1_3_forest_IRSC_FAC_87_RFP_Commercialv2_FINAL.docx

3 Forest Stewardship IDIQ

DATE

DATE

7. FOR SOLICITATION

INFORMATION CALL:

LOCAL TIME

USDA FOREST SERVICE

Central CA Acquisition Service Area (CCASA) 631 Coyote Street Nevada City , CA 95959 Email: matthewgagnon@fs.fed.us Phone No.: (530) 478-6826

(WOSB) ELIGIBLE UNDER THE WOMAN-

OWNED SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM

115310

$19.0 Million

11. DELIVERY FOR FOB DESTINATION

UNLESS BLOCK IS MARKED

|_| SEE SCHEDULE

ORDER UNDER DPAS (15 CFR 700)

13b. Rating

14. METHOD OF SOLICITATION

Email: @ Telephone No: ( ) - x Albuquerque Service Center – Miscellaneous Payments 101B Sun Ave N E Albuquerque, NM 87109

DUNS:

BELOW IS CHECKED

|X| SEE ADDENDUM

THREE FOREST STEWARDSHIP PROJECT

Located on the Stanislaus NF, Sequoia NF, and the Sierra NF

See attached Task Order package

(Use Reverse and/or Attach Additional Sheets as Necessary)

25. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA

26. TOTAL AWARD AMOUNT (For Govt. Use Only)

COPIES TO ISSUING OFFICE. CONTRACTOR AGREES TO FURNISH AND

SET FORTH HEREIN, IS ACCEPTED AS TO ITEMS:

19.

ITEM NO.

20.

SCHEDULE OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES

21.

QUANTITY

22.

UNIT

23.

UNIT PRICE

24.

Amount

SEE ATTACHED SCHEDULE OF ITEMS

32a. QUANTITY IN COLUMN 21 HAS BEEN

32b. SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED GOVERNMENT

REPRESENTATIVE

REPRESENTATIVE

( ) - x

32g. E-MAIL OF AUTHORIZED GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE

CORRECT FOR

|_| PARTIAL |_| FINAL

|_| COMPLETE |_| PARTIAL |_| FINAL

42b. RECEIVED AT (Location)

STANDARD FORM 1449 (REV.3/2011) BACK

PART I – THE SCHEDULE

SECTION B – SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS

B.1 GENERAL INFORMATION:

Proposals shall be valid for 60 days after the date of receipt for the solicitation. If additional time is needed, an extension will be requested. Refer to Section L for instructions on preparing your proposal and pricing.

Bonds: Bid Bonds, Payment Bonds, and Performance Bonds are not required for this project.

All Contractors must be actively registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) (https://SAM.gov) to be eligible for award under this solicitation. If not actively registered by time of proposal evaluations, you will be found non-responsive. Registration in SAM is a free service – you do not need to pay to register in this system. If your registration is not active, you will not be considered for award.

Three to five contract awards will be made from this solicitation. Future Task Orders within the scope of this contract will be competitively solicited from the awardees of the IDIQ contracts.

There will be a $2,000.00 minimum guarantee for each IDIQ awarded.

Note: The Task Order schedules are for pricing/payment purposes. See Instructions to Offerors for business proposal requirements.

NOTE: Price Proposals MUST be provided on ALL Items in Schedules: Mandatory Work and Option Work Activities and Timber or other products Removal Price Schedule. Unit prices prevail.

B.3 LAND MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES.

Performance of land management activities shall be in accordance with task orders that are issued during the course of the IDIQ contracts. Payment for Land Management Work Activities in the Task Order pricing section, will be made in Stewardship Credits in lieu of cash, as defined in Section G. All Base Work Activities shall be performed.

SECTION C – DESCRIPTION/ SPECIFICATIONS/STATEMENT OF WORK

C.1 AGAR 452.211-72 Statement of Work/Specifications (FEB 1988) The Contractor shall furnish the necessary personnel, material, equipment, services and facilities (except as otherwise specified), to perform the Statement of Work/Specifications referenced in Section J.

C.2 Project Description This Stewardship contract intent is to reduce and remove hazardous fuels on three National Forests in Region 5(California) of the Forest Service. The National Forests include Sierra National Forest, Sequoia National Forest, and the Stanislaus National Forest.

The Government intends to award 3-5 IDIQ stewardship contracts for Mechanical fuels Reduction and mechanical Vegetation Management services located on 3 national forests on the Stanislaus NF, Sierra NF, and the Sequoia NF. The Types of work will include all activities to maintain a healthy forest environment activities, some activities include but are not limited to, forest product removal, hazardous tree removal, and logging activities. Some sub activities will be thinning, mechanical piling, mastication and road maintenance. The task orders against these contracts will be competed amongst the IDIQ contract awardees over the life of the contracts. The Maximum allowed to be ordered against all contracts is an aggregate total of $6.5 million, and the expected IDIQ term is a one year base with 4 one year options or until the maximum is met. The Government expects to award 3-5 IDIQ contracts resulting from this solicitation.

Project area are reforestation areas, natural and managed stands of timber/woodlands of all ages, sizes, and species, shrub fields or grass areas. Fuels shall consist of standing and down, live and dead natural fuels or activity created fuels, and slashed shrubs and trees. Fuel loadings range from less than ½ ton per acre to as high as 100 tons or more per acre. Treatments such as thinning, brushing, chipping, piling, and fuel break construction have been shown to reduce the risk of wildland fire and the severity of fires that occur. It is the objective of this contract to treat hazardous fuels present on the unity identified to reduce fuel loading and reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire to provide more time to allow firefighters to safely protect life and property if fire conditions allow.

Task Orders may include one or more type of vegetation manipulation, treatment and burn unit preparation in compliance with its terms, specifications and provisions. Specifications may include work necessary to conduct thinning, mastication, machine piling, tree felling of various diameters, skidding and yarding of merchantable material, fire line construction and maintenance, snag felling and chipping.

C.3 Location of Project Areas The work will be performed on the U.S. Forest Service administered lands within Region 5 on the three forests mentioned above. Site-specific project location(s) will be shown on maps accompanying individual Task Order(s).

C.4 Security of Materials The Contractor may leave their equipment and/or Government-furnished property at the work site when the Task Order is active. It may not be left over winter if a notice to suspend has been issued at the end of the active working season. The contractor shall be responsible for the Contractor’s equipment and Government-furnished property if it should be lost, stolen or damaged.

C.5 Government-Furnished Property The Government will provide the following item(s) of Government property to the Contractor for use in the performance of this contract. This property shall be used and maintained by the Contractor in accordance with the provisions of the "Government Property" FAR clause(s) contained in Section I of the contract.

· None

C.6 Operating Plan and Schedule:

The Contractor will provide, as part of the technical proposal for each task order, a detailed timeline of when the contract requirements will be accomplished while conforming to the requirements within Section F.5. The operating plan should indicate the sequence of activities that will take place to accomplish the tasks described within the solicitation, Appendix A, Appendix B, Appendix C, and Appendix D including proposed start and completion dates. The operating plan and schedule should contain the following elements:

· A list of employees/personnel working on this contract identifying each by the Occupational Code/Job Title for the work as it applies to this contract under the applicable Service Contract Act and/or Davis-Bacon wage rate.

· All Subcontractors must also provide a list of all employees/personnel working on this contract identifying each by their Occupational Code/Job Title as it applies to this contract under the applicable Service Contract Act and/or Davis-Bacon wage rate.

· A proposed communication plan regarding findings, progress, information exchange, questions, and concerns of both parties.

Depending upon how the contractor proposes accomplishing the activities within the solicitation, the Operating Plan and Schedule may be developed by indicating when and how all work activities within individual units will be completed, when and how individual tasks will be completed, or a combination of when and how units or tasks will be completed. The contractor should be able to display through an operating plan and schedule that all of the contract activities will be accomplished in a timeline that will meet the contract requirements.

C.7 Sustainable Acquisition The Contractor shall comply with the Agricultural Act of 2014; the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (FCEA), 7 U.S.C. 8102; the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (FSRIA), 7 U.S.C. 8102; the Federal Acquisition Regulation; Executive Order (EO) 13514, “Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy and Economic Performance,” dated October 5, 2009; EO 13423, “Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management,” dated January 24, 2007; and Presidential Memorandum, “Driving Innovation and Creating Jobs in Rural America through Biobased and Sustainable Product Procurement,” dated February, 2012 to provide biobased products.

In compliance with FAR Part 23.4 through performance of this contract, the Contractor shall make maximum use of EPA designated and USDA designated biobased in accordance with FAR clause 52.223-2 Affirmative Procurement of Biobased Products under Service and Construction Contracts and 52.223-17 Affirmative Procurement of EPA-designated Items in Service and Construction Contracts The Contractor shall utilize products and material made from biobased materials (e.g. biobased greases, biobased hydraulic fluids, biobased absorbents) to the maximum extent possible in the performance of this contract without jeopardizing the intended end use or detracting from the overall quality delivered to the end user. All supplies and materials shall be of a type and quality that conform to applicable Federal specifications and standards. Information about this requirement and a catalog of products are available at the BioPreferred Web Site.

The Contractor shall utilize products and material to the maximum extent possible in the performance of this contract from EPA’s list of designated products and the accompanying recommendations for post-consumer content and recovered materials content in the following eight categories: Construction products, Landscaping products, Nonpaper Office Products, Paper and Paper Products, Park and Recreation products, Transportation Products, Vehicular Products, and Miscellaneous Products.

Compliance with the USDA Biobased requirements requires Contractors to report the purchase of biobased products under service and construction contracts through the System for Award Management (https://SAM.gov) and provide a copy of the report to the Contracting Officer.

7.1 Sustainable products identified for this solicitation:

The following is a list of categories for biopreferred products and EPA products that that may be used in the performance of this contract. The list is not all inclusive; the Contractor shall research for available products.

7.1.1 BioPreferredProducts:

a Diesel Fuel Additives

(1) Any substance, other than one composed solely of carbon and/or hydrogen, that is intentionally added to diesel fuel (including any added to a motor vehicle's fuel system) and that is not intentionally removed prior to sale or use.

(2) Neat biodiesel, also referred to as B100, when used as an additive. Diesel fuel additive does not mean neat biodiesel when used as a fuel or blended biodiesel fuel (e.g., B20). 90% - Minimum Biobased Content.

b Hydraulic Fluids - Mobile Equipment Hydraulic fluids formulated for general use in nonstationary equipment, such as tractors, end loaders, or backhoes. 44% - Minimum Biobased Content.

c Penetrating Lubricants Products formulated to provide light lubrication and corrosion resistance in close tolerant internal and external applications including frozen nuts and bolts, power tools, gears, valves, chains, and cables. 68% - Minimum Biobased Content.

d Greases - Truck Lubricants composed of oils thickened to a semisolid or solid consistency using soaps, polymers or other solids, or other thickeners. Lubricants that are designed for use on the fifth wheel of tractor trailer trucks onto which the semi-trailer rests and pivots. 71% - Minimum Biobased Content.

e Gear Lubricants Products, such as greases or oils, that are designed to reduce friction when applied to a toothed machine part (such as a wheel or cylinder) that meshes with another toothed part to transmit motion or to change speed or direction. 58% - Minimum Biobased Content.

f Fuel Conditioners Products formulated to improve the performance and efficiency of engines by providing benefits such as removing accumulated deposits, increasing lubricity, removing moisture, increasing the cetane number, and/or preventing microbial growths within the fuel system. 64% - Minimum Biobased Content.

h Erosion Control Woven or non-woven fiber materials manufactured for use on construction, demolition, or other sites to prevent wind or water erosion of loose earth surfaces, which may be combined with seed and/or fertilizer to promote growth. 77% - Minimum Biobased Content.

g 2-Cycle Engine Oils Lubricants designed for use in 2-cycle engines to provide lubrication, decreased spark plug fouling, reduced deposit formation, and/or reduced engine wear. 34% - Minimum Biobased Content.

7.1.2 EPA Designated Products:

Plastic trash bags, printer ribbons, toner cartridges, print & writing papers, Traffic Barricades, Traffic Cones, Engine Coolants, Rebuilt Vehicular Parts, Re-refined lubricating oils, retread tires, manual grade strapping, signage, sorbents.

C.8 Definitions Acceptable Quality Level: The allowable leeway or variance from a standard before the government will reject the specific service. An AQL does not say that the contractor may knowingly offer defective service. It implies that the government recognizes that defective performance sometimes happens unintentionally. As long as the percent of defective performance does not exceed the AQL, the service will not be rejected by the government. The contractor, however, must re-perform the defective service when possible.

Biobased Products: See Sustainable Acquisitions Contracting Officer (CO): Individual with authority to bind the government with their signature on the contract.

Contracting Officer Representative (COR): Individual(s) designated to act on the behalf of the CO within the delegation given them in writing.

Period of performance (also Performance period or Contract time): All calendar days allowed for completion of contract work. Includes all days of the week including weekends and holidays.

Quality Assurance: Those actions taken by the government to check goods or services to determine that they meet the requirements of the SOW.

Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP): An organized written document used for quality assurance surveillance. The document contains information about how the government will assess performance, checklists, and may contain decision tables.

Quality Control: Those actions taken by a contractor to control the production of goods or services so that they will meet the requirements of the Performance Statement of Work. Refer to Inspection and Acceptance in clause 52.212-4 and Contractors Quality Control Plan as described in Section E.

Quality Control Plan: Contractors plan for self-monitoring work prior to Government inspection and acceptance. See Section E.

Random Sampling: A method of looking at a few individual items in a lot to determine the quality of that lot against a standard.

(Acceptable) Service: A job performed to the standard and within the acceptable quality level. The contractor must do the specific job, and meet the standard, and meet the acceptable quality level before one can say that performance has been acceptable and that he/she should be paid.

Standard: An acknowledged measure of comparison.

Stewardship Contracting: An exchange of goods/products for services including construction.

Sustainable Acquisitions (FAR Part 23.4 – Use of recovered materials and biobased products)

a. Biobased Products: Managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the goal of the BioPreferred program is to increase the purchase and use of biobased products. The BioPreferred program was created by the 2002 Farm Bill and reauthorized and expanded as part of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (the 2014 Farm Bill). The program's purpose is to spur economic development, create new jobs and provide new markets for farm commodities. The increased development, purchase, and use of biobased products reduce our nation's reliance on petroleum, increase the use of renewable agricultural resources, and contribute to reducing adverse environmental and health impacts. Information on biobased/biopreferred products can be found at the BioPreferred Site . The Contractor shall comply with the clause at FAR 52.223-2, Affirmative Procurement of Biobased Products Under Service and Construction Contracts and the provision at FAR 52.223-1, Biobased Product Certification.

b. EPA-designated items: Products that are or can be made with recovered material. The Comprehensive Procurement Guideline (CPG) program is part of EPA's continuing effort to promote the use of materials recovered from solid waste. Buying recycled-content products ensures that the materials collected in recycling programs will be used again in the manufacture of new products. See FAR 52.223-17 Affirmative Procurement of EPA-designated items in Service and Construction Contracts.

C.8.1 Technical Definitions – See Appendices.

SECTION D – PACKAGING AND MARKING

There are no clauses in this section.

SECTION E - INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

General Clauses and Provisions Pertaining To All Items E.1 52.252-2 Clauses Incorporated by Reference (FEB 1998) This contract incorporates one or more clauses by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. Also, the full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at this/these address(es): http://www.acquisition.gov/far

FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION (48 CFR CHAPTER 1) CLAUSES

E.2 Contractor Quality Control Inspection System The Contractor shall identify the quality control inspection system it will use to ensure that contract specifications will be achieved. At no time shall the contractor rely upon Government inspections to provide notification of unsatisfactory performance. The Contractor shall produce written inspection records in a format and at times and places satisfactory to the Contracting Officer. Inspection records shall be made available upon request of the Contracting Officer and be maintained until the date of contract closure. The Contracting Officer may observe the Contractor's inspection at any time and shall otherwise have unlimited access to the inspection data.

E.2.1 Quality Control Plan. The Contractor shall provide a general Quality Control Plan (QCP) with the technical proposal. The Contractor shall supplement the QCP within 7 days before start work based on items awarded to the Contractor and Government comments. The contractor shall conduct quality control inspections on all aspects of work. The field inspections shall be performed on each sub-item listed in each task order.

E.3 Acceptance The Contractor’s shall provide a written request for inspection and submit inspection sheets in accordance with the QCP. The Government will conduct an inspection and up to one re-inspection for each unit. If the contractor fails to meet the minimum AQL, the contractor shall rework the unit. Anytime more than two inspections are required per unit, the contractor may be assessed for additional inspections, which will include mileage and hourly rate of the COR. If follow-up inspections indicate that the minimum AQL was not met, the work will be deemed unsatisfactory and a deduction in payment may result (Section G-3.4). Acceptance may be made for all or portions of work.

E.4 Government Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan Quality assurance specific to individual items will be found in Appendix A.

SECTION F - DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE

General Clauses and Provisions Pertaining To All Items F.1 52.252-2 Clause Incorporated by Reference (FEB 1998) This contract incorporates one or more clauses by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. Also, the full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at this address: http://www.acquisition.gov/far

FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION (48 CFR CHAPTER 1) CLAUSES

F. 2 FAR 52.211-10 Commencement, Prosecution, and Completion of Work (APR 1984) Alternate I (APR 1984) The Contractor shall be required to

(a) commence work under this contract within 10 calendar days after the date the Contractor receives the notice to proceed,

(b) prosecute the work diligently, and

(c) complete the entire work ready for use not later than December 31st, 2018 for item 1. The time stated for completion shall include final cleanup of the premises.

The completion date is based on the assumption that the successful offeror will receive the notice to proceed by January 15th, 2017. The completion date will be extended by the number of calendar days after the above date that the Contractor receives the notice to proceed, except to the extent that the delay in issuance of the notice to proceed results from the failure of the Contractor to execute the contract and give the required performance and payment bonds within the time specified in the offer.

(End of Clause) See Section F.4 below for special contract time and performance restrictions concerning the performance of work on this contract. Additional restrictions on the Scheduling of Work for resource protection, etc. may be addressed in the Technical Specifications.

F.4 Special Contract Time and Performance Restrictions The Contractor shall perform this contract according to the following restrictions. Additional performance restrictions may also be found in the Technical Specifications and/or in task order specifications.

a. In accordance with the fire plan in Section J.

b. When the Contracting Officer determines that adverse weather has made access or project production, unacceptable, too dangerous or ground damaging, or continued vehicular travel would cause unacceptable road damage.

c. Between dusk and dawn (unless otherwise agreed upon by the Contracting Officer and the Contractor).

d. On Sunday (unless otherwise agreed upon by the Contracting Officer and the Contractor).

e. Controlled Areas and Limited Operating Periods:

F.5 Schedules and Reports Contractor shall provide the following submittals as stated below unless otherwise mutually agreed upon. The Contractor shall update all submittals as needed, or as required by the CO, but in no case less than once per calendar year on a date specified by the Contracting Officer:

Of each year

All schedules and reports shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer’s Representative identified by the CO, unless the Contracting Officer directs the Contractor to submit any schedules or reports directly to the CO.

SECTION G – CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA

General Clauses Pertaining To All Items G.2 Measurement All linear and area measurements under this contract are measured on a horizontal plane.

G.3 Payment It is anticipated that funds will be exchanged in the performance of this contract because the value of the timber or other products will not completely offset the value of the work to be performed. Payment shall only be made under this clause to the extent that the work performed will not be offset by the timber or other products value during the contract period. When payment is made to the contractor for work performed, it will be made in accordance with FAR 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items (i) – Payments and 52.232-33 Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer – System for Award Management (See clause 52.212-5). Submit certification G.8 with all invoices.

The value of work completed and timber or other products removed will be documented in a Stewardship Statement of Account produced by Timber Sale Accounting (TSA) monthly when harvesting operations are underway.

The Government expects to receive quality services. The minimum AQL is required to achieve a satisfactory performance rating. Full payment will be made for final work meeting at least identified AQL and above (As identified in Appendix A, Section VII.)

G.3.2 Re-Inspection Costs If rework of task(s) is required, the Contractor will be assessed the costs incurred by the Government in performing such activities. One inspection will be authorized at no charge to the contractor for work that does not meet the AQL.

G.3.3 FINAL PAYMENT - RELEASE OF CLAIMS

The Government shall pay the amount due the Contractor under this contract after—

(1) Completion and acceptance of all work;

(2) Presentation of a properly executed invoice; and

(3) Presentation of release of all claims against the Government arising by virtue of this contract, other than claims, in stated amounts, that the Contractor has specifically excepted from the operation of the release.

G.4 Incidental Payment Items The intent of the contract is to provide for the complete performance of the project described in the Task Orders. Unless otherwise provided, the Contractor shall furnish all labor, materials, equipment, tools, transportation, and supplies and perform all work required to complete the project in accordance with drawings, specifications, and provisions of the contract. Payment for contract work will be made only for and under those pay items included in the Schedule of Items. All other work and materials will be considered as incidental to and included in the payment for items shown.

G.5 Product Payment Guarantee To guarantee payment for product in advance of cutting, Contractor may earn Stewardship Credits in advance of cutting, or provide a product payment guarantee in the form of an acceptable surety payment bond, irrevocable letter of credit (ILOC), cash, or a deposit in a Federal Depository negotiable securities of the United States.

Any earned stewardship credits and product payment guarantee together will maintain a minimum unobligated balance equal to the applicable charges for product the Forest Service estimates will be cut or removed in not less than 30 calendar days and not more than 60 calendar days, plus the value of any outstanding charges for product removed.

Securities shall be deposited through the Contracting Officer accompanied by a power of attorney and agreement authorizing the bond-approving officer to sell or collect such securities if payment is not made within 15 days of billing by Forest Service. The penal sum of such surety bond or the market value at time of deposit of such negotiable securities shall be the maximum amount of the payment guaranteed.

Product payment guarantee for a single contract shall be provided utilizing Form FS6500-12 Payment Bond.

Blanket Payment Bond:

a. Contractor may furnish an acceptable bond, or deposits securities, to guarantee payment for product from multiple contracts. Contractor shall not start cutting hereunder until this contract receives an allocation that will meet the obligation for product payment guarantee.

b. The amount of such bond or deposited securities shall be allocated to such contracts by the Forest Service. The Contractor shall provide the contact information for the Forest Service representative administering the blanket payment bond to the Contracting Officer. The Forest Service representative administering the blanket payment bond will provide the Contracting Officer with documentation showing the allocation to this contract.

c. When there is to be no product cutting or removal hereunder for 30 days or more and payment of current charges has been made, the allocation to this contract may be reallocated to other contracts at Contractor’s request.

d. Payment guaranteed with acceptable blanket payment bond for multiple contracts shall be provided utilizing Form FS-6500-12a Blanket Payment Bond.

G.6 Stewardship Credits Stewardship Credits are credits that are earned and established when work listed in the B.1 Schedule of Supplies/Services has been performed and accepted. Stewardship credits shall be earned at the rate as shown in the Schedule. Earned credits may be used to pay for timber or other products value included in Schedule B.2. Unless otherwise indicated in the Schedules, credits will be earned based upon Actual Quantities accomplished and accepted.

G.7 Establishment of Stewardship Credits Notwithstanding references to payments in “Payment” clauses of this contract, payment for Stewardship Activities will be made with Product Value or other funding as indicated in the award document.

Stewardship Credits will be established on a monthly basis. Stewardship credits will be established for the number of units of each activity that have been completed and accepted. Acceptance may be for all, or a reasonable portion of, any specific activity.

Stewardship credits will not be established for work that is in progress that has not been accepted by the Forest Service. No credits will be established for work performed under terms of Schedule B.2.3.

G.8 Contractor Certification Contractor will submit certification with every invoice and monthly, as Stewardship Credits are established. The Contractor shall furnish the following certification indicating if for invoice, stewardship credit or both. Credit will not be received if certification is not submitted.

CONTRACTOR CERTIFICATION

|_| - Invoice and/or |_| Stewardship Credit Earned

I hereby certify, to the best of my knowledge and belief, that--

(1) The amounts requested are only for performance in accordance with the specifications, terms, and conditions of the contract;

(2) Payments to subcontractors and suppliers have been made, and timely payments will be made for the work activities covered by this certification, in accordance with subcontract agreements and the requirements of Chapter 39 of Title 31, United States Code;

(3) This request for progress payments/credits does not include any amounts which the prime contractor intends to withhold or retain from a subcontractor or supplier in accordance with the terms and conditions of the subcontract; and

(4) This certification is not to be construed as final acceptance of a subcontractor's performance.

(Name)

(Title)

(Date)

G.9 Excess Stewardship Credits In the event there are excess (unused) established Stewardship Credits when all of the included timber or other products has been cut and removed the Forest Service, at its option, shall either add more timber or other products or make cash payment for the unused credits.

G.10 Excess Timber or Other Products Value In the event the value of the included timber or other products exceeds the total value of all of the mandatory activities plus the ordered optional activities, the Contractor shall make cash payment for the excess timber or other products value.

G.11 Refund of Excess Cash If at any time the credit balance of the Stewardship Statement of Account exceeds the charges for timber or other products removed to date and for timber or other products that the Forest Service estimates will be cut within the next 60 calendar days, any portion of such excess from cash in the account shall be refunded if requested by Contractor. If no cutting is planned within the next 60 calendar days, refund of the entire unencumbered cash balance may be made. After a refund, deposits shall be made to meet the requirements of the clause entitled, “PRODUCT PAYMENT GUARANTEE” before additional timber or other products may be cut.

SECTION H - SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

General Clauses and Provisions Pertaining To All Items H.1 AGAR 452.215-73 Post Award Conference (NOV 1996) A post award conference with the successful offeror is required. It will be scheduled within (to be determined) days after the date of contract award. The conference will be held at the Stanislaus National Forest Supervisor’s Office in Sonora, CA, and will include discussion of contract terms and work performance requirements, work progress schedule and fire prevention/suppression and safety plans.

(End of Clause) H.2 AGAR 452.236-72 Use of Premises (NOV 1996)

(a) Before any camp, quarry, borrow pit, storage, detour, or bypass site, other than shown on the drawings, is opened or operated on USDA land or lands administered by the USDA, the Contractor shall obtain written permission from the Contracting Officer. A camp is interpreted to include a campsite or trailer parking area of any employee working on the project for the Contractor.

(b) Unless excepted elsewhere in the contract, the Contractor shall (i) provide and maintain sanitation facilities for the work force at the site and (ii) dispose of solid waste in accordance with applicable Federal, State and local regulations.

(End of Clause) H.3 AGAR 452.237-74 Key Personnel (FEB 1988)

(a) The Contractor shall assign to this contract the following key personnel:

Overall Project Manager Logging/Site/Field Supervisor Information on key personnel qualifications are found in Section C.

(b) During the first ninety (90) days of performance, the Contractor shall make no substitutions of key personnel unless the substitution is necessitated by illness, death, or termination of employment. The Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer within 15 calendar days after the occurrence of any of these events and provide the information required by paragraph (c) below. After the initial 90-day period, the Contractor shall submit the information required by paragraph (c) to the Contracting Officer at least 15 days prior to making any permanent substitutions.

(c) The Contractor shall provide a detailed explanation of the circumstances necessitating the proposed substitutions, complete resumes for the proposed substitutes, and any additional information requested by the Contracting Officer. Proposed substitutes should have comparable qualifications to those of the persons being replaced. The Contracting Officer will notify the Contractor within 15 calendar days after receipt of all required information of the decision on substitutions. The contract will be modified to reflect any approved changes of key personnel.

(End of Clause) H. 4 Employment of Eligible Workers

a) Labor standards for contracts involving H-2B workers or migrant and seasonal agricultural workers

1. General This contract is subject to the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (MSPA), 29 United States Code (U.S.C) 1801-1872, and to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) regulations implementing MSPA 29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 500. MSPA eliminates activities detrimental to migrant and seasonal agricultural workers, requires registration of Farm Labor Contractors, and ensures necessary protection for the workers. Information regarding MSPA can be found at http://www.dol.gov/whd/mspa/index.htm.

This contract is also subject to the H-2B program under 8 CFR Section 274A provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) for the admission of nonimmigrants to the U.S. to perform temporary labor or services. A Temporary Employment Certification with the Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) in the Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration is required if hiring H-2B workers. For further information on the requirements of the H-2B program, visit OFLC’s website at http://www.foreignlaborcert.doleta.gov/ or Wage and Hour’s website at http://www.dol.gov/whd/immigration/H2BFinalRule/index.htm.

Compliance with MSPA and the INA is a material condition of this contract. If the contractor employs any unauthorized worker(s) during the performance of this contract that violates section 274A of the INA, the Government may terminate the contract, in addition to other remedies or penalties prescribed by law.

2. Definitions

a) H-2B worker: as used in this part means a nonimmigrant holding a visa authorizing the individual to legally work in the US to perform temporary labor or services. A worker with an H-2B visa (“H-2B worker”) may also be considered a migrant agricultural worker under MSPA depending on the type and nature of work performed.

b) Migrant Agricultural Worker and Seasonal Agricultural Worker: as used in this part means individuals employed for agricultural (including forestry) work on a seasonal or temporary basis.

i. A worker, moving from one seasonal activity to another, is employed on a seasonal basis even though the worker may continue to be employed during a major portion of the year.

ii. An overnight absence from the migrant workers permanent place of residence is required.

iii. Members of the contractor's immediate family are not considered migrant or seasonal workers. Immediate family includes:

· Spouse

· Children, stepchildren, or foster children

· Parents, stepparents, or foster parents, or

· Brothers and sisters

c) Farm Labor Contractor (FLC). As used in this part means a person including an individual, partnership, association, joint stock company or a corporation, who, for any money or other valuable consideration, paid or promised to be paid, performs any recruiting, soliciting, hiring, employing, furnishing, or transporting of any migrant or seasonal agricultural worker.

3. Registration Requirements

a) Any contractor providing or hiring H-2B nonimmigrants for work under this contract shall provide a copy of their Temporary Employment Certificate. General information about the H-2B program can be found on Fact Sheet # 78 at http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs78.htm. Contractors can apply for the certificate through the US DOL Employment & Training Administration‘s on line iCERT Visa Portal System at https://icert.doleta.gov/.

b) Any contractor who meets the definition in (2.iii.) above providing or hiring migrant or seasonal workers to perform agricultural or manual forestry work shall first obtain a Federal DOL Farm Labor Contractor Certificate of Registration (http://www.dol.gov/whd/forms/fts_wh530.htm). The contractor shall carry the certificate at all times while engaged in contract performance and shall display it upon request. Any of the contractor's employees who perform any one or more of the activities defined as an FLC in paragraph (2.iii.) must have their own FLC Employee Certificate. General information about MSPA can be found on Fact Sheet #49 at DOL Wage and Hour Divisions webpage http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs49.htm.

4. Certifications The Contractor shall provide applicable H-2B Temporary Employment Certificate or Farm Labor Contractor Certificate as part of their representations, certifications, and acknowledgements. Subcontractor(s) meeting the definitions above shall follow the same requirements as the Prime Contractor. It is the Prime Contractor’s responsibility to ensure the Subcontractor’s information is provided to the Contracting Officer.

5. Worker Protections

a) Worker Information Posters

i. A contractor who uses the H-2B program to meet its temporary employment needs must post and maintain the H-2B poster (WH-1505) in a conspicuous location accessible to workers at the job site.

ii. The contractor shall display and maintain the MSPA poster (WH-1376) on the job site in a conspicuous location accessible to workers during the contract performance period.

b) Personal protective equipment

i. 29 CFR Subpart I, OSHA's personal protective equipment (PPE) standard, which includes 29 CFR 1910.132, contains the general requirements for the provision of personal protective equipment and requires employers to perform a hazard assessment to select appropriate PPE for hazards that are present or likely to be present in the workplace. Specific requirements for PPE are also presented in many different OSHA standards, published in 29 CFR.

ii. Before a worker begins operating equipment, the contractor shall train the workers on the safe operation and use of the equipment.

iii. The contractor shall provide the appropriate personal protective equipment for the work required to be performed in the contract, wherever necessary by reason of hazards or processes encountered that may cause injury or impairment in the function of any part of the body. Except for foot protection, all PPE must be provided by the employer at no cost to the employee. Includes:

· Head Protection

· Hearing Protection

· Eye/Face Protection

· Leg Protection

· Foot Protection

· Hand Protection

iv. PPE must be sanitary and in reliable condition. Do not use defective or damaged PPE. PPE must be inspected prior to use on each work shift to ensure it is in serviceable condition.

v. A checklist of applicable PPE guidelines typical for the work performed under this contract is provided. This does not relieve the contractor of the responsibility of performing a risk assessment or providing the necessary PPE for their operations. Reference https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/personalprotectiveequipment/index.html or OSHA 3151-12R 2003 Personnel Protective Equipment Booklet.

· General Machine and Vehicles Logging activities: https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/logging/mechanical/machines.html

c) Field Sanitation. OSHA established minimum standards for field sanitation in covered agricultural settings. Refer to FACT Sheet # 51 Field Sanitation Standards under the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

6. Employment Requirements - Fact Sheets with relevant information may be found at http://www.dol.gov/WHD/fact-sheets-index.htm.

a) Contractors employing workers in forestry related work are required to comply with wage and payroll standards and recordkeeping requirements. Refer to Fact Sheet #63: Application of Federal Labor Laws to Reforestation found on the DOL Wage and Hour Division webpage.

b) Contractor Employee List. Contractors are required to provide/maintain an active list of all employees performing work on the job site under this contract. The Employee List will identify employees by full name (aliases), supervisory duties if applicable, and appropriate labor Occupation Code for work performed under the Service Contract Act Wage Rates applicable to this contract. If Subcontractors are utilized, all tiers of subcontractor(s) are responsible for providing the same information for their employees to the Prime for submittal to the Contracting Officer.

7. Transportation

a) The contractor shall be registered to transport employees, unless employees provide their own transportation or carpool by their own arrangement in one of their own vehicles. Authorization for each vehicle that will be used to transport employees must appear on the contractor's certificate. If the contractor directs or requests employees to carpool, the registration requirement is applicable. Any driver, who transports workers for a fee or at the direction of the contractor, shall be registered as an FLC or an FLC employee.

b) See Fact Sheet #50: Transportation Under MSPA, for more information about the vehicle safety standards, driver’s licensing requirements, and vehicle insurance requirements. Note that separate transportation requirements may apply if there are H-2B workers.

8. Housing

a) The authorization to furnish housing, other than commercial lodging certified by a health authority or other appropriate agency, must appear on the contractor's certificate. Contractors should contact their local Wage and Hour Division of the DOL for further information on the requirements of the Act.

b) Camping Requirements. The Forest Service (FS) has various camping opportunities. Check with local FS unit for camping requirements, camping permits may be required. Verify local fire restriction policies.

If camps will be used to house workers subject to MSPA, they are also subject to the temporary labor camp standards at 29 CFR 1910.142. The Forest Service reserves the right to terminate a camping permit at any time. These requirements are in addition to those contained in or provided for under the clause titled “452.236-72 Use of Premises” in this contract.