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Attachment 2
USDA – FOREST SERVICE – SAVANNAH RIVER SITE
Site Preparation and Mid/Understory Control via Herbicides with Skidder
STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW) SPECIFICATIONS
Index:
| B. |
| Contract Time, Location, and Description |
| C. |
| Government Furnished Property |
| D. |
| Contractor Licensing and Supervision Requirement |
| E. |
| Contractor Furnished Equipment for Application and Transport |
| H. |
| General Technical Specifications |
| I. |
| Schedule of Areas to Treat |
| J. |
| Disposal of Contractor Generated Debris and Pesticide Containers |
| L. |
| Protection of Bodies of Water and Improvements |
| M. |
| Use of Government Motor Vehicles |
| O. |
| Government Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) |
| P. |
| Inspection and Acceptance |
| Q. |
| Method of Measurement and Payment |
A. Scope of Contract
| A.1 |
| This is a Performance - Based Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity Contract for performing site preparation and mid story release by means of mechanical ground broadcast herbicide applications with Government-Furnished herbicides and adjuvants at the USDA Forest Service, Savannah River Site (SRS), New Ellenton SC, on Department of Energy (DOE) lands. The Savannah River Site is a restricted access site and all personnel must always wear a photo badge while on site. Contractor shall follow Savannah River Site’s and USDA’s policies and regulations. The requirement will be a single award Firm-Fixed Priced Contract. The performance period is date of award through 30 Sep 2021. Applications will be made using articulated rubber-tired skidder with spray tank. The contractor shall possess a valid South Carolina state commercial pesticide applicators license in Category 2. The contractor shall furnish all labor (Sufficient personnel), materials, supervision, transportation (Including enclosed lockable cargo trailer), equipment, all peripheral items such as nozzles, and supplies (Including safety and personal protective equipment), except for Government furnished material, supplies, or equipment identified in Section C “Government Furnished Property”. It is the contractor’s responsibility to maintain adequate records of all pesticide applications and provide them to the Contract Officer’s Representative (COR) or Contract Inspector (CI) daily or upon request. |
| A.2 |
| Contractor shall be required to submit and maintain a safety plan and quality control plan of which must be approved by Government prior to use. |
| A.3 |
| A task order will be issued in accordance with clause 52.216-18 Ordering contained in this contract. Task orders are valid if signed by the Contracting Officer (CO) or any Contract Specialist. The Contracting Officer reserves the right to delete areas or to substitute at the contract price the same type and amount of work (-/+ 10 acres) in other areas similar in topography and conditions within the Savannah River Site boundaries, in lieu of the original areas when it is determined by the Contracting Officer that the original areas or portions thereof are unsuitable or unavailable for performance of the specified work. The Contracting Officer has the sole authority to make any changes to the Contract. |
B. Contract Time, Location, and Description
| B.1 |
| For the purpose of this Contract, contract time in each task order for base period and each option period are defined as time allotted in calendar days for the work to be completed. This includes all days of the week including weekends. Federal holidays are not considered contract time. |
| B.2 |
| All Contract treatment areas are located within the boundaries of the Savannah River Site in Aiken, Allendale, and Barnwell Counties, South Carolina. The Savannah River Site Forest is identified by the Forest Service as timber compartments. Within timber compartments are smaller areas identified as stands and their acreage. Example: Compartment 55 / Stand 06 / 61 Acres. Henceforth, for the purpose of these statement of work specifications, areas to herbicide treat shall be called stands. |
| B.3 |
| Descriptions of the stands to be treated are as follows (B.4, B.5, & B.6): |
| B.4 |
| Site Preparation: Cutover stands and brush fields. Each area will vary with topography, vegetation, brush, number of standing live or dead trees, logging slash density, cut tree stumps that vary in height, and varying number of designated reserve and snag trees. Eliminating unwanted vegetation, woody plants, and trees from cutover stands or brush fields preceding pine, hardwood, and crop regeneration. Spray applicator shall be calibrated and adjusted to apply herbicide mixtures evenly over the stand or stands and brush fields at the specified rates required. Prescribed coverage is 100% of stand or stands and brush fields unless otherwise indicated on treatment maps. |
| B.5 |
| Red Cockaded Woodpecker (RCW) Mid/Understory Control: Mature longleaf pine plantations or forests, each stand will vary with topography, vegetation, brush, number of standing trees, logging slash density, and possible cut tree stumps that vary in height. Eliminating the layer of foliage (vegetation, woody plants, and trees) intermediate in height between the canopy and ground that deprive nutrients and moisture from the desired species of trees. Spray applicator shall be calibrated and adjusted to apply herbicide mixtures evenly over the stand or stands at the specified rates required. Prescribed coverage is 100% of stand or stands unless otherwise indicated on treatment maps. |
| B.6 |
| Seed Production Mid/Understory Control: Mature longleaf pine plantations or forests. Each stand will vary with topography, vegetation, brush, number of standing trees, logging slash density, and possible cut tree stumps that vary in height. Eliminating the layer of foliage (vegetation, woody plants, and trees) intermediate in height between the canopy and ground that deprive nutrients and moisture from the desired seed trees. Spray applicator shall be calibrated and adjusted to apply herbicide mixtures evenly over the stand or stands at the specified rates required. Prescribed coverage is 100% of stand or stands unless otherwise indicated on treatment maps. |
| B.7 |
| Each stand will vary with respect to residual vegetation density, cut stumps and its heights, logging debris, soils, and slope. Unforeseen hazards also may be encountered within stand such as, but not limited to, unmarked open wells, ditches, gullies, and steep slopes. The Forest Service highly recommends that the contractor inspect each stand before beginning work. |
C. Government Furnished Property
All furnished equipment is Government property and shall be cleaned prior to returning it after completion or at Government’s discretion. Properties that will be provided by the Government prior to start of work are as follows:
| Item |
| Quantity |
| Description |
| Where, When, How |
| C.1 |
| Treatment Information |
| 1 |
| List of compartments, stands, acres, grid locations, chemicals, and their required rates per acre to be applied. |
| Provided at pre-work meeting. |
| C.2 |
| Site Map (Contains one square mile grids) |
| 1 each |
| Savannah River Site map of approximate location of stands and Remote Worker / Legacy Contamination Area map. |
| Provided at pre-work meeting. |
| C.3 |
| Base Maps and Treatment maps |
| 1each |
| Base Map = detailed locations of compartments and stands. (Another base map will be given for contractor to mark locations of posted warning signs to give to Government). |
Treatment Map = instructions and identifying areas in stand(s) that are to be protected and/or buffered. See Exhibition 1 for an example of a treatment map.
Provided at pre-work meeting.
| C.4 |
| Forest Service Timber Lock Keys |
| 1 or 2 |
| Government shall provide Forest Service timber lock keys for access through certain gates locked with Forest Service lock. |
| Contractor shall be required to sign for keys; provided at pre-work meeting if applicable. |
| C.5 |
| Pesticide labels and their SDS (Safety Data Sheets). |
| 1 |
| Labels and SDS for chemicals used during Contract. |
| Provided at pre-work meeting. |
| C.6 |
| Herbicides, Adjuvants, Surfactants, and Additives. |
| As Needed |
| Forestry use herbicides, non – ionic surfactants, drift retardants, and anti-foaming agents. |
| As required, building 760 – 9G. |
| C.7 |
| Field Treatment Forms. |
| As Needed |
| Semi-completed forms. Contractor details each pesticide application, location, chemical rates, application dates, and weather data. See Exhibition 2 for an example of a field treatment form. |
| Provided at pre-work meeting. |
| C.8 |
| Daily Record Report Forms. |
| As Needed |
| Semi-completed Forms. Contractor details daily activities including down time due to weather conditions (rain, winds) and equipment failures. See Exhibition 3 for an example of a daily record report form. |
| Provided at pre-work meeting. |
| C.9 |
| Equipment Pre-Use Forms and Trailer Transport Safety Form. |
| As Needed |
| Semi-completed Forms. Contractor fills out form for safely using heavy equipment and trailers. See Exhibition 4 and 5 for such. |
| Provided at pre-work meeting. |
| C.10 |
| Thumb Drives |
| 2 or 3 |
| To download shapefiles from contractor’s skidder’s on-board computer system / GPS. |
| Provided at pre-work meeting. |
| 1 |
| Portable eye wash station |
capable of supplying water to flush the eyes for 15 minutes.
As required, building 760 – 9G.
| C.12 |
| Chemical Spill Kit. |
| 1 |
| Sealed Spill Kit capable of containing 50 gallons of chemical spill. |
| As required, building 760 – 9G. |
| C.13 |
| DOE Site Pagers |
| 2 |
| For site emergency and remote worker notifications. |
| Provided at pre-work meeting. Contractor shall sign for pagers. |
| C.14 |
| Site Radio and its charger |
| 1 |
| Radio permits communication with Forest Service Coordination Center (USFS-CC) or Savannah River Site Operations Center (SRSOC). |
| Provided at pre-work meeting. Provided at pre-work meeting if one is available. Contractor shall sign for them. |
| C.15 |
| Property Passes |
| As Needed |
| Government issued pass for each applicable crew worker when transporting Government furnished properties. |
| Provided at pre-work meeting. |
| C.16 |
| Warning Signs and its posting peripheral items. |
| As Needed |
| 14” x 16” warning signs and peripheral items to post signs as determined by the Government (i.e. wood stakes, staple gun, hammer, and aluminum nails). |
| As required, building 760 – 9G. |
D. Contractor Licensing and Supervision Requirement
| D.1 |
| The contractor and if using contractor’s representative (supervisor) both shall be certified in South Carolina as a Commercial Pesticide Applicator, category (2) Forest Pest Control and one shall always be present on each work site (i.e. each stand) during herbicide application operations. |
| D.2 |
| The contractor and contractor’s representative (supervisor) shall be fluent in the English language, both orally and written. The contractor’s representative (supervisor) shall be designated in writing by the contractor. The designation shall indicate the limit of the supervisor’s authority. When two or more people are designated as supervisor; their written delegation shall indicate the priority of their designations so no more than one person shall oversee a crew at any one time. The contractor or contractor’s representative (supervisor) will always stay with the crew when the crew is working except as indicated below (SOW F.7). The contractor or contractor’s representative (supervisor) will also be responsible for maintaining and submission of the daily report and application records. |
E. Contractor Furnished Equipment for Application and Transport
The contractor shall furnish the following equipment for the performance of this Contract. The Contracting Officer may order the removal and replacement of any unsatisfactory equipment.
| E.1 |
| Articulated Rubber – Tired Skidder: Net power rating of at least (120) HP, an operating weight of at least (20,000) lbs., equipped with a protective canopy, blade, guards, seatbelts, proper mufflers, fire - extinguisher in serviceable condition, and free of oil and fuel leaks. High floatation type skidder tires shall be available and required for wet site conditions. |
| E.2 |
| Spray Applicator / Tank: Spray applicator (Skidder) shall be equipped with an integrated GPS (Global Positioning System) with parallel swathing option, light bar guidance system, mapping computer, spray control computer, solution and speed meters, all capable of working in conjunction together to meet the required spray rates per acre. Field coverage mapping and USB port(s) for data downloading from GPS shall be required. The Spray applicator shall have an adequate protective cage guarding spray tank, all plumbing, and free of leaks. Spray tanks shall be stainless steel, aluminum, fiberglass, plastic or plastic – lined steel only. Spray tank shall be empty of pesticides and chemicals then cleaned with water prior to arriving on Savannah River Site. No Government furnished chemicals shall be in spray tank and leave Savannah River Site. |
| E.3 |
| Transport(s): The contractor shall comply with Forest Service safety and OSHA guidelines during the use of these equipment such as pre-use checklist, personal protective equipment, and job hazard analysis. Transporting equipment shall be in dependable, serviceable condition, equipped with lights in working order, a fire extinguisher in serviceable condition, and capable of safely transporting required equipment over forest (dirt), gravel, and paved roads. Tires, including spares, shall be in good, serviceable condition with proper inflation. Loading ramps shall be required and shall be capable of safely supporting the weight of the equipment being used. The contractor shall tie down all equipment with chains and binders prior to and during transport. No travel through the general forest including between stands is permitted. Only travel on forest (dirt), gravel, and paved roads. |
| E.4 |
| Mixing Tank: Mixing tank shall be stainless steel, aluminum, fiberglass, plastic, or plastic – lined steel only. Mixing tank shall be labeled providing contents’ information. Mixing tank shall be able to mix for a spray solution of minimum of 50 gallons per acre. Mixing tank shall be empty of pesticides and chemicals then cleaned with water prior to arriving on Savannah River Site. No Government furnished chemicals shall be in mixing tank and leave Savannah River Site. |
| E.5 |
| Water Transportation (Nurse Tank): Nurse tanks shall be in dependable, safe, serviceable condition, and capable of supplying clean, fresh water for the spraying operation. Nurse tanks shall be labeled with a “Non – Potable Water” sign. Herbicides and its residues thereof shall not be mixed or put in nurse tanks nor be able to enter nurse tanks. |
| E.6 |
| Enclosed Cargo Trailer: An enclosed cargo trailer that can be locked and moved from site to site. The enclosed cargo trailer’s main use is for locked storage of equipment, pesticides, and transportation of such between work sites. At the end of each day of spraying, the empty pesticide containers and unused pesticides must be stored in the locked trailer. The enclosed cargo trailer must have the ability to be secured on site, posted as “Temporary Pesticide Storage”, and must be approved by the Government prior to use. The enclosed cargo trailer shall be in dependable, serviceable condition, equipped with lights in working order, a fire extinguisher in serviceable condition, and capable of safely transporting required equipment over woods, gravel, and paved roads. Tires, including spares, shall be in good, serviceable condition with proper inflation. The contractor shall tie down all equipment with chains or binders prior to, and during transport. Enclosed cargo trailer shall not leave Savannah River Site with Government furnished properties in it unless approved by COR. |
| E.7 |
| Chainsaw(s): Chainsaw(s) shall be in dependable, safe, serviceable condition, and capable cutting dead/live fallen trees on forest (dirt) and gravel roads for access to stands. Contractor is not expected to use chainsaws frequently and most of the time the forest roads to stands are clear of fallen trees unless an act of God occurs. Contractor shall have training, PPE, and equipment as required by USDA and OSHA for use of chainsaws. No cutting of standing dead/live trees with chainsaw within and around stands are allowed by contractor; this SOW is only for fallen trees on forest (dirt) and gravel roads. |
F. Safety Requirements
| F.1 |
| Safety Plan: The contractor shall provide and maintain a “Safety Plan”, approved in advance by the Government, kept at each work site at all times, and accessible to all employees. The contractor shall incorporate any Government safety requirement and documents (i.e. Forest Service – Savannah River safety documents) into their safety plan, as determined by the Government. The contractor, contractor’s representatives, and employees shall review/sign the safety plan and documentation of the review/signatures from all crew members shall be included with the safety plan. |
| F.2 |
| Worker Protection Standards (WPS) Training: The contractor shall provide EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) approved and WPS handler trained documentation signed by each crew member whom are not certified as an applicator of restricted-use pesticides. |
| F.3 |
| Tailgate Safety: The contractor shall submit a documented tailgate meeting safety form, to be reviewed and signed by each crew member, on a weekly or monthly basis, as agreed between contractor and the Government. |
| F.4 |
| Training: The contractor shall provide documented training to each employee who is required to use personal protective equipment (PPE). This training shall be in compliance with OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.132-140, Subpart I. The contractor shall maintain at the work site: Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) for each specific task, a written “Hazardous Communication Plan”, including information required by OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.1200 and a written “Bloodborne Pathogens Exposure Control Plan”, including information required by OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.1030. |
| F.5 |
| Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Crew Safety Items: Contractor shall ensure that each employee wears the PPE specified by OSHA, Forest Service Health and Safety Codes, the herbicide and chemical label, SDS sheets, and WPS when working. The following list of PPEs may not be all-inclusive: |
a. Hardhat
b. Safety Glasses
c. Tyvek coveralls and/or long-sleeved shirt and trousers
d. 15-mil Neoprene gloves (when mixing, handling chemicals, and their residues) and/or leather gloves as applicable.
e. Hearing protection if noise level of equipment is such that OSHA requires hearing protection.
f. Boots (must protect ankles) with socks.
In addition, the following items must always be immediately accessible to crew members at each work site (stand):
a. First aid kit that is physician - approved for crew size (At each area at all times).
b. Means of communication, such as a two-way radio, or cellular phone with pager.
c. Operable 5 lb. ABC type fire extinguisher for each vehicle.
d. Wash water and soap (Separate from drinking water and labeled “Wash Water Only”).
e. Change of clothing
f. One Axe and one Shovel.
g. Portable eye wash station capable of supplying enough water to flush the eyes for 15 continuous minutes (One station provided by Government).
h. Spill Kit (One kit provided by Government).
i. High visibility Vest (Worn when near an active roadway or as a spotter).
j. For each handler: 3 gallons of water (If clean running water is not available), 1 pint of water in a portable container, soap, single use towels, and clean change of clothes (i.e. one-size-fits-all coveralls).
| F.6 |
| Equipment Pre-Use Checklist and Trailer Transport Safety Form: The contractor completes equipment pre-use checklist prior to the use of all Contractor / Vendor heavy equipment on Savannah River Site ensuring the equipment is serviced and maintained in accordance with each Manufacturer’s recommendations and OSHA requirements and will be operated, inspected, and maintained by a qualified, competent person for the duration of the Contract. If ANY component is determined to be unsatisfactory, the unsatisfactory equipment may not be used until the deficiency is corrected. The COR or CI will observe the contractor completing this checklist and obtain a copy for USFS-SR contract files. Contractor must complete these forms every time the equipment is taken offsite and returned onsite. An example of Equipment Pre-Use Checklist form is in Exhibition 4 and example of Trailer Transport Safety form is in Exhibition 5. |
| F.7 |
| Labor: The minimum labor force required on each application site when pesticides are being applied shall be one equipment operator applicator and one mixer handler. However, one equipment operator is permitted to continue work (spraying) during the period of time when the one mixer handler leaves the application site to obtain water for the spraying operation with the condition that each separated party follows the Remote Field Worker and Contractor Tracking System (Explained in SOW F.8 below), first aid kit, fire extinguisher, and other required safety items. When loading and unloading equipment from transport trailers, contractor shall have one equipment operator and one spotter wearing a high visibility vest (e.g. mixer handler can be spotter). The minimum manning requirements are for safety considerations. |
| F.8 |
| Communications: Functional communications will be required at all times the contractor is working on Savannah River Site (Either a two way radio or cell phone with pager). The contractor shall comply with the USDA Forest Service, Savannah River’s "Remote Field Worker and Contractor Tracking System,” which aids in case of an emergency, such as severe weather, fire, personal injury, or other threats. The contractor will be provided a radio for communications with the Forest Service Coordination Center (USFS-CC) which is operational between 7:00 AM and 5:30 PM daily or the or Savannah River Site Operations Center (SRSOC) before 7:00 AM and after 5:30 PM. Prior to arriving at each work site, USFS-CC or SRSOC shall be contacted to inform of crew name, grid location (i.e. November 7 – Echo 1 or N7 – E1), number of workers, number of vehicles, and estimated duration of time on site. Upon leaving, USFS-CC or SRSOC shall be contacted and informed. |
| F.9 |
| Transportation of Herbicide and Herbicide Mix: The contractor shall transport herbicides, adjuvants, surfactants, etc. used in this Contract only in accordance with the label instructions and approved Forest Service, Savannah River procedures for the safe transportation of chemicals to prevent spills, accidents, injury, or theft. Transport herbicide containers and related equipment in a leak proof case, or secured by other means, so as to minimize damage or spillage in the event of an accident. Chemicals shall not be transported in the vehicle's passenger compartment, nor shall they be stored around food, clothing, or drinking water. Contractor shall not allow personnel to ride in the back of pickup trucks (With or without chemicals). No herbicides and herbicide mix other than those Government furnished for the purpose of this Contract may be transported on Savannah River Site. |
| F.10 |
| Permanent Chemical Storage: Primary chemical storage shall be at the Forest Service, Savannah River headquarters’ Pesticide Storage Building 760-9G. Pick-up from and return of chemicals to the storage building is only allowed between hours 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM, Monday – Friday, excluding Federal Holidays. Any deviations from the statement above are subject to the COR’s approval on a case by case basis and must be arranged with the COR 24 hours in advance. Chemicals cannot be taken out or returned to building 760-9G without an appointment with the Government. COR or CI must be present at said building due to security. There shall be a 30-minute grace period for both parties, at an agreed appointment time, between contractor and the Government. If 30-minute grace period expires after agreed appointment time, and contractor does not show, the COR or CI may leave. The contractor shall be assessed the hourly pay rate (loss) time of the COR or CI. Deductions will be made from the contractor’s invoice. Contractor will have to reschedule with the Government and may be subject to further administration charges. If the contractor contacts the COR or CI within 30 minutes prior to agreed appointment time, to reschedule for another appointment, contractor will not be assessed a deduction. When the contractor requests the COR or CI to be available for chemical take out or return and subsequent application of herbicides on weekends or holidays and fails to arrive, the contractor shall be assessed two hours for the COR or CI at the current overtime and/or holiday pay rate. The COR or CI will leave after the 30-minute grace period expires during weekends or holidays. The contractor shall be responsible for unloading, loading, and transporting chemicals to and from the Pesticide Storage Building. Specific chemicals/batch numbers/brands and their amounts must be identified by COR or CI before removal/return, in an orderly progression. Contractor is expected to use his/her locked enclosed cargo trailer as temporary storage of pesticides at the work sites. |
| F.11 |
| Transportation of Chemicals: A maximum amount of 110 gallons of herbicide (This does not include adjuvants, surfactants, or additives) can be removed from the pesticide storage building, transported, and stored on the work site at a time (See E.6 - Enclosed Cargo Trailer). No unlocked herbicide and chemical containers, full or partially full, shall be left unattended. |
| F.12 |
| Herbicide Mixture in Tanks: Contractor shall not transport herbicide mixture in skidder / sprayer applicator tank nor mixing tank from one work site to a new work site. Tanks shall be empty prior to moving to a new work site unless approved in advance by the COR or CI. |
| F.13 |
| Handling, Application and Cleaning of Herbicide Equipment: The contractor shall assure that all personnel handling herbicides have appropriate protective clothing and equipment as recommended on the herbicide labels and their SDS. The Contractor shall adhere to all warnings, precautions, and general information printed on the herbicide labels and SDS by the manufacturers at all times, including the Worker Protection Standard covered by Title 40 CFR Part 170. |
Contractor shall clean equipment only in areas designated by the COR or CI. The contractor shall clean application equipment of herbicides and residues before moving to a new area and applying a different type herbicide / tank mixture if so instructed by the COR or CI.
The Contractor shall keep measuring cups and other equipment clean and properly stored when not in use; wash hands thoroughly before relieving oneself, eating or smoking. Do not use measuring cups contaminated by chemicals/herbicides in nurse tanks (clean water). Do not contaminate exterior of eye wash station with chemicals/herbicides. Keep containers below eye level when pouring chemicals (to avoid splash or spilling herbicide on the face or into the eyes) and wear goggles or safety glasses when pouring. If herbicides are splashed into the eyes or spilled on the body, stop immediately, wash out eyes for 15 minutes if contaminated, and remove contaminated clothing. Wash skin thoroughly with soap and water. Speed is essential. Once clean, put on clean protective clothing and equipment and clean up the spill. See a physician as appropriate.
| F.14 |
| Chemical Labels and SDS: The contractor shall maintain current labels and SDS (Government furnished) for all chemicals being applied on each application site and be made accessible to all employees. The contractor shall maintain current labels and SDS for their own chemicals (i.e. fuels, oils) used for their machinery at work sites. |
| F.15 |
| Herbicide Spill(s): The Contractor shall maintain a spill kit in each pesticide transport vehicle. The Government will provide one sealed chemical spill kit for containing spill up to 50 gallons. Should a herbicide spill occur during the course of the contractor’s operations that cannot be handled safely without endangering personnel or causing further contamination to the environment, the contractor shall be required to follow the “USDA Forest Service – Savannah River Spill Prevention, Control And Containment Procedure” dated December 2015 or any updated ones provided by the Government. The contractor shall immediately notify the COR or CI of any chemical spill. The contractor bears all costs of damages, clean up, disposal, and decontamination. The contractor also bears cost for replacing Government Furnished chemicals that were spilled. Contractor shall be charged for the spilled chemicals at the Government’s purchase cost for the chemicals and may be subject to further administrative costs. The Government reserves the right to determine the appropriate means for proper clean up and disposal of spilled chemicals. The contractor shall be responsible for providing written documentation to the Contracting Officer, COR, and Environmental Coordinator for any information requested concerning any chemical spill. |
| F.16 |
| Railroad Crossings: Stop – Look – Listen at all railroad crossings, where applicable (i.e. stop signs), and especially those below Highway 125. |
| F.17 |
| Road Access and Right of Ways: The contractor may access each stand from the primary site and forest roads, as indicated on Site, Base, and Treatment maps. No vehicle travel off the roads through forested and non-forested areas (i.e. powerlines and utility right of ways) in and between stands unless permission given by COR; only travel via paved and forest roads to each stand. |
For informational purposes: There are “Special Herbicide Management Zones” and “Wildlife Food Plots” on portions of powerlines and right of ways and are managed and/or protected by other Site entities. Travel via vehicles through these “Special Herbicide Management Zones” and “Wildlife Food Plots” are allowed on forest or gravel roads only. The contractor shall not block access roads with equipment. The contractor shall remain 25 feet away from power lines when operating and parking machinery, vehicles, or any type of equipment.
| F.18 |
| Locked Gates: In cases where stands are behind locked gates, the contractor shall immediately close and lock gates after entering or exiting each gate. |
| F.19 |
| Safety – Stop Operations: DOE Site Policy allows anyone to stop an operation for unsafe working conditions. The CO and COR should be immediately notified if operations are stopped by anyone other than a designated Forest Service representative. |
| F.20 |
| Suspension for SRS Emergencies: In the event of an emergency occurring on the Savannah River Site which requires evacuation of, or restriction of access to the work areas, the Contracting Officer and COR may suspend operations until such time as it is determined that the emergency situation no longer exists. |
| F.21 |
| Government Safety Inspection: The Government, at their discretion, shall perform a safety inspection to ensure contractor is performing work safely. An example of a Government’s safety inspection form is in Exhibition 6. |
| F.22 |
| Soil Contamination Areas on the Savannah River Site: The bottomland stream floodplain forest along Fourmile, Pen Branch, and Steele Creek, as well as other areas on site, have low levels of radiological contaminates deposited from discharges in prior decades resulting in subsurface soil contamination. Access to these areas poses no health risk to personnel, but under 10 CFR 835 personnel cannot excavate or remove soil or subsurface vegetation from these areas. The Government will provide contractor a Remote Worker / Legacy Contamination Area map for the Savannah River Site. The contractor and employees shall read and sign a USFS-SR Briefing paper regarding this subject before starting work. An example of such Briefing Paper is in Exhibition 7. |
G. Record Keeping
| G.1 |
| The Government will provide applicable forms with much of the information pre-completed. |
| G.2 |
| The contractor, on a daily basis, shall maintain and submit a record of the location, dates, times, acreage, applied amount of chemicals used at each stand, and weather data during application on a field treatment form (Exhibition 2). On a daily basis, the contractor shall give this information, in any form, as long its clear and concise, to the Government. This shall be in compliance with EPA Worker Protection Standard (WPS) and with the contractor’s data, the Government shall post the data on the Central Posting Location bulletin board in Forest Service building #772 – 1G. The field treatment form for each stand will be given to the Government daily after each stand is completed. |
| G.3 |
| The contractor, on a daily basis, shall maintain and submit a daily record report (Exhibition 3) which includes work down time due to weather conditions (rain, winds), travel between work sites, and equipment failure. |
| G.4 |
| If for any reason, the contractor cannot or will not provide current records when asked, the COR may call a stop to the work. |
H. General Technical Specifications
| H.1 |
| Method of Treatment: Application shall be a broadcast spray. Government furnished herbicides to be applied by the contractor shall be standard forestry type use, foliar and/or soil active. Surfactant, defoamer, and drift control additives will be provided by Government. Water based spray pattern indicator (blue in color only) shall be required and provided by contractor if he/she cannot provide GPS mapping data for a short period of time (one week maximum, Monday to Friday) and without cost to the Government. The rate per acre of spray pattern indicator shall be dictated by Government for this short period of time since Government shall inspect spray coverage. The contractor shall be directed to apply herbicides as a combination together with clean water, non - ionic surfactant, and applicable additives to produce a spray solution/mixture of 50 gallons per acre (GPA) and applications between 45 to 55 GPA will be accepted by the Government. The Government reserves the right to change the herbicide prescriptions if it is determined by the COR that a more appropriate herbicide prescription is desirable at the time of application. All herbicides, adjuvants, surfactants, additives, and spray mixtures shall be applied with an articulated rubber-tired skidder, equipped with an integrated GPS with parallel swathing option, light bar guidance system, mapping computer capable of producing shapefiles, spray control computer, solution, and speed meters, all capable of working in conjunction together to meet the required spray rates per acre. Spray mixtures shall be applied from nozzles mounted at a fixed position to produce a minimum spray swath of 35 feet and no greater than 55 feet, even in distribution. |
| H.2 |
| Application Rates: The contractor shall apply herbicides and chemicals evenly over the entire stand within -/+ 5% of each specified prescribed application rates. |
| H.3 |
| Pesticide / Herbicide Prescription: Description of the herbicides, adjuvants, surfactants, additives, and their rates per acre to be applied. Example of a prescription: 32.0 ounces per acre of imazapyr, 36.0 ounces of per acre of triclopyr, and 32.0 ounces per acre of non-ionic surfactant. |
| H.4 |
| Water for Spray Solution: The contractor can obtain water for his/her operations from the water station located at the Forest Service headquarters and/or generator pump on Old House Road with permission from the COR. Water may also be obtained from other open use water filling stations located on the Savannah River Site with permission from the COR. Although there may be residual pesticide mix in the mixing tank, the contractor cannot mix any pesticides or chemicals at or near the filling locations. Under no circumstances any pesticides or chemicals will be leaked from the mixing tank or any equipment at the filling stations. The Government cannot guarantee a water source for the contractor. Water for the contractor’s spray solution is not considered a Government furnished service or property. The contractor is not allowed to use water from any body of water including, but not limited to, ponds, lakes, bays, creeks, rivers, and flowing streams within the Savannah River Site boundaries. |
| H.5 |
| Calibration and Mixing: Each work site will have mixing area(s) designated by the COR on the treatment maps. Any deviation from original mixing area(s) requires approval by COR. The contractor shall be required to demonstrate the sprayer equipment calibration for the COR or CI, prior to start of operations, and shall be spot-checked periodically during the Contract. The contractor shall be instructed to recalibrate the sprayer equipment if needed, as instructed by the COR or CI in order to comply with the specified application rates. The COR or CI shall observe the contractor during the herbicide loading and mixing, and inspect the contractor’s treatment use records daily to ensure that all safety and technical specifications are being followed. All herbicides (spray mixtures) shall be thoroughly agitated for 5 minutes prior to and during application. Every attempt will be made by the contractor to only mix the amount of pesticide that will be consumed by the end of the work day. No chemicals shall be stored in mixing tank overnight; the mixing tank should be empty of chemicals by end of each day at last stand. |
| H.6 |
| Protected / Buffer Areas: Areas flagged out or marked out with paint, stand boundary lines (three painted stripes or flagged with ribbon), or improvements (test wells, roads, main road systems) that are to be protected from pesticides and machinery during the contractor’s operations. Herbicides shall not be applied within 25 feet of test wells, monitoring wells, or waste sites identified or unidentified, on maps and designated on the ground with flagging. When applying soil active herbicides, the contractor shall maintain buffer areas of 20 feet from boundary line tree drip line zones, around stand boundaries, and hardwood inclusions. When applying foliar type herbicides, the contractor shall apply adjacent to stand boundaries or as directed by the COR. Contractor shall not apply herbicides within 120 feet of any body of water. Areas to be protected or buffered from pesticides shall be identified on each stand’s treatment map. |
| H.7 |
| Sensitive, Threatened, or Endangered Plants: If any stand is known by the Forest Service to contain Sensitive, Threatened, or Endangered Plants, the contractor will be alerted in advance by the COR or CI. The plants may be identified to the contractor verbally and visually or by other means such as flagging tape or pin flags. The contractor must make every effort to avoid collateral damage and spray drift to such non-target species or areas. |
Archeology Sites: If any stand is known by the Forest Service to contain such sites, the contractor will be alerted in advance by the COR or CI. Such sites may be identified to the contractor verbally and visually or by other means such as flagging tape or pin flags. The contractor shall take every effort to avoid collateral damage and spray drift to such areas.
| H.8 |
| Designated Reserve Trees in SOW B.4, B.5, & B.6: |
Pine or hardwood trees identified by either orange or blue paint, or flagging. Pine and hardwood trees marked with a painted continuous band, a half band, or a single stripe on opposite sides of same tree. The paint color is orange, white, blue, or pink. These trees can be stand-alone, in clumps, groups, or inclusions. The contractor shall be assessed $50 per skinned or damaged Designated Reserve tree. All Designated Reserve trees described above that are hardwoods will be protected from herbicides with a buffer zone from tree’s drip line (the line extending vertically from the exterior edge of a tree’s live crown to the ground), the distance to be determined by the Government. Trees with paint mark “X” in any color do not require protection and they are called snag trees. COR or CI may upon discovery require, with advance notice, for contractor to protect trees of any type, whether paint marked, flagged, or neither.
| H.9 |
| RCW Trees and RCW Cavity Trees in SOW B.5: |
RCW Trees are pine trees with DBH (Diameter at Breast Height) of 10 inches or greater and not marked with a double band of paint at breast height. All trees within the RCW areas meeting this specification are considered RCW Trees. The contractor shall be assessed $50 per skinned or damaged RCW Tree.
RCW Cavity Trees are pine trees (usually large trees), containing a RCW nest or roost, marked with a double band of white paint at breast height, and typically metal tagged with an identification number. The contractor shall be assessed $50 per skinned or damaged RCW Cavity Tree.
| H.10 |
| Seed Production Trees in SOW B.6: |
Seed Production Trees are longleaf pine trees with a DBH (Diameter at Breast Height) of 10 inches or greater. All trees within the seed production areas meeting this specification are considered Seed Production trees. The contractor shall be assessed $50 per skinned or damaged Seed Production Tree.
| H.11 |
| Adverse Site Conditions: If unanticipated problem sites are encountered due to high water table or other uncontrollable factors such as rain, wind, high/low temperatures and amount of humidity, the COR or CI will direct the contractor to treat (spray) these sites when conditions are favorable. |
| H.12 |
| Drift Minimization: The contractor shall not apply herbicides when wind speeds exceed 10 miles per hour. The contractor shall cease application at any time spray drift is apparent, regardless of wind speed. When applying highly volatile herbicides, all applications shall cease, when temperatures are 90 degrees Fahrenheit or greater and accompanied with humidity less than 30%, due to evaporation and possible drift damage. Select nozzles and pressures which provide adequate coverage, but minimize the production of fine spray particles. Do not apply materials during periods of inversion as indicated by early morning fog. COR may require the contractor to cease operations if any spray drift is apparent for any reason. |
| H.13 |
| Rain Conditions: The contractor shall allow ample drying time for target vegetation after rain, dew, or as directed by the COR or CI. The contractor must suspend application if rainfall is imminent (depending on herbicide used, this can be from 2 – 6 hours) or if unanticipated rain starts. The COR or CI will suspend herbicide application prior to and during periods of rainfall. |
| H.14 |
| Warning Signs: Government furnished Warning signs (14” x 16”) shall be posted by contractor at each stand no earlier than 24 hours before the scheduled application of pesticides and to remain posted throughout the application and any REI (restricted-entry interval). Warning signs shall be posted so they are visible from all reasonably expected points of worker entry to the treated area. This includes at least each access road, each border with any worker housing area within 100 feet of the treated area, and each footpath and other walking routes that enter the treated area. Where there are no reasonably expected points of worker entry, signs must be posted in the corners of the treated area or in any other location that gives maximum visibility. The contractor shall promptly inform the Government of location of each posted sign and shall give Government location of each Warning sign via one base map at completion of all stands in base map’s area. The Government will take the warning signs down after 30 days of each stand’s application date and REI. A pictorial of warning sign is in Exhibition 9. |
| H.15 |
| Application Exclusion Zone (AEZ): The AEZ must be a minimum of 25 feet. The handler making a pesticide application must temporarily suspend the application if any worker or other person (other than an appropriately trained and equipped handler or contract personnel involved with the application) is in the AEZ or treated area. Contractor shall immediately notify the COR or CI and determination will be made by COR to resume application. Once the application is over, the AEZ does not exist. |
I. Schedule of Stands to Treat
| I.1 |
| Contractor shall be able to complete SOW B.4 Site Preparation Stands first before others can be completed. |
| I.2 |
| For each task order, the contractor will work with the COR to mutually develop and provide a schedule of entry plus alternatives for the stands that will be treated based on Government’s pine / hardwood regeneration goals and undesirable vegetation development. |
| I.3 |
| The contractor shall work with the COR on a plan of operations within 5 days of the start work date on the task order or work order completing the intended treatment schedule. |
| I.3 |
| The contractor shall keep the Contracting Officer and COR advised as to where the contractor can be reached prior to and duration of work. The contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer and COR of any work force changes. Further, the contractor shall maintain daily contact with the Contracting Officer and COR during periods of work suspension to reduce any delay in resuming spraying and to determine the best suitable time and conditions to resume spraying. |
| I.3 |
| Contractor may not have more than two incomplete, unaccepted sites being worked at the same time unless approved by the COR. |
| I.4 |
| Work outside normal working days and hours (Monday through Friday 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM) must be coordinated with the COR at least 48 hours in advance. Work will not take place unless the COR is notified. The CORs and the CIs do not have to be at the work site at all times. The COR must be aware that work will be in progress on any date that work occurs. If work does not occur on a scheduled work day, the COR must be notified at the earliest opportunity. |
| I.5 |
| There are activities that occur on Savannah River Site and Government can restrict access to some areas. Contractor shall work with COR on an operational basis and develop alternate schedules if any of the activities occur in treatment areas, including transportation routes. Examples: |
•Crackerneck Wildlife Management Area (WMA): Open to the public certain days of the year; usually available for contractor to work from Sundays through Thursdays when WMA is not open to the public.
•Advanced Tactical Training Area (ATTA), GTI Gun Range, and Gun Site 51 Area: Can be restricted for short periods of time due to security and weapons training. Exception is Zones 1, 2, and 3 in ATTA and COR will work with ATTA’s Range Master to develop timelines for access to stands and contractor must utilize those timelines.
•Road Work: Any construction work zones by site personnel.
| I.6 |
| LOWCAM (Low Cameras) are installed at the Jackson Barricade (1) and New Ellenton Barricade (2) only. Inspection by site security is required for medium / large size vehicles which include enclosed trucks, dump trucks, tanker trucks, utility vans, and enclosed or tractor trailers. Medium / large size vehicles can exit the site at any available barricade but will only be allowed access back on site through Barricades (1) and (2). Access guidelines will be provided by the COR and CI if such is required and adhered to by contractor. |
J. Disposal of Contractor Generated Debris and Pesticide Containers
| J.1 |
| All trash, rubbish, and debris generated by the contractor’s operation shall be removed from each stand and disposed of properly at a Forest Service complex dumpster or at an off site location, in order for work to be accepted. |
| J.2 |
| Empty chemical containers will be triple rinsed at each stand’s mixing area and the rinsate will be used in the spray mixture or applied to the target area. Empty containers will then be punctured or cut on three sides and deposited in the appropriate Forest Service dumpsters for disposal. No empty containers will be left at the work sites. No empty chemical containers (Ones that are Government funded or provided) shall leave SRS. |
K. Soil Protection
| K.1 |
| The Contractor shall use every precaution necessary to prevent the contamination of soil by spills of herbicides, petroleum products (oils and fuels), ethylene glycol (coolant) and other chemicals or harmful materials. |
| K.2 |
| The contractor shall be responsible for reporting all spills of the aforementioned materials immediately Forest Service Coordination Center (USFS-CC) and COR or CI. The contractor shall be required to follow the “USDA Forest Service – Savannah River Spill Prevention, Control And Containment Procedure” dated December 2015 or any updated ones provided by the Government. |
| K.3 |
| The contractor shall also be responsible for the excavation and disposal of all soils contaminated by the contractor’s operations. The contractor shall take contaminated soils to a certified state operated landfill capable of accepting the type contaminated soil. A receipt of acceptance for the contaminated soil must be presented to the Contracting Officer, COR, and Environmental Coordinator. |
| K.4 |
| All equipment will be operated in a manner causing the least possible disturbance to the soil. The contractor shall use every precaution necessary to prevent unnecessary disturbance of soil due to excessive turning of equipment or getting equipment stuck. |
L. Protection of Bodies of Water and Improvements
| L.1 |
| Contractor shall use every precaution necessary to prevent pollution of streams, lakes, and reservoirs by fuels, oils, other chemicals, silt, or other harmful materials. All bodies of water will be kept free of contractor-generated debris. |
| L.2 |
| The contractor shall take every precaution necessary to prevent damage to any improvements such as roads, trails, ditches, fences, monitoring wells, etc. |
| L.3 |
| The contractor shall be required to promptly repair, or bear repair costs of any damaged improvements caused by the contractor’s operations. |
| L.4 |
| Roads and trails shall be kept free of logs, slash, and debris that were pushed out and generated by contractor. |
| L.5 |
| Access guidelines will be provided by the COR and CI if such is required and adhered to by contractor. |
M. Use of Government Motor Vehicles
| M.1 |
| Contractor Personnel may be a passenger in Government (USFS) vehicle while working on Site to facilitate government administration of work. An example would be contractor personnel may be a passenger in Government (USFS) vehicle to look at a stand or to establish a travel route between stands. |
N.…
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Department of Agriculture Forest Service