AG-9AB5-S-16-0047.pdf

SOLICITATION/CONTRACT 1. THIS CONTRACT IS A RATED

5. SOLICITATION TYPE2. CONTRACT NO. 4. SOLICITATION NUMBER

PAGE OF PAGES

7. ISSUED BY CODE 8. THIS ACQUISITION IS

BIDDER/OFFEROR TO COMPLETE BLOCKS 11, 13, 15, 21, 22, & 27

RATING

ORDER UNDER DPAS (15 CFR 700)

3. AWARD/

EFFECTIVE DATE ISSUE DATE

6. SOLICITATION

UNRESTRICTED OR SET ASIDE:

SMALL BUSINESS

SIZE STANDARD:

9. (AGENCY USE)

NO COLLECT CALLS

10. ITEMS TO BE PURCHASED (BRIEF DESCRIPTION)

SUPPLIES SERVICES

11. IF OFFER IS ACCEPTED BY THE GOVERNMENT WITHIN

CALENDAR DAYS (60 CALENDAR DAYS UNLESS OFFEROR INSERTS A DIFFERENT

PERIOD) FROM THE DATE SET FORTH IN BLOCK 9 ABOVE, THE CONTRACTOR

AGREES TO HOLD ITS OFFERED PRICES FIRM FOR THE ITEMS SOLICITED

HEREIN AND TO ACCEPT ANY RESULTING CONTRACT SUBJECT TO THE TERMS

AND CONDITIONS STATED HEREIN.

CODE 12. ADMINISTERED BY

13. CONTRACTOR FACILITY 14. PAYMENT WILL BE MADE BY CODE CODE

OFFEROR CODE

TELEPHONE NO.

DUNS NO.

CHECK IF REMITTANCE IS DIFFERENT AND PUT SUCH ADDRESS IN OFFER SUBMIT INVOICES TO ADDRESS SHOWN IN BLOCK:

15. PROMPT PAYMENT DISCOUNT 16. AUTHORITY FOR USING OTHER

THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

10 U.S.C. 2304 41 U.S.C. 253

NEGOTIATED

(RFP)

SEALED BIDS

(IFB)

1 3

07/13/2016

SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST

1600 TOLLHOUSE RD

CLOVIS CA 93611-0532

SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST

1600 TOLLHOUSE RD

CLOVIS CA 93611-0532

9A40

100.00

115310

% FOR:

X

X x

9A40

$7.50

AG-9AB5-S-16-0047

NAICS:

HUBZONE SMALL

BUSINESS

SERVICE-DISABLED VETERAN-

OWNED SMALL BUSINESS

8(A)

WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS (WOSB)

ELIGIBLE UNDER THE WOSB PROGRAM

EDWOSB

17.

ITEM NO.

18.

SCHEDULE OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES

19.

QUANTITY

20.

UNIT

21.

UNIT PRICE

22.

AMOUNT

Bald plantation thinning & slash treatment

Delivery: 60 Days After Notice to Proceed

Delivery Location Code: 9AMH

USDA FOREST SERVICE

PINERIDGE RANGER DISTRICT

PO BOX 559

PRATHER CA 93651-0559 US

Continued ...

27. SIGNATURE OF OFFEROR/CONTACTOR 28. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (SIGNATURE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER)

NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (TYPE OR PRINT) DATE SIGNED NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER DATE SIGNED

25. CONTRACTOR IS REQUIRED TO SIGN THIS DOCUMENT AND RETURN

ISSUING OFFICE. CONTRACTOR AGREES TO FURNISH AND DELIVER ALL ITEMS SET

FORTH OR OTHERWISE IDENTIFIED ABOVE AND ON ANY CONTINUATION SHEETS

SUBJECT TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SPECIFIED HEREIN.

26. AWARD OF CONTRACT: YOUR OFFER ON SOLICITATION

NUMBER SHOWN IN BLOCK 4 INCLUDING ANY ADDITIONS

OR CHANGES WHICH ARE SET FORTH HEREIN, IS

ACCEPTED AS TO ITEMS:

23. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA 24. TOTAL AWARD AMOUNT

(FOR GOVERNMENT USE ONLY)

MARY CANTRELL

x

AUTHORIZED FOR LOCAL REPRODUCTION

PREVIOUS EDITION NOT USABLE

STANDARD FORM 1447 (REV. 2/2012)

Prescribed by GSA - FAR (48 CFR) 53.214(d)

COPIES TO

TYPE OR PRINT NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER

SIGNATURENAME AND ADDRESS OF FIRM (Include ZIP Code)

WE DO NOT, DESIRE TO BE RETAINED ON THE MAILING LIST FOR FUTURE PROCUREMENT OF THE TYPE OF ITEMS INVOLVEDWE DO

DO NOT REGULARLY MANUFACTURE OR SELL THE TYPE OF ITEMS INVOLVED

CANNOT MEET DELIVERY REQUIREMENT

OTHER (Specify)

UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE ITEM(S)

CANNOT COMPLY WITH SPECIFICATIONS

PAGE

NO RESPONSE FOR REASONS CHECKED

3 2 OF

DATE AND LOCAL TIME

AFFIX

STAMP

HERE

TO:

FROM:

SOLICITATION NO.

SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST

1600 TOLLHOUSE RD

CLOVIS CA 93611-0532

9A40

AG-9AB5-S-16-0047

STANDARD FORM 1447 (REV. 2/2012) BACK

(A)

ITEM NO.

(B)

SUPPLIES/SERVICES

(C)

QUANTITY

(D)

UNIT

(E)

UNIT PRICE

(F)

AMOUNT

NAME OF OFFEROR OR CONTRACTOR

3 3

CONTINUATION SHEET

REFERENCE NO. OF DOCUMENT BEING CONTINUED PAGE OF

AG-9AB5-S-16-0047

FOB: Destination

Period of Performance: 09/15/2016 to 11/18/2016

001 Bald plantation thinning & slash treatment

NSN 7540-01-218-4386 STANDARD FORM 1447 (REV. 2/2012)

Prescribed by GSA - FAR (48 CFR) 53.214(d)

Bald Plantation Thinning

B - SECTION B - Supplies or Services and Prices/Costs Schedule of Items

2016 Mechanical Thinning, High Sierra Ranger District, Sierra National Forest

Furnish all equipment, labor, supplies, supervision, transportation, and incidentals necessary to perform the work in accordance with the specifications, terms, and conditions contained within.

ITEM

NO.

SUPPLIES OR SERVICES EST.

QTY UNIT

UNIT

PRICE

TOTAL

PRICE

1 Bald plantation mechanical Thinning Thin/Release/Site Prep in Plantations and Wildstands/DFPZ- Fuels Treatment

121 Acres $ $

2 Road opening 1 $

TOTAL >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 121 Acres >>>>>>>> $

Contractor must bid on all items.

Bidders are encouraged to visit the work sites on their own.

NOTE: Reference Section L.5 for proposal instructions. Proposals may be emailed to mecantrell@fs.fed..us or mailed to the address in Block

Signature Date

Company Name DUNS#

Email address Phone

C - SECTION C - Description/Specifications/Statement of Work

C.1 SCOPE

The purpose of this contract is to thin and treat the activity created slash in existing plantations on the High Sierra Ranger District. The government is seeking proposals on how to complete the work to specifications in this document. In the past this work has been felled by hand and then machine piled or felled by machines such as masticators or feller bunchers. In this project it should be noted that typical mastication that leaves large pieces is not suffecient to meet the goals of the project. It will be necessary to masticate to a “chip” size as opposed to the typical piece size material if mastication is to be proposed. If felled by a feller buncher or similar machine treatment of the slash must still be completed. There is also a large brush component in some of the units. This is not a target of the project but if it is treated as part of the thinning or slash treatment that will be acceptable. The work must be done without injury to the selected crop trees or other resources identified to be protected. Additionally one of the units was part of the Rock Creek fire in 1981. The road to that unit has become overgrown and impassible. This road will need to be opened up as part of the project to allow access by machinery and support vehicles. At the end of the project the road is to be water barred and closed. There is also a recreation hiking trail that goes through this unit. This trail is to be protected and kept open. It is expected that there maybe short periods of time that the trail will be blocked but this should be managed to be kept to a reasonable amount. While this is not a frequently used trail, signs to alert hikers of work in the area are required.

The perscription for the thinning in these units is different and more complex than the standard spacing perscriptions. The District Silviculturist or his representative will work with the contractor to interpret and implement this specification. Typical thinning projects limit treatment to trees less than 10 inch DBH, however, in this project the contractor is required to treat trees to 16 inch BDBH.

C.2 DESCRIPTION AND LOCATION

The location of the work site, access to the site and other information pertinent to each unit is contained on the vicinity maps in Section J and in the paragraphs below. The project areas have been identified with the unit number written on flagging which is tied somewhere within the unit, where it meets the road or access trail. The work boundaries are flagged. Work areas shown on the project map are approximate but are reasonable representations of the areas suitable for the task prescribed in this contract.

Directions are given from the High Sierra Ranger District Office, Prather CA. To reach the District office from Fresno, take Highway 168 northeast to the community of Prather.

Rock Creek Area: From Prather Proceed east on Highway 168 for approx. 26 miles to Dinkey Creek Road located in the community of Shaver Lake. Take Dinkey Creek Road for 9 miles. After passing the Glen Meadow work center turn left onto the 9S09 road. Follow this road for about 5 miles to the project area.

C.3 CONTRACTOR FURNISHED EQUIPMENT

The offeror may propose what ever equipment that is felt to be able to do the job as long as it is in good working order and can accomplish the work without excessive ground disturbance and to specification.

The Contractor shall provide all tools and equipment needed for the job.

C.4 CONTRACTOR FURNISHED OPERATORS

The Contractor shall provide Equipment Operators with the following experience:

(a) Experience operating the equipment in a safe and practical manner while working in Conifer

Plantations, Natural-Wild Stands and DFPZ Fuelbreaks.

(b) Experience operating the equipment to meet work methods and standards, and work description and spacing requirements without damaging leave trees or resource/protected sites.

(c) Experience operating the equipment on slopes 0 to 45 percent and on short pitches up to 50 percent slope, while protecting soil conditions and residual trees or vegetation not specified to be treated.

(d) The Equipment Operator(s) and Contractor’s Representative must be able to speak fluent

English and understand the written English language.

Additionally the operators who will make tree slection decisions will need to be able to identify the local tree species and recognize trees that meet the tree selection guidelines.

C.5 INSPECTION OF EQUIPMENT

Prior to award, the Government reserves the right to inspect the equipment to be furnished. If the equipment is found to be in such condition to indicate the need for frequent repairs and delays in performance, it shall be rejected. The decision of the Contracting Officer will be final as to whether equipment is in suitable condition for acceptance.

C.6 EQUIPMENT CLEANING

The Contractor shall ensure that prior to moving on to the project area, all off-road equipment is free of soil, seeds, vegetative material, or other debris that could contain or hold seeds of noxious weeds. “Off Road Equipment” includes all logging, construction machinery and brushing equipment (brush hogs, masticators, chippers) except log trucks, chip vans, service vehicles, water trucks, pickup trucks, and similar vehicles not intended for off-road use.

The Contractor shall notify the Forest Service at least 5 working days prior to moving each piece of equipment on to National Forest Land, unless otherwise agreed. Notification will include identifying the location of the equipment’s most recent operations. Unless the prior location of operation is known to be free of noxious weeds as documented in a Weed Risk Assessment, Forest Service may assume that the equipment is contaminated with noxious weed seeds. In general, because of the magnitude of the yellow star thistle infestation in northern and central California, equipment coming from off-forest sites will be considered contaminated and cleaning/washing will be required. Upon request of Forest Service, arrangements will be made for Forest Service to inspect each piece of equipment prior to it being placed in service.

The Contractor shall thoroughly clean all off-road equipment before entering the project areas.

The Contractor shall employ whatever cleaning methods are necessary to ensure that off-road equipment is free of noxious weed seeds. Equipment shall be considered clean when a visual inspection by the Contracting Officer Representative verifies that the equipment does not disclose soil, seed, plant material, and other such debris. Disassembly of equipment components or specialized inspection tools is not required. For subsequent moves between project areas, the Contractor shall be required to use water to wash down and thoroughly clean the equipment.

Notification to the Contracting Officer and his representative at least 48 hrs prior to a move shall be required to initiate the scheduling of a water source for the wash down.

The Contracting Officer’s Representative (C.O.R.), Government Inspector or authorized Forest Service employee shall observe and inspect the wash down process to verity that off-road equipment is free of noxious weeds prior to each start-up of contract project item areas.

C.7 PUBLIC SAFETY

The Contractor shall provide and install large, easily read warning signs along the roads or access trails, warning the public or other visitors of the hazards of the machine during operations. These signs shall state that all persons shall remain at least 200 feet from the machine during operations and approach only by permission of the operator.

Contractor's operation shall facilitate Forest Services' safe and practical inspection of Contractor's operation and conduct of other official duties in the contract area.

Unless otherwise agreed in writing, when Contractor's operations are in progress adjacent to or on roads and trails open to public travel, the Contractor shall furnish, install and maintain all temporary traffic controls which provide the forest user with adequate warning of hazardous conditions associated with Contractor's Operations. Contractor and Contracting Officer and/or his Representative (COR) shall agree to a specific traffic control plan for each individual contract work area prior to commencing operations. Devices shall be appropriate to current conditions and shall be covered or removed when not needed. Except as otherwise agreed, flag persons and devices shall be as specified in the "Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highway" (MUTCD).

C.8 ORDER OF WORK

The Contracting Officer and/or his representative may specify an order of work by item or sub-item (unit) within an item, without additional cost to the Government. Work may be performed at any time during the period of the contract, except as specified as following:

(a) In accordance with the attached fire plan.

(b) When the Contracting Officer and/or his representative determine that adverse weather has made access or project production too dangerous or that continued vehicular travel would cause unacceptable road damage.

(c) When the Contracting Officer and/or his representative has determined that weather conditions are unfavorable for mechanical thinning operations to continue due to increased risk of insect infestation.

(d) Limited Operating Period’s (LOP): A LOP for the protection of Spotted Owls and Great Gray Owls from March 1st through August 15th, for the protection of Northern Goshawks from February 15th through September 15th, and for the protection of the Pacific fisher from March 1st through June 30th when activities are prohibited for all or part of the treatment area in specific units as listed in the chart in Section C.13 (f) Work Conditions

(e) In the event that threatened, endangered, or Forest Service sensitive species is located near operations, a limited LOP for their protection shall be applied as directed by the Land Management Plan (LMP) as amended in 2004.

In the event that a Pacific fisher (Martes pennanti) den site is located near operations, a 700 acre buffer shall be delineated around the den site. A limited operating period where activities are prohibited for the protection of the Pacific fisher shall be established for March 1st through June 30th for the buffered area.

(f) When the Contracting Officer and/or their representative has determined that soil conditions are too wet and unfavorable for mechanical thinning operations to continue due to the increased risk of soil compaction and /or resource damage. Refer to C.11(f)) Non Work Areas/Resource Protection.

C.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS

1. Blister Rust Fungus: A disease occurring in white pines (sugar pine) that girdles branches and eventually kills the tree. Symptoms of this disease will be swelling in the branches and patches of dead needles.

2. Berm: A raised barrier of soil or duff separating two areas that may contribute to the rechanneling of rainfall runoff. An example of a berm is where the soil is unevenly disturbed by the movement of the equipment tracks.

3. Buffer: An area of untreated vegetation that serves to protect, shield or cushion, such as along the stream side management zone of a draw, creek or river, underneath a mature Black Oak, Incense Cedar 30 inch DBH or larger or along the roadside edge.

4. Conifer: A cone-bearing tree with needles or leaf scales (e.g. pine, fir, cedar). Conifer Plantations are areas that have been planted with conifer seedlings.

5. Created Slash: Debris created from work during this contract, including all treated tops, trunks and branches of trees and shrubs.

6. Crop Tree: A healthy looking, well formed, undamaged tree that will remain in the stand.

7. Cull (Down) Log: A non-utilized log over 18 inches in diameter on the small end, and 10 feet in length.

8. Cut Tree: Tree to be removed from the stand that is not needed to meet spacing and /or leave/crop trees per acre requirements.

9. Damaged Trees (Created): Any damage created by work under this contract which includes stripping or removing of branches, debarking the bole of a crop tree in excess of ¼ of the circumference.

Damaged Trees (Existing): Includes any defect or deformity of a tree resulting from agents such as wind, snow, animals, insects, disease, and equipment. Indicators include dead or broken tops or branches, bark that has been removed extending more than ¼ of the circumference of the tree.

10. D.B.H. (diameter at breast height): The diameter of a tree measured outside the bark at 4 1/2 feet above the ground on the uphill side.

11. Debris: Woody plant material.

12. Dripline/Crown: The tip of the tree’s branches where rain water will drip. The tip of the tree’s branches also identifies the edge of the trees crown.

13. Down Log: All or part of the trunk of a felled tree in various stages of decomposition.

14. Dwarf Mistletoe: A leathery evergreen plant growing as a parasite on trees. Produces long yellowish shoots and causes swells and cankers in the trees stems.

15. Dominant and/or Codominant: A tree displaying greater height and diameter than its closest competitors. A mature dominant and /or codominant tree is also considered as a mature overstory tree.

16. Existing Slash: Debris existing prior to work under this contract, that may, or may not, have been previously windrowed or piled.

17. Excess Trees: A tree other than a crop tree, that shall be removed during the shredding/masticating/mulching thinning process.

18. Fuel Break DFPZ: A wide strip or block of land on which the native vegetation has been or plans to be modified so that fires burning into it can be more readily extinguished.

19. Fuel ladders: An arrangement and volume of vegetation (brush and/or trees) that grows beneath the drip line or whose bole/stem lies within 8 feet from the drip line of a residual overstory tree. This vegetation increases the threat of ignition and spread of fire into the canopy of trees it grows under.

20. Hardwood: A tree with broad leaves rather than needles (e.g. oak, madrone).

21. Machine/Equipment: Boom mounted rotary type mowers/shredders/masticators. (Refer to C.3 (a-e) Contractor Furnished Equipment).

22. Major Damage: Includes any defect or deformity of a tree resulting from such agents as wind, snow, animals, insects, disease, and equipment, and evidenced by such things as dead or broken tops or trunks, large crooks, and barking extending more than 1/4 of the circumference of the tree.

23. Mapping Boundary: An artificial perimeter established by a series of connecting straight lines, which approximate an average of the irregularities of the unit boundary. The mapping boundary is used in the computation for payment of the enclosed area.

24. Minor Damage: Crooks in the trunk, which are offset less than 3 inches from the long axis and within 13 feet of the ground, and barking of 1/4 or less the circumference of the tree.

25. Natural-Wild Stands: An area of land that consists of an array of natural vegetation such as trees, brush and grass. The condition and arrangement of these trees and brush are requiring a mechanical thinning treatment. These natural-wild stands have not been treated in recent years.

26. Noxious Weeds: Those plant species designated as noxious weeds by the Secretary of Agriculture or by the responsible State official. The primary species of concern for the project area are: yellow starthistle, medusa head, Klamath weed, bull thistle and Italian thistle. Any plant species designated as noxious by the California Department of Agriculture would be of concern if found in the project area. This list can be viewed at www.cdfa.ca.gov/weedhome.

27. Mosaic Design Criteria: An arrangement or design of small to medium size patches/ribbons of untreated understory vegetation in a natural state, consisting of conifers, oaks and a diverse species of brush vegetation, covering no more than 10 percent of the lower profile of the stand. Mosaic patches/ribbons in conifer plantations are approximately 1/10th acre in size and approximately ¼ acre in size within wildstand treatment areas. These mosaic patches/ribbons must be preserved to maintain stand diversity primarily to provide cover for the Pacific fisher as well as other native wildlife species.

28. Multi-storied stands: A varying-aged forested area that consists of various types of trees that have different ages and heights. These trees are considered either dominate, co-dominate, intermediate, or suppressed.

29. Release: Removal of unwanted vegetation adjacent to a leave tree.

30. Residual: A single tree or shrub/brush or pockets of trees and shrub/brush designated to remain following treatment.

31. Rut: A furrow or sunken track worn into the soil surface, as by the passage of wheels, equipment tracks or by the depression of the cutting head.

32. Screening: A visual barrier consisting of natural vegetation strategically placed parallel to the roadside to maintain habitat concealment for a variety of terrestrial wildlife species including mule deer.

33. Shred/Masticate/Mulch: Created and existing slash which has been treated shall lie in close contact with the soil. Trees and brush shall be shredded, torn, and broken into narrow strips to 5 feet or less in length.

34. Shrub/brush: A woody plant with no main stem, which may grow higher than 7 feet, commonly called brush. For example: ceanothus, manzanita, and chokecherry.

35. Site Preparation: The mulching/mastication of competing brush, damaged and/or poor vigor small residual conifers by shredding, cutting, and/or chipping to prepare the site for tree planting, while preserving any thrifty crop/leave trees that may be present.

36. Slope Break: The point where the pitch of the slope drastically changes beyond 50 percent.

37. Spacing: The horizontal distance from the trunk of one crop tree to the trunk of the next nearest crop tree.

38. Stump Diameter: The diameter of a tree measured outside the bark at six inches above the ground on the uphill side.

39. Terrace: Any of a series of flat platforms of earth with sloping sides, raising one above the other, mechanically constructed on the contour, as on a hillside with slopes. (The terraces were planted with seedlings on the flat portion of the platforms.)

40. Thinning: The removal of trees in excess of those leave/crop trees to be left for future management.

41. Threatened, Endangered, or Sensitive Plants (TES Plants): Threatened or Endangered Plants are species officially listed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Sensitive plants are those plant species identified by the Regional Forester for which population viability is a concern. Please see the Biological Assessment/Biological Evaluation for TES plants for details (in the project file at the High Sierra Ranger District Office in Prather, CA).

42. Unit: A subdivision of a bid item with a closed perimeter.

43. Unit Boundary: The perimeter of the work unit as indicated by the Forest Service markings at various points along an irregular perimeter. In some instances, the perimeter of the work unit will be defined by roads, drainages, uncut timber stands, natural barriers such as rocks, washouts, or others. Some situations require the exercise of common sense, as it is only possible to mark points along the irregular line.

44. Wildlife Design Criteria: Shrub and understory diversity shall be retained to provide cover for the Pacific fisher in the treatable landscapes between 3,600’ to 6,600’ elevation. The following guidelines shall provide hiding cover utilizing existing vegetation in a natural state.

To create diversity in the lower profile of the stand, retain small to medium size mosaic patches/ribbons of untreated understory vegetation consisting of conifers, oaks, dogwood and different species of shrubs, covering no more than 10 percent of the stand and designed to preserve stand diversity while decreasing the threat posed by ladder fuels.

Mosaic patches/ribbons in conifer plantations are approximately 1/10th acre in size and within wild stand treatment areas, approximately ¼ acre in size.

Provide hiding cover and retain the structure underneath the canopy of mature Black Oaks and Incense Cedar trees 30 inch DBH and larger by not treating trees and brush vegetation growing within the canopy. If possible, take advantage of existing visible cavities on 2 to 3 mature Black Oaks per acre. Where no visible cavity is present, select a mature Black Oak with a full dominant crown to reach the 2 to 3 oak per acre requirement.

Do not disturb live trees or dead trees that are leaning (like a ladder) against a mature Black oak or an Incense cedar 30 inch DBH or larger.

45. Windrow: Rows of pushed brush, trees, and debris. The rows are normally on the contour.

46. Work Areas: An area of forestland where the Forest Service has an established fuel break, plantation or natural-wild stands consisting of planted and/or natural conifers.

These conifers may be surrounded by various brush species. Competing brush species may impede the conifers growth.

C.10 SALVAGE MATERIAL

If authorized by the Contracting Officer, salvage material shall be made available to the Contractor. Any such material created by this contract will become the property of the Contractor on a salvageable basis and may be removed from the project, provided project work is progressing as scheduled and removal is completed prior to completion of that sub-item. Rights to any material not removed from the project areas prior to expiration of the contract shall revert back to the Government. Salvage rights may be granted by the Contracting Officer if the Contractor requests such rights in writing. Permission to remove salvage material will be by letter and is not transferable. Land management direction guidelines for required down logs per acre will be provided.

C.11 NON-WORK AREAS / RESOURCE PROTECTION

Within the general project area, the Contracting Officer will exclude non-work areas such as:

rocky areas, wildlife areas, non operable portions of terraces, noxious weeds and sensitive plant areas, streamside protection zones, meadows, and/or areas with a dense oak canopy, Cultural Resources Protection areas and other special areas such as excessively steep slopes. The Contracting Officer will designate non-work areas. Such areas exceeding 1/2 acre in size will be excluded from payment. The attached maps are intended to show only the general size and location of work areas and are not intended to be accurate as to shape and dimensions. The position of cultural and topographical features also may be approximate.

(a) Non-work areas will be strung, flagged, or otherwise designated.

(b) The Contractor shall not operate and shall not refuel within Stream Management Zones (SMZ). Stream management zone boundaries will be identified with blue and white polka-dot flagging, or otherwise designated prior to commencing unit treatment.

(c) Equipment shall not cross meadows, stream channels, and/or designated non-work areas except at locations designated by the Contracting Officer and/or their representative. The following SMZ buffer distance shall be maintained; 100’ buffer along meadows unless otherwise designated by the Contracting Officer’s Representative, Class 1 streams require a 100’ buffer each side, Class 2 streams require a 75’ buffer each side, Class 3 streams require a 50’ buffer each side and a Class 4 stream requires a 25’ buffer each side. Equipment shall treat a booms length inside the SMZ buffer as directed by the Contracting Officer’s Representative.

(d) Equipment shall not operate on areas steeper than 50%.

(e) Leave all snags over 16 inches in diameter and over 20 feet in height including those that may have been broken and/or burned. These snags shall not be pushed over, damaged, or disturbed.

(f) Mechanical operations shall be restricted to periods when surface soils in the operating area are drier than the "plastic limit", to a depth of 10 to 20 cm (4 to 8 inches). A test to determine the plastic limit can be measured by rolling soil with your hand on a flat surface that produces a wire of soil 1/8 inch in diameter. When there is a question regarding the soil moisture the Forest Soils scientist will be consulted and his opinion will be final. Equipment shall be operated only when soil moisture conditions prevent unacceptable compaction or soil displacement. Typically, soil moisture conditions are a concern between the months of November and April.

Equipment operations shall minimize soil erosion and damage. Erosion control mitigations shall be kept current and prior to any seasonal period of precipitation or runoff. Damage resulting from failure to perform required work shall be repaired by the Contractor at the Contractor’s expense.

(g) Protection of Land Survey Monuments. The Contractor shall protect all known survey monuments, witness corners, reference monuments, and bearing trees against avoidable destruction, obliteration, or damage during the Contractor's operations. Known corners are identified on the contract maps by black diamonds. It is the Contractor's responsibility to locate and protect them during operations.

If the Contractor causes damage as detailed in the above paragraph, the Contractor shall hire the appropriate registered land surveyor to establish or restore at the same location the monuments, corners, or accessories. Such surveyors shall use procedures in accordance with the "Bureau of Land Management Instructions for the Survey of the Public Lands of the United States" for the General Land Office surveys, and in accordance with the State law for others. The Contractor shall record such survey in the appropriate county records.

(h) Protection of Improvements. Contractor shall protect improvements from damage and shall be responsible for their timely restoration if damaged by Contractor's Operations.

Improvements include but are not limited to; water tanks, fences, gates, pipeline, culverts, helispot, existing roads, water bars, under ground fiber optic cable, stock driveways, power lines, established land corners, established hiking and motorcycle trails and all private property.

(i) Equipment shall not be walked between units on paved or chip-sealed roads. The walking of equipment between units shall be at the direction of the Contracting Officer and/or COR, to avoid the possibility of entering a Control Area and/or resource damage.

(j) Exit and entry of units shall be confined to within unit boundaries unless otherwise stated by the Contracting Officer and/or COR. Entry and exit points to the unit shall be chosen in a manner as to reduce resource damage and soil erosion.

(k) Prevention of Oil Spills. If the Contractor maintains storage facilities for oil or oil products on the project area, the Contractor shall take appropriate preventative measures to insure that any spill of oil or oil products does not enter the soil, any stream, or other waters.

If the total oil or oil storage exceeds 4996 liters (1320 gallons) or if any single container exceeds a capacity of 2498 liters (660 gallons), the Contractor shall prepare a Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures (SPCC) Plan. The proposed plan is to be approved by the Contracting Officer. Such plan shall meet applicable EPA requirements (40 CFR 112) including certification by a Registered Professional Engineer.

(l) Protection of Cultural Resources: Location of known historic or prehistoric sites, buildings, objects, and properties related to American history, architecture, archaeology and culture, such as settler or Indian artifacts, protected by American Antiquities Act of 1906 (16 U.S.C.

431433), National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 470), and implementing regulations (36 CFR 800), the American Indian Religious Freedom Act, and the Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 (PL 96-95 and 36 CFR 261.9(e)) will be identified on the ground by the Forest Service. The Forest Service may unilaterally modify or cancel all or portions of this contract to protect an area, object of antiquity, artifact, or similar object which is or may be entitled to protection under these Acts regardless of when the area, object or artifact is discovered or identified. Discovery of such areas or objects by either party shall be promptly reported to the other party.

The Contractor shall protect Controlled Areas (CA) shown on the Project Unit Maps, by AVOIDANCE, and shall protect all known and identified or discovered historic or prehistoric sites, buildings, objects, and properties related to American history, architecture, archaeology and culture against destruction, obliteration, removal or damage during the Contractor's operations. The Contractor shall immediately notify the Contracting Officer and the COR if damage occurs to any cultural resources and immediately halt operations in the vicinity of the resource where damage occurred until the Contracting Officer authorizes the Contractor to proceed. If such damage is negligently or willfully caused by the Contractor's operations, the Contractor shall bear costs of investigation and restoration in accordance with 36 CFR 296.14(c), provided that such payment shall not relieve the Contractor from civil or criminal remedies otherwise provided by law.

Wheeled or track-laying equipment shall not be operated within such areas except on roads, landings, tractor roads, or skid trails approved by the Contracting Officer and/or his representative. The Contractor may be required to restore disturbed areas where the Contracting Officer has approved incursion.

All known Controlled Areas are identified on the project map and on the ground with flagging. The sites may be re-flagged immediately prior to operations.

(m) Protection of Sensitive Plant Populations. No known populations of sensitive plants occur within or adjacent to the designated units. The Contracting Officer Representative will designate any protected plants located within any of the units for protection. Elderberry bushes/tree and California Dogwood shall not be damaged. To maintain stand diversity, trees and/or brush providing homes to wildlife shall not be damaged or disturbed.

(n) Control of Dust near Sensitive Areas. The Contracting Officer and/or his representative may require the Contractor to cease operations when the wind speed is such that dust from operations will blow into sensitive areas. Sensitive areas are those occupied by the public including developed campgrounds and residences. Periods of shut down will not count against the Contractor's time.

(o) The Contractor shall remove all trash from the work site.

(p) The Contractor shall be responsible for determining the location of buried utilities and preventing damage to them.

(q) Areas with an excessive amount of rock or rock outcrop areas shall be avoided. These areas will be designated by the Contracting Officer Representative.

(r) Heavy equipment shall not work or leave the boundaries of the work areas without written permission from the Contracting Officer. This is intended to avoid the possibility of damage to sensitive or protected sites outside the work boundaries. The "walking" of equipment cross-country between work units is not allowed without the written permission of the Contracting Officer.

(s) There may be terraces or portions of terraces that have existing non-treatment areas. These non-treatment areas may be due to one or more of the following conditions: angle of the slope, existing rock at the edge of the flat platform, width of terrace, height and angle of the cut bank, and/or the size of the tree’s diameter.

(t) Noxious weeds have been identified in the project areas and the equipment shall avoid these locations. Where identified, equipment shall require a washdown before moving to the next project/unit to prevent weeds from spreading.

C.12 WORK METHODS AND STANDARDS

For all items, the Contractor shall provide the necessary equipment to accomplish the thinning and slash treatment. Protection of residual trees shall be the highest priority in all operations.

Excessive residual stand damage may result in contract shut down and/or contract termination.

Excessive damage shall be defined as damage to 10% or greater of the residual trees.

(a) The Contractor shall be responsible for avoiding identified buried utilities.

(b) The Contractor shall not operate in areas within the units that exceed 50% slope, or in areas where the ground conditions may damage Contractor's equipment, such as excessively rocky sites. These areas will be excluded from measurement for payment.

(c) Water bars in skid trails, fire lines, culverts, draws, roads and continuous travel routes disturbed by the Contractor shall be restored to the condition, prior to damage at the Contractor's expense. Culverts, roadside approaches to culverts that have been graded, stream channels, draws and roads shall be kept free of all slash and debris by the Contractor.

(d) To prevent soil erosion damage, the Contractor shall operate equipment in a manner that limits soil displacement and shall restore to prior condition any deep ruts or berms created by the equipment’s tracks.

(e) The Contractor shall complete work to the slope break.

(f) Three – five downed logs per acre shall be left in an undisturbed state to the greatest extent practical. Prferably the largest down logs. If there are not any down logs already present the contractor shall leave trees that are cut as part of the thinning process.

(g) Equipment shall be kept free of debris accumulations that may result in fire starts.

(h) If mastication is proposed the shredded/masticated/chipped material shall be evenly distributed over the treated areas so as to not leave large accumulations of slash.

Concentrations of brush, slash, and small dead trees may need repeated treatment in order to satisfy desired work standards. The material must be reduced to chips not pieces and must be worked till it is not a flammable fuel bed.

(i) Equipment will not be permitted to cross meadows, stream channels, or other non-work areas except at locations designated by the Contracting Officer or Contracting Officer’s Representative.

(j) Soils in the operating area must be dry enough to prevent rutting and/or compaction by a single pass of the equipment.

(k) The Contractor shall not operate and shall not refuel within Stream Management Zones (SMZ). Stream management zones boundaries will be identified with white with blue polka-dot flagging or otherwise designated prior to commencing unit treatment.

(l) Protect rock out crops that support islands of mature vegetation such as manzanita and protect Blue Elderberry Bushes and California Dogwood trees.

(m) The Contractor shall be required to work the edge of the project boundary along all private property and road side edges. Where the project area meets the roadside edge, create a visual barrier to promote wildlife screening, habitat enhancement and prevent unoffical access by utilizing natural vegetation strategically placed parallel to the roadside.

C.13 WORK CONDITIONS

Work may be done at any time during the term of the contract, except under the following conditions:

(a) Weather predictions indicate a hazardous fire condition warranting curtailment of operations, as specified elsewhere in this contract.

(b) When ground conditions are such that machine operations could cause resource damage.

(c) Between dusk and dawn.

(d) Between December 1st and June 30th when slash/shredded/cut/chipped material is larger than 3" diameter and consists of Pine species.

(e) Before 7:00 A.M. on weekdays or 8:00 A.M. on weekends when operating within ¼ mile of residences or campgrounds.

(f) Limited Operating Periods (LOP): For the 2016 Calendar year, activities are prohibited for all or part of the treatment area for the protection of Spotted Owls, Northern Goshawks and the Pacific fishers. Surveys may be conducted to determine the presence of the protected species. The district Wildlife Biologist may lift the LOP as a result of the surveys.

C.14 SELECTION OF LEAVE TREES

(a) Hardwood Trees:

Hardwood trees over 10 feet in height or 4 inches in diameter shall be considered potential crop trees.

(b) Leave Trees/Conifers:

Leave trees shall generally be the tallest, most vigorous, healthy, largest crown, and straightest stems that are free of damage due to insects, diseases, physical or mechanical causes. The Contractor shall select leave trees based on the following priorities:

1. Healthy undamaged trees at the required spacing intervals.

a. Crown class - must be either vigorous dominant or co-dominant.

b. Crown ratio - 30% or more of the total height must be live crown.

c. Vigor - healthy and vigorous in appearance. Terminal growth must be equal to or greater than that of competitors.

2. If no healthy, undamaged tree exists within the spacing requirements, leave the best disease free tree available, including oaks, to meet the stocking requirements.

3. If no healthy tree with minor damage exists, leave a tree as defined below:

a. A tree with minor mistletoe infection: Minor mistletoe infection is defined as a tree with 20 percent or less of the crown infected and with no mistletoe within one foot of the main bole.

b. Trees with crown damage may be left providing there are no signs of rot and the tree has established a new leader (top) with a minimum of two years growth visible. Note, many of the crop trees will be Jeffery pine. Often Jeffery pine in this area is damaged by snow when it is young. This may result on multi-top trees or trees with an offset main stem. These should be looked for. The Silviculturist or inspector will work with the contractor in the beginning of the project to explain how to manage these defects.

4. Within categories listed above, selection shall be made based on the following priority order:

a. Sugar pine /or Giant Sequoia

b. Black oak or Jeffery pine

c. Incense cedar

d. Fir

e. To mix up species composition, leave an occasional Incense cedar or White/Red fir, damage free tree of equal size and vigor as a replacement for Ponderosa pine/Jeffrey pine. Generally, the resulting species composition should be 80% Ponderosa pine/Jeffrey pine with the remaining species percentage being other suitable species from the priority list. Alternate species to the pine are especially appropriate in the areas where the spacing is 15 feet (see following specification in C-15).

C.15 WORK DESCRIPTION AND SPACING

Bald Mt. Plantation thin 2016 spacing guide.

The objective of this spacing guide is to leave an open stand of 90 to 100 square feet of basal area on average with a variable spacing. Fifty percent of trees should be “open” trees, twenty percent of trees should be “clumped” trees and the thirty percent of trees should be “spaced” trees.

“Open” trees are crop trees that are spaced 25 feet on average (22 to 26) (equilateral triangles) from all other conifers or oaks. Tree species preference is, sugar pine, black oak or Jeffrey pine (in order of priority). Half of each acre should contain “open” trees.

“Clumped” trees are crop trees that are spaced 15 feet (12 to 17) from each other on equilateral triangles. Clumps should contain no fewer than 5 trees and no more than 25 trees or approximately 5 to 2 clumps per acre. Clumps should include willow, incense cedar or white fir when present. White fir and incense cedar can be of any size over 1 foot in height.

“Spaced” trees are thinned to a distance of 20 feet apart (17 to 21) from each other or “clumped” trees (equilateral triangles) - and at least 25 feet from open trees. Approximately 30% of trees should be in a spaced condition.

The operator should follow the thinning process described below for each acre:

Identify (ocular) largest and best growing trees on each acre to leave as open trees.

Begin thinning trees in a “space” tree area applying the 20 feet tree spacing (approximately an area of 115 x 115 ft.). Work into an “open” tree area increasing spacing to 25 foot triangles (approximately an area of 150 x 150 feet). Work into each clump achieving the 15 x 15 trees spacing (each clump in a two clump scenario should be no bigger than 1 chain square or 66 x 66 feet).

In “Open” spaced area identify the best growing conifer or black oak. Then apply the 25’ x 25’ equilateral triangle spacing guide leaving the best growing dominant or codominant trees. Apply the species preference.

Potential “clumped” areas can be identified in portions of an acre with incense cedar or fir species typically in the understory. Retain the fir or incense cedar applying the 15’x15’ triangle spacing guide. Identify (ocular) potential “clumped” trees on each acre (2-5 per acre). Identify incense cedar or white fir that can be incorporated into each clump. If none are present then identify “clump” area using available pine species.

Preserving Pacific fisher habitat:

While performing work described in Section C.15, Work Description and Spacing, the Contractor shall preserve stand conditions to meet the Mosaic Design Criteria as described in C.9, Definition of Terms, No. 27, and No. 44, Wildlife Design Criteria.

Wildlife Design Criteria: Shrub and understory diversity shall be retained to provide cover for the Pacific fisher in the treatable landscapes between 3,600’ to 6,600’ elevation.

The following guidelines shall provide hiding cover for the Pacific fisher as well as other native wildlife species, utilizing existing vegetation in a natural state.

To create diversity in the lower profile of the stand and retain small to medium size mosaic patches/ribbons of untreated understory vegetation consisting of conifers, oaks, dogwood and different species of shrubs. These mosaic patches/ribbons shall cover no more than 10 percent of the lower profile of the stand and are designed to preserve stand diversity while decreasing the threat posed by ladder fuels. Mosaic patches/ribbons in conifer plantations are approximately 1/10th acre in size and within wild stand treatment areas, approximately ¼ acre in size.

Provide hiding cover and retain the structure underneath the canopy of mature Black Oaks and Incense Cedar trees 30 inch DBH and larger by not treating trees and brush vegetation growing within the canopy. If possible, take advantage of existing visible cavities on 2 to 3 mature Black Oaks per acre. Where no visible cavity is present, select a mature Black Oak with a full dominant crown to reach the 2 to 3 oak per acre requirement.

Do not disturb live trees or dead trees that are leaning (like a ladder) against a mature Black oak or an Incense cedar 30 inch DBH or larger.

C.16 STUMP HEIGHTS

All project created stumps, including those of shrubs, shall be less than 6 inches high as measured from the uphill side. Scattered stump heights up to no more than 8 inches from any natural obstacles such as rocks or downed logs will be tolerated on up to 10% of the area. All unobstructed stumps shall be severed below the lowest live limbs or stems of trees and brush.

C.17 SLASH, BRUSH AND TREE TREATMENT

(a) The contractor shall propose a slash treatment for the created slash. This could be chipping

(see requirement for chip size else where in this document), piling or something else. The goal is to prevent the slash from becoming habitat for beatles or a fuel bed for fire.

(b) If the brush is treated during the thining process, it shall be severed from its main stem no more than 3 inches (7.6 cm) from the ground on level surfaces, and no more than 8 inches (20.3 cm) from any natural obstacles such as rocks or downed logs. All targeted vegetation shall be severed below the lowest live branch.

(c) Any cut material that encroaches upon protected sites, roads, telephone/power lines, established trails, stock driveways, fence lines, established land corners, stream zones, outside of the unit boundaries and other improvements not listed, shall be removed if possible. Any resulting damage shall be immediately reported to the Contracting Officer.

(d) Designated trails within treatment units shall be cleared of brush and small excess trees to a minimum width of 6 feet. Created debris shall be removed from the trail route to provide for unrestricted foot travel. Cleared debris must be dispersed to prevent development of berms on the sides of the trail. There is a trail that goes through unit 1031. This trail had long been overgrown and impassible but just recently it was brushed so should be easily located. It is to be protected. Effort needs to be made to prevent equipment from damageing the trail treadway.

(e) No dead conifers (snags) greater than 10 inches+/- DBH shall be cut with the exception of roadside hazard trees or others designated by the Contracting Officer’s Representative.

If piling is the proposed slash treatment. The piles must meet specification

Tractor Piling Specifications:

A. The Contractor shall clear and pile the activity created slash. In this contract the brush is not a target but if piling is to happen the piles must be placed where they are separated by at least 15 feet from brush or un-piled material. To meet this requirement it would appear that at least some brush will need to be piled. When piling brush, the brush shall be uprooted and crushed before being placed in the pile, this facilitates making a tightly compacted pile and creating small pieces that are left behind as ground cover, which is often lacking when piling brush.