Attachment 1_Description_Specs_Statement of Work.pdf

DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/STATEMENT OF WORK

Scope of Contract This solicitation and any resulting contract(s) are for the purpose of obtaining helicopter-based aerial services described herein (note that services using fixed wing aircraft or unmanned aerial vehicles are not being solicited for this contract). All services procured shall be accomplished in a safe, effective, environmentally aware manner and in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

The intent of this solicitation and any resulting contract(s) is to support natural resource management activities and restoration initiatives, including, but not limited to fuels reduction, watershed protection and restoration, wildlife habitat improvement, native and desirable plant community protection and improvement.

Services under the resulting contracts would be obtained for the following types of work:

(a) application of herbicides or biological control agents to invasive plant infestations, (b ) provide rehabilitation/restoration services by seeding or applying soil amendments (e.g. soil micro-organisms or fertilizer), mulch, etc.

(c) aerial surveys or monitoring of forested or rangeland plant communities to assess conditions, and

(d) provide aerial services to fly in and fly out materials, supplies, and equipment for ground-based projects when there are no other easily accessible means of transport for these items. Services for specific projects would be obtained under individual Task Orders applied against this contract(s).

The primary area of coverage will be:

• Salmon-Challis National Forest in central Idaho, including Butte, Custer and Lemhi Counties outside of wilderness areas.

• Salmon Field Office BLM in central Idaho in Lemhi County

• Challis Field Office BLM, in central Idaho including Custer and Lemhi Counties

• Boise National Forest, in west central Idaho, including Ada, Boise, Elmore, Gem, Valley, and

Washington Counties

• Sawtooth National in central Idaho, including Blaine, Boise, Camas, Cassia, Custer, Elmore, Oneida, Power and Twin Falls Counties in Idaho and Box Elder County in Utah For the USDA Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Department of Interior U.S. Fish Wildlife Services, and USDA National Resource Conservation Service.

Unless specified in individual Task Orders as furnished by the Government, the Contractor shall provide all labor, supervision, equipment, operating materials and supplies, transportation services, permits, and licenses necessary to safely survey/monitor, apply herbicides, soil amendments, seed or biological control agents using appropriate helicopter-mounted equipment, in accordance with the contract specifications and applicable federal and State of Idaho regulations, and perform staging area clean up and rehabilitation. This includes fuel, fuel truck, support vehicles and personnel, and any other services or supplies necessary to support aerial operations.

• Survey/Monitoring Services The Contractor shall (a) survey for and map infestations of noxious and invasive plant species (e.g. leafy spurge) and other invasive plant species, or (b) survey and monitor site conditions as specified by the individual Task Orders at identified sites within project area(s), per specifications and requirements.

Attachment #1-1240LT22R0042

• Invasive Plant Treatment Services As an aerial operation, the Contractor shall apply herbicides or biological control agents as specified within the treatment areas defined by the individual Task Orders, in accordance with specifications and requirements. (Note that for the purposes of this contract that the Government will always provide the biological control agents as a government-furnished item and would be contracting to secure flight services to distribute the agents.)

• Rehabilitation/Restoration Services As an aerial operation, the Contractor shall apply seed, mulch, or soil amendments, for rehabilitation/restoration purposes, as specified within the treatment areas defined by the individual Task Orders, in accordance with specifications and requirements. (Note that the Government will supply seed, mulch, and soil amendments as government-furnished property, unless otherwise specified in the Task Order as Contractor-furnished property or agreed otherwise between the Contractor and the Government. This would be a very rare occurrence.)

• Aerial Support Services As support services to ground-based operations, the Contractor shall deliver materials, supplies, and equipment to project areas inaccessible by ground transportation. These could include herbicide, water, spraying equipment, fencing materials and tools, stock troughs, etc. (Note that the Government will supply these items as government-furnished property.)

Specific information and requirements, beyond the general requirements included herein, shall be indicated in the individual Task Orders for each task.

Environmental Responsibilities and Resource Protection Objectives The Contractor shall be familiar with and comply with environmental protection design features and mitigation measures for each forest or field office on which they are working. These are requirements are covered under federal and state law and violations shall result in the Contractor being non-compliant with the performance specifications of this contract. This may result in contract termination for failure to perform.

Generally, these requirements are encapsulated as:

• The Contractor is responsible for ensuring that all maintenance, fueling, and flight activities do not cause environmental damage to natural resources or to federal infrastructure or facilities.

• The Contractor and all application personnel are required to review, understand, and follow the labels for herbicide, adjuvants, and soil amendments as well as product Safety Data Sheet (SDS) requirements, precautions, and prohibitions. Labels and associated SDS must be carried and be within easy access during all spraying operations.

• All spray tanks and other containers for liquids will have tight fitting and secure lids. Equipment will be inspected regularly for leaks.

• Materials shall be transported in a manner that will prevent spills and in containers that are isolated from food, clothing, and safety equipment.

• Spray equipment will be calibrated for each project and/or product and recalibrated as needed. Calibration of equipment shall be complete prior to start of work and before the Contractor mobilizes into the project area. Calibration calculations shall be provided to the Government on request. The spray pattern, application rates and calibration shall be reviewed before beginning a project and monitored during the project. Additional calibration checks may be required by the Government if there is question or indications of inaccurate application rates.

• Herbicide, soil amendment, seeding and mulching application near streams, ponds, or wetlands will occur only when winds are 5 mph or less and blowing away from these areas.

• Disposal of wastewater and herbicide containers shall be done off National Forest lands and in accordance with federal, state, and local regulations.

• A pumping system shall be used to fill water tanks that will prevent contamination of wells, springs, streams, lakes, and ponds. The system shall be so constructed that a back flow from the mixing or application tanks is not possible.

• The Contractor is responsible for cleaning of all vehicles to ensure they are free of soil, seeds, vegetative matter, or other debris that could contain or hold non-native noxious weed seed prior to entering Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, state, county, or private lands. The Contractor shall certify, in writing, compliance of terms prior to moving equipment onto job site and shall present all equipment to COR and Inspectors for inspection and approval.

• Aerial projects will be managed adaptively, i.e. lessons learned from each project will be used to improve safety, resource protection, reduce human health risks and improve efficacy on subsequent projects. These adaptations will be incorporated into subsequent Task Orders.

• All work shall be accomplished in compliance with contract terms, specifications, and provisions that are established in this contract or at the time a Task Order is placed.

Task Order Period of Performance The work may occur during any time of the year. Generally, most work will occur during the months of April- November, annually. The specific period of performance for each individual Task Orders will be specified in that Task Order.

The work period identified in individual Task Orders may be adjusted if weather, environmental conditions, plant phenology, or public relations, etc. require a change.

The Government may halt aerial operations at any time if weather or site conditions alter to the point the Government feels operations may not be effective or personnel safety is compromised.

The Contractor may be asked to time activities to avoid conflicts with forest users, in particular, project areas near developed recreation sites during periods of high public use, or to stop work if people are found to have somehow entered the project area.

Working on weekends and holidays may be acceptable with the exception of sites, such as campgrounds, that receive heavy recreational use on weekends and holidays. Weekend and holiday work and exceptions must be submitted to the COR two weeks in advanced of desired work dates and must be approved by the COR prior to work being performed.

Task Order Progression of Work The Contractor, as approved by the COR, will determine the order and progression of work within a project area. The Government reserves the right to determine the season of work and the prioritization of project areas if there are multiple project areas covered by one Task Order.

The Government reserves the right to alter the location of work areas should site conditions change in planned work areas (e.g. wildfires or mass erosion events due to high intensity storms) with prior written notification of the change by a properly executed modification from the Contracting Officer. Only areas of comparable size, terrain, relative distance to staging areas, etc. will be selected for substitutions.

Licensing Requirements Aircraft/Pilot Licensing – In order to be considered for IDIQ award, prospective contractors shall provide aircraft and pilots licensed to perform commercial aerial services. These certifications shall be made available to the CO and COR for each Task Order request.

Proposals without this documentation will be rejected and will not be considered for award.

Herbicide Licensing - In order to be considered for IDIQ award, pilots shall be licensed Professional Applicators with the State of Idaho and/or Utah at a minimum with the proper endorsements and have proper insurance as required by the state. For example, in Idaho these endorsements include agriculture herbicide (AH) and aerial applications (AA) certifications. These state certifications shall be made available to the CO and COR for each Task Order request.

Information on herbicide applicator licensing in Idaho and Utah can be found at:

• https://agri.idaho.gov/main/licenses/

• https://ag.utah.gov/farmers/plants-industry/pesticides/use-of-pesticides/

If Contractor holds licenses for states other than Idaho and Utah in Forest Service Regions 4 or 1, the Contractor must include their Professional Applicators licensing credentials and proof of insurance for these states as well.

Prospective contractors shall provide a copy of their pilots’ applicator's licenses, endorsements and proof of insurance with their proposals. Proposals without this documentation will be rejected and will not be considered for award.

Equipment Requirements/General Provisions The Contractor shall comply with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations and directives pertaining to safety, maintenance, and performance of all aircraft proposed for use under this contract/s. Additionally, aircraft shall be maintained in accordance with all manufacturer’s guidelines and bulletins.

In order to be considered for IDIQ award, prospective contractors shall provide evidence of federally required aircraft maintenance. These certifications shall be made available to the CO and COR for each Task Order request.

Proposals without this documentation will be rejected and will not be considered for award.

This acquisition requires the use of light, intermediate, to medium weight class helicopters. Note that these are often referred to as Type II and Type III helicopters in fire suppression parlance. Contractors must have these types of helicopters outfitted with external spraying equipment to be eligible for this contract.

Note that helicopter weight class may be specified in an individual task order depending on the project area, type of terrain, and the needs of the Government. If not specified, the Contractor shall select the helicopter they believe is best suited to the task when providing a quote.

Note that the Government is not responsible for the safety of the Contractor nor any operators or assistants. The Contractor shall use and maintain work procedures which will safeguard the general public, Government personnel, Government partners, and the Contractor’s own personnel.

General Condition of Equipment Contractor-furnished aircraft and equipment shall be operable, in good mechanical condition, free of damage, and in good repair. Aircraft systems and components shall be free of leaks except within limitations specified by the manufacturer.

Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure Requirements

• All aircraft, application equipment (e.g. sprayers), and ground-based chase or transport vehicles shall be maintained in a condition that minimizes the potential for spills of materials such as fuel, oil, herbicide, liquid or granular soil amendments, etc.

• The Contractor is responsible for providing spill containment kits for all petroleum products, herbicide, adjuvant and other products used to complete contract.

• The Contractor spill response plan must meet state and federal standards and requirements for the management of spills.

• All spray operations equipment and transport vehicles will have adequate spill containment and cleanup materials and equipment. Operators will be trained in responding to and dealing with spills.

• The Contractor shall be responsible for all cleanups of fuel and oil at airports, heliports, staging areas, parking areas, landing areas, etc., when caused by Contractor aircraft or personnel. If a spill occurs, the Contractor assumes all liability and responsibility for clean-up to meet all applicable federal and state standards.

• When cleaning paved areas, the Contractor shall utilize cleaning agents that are biodegradable and non-toxic. Contaminated soils shall be removed to appropriate containers and disposed of as hazardous waste.

• The Government may, at its option, assign an area to be utilized by the Contractor for storage of equipment used in support of Contract performance. Oil, solvents, parts, engines, etc. shall be stored and utilized in a manner consistent with acceptable safety, health and environmental concerns.

• The Contractor shall ensure that they are in compliance with 40 CFR Part 112: Oil Pollution Prevention;

Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure Plan Requirements (SPCC). An SPCC plan is required for each mobile fueler used on this contract regardless of bulk storage container (tank) size.

Deliverable Products Deliverable products include completion of field work, mandatory herbicide application records, and GPS/GIS products for surveys/monitoring, application of biological control agents or herbicides, and application of soil amendments, mulch, seed, etc. as defined by the general specifications described herein and specific requirements provided in each individual Task Order.

Specific Deliverables will be identified in individual task orders, examples of deliverables include but are not limited to: survey or monitoring documentation, delivery of equipment, materials and supplies, herbicide application records, etc. For very simple Task Orders such as aerial delivery of equipment and supplies, deliverables would consist of completion of the field work and documentation of completed delivery may be all that’s required. More complex projects such as herbicide application and other projects that require GPS mapping will require more deliverables.

Spatial and tabular deliverable products shall be provided as zip files or on external drives, including (a) GPS files as ESRI ArcMap shapefiles (or geodatabase) or KML with minimum required attributes per Task Order specifications and requirements, (b) digital or hard-copy treatment records for biological control agent or herbicide applications, (c) field notes, whether digital (in a printable format such as Adobe Acrobat PDF files) or hard-copy and (d) any color photographs of work areas, materials/supplies and equipment delivered and delivery condition, and/or infestations surveyed/inventoried/monitored or treated.

The Contractor must supply GPS tracking information with “sprayer on/sprayer off’ on a daily basis for all aerial herbicide application, seeding, mulching, fertilization, etc. projects.

Herbicide application records are required by federal and state law. BLM and US Forest Service policy requirements to implement these laws may have additional specifications. These will include reporting (a) average altitude above ground level for herbicide and for soil amendment applications and (b) model of helicopter used in the application.

Identified deliverables shall be provided to and approved by the COR prior to the Contractor submitting invoices for payment. The Contractor shall submit hard copy and electronic data to the COR as specified no later than two weeks after completion of field work. Delivery of these products is necessary for the COR to approve the submitted invoice. Failing to provide deliverable products in a timely manner shall constitute non-performance and may be grounds for contract termination for failure to perform.

General Project Areas Description Project areas will be located in west central, central, and east central Idaho. Most areas will be in hilly to mountainous terrain with elevations ranging from 3,000 ft. up to 11,000 ft. Topography and plant communities may vary from one project area to the next. Topography could range from open rolling hills to steep mountain sides to vertical canyonlands. Plant communities would range from grasslands to sagebrush-dominated plant communities to forested plant communities. The amount of overstory conifer canopy would vary between project areas but would generally be 30 percent or less. Patches of dense forest canopy within project areas would be excluded from treatment activities.

Work under this contract may include vegetation surveys, equipment/supply transport, and/or applications of biological control agents, herbicide, soil amendments, mulch and/or seed on contiguous or disparate land areas that are 10’s to 1000’s of acres in size depending on project needs.

Project areas will be identified in each Task Order. Sites to be scheduled for aerial activities may consist of linear features (such as roads) or a combination of narrow or wide, small or large polygons in open forests, rangelands, big game winter range, burned areas, etc.

Aerial applications will generally be conducted in areas that are not accessible by ground equipment or in areas where it is more efficient to use aerial applications due to amounts of material to apply and large sizes of treatment units.

However, general mixing and loading sites/staging areas will be accessible by road. These sites will be identified and discussed with the Contractor prior to commencement of work to coordinate logistics. The Contractor will receive authorization to drive support vehicles behind gated roads as needed.

Environmentally sensitive areas, such as lakes, ponds, streams, rare plant populations, developed recreation sites, etc. could occur within or adjacent to linear or polygon features. All environmentally sensitive areas occurring within project areas would be buffered and excluded from treatment activities involving herbicides and soil amendments.

Technical Specifications Staging Areas The Contractor and the Government will work together to identify staging area needs based on Task Order requirements. Decisions on the use of staging areas may involve the Contractor, local officials (such as the Forest Service District Ranger or BLM Field Office Manager), Government partners (such as Fish and Game), and the COR.

The Contractor shall outline their procedure for precautions and mitigation used to limit spread of material prior to project initiation. This includes daily clean-up plans, mitigation strategies, and equipment that will be used to meet above mentioned specifications.

• Special precautions will be in place prior to aerial operations to limit spread of materials from staging areas.

This may include, but is not limited to, fencing and daily clean-up of work site to reduce the spread of project materials.

• Disposal of spilled mulch/seed/soil amendments, packing materials, pallets and/or other waste material is the responsibility of the Contractor.

• The Contractor will be responsible for all restoration and rehabilitation of staging areas on federally administered land if the COR determines such is needed. Clean-up and restoration will require that the restoration of sites will allow recovery to original pre-use conditions.

• For staging areas located on lands other than federally administered lands, the Contractor will be responsible for all use arrangements, rental agreements, liability to property, and transporting of equipment and supplies necessary to execute this contract, including the storage of herbicides/adjuvants, mulch material, soil amendments, and seed as necessitated by weather conditions. Individual task orders may require the Contractor to submit a written agreement between the Contractor and a landowner if a Contractor’s desired staging area is on private land.

• If staging areas are located on land other than federally administered lands, the Contractor shall take measures to ensure the staging areas are free of noxious weeds or other invasive plants to ensure the products being applied are not contaminated by invasive plant seeds or reproductive propagules. The Contractor must comply with restoration and rehabilitation requirements of staging areas on all lands. The requirements for staging area restoration and rehabilitation may be different for lands other than federally administered lands.

Survey/Monitoring

1) For the IDIQ contract, the Contractor shall supply all labor, equipment, supervision, transportation, operating supplies, incidentals, clean-up, and staging area rehabilitation to complete all facets of each Task Order.

2) Project area, target species and survey/monitoring specifications will be provided in individual Task Orders.

Tasks will take place during seasons when target species or conditions are most visible on the landscape.

3) The season and timing of survey will be determined by the COR for each project as specified in each Task Order.

Biological Control Agent Applications

1) For the IDIQ contract, Contractors shall supply all labor, equipment, supervision, transportation, operating supplies, incidentals, application of biological control agents, clean-up, and staging area rehabilitation to complete all facets of each Task Order. Biological control agents shall be provided by the Government for each individual Task Order.

2) Biological control agents shall be applied by aerial application in designated areas to assist with the control of target invasive plant species.

3) Biological control agents may consist of disease pathogens (e.g. bacteria, rust or fungal agents) or insects.

Disease pathogens may be formulated as liquids, granules, or attached to plant materials. Insect agents may be packaged in a variety of ways (e.g. cardboard containers, tubes, vials, wood shavings, etc.).

4) The season, timing, density or rate of application will be determined by the COR for each project as specified in each Task Order, based on the life cycle and requirements of the agent. Further details shall be determined mutually between the Contractor and COR.

Herbicide Applications

1) Per federal and state law and federal land management agency requirements, for the IDIQ contract the

Contractor shall supply all labor, equipment, permits and licensing, supervision, transportation, operating supplies, incidentals, application of herbicide, clean-up, and staging area rehabilitation to complete all facets of each Task Order. Herbicides and adjuvants may be provided by the Government depending on the individual Task Order.

2) The application shall be documented on hard copy herbicide application records using a form approved by the COR unless other arrangements are made between the COR and Contractor. Completion of all mandated fields is required, and specifics will be covered in individual Task Orders.

3) All application of herbicides will be performed by, or supervised by, a state licensed applicator following all current legal application procedures administered by the state in which the application takes place.

4) For complex Task Orders, the Contractor may be required to transport and/or track the delivery of Government purchased herbicides and adjuvants (reference Bullet B under “Documentation”).

5) All herbicides will be handled following the EPA label guidelines and other state and federal laws for storage, application, and disposal methods.

6) No ether-based herbicides or surfactants are allowed.

7) Water shall be the ONLY herbicide carrier.

8) The Contractor shall mix only the amount of herbicide that will be used for the operating period. The Contractor shall take special care to avoid mixing more than the amount to be used in the event the weather changes into no spray conditions. The Government does not guarantee that other areas will be available to treat in the event a weather change occurs and mixed herbicide is left over.

9) Mixing and loading operations shall occur no closer than 300 feet from open water or other sensitive sites unless spill containment devices are readily available, and the Government has pre-approved the practice and location.

10) The Contractor shall review GIS files delineating stream and wetland area buffers to ensure herbicides will not be applied to open water. A 300-foot buffer from perennial streams and other open water is generally required for federal lands with ESA-listed fish species on the Boise, Sawtooth and Salmon-Challis National Forest and the Challis and Salmon BLM Field Offices. Specific concerns associated with ESA-listed fish will be addressed in individual Task Orders.

11) Depending on location and circumstance, other areas may also be buffered, such as private land, ditches/canals, certain occupied wildlife habitats, rare plant populations, meadows, developed campgrounds, etc. These shall be provided as GIS files to the Contractor and the Contractor shall review these buffered areas to ensure herbicides are not applied to herbicide exclusion sites. Specific details will be provided in the individual Task Orders.

12) The Contractor shall obtain weather forecasts and follow forecasts for changing weather conditions. The Pilot shall not initiate spraying when heavy rains or winds are forecast that could cause offsite herbicide transport into sensitive resources such as streams.

13) Aerial application shall not occur when sustained wind speeds exceed 5 miles per hour in the unit(s) being treated. The Pilot shall communicate wind conditions near and on ridgelines within treatment units to the COR and other Government officials. Wind speeds taken at a staging area, which may be miles from a treatment unit, are not acceptable for recording wind speed in a treatment unit.

14) The Contractor shall work cooperatively with the Government to practice adaptive management and respond to changing conditions. The Government may stop spraying operations if wind speed, temperature, relative humidity, weather inversions, or environmental factors alter to a point the Government feels the treatments will not be effective, or federal or state law may be violated, or Government best management practices violated.

15) Herbicides will not be applied if snow or ice covers the target vegetation or if the ground is frozen. The Pilot shall apply herbicides at as low an altitude as possible subject to terrain and pilot/equipment safety considerations. Herbicide shall be applied in a water/herbicide mixture at no less than 2 gallons per acre.

However, some herbicides may perform best when applied at higher rates and the COR and Contractor may mutually agree in advance to another rate. Herbicide and adjuvant selection and use rates shall be determined mutually in consultation between the COR and Contractor, per individual Task Order.

16) Low boom pressure, as agreed upon by the Contractor and COR, will be used to reduce drift. The definition of “low pressure” will depend on the type of equipment used, product being applied, use of drift control agents and the site type and location.

17) Drift reduction agents and surfactants will be applied with herbicides as recommended by the Contractor or as specified by the COR in advance of the application. These products will be applied according to label.

Specific products in these categories are subject to prior approval by the Government (see #16 below). Drift reduction products shall always be used to protect sensitive resources such as streams or private property, unless otherwise specified by the individual Task Order.

18) To protect mountain mahogany, bitterbrush, and other very susceptible non-target species, adjuvants containing high concentrations of mineral oil may not be permitted if they might be applied at times when the plants are not dormant (e.g. fall with lower temperatures and higher humidities when plants are out of summer dormancy and setting winter root reserves). These situations will be specified in the individual Task Orders and the Contractor and COR will need to coordinate on Contractor-recommended adjuvants.

Soil Amendment/Mulching Applications

1) For the IDIQ contract, the Contractor shall supply all labor, equipment, supervision, transportation, operating supplies, incidentals, amendment or mulch application, clean-up, and staging area rehabilitation to complete all facets of each Task Order. As specified by each individual Task Order, amendments and mulch may be furnished by either the Contractor or the Government and its partners.

2) For complex Task Orders, the Contractor may be required to transport and/or track the delivery of Government purchased seed or mulch materials (reference Bullet B under “Documentation”).

3) Amendments (fertilizer or soil micro-organisms) and mulch (e.g. agricultural wheat straw, barley straw, wood shavings, etc.) shall be applied by aerial application in a uniform cover or as designated by the Task Order in designated areas to replace ground cover, to maintain soil moisture, and accelerate recovery of native vegetation or seed applications.

4) The rate of application will be determined for each project as specified in each Task Order. For mulch, this typically this could vary from 50% to 80% soil surface cover over 80% to 95% of each treatment unit. The percent of each unit to be amended or mulched would be identified with the minimum surface cover in the Task Order (e.g. 80% of unit #1 shall be treated with a minimum 60% and 70% maximum soil surface cover of straw mulch).

5) Aerial application shall not occur when sustained wind speeds exceed 5 miles per hour in the unit(s) being treated. The Pilot shall communicate wind conditions near and on ridgelines within treatment units to the COR and other Government officials. Wind speeds taken at a staging area, which may be miles from a treatment unit, are not acceptable for recording wind speed in a treatment unit.

6) Similarly, the application rate for soil amendments would be specified by each Task Order. Typically, this would be specified in terms of gallons or pounds per acre delivered over a specified minimum amount of a treatment area (e.g. 10 lbs/acre shall be applied over 95% of treatment unit #2, less rock outcroppings, conifer patches, etc.).

7) In order to utilize any unused mulch material, the Government has the discretion to allow the Contractor to apply the unused mulch materials to treatment units that have met contract specifications thereby increasing percent ground cover above minimum requirements. The Government may allow the Contractor to apply unused amendment material to nearby areas that could benefit from the treatment but is not required to do so. Likewise, the Contractor is under no obligation to apply or use any unused amendment/mulch material beyond contract specifications.

8) If not supplied by the Government, sources of agricultural wheat, barley straw, etc. shall be approved by the COR and certified as weed-free for weed prevention purposes. This includes being free of all federal noxious weeds (https://www.invasive.org/species/list.cfm?id=16) and free of all species on the state noxious weed list in which mulch is sourced as well as the state in which it is applied. Information on weed-free mulch can be found at https://naisma.org/programs/purchase-weed-free-products/#:~:text=The%20NAISMA%20Certified%20Weed%20Free,forage%2C%20gravel%2C%20or %20mulch.

9) If not supplied by the Government, sources of wood shavings shall be approved by the COR and certified as pest-free to prevent the introduction of insect pests.

10) If not supplied by the Government, wood shavings shall also be free of non-woody foreign debris (e.g.

plastics, metals, etc.) and shall not be sourced from material such as plywood, oriented strand board (OSB), or other manufactured sources. Where these materials are supplied by the Government and any

Attachment #1-1240LT22R0042 https://www.invasive.org/species/list.cfm?id=16 https://naisma.org/programs/purchase-weed-free-products/#:%7E:text=The%20NAISMA%20Certified%20Weed%20Free,forage%2C%20gravel%2C%20or%20mulch.

https://naisma.org/programs/purchase-weed-free-products/#:%7E:text=The%20NAISMA%20Certified%20Weed%20Free,forage%2C%20gravel%2C%20or%20mulch.

https://naisma.org/programs/purchase-weed-free-products/#:%7E:text=The%20NAISMA%20Certified%20Weed%20Free,forage%2C%20gravel%2C%20or%20mulch.

portion are found to be contaminated, the Contractor shall cease application and report this finding to the COR and work with the CO and the COR toward a solution.

11) Staging area tasks include, but are not limited to, delivery, unloading, neatly stacking, and loading mulch into nets, etc. for aerial distribution.

12) Weather conditions may require covering the mulch material to within 2 feet of the ground on all sides using canvas tarps or plastic covers to keep the wheat or barley straw dry.

Seeding Applications

1) For all Task Orders, the Contractor shall be responsible for labor, equipment, supervision, transportation, operating supplies, incidentals, storage of seed at staging area and protection of seed from the environment (e.g. weather, rodents) for each project, seed application, clean-up, and rehabilitation in order to complete all facets of the seeding Task Order.

2) Once transferred to the care of the Contractor, the Contractor becomes responsible for the safe storage of the seed until it is applied to treatment units. Bags of seed shall be stored in a cool and dry storage facility to assure optimal viability of seed until seed application to treatment units.

3) Seeding rates will be determined by the COR for each project and specified in each individual Task Order. Seeding will be applied by aerial application in specified amounts to designated areas to assist with recovery of native plant communities.

4) Aerial application shall not occur when sustained wind speeds exceed 5 miles per hour in the unit(s) being treated. The Pilot shall communicate wind conditions near and on ridgelines within treatment units to the COR and other Government officials. Wind speeds taken at a staging area, which may be miles from a treatment unit, are not acceptable for recording wind speed in a treatment unit.

5) All laws pertaining to selling and transporting of seed or to noxious weeds are in effect. The Federal

Seed Act (7 U.S.C. Sections 1551 – 161 0) applies to all acquisitions of seed. The state seed laws in which the seed is applied are also applicable.

6) For complex Task Orders, the Contractor may be required to transport and/or track the delivery of Government purchased seed (reference Bullet B under “Documentation”).

Aerial Support Services

1) For all Task Orders, the Contractor shall be responsible for labor, equipment, supervision, transportation, operating supplies, and incidentals to complete all facets of the support Task Order.

2) The amount, type, weight, etc. of equipment, materials, and supplies to be transported will be specified in the Task Order.

3) The Contractor shall work with the Government to determine the best method of transporting equipment, materials, and supplies and shall recommend load configurations, etc.

Public Relations Contract personnel shall conduct themselves in a professional and cooperative manner with Government personnel, federal, state and local partners, and members of the public while fulfilling Task Orders under this Contract. Professional, courteous and helpful interactions are vital in communicating the benefits of aerial treatments in managing plant communities.

If members of the public interact negatively with the Contractor or interfere with Contractor operations, the Contractor needs to notify the CO and COR.

Project Safety/Security Accident Prevention and Safety The Contractor shall keep and maintain policies and procedures necessary to ensure safety of ground and flight operations. The development and maintenance of these protocols are a material part of the performance of the contract. When, in the sole judgment of the Contracting Officer, the safety programs do not adequately promote the safety of operations, the Government may terminate the contract for cause as provided in the “Contract Terms and Conditions”. Examples of such programs are but not limited to: 1) Personnel Activities, 2) Maintenance,

3) Safety and 4) Compliance with Regulations.

The Contractor shall fully cooperate with the Contracting Officer in the fulfillment of this clause. The Contracting Officer may suspend performance of this contract work during the evaluation period used to determine cause as stated above.

The Contractor shall comply with all Government Safety and Health regulations and the Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA) standards, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations.

The Contractor is solely responsible for the safe operation and performance of Contractor-owned equipment used in the execution of Task Orders awarded under this IDIQ contract. Likewise, the Contractor is solely responsible for the providing security from tampering or vandalism to Contractor-owned equipment used in the execution of Task Orders awarded under this IDIQ contract.

Site Safety Plan: At time of Task Order implementation, the Contractor and COR shall determine site specific safety planning for each project site, staging area, and Forest Service, BLM, County, or private roads leading to staging area(s). This includes procedures for traffic control (air traffic if applicable), communication, equipment use, signing, and protection of personnel and public.

Aviation Safety Plan: At time of Task Order implementation, the Contractor shall coordinate with the COR to implement the Contractor’s aviation safety plan, as needed, where aerial operations are conducted, including as needed, including flight routes to avoid homes, or areas in use by the public, as well as the use of security personnel to stop traffic on roads, limit travel on trails in project areas, etc. Coordination with commercial and private aviation traffic may also be required.

Public Safety Forest Service or BLM line officers shall make the final determination regarding a possible need to temporarily close public access to staging areas or to treatment sites for public safety in consultation with the COR and the Aviation Officer as necessary. If needed, a public safety plan will then be agreed upon by the Contractor, COR, line officers, the Aviation Officer and local officials.

The Government shall be responsible for posting local public notices of aerial activities prior to commencement of work. This may include radio and social media announcements and newspaper notices. The Contractor may be asked to provide information for these public notices.

Warning signs on roads leading to operations at the staging area and in the vicinity of treatment sites may be needed depending on location. For each Task Order, the Contractor and COR shall determine the need for signing, barricades and traffic control to maintain a safe environment for the Contractor’s operation and for the public. The Government will provide signs for road or area closures while the Contractor is responsible for signage of chase trucks, other support vehicles, etc.

Communications The Contractor shall provide a communication system so that Contractor personnel, aircraft, and Government project inspectors can communicate at all times with each other to discuss implementation and performance matters or safety issues. VHF-FM radios must have high band capabilities and must be capable of reaching narrow band frequencies. Contractors shall be required to use specific frequencies in order to communicate via Air-Ground with the COR and other Government personnel during operational periods and check in with Dispatch personnel on a daily basis for safety.

Prior to project implementation, the Government and the Contractor shall hold a pre-work communications and safety briefing and an all systems check (refer to Exhibit 5). The Government may require a daily comms and safety briefing as well, where necessary.

Documentation.

Daily progress reports shall be provided to the COR at the end of each operational period or the next day during the morning briefing, as requested. No additional work that day may commence until documentation is provided. The level of daily progress documentation required will depend on the complexity of the Task Order.

For example, an herbicide application project will necessarily require a higher level of documentation than a simple monitoring task to inspect mortality on several individual whitebark pine seed trees or a task to drop containers of biological control agents at a weed infestation located in an area without road access.

A. GPS files for each herbicide/seeding/mulching/soil amendment treatment record, as requested, with date of treatment. For herbicide applications, infestations sprayed each day (with sprayer on/sprayer off data).

B. For complex Task Orders, a Daily Operational Report, as requested. The following information may be required depending on the Task Order:

1. Total flight time (hours) for each aircraft by assignment type

2. Total amount of materials/supplies/equipment, etc. delivered to project area for aerial support tasks

3. The approximate number of acres treated daily at each site by treatment type

4. Total ounces/gallons of herbicides and adjuvants delivered to Staging Area(s) and applied to treatment area(s)

5. Total amount of mulch or soil amendments (tons) delivered to Staging Area(s) and applied to treatment area(s)

a. Copies of weight tickets for each load delivered, if applicable

b. Copy of Noxious Weed Free Forage and Straw Certification Program Inspection, if applicable

• Certificate from appropriate State for each Load (Transit Certificate)

c. In states with tag system Five (5) bale tags from each load of agricultural straw delivered attached to a separate sheet, where applicable

6. Total amount of seed (pounds) delivered to Staging Area(s) and applied to treatment area(s)

a. Seed tags from each lot of seed delivered attached to a separate sheet

7. The Contractor may be required to facilitate the transportation and delivery of Government purchased herbicides/adjuvants, seed, mulch, and/or soil amendment materials to be certain the Contractor has the materials at staging areas, etc. when and where they need them to prevent Government-caused delays.

C. Final Report. A final report with GPS files shall be provided as requested which includes at a minimum:

1. A written report shall contain daily application rates, areas covered, site conditions, and any other pertinent data that records the treatment. The report shall contain a summary of treatment results.

D. Application/Treatment Records as required by federal land management agency and/or federal law

Government Quality Assurance Quality assurance will be performed by the COR and Government technical representatives during execution of the Task Orders at regular intervals. Methods may include visual surveys, quantitative evaluation, and review of Contractor quality control documents. Deductions for incomplete work or poor performance may include rework at no cost to the Government or Government acceptance with price reduction.

Contractor Quality Control The Contractor, not the Government, is responsible for management and quality control actions to meet the terms of this contract. The role of the Government is to provide quality assurance to ensure contract standards are met.

A Contractor quality control plan should address elements such as work quality, project management, timeliness of project completion, responsiveness to Government feedback and concerns, completeness and accuracy of record-keeping, and regulatory compliance.

Contractor shall also describe corrective or preventive actions that shall be taken if quality standards are not met and how Contractor will respond to Government concerns related to quality.

Records of quality inspections shall be kept and made available to the Government throughout the performance period and for the period after contract completion until final settlement of any claims under this contract.

Contractor quality control personnel must have software capable of capturing coordinates using a Global Positioning System (GPS). The Government will provide coordinates for each treatment area as ESRI GIS shapefiles or .kml files as requested by the Contractor. All project areas (e.g. survey, herbicide, seeding, mulching, or soil amendment projects) are required to be flown using geo-referenced shape files that are available as polygons to be downloaded in aircraft GPS units. The Contractor must supply GPS files, including “sprayer on/sprayer off’ and extent treated, for all aerial herbicide application, seeding, mulching, soil amending, etc. projects.

Inspection and Acceptance Requirements

TASK/ SUBTASK PERFORMANCE

STANDARD METHOD OF SURVEILLANCE

DISINCENTIVES FOR

NOT MEETING

STANDARDS

Contractor to manage Quality Control.

Provide Quality Control Plan (QCP) as per proposal information.

Approval by COR.

Curtailment of performance until compliance is obtained.

Non-acceptance of work until quality control work is accomplished.

Withhold payment.

Period of Performance.

Begin work in a timely manner and complete all aspects of the contract within prescribed time.

COR review of daily diaries and other contract records for excusable delays.

Poor performance rating in CPARS for timeliness

Environmental Responsibilities and Resource Protection Objectives

Comply with the Responsibilities and Objectives as per Technical Specifications in this PWS and

Monitor for adherence with environmental and technical responsibilities and resource protection objectives to fully comply with federal and state laws and BLM

Curtailment of performance until compliance is obtained.

Non-acceptance of work until quality control work is accomplished.

TASK/ SUBTASK PERFORMANCE

STANDARD METHOD OF SURVEILLANCE

DISINCENTIVES FOR

NOT MEETING

STANDARDS

project specific requirements in each Task Order tiered to these Technical Specifications.

and USFS policy requirements to implement these laws.

Withhold payment.

Preventative measures made to minimize invasive plant spread at both staging areas and within treatment units.

As per invasive plant prevention requirements in this PWS. Thorough cleaning and decontamination by Contractor.

Visual inspection and rejection/acceptance by Government inspectors.

Curtailment of performance until compliance is obtained.

Withhold payment.

Accomplish project objectives.

As per Technical Specifications in this PWS and project specific requirements in each Task Order tiered to these Technical Specifications.

(1) Review ground application quality control reports.

(2) Monitoring during & after application using droplet cards (Exhibit 4).

(3) Final approval by COR & TM’s.

(4) Government may conduct random sampling tests of application rates and coverage (100 foot or 100 step transects in representative areas in dispute) once herbicide injury is evident.

Contractor shall be required to rework any area in a unit that fails to meet the cover standards.

Non-acceptance of work until treated to the AQL levels.

Withhold payment.

Supply herbicide and adjuvants and other operating materials and supplies for the treatment units

As per Technical Specifications in this PWS and project specific requirements in each Task Order tiered to these Technical Specifications.

Visual inspection of products and documentation (load receipts, tags, etc.)

Curtailment of performance until compliance is obtained.

Withhold payment.

Federally/State/BO required herbicide treatment records

As per Technical Specifications in this PWS

COR reviews and approves records.

Curtailment of performance…