CSE - Petersburg.pdf

Northern Province Professional Forestry Services Task Order Request

Project Name: Petersburg Pine Project Common Stand Exam

Requested by:

Name Carl Varak Phone 530-468-1227 Forest: Klamath National Forest

BACKGROUND: Common Stand Exams (CSE) are needed to determine existing live and dead vegetation within the Petersburg Pine Project area, Salmon River – Scott River Ranger District, Klamath National Forest. It is estimated approximately 275 plots will be needed, covering about 2,000 acres within the project area. All plots will comply with Common Stand Exams (CSE) Users Guide, Version 1.8. Work is estimated to begin June 15, 2009 and proceed at a rate that will complete the CSE by August 30, 2009.

Project Completion Date: August 30, 2009 Contractor requirements:

Selection Criteria:

Technical Approach: Include information on how the project is to be organized, staffed and managed. Information should be provided which will demonstrate the offeror's understanding and management of important events or tasks.

Relevant experience/past performance: Information provided supporting the basic contract will be used to satisfy this criterion.

Availability: Ability to complete the project by the project completion date. If the date is not doable, please provide the completion date you are proposing under this task.

Price, including all factors applicable

Item No.

Description

Quantity Order Unit

Unit Price Amount

1 Petersburg Pine Project Common Stand Exam 275 Plots

Remarks: See Attachments for additional terms and conditions. Total Price: $

1. Location Description: The project is located on the Salmon River – Scott River Ranger District of the Klamath National Forest. A vicinity map is included in the attached exhibits, showing the general location of stands to be surveyed (Appendix A).

2. Accessibility:

a) The Contractor shall be responsible for obtaining all necessary permission to gain access to sample locations. If the Contractor cannot obtain permission to access a sample location, the Contractor must notify the Government in writing.

b) Vehicle access may be difficult or restricted. Accessibility to plots may be determined from maps which will be furnished by the Forest Service. Contractor will be responsible for adhering to the USDA Forest Service travel management plan, including yearlong or seasonal closures to motor vehicles, unless authorization is obtained. Maps and photos may indicate that a road goes to the stand; however, vehicle access may be difficult or restricted. Stand locations may necessitate that the Contractor walks to the stand or acquire some other means of travel.

c) Most roads are accessible between the months of May through October, though high clearance vehicles may be necessary on some roads. The Government assumes no responsibility to maintain roads in a passable condition.

3. Technical Specifications:

a) A list of plot locations to be inventoried within each stand (Lat. and Long. coordinates) will be provided to the Contractor. The Contractor shall locate plots using a global positioning system (GPS). Accuracy of the GPS used must be within 10 meters.

b) The Contractor shall locate, on the ground, the sample plot locations using a GPS and coordinates provided, and mark plot centers with bright pink plastic flagging indicating the plot number.

c) To facilitate inspection, the Contractor shall mark all plot centers with a pink wire flag with the stand ID, plot number and examiner’s initials written on it with permanent “magic marker”. Additional pink flagging will be hung at eye level on vegetation overhanging plot center or as near as possible to plot center so as to facilitate relocation by Forest Service inspectors. Upon inspection, the center point of the marker where it intersects the ground shall be used as the plot center.

4. Survey Technique:

a) A global positioning system (GPS) shall be used to locate plot centers. Acceptable error is +/- 10 meters from plot center. Recurring errors in location of sample plots greater than the acceptable error shall make the stand survey unsatisfactory and relocation of sample plots and remeasurement shall be required.

b) All sampling protocols for this CSE contract will follow those found in the Region 5

Common Stand Exam Field Guide (3/21/2008). It can be referenced at http://www.fs.fed.us/emc/nris/ftp/fsveg/cse_user_guides/R5FG.doc Contractors should read these detailed procedures before bidding on this contract.

For additional information Contractors can reference the National Common Stand Exam User Guide and Appendices which can be found at http://www.fs.fed.us/emc/nris/products/fsveg/index.shtml

5. Recording Instructions:

a) Plot data will be entered directly into a handheld personal data recorder (PDR), provided by the contractor.

b) The PDR software used for data entry must be the “ExamsPC/ExamsPDR” software designed for collecting common stand exam data. The most current software version will be used. A .CSE file with the Salmon River – Scott River Ranger Ranger District, Klamath National Forest’s CSE protocols must be obtained from District. This is the template that must be used. ExamsPC can be downloaded from the internet at:

http://fsweb.ftcol.wo.fs.fed.us/pdr/software/common_stand_exam/, or obtained from the Forest, and loaded onto PDRs used for data collection prior to starting the contract

6. Qualifications:

It is necessary that the Contractor's staff meet qualification standards. Specialized technical experience may be substituted for a given educational requirement. Minimum technical qualifications are specifically defined as follows:

a) Each crew must have a crew leader with undergraduate courses in mensuration, tree identification, plant identification, silviculture, and ecology, and three months prior experience collecting data for Forest inventory or vegetation classification.

b) Each crew member must be able to collect plot level data with GPS.

c) Each crew member must have undergraduate courses in mensuration, botany, or other related natural resource course work or three months equivilant work experience.

d) Each crew member must be able to satisfactorily interpret and navigate by aerial photographs and topographic maps.

7. Data Collection Specifications:

Specific protocols for the collection of data follow. The examination level is considered “Extensive”. Tree data, understory vegetation data, and dead & down fuels data will be collected. This exam will collect site tree data in each stand.

a) Setting Data:

Fields that must be completed on the setting form of CSE software are illustrated in the following figure and listed in the table below. Many of these fields populate automatically.

Only a few have to be completed by the examiner.

Field Tolerance Responsible Party

Project Name No Errors FS (default)

Proclaimed Region No Errors FS (default)

Proclaimed Forest No Errors FS (default)

Ranger District No Errors FS (default)

Location (Compartment) No Errors Contractor

Stand Number No Errors Contractor

Ownership No Errors FS (default)

State No Errors FS (default)

County No Errors FS (default)

Administrative Region No Errors FS (default)

Administrative Forest No Errors FS (default)

Date No Errors Contractor

Photo ID N/A N/A

Exam Level No Errors FS (default)

Exam Purpose No Errors FS (default)

Stratum N/A N/A

Existing Vegetation Reference No Errors FS (default)

Existing Vegetation Composition Type No Errors Contractor

Potential Vegetation Reference N/A N/A

Potential Vegetation N/A N/A

Structure N/A N/A

Capable Growing Area N/A N/A

Fuel Model No Errors Contractor

Elevation ± 1 Contour Intervals

(80 feet)

Contractor

Aspect ± 45 degrees Contractor

Slope ± 10 Percent Contractor

Slope Position N/A N/A

Acres No Errors Contractor (FS provided)

Radial Growth Interval N/A N/A

Radial Growth Interval #2 N/A N/A

Height Growth Interval N/A N/A

Fuel Photo Reference No Errors FS (default)

Precision Protocol No Errors FS (default)

Examiner No Errors Contractor

Stand Remarks No Errors Contractor

Damage Category N/A N/A

Damage Agent N/A N/A

Damage Severity N/A N/A

Species of Management Interest N/A N/A

Sketch Map and Traverse Notes N/A N/A

b) Plot Data:

A minimum of 3 plots will be installed in a setting (stand). In stands up to 14.9 acres in size 3 plots are installed. Stands which are 15 acres or more, plots will be installed at a rate of 1 additional plot per each additional 10 acres. For example, stands 15-24.9 acres in size receive 4 plots. Stands 25-34.9 acres receive 5 plots, 35-44.9 acres 6 plots, 45-

54.9 acres 7 plots, and so forth. These rates may vary some due to stand shape. The government will provide the plot frequency and predetermined plot locations (Lat. and

Long. coordinates), so the contractor does not need to be concerned with determining how many plots go into a stand or where to place them. The contractor will be responsible for locating these plots by GPS within the accuracy standards given.

Plot data shall include Latitude and Longitude presented in NAD 83 datum.

Field Tolerance Responsible Party

Plot Number No Errors Contractor

Plot Latitude within 10 meters Contractor

Plot Longitude within 10 meters Contractor

Plot Remarks No Errors Contractor

c) Tree Data:

Tree data will be collected with two sample designs. Overstory tree data (trees with a diameter at breast height (DBH) of ≥5 inches) will be collected on a variable radius plot using a 20 BAF prism. Both live and dead overstory trees will be tallied and measured on the variable radius plot. For variable radius plots, begin tree data collection due north, continuing clockwise throughout the plot. Tree data for trees with a DBH of 1.0” to 4.99” and height > 4.5 feet (sapling) will be collected on a 1/100 acre fixed radius plot (11.8 foot radius). Seedling tree data (trees with heights greater than 6 inches and less than 4.5 feet or DBH less than .5 inch) will also be collected on the 1/100 acre fixed radius plot. Tree count is the only data taken for seedlings.

Field Tolerance

Plot Number No Errors

Tag ID Number No Errors

Tree Status No Errors

Site/Growth Trees No Errors

Tree Species No Errors

Tree Count

NOTE – this is taken from the CSE guide, We can make our own tolerance levels.

Height Diameter Trees

Range Range on Point Tolerance

*All All 0 0 trees

>6” and <4.5ft 1-5 ± 2 trees

>6”and <4.5ft 6+ ± 50%

>4.5 feet <.5 in 1-5 ± 1 tree

>4.5 feet <.5 in 6+ ± 50%

>4.5 feet 1.0” – 4.99” 1-5 ± 1 tree

>4.5 feet 1.0” – 4.99” 6+ ± 20%

All 5” d.b.h. + 1+ 0 trees

*There is no tolerance for recording a tree when none are actually present in any of the above size classes. The recording of a fixed plot tree when none are present will result in a single discrepancy.

The recording of a variable plot tree when none are present will result in an unacceptable unit.

1/ Grouping criteria are standardized to facilitate stand exam contract inspection and payment. However, distinguishing characteristics other than tree class, species, and size class may warrant individual tree recording or more refined grouping criteria. Such characteristics include age, crown ratio, crown class, or incidence of damage.

Number Stems N/A

DBH No Errors – Trees must be measured to the nearest inch (Taken on overstory trees and saplings)

Height Nearest foot, only taken on site trees (± 10 % if taking heights on other trees)

Height to Crown N/A

Radial Growth ± 1/20 inch (Taken on site trees only)

Radial Growth #2 N/A

Height Growth N/A

Tree Age ± 10%, taken on site trees only (Based on actual tree ring count at breast height for trees

> 3.0" DBH otherwise based on total age recorded.)

Crown Ratio N/A

Crown Class No Errors

Crown width N/A

Wildlife Use N/A

Log/Snag Decay No Errors (See pictures page 71 Region 5 CSE guidelines)

Cone Serotiny N/A

Damage Category No Errors

Damage Category Damage Category Description

11 Bark Beetles Tolerance

12 Defoliators No misses on live trees with a severity of 2 or greater.

13-17 Other Insects No misses on live trees with a severity of 3 or greater.

21 Root/Butt Diseases No misses of shoot moths or weevils on live trees.

22 Stem Decays/Cankers No misses on live trees with a severity of 2 or greater.

25 Foliage Diseases No misses on live trees with a severity of 3 or greater.

41-42 Animal Damage No misses on Elytroderma on live trees.

50 Abiotic Damage No misses on live trees with terminal leader damage or with greater than 1/4 of bole circumference affected.

70 Human Damage No misses on wind, snow, or ice bending, breakage, or bole cracks and frost damage to shoots on trees less than

1-inch diameter and lightning.

Damage Agent No misses on live trees for logging damage or fire if the damage affects greater than 1/4 of the bole circumference or if an open wound is in contact with the ground.

Damage Part N/A

Damage Severity No Errors

Tree Remarks

d) Vegetation Composition Vegetation composition will be collected on a 1/100 acre fixed radius plot (11.8 foot radius) with the same plot center as the small tree, fixed radius plot. Collect ocular estimates of percent cover by lifeform and species. Only collect data on the 5 most abundant species.

Both the Cover by Lifeform and Cover by Species form will be used.

Field Accuracy Standard

Life Form No Error

Species No Error in shrub identification

All other species may be grouped according to life form if exact species is unknown.

Cover (Cvr%) ±10%

e) Fuels Data The Photo Series Method will be used to collect down woody material data. Data will be collected using the same plot center as the tree and vegetation data. Record the duff, in inches, to the nearest 0.1 inch. The duff should be measured at a 30 degree transect that starts at plot center. Take the “First Duff” measurement at 1 foot from plot center and the “Second Duff” measurement at 6 feet. Record the average vertical fuel depth that occurs within the 1/100th fixed radius plot. Fuel depth should be measured to the nearest whole inch. Volume and weight of down woody material shall be determined by in the field use of the fuel photos.

Field Accuracy Standard

Plot Number No Error

First Duff ± ½ inch

Second Duff ± ½ inch

Fuel Depth No Errors

Volume No Errors

Weight No Errors

9. Inspection of Work:

The Government will inspect the stand examinations to determine compliance with contract specifications and to provide a basis for payment. The Contractor shall submit completed stand information every seven (7) days during the contract period. The work completed in each seven (7) day period will constitute a "block". Completed work, consisting of required electronic data will be turned in for inspection. Inspection will only be made on completed stands. At least 10% of the plots within a block will be selected for inspection to determine if the prescribed work standards have been met. This will constitute the minimum sample plot inspection for determining satisfactory performance. Each block of work will be judged acceptable or unacceptable based upon the accuracy standards and tolerance listed in the directions and tables above.

In addition, blocks may be deemed deficient and unacceptable during the office edit based upon the following specifications:

1. Electronic data not submitted to the Forest Service in a timely manner after Contractor completion.

2. Electronic data cannot be read by Government computers.

3. Stands where plots have a recurring Latitude and Longitude error of more than 10 meters

4. Stands having less than the prescribed number of sample plots examined.

5. Any sample plot center which cannot be located due to improper plot labeling or for any other reason attributable to noncompliance with specifications.

Contractor will be required to rework plots if accuracy standards are not met at no additional charge to the Government.

10. Furnished Items:

Item Government Contractor

Topography Maps � Aerial Photos � Fuel Photos � List of stands w/ required number of plots � Plot locations (Latitude and Longitude) �

PDR/GPS �

Two digital copies of completed CSE data � Required pin flags/flagging � All necessary field gear � Transportation �