Appendix_A.pdf

PROJ NAME: Johnny O’Neil Stewardship UNIT: Klamath National Forest

AG-9AC7-S-14-0131 Appendix A PAGE 1 of 12

APPENDIX A

SERVICE WORK TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

OPTIONAL WORK ITEMS: The contractor is required to submit pricing for all optional service work items. The contractor shall quote on a minimum of one of the alternatives (A or B) but may quote on both. If both alternatives are quoted the government reserves the right to select the preferred alternative.

Optional Item 2a:

Unit

Number Acres

Mechanically Thin Conifers and hardwoods 3.0 inches to 9.9 inches DBH in natural stands, Whole Tree Yard, and pile at landings

403 16

404 7

406 21 Thin conifers and hardwoods in natural stands: see Technical

Specifications, Page 7, (1)

408 19 Landing Piles: see Technical Specifications, Page 9, (4)

421 3

424 1

426 18

427 24

429 60

434 12

435 6

447 75

448 6

450 6

453 53

455 66

460 36

491 40

493 3

494 3

509 9

Total 483

Optional Item 2b:

This work is the same as above except chip or otherwise process and remove product from National

Forest Land within 1 year after cutting. This option requires Contractor to submit a price for green biomass on Page 4 of the solicitation.

AG-9AC7-S-14-0131 Appendix A PAGE 2 of 12

Optional Item 3a:

Unit

Number Acres

Mechanically Thin Conifers and hardwoods 3.0 inches to 9.9 inches DBH in plantations, Whole Tree Yard, and pile at landings

441 5

442 9 Thin conifers and hardwoods in plantation stands: see

Technical Specifications, Page 8, (2)

449 11 Landing Piles: see Technical Specifications, Page 9, (4)

451 4

452 5

458 42

461 17

462 11

465 37

467 7

469 10

471 14

474 9

475 9

477 11

480 7

481 22

482 12

484 6

500 1

502 9

Total 259

Optional Item 3b:

This work is the same as above except chip or otherwise process and remove product from National

Forest Land within 1 year after cutting. This option requires Contractor to submit a price for green biomass on Page 4 of the solicitation.

AG-9AC7-S-14-0131 Appendix A PAGE 3 of 12

Optional Item 4a:

Unit Number Acres Thin Conifers and hardwoods 3.0 inches to 9.9 inches DBH in natural skyline units, whole tree yard and remove from sale area within 1 year after cutting

306 13 Thin conifers and hardwoods in natural stands:

see Technical Specifications, Page 7, (1)

334 5 Landing Piles: see Technical Specifications, Page 9, (4)

405 9

407 23

409 5

410 10

411 4

412 5

413 4

416 3

419 9

425 8

433 8

437 9

446 25

485 10

492 7

495 10

503 5

508 5

510 10

Total 186

Optional Item 4b:

Unit Number Acres Thin Conifers and hardwoods 3.0 inches to 9.9 inches DBH and hand pile in natural skyline units

306 13 Thin conifers and hardwoods in natural stands:

see Technical Specifications, Page 7, (1)

334 5 Hand pile all cut material: Technical Specifications, Page 9, (3)

405 9

407 23

409 5

410 10

411 4

412 5

413 4

416 3

419 9

425 8

433 8

AG-9AC7-S-14-0131 Appendix A PAGE 4 of 12

Unit Number Acres Thin Conifers and hardwoods 3.0 inches to 9.9 inches DBH and hand pile in natural skyline units

437 9

446 25

485 10

492 7

495 10

503 5

508 5

510 10

Total 186

Optional Item 5a:

Unit Number Acres Thin Conifers and hardwoods 3.0 inches to 9.9 inches DBH in plantation skyline units, whole tree yard and remove from sale area within 1 year after cutting

431 12 Thin conifers and hardwoods in plantation stands:

see Technical Specifications, Page 8, (2)

438 24 Landing Piles: see Technical Specifications, Page 9, (4)

439 8

473 11

Total 56

Optional Item 5b:

Unit Number Acres Thin Conifers and hardwoods 3.0 inches to 9.9 inches DBH and hand pile in plantation skyline units

431 12 Thin conifers and hardwoods in plantation stands:

see Technical Specifications, Page 8, (2)

438 24 Hand pile all cut material: Technical Specifications, Page 9, (3)

439 8

473 11

Total 56

AG-9AC7-S-14-0131 Appendix A PAGE 5 of 12

Optional Item 6:

Unit

Number Acres

Hand Thin Conifers and hardwoods less than 9.9 inches DBH and

Hand Pile

440 64

454 9

457 6 Hand Thin conifers and hardwoods: see Technical Specifications, Page 9, (5)

463 2

464 3

466 4

470 14

483 43

611 21

616 6 Hand pile all cut material: Technical Specifications, Page 9, (3)

619 10

620 24

Total 207

Optional Item 7:

Unit

Number Acres Masticate brush and Conifer Trees less than 9.9 inches DBH

613 24

614 23

615 7 Mastication: Technical Specifications, Page 10, (6)

617 12

618 13

Total 79

Technical Specifications for Service Items

1. Thin conifers and hardwoods in natural stands from 3.0-9.9” DBH. Leave a varied amount of trees per acre within a range of approximately 50 to 150 trees per acre where they exist.

Generally leave the lower amount of trees in portions of the stands where the stocking of larger trees is high or where the site quality is low. Trees shall be left at varied spacing and shall include trees left as individuals, in small clumps, and in patches. Trees less than 10” DBH” left in skips as described in 1 b, will count towards the number of leave trees per acre. Leave a mix of hardwoods and conifers. Leave disease and damage-free trees with the best form, and needle color, needle complement and retention, with constant or increasing height growth and crown ratios greater than 40% where possible. Increase species diversity and produce a stand with variable density including skips and gaps complementing the variability left in trees greater than

10.0” DBH (see diagram below). All live limbs shall be severed from the stump of cut trees.

Leave more shade tolerant species such as Douglas-fir, incense cedar, and big leaf maple in areas with more canopy cover. Leave more shade intolerant species such as sugar pine, AG-9AC7-S-14-0131 Appendix A PAGE 6 of 12 ponderosa pine, and California black oak in more open areas. In addition, the following exceptions shall apply.

a. Create heavily thinned gaps in 15% of each unit ranging in size from 0.25 to 2.0 acres to increase the structural diversity of the stand. Gaps shall be evenly distributed throughout the unit. Conditions to leave gaps may include, but are not limited to: areas where most trees are suppressed or are in poor condition; where specific conifers or hardwoods have been free thinned of trees greater than 10.0” DBH; in areas where the stocking of trees 10” or greater is already heavy. Cut all trees from 3.0-9.9” DBH within 40 feet of live sugar pine and ponderosa pine equal to or greater than 36” DBH and all trees within 40 feet of live California black oak equal to or greater than 20” DBH.

b. Leave 15% of each unit as unthinned skips ranging in size from 0.25 to 2.0 acres. Skips shall be evenly distributed throughout the unit. Conditions to leave skips may include, but are not limited to: areas where: there are structural elements from previous generations such as large logs, root wads, snags; hardwood patches; wet areas; areas with less common vegetation such as shrub patches; talus rock areas.; some small areas (around 100 to 400 square feet) with thick clumps of small trees especially away from trees greater than 10.0” DBH. Skips are designated by white flagging with red dots within units 427, 446, 447, 453, 491, and 508.

Variable Density Thinning Diagram with gaps and skips

(2) Thin conifers and hardwoods in plantation stands. For conifers from 3.0-9.9” DBH, thin so that the total stocking of conifers of all sizes in the stand is approximately 109 trees per acre (20’ x 20’ spacing). Vary the spacing 50% to leave disease and damage-free trees with the best form, and needle color, needle complement and retention, with constant or increasing height growth and crown ratios greater than 40%. Increase species diversity and produce a stand with variable density including skips and gaps complementing the

AG-9AC7-S-14-0131 Appendix A PAGE 7 of 12 variability left in trees greater than 10.0” DBH. All live limbs shall be severed from the stump of cut trees. Leave more shade tolerant species such as Douglas-fir and incense cedar in areas with more canopy cover. Leave more shade intolerant species such as sugar pine, ponderosa pine, and California black oak in more open areas. The following exceptions to the 109 trees per acre guideline shall apply.

a. Create heavily thinned gaps in 15% of each unit ranging in size from 0.25 to 2.0 acres to increase the structural diversity of the stand. Gaps shall be evenly distributed throughout the unit. Conditions to leave gaps may include: areas where most trees are suppressed or are in poor condition; where specific conifers or hardwoods have been free thinned of trees greater than 10.0” DBH; in areas where the stocking of trees 10” or greater is already heavy.

b. Leave 15% of each unit as unthinned skips ranging in size from 0.25 to 2.0 acres.

Skips shall be evenly distributed throughout the unit. Conditions to leave skips may include: areas where: there are structural elements from previous generations such as large logs, root wads, snags; hardwood patches; wet areas; areas with less common vegetation such as shrub patches; talus rock areas.; some small areas (around 100 to

400 square feet) with thick clumps of small trees especially away from trees greater than 10.0” DBH. Do not leave skips in areas that only contain ponderosa pine.

c. Leave 10 to 20 per acre of the largest hardwoods where possible. Species preference will be in the following order: California Black Oak, Pacific Madrone, Chinquapin, Big Leaf Maple .

(3) Hand Piles shall be no less than five (5) feet and no more than eight (8) feet high, with a diameter not less than five (5) feet and no more than eight (8) feet. Piles shall be as compact as possible and constructed at an adequate distance from residual trees to assure that residual trees will not be damaged when piles are burned. At least 50% of material in the lower 1/3 of the piles shall be composed of small diameter material. Covering will be placed to cover the bottom 2/3 of the pile and must be Forest Service approved prior to use. Piles will be at least 80% covered with durable, waterproof, covering. The top

1/3 of slash in the pile shall be placed over the covering sheet, being sure to anchor all four corners and the middle of the covering sheet securely.

(4) Landing Piles Slash generated from landing operations shall be piled. Landing pile specifications are the same as those pertaining to logging operations and described in

Appendix B.

(5) Hand thin conifers and hardwoods less than 9.9” DBH to approximately 109 trees per acre. In units 470 and 482 do not cut any trees >6” DBH following the specifications outlined below. Vary spacing 50% to leave disease and damage-free trees with the best form, and needle color, needle complement and retention, with constant or increasing height growth and crown ratios greater than 40%. All live limbs shall be severed from the stump of cut trees. Increase species diversity and produce a stand with variable density. Leave 10 to

20 per acre of the largest hardwoods where possible. Species preference will be in the following order: California Black Oak, Pacific Madrone, Chinquapin, Big Leaf Maple. The following exceptions to the 109 trees per acre guideline shall apply.

AG-9AC7-S-14-0131 Appendix A PAGE 8 of 12

a. Create heavily thinned gaps in 15% of each unit ranging in size from 0.25 to 2.0 acres to increase the structural diversity of the stand. Gaps shall be evenly distributed throughout the unit. Conditions to leave gaps may include: areas where most trees are suppressed or are in poor condition;; in areas where the stocking of trees 10” DBH or greater is already heavy.

b. Leave 15% of each unit as unthinned skips ranging in size from 0.25 to 2.0 acres.

Skips shall be evenly distributed throughout the unit. Conditions to leave skips may include: areas where: there are structural elements from previous generations such as large logs, root wads, snags; hardwood patches; wet areas; areas with less common vegetation such as shrub patches; talus rock areas.; some small areas (around 100 to

400 square feet) with thick clumps of small trees especially away from trees greater than 10.0” DBH. Do not leave skips in areas that only contain ponderosa pine.

(6) Mastication equipment will be limited to operating on slopes ≤ 45 percent. Slopes ≥ 45 percent may be traversed to access slopes ≤ 45 percent. Mastication will be subject to the

Best Management Practices (BMPs) and Wet Weather Operations (WWO) standards and requirements pertaining to logging equipment and described in Appendix B. The following specifications apply in units designated for mastication:

a. Thin trees by mastication to specifications described in (5) above.

b. Masticate all brush to ≤ 8”from the ground and 18”from obstacles, such as rock.

c. Masticate hardwoods to ≤ 8” from the ground, retaining 10 to 20 of the largest hardwoods per acre. Sever all live limbs from stump.

d. All mastication slash shall be less than 4’ length and no more than 12” deep.

(7) Limited Operating Period A seasonal restriction of February 1st to September 15th will apply to all treatments that modify habitat (including treatments that degrade or are beneficial) within 0.25 miles of a NSO activity center or within unsurveyed nesting/roosting habitat. LOP may be lifted if protocol surveys determine NSOs are not nesting in the year of treatment.

Units 419, 427, 446, 447, 453, 470, 483, 491, 508

Noise-producing treatments that are above ambient noise levels within 0.25 miles of an occupied NSO activity center or unsurveyed suitable nesting/roosting habitat a seasonal restriction will be applied from February 1st thru July 9th. LOP may be lifted if protocol surveys determine NSOs are not nesting in the year of treatment.

Unit 451, 469, 611, 616, 615, 617

No habitat modifying activities from March 1st through August 31 st within 0.5 miles of known Goshawk sites and no noise disturbing activities within 0.25 miles of nesting sites unless surveys confirm non-nesting.

Units 453

(8) Use of a mechanical harvester is expected to be the cutting method in ground-based units. Hand-cutting may be done, and is expected in cable units. Tractor skidding is

AG-9AC7-S-14-0131 Appendix A PAGE 9 of 12 anticipated. Whole-tree yarding and endlining up to 75 feet is required. Specifications regarding mechanical harvesting, skidding, whole-tree yarding, and endlining are the same as required for sawtimber in Appendix B.

(9) Hardwoods damaged or requiring removal as a result of operations shall be yarded to a landing and left for firewood.

(10) Work shall be performed in a manner that will not damage the residual leave trees. Non-

Treatment Areas may be delineated on the contract area map or on the ground by the

Forest Service. These areas could be wildlife habitat, archeological sites, stream course protection and/or areas of excessive rock or steep ground. Generally, if these areas are one acre or greater in size, individually or combined, they are not included in the contract acres. Should unworkable areas be encountered that have not been delineated, the COR shall be notified.

(11) Actual or predicted weather conditions indicate a hazardous fire condition that warrants curtailment of contract operations as specified in Fire Precautions and Control (#55).

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 Levels

At least 95% of all trees greater than 3 inches DBH and less 9.9 inches in DBH designated for cutting, are cut and removed to the landing.

At least 95% of shrubs and hardwoods designated for treatment are cut below the lowest live limb.

No more than 5% (cumulative) of the residual leave trees are damaged by the contractors’ operation.

At least 95% of the cut stumps are within the specified stump height (Appendix B, Division

A).

All slash generated at the landing is piled and at least 95% of the machine piles meet specifications as required for sawtimber in Appendix B.

AG-9AC7-S-14-0131 Appendix A PAGE 10 of 12

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.

Definitions

Additional Timber - Any sawlog size tree (10.0 DBH and greater) that is designated and agreed to by the Contracting Officer after contract award.

Biomass - Any tree or piece of tree from 3.0 DBH to 9.9 DBH that is agreed to by the

Contracting Officer after contract award.

DBH (Diameter breast height) - The diameter of the trunk measured at a point 4-1/2 feet above the ground level on the uphill side of the tree.

Goods for Services – When the value of commercial timber products that are being treated under the contract is retained and reinvested on-site in exchange for doing equal value of service work.

Hand Pile- A stable, compacted stack of hand-piled pieces of combustible vegetative material no less than five (5) feet and no more than eight (8) feet high and no less than five (5) feet and no more than eight (8) feet in diameter. Hand piles shall have a core of kindling and be covered with durable, waterproof covering for more than eighty percent of the pile. Covering must be

Forest Service approved prior to use. Piles shall be constructed at an adequate distance from residual trees to assure that residual trees will not be damaged when piles are burned.

AG-9AC7-S-14-0131 Appendix A PAGE 11 of 12

Incentives- In a Performance Based Service Contract, the recognition of good performance.

ITM – Individual Tree Mark. A designation signifying the only trees to be cut are marked with blue paint by the Forest Service across the trunk and below stump height.

Landing - Area used to stage and load forest products just prior to removal from the unit.

Leave Tree – All trees and snags which are not to be cut or damaged under this contract.

Limbing – Cutting off the limbs from the boles of the trees or brush.

Landing Pile – A compacted stack of gathered slash and vegetative debris; that is free of soil concentrations, constructed on cleared land in a location and of such a size that will not subject leave trees, improvements or other resources to damage when burned. Piles shall be compact and constructed maximizing height instead of width, to promote complete and efficient combustion.

Mastication – an operation generally performed by a tracked vehicle about 10 feet wide with low ground pressure that uses a rotating head or drum with teeth to treat unwanted trees, hardwoods, shrubs, and slash. The material is not chipped, but is shredded into small enough pieces to come in contact with the ground to aid in more rapid decomposition.

Normal Operating Season – That period during a typical year wherein an operator can reasonably expect to be able to operate. Not with standing restrictions on timing of work in section C.7.2.1. of the contract, the normal operating season for this contract is May 15 through

October 15.

Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) – An organized written document used by

Government for quality assurance surveillance. Document contains sampling/evaluation guides, checklists, and the performance requirement summary (PRS).

Quality Assurance (QA) - Actions taken by the Government to inspect or check goods and services to determine that they meet or do not meet the contract requirements.

Quality Control Program (QC) – Contractor’s system to control the equipment, systems, or services so that they meet the contract requirements.

Removal – Transportation of cut whole trees, boles, biomass, sub-biomass and slash on designated haul roads from landings within the contract area to disposal site or completely off of the National Forest.

Sawtimber – A portion of a tree bole meeting minimum piece utilization specifications for included timber.

Slash – Any contractor generated woody material greater than one (1) inch in diameter and longer than three (3) feet.

AG-9AC7-S-14-0131 Appendix A PAGE 12 of 12

Snag – Any dead standing tree greater than fifteen (15) inches DBH and twenty (20) feet in height.

Stump Height – The maximum permissible height measured above ground level or cutting obstacles on the uphill side to highest point on the stump.

Ton – The unit of measure, representing 2,000 pounds, at which sawlogs and biomass are sold in the embedded timber sale contract.

Unit or Stand – Areas where contract work will be completed that are delineated on the

Contact Area Map.

Utilization – The use of products as goods for services and removal of vegetation or portions thereof from National Forest Land as a product. Forms of utilization products include saw logs, chips, firewood, posts, etc.