Attachment_1-_Performance_Work_Statement_0001.pdf

Performance Work Statement

1.0 Introduction

Provide a brief description of what you are procuring.

The contractor will mix and apply herbicide and adjuvant on 75 acres of forested land on Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), targeting invasive Cogon grass (Imerata cylindrica) and Chinese tallow trees (Triadica sebifera) within the designated treatment area. Application will be by foliar spraying for Cogon grass and young Chinese tallow trees utilizing backpack sprayers or similar equipment, and by hack-n-squirt for larger Chinese tallow trees greater than 3 feet tall. The contractor will canvas the entire treatment area. All instances of Cogon grass and Chinese tallow trees must be sprayed. All Cogon grass patches must be sprayed up to 10 feet beyond the visible edge of the patch. Chinese tallow trees treated by hack-n-squirt may be fully cut and the stem sprayed. Larger Chinese tallow trees greater than 3 inches in diameter at breast height (DBH) must be fully girdled and sprayed. Herbicides will be applied only in units that have been pre-defined and mapped within the USFWS geographic information system (GIS) database (see attached map).

2.0 Background

Provide any historical information necessary to understand how and why the requirement evolved and where it is headed. Include appropriate information to help the reader understand the requirement.

The treatment area is located on Big Branch Marsh NWR, approximately 7 miles west of Slidell, LA and is just north of Paquet Rd. and west of Transmitter Rd. The treatment unit is under a prescribed fire burn rotation and was last burned in June 2025. Chinese tallow is mostly relegated to the understory due to frequent burning, but there are scattered mature trees in the midstory and overstory that are not controlled by fire. Cogon grass is a larger issue due to its proclivity to fire; prescribed burns do not control Cogon grass and instead can aid in its spread. This herbicide treatment will be conducted in conjunction with refuge prescribed burning to maximize the herbicide treatment’s effectiveness.

3.0 Scope

Provide an overview of the performance work statement (PWS) emphasizing the most important aspects of your requirement and defining the boundaries of the contractor’s performance responsibilities.

1) The contractor will apply enough herbicide to kill and control 95% of all Cogon grass and Chinese tallow trees located throughout the units identfied, but damage or kill no more than 5% of any other desirable native species, excluding species sprayed within the 10 foot buffer zone around Cogon grass patches.

2) Treatment unit is 75 acres (see attached map).

3) The contractor must comply 100% with the agreed-upon plan of work. The contractor must have work dates and a plan of work approved by the USFWS 48 hours prior to beginning work, preferably established during a face-to-face pre-work meeting.

4) The contractor is responsible for selecting, supplying, and mixing chemicals neccissary for the project. All chemicals used must be approved by the USFWS prior to application. A reccommended mix for foliar spraying Cogon grass and smaller Chinese tallow trees is a mix of 1% Glyphosate, 1% Imazapyr, and 0.5% surfactant in water. A reccommended mix for cut stump and hack-n-squirt treatments for larger Chinese tallow trees is a mix of 25% Triclopyr and 0.5 % surfactant in water.

5) The USFWS reserves the right to remove acres from the treatment areas due to unfavorable conditions that may hinder the completion of work in those areas such as environmental factors and/or lack of funds.

6) All work must be completed according to this work statement, EPA standards, and herbicide label restrictions once awarded. Contract award through December 30, 2025.

7) The contractor will supply all material, equipment, labor, water, and chemical, to perform the herbicide treatments.

8) The contractor will supply all equipment to provide mixing and loading equipment.

9) Equipment and personnel must be able to work at a semi-remote and semi-primitive site (i.e., no electrical or water hookups, bathrooms, or other facilities available).

10) The contractor must be capable of calibrating equipment to the final application rate specifications.

11) The Government Representative (GR) must be notified at least 48 hours prior to any chemical application.

12) The contractor will provide adequate personnel for the purpose of loading and dispersing of the chemicals.

All personnel and equipment to be used will be appropriately licensed and certificated for the work to be done. The contractor will be responsible for checking all work sites for hazards of any type which could affect their ability to accomplish the treatment project.

13) The contractor will be responsible for all unloading/loading operations. Movement of chemicals, water, and equipment in and around the treatment locations will be the sole responsibility of the contract applicators.

The contractor will be responsible for providing sufficient equipment, equipment fuel, safety items, spill response kit, personnel and their subsistence needs during the project period.

14) The contractor will provide USFWS with contact information for all ground personnel, and vehicle and equipment identification information (including make, model, and color) at least 24 hours before implementation of the project. All access methods and equipment needed are the responsibility of the contactor.

15) No chemical applications may be made when temperatures exceed 95 F, or when precipitation is forecast within 6 hours. Minimum standards must be maintained to prevent chemical absorption into/onto untargeted vegetation.

16) No heavy equipment will be allowed to operate within the treatment units sooner than 48 hours after a rain event of 2 inches or more. During periods of extended wet weather or in areas with saturated soils, equipment cannot cause ruts greater than 6 inches deep. If work is prohibited by the USFWS due to extended wet weather, negotiations may be made to lengthen the contract period.

4.0 Applicable Directives

List all documents referenced in section 5.0, Performance Requirements, with which the contractor will have to comply in performance of the contract effort. If only portions of a given document apply, specifically identify the applicable portions.

- 52.237-02 Protection of Government Buildings, Equipment, and Non-target Vegetation

- 52.222-54 Employment Eligibility Verification

- 52.236-13 Accident Prevention

- 52.237-03 Continuity of Service

- 52.249-14 Excusable Delays

5.0 Performance Requirements

Identify what the contractor is required to do (major tasks and subtasks).

1. Apply herbicide according to desired outcomes as per label directions and quantities.

2. 100% coverage of the treatment area, 95% minimal control of target vegetation measured within one month after last application as measured by Refuge staff.

3. Minimal kill of 5% residual desirable native species, excluding 10 foot buffer zones around Cogon grass patches.

6.0 Deliverables

List all data required to manage or monitor contractor performance.

Contractor shall provide:

1) Daily logs to document work shall be submitted electronically bi-weekly. The contractor will supply GPS files of all application paths and of all application locations. The contractor will also supply shapefiles in Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) format of all application paths and of all application locations at the conclusion of the application.

2) The GR will inspect all areas periodically during the contract period and will perform a final inspection of all areas 30 days following treatments to approve payment. Evaluation and acceptance will be determined by the Technical Coordinator(s) and/or Refuge Manager(s). Chemical applications will be evaluated for thoroughness and evenness of application using GPS files and shapefiles provided by the contractor, and by field-checking application areas for chemical effects (e.g., looking for skips or overlaps within the treatment areas).

3) Georeferenced PDF maps are included and can be used with Avenza. GIS shapefiles of the treatment areas will be provided by the USFWS upon request.

7.0 Location map of all treatment units on Big Branch Marsh NWR

8.0 Technical Coordinators

TECHNICAL COORDINATORS:

Matthew Sieja (Administrative Forester) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Louisiana Refuge Complex 61389 Hwy 434 Lacombe LA, 70445 Phone: (985) 517-9333 Email: matthew_sieja@fws.gov

Steven Henry (Project Leader) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Louisiana Refuge Complex 61389 Hwy 434 Lacombe LA, 70445 Phone: (985) 285-3335 Email: steven_s_henry@fws.gov

Jimmy Laurent (Deputy Project Leader) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Louisiana Refuge Complex 61389 Hwy 434 Lacombe LA, 70445 Phone: (985) 882-2031 Email: jimmy_laurent@fws.gov mailto:matthew_sieja@fws.gov mailto:steven_s_henry@fws.gov mailto:jimmy_laurent@fws.gov