Juniper will be left as a leave tree, the contractor shall leave all stems that are attached to the same root collar. Root collar shall be defined as 3 inches above ground level.

c.

Species preference guidelines will be identified by the Government on each unit.

Applicable for all Units included in this task order unless otherwise specified by the CO:

Leave Trees in order of Preference:

1. Engelmann Spruce

2. Ponderosa Pine,

3. Limber Pine,

4. Lodgepole Pine,

5. Douglas Fir

6. Sub-Alpine Fir

7. Rocky Mountain Juniper

d. The Government may identify additional individual leave trees or leave tree areas within each unit.

RESERVE TREES (Solicitation, H.9.1) - Notwithstanding the designations for cutting elsewhere live or dead __designated____ reserve trees or groups of reserve trees within such cutting units or clearings shall be left uncut. Reserve trees are identified by 1.Orange band at eye level with orange butt mark at the base of the tree below stump height. All boundary trees also have an orange or blue mark at the base of the tree below stump height and shall be protected in accordance with Appendix B- KG. 3.2#. Units with reserve trees are shown on task order Contract Area Maps.

PROTECTION OF RESERVE TREES (Solicitation, H.9.2) - Contractor’s damage or destruction of reserve trees described in Appendix B- K-C.3# will cause serious and substantial silvicultural or other damage to the National Forest. It will be difficult if not impossible to determine the amount of such damage. Therefore, Contractor shall pay as fixed, agreed, and liquidated damages ____N/A______ or each ____N/A___________ reserve tree and $___100_______ for each _______________ reserve tree damaged or destroyed by Contractor's Operations, in addition to amounts payable under Appendix B- D.4.4 and Appendix B- D.4.5.

Damage, as used herein, includes any injury to the living crown, bole, or roots of reserve trees. If areas are marked on the ground around such reserve trees, operation of heavy equipment or skidding of products within the area shall be considered to be damage to the tree.

Stump Height (Appendix A, 6.1) - All trees which are required to be cut shall be cut at or below at a maximum of 6 inches above ground, measured from the uphill side, after a tree is felled. Trees shall be completely severed from the stump.

Felling (Appendix A, 6.1) - Cut-trees shall be completely severed from the stump. Trees shall be felled directionally away from all private land boundaries, utilities, fence and other improvements, protected water and drainages, and land survey corners. Cut trees shall not be left leaning or suspended by any leave tree or fence. No hang-ups shall be permitted. Trees which are felled across telephone or electrical lines the contractor shall immediately notify the utility company than the CO, COR. Removal of these trees shall be performed at the Contractor’s expense.

Slash (Appendix A, 6.3) - Any non-merchantable woody debris, exclusive of stumps and chips/chunks from mastication, created from work under this contract and remaining on the ground after treatment operations, including all cut trees and shrubs and their tops, trunks, and branches. The slash that is generated as a result of fuel treatments will be treated as specified below.

TREATMENT SPECIFICATIONS:

Units 1-2a-2b-3-4-5a-5b-6-7-8a-8b - Slash Treatment – Lop and Scatter with Hand Pile (Appendix A, 6.5, 6.7) –Lop and scatter 25% of the existing slash by cutting limbs from the trunks of cut trees and moving and rearranging slash concentrations to achieve a slash depth of 18 inches. No thinning and/or logging slash shall be allowed outside the treatment unit boundary, unless otherwise approved by the Contracting Officer. Contractor shall remove all thinning and/or logging slash from:

(a) Roads – Remove all cut material at least 25 feet from the road shoulder on the upper (uphill) side, and 50 feet on the lower (downhill) side.

(b) Utility Lines – within 25 feet of utility corridor.

(c) Land Survey Monuments – lop and scatter pullback within 10 feet.

Slash that exceeds 25% ground cover will be placed into piles. All piles shall be constructed as compactly as possible, with heavier material placed on top. The contractor may be required to cover piles with waterproofed material (covering 50% of the pile with a piece of 4-mil polyethylene plastic) or other material as specified in the task order. Larger material 7.0 to 9.0 inches, in diameter shall be placed on top of the waterproofed material retaining the compact pile. Some limbing may be required to construct a compact pile.

All slash between 1 and 7 inches in diameter and greater than 2 feet in length shall be piled. Slash less than 1 inch in diameter and less than 2 feet in length shall be left on the ground. Slash left on the ground shall not exceed 1 foot in depth. The task order or the COR in writing may designate a different size within this range for individual units (example: slash 1-4 or 2-6 inches only, instead of the less than 6 inches), but not greater than 6 inch diameter.

All piles shall be constructed by laying limbs, stems, cut boles, and other slash in the pile so as to be triangular in shape. All ends that stick out more than two (2) feet must be bucked off and piled. Larger material in piles shall be placed perpendicular to slope so it cannot roll down hill when burned.

Slash that causes large air spaces in piles shall be cut to eliminate air spaces. Each pile shall include an area of small sized slash (small branches less than ¼ to ½ inch in diameter and/or small branches with needles or leaves attached) to provide “kindling” for prompt ignition and to aid in combustion of larger slash. These fuels shall be placed in the center of the pile.

Unless approved by the COR, maximum pile size shall be 10 feet in diameter by 8 feet in height, and minimum pile size shall be 6 feet in diameter by 6 feet in height at the time of final inspection.

Piles shall not be constructed in roadways unless specified by the COR. In some cases, the COR may determine that it is beneficial to place piles or slash in old roads that have been closed. Piles shall not be constructed in roads, ditches or drains. Piles shall not be constructed any closer than twenty (20) feet from established roads, trails, existing fences or utility poles. Piles shall not be constructed within the channel of any stream, or on top of downed logs, stumps or snags.

Unit 9-Hand Pile Only (Appendix A, 6.7) All piles shall be constructed as compactly as possible, with heavier material placed on top. The contractor may be required to cover piles with waterproof material (covering 50% of the pile with a piece of 4-mil polyethylene plastic) or other material as specified in the task order. Larger materal 7.0 to 9.0 inches in diameter shall be placed on top of the waterproof material retaining the compact pile. Some limbing mat be required to construct a compact pile.

All slash between 1 and 7 inches in diameter and greater than 2 feet in length shall be piled. Slash less than 1 inch in diameter and less than 2 feet in length shall be left on the ground. Slash left on the ground shall not exceed 1 foot in depth. The task order or the COR in writing may designate a different size within this range for individual units (example: slash 1-4 or 2-6 inches only, instead of the less than 6 inches), but not greater than 6 inch diameter.

All piles shall be constructed by laying limbs, stems, cut boles, and other slash in the pile so as to be triangular in shape. All ends that stick out more than two (2) feet must be bucked off and piled. Larger material in piles shall be placed perpendicular to slope so it cannot roll down hill when burned.

Slash that causes large air spaces in piles shall be cut to eliminate air spaces. Each pile shall include an area of small sized slash (small branches less than ¼ to ½ inch in diameter and/or small branches with needles or leaves attached) to provide “kindling” for prompt ignition and to aid in combustion of larger slash. These fuels shall be placed in the center of the pile.

Unless approved by the COR, maximum pile size shall be 10 feet in diameter by 8 feet in height, and minimum pile size shall be 6 feet in diameter by 6 feet in height at the time of final inspection.

Piles shall not be constructed within 10 feet of a residual tree or in roadways unless specified by the COR. In some cases, the COR may determine that it is beneficial to place piles or slash in old roads that have been closed. Piles shall not be constructed in roads, ditches or drains. Piles shall not be constructed any closer than twenty (20) feet from established roads, trails, existing fences or utility poles. Piles shall not be constructed within the channel of any stream, or on top of downed logs, stumps or snags.

GOVERNMENT QUALITY ASSURANCE PLAN (Appendix A, 7) The Government will inspect completed units 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 shall be subject to inspections by the Government at periodic intervals during 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.

Inspections will be made on a series of 1/10th acre (37.2 feet radius) plots located at predetermined intervals across each work unit. Sufficient plots will be taken to obtain at least one percent sample the work unit.

Each inspection plot will be subdivided into four (4) quadrants based on cardinal directions. Each quadrant will be evaluated for compliance with all contract specifications as stated in Section C that pertains to that individual treatment. If two (2) or more quadrants fail to comply, the plot will fail.

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

Acceptable Quality Level - Acceptance of work will be based on compliance with all Section C.5.0 Specific Tasks that correspond to the treatment. A minimum basic quality of 85 percent is required.

Unsatisfactory Work - If the work quality falls below 85 percent, the COR will immediately notify the Contractor in writing and direct the Contractor to improve the quality of his work. If the quality of work is not raised to an acceptable level within 5 working days after written notification, the Contracting Officer may issue a Suspend Work Order to resolve the problem, during which time contract performance time will continue to run. If untreated or unsatisfactory treated areas are the primary reason for unsatisfactory work, the area shall be reworked to obtain satisfactory work quality. If, after the allowable time for correction of the quality of work, the COR in conjunction with the Contracting Officer may deduct a percentage of funds from the line items that corresponds to the 85 percent required and the actual percentage obtained. Disagreement between the parties will be subject to the clause entitled “Disputes”.

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

PLOT INSPECTIONS (Appendix A, 8) The Contractor shall maintain a plot system that provides an unbiased sample of thinning quality and slash treatment, and which represents the entire area treated. At least one percent of the treated area shall be sampled. The Government may observe or re-inspect the Contractor’s plots at any time. Plots shall be marked and identifiable on the ground. Contractor shall provide written inspection data by unit that meets contract requirements and a sketch map with 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 CO.

Plot Inspection Form

Flag plot center – Write on flagging the plot number, date, and initials of inspector. Mark plot number on map.

Acceptable Plot

Y or N

Acceptable Thinning Criteria:

1. In Units Where Trees are individually tree marked (ITM), trees painted blue need to be cut. There will be no cut tree painted blue in the plot.

2. In Units with Designation by Species and Diameter: Trees that range in diameter from 5 inches DBH to 7.9 inches DBH need to be cut.

3. In All Units: Slash treatment will follow below criteria to be an acceptable plot.

Slash will be at least the required distances from areas to protect

SPECIAL TASK ORDER REQUIREMENTS:

OPERATIONS

No contract work or Contractor access into the Project Area will occur on Sundays and the holiday weekends of Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day. Operation times for equipment and chainsaws are limited to the hours of 7:00am to 7:00pm.

FIRE PRECAUTIONS AND CONTROL (Solicitation, H.21) - The Fire Precautionary Period for Task Order is ___May 1st____ to ____Nov 30th____.