APG Forest Management PWS-Final 20 MAR 25.docx

Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) Forest Management

Performance Work Statement (PWS)

Section 1 - General

Background Information - Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), Maryland is comprised of the Aberdeen Area (AA) Edgewood Area (EA), Churchville Test Area (CTA), Carroll Island (CI) and Graces Quarters (GQ) and covers approximately 72,000 acres of land and water. Included in this PWS are APG’s sub-installations Adelphi Laboratory Center (ALC and Blossom Point Research Facility) which are geographically separate from APG. Adelphi Laboratory Center (ALC) is in Adelphi, Maryland. ALC is the headquarters of the Army Research Laboratory. The site straddles the border between two Maryland jurisdictions, Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties. Of the total 207-acre area, 84 acres are within Montgomery County and 123 acres are within Prince George’s County. ALC is approximately 6 miles from the District of Columbia. The installation is located within one mile of the Capital Beltway (Interstate 495) and Interstate 95 (I-95). ALC lies in the Anacostia River drainage basin which is a tributary of the Potomac River. It is bordered by residential areas on the east and south and by the General Service Administration’s Federal Center on the north and west. ALC consists of four main building areas with parking lots, forested lands and two stream corridors, Paint Branch and Hillandale Tributary. ALC has approximately 120 acres of forest. Blossom Point Research Facility (BPRF) occupies approximately 1,600 acres on Cedar Point Neck in southern Charles County, Maryland. It is located approximately 65 miles southeast of ALC and is a test facility for Department of Defense and other federal agencies. The closest town is La Plata, MD, which is approximately 9 miles northeast of the facility. BPRF is situated on Cedar Point Neck, a peninsula on the north side of the Potomac River and is bounded on three sides by the Potomac and Nanjemoy Creek. The area to the north of the facility includes sparsely populated agricultural and forest lands. BPRF is largely forested with wetlands, open fields, testing areas, and a few buildings. BPRF has approximately 808 acres of managed forests. Established as the Ordnance Proving Ground in 1917, the AA of the installation became a formal military post, designated as APG, in 1919. Traditionally APG’s primary mission has involved the testing and development of weapons systems, munitions, vehicles, and a wide variety of military support materiel. The EA, formerly Edgewood Arsenal, was appropriated by Presidential proclamation in 1917 and has since been a center for research, development, testing, and manufacturing of military-related chemicals and chemical agents. APG is located on the western shore of the northern Chesapeake Bay, in southeastern Baltimore County and southern Harford County, Maryland. APG is geographically divided into two areas separated by the Bush River. The Edgewood Area is to the west of the river, and the Aberdeen Area lies to the east.

This is a non-personal services contract to provide forestry services. The Government will not exercise any supervision or control over the contract service providers. The Contractor shall perform to the standards specified in this Performance Work Statement (PWS). Contract service providers shall be accountable solely to the Contractor who, in turn is responsible to the Government. Forestry Service contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, supplies, facilities, transportation, tools, materials, supervision, and other items and non-personal services necessary as defined in this PWS.

Access and General Protection/Security requirements for Contractor employees with an area of performance within an Army controlled installation, facility, or area - The Contractor and all associated subcontractors’ employees shall comply with applicable installation, facility, and local security policies and procedures. The Contractor workforce shall comply with all personal identity verification (PIV) requirements as directed by Department of Defense (DOD), Headquarters Department of the Army (HQDA), and local policy. The COR/ACOR will request changes in Contractor security matters or processes if the Force Protection Condition (FPCON) at any individual facility or installation changes.

General Scope - Forest management at APG is comprised of two primary focus areas – forest resource compliance and forest resource management.

Forest Resource Compliance: According to the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (CZMA), 100% of APG is located within the coastal zone and requires compliance with Section 307 of the CZMA and consistency with Maryland’s Enforceable Coastal Policies (MECP). ALC is the only site not located within the coastal zone outlined in this PWS. Compliance requires APG to evaluate and determine coastal zone impacts that may result from military testing/training and natural resources management activities. Individual project evaluations typically consist of a Federal Consistency Determination (FCD) based on forest stand delineations (FSDs), forest conservation plans (FCPs) and critical area management plans (CAMPs). These evaluations and FCD are subsequently coordinated with the designated regulators, Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MDDNR), Maryland Critical Area Commission and Maryland Department of Environment (MDE). The subject activity(s) may require mitigation. The overall objective, on a requirements basis, of forest resource compliance is to facilitate Army mission execution on an as needed basis.

Forest Resource Management: APG has over 18,000 acres of forests. These forest resources not only support the military testing and training mission for over 90 different mission partner activities, but they also provide habitat that sustains a variety of flora and fauna as well as providing a variety of other ecosystem services. Forests not managed in direct support to the military mission are managed with a landscape level perspective that focuses on ecosystem health and biodiversity. In addition to the requirements outlined as part of forest resource compliance above, forest resource management efforts on APG may require tree planting, site preparation, unexploded ordnance (UXO) support, forest inventories, forest product appraisals, forest product marking, stand specific silvicultural recommendations as part of forest management plans, forest enhancement, as well as site preparation through forest management execution. The overall objective, on a requirements basis, of forest resource management is to support both current and future Army mission landscape requirements through sustainable forest management.

Place of Performance: The contractor shall perform individual Task Orders under this basic contract at Government owned facilities at Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), Edgewood Area Aberdeen Proving Ground (EA), Graces Quarters, Carroll Island, Adelphi Laboratory Campus (ALC) and Blossom Point Research Facility in coordination with Range Control and the COR.

Period of Performance: The period of performance of this contract will be a five-year base contract with a 6-month Option to Extend the Services. The base year of this contract is one thousand eight hundred twenty-five (1825) days from date of contract award, plus six months as an Option to Extend the Services. Periods of performance for individual Task Orders will be specified in those individual Task Orders.

Schedule of holidays: New Year’s Day, Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day. Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day

Non-Personal Services. The personnel rendering the services are not subject; either by the contract’s terms or by the manner of its administration, to the supervision and control usually prevailing in relationships between the Government and its employees. Non-personal service contracts are authorized by the Government in accordance with (IAW) Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 37.104, under general contracting authority, and do not require specific statutory authorization.

Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR). The KO will appoint a COR during the performance of this contract. Additional Government personnel may be assigned to assist in contract oversight IAW AR 70-13, Management and Oversight of Service Acquisitions. Other surveillance personnel may be designated as COR or ACOR, and shall be trained and appointed IAW DoDI 5000.72, DoD Standard for Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) Certification and DFARS 201.602-2. The ACOR will serve as on-site representatives of the COR in performance of actual contract surveillance, if they meet all COR training, experience requirements, and are appointed by the KO as an ACOR. The COR/ACOR will aid in identification and resolution of problems, conflicts in priority, subtask requirement definitions, and other operations type problems. The COR/ACOR will perform IAW the responsibilities and duties identified in the appointment letter.

COR Authority. A letter of designation will be issued to the COR/ACOR by the KO. A copy of the letter will be sent to the Contractor. The letter of designation states the responsibilities and limitations of the COR/ACOR, especially regarding changes in cost, price estimates, or changes in delivery dates. The COR/ACOR is not authorized to change any of the terms and conditions regarding cost, quantity, or schedule of the resulting order.

COR/ACOR Functions. The COR/ACOR monitors all technical aspects of the contract and assists in contract administration. The COR/ACOR is authorized to perform the following functions: assure the Contractor performs the technical requirements of the contract; perform inspections necessary in connection with contract performance; maintain written and oral communications with the Contractor concerning technical aspects of the contract; issue written interpretations of technical requirements; monitor, document, and report Contractor's performance and notify both the KO and Contractor of any deficiencies; coordinate availability of Government-Furnished Property, and coordinate site entry of Contractor personnel. Quality Assurance. The Government will evaluate the Contractor’s performance under the contract IAW the Government’s Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP). QASPs are "living documents," dynamic, adaptable, and subject to modification based on Contractor performance surveillance results. The QASP is not part of the PWS and will not be issued with the solicitation. The QASP focuses on the procedures and processes the Government will implement to assure the Contractor is performing IAW the performance standards within the PWS. The Government plan defines the criteria of how the Contractor’s performance will be evaluated, the frequency of surveillance, and the items to be inspected. Although the Government will develop a QASP, Government surveillance of Contractor performance is not limited to the QASP, or the performance objectives, outlined in the Performance Requirements Summary (PRS). The Government retains the right to evaluate all services required by the contract. The Government will perform inspections and tests in a manner that will not unduly delay the work. If any of the services performed do not conform to contract requirements, the Contractor shall perform the services again at no additional cost to the Government.

4.1

4.2 Quality Control Plan (QCP). Quality control is the responsibility of the Contractor. The Contractor shall develop, implement, and maintain an effective quality control program which shall be documented in a QCP to ensure services are performed IAW this PWS. The Contractor shall develop and implement procedures to identify and prevent the recurrence of defective services. The Contractor’s QCP is how they assure themselves that the work conforms to contract requirements. The basic principle of the plan is that the Contractor is responsible for quality control. The Contractor shall develop, maintain, and submit a QCP to the KO for acceptance within thirty (30) calendar days after the contract is awarded. The Contractor shall submit any proposed changes in the QCP to the KO for written approval five (5) working days prior to implementation.

Required Services

# 1.

Contractor shall ensure all work accomplished meets all maintenance and repair standards listed PWS and all applicable Federal, State, and local laws and regulations.

% calculated by dividing the number of defects by the number of observations.

# 2.

The Program Manager shall be available during normal duty hours to serve as the central point of contact for Contractor operations.

#3.

The Contractor shall develop and maintain a Quality Control Plan approved by the KO.

Section 2 - Definitions:

2.1 Acronyms:

BPRF Blossom Point Research Facility

ISO Installation Safety Office

NEPA National Environmental Policy Act

OPSEC Operational Security

SME Subject Matter Expert

Section 3 – Government furnished equipment. None.

Section 4 – Contractor furnished items.

4.1.1 Task Order specific NEPA Record(s) of Consideration (REC)

4.1.2 Task Order specific Range Work Request(s) (RWR) scheduling

4.1.3 Task Order specific Excavation Permit(s) (EP)

4.1.4 Task Order Completion/Final Reports

4.1.5 Monthly Contract / Task Order Status Reports

4.1.6 APG Forest Management Plan Updates at Task Order completion

4.1.7 GPS Coordinates / Daily Reports of UXO surveys (if required on specific Task Order)

4.1.8 GPS Coordinates of Forest Management / Mitigation Task Order Field Work

4.1.9 SAM.gov data entry as required

4.1.10 Contractor personnel badging (ID badge for main gates)

4.1.11 Contractor personnel Restricted Access Area badging

4.2 The contractor shall have a current Health and Safety Plan that is approved by the APG Installation Safety Office.

Section 5 - Occupational Safety and Health

Occupational Safety and Health. The Contractor shall comply with all OSHA reporting and PAM 385-40 ARMY ACCIDENT INVESTIGATIONS AND REPORTING, requirements for record keeping and reporting of all accidents resulting in death, injury, occupational disease, or adverse environmental impact. The Contractor shall provide a verbal report(s) to the Contracting Officer or designated representative within four hours of each such occurrence, whenever an accident involving personal injury occurs. A written accident report(s) shall be delivered to the Contracting Officer or designated representative within one workday of occurrence. The Contractor shall be responsible for the enforcement of all safety requirements for any work performed under the contract. If the Contractor fails or refuses to promptly comply with safety or environmental requirements, the Contracting Officer may issue an order stopping all or part of the work until satisfactory corrective action s been taken. No part of the time lost, due to any such stop order, shall be made the subject of a claim for extension of time or for excess costs or damages to the Contractor.

Section 6 – Environmental Compliance

Environmental Compliance. The Contractor shall comply with all Federal, State, local, and installation environmental laws, rules, plans, and policies. The Contractor shall use and store all materials, chemicals, and equipment used in the performance of services on the installation IAW with industry standards, local, State and Federal laws, and according to manufactures' recommendations. The Contractor shall be financially responsible for all fines and associated costs for hazardous waste management, transportation, and disposal of waste due to the Contractor's non-compliance. The Contractor shall submit Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for approval on all materials, five (5) days before delivery of the material, to the COR/ACOR. The Contractor shall provide upon request from the COR/ACOR all required data to meet environmental-mandated reporting requirements (e.g., air emission data, hazardous material storage/usage, herbicide/pesticide usage, solid/hazardous waste generation). The Contractor shall provide data to meet reporting deadlines and during compliance inspections upon request from the COR/ACOR.

The contractor shall have on staff a four (4) year forest management degree from Society of American Foresters (SAF) accredited university/college and a Maryland valid licensed forester with 10 years field experience who also possesses the 40-hour Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) Certification along with the 8-hour Site HAZWOPER Supervisor Certification. The contractor shall have on staff a Program/Project manager that possesses a four-year degree in natural resources with 5 years of experience and HAZWOPER certification. As many of the work sites will be in restricted access areas of APG, the contractor shall have the ability to obtain required clearances to work in secure areas unescorted. For all tree planting / reforestation / afforestation efforts required under this contract, the contractor shall be responsible for planting and maintaining plantings at the specified rates outlined in section 5.4.6 of this PWS for five years after the planting date and shall have practical experience in compliance with the CZMA and the MECP.

All FSD/FCP/CAMPs shall be prepared in a manner consistent with Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) Titles 5, 8 and 27 as well as other applicable DoD, Army, federal, state, local regulations, and applicable Memoranda of Agreement and Memoranda of Understanding. Unless otherwise specified, only native plant material shall be used. Tree species determinations shall consider local climax species (Oak, Hickory, and Yellow Poplar) and shall be approved by the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) prior to completion of conservation/management/planting plans.

Planting shall be performed in accordance with the latest edition of the Landscape Contractors Association’s “Landscape Specification Guidelines” and as specified below.

· The planting sites shall be cleared of all woody vegetation smaller than 6” caliper prior to planting. Any non-native tree or shrub greater than 6” caliper shall be flush cut as determined by the COR, and at the direction of the KO. Native trees greater than 2” caliper may remain as determined by COR, and at the direction of the KO.

· Planting shall not occur in sub-freezing temperatures, when the ground is frozen, or when the soil is too dry or too wet, or otherwise in a condition not generally accepted as satisfactory for planting.

· Plant materials installed by the contractor shall be warranted by the installer for 5 years. This warranty shall include complete care and guarantee of survivability replacement as specified by planting density and as required by individual task orders.

The use of pesticides shall be in accordance with AR200-5 and shall follow all APG procedures for application. Approval of the APG Pest Control Office and COR must be obtained prior to use. The applicator shall possess proper state and DOD certifications. The contractor shall record the following information daily: 1) The amount of chemical used, 2) The amount of water/chemical mixture used, 3) The percent concentration of the mixture used. Upon completion of the task, the contractor shall report to the APG Pest Control Office and COR the total amount of chemicals used, including pounds of active ingredient (PAI) applied on the installation.

Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) Support: All areas of APG have the potential for UXO. Under this contract, when unexploded ordnance support is required the contractor shall, in coordination with Installation Safety Office (ISO) use an APG approved UXO contractor and shall be responsible for following all APG procedures for doing avoidance, non-intrusive and intrusive work, including developing, coordinating and attaining APG approved generic and site specific health and safety (H&S) plans, dig permits, Range Work Requests (RWRs) and applicable National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documentation prior to executing any on site work.

Environmental Training

Contractor shall use slide deck provided at the time of award by COR to complete the environmental training for Bald Eagle Awareness and Storm Water Training. Copies of training certificates will be provided to COR on an annual basis for Storm Water Training and one-time for Eagle Awareness Training.

Operations Security

The contractor shall complete the following training provided at contract award from the Government within 60 days of contract award:

1) Antiterrorism Level 1 training, access and general protection policy and procedures

2) iWatch training

3) OPSEC training

Anti-Terrorism (AT) Level 1 Training Requirement: All contractor employees, to include subcontractor employees, requiring access Army installations, facilities and controlled access areas shall complete AT Level I awareness training within thirty (30) calendar days after contract start date or TO release date, whichever is applicable. The contractor shall submit certificates of completion for each affected contractor employee and subcontractor employee, to the COR or to the contracting officer, if a COR is not assigned, within thirty (30) calendar days after completion of training by all employees and subcontractor personnel. AT level I awareness training is available at the following website: http://jko.jten.mil iWATCH Training Requirement: The Contractor and its subcontractors shall brief all of their employees performing under this contract, on the local iWATCH program (training standards provided by the requiring activity Antiterrorism Officer (ATO)). This locally developed training will be used to inform employees of the types of behavior to watch for and instruct employees to report suspicious activity to the COR. This training shall be completed within thirty (30) calendar days of each TO award. If a new Contractor employee is commencing performance under a TO, he/she shall be required to receive the local iWATCH program briefing within thirty (30) calendar days of commencing performance. Once each Contractor employee has received the required iWATCH program briefing, the results shall be reported to the COR. iWATCH program resources may be found at the following website: http://www.myarmyonesource.com/familyprogramsandservices/iwatchprogram/default.aspx OPSEC Training: Per AR 530-1 Operations Security, the contractor employees must complete Level I OPSEC Awareness training annually. New employees must be trained within 30 calendar days of their reporting for duty and annually thereafter. Level I OPSEC training is available at the following website: http://cdse.edu/catalog/elearning/GS130.html (Duration: 45 minutes).

Forest Resource Compliance

Military mission may require surface disturbance, therefore CZMA compliance. APG subject matter experts (SME) will determine through a FCD what, if any FSD/FCP/CAMP documentation & coordination, and mitigation will be required for APG to maintain compliance with the CZMA and consistency with MDCZMP.

Critical Area Management Plan (CAMP)

Maryland defines the Critical Area (CA) as any land area within 1000’ of Mean High Tide and within the CA, a 100’ buffer (expanded by slope, as applicable), both of which may be expanded additionally when associated with wetlands and Forest Interior Dwelling Species (FIDS). If the Critical Area Commission (CAC) determines that mitigation is required, there is a requirement to develop a CAMP. The contractor shall, using a licensed Maryland forester, work with the APG COR to determine the best planting approach for the mitigation site determined best by the Government. The contractor shall be responsible to gather all information through a FSD and necessary drawings needed for developing the CAMP. The contractor shall develop a mitigation plan according to current CAC guidance/format and submit for APG review and approval before APG’s submission to the CAC in accordance with the CDRL stated in each Task Order.

Forest Conservation Submissions

1. The contractor shall, using a licensed Maryland forester, gather all the information required, through an FSD, by references in Section 3.0 to develop Forest Conservation Plans (FCPs). This may include but not be limited to interviewing the proponent, reviewing design drawings to evaluate impacts, and conducting field inventories/investigations.

2. The contractor shall, using a licensed Maryland forester, prepare and submit the forest conservation plans (in the current accepted enforceable policy format) to the APG Forest Conservation POC for review prior to APG’s submission to the regulators within the Task Order period of performance.

3. Once submitted to the regulators, the contractor shall be responsible to respond to all questions from the COR relating to the submission within five (5) business days. The responses to comments will be coordinated with the APG Forest Conservation POC.

Mitigation Implementation

The contractor shall implement the coordinated FCP/ CAMP. The contractor shall ensure survival rate as specified in section 5.4.6 of this PWS. Work shall not commence until APG COR has finalized coordination with applicable regulators. Depending on the location of the mitigation the following items could occur; UXO clearance, scrub and invasive species removal, and number of tree plantings.

a. Scrub and invasive species removal

b. Tree plantings (include all work for site preparation and approvals such as EPs and NEPA.)

c. UXO support.

Forest Resource Management

Reforestation/Forest Management Plan

The contractor shall, using a licensed Maryland forester, work with the APG Forest Conservation POC to determine the best site for mitigation and the planting/enhancement approach. The contractor shall be responsible to gather all information and necessary drawings and/or maps needed for developing the plan, to include evaluating existing conditions. The contractor shall develop a plan within MD current and accepted enforceable policies. and submit for APG review and approval. APG COR will submit completed package to the regulators.

Reforestation/Forest Management Plan Implementation

The contractor shall, using a licensed Maryland forester, implement the approved Reforestation/Forest Management Plan. The contractor shall ensure a survival rate outlined in section 5.4.6 of this PWS. Because of the size of mitigation is undetermined until the plan is approved, cost will be based on acreage units. Depending on the location of the mitigation the following items could occur: UXO clearance, scrub and invasive species removal, and number of tree plantings.

a. Scrub and invasive species removal/ Fuel Load Reduction

b. Tree plantings (include all work for site preparation and approvals such as EPs and NEPA.)

c. UXO support.

Forest Enhancement and Invasive Removal (1”-4”)

The contractor shall, using a licensed Maryland forester, improve the health and sustainability of an existing forest stand or early successional natural regeneration, through the mechanical (equipment not to exceed 7 pounds psi ground pressure) removal of undesirable tree species, removal of shrub/scrub woody plants, removal of vines, and other woody plant material up to 4” dbh, as directed by the COR. Chemical use must be coordinated with appropriate garrison POC.

Forest Enhancement and Invasive Removal (4”-8”)

The contractor shall, using a licensed Maryland forester, improve the health and sustainability of an existing forest stand or early successional natural regeneration, through the mechanical (equipment not to exceed 7 pounds psi ground pressure) removal of undesirable tree species, removal of shrub/scrub woody plants, removal of vines, and other woody plant material between 4” and 8” dbh, as directed by the COR. Chemical use must be coordinated with appropriate garrison POC.

Forest Enhancement and Invasive Removal (> 8”)

The contractor shall, using a licensed Maryland forester, improve the health and sustainability of an existing forest stand or early successional natural regeneration, through the mechanical (equipment not to exceed 7 pounds psi ground pressure) removal of undesirable tree species, removal of shrub/scrub woody plants, removal of vines, and other woody plant material greater than 8” dbh. Chemical use must be coordinated with appropriate garrison POC.

Forest Tree Planting

300 trees per acre:

The contractor shall provide and plant trees (minimum of 3 gallon potted), species determined by the FCP, CAMP or COR, at a quantity not less than 300 trees per acre utilizing 10 x 10 spacing with 90% survivability 5 years after planting. All tubes and stakes shall be removed at the end of the 5 years. The equipment shall not exceed 7 pounds psi ground pressure.

150 trees per acre:

The contractor shall provide and plant trees (100 trees minimum of 3 gallon potted and 50 trees with 1.0” – 2.0” caliper trees), species determined by the FCP, CAMP or COR, at a quantity not less than 150 trees per acre utilizing 17 x 17 spacing with 90% survivability 5 years after planting. All tubes and stakes shall be removed at the end of the 5 years by the contractor. The equipment shall not exceed 7 pounds psi ground pressure.

50 trees per acre:

The contractor shall provide and plant trees (1.0” – 2.0” caliper trees), species determined by the FCP, CAMP or COR, at a quantity not less than 50 trees per acre with 95% survivability 5 years after planting. All tubes and stakes shall be removed at the end of the 5 years by the contractor. The equipment shall not exceed 7 pounds psi ground pressure.

Urban Tree Planting

The contractor shall plant trees (minimum of 1.5-inch caliper), species determined by the COR, with 100% survivability 5 years after planting. All tubes and stakes shall be removed at the end of the 5 years by the contractor. The equipment shall not exceed seven (7) pounds psi ground pressure.

Forest Inventories

1. The contractor shall, using a valid licensed Maryland forester, be responsible for gathering all information required to develop forest inventories as required. The contractor shall conduct timber cruises, using a random sampling technique to collect data to include but not limited to species, diameter at breast height (DBH), canopy closure, invasive species, height, site quality, age, and defects.

2. The contractor shall be responsible for compiling the forest inventory data into a report and submitting both the field data collected and the final report in electronic and hard copy format to the APG Forest Conservation POC for review in accordance with the task order CDRL requirements. The contractor will address comments and submit the final report in accordance with Task Order CDRL requirements.

Forest Product Appraisals

1. The contractor shall, using a valid licensed Maryland forester, gather all information required to develop appraisals that determine the forest product types, forest product volumes and forest product appraisals. This may include but not be limited to interviewing on-site personnel, reviewing available forest inventories and conducting field inventories/investigations.

2. The contractor shall be responsible for compile the forest product appraisals into a report and submitting it to the APG Forest Conservation POC for review. The contractor will address comments and submit the final report to COR.

Timber Marking

The contractor shall, using a valid licensed Maryland forester, be responsible for selecting and marking timber for harvest based on specifications from the APG Forest Management Plan and the APG Forest Conservation POC.

Site Preparation: Site with Heavy Grass and Shrub

The contractor shall prepare a designated area with heavy grass and shrub using mechanical, chemical, or other means for tree planting. The equipment shall not exceed seven (7) pounds PSI ground pressure. Any chemical use shall be coordinated with appropriate Garrison POC(s).

UXO Support: Site with Heavy Grass and Shrub

Using APG approved UXO technicians, contractor shall delineate areas where most of the plant material is grass/shrub, as safe for non-intrusive work and/or scan/indicate locations acceptable for intrusive tree planting. Daily UXO reports shall be submitted specifying personnel and equipment involved and GPS coordinates shall indicate extent of UXO survey.

Site Preparation: Site with Shrub and Trees less than 1”

The contractor shall prepare a designated area with shrub and trees less than 1” dbh using mechanical, chemical, or other means for tree planting. Equipment not to exceed seven (7) pounds PSI ground pressure. Any chemical use shall be coordinated with appropriate Garrison POC(s).

UXO Support: Site with Shrub and Trees less than 1”

Using APG approved UXO technicians, contractor shall delineate areas where most of the woody plant material is less than 1” dbh, as safe for non-intrusive work and/or scan/indicate locations acceptable for intrusive tree planting. Daily UXO reports shall be submitted specifying personnel and equipment involved and GPS coordinates shall indicate extent of UXO survey.

Site Preparation: Site with Trees 1” to 4”

The contractor shall prepare a designated area with trees between 1” and 4” dbh using mechanical, chemical, or other means for tree planting. The equipment shall not exceed seven (7) pounds PSI ground pressure. Any chemical use shall be coordinated with appropriate Garrison POC(s).

UXO Support: Site with Trees 1” to 4”

Using APG approved UXO technicians, contractor shall delineate areas where most trees are between 1” and 4” dbh, as safe for non-intrusive work and/or scan/indicate locations acceptable for intrusive tree planting. Daily UXO reports shall be submitted specifying personnel and equipment involved and GPS coordinates shall indicate extent of UXO survey.

Site Preparation: Site with Trees greater than 4”

The contractor shall prepare a designated area with trees greater than 4” dbh using mechanical, chemical, or other means for tree planting. The equipment shall not exceed seven (7) pounds PSI ground pressure. Any chemical use shall be coordinated with appropriate Garrison POC(s).

UXO Support: Site with Trees greater than 4”

Using APG approved UXO technicians, contractor shall delineate areas where most trees are greater than 4” dbh, as safe for non-intrusive work and/or scan/indicate locations acceptable for intrusive tree planting. Daily UXO reports shall be submitted specifying personnel and equipment involved and GPS coordinates shall indicate extent of UXO survey.

Intrusive Monitoring UXO Support

Using APG approved UXO technicians, contractor shall actively monitor intrusive work in areas that were previously scanned and delineated as areas safe for intrusive work. Daily UXO reports shall be submitted specifying personnel and equipment involved and GPS coordinates shall indicate extent of UXO survey in accordance with Task Order CDRL requirements.

Ground Herbicide Application

Using DOD certified applicators, contractor shall apply (APG POC coordinated) chemical vegetation management through ATV mounted boom spraying equipment and/or handheld/backpack spraying as part of forest management requirements.

Hazard Tree Removal

Using certified Maryland Master Logger contractor will remove hazard trees marked by COR that pose threat to Life, Safety or Health. Contractor shall ensure best management practices are followed throughout the removal process. Hazard trees located on flat ground shall be flush cut with logs and debris delivered to the Aberdeen Area firewood pile, Edgewood Area firewood pile, ALC, or BPRF firewood piles depending on location of removal action. Hazard trees located on slopes/banks shall be cut no higher than 6 feet from the base and shall be left where they fall with any that fall below the high-water line being moved to a position on the slope above high water line. Ground matting along with seed/straw repair shall be performed as necessary to minimize all potential equipment related surface impacts. Hazard trees will be removed based on 4 size classes as shown below. In order to issue a task order for hazard tree removal a minimum of ten hazard trees shall be identified for removal.

Class A Hazard Tree Removal=0-7.9 inch DBH Class B Hazard Tree Removal=8-15.9 inch DBH Class C Hazard Tree Removal=16-23.9 inch DBH Class D Hazard Tree Removal=25-50 inch DBH

The contractor and COR will meet on-site to coordinate and discuss the exact GPS location of the individual trees marked for removal. Delivery orders will contain no less than (10) trees for each geographical area of APG to include: (1) Graces Quarters and Carroll Island (2) Edgewood Area (3) Aberdeen Area (4) Churchville Test Area, Adelphi Laboratory Campus and Blossom Point Research Facility.

6.0 Publications and Forms:

6.1 10 USC 2665, Sale of Certain Interests in Land; Logs, 1956, and as amended

6.2 Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, 16 USC 1451-1464

6.3 DODI 4715.3, Natural Resources Conservation Program, March 2011

6.4 AR200-1, Environmental Protection and Enhancement, 13 Dec 2007

6.5 APGR 200-62, Reforestation, 1 Jul 2009

6.6 APGR 200-1, Environmental Quality Control, 1 Sep 2010

6.7 Maryland Enforceable Coastal Policies, April 2011

6.8 MOU – Federal Consistency Requirements of Coastal Zone Management Act, 2013 (State of Maryland and DoD)

6.9 Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) – Forest Mitigation Strategy, 2011 (Maryland Critical Area Commission, Maryland Department of Natural Resources Forest Service, and APG)

6.10 Sikes Act, 16 U.S. Code (USC) 670a-670o

6.11 Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, 16 USC 668

6.12 Clean Water Act of 1977, Section 404, 33 USC 12.51 et seq

6.13 Endangered Species Act of 1973, 16 USC 1534

6.14 Migratory Bird Treaty Act, 16 USC 703-712, and as amended

6.15 National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 USC 4321-4361

6.16 Excavation Permit, Form 1247-R, 01 MAR 2006

6.17 OPSEC Review Control Form IMNE Form 1200, 01 MAY 2007

6.18 APG Range Work Request, AUG 12

6.19 Record of Environmental Consideration, IMNE Form 1221-R, 01 OCT 2008

6.20 APG NEPA Checklist, IMNE Form 1222-R, 01 OCT 2008

6.21 AR 190-13

6.22 DTM09-012

6.23 APGR 385-1 Safety: Range Administration, 01 APR 2014

6.24 EM 385-1-1 Safety and Health Requirements, 30 NOV 2014