Appendix_A.pdf

Solicitation No. AG-9A40-S-17-4000 4S81 Stewardship Project

APPENDIX A – TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR MANDATORY AND

OPTIONAL WORK ITEMS

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

INTEGRATED RESOURCE SERVICE CONTRACT

4S81 HAZARD STEWARDSHIP CONTRACT

1. SCOPE OF WORK

1.1 The purpose of the 4S81 Stewardship project is to abate and remove (from Forest Service land) designated hazard trees over 10.0 inches DBH (diameter at breast height) from the designated sections of Forest Service Road 4S81. Treatment requirements include: felling, skidding and removal of Included Product meeting minimum specifications (reference Appendix B, Division AT

1.2 This work will include, but not limited to, all labor, management, supervision, tools, materials, equipment, incidental engineering and transportation necessary to perform the stated purpose of this statement of work and may include, cutting, piling and removal of; standing and downed trees, dead and live brush, limbs and designated live conifers, existing slash and forest debris resulting from current and prior operations and/or events.

1.3 Potential equipment that will be required to accomplish all work requirements include but are not limited to: rubber tired skidder with grapples and “bull line”; grader; log loader;

feller/buncher (optional); skid steer (optional), chainsaws, and directional felling equipment.

2. PROJECT LOCATION AND AREA

2.1 The 4S81 project area is comprised of 4 Mandatory cut and remove units approximately 408 acres and 1 Optional removal unit approximately 60 acres, located adjacent to Forest Service Road 4S81 and 8S27. The project area is approximately 468 acres of hazard tree abatement and removal. Each item designated on the Schedule of Items will require an individual bid price.

The legal location of the project is: T8S R23E SEC 24, 25, 26, 35, 36; T7S R24E SEC 8, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 30 in Madera County, California.

3. WORK LIMITATIONS AND RESTRICTIONS

3.1 Limiting operating periods (LOP) are in effect for several locations within the project area.

The location of LOP areas and the portion of the year when operations are not allowed are listed and identified on the Contract Area Map (see also Appendix B, Provision KT-GT.3.1.5# - Project Operations Schedule for more information).

3.3 Wet Weather Operations and Winter Operations, (reference Appendix C for more information)

3.4 Existing downed logs shall be removed as Included Product if meeting minimum specifications (reference Appendix B, Division AT).

4. Project Area Mandatory and Optional payment units are listed in the table below. Specific details designating Included Product is described in the Activity Item descriptions of subsequent sections, and in Appendix B. Reference Contract Area Map for site locations.

MANDATORY WORK ITEMS

ITEMS 1: Felling, Skidding and Removal of Hazard Trees and Associated Tasks

1.1 Cutting/Harvesting of designated Biomass/Cull Log Products

1.2 Skidding of designated Biomass/Cull Log Products

1.3 Erosion Prevention and Control

1.4 Decking, Piling and Slash Treatment

1.5 Hauling of designated Biomass/Cull Log Products

1.6 Road Maintenance

Mandatory Items

Mandatory payment/cutting units for non-saw harvesting are listed in the table below.

Specific details designating Included Product is described in the Activity Item descriptions of subsequent sections, and in Appendix B.

Payment Unit Cutting Unit Acres** Volume

Ccf Included Product

P.U. 1 1 45.2 639.20

Dead trees* greater than 10 inches d.b.h.;

hazard trees

P.U. 2 2 125 627.39 P.U. 3 3 109 589.16 P.U. 4 4 129 1027.10

TOTAL Mandatory Harvest Acres 408 2882.85

** d.b.h. – defined as diameter of tree taken at 4.5 feet from the ground on the uphill side

Item 1a. Payment Units 1-4, Harvesting of Non-Sawlog Products: felling, skidding, processing, and removal of all designated non-sawlog material from trees over 10” dbh; erosion control; slash treatment; tilling; road maintenance; and treatment of stumps.

1. HARVESTING OF NON-SAWLOG PRODUCTS:

1.1 Cutting/Harvesting Specifications: Unless otherwise agreed, within specified Payment Unit(s), the Contractor shall cut and remove from the National Forest, all dead trees (no visible green needles any tree marked with Green tracer paint above and below stump height. Specifications for trees designated for cutting and removal are in Appendix B. Minimum specifications of included products are identified specifications in Appendix B Division AT.

1.1.1 Mechanized harvesting: Unless otherwise agreed, within all work units, Contractor shall cut Included Timber and other products designated for cutting and removal, and move it to designated skid trails using equipment with a boom having an operating radius of at least 20 feet for bunching trees, capable of severing, lowering and placing trees up to 22 inches diameter at stump height on the ground prior to skidding. Such equipment must be capable of operating on slopes up to 45%.

Notwithstanding above, hand felling using chainsaws may be required in or adjacent to sensitive areas to protect resources from unnecessary damage. Trees which exceed capability of specified equipment may be felled, bucked and skidded in a manner consistent with the requirements of GT.4.1 - Felling and Bucking, KT- GT.4.1# - Felling, Bucking, and Limbing Requirements and Skidding Specifications described in section 1.2. When it is necessary to delete previously marked trees, an unique tree marking paint color such as Green will be marked over or adjacent to the original mark. Any Green or orange tracer paint cancels the previous paint color.

1.1.2 Slope Limitations for Mechanized Harvesting: Mechanized equipment shall be limited to slopes of 35% or less except for short pitches (less than 100 feet) on slopes up to 45%.

1.1.3 Erosion Prevention and Control Specifications: Contractor’s Operations shall be conducted reasonably to minimize soil erosion. Equipment shall not be operated when ground conditions are such that excessive damage will result. Contractor shall adjust the kinds and intensity of erosion control work done to ground and weather conditions and the need for controlling runoff. Reference Appendix B (GT.6.4, GT.6.5, GT.6.6, GT.6.7 and KT-GT.6#) along with Appendix D for contract specifications.

1.1.4 Cutting Unit Boundaries: Cutting unit boundaries (except along roads & perennial streams) are designated with Green flagging and/or orange tracer paint showing rectangular marks facing the adjacent boundary trees and into the unit. All boundary trees are painted above DBH with at least two stump marks at ground level. Corners of units where boundaries intersect with access roads are painted with the unit number. Painted/flagged boundary trees are not designated for cutting. Special requirement will implemented with Controlled Area Reference Appendix B (K-

GT.2.4#)

1.1.5 Limbing: Purchaser shall, prior to skidding/yarding operations, cut exposed limbs from products which are to be skidded/yarded. Such limbing of stems shall be done to a top diameter of approximately 8 inches at which point the top shall be cut from the remainder of the stem. (See Whole Tree Yarding Specifications Below).

1.1.6 Whole tree yarding: Unless otherwise agreed, within all work units, trees smaller than 18 inches DBH and down logs meeting minimum specifications of included products (identified specifications in Appendix B Division AT) shall be skidded/yarded to agreed landing locations prior to limbing, bucking, and lopping.

Trees larger than or equal to 18 inches DBH shall be bucked into two or more pieces with the butt portion being no longer than 41 feet prior to skidding/yarding. The butt log shall be limbed prior to skidding/yarding.

1.1.7 Directional Felling: Unless otherwise agreed, Included Timber and other products designated for cutting and removal shall be directionally felled away from lava caps, meadows, hardwoods, fences, gates, cattle guards, distribution lines, survey monuments, controlled areas, reserve trees, sensitive plants, noxious weeds, streamcourses, NFS trails and other ownership with the use of specialized equipment. Such directional felling shall not be required when in the faller’s judgment it is unsafe to do so, and shall be left standing.

1.1.8 Treatment of Stumps: Contractor shall treat stumps of all conifers equal to or greater than 10.0” inches stump diameter, (measured inside bark) unless otherwise agreed in writing within Administrative Site. No fungicide shall be applied within 10 feet of surface water. Treatment shall be with a borate compound registered by EPA in the State of California for prevention of annosus root disease.

Treatment shall consist of removal of sawdust and other loose debris from the cut surface of the stump and application of a thin layer of the borate compound uniformly over the entire cut surface, including exposed wood surfaces on the stump sides, at the rate specified on the product label. Any surface irregularities on the stump preventing application of a uniform layer of borate compound shall be cut level prior to treatment.

Treatment should be done as soon as possible but shall be completed no later than 6 hours after felling, otherwise stumps shall be re-cut and treated. Purchaser shall not apply borate compound during heavy rain fall or when such precipiation rate is predicted within 24 hours of application to cause borate compound to be flushed off the stump and become ineffective, in that case treatment shall be reapplied. Application shall be completed within 24 hours of the precipitation having ceased. Borate compound also shall not be applied to stumps located within 10 feet of live streamcourses and meadows/wetlands shown on Sale Area Map.

Contractor shall provide the borate compound and colorant and apply it in compliance with the State of California laws and regulations pertaining to pesticides and pest control operations. Borate compound storage shall be located such that any spillage will not contaminate water. All spills shall be promptly cleaned up and spilled material disposed of according to the product label. All spills occuring in water or over 0.1 pounds shall be reported to Forest Service within 4 hours.

Contractor shall submit at the end of each month a “Monthly Summary of Pesticide Use Reports” to the appropriate County Agricultural Commissioner with a copy to the District Ranger.

1.2 Skidding Specifications: (See Appendix B GT.4.4). Skid road pattern shall be agreed in advance of felling and main skid roads shall be flagged on the ground in advance of felling. Contractor shall stage-log by felling and skidding Included Timber and other products designated for cutting and removal in two or more separate operations when necessary to prevent undue damage to the resources or residual stand. Needed tractor trails shall be constructed in advance of skidding.

Removal of all materials shall be performed with equipment and methods that retain residual vegetation, ground cover (including duff), and litter largely intact to maintain soil cover.

Products shall be end-lined as needed to protect resources or residual timber from unnecessary damage. The number of chokers shall be limited as necessary to avoid unnecessary damage to resources or residual timber. By agreement, tractors may be used to separate products to prevent stain.

Areas requiring special skidding measures will be indicated on the Project Area Map.

Refer to K-G.2.4# for specifications.

1.2.1 Spacing: Skid road spacing will average 150 feet from center to center except where converging.

1.2.2 Suspend: Products shall be skidded with leading end clear of ground; except in areas designated on the Contract Area Map as Controlled Areas (CA), where both ends shall be suspended.

1.2.3 Endlining: Endlining shall not be required for distances in excess of 75 feet uphill, and 125 feet downhill, as agreed upon.

1.3 Erosion Prevention and Control Specifications: Contractor’s Operations shall be conducted reasonably to minimize soil erosion. Equipment shall not be operated when ground conditions are such that excessive damage will result. Contractor shall adjust the kinds and intensity of erosion control work done to ground and weather conditions and the need for controlling runoff. Reference Appendix B (GT.6.4, GT.6.5, GT.6.6, and KT-GT.6#) along with Appendix D for contract specifications.

1.3a Stream channels and water body buffer zones (WBZ) exist though out all contract units. Contractors shall, prior to commencing operation, layout stream crossing locations and receive written approval prior to their construction and use.

Crossing type is dependent on stream channel classification, it is foreseen that contractor is responsible to construct temporary bridges on perennial streams with less complex crossings on intermittent and ephemeral drainages and ditches. All channels capable of carrying water downstream shall have appropriate protection in place prior to Contractor performing operations. Skid trails and crossings shall be oriented 90 degrees to stream channels and water bodies. WBZ distances are shown on contract maps.

1.4 Decking, Piling and Slash Treatment Specifications: Contractor shall pile, scatter, yard, construct firelines or otherwise treat slash defined in specifications below, within designated areas. Work required of Contractor shall be in accordance with the following slash plan and specifications, and the Contract Area Map. Vegetative debris larger than 1 inch in diameter outside bark and 3 feet long resulting from Contractor's Operations, other than Construction Slash, is Logging Slash.

Symbol Method Definition

Mach “Machine Piling” Concentrations of Logging Slash, excluding scattered individual pieces, shall be Piled by tractor equipped with brush rake for disposal by Forest Service.

Pile “Piling” small material

Logging Slash smaller than 10 inches in large end d.o.b. and shorter than 10 feet long shall be hand Piled for disposal by Forest Service.

Remove "Removing" Logging Slash shall be moved or hauled to locations shown on Sale Area Map and designated on the ground where it shall be piled for disposal by Forest Service.

Scat 18" "Scattering” Logging Slash shall be scattered to reduce slash concentrations with slash being generally left within 18 inches of the ground as shown on Contract Area Map.

Logging Slash shall be scattered into openings away from and without unnecessary damage to residual trees. All scattered logs shall be limbed, placed away from trees and positioned so they will not roll. When Scattering is specified, another method may be used by agreement.

View “Visible Slash Treatment”

Designated on Contract Area Map are “View Areas” with distance limitations (100 Feet) for visible slash treatment. Within such units and the area of visible Logging Slash adjacent thereto, Logging Slash shall be treated by Purchaser.

Primary treatment shall be by Removing, Chipping, Piling, Machine Piling, or a combination of these means unless a method is specified or prohibited on Contract Area Map. Logging Slash not readily treated by the selected or specified method shall be removed to designated areas or treated as agreed. Reference Appendix B, KT-GT.7#

Fell

“Damaged Small Trees”

Unless treated under other provisions, all trees smaller than the minimum d.b.h. in A2, over 5 feet in height, and damaged beyond recovery by Contractor's Operations shall be felled. Such trees shall be limbed to a stem diameter outside bark of approximately 3 inches, at which point the top shall be cut from the remainder of the stem, and shall be bucked into lengths not exceeding 20 feet.

1.4.1 Unit Slash Treatment Requirements: Purchaser shall treat all slash in accordance with the Slash Treatment method specified in the table below for each cutting unit.

By agreement alternate methods of slash treatment may be accepted within treatment units.

Slash Treatment Cutting Unit No. Specified

Method Prohibited Method

Project Area Lop and Scatter to 18 inches

1.4.2 Landings: Unless otherwise agreed, other slash accumulated at landings shall be kept separate from unutilized products designated for cutting and removal in Appendix B and treated by machine piling, piling of small material, stacking, covering or decking.

1.4.3 Slash Treatment along Permanent Roads: All Contractor created Logging and Construction Slash within Required Disposal Strips shall be treated by Contractor.

Acceptable treatments include “machine piling”, “piling” by hand or “removal”.

Required Disposal Strips" are those areas adjacent to all permanent roads where slash treatment is required for resource objectives. The width of Required Disposal Strips is 100 feet to either side of the road as measured in slope distance from Roadbed edges of permanent roads. By agreement the location of Required Disposal Strips may be adjusted from side to side without materially changing the total work required.

Slash treatment in Required Disposal Strips shall be accomplished without affecting the proper functioning of channels leading to and from drainage structures. Logging Slash larger than treatment size requirements of the specified method shall either be Scattered outside Required Disposal Strip, or Decked at agreed locations as shown in the attached table.

1.4.4 Slash Treatments Along Temporary Roads: Outside of Clearcutting Units or regeneration units, all trees felled or pushed over and trees damaged beyond recovery by Temporary Road construction shall be felled, limbed to a stem d.o.b. of approximately 3 inches, at which point the top shall be cut from the remainder of the stem, and stem shall be bucked into lengths not exceeding 20 feet. Such slash shall be Scattered free of soil to reduce concentrations unless treatment is required by another specified method.

1.4.5 Additional Slash Treatment Requirements: Yard all stem material to a top d.o.b. of 1 inch, from timber and other products designated for cutting, with the following exception: broken portions of logs and tops less than 4 feet in length need not be yarded. Broken ends of merchantable logs shall not be bucked off in the units.

Slash and Substandard Material accumulated at the landings shall be Decked or Machined Piled, in accordance with specifications below.

1.4.6 Piling Specifications: All piles shall be reasonably compact and free of soil to facilitate burning and shall be constructed of such size and at such distance from trees or other infrastructure so that burning shall not result in unnecessary damage to residual timber or infrastructure. Such Logging Slash shall be bucked into lengths not exceeding ten feet prior to piling. Machine Piling is not required on areas where use of tractors would cause undue damage to residual timber or where slopes exceed 25 percent. Piles shall be located a distance of at least twice their height in feet from the outer edge of tree crowns or snags. Piles shall be no less than 4 feet in height or greater than 10 feet in height. Material extending 3 feet or more outside the edge of a pile shall be trimmed. An 8 foot fuelbreak shall be cleared of all but fine material around each Machine Pile and an 18 inch wide fireline shall be cleared to mineral soil around the outer ring of the fuelbreak. For hand piles, Purchaser shall construct a fireline cleared to mineral soil and at least 3 feet wide around each pile. In areas where there is a potential for burning material to roll, firelines, including those for Machine Piles, shall be trenched on the downhill side of each pile to adequately prevent material from crossing firelines. Trenches shall be constructed by hand unless otherwise agreed. In addition to trenching, material shall be piled perpendicular to the slope to prevent it from rolling.

1.5 Hauling: In addition to all specifications described under Item 1a, Contractor shall haul to a processing facility designated non-sawlog material from trees greater than 10 inches d.b.h. at 4.5 feet above the ground on the upslope side meeting minimum specifications in Appendix B Division AT.

1.6 Road Maintenance: The Contractor shall maintain roads utilized for operations in accordance with H.13 (including hazard tree abatement) and requirements and technical specifications described in Appendix C Road Maintenance.

Optional Items

MANDATORY WORK ITEMS

ITEMS 1: Felling, Skidding and Removal of Hazard Trees and Associated Tasks

1.1 Skidding of designated Biomass/Cull Log Products

1.2 Erosion Prevention and Control

1.5 Hauling of designated Biomass/Cull Log Products

Mandatory payment/cutting units for non-saw harvesting are listed in the table below.

Specific details designating Included Product is described in the Activity Item descriptions of subsequent sections, and in Appendix B.

Payment Unit Unit Acres** Volume CcF Included Product

P.U. 1 5 60 6,405.9

Pre-Cut log piles (Dead trees* greater than 10 inches d.b.h.; hazard trees)

TOTAL Mandatory Harvest Acres 60 6,405.9

** d.b.h. – defined as diameter of tree taken at 4.5 feet from the ground on the uphill side

Optional Item 1. Remove piles of Harvested Non-Sawlog Products (skidding, processing, and removal of non-sawlog material from National Forest, and erosion control.

Purchaser shall remove all log pile in accordance with in Division AT of Appendix B In addition to all specifications described under Mandatory Item 1, Contractor shall process and haul to a processing facility designated non-sawlog material from trees greater than 4 inches d.b.h. meeting minimum specifications in Appendix B Division AT.

1 Skidding Specifications: (See Appendix B GT.4.4). Skid road pattern shall be agreed in advance of felling and main skid roads shall be flagged on the ground in advance of Skidding. Contractor shall stage-log skidding Included Timber and other products designated for cutting and removal in two or more separate operations when necessary to prevent undue damage to the resources or residual stand. Needed tractor trails shall be constructed in advance of skidding.

By agreement, tractors may be used to separate products to prevent stain.

1.1 Spacing: Skid road spacing will average 150 feet from center to center except where converging.

1.1.1 Suspend: Products shall be skidding with leading end clear of ground.

1.2 Erosion Prevention and Control Specifications: Contractor’s Operations shall be conducted reasonably to minimize soil erosion. Equipment shall not be operated when ground conditions are such that excessive damage will result. Contractor shall adjust the kinds and intensity of erosion control work done to ground and weather conditions and the need for controlling runoff. Reference Appendix B (GT.6.4, GT.6.5, GT.6.6, and KT-GT.6#) along with Appendix D for contract specifications.

1.2a Stream channels and water body buffer zones (WBZ) exist though out all contract units. Contractors shall, prior to commencing operation, layout stream crossing locations and receive written approval prior to their construction and use.

Crossing type is dependent on stream channel classification, it is foreseen that contractor is responsible to construct temporary bridges on perennial streams with less complex crossings on intermittent and ephemeral drainages and ditches. All channels capable of carrying water downstream shall have appropriate protection in place prior to Contractor performing operations. Skid trails and crossings shall be oriented 90 degrees to stream channels and water bodies. WBZ distances are shown on contract maps.

1.3 Hauling: In addition to all specifications described under Item 1a, Contractor shall haul to a processing facility designated non-sawlog material from trees greater than 10 inches d.b.h. at 4.5 feet above the ground on the upslope side meeting minimum specifications in Appendix B Division AT.

GOVERNMENT QUALITY ASSURANCE PLAN

Inspection: Government inspections are for the purpose of satisfying the Government that the services are acceptable and do not relieve the Contractor of the responsibility for maintaining quality control. The Contractor shall conduct inspections on all units in accordance with the Contractor’s Quality Control Plan included in the Contractor’s technical proposal which is made part of this contract.

The contractor is responsible for performing or having performed all inspections and tests necessary to substantiate that the supplies or services furnished under this contract conform to contract requirements, including any applicable technical requirements for specified manufacturers’ parts.

Acceptable Quality Level for Harvest and Related Subtasks:

Government Inspection – The Government shall conduct inspections of the Contractor’s work to determine compliance with the contract specifications and determine a basis for making payment. Inspections will consist of a visual walk-through inspection of the work performed and will be based on adherence to the Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) for the tasks and critical sub-tasks. The Government may also install a series of inspection plots to check for compliance to AQL.

Acceptable Quality Level for Harvest and Related Subtasks – Within units designated for mechanized harvest, all trees designated for cutting are cut and removed. No un-designated trees are cut or removed. No more than 2% (cumulative) of the residual leave trees are damaged by the contractors operations. Except as otherwise stated, 95% of limbs of trees cut for non-sawtimber are removed from the work unit. 95% of tops of all trees cut for sawtimber are removed. All skid trails are laid out and approved prior to skidding. All cut material is removed within the required time period. 95% of cut stumps are within the specified stump height. 95% of all stumps specified for treatment with a borate compound are treated to contract specifications. All slash generated at the landing is piled and 95% of the machine piles meet the specifications for constructing machine piles. 95% of the required erosion control measures conform to the contract. All work is completed within the specified contract time.

Acceptance – Work will be accepted when it is determined by the visual inspection or plot data that the Contractor’s work conforms to the Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) for the task and critical sub-tasks. Missed areas within the work unit will not be considered a part of the work being inspected and must be re-worked regardless of the results of the inspection of the work completed in the unit. Work units that do not comply with the Acceptable Quality Level for the task and critical subtask are un-acceptable and shall be reworked.

Measurements for Stewardship Credit – Acreage was measured on a horizontal plane using a Global Positioning System. Unless otherwise indicated by this contract, the contactor may request re-measurement of any quantities. The request must be made in writing and must be within 10 calendar days of completing work on the unit in question. If re-measurement indicates a variance of five percent or less from the stated quantity, the Forest Service may deduct Stewardship Credits to the Contractor equal to cost of this re-measurement. If re-measurement indicates a variance of more than five percent from the stated quantity, Stewardship Credits will be based on the re-measured quantity, and the Contractor will not be liable for the costs of re-measurement. All re-measurement will be done by the Forest Service.

The Forest Service may re-measure quantities of completed stewardship work activities at its discretion. The Forest Service will bear all costs for discretionary re-measurement. Re-measured quantities will be the basis for awarding Stewardship Credits. Re-measurement of acreage will be done using a Global Positioning System.