Attachment_1_EdgemontHighlands_SOW.docx

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management Tres Rios Field Office 29211 Hwy. 184 Dolores, CO 81323 970-882-7296

STATEMENT OF WORK

PROJECT NAME

Edgemont Highlands Project

LOCATION OF PROJECT

The project area is located approximately 7 miles northeast of Durango, CO.

Township Section Range Meridian: New Mexico State: Colorado Section : S7 T35N R8W Quarter: NW 1/4 of NE 1/4

Lat Long: 37.320327° x -107.784637°

CONTRACT PERIOD

Contract period of performance may begin July 15, 2021 and all work must be completed by December 1, 2021.

SCHEDULE of ITEMS This is a single schedule contract

TOTAL

DESCRIPTION OF WORK

Purpose The purpose of this project is to reduce threat from catastrophic wildfire by reducing fuels available to burn. The Edgemont Highland Project is in a high-risk wildland Urban interface area. The reduction of fuels will also enhance forest stand health. Stand vigor improvement will help the forest resist potential future stressors such as: drought, disease, insects and wildfire.

Project access The project is accessed by paved country roads and paved subdivision roads. The best access for implementation will be from a newly constructed road to the south of the project area. It is unknown if the road will be surfaced at the time this contract will be awarded. Any excessive road damage from equipment or trucks will be subject to repair by the contractor to continue work on the project or to release any/all payments.

Thinning Guidelines Creating 80 basil area ponderosa pine stand.

Edgemont Highlands thinning will focus on removing physical and biological culls and thin overstocked stands to maximize growth, vigor, and species suitability to the site. Leave trees shall be dominant or codominant in all diameter classes, have a crown ratio ≥ 35 percent, have the straightest stem and be free of insects, disease, physical or biological defects. Cut tree specifications include all surplus trees more than 2 feet in height, physical and biological culls such as: forked, leaning, rotten, broken top, suppressed, or low crown ratio. All juniper, except those having a diameter at root crown of 12 inches or greater shall be cut.

Merchantable Material Decking All merchantable sawlogs resulting from the above thinning activities shall be decked at the designated landing, indicated on the project map. A sawlog is considered any 8 inch Diameter at Breast Height (DBH) tree which can produce one or more 16 foot logs with a top diameter of 6 inches or greater that is ≥ 75 percent sound. The contractor may purchase merchantable material through negotiations with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), however; they are not obligated to do so. Limbing and topping shall be performed prior to skidding. All skid trails must be pre-approved by the COR or Project Inspector (PI). Skid trails constructed into hillsides shall have the fill slope re-contoured back onto the running surface upon completion of skid trail use.

Non-Merchantable Logs Logs that are not merchantable, smaller, or unsound, will be stacked in a separate log deck from the merchantable timber. The defect log deck can be sold as either biomass or firewood. The Non-merchantable timber and merchantable material can be decked together with written approval from the COR.

Slash Management Slash cut from thinned trees will be placed in piles to be burned.

Piles No less than 90% of all cut treetops, live limbs, and slash shall be piled. Piles are to be constructed to facilitate burning by the government at a later date. The minimum pile size is 8x8x8 feet. The contractor shall construct piles that are sufficiently compacted to allow for a high percentage of consumption from burning; this may require multiple cutting of stems, compacting the pile with equipment, or other approved techniques. Piles should be spaced appropriately away from leave trees to avoid damage from burning. Piles will need to be only on BLM land and not within 50 feet of private boundaries. Piles will be constructed in a way to prevent toppling. Piles may be placed on stumps. Oak and other brush may be cut but will need to be added to the piles. Piles shall not be constructed in swales, streams, or springs. Piles shall be free of soil.

Review of Contract Bidding Items The following bid items are listed in descending order of priority:

1. Thinning only: 40 Acres * Cost per acre.

1. Thinning and limbing/piling: 40 Acres * Cost per acre.

1. Skidding and decking 40 Acres * Cost per acre.

Other Available Forest Products Biomass may be purchased by the contractor at a negotiated rate no less than $0.01 per ton. This material includes all top wood that is 7inches in diameter inside bark down to 4 inches in diameter inside bark

BLM SHALL FURNISH OR PROVIDE

1. Georeferenced maps for Avenza Maps application and aerial photographs of the project area, as well as project oversight and inspection.

CONTRACTOR SHALL FURNISH

1. Work crews, all materials and supplies including personal protective equipment required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), necessary to carry out contract operations.

STIPULATIONS

Damage to Existing Structures on BLM:

Damage to culverts, fences, gates, and other improvements will be repaired by the contractor immediately and at the Contractor’s expense. Repairs shall be made to the previous conditions as determined by the COR or the BLM will hire the work done at the Contractor’s expense.

Damage to Existing Structures on private The project area is in a subdivision with building occurring during the project period. Coordination between the subdivision and the contractor may need to take place. All damage to private land, including roads, buildings, fences, and other infrastructure will need to be repaired immediately and at the Contractor’s expense.

Stream Protection:

Slash and other debris deposited in any stream channel as a result of logging operations shall be removed by the contractor and deposited at least five feet above the ordinary high water mark using care to minimize damage to stream channels and banks.

Soil Protection:

To the extent possible, existing landings and skid trails shall be utilized thus minimizing any new disturbance within the project area. During winter operations, heavy equipment shall operate only when soil is protected by at least 1 foot of packed snow or 2 inches of frozen soil.

The Contractor shall insure following treatment, a minimum of 60 percent ground cover consisting of rocks and organic material shall be maintained. Post treatment areas, such as skid trails, lacking suitable ground cover necessary to preclude sediment delivery to surface water shall be slashed and/or mulched with native material so that a minimum of 60 percent ground cover is maintained.

Stump Height:

Stump height shall not exceed 6 inches above the ground line as measured on the uphill side of the stump unless otherwise approved in writing by the COR.

Snag Retention:

All snags, over 12 inches DBH should not be cut within the project boundary except those posing a safety hazard to operations, local residences, or within 100 ft of any road. Snags within 100’ of roads should be cut and skidded as appropriate.

Erosion Control:

The Contractor shall ensure erosion control measures are installed as needed; a few examples include the end of each operating season, before freeze-up when winter operations are anticipated or as designated by the COR.

Administration:

Operations will proceed in a systematic manner through the project area as determined by the COR. The Contractor shall insure best management practices are utilized to minimize damage to soil, reproduction, and reserve trees.

Migratory Birds:

No work shall be conducted from May 15 – July 15 to reduce the negative impacts to nesting migratory birds.

Goshawk Nests:

If an active goshawk nest is discovered, activity within a radius of 646 feet (30 acres) of the nest will be prohibited.

Weeds:

The Contractor shall ensure that prior to moving to the contract area, all off-road equipment is free of soil, seeds, vegetative matter, or other debris that could contain or hold seeds, as determined by the COR. “Off-road equipment” includes all logging and construction machinery or vehicles that travel off designated roads as specified on the project map. Equipment shall be considered clean when a visual inspection does not disclose such material. Disassembly of equipment components or specialized inspection tools is not required. Cleaning shall not take place on BLM land.

Public Access:

The project area will not be closed to the public during the contract period. The project is taking place during the construction of the subdivision. The contractor will post signs at the entrance to the area to notify the public of the activity. The Contractor must be aware of the presence of people in the work area and adjust activities to account for their presence.

Archeological or Cultural Discoveries:

The Contractor shall avoid disturbing all cultural sites. If in connection with operations under this contract the Contractor, his subcontractors, or the employees of any of them, discovers, encounters, or becomes aware of any objects or sites of cultural value on the contract area such as historical or prehistorical ruins, human remains, graves or grave markers, fossils, or artifacts; the Contractor shall immediately suspend all operations in the vicinity of the cultural value and shall notify the COR of the findings. Operations may resume at the discovery site upon receipt of written instructions and authorization by the COR.

Littering:

No littering is permitted, and the contractor shall be responsible for hauling all trash accumulated out of the area.

Work Camps:

The Contractor or his employees, upon written authorization from the COR, may establish a temporary work camp on adjacent public lands administered by the BLM. The camp may consist of mobile trailers, pickup campers, tent trailers or tents. The Contractor will be required to: 1. Provide adequate sanitary facilities; 2. Provide metal garbage collection cans with lids; 3. Keep the camp in a clean and orderly condition and;4. Rehabilitate the area to the satisfaction of the COR.

Injuries and Damage:

Contractors are expected to know and strictly adhere to all OSHA laws and regulations regarding the work being conducted under this contract. The Contractor, in their operations under this contract, shall not perform in a negligent manner causing any person or property to be injured or damaged.

Fire Stipulations:

During periods of extreme fire danger, the Contracting Officer (CO) may issue a restriction or closure order to the Contractor in writing. During periods when fire danger is rated high, very high or extreme as identified by the Durango Interagency Fire Dispatch Center (970-385-1324), the Contractor and their employees must, at a minimum, have a shovel, a class A_B_C fire extinguisher with a minimum of 1 pound of retardant, or a container with a minimum of 5 gallons of water at each chainsaw refueling site. It is prohibited to operate or use any internal combustion engine on any timber, brush, or grass-covered land, including trails traversing such land, without a spark arrester maintained in effective working order.

Timber Trespass:

The project area is delineated by roads to the north and south and private to the east and west. If the Contractor cuts or removes any timber and/or biomass material reserved or not authorized for removal under this contract, such cutting or removal shall be considered a willful trespass and render the Contractor liable for damages under applicable federal law. For purposes of determining damages under this section, the single damage value of the trespass timber shall be based upon the fair market value of the timber cut or removed at the time of trespass.

Hazardous Materials:

Use of hazardous materials requires that all appropriate State and Federal Regulations be complied with including, but not limited to, Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) on hand and use of necessary Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

On-site disposal of hazardous materials or waste including hydrocarbons is not authorized. On-site disposal will subject the Contractor to at least the cost of reclamation and the appropriate disposal of contaminated soil.

Incidental (de minims) leaks from fittings, gaskets or ruptured hoses will not subject the Contractor to remedial requirements. They will be considered to be normal and unavoidable losses. Continual leaks will be noted on inspection reports and correction through maintenance required.

Maintenance and repair operations that require the draining of engines or hydraulic systems may be conducted on site only if the fluids are captured, containerized, and removed from public lands for proper disposal.

PAYMENT

The Contractor’s inspection results are to be used as a guide for the Contractor’s use in complying with contract specifications and not as a basis for payment. Payment will be based on the Government’s inspection results. Payment will be made for the completed acreage inspected and accepted by the Government divided into four deliverables, less the adjustment in payment based on the work quality level percentage, if any. If the work quality level equals or exceeds 95 percent before rework, full payment (100 percent) will be made for the number of acres inspected and accepted by the Government on the completed units. Units achieving a work quality level of 85 – 94 percent will be paid at that percentage rate. If units are accepted which do not meet 85 percent, payments will be made at a rate determined by multiplying the actual inspection percentage by the bid price.

Deliverables:

One payment upon satisfactory completion of the project.

INSPECTION/ACCEPTANCE

Inspection/Acceptance of all service performed in accordance with this contract for purpose of initiating contractor payment shall be by the COR or PI.

The BLM COR or PI designated by the Contracting Officer (CO) shall make periodic inspections of the project as a basis for payment and recommendations for adjustments in work quality while work is in progress. The Contractor is encouraged to observe inspections while they are being made.

As the basis for payment, inspections for compliance with contract specifications will be made for work units or areas reported as completed by the Contractor.

(Acceptable Quality Level)

BASIS FOR AWARD

This contract will be awarded based on the best value to the Government, with tradeoffs. The best value to the Government may or may not be the lowest proposed price. A technical proposal submitted by interested contractors will be evaluated on experience, treatment plan, schedule, past performance and pricing.

Technical Response

Technical response will be compared to the SOW and specifications and evaluated on a scale of; Does Not Meet, Meets or Exceeds. You must provide enough specific information in the technical response for the government to evaluate your past experience, technical expertise, labor, equipment, supervision, transportation, operating supplies and incidentals necessary to complete the work.

1. Experience: Contractor shall address the corporate, recent and relevant, past experience in performing work of a similar nature to that set forth in the statement of work. Address technical expertise, labor, equipment, supervision, transportation, operating supplies and incidentals necessary to complete the work required.

2. Treatment Plan and Schedule: The treatment plan should include equipment and crews involved and any planned subcontracting activities. Contractor shall also address the schedule for completion of objectives and how they propose to ascertain quality workmanship.

Past Performance The government, at its discretion, may base past performance on past knowledge and previous experience with the contractor, supply or service being provided, customer survey or other reasonable basis. Past performance will be rated on a scale of No Confidence, Marginal Confidence, Confidence, Significant Confidence, High Confidence. This scale largely mirrors the scale in CPARS.

1. Past Performance: You must provide three (3) recent and contactable references who can attest to your past performance on projects of similar scope and size.

Price

1. Price: You must complete the Schedule of Items in the SOW.

PROJECT SITE VISIT (Self-guided SHOW ME TRIP) Interested Contractors are encouraged to visit the project area before submittal of final bids. Avenza/pdf maps will be available to support a self-guided show me tour. Interested Contractors with additional questions please contact (COR) Ian Barrett (970) 676-1010 or (PI) Tyler Corbin (970) 799-2957.

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