Appendix_A.pdf

Solicitation No. AG-9A40-S-17-4001 McLeod Road Hazard Stewardship Project

APPENDIX A

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR MANDATORY AND OPTIONAL WORK ITEMS

McLeod Road Hazard Stewardship Contract

1. SCOPE OF WORK

1.1 The purpose of the McLeod Road Hazard IRSE project is to abate and remove (from Forest Service land) designated hazard trees 8.0 inches DBH (diameter at breast height) and greater to a DIB (diameter inside bark) of 4 inches that can stay intact for skidding into a landing from the designated sections of Forest Service Road 5S07.

Treatment requirements include: felling, skidding and removal of Included Products 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, felling, skidding and removal of hazard trees from along the center line of the road to a distance of 200 feet Maximum to both sides of the road.

1.3 Potential equipment that may be required to accomplish all work requirements include but are not limited to: rubber tired skidder with grapples and “bull line”; road grader; log loader; feller/buncher (optional); skid steer (optional), chainsaws, ropes and jacks to aid with directional felling.

2. PROJECT LOCATION AND AREA

2.1 The McLeod project area is comprised of 2 cutting units and has approximately 94 acres. The project is located north of the Malum Ridge road #274 approximately 3 miles to the south end of the Lite Greys Timber sale. The legal description is T7S, R22E, Sections; 2, 3, 10, 11 and 15 MDBM, in Madera County, California.

3. WORK LIMITATIONS AND RESTRICTIONS

3.1 Limiting operating period (LOP) is in effect for unit 1 of 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 (reference Appendix B, Provision KT- GT.3.1.5# - Project Operations Schedule for more information).

3.2 Hours of operation are restricted, unless otherwise permitted in writing by the Government; Hauling is prohibited from 6 PM on Fridays until 6 AM on Mondays and no haling on federal holidays and hauling is prohibited on weekdays from 7 PM to 6 AM unless otherwise agreed upon.

3.3 Wet Weather Operations and Winter Operations.

3.4 Existing downed logs shall be skidded to a landing and removed.

4. Project Area

MANDATORY WORK ITEMS

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

1.1 Cutting/Harvesting of dead and dying hazard trees

1.2 Skidding of designated dead and dying hazard trees

1.3 Erosion Prevention and Control

1.4 Decking, Piling and Slash Treatment

1.5 Hauling of designated dead and dying hazard trees

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 Road number Included Product

51.3

42.4

574.6

393.8

5S07

5S07

Dead trees and logs that are hazards to the road 8.0 inches DBH and greater.

TOTAL Mandatory Harvest Acres

93.7 968 CCF

Estimated Quantity of Trees ≥8” DBH to be felled and removed:

2,192

Item 1a. Payment Units 1, Cutting units 1 & 2. 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; and road maintenance.

1. HARVESTING OF DEAD AND DYING HAZARD TREES:

Cutting/Harvesting Specifications: The Contractor shall cut and remove from the National Forest, all dead and dying conifer trees and any tree marked with Blue 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, KT_CT.3.5.3# Designation by Damage Class. (9/04), and 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 Blue will be marked over or adjacent to the original mark. Any Blue 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 Blue flagging facing into the unit.

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.

1.2 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 (hazard tree felling and felled logs) 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” Material in landings

Concentrations of Logging Slash, excluding scattered individual pieces, shall be Piled by tractor equipped with brush rake for disposal by Forest Service. Unless other wised agreed.

Pile “Piling” small material in landing

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.

Unless other wised agreed.

1.4.1 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.

1.4.2 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.

1.4.3 Unit Slash Treatment Requirements: Contractor 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

1 and 2 Mach and Pile All others unless agreed upon

1.4.5 Additional Slash Treatment Requirements: 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.

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 DBH 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.

1.7 Operations: Shall be designed to minimize the need for site restoration. Site restoration shall include all reasonable and practicable efforts to repair and restore the project area following the completion of Contractors operations.

The following restoration activities shall include the following and assumed by contractor:

a. Removing all temporary crossings at stream channels.

b. Contractor created berms and other disturbed soil shall be back bladed, graded, or otherwise smoothed to conform to the surrounding terrain.

c. Discouraging future use of skid and tractor trails by unauthorized vehicles/users thru barricading and/or otherwise disguising entrances and trails.

d. All Aerial hazards created from contractor operation will be mitigated by removal.

e. Create parking barricades using existing onsite material to limit encroachment into landing area.

f. Reinstall and anchor all improvements/Forest Service property (Signs and Rock/Post Barriers)

g. All contractors created damage to asphalt and or cement shall be repaired or replaced.

Government Quality Assurance Plan

Inspection (General): 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

1. 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.

2. Acceptable Felling, Skidding and Hauling: Within units designated for mechanized harvest, all trees ≥8.0 except LTM trees were cut and removed. No more than 2% (cumulative) of the residual leave trees are damaged by the contractors operations. 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. All slash generated at the landing is piled and 95% of the machine piles meet the specifications for constructing machine piles. 100% of the required erosion control measures conform to the contract.

All work is completed within the specified contract time.

3. Piling: All landing piles are 95% free of dirt. All piles are the correct size and have had pieces sticking out trimmed off. Piles shall be located a distance of at least twice their height in feet from the outer edge of tree crowns or snags. All piles shall have the proper fire line constructed around the piles. Damage done during the construction of a pile shall be fixed within the agreed time.

4. Damage to Roads, Improvements, Streamcourses and Other Protected Areas: All damaged items were replaced or repaired within the agreed upon time. Damage to asphalt was patched within the agreed time period.

Streamcourses and protected areas were not skidded through by machines or had logs dragged out through without Forest Service approval. Soil damage caused by contractor operating when soil conditions were not favorable shall be repaired as directed.

5. Acceptance: Work will be accepted when it is determined by the visual inspection that the Contractor’s work conforms to the Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) for the work items. Missed areas within a cutting 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. Cutting units that do not comply with the Acceptable Quality Level for the work items are un-acceptable and shall be reworked.

6. Measurements for Stewardship Credit: 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.

Inspection (Specific):

Items 1: Cut and Removal of Hazard Trees and Associated Tasks

Measurable Performance Standards

• All designated trees cut.

• All logs removed from treatment units and paid for.

• Height of stumps

• Amount of damage to residual vegetation

• All designated Pre-existing logs removed.

• Repair or replacement of damaged Improvements in a timely manner.

• Amount of undesignated timber cut

• Damage to asphalt and or cement

• Compactness and size of piles

• Avoidance of slopes >35%, stream courses/riparian reserves, and other protected areas

• Amount of soil in piles

• Reinstallation and anchoring improvements/Forest Service property

• Damage to Infrastructure