Attach 1 CZ FY23 Site Prep PWS.pdf

US Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Performance Work Statement

Contents Project Title

General Information

1.0 Scope of Work

1.1 Background

1.2 Location and Description

2.0 Definitions

3.0 Government Furnished

Contractor Requirements ........................................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.

4.0 Contractor Obligations

4.1 Equipment Specifications

4.2 Performance of Work

4.2.1 Piling

4.2.2 Scarification

4.2.3 MECHANICAL FELLING WITH SLASH TREATMENT

4.3 Control of Work

4.4 Prevention and Control of Soil Damage and Erosion

4.5 Prevention of Damage to Residual Trees

5.0 Camping and Worksite Conditions

6.0 Deliverables…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….8

7.0 Performance Monitoring

7.1 Surveillance Methods

7.2 Method of Measurement

7.3 Work Acceptance Standard

Attachments

Project Title CZ FY23 Site Preparation

1.0 Scope of Work

This solicitation is to provide services for: (1) piling slash by means of a dozer type machine with a brush blade or machine of similar capabilities, (2) scarifying soils, (3) mechanically knocking down brush and/or slash, (4) mechanically cutting small, diseased, or poorly formed pine, and treating slash. All services will be accomplished by use of contractor furnished and contractor operated equipment. All work will be performed on the Brush Creek/Hayden Ranger District and Laramie Ranger District, Medicine Bow/Routt National Forests will begin on June 15th, 2023, dependent on ground conditions, and will end on October 31st, 2023.

1.1 Background

Site prep is a necessary silvicultural step in regenerating a stand after harvest. It may be as light as exposing mineral soil and breaking up sod, or as heavy as piling large amounts of slash. With the bark beetle epidemic and a large salvage program, it has become necessary to contract this work out.

1.2 Location and Description

(a) Project Location: Attached vicinity and project area maps show general locations. Work areas are located within the Medicine Bow/Routt National Forests, Brush Creek/Hayden Ranger District and Laramie Ranger District.

Brush Creek Hayden Ranger District Laramie Ranger District

Unit No. Acres Unit No. Acres

GR 1 36.3 DH 14 33.5

GR 2 6.4 DH 18 25.5

GR 3 6.3 DH 19 36.5

GR 4 24.3 OH 27 44.4

GR 5 9.5

GR 6 25.7

GR 7 5.5

GR 8 17.5

(b) Accessibility: The project areas may be reached by the Forest roads suitable for hauling of heavy equipment during the normal operating season. The Forest Service assumes no obligation to plow snow or to perform special maintenance to keep roads open. It is the Contractor's obligation to verify and get approval from Forest Service on travel routes. NFSR 830 Deep Jack Road is closed 5/15-6/15 and the contractor will not be able to access unit GR 8 until after June 16th.

(c) Boundaries:

(1) Site preparation boundaries are virtual boundaries but in portions of the unit may be the same as the harvest unit boundary. Shapefiles and georeferenced maps will be provided.

(2) Harvest unit boundaries, other than for easily identified ground features shown on the contract map, have been plainly marked by the Forest Service as follows:

(i) Orange or Pink vertical stripes of paint on 2 sides of unit boundary tree and a directional dot facing inside the unit. Two outside stripes extend from ground level to a height of 6 feet and faces the next boundary tree in each direction.

2.0 Definitions

Slash: All vegetative material including pushed out stumps, chunks, broken tops, limbs, destroyed reproduction, and saplings or poles resulting from any type of harvesting, thinning, or clearing activity.

Wildlife Trees: Trees marked with a single band of orange paint and/or orange “W”. These trees have been left by the logging operation to provide habitat for wildlife.

Snag: A dead, standing tree composed of either hard or soft wood that has a minimum DBH of 10 inches and a minimum height of 15 feet.

Wildlife Down Log: A log at least10 inches in diameter on the big end and 20 feet long. In some instances, these will be recently blown down trees that were originally marked as wildlife or reserve trees.

Dripline: A circle that extends from the bole of the tree and has a radius that is 15 feet larger than the crown radius of the tree.

Pile: Piling shall mean to "push and pile" rather than to "lift and place". Material shall be pushed in such a fashion to compact material and minimize dirt and rocks in the piles.

Log Decomposition Classes:

(1) Class 1 Log: Characteristics consist of bark that is intact with twigs present. The texture is intact to partly soft and the shape is round. The color of the wood is original and the portion of the log on the ground is elevated on a support point.

(2) Class 2 Log: Characteristics consist of a bark that is intact with the absence of twigs. The texture is intact to partly soft and the shape is round. The color is original and the portion on the ground is elevated on a support point but is sagging slightly.

(3) Class 3 Log: Characteristics consists of a trace of bark and an absence of twigs. The majority of the log is sound with some decomposition occurring and the shape is round. The original color may be faded, and the log is sagging near the ground.

(4) Class 4 Log: Characteristics consists of an absence of bark and twigs with the log being made up of small, soft, and blocky pieces. The log shall be round to oval in shape and the color light brown to faded brown or yellowish. All of the logs shall be on the ground.

(5) Class 5 Log: Characteristics consist of an absence of bark and twigs and a soft and powdery texture. The log shall be oval in shape and faded to light yellow or grey in color. All of the logs shall be on the ground.

Scarification: To expose, break up, and loosen the surface of the soil. Also includes disturbing sod forming grasses and could include mulching, chopping, chewing or breaking up slash up to 9 inches in diameter until it is within 24 inches of the ground surface.

Cut Trees: Trees required to be cut are:

(1) Diseased or poorly formed lodgepole pine trees

(2) Trees damaged beyond recovery or weather damaged trees. For example: roots are dislodged from ground (stump sprung), the tree is leaning more than 10 degrees from vertical as a result of logging or wind damage, the tree is girdled so that the bark is removed and wood is exposed on one-third or more of the circumference of the bole, the tree is otherwise unstable and is considered a hazard.

Deficient Tree: A tree that has been cut or knocked down which should have been retained.

DBH: Diameter of the stem of a tree at breast height, measured 4½ feet from the ground on the uphill side of the tree.

Excess Tree: Includes any of the following:

(1) A tree which is not completely severed from its stump.

(2) A tree which has been cut in such a manner that the remaining stump is more than 8 inches above the ground level.

(3) Trees not cut below the lowest live limb, except where live limbs are within 2 inches of the ground or rock.

Reserve Tree: Those trees other than wildlife trees determined to be left uncut within unit boundaries. Reserve tree shall include the following:

(1) Trees marked with orange or pink paint.

Mechanical Felling: Shall mean to mechanically sever trees as required by the specifications stated. This may be accomplished using a saw or heavy equipment which tips the tree over and may have the roots attached. Typically, this will be done concurrently with Mechanical Slash Treatment.

Mechanical Slash Treatment: Shall mean to mechanically chip, chop, chew or grind the cut brush and existing slash to the required specifications.

Brush Blade: A Dozer blade especially designed or redesigned for use in scarifying soil and clearing and piling slash and debris. It shall have affixed teeth extending a minimum of 12 inches below the moldboard. The teeth shall be no less than 20 inches or greater than 36 inches apart on the centers.

3.0 Government Furnished

Property and services that will be provided by the Government are as follows:

Item Description Where, When, How

5.2 Project Maps Maps of site prep units with access roads

identified.

Provided in attachments /also by E-mail after pre-work meeting.

5.3 Shapefiles Unit shapefiles in the format of contractor

preference

By Email after pre-work meeting

5.4 Keys Yale or master lock keys Pre-work meeting

4.0 Contractor Obligations

(a) Contractor shall furnish all equipment, labor, supervision, transportation, materials, tools, supplies, and incidentals necessary to perform the described work according to the specifications.

(b) Contractor shall furnish and place a warning sign on each end of individual units that are adjacent to main travel routes. Minimum size for the sign(s) shall be 2 feet by 2 feet.

(c) The Contractor shall be responsible for any damage to existing structural improvements such as water developments, fences, property line monument(s), bearing trees, roadblocks, road surfaces and/or drainage structures as a result of contract activities. The Contractor, at their expense, shall restore damaged property back to its original condition.

(d) Purchaser is responsible for obtaining a GPS receiver(s) that is capable of determining the location of the true Geo- Fence within the contract tolerance. Allowable contract tolerance is 30 feet.

4.1 Equipment Specifications

All equipment utilized during contractors’ operations shall be of durable design and construction to withstand the stresses of natural obstructions within forest lands such as rocks, stumps, roots, slash, dust and the general unevenness of uncultivated land. All equipment shall be free of non-native organic material, leaks and will be inspected by the COR before to performance on site.

(a) Scarification machine must be a track or wheel mounted mechanism and shall be equipped with a flail attachment or Brush Blade capable of scarifying soil and breaking up slash up to 6” Diameter on the big end.

(b) Piling machine must be a track mounted mechanism and shall be equipped with a Brush Blade.

(c) Mechanical felling will either be done with chainsaws, or the equipment described above.

4.2 Performance of Work

The purpose of this contract is to scarify soils, pile excess slash, trample existing slash, cut undesirable pine trees as part of a fuel reduction and vegetation management program. Contractor shall furnish a machine as specified and an operator with sufficient skill and experience to perform the work as specified.

4.2.1 Piling

(a) It is expected that 70-80% of the GR unit’s ground slash is to be piled.

(b) It is expected that 50-70-% of the DH and OH unit’s ground slash is to be piled.

(b) In all units where such material is available, contractor shall leave a total of three un-utilized logs in Log Classes 1, 2 & 3 per acre with a diameter no smaller than 10” at the big end and at least 15 feet in length. Additional logs can be left as long as scarification guidelines are being met. Contractor shall make reasonable effort to avoid disturbance to Class 4 & 5 logs with a diameter of at least 12 inches on the big end with a length of 20 feet that are near desirable residual trees.

(c) Location Of Piles

1. Piles shall be located so that burning will not cause damage to standing trees. Unless otherwise approved, this will mean at least 10 feet from the crown or drip line of any tree or equidistant between standing live trees, whichever is greater.

2. Piles shall not be located in the bottom of draws which carry water during periods of surface runoff. The Forest Service will determine the location of these draws.

3. Whenever possible, piles created by the contractor shall be placed on an existing skid trail, log landing, temporary road, previously burned pile or other previously disturbed site.

(d) Construction And Size of Piles

1. All material piled shall be compacted and reasonably free of dirt and rock. Height of the piles shall be no less than 10 feet. Diameter of piles shall be no less than 10 feet. Piles should not exceed 30 feet in diameter with a height of 20 feet. These measurements will not include incidental logs and branches that may extend out from the pile.

2. All material piled shall be compacted and reasonably free of dirt and rock. Piles that are loose shall be reworked by the Contractor so as to ensure the piles can be burned (ignited and consumed) during wet weather conditions or periods of snow cover.

4.2.2 Scarification

After work is completed, ground shall be scarified/disturbed, mineral soil will be exposed and sod forming grasses will be broken up on 60-85% of the unit area. Some of the GR units have dense patches of aspen and fir regeneration that will need to be torn up with 60-85% of the trees removed. After treatment the remaining 20-30 % of slash in the GR units shall be chopped, trampled, chewed, or mulched and will be within 24 inches of the ground and not more than 50% or less than 30% of the treated ground surface will be covered in woody debris. Some slash and roots may exceed 24 inches above the ground but should not exceed 10% of the total slash left on site. In areas that exceed this guideline excess slash will be piled (pile guidelines above). Slash within the unit boundaries shall be treated until it is within 24 inches of the ground surface.

4.2.3 MECHANICAL FELLING WITH SLASH TREATMENT

(a) Designated cut trees and/or excess trees shall be felled and chopped, chewed, or ground up to where all felled material shall be within 24 inches of the ground surface or use heavy equipment which tips the tree over and may have the roots attached.

(b) Trees shall be cut, chopped off to a maximum stump height of 6 inches off the ground surface on the uphill side or heavy equipment which tips the tree over and may have the roots attached.

(c) Existing slash and cut brush shall be chopped, chewed, or ground up to where it is within 24 inches of the ground surface.

4.3 Control of Work

(a) In the event that any cultural resources or archaeological sites are discovered during operations of this contract, work will be suspended in the immediate vicinity of the site(s) until a reconnaissance survey is completed by the Forest Archaeologist.

(1) Contractor shall protect all known and identified historic or prehistoric sites against destruction, obliteration, removal, or damage during contract operations. Contractor shall bear costs of restoration, provided such payment shall not relieve Contractor from civil or criminal remedies otherwise provided by law.

(2) Wheeled or track-laying equipment shall not be operated within such areas and trees will not be felled into such areas.

(b) Wildlife Restraints: No work will be permitted within a ¼-mile radius of an active nest, between April 1 to August 31, for goshawks.

(1) If other raptorial or unique birds are found nesting in the Contract area, specific restrictions will be followed.

(2) If areas are found within the contract areas that contains any threatened and endangered species, proposed threatened and endangered species or sensitive plants, specific restrictions will be followed.

(c) Road closures will apply to all contract areas.

4.4 Prevention and Control of Soil Damage and Erosion

(a) During performance of contract work, the Contractor shall take precautions to minimize damage to the soil and vegetation including, but not limited to:

(1) Equipment shall not be permitted to cross meadows, stream channels, or other non-work areas designated by the Contracting Officer's Representative except at designated places.

(2) Water bars in skid trails, fire lines, spur roads, and other places, disturbed by the Contractor, shall be repaired as directed by the Contracting Officer's Representative.

(3) Excessive rutting will be kept to a minimum and ruts will not exceed 12 inches deep for a length of 30 feet.

Some portions of unit may be avoided such as excessively steep sections where operation of equipment would be unsafe or inefficient and areas with deeper, more fragile soils as identified by Forest Service.

(b) To avoid such damage, the Forest Service may suspend operations in whole or in part for such periods as are necessary.

(c) Damage attributable to the Contractor's operation shall be repaired immediately by the Contractor to prevent accelerated erosion or soil damage.

4.5 Prevention of Damage to Residual Trees

(a) Contractor shall be required to exercise care during operations to protect leave trees.

(b) A damaged leave tree will be considered damaged by the contractor if:

(1) Pushed over or uprooted by the equipment or slash material being treated, causing the tree to lean more than ten degrees from vertical.

(2) Contractors’ equipment or treatment of slash causes trees to be girdled so that the bark is removed, and wood is exposed on one-third or more of the circumference of the bole.

(3) Leave trees that have broken tops due to Contractor's operations

(4) A tree with lateral root damage either cut or exposed.

(c) Live trees meeting the above damage criteria may be cut and treated the same as all other material upon COR's approval. The exception being reserve trees, wildlife trees, and trees banded with orange or pink paint. These trees shall not be cut if damaged.

5.0 Camping and Worksite Conditions

The Contractor shall prepare a Camping and/or Worksite Plan and operate in a manner that will protect the environmental resources. In work camps, portable toilet facilities must be provided and maintained by the Contractor.

Pit toilets or free range around camp is not acceptable. Portable toilets-on-trailers are available for rent from local sewer and septic businesses in the communities. Due to black bear activity, food and refuse will be secured in a protected location. The worksite Plan will also identify locations for loading/unloading and servicing of heavy equipment throughout the project life. Both the camping and worksite locations must be approved by the government prior to work commencing.

6.0 Deliverables

Quality Control Plan

(a) This contract will incorporate a visual inspection system, implemented by the Government. While this system will be key as the means for determining work quality (whether work has been completed in accordance with the specifications of the contract), Offerors shall address additional elements of quality control as follows:

(b) Proposals must include a comprehensive response to the following question:

(1) What measures will the Contractor or representative take to correct problems with work quality that are discovered?

(2) How does the contractor propose to ensure the quality of work meets the requirements?

(c) Offerors shall submit a schedule showing how they would maintain minimum daily production rates, considering normal weather condition shutdowns including rain, snow, hot and dry conditions, and high winds. Offerors may enhance their proposal by indicating their ability to maintain a progress rate greater than the minimum daily production rates listed in the Deliveries or Performance section.

(d) Proposals must include comprehensive responses to the following questions:

(1) Accomplishment of work in this contract will be contingent on seasonal ground conditions which provide unit access, as well as local Industrial Fire Precaution Levels which will permit work operations. What measures will the owner take to keep abreast of and maximize use of opportunities to complete the work?

(2) How will the owner coordinate successful and timely completion of this contract when faced with other potentially conflicting contractual commitments?

(e) Offeror shall provide a detailed safety plan including mitigations for inherent hazards encountered in equipment operation, including site-specific hazards such as high winds and snags.

(f) List all personnel that have had first aid training and those that are qualified as first responders or emergency medical technicians (EMT's).

(g) Offerors shall include a brief description of company resources, including but not limited to, equipment operators available for this project, equipment available for this project, vehicles, tools, supplies, etc. Also note any other contractual obligations that could conflict with completing this project in a timely manner.

7.0 Performance Monitoring

(a) The COR, or government technical monitor, will make periodic inspections while work is in progress, usually daily at first, to assure work is proceeding satisfactorily. The Contractor shall notify the COR when units are completed and ready for inspection prior to his moving out of the general area. An inspection will be made within three (3) calendar days and the Contractor notified of any parts of the unit(s) requiring additional work or rework.

(b) Each unit will be inspected as a separate unit. Units will not be averaged with other units for acceptance or payment.

(c) The COR, or designated inspector, will determine compliance of contract specifications through informal, 100 percent visual inspections. In the event visual inspection indicates work to be in non-compliance with specifications, prompt corrective action and/or rework shall be required.

7.1 Surveillance Methods

The surveillance methods used in the QA process are the Government’s tools to monitor the Contractor’s products and services. The best means of determining whether the Contractor has met all contract requirements is to inspect the Contractor’s service products and analyze the results. Further, documented inspection results are an effective tool in contract administration that can confirm the successful achievement of all performance requirements or highlight areas where defects exist, and improvements are necessary.

PWS

Para #

Required

Services

Performance Standards Acceptable Quality

Level

(AQL)

Monitoring

Method

4.2.1(a) Slash piling 70-80% of ground slash to be piled

20-30% ground slash remaining

COR visual inspection

4.2.1(b) Slash piling 50-70% of ground slash to be piled

30-50% ground slash remaining

COR visual inspection

4.2.1(d) Slash Piling Height of the piles shall be no less than 10 feet. Diameter of piles shall be no less than 10 feet. Piles should not exceed 30 feet in diameter with a height of

20 feet.

100% of piles are well compacted, clean of soil and formed to readily ignite and burn completely

COR visual inspection

4.2.2 Scarification Ground shall be

scarified/disturbed, mineral soil will be exposed and sod forming grasses will be broken up

60-85% of the unit. COR visual inspection

4.2.3(a) Mechanical felling

Designated cut trees and/or excess trees shall be felled and chopped, chewed, or ground up to where all felled material shall be within 24 inches of the ground surface or use heavy equipment which tips the tree over and may have the roots attached.

100% of cut trees COR visual inspection

4.2.3(b) Mechanical felling

Trees shall be cut, chopped off to with a maximum stump of 6 inches off the ground surface on

100% of cut trees COR visual imspection

PWS

Para #

Required

Services

Performance Standards Acceptable Quality

Level

(AQL)

Monitoring

Method the uphill side or heavy equipment which tips the tree over and may have the roots attached.

7.2 Method of Measurement

(a) Acreage was measured on a horizontal plane.

(b) Re-measurement.

(1) The Contractor may, in writing, at any time after award, request re-measurement of any units under this contract if he/she feels that acreage stated on the project maps is incorrect. The re-measurement must be within the existing perimeter of the respective unit. No variance of the unit perimeters as laid out on the ground for this contract will be allowed. All requests for re-measurement must be made prior to payment for each completed unit; and such re-measurement requests must be made within 5 business days after completion of each unit. Re-measurement will be performed by the Government.

(2) If re-measurement indicates that a variance of ten percent or less exists on units of 1 to 5 acres, five percent or less exists on units of more than five but less than 20 acres, or if three percent or less exists on units of 20 acres or larger, the Contractor shall pay for the actual costs of the re-measurement. Under this condition, payment will be made on the acreage stated on the project maps. If the re-measurement indicates the actual acreage varies is by more than the above factors from that stated on the project maps, the payment will be made on the re-measured acreage and the percentage of satisfactory work, and the Forest Service will pay for the cost of the re-measurement. Re-measured acres will be rounded to the nearest whole acre for payment purposes.

7.3 Work Acceptance Standard

(a) If either visual or formal inspections by the Government indicate work quality to be at least 90 percent or greater (before or after rework), the unit pay rate will be 100 percent.

(1) The work listed in the Schedule of Items will be paid for at the acre rate for accepted acres.

(2) Payment will be made only on completed and accepted unit(s).

(3) The pay rate will be calculated by multiplying the unit price per acre by the number of completed and accepted acres.

(b) If formal inspection by the Government determines work quality to be between 75 and 89 percent, the Contractor shall be paid the determined work quality percent of the bid rate.

(c) For work quality determined to be 74 percent and less, no payment shall be made to the Contractor.

Attachments:

LIST OF ATTACHMENTS

Attachment

Number

Attachment Title Number of

Pages

01 DH_Site_prep Map 1

02 GR_site_prep Map 1