Attachment 1 - PWS Aerial Spray.pdf

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS)

AERIAL APPLICATION OF HERBICIDE

TO RESTORE LINE-of-SIGHT AT LIVE-FIRE RANGES

Part 1

GENERAL INFORMATION

1. GENERAL: This is a non-personal services contract to provide aerial application of herbicide for vegetation control. The Government shall not exercise any supervision or control over the contract service providers performing the services herein. Such contract service providers shall be accountable solely to the Contractor who, in turn is responsible to the Government.

1.1 Description of Services/Introduction: The Contractor shall provide all management, supervision, State certified applicators, and administrative personnel, to include but not limited to all labor, equipment, supplies, transportation, tools, materials, and other items and non-personal services necessary to perform aerial application of herbicide as defined in this Performance Work Statement (PWS) Section 5, except for those items specified as government furnished property and services. The Contractor shall perform to the standards in this contract. Contractor must use an herbicide that is approved for use on Department of Defense (DoD) lands. Contractor will also comply with all Federal and State of Georgia regulations pertaining to the use of herbicides and aerial application of herbicides. All herbicide used must be approved by Fort Benning’s Integrated Pest Management Coordinator (IPMC) and Natural Resources Management Branch (NRMB), as well as the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) prior to use. Contractor will be required to have all of the permits required to apply pesticides on DoD lands.

1.2 Background: The areas to be treated include eight live-fire ranges where the Line-of-Sight (LOS) from firing points to targetry is obscured by vegetation. Aerial application is the recommended herbicide dispersal method for economic considerations (i.e., labor-hours and equipment-hours), as well as for safety on two of the ranges due to the presence of Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) that limits safe access to the areas to provide any form of manual or mechanical removal or control of vegetation. Aerial application of herbicide to remove the vegetation impeding LOS is critical to maintaining the visibility of targets positions and will improve the maneuverability and realism needed for training.

1.3 Objectives: Contractor shall aerially apply an herbicide to control/eradicate vegetation consisting of primarily of over-story pine and hardwood trees that impede the LOS from firing positions to stationary and moving target positions downrange. The restoration of LOS requires aerial application of herbicide to remove up to approximately 1,664.44 acres of vegetation total.

1.4 Scope: The proposed areas for aerial application of herbicide to restore LOS are on the following eight large caliber, live-fire ranges: Brooks (60.83 acres), Cactus (91.72 acres), Carmouche (141.34 acres), Coolidge Left (51.4 acres), DMPRC (907.66 acres), Hastings (237.31), Ruth (113.4 acres), and Ware (60.78 acres) for a total spray area of 1,664.44 acres.

This operation will use DoD approved herbicides to include a mixture of 10oz of Arsenal Applicators Concentrate (AC), 58oz of Trycera, and 16oz of Methylated Seed Oil (MSO) or 16oz of a non-chemical surfractant, and 10 gallons of water to be applied per acre of treatment area. The Contractor shall accomplish: Contractor performance will be determined by measuring vegetative brown-up after 30 days from application of chemical. Determination of 80% brown up or wilting after 90 days within the treated area will be the target goal for this application.

1.5 Period of Performance: Work shall be conducted between the dates of 1 May 2023 through 30 October 2023.

1.6 General Information

1.6.1 Federal Observed Holidays: The Contractor is not required to perform services on the following holidays listed below. However, holidays occurring between 1 May 2023 and 30 October 2023 may need to be utilized to mitigate conflicts with the operational tempo of live-fire training events and/or utilization of airspace.

Memorial Day Juneteenth Day Independence Day Labor Day Columbus Day

1.6.2. Hours of Operation: The Contractor is responsible for conducting business, between the hours of 0630 and 2100 Monday through Friday except Federal Holidays or when the Government facility is closed due to local or national emergencies, administrative closings, or similar Government directed facility closings. Any exceptions to this schedule must have prior approval from the Contracting Officer Representative (COR), Range Control, and NRMB. Occasionally, areas that are closed due to missions must be accessed on Federal Holidays, weekends, or after normal work hours. The COR (Arthur Van Allen; 706- 545-4493) will coordinate and schedule any Federal Holiday, weekend, or after normal work hours with a minimum of a 24-hour notice with no additional cost to the government. The Contractor must maintain an adequate workforce for the uninterrupted performance of all tasks as defined within this PWS when the Government facility is not closed for the above reasons.

1.6.3 Place of Performance: The work to be performed under this contract will be performed at multiple locations on Fort Benning GA. Locations include live-fire ranges and dudded impact areas of various sizes ranging from 51 to 907 acres for a total of approximately 1,665 acres to be treated. Acreage is determined using Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) which is considered accurate for this contract, and will be field verified by Global Positioning Systems (GPS) on Rotary Winged aircraft.

1.6.4 Quality Control Program (QCP): The Contractor shall develop and maintain an effective QCP to ensure services are performed in accordance with (IAW) this PWS. The QCP must be forwarded to and accepted by the Contracting Officer (KO). The Contractor shall develop and implement procedures to identify, prevent, and ensure non-recurrence of deficiencies. The Contractor’s QCP is the means by which the Contractor assures that the work complies with the requirement of the contract. The QCP shall be delivered within 30 days after contract award. After acceptance of the QCP the Contractor shall receive the KO’s acceptance in writing of any proposed change to the QCP.

1.6.5 Quality Assurance: The government shall evaluate the contractor's performance under this contract in accordance with the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP). This plan is primarily focused on what the Government must do to ensure that the contractor has performed in accordance with the performance standards. It defines how the performance standards will be applied, the frequency of surveillance, and the minimum acceptable defect rate(s).

1.6.6 Type of Contract: The Government will award a firm fixed price contract (or to be determined by KO and customer).

1.6.7 Security Requirements: The Contractor shall comply with Government personal identity verification procedures implemented in Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD) – 12, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Guidance M-05-24, and Federal Information Processing Standards Publication (FISP PUB) number 201. Contractor and all associated subcontractor employees shall comply with applicable

Installation, facility and area commander Installation/facility access and local security policies and procedures provided by government representative. The contractor shall also provide all information required for background checks to meet Installation access requirements to be accomplished by Installation Provost Marshal Office, Director of Emergency Services or Security Office. Contractor workforce shall comply with all personal identity verification requirements as directed by Department of Defense (DoD), Headquarters Department of the Army (HQDA) and/or local policy. In addition to the changes otherwise authorized by the changes clause of this contract, should the Force Protection Condition (FPCON) at any individual facility or Installation change, the Government may require changes in contractor security matters or processes.

1.6.7.1 Background Check Requirements: Contractor/Sub-Contractor employees providing services under contracts are subject to the following process:

1) Each employee (direct employee and sub-contractor employee) working under this contract who has contact with children under 18 years of age, shall be screened with the appropriate background checks as governed by the Army Directive 2014-23 “Conduct of Screening and Background Checks For Individuals Who Have Regular Contact With Children in Army Programs”, dated 10 September 2014. A copy of the Army Directive can be found at http://www.apd.army.mil/pdffiles/ad2014_23.pdf . The background check requirements for Contractors can be found in Enclosure 3 – Screening and background checks for appropriated and non-appropriated fund personnel, military personnel, foreign national employees overseas, and contractors.

2) Background checks will be initiated and paid for by the Government. The cost for the pre-employment screening is the responsibility of the Contractor. The Commander Designated Entity (CDE) at the Installation supports IMCOM by coordinating, submitting, tracking child related background checks, and reviewing and compiling the results to identify whether they contain derogatory information to be passed on for a suitability determination. The CDE will advise and assist CONTRACTOR and sub- CONTRACTOR employees completing all required documents required for the background check process. CDE contact information will be provided upon contract award. (This is included in the firm fixed price).

3) Additional information on the background check process can be found at:

http://www.opm.gov/investigations/background-investigations. Re-verification (IRC and FBI fingerprint check) is required every 5 years.

1.6.7.2 Physical Security: The contractor shall be responsible for safeguarding all government equipment, information, and property provided for contractor use. At the close of each work period, government facilities, equipment, and materials shall be secured. Contractor shall maintain a physical security checklist/log which will be forwarded to the COR on a monthly or quarterly basis.

1.6.7.3 Conservation of Utilities: The contractor shall instruct employees in utilities conservation practices.

The contractor shall be responsible for operating under conditions that preclude the waste of utilities which includes turning off the water faucets or valves after using the required amount to accomplish the necessary herbicide formulation and equipment cleaning.

1.6.7.4 Post-Award Conference/Periodic Progress Meetings: The contractor agrees to attend any post-award conference convened by the contracting activity or contract administration office. These procedures are identified in FAR Subpart 42.5. The KO, COR, and other government personnel, (the Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative [COTR]), as appropriate, may meet periodically with the contractor to review the http://www.apd.army.mil/pdffiles/ad2014_23.pdf http://www.opm.gov/investigations/background-investigations contractor’s performance. At these meetings, the KO will apprise the contractor of how the government views the contractor’s performance, and the contractor shall apprise the government of any problems experienced. Appropriate action shall be taken to resolve outstanding issues. These meetings shall be at no additional cost to the government.

1.6.7.5 Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR): The COR Management System Tool (Virtual Contracting Enterprise (VCE)-Acquisition Resource Center (ARC) https://arc.army.mil/COR) for nomination, tracking, documentation, and management of CORs will be used. The COR for this contract is the DPTMS ITAM Coordinator, located at 10658 8th Division Road, Building 5512, Fort Benning, Georgia.

The Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative (COTR) is Tracy Ferring, also located at 10658 8th Division Road, Building 5512, Fort Benning, Georgia. The COR and COTR shall monitor all technical aspects of the contract and assists in contract administration. The COR and COTR are authorized to perform the following functions: assure the contractor performs the technical requirements of the contract;

perform inspections necessary in connection with contract performance; maintain written and oral communications with the contractor concerning technical aspects of the contract; issue written interpretations of technical requirements; monitor contractor’s performance and notify both the KO and Contractor of any deficiencies; coordinate availability of government-furnished property; and provide site-entry for Contractor personnel. A letter of designation will be issued to the COR, a copy of which will be sent to the Contractor, detailing the responsibilities and limitations of the COR. The COR and COTR are not authorized to change any of the terms and conditions of the contract with regards to changes in cost price, estimates or changes in deliver dates.

1.6.7.6 Contract Manager: The contractor shall provide a contract manager who shall be responsible for the performance of the work. The name of this person and an alternate who shall act for the contractor when the manager is absent, shall be designated in writing and provided to the Contracting Officer. The contract manager or alternate shall have full authority to act for the contractor on all contract matters relating to daily operation of this contract.

1.6.7.7 Identification of Contractor Employees: All contract personnel attending meetings, answering government telephones, and working in other situations where their contractor status is not obvious to third parties shall be required to identify themselves as contractors to avoid creating an impression in the minds of members of the public that they are government officials. They shall also ensure all documents or reports produced by the contractor are suitably marked as contractor products or that contractor participation is appropriately disclosed.

1.6.7.8 Telephone Usage: Contractor employees shall not use Government telephones at the work site for personal reasons or make any toll or long-distance calls.

1.6.8 Special Qualifications: In accordance with AR 200-1, par. 5-4.e and Department of Defense Instruction (DoDI) 4150.07, par. 5.4.20.9, the Contractor shall be licensed by the Department of Agriculture in the state, and in the categories in which the pest control service is performed. The Contractor shall submit a current Georgia Department of Agriculture Pesticide Contractor’s License and updates as necessary. (This means that the business must be certified by the GA Departmentt of Agriculture to perform for-hirepesticide application.)

1.6.9 Key Personnel: The following are considered key personnel by the Government: Arthur Van Allen, Integrated Training Area Management Coordinator (ITAM), Range Operations Headquarters, (706) 545- 4493.

1.6.10 Contractor Travel: Contractor is responsible for all travel to, from, and on the Installation to complete requirements of the contract.

https://arc.army.mil/COR

1.6.11 Contractor Personnel Conduct: Contractor personnel’s conduct shall not reflect discredit upon the Government. The Contractor shall ensure that personnel present a professional appearance. The Contractor’s employees shall observe and comply with all local policies and procedures concerning fire, safety, environmental protection, sanitation, security, and possession of firearms or other lethal or illegal weapons or substance. The Contractor is responsible for ensuring that any contractor employees providing services under this contract conduct themselves and perform services in a professional, safe, and responsible manner. The Contractor shall remove from the job site any employee for reasons of misconduct or security. In accordance with DOD Directive 5500.7-R, “Joint Ethics Regulation”, Contractor employees must avoid improper influence in the execution of their duties under the contract. Particular attention should be paid to acceptance of gifts/ gratuities, and on non-disclosure of sensitive or classified information. The Contractor shall ensure employee conduct complies with 41 U.S. C 423 relative to release of acquisition related information or actions or discussions which may prejudice future competitions. The Contractor shall ensure no contractor employees conduct political related activities or events on the US Army Facilities.

1.6.12 Other Direct Costs: All requirements must be facilitated with funds provided at initial procurement.

1.6.13 Antiterrorism (AT) and Operations Security (OPSEC)

1.6.13.1 AT Level I Training: All contractor employees, to include subcontractor employees, requiring access Army Installations, facilities and controlled access areas shall complete AT Level I awareness training within 30 calendar days after contract start date or effective date of incorporation of this requirement into the contract, whichever is applicable. The contractor shall submit certificates of completion for each affected contractor employee and subcontractor employee, to the COR or to the contracting officer, if a COR is not assigned, within 30 calendar days after completion of training by all employees and subcontractor personnel.

AT level I awareness training is available at the following website: http://jko.jten.mil.

1.6.13.2 Access and General Protection/Security Policy and Procedures: Contractor and all associated sub-contractors’ employees shall comply with applicable Installation, facility, and area commander Installation/facility access and local security policies and procedures (provided by government representative). Contractor and all associated sub-contractors' employees shall provide all information required for background checks to meet Installation access requirements to be accomplished by Installation Provost Marshal Office, Director of Emergency Services or Security Office. Contractor workforce must comply with all personal identity verification requirements (FAR clause 52.204-9, Personal Identity Verification of Contractor Personnel) as directed by DOD, HQDA and/or local policy. In addition to the changes otherwise authorized by the changes clause of this contract, should the Force Protection Condition (FPCON) at any individual facility or Installation change, the Government may require changes in contractor security matters or processes.

1.6.13.3 Contractors that do not Require CAC, but Require Access to a DoD Facility or Installation:

Contractor and all associated sub-contractors employees shall comply with adjudication standards and procedures using the National Crime Information Center Interstate Identification Index (NCIC-III) and Terrorist Screening Database (TSDB) (Army Directive 2014-05/AR 190-13), applicable Installation, facility and area commander Installation/facility access and local security policies and procedures (provided by government representative), or, at OCONUS locations, in accordance with status of forces agreements and other theater regulations.

1.6.13.4 iWATCH Training. The contractor and all associated sub-contractors shall brief all employees on the local iWATCH program (training standards provided by the requiring activity ATO). This local developed training will be used to inform employees of the types of behavior to watch for and instruct employees to report suspicious activity to the COR. This training shall be completed within 30 calendar days of contract award and within 30 calendar days of new employees commencing performance with the http://jko.jten.mil/ results reported to the COR NLT 30 calendar days after contract award.

1.6.13.5 Army Training Certification Tracking System (ATCTS) Registration for Contractor Employees who Require Access to Government Information Systems. All contractor employees with access to a government info system must be registered in the ATCTS (Army Training Certification Tracking System) at commencement of services and must successfully complete the DoD Information Assurance Awareness prior to access to the IS and then annually thereafter.

1.6.13.6 OPSEC Standing Operating Procedure/Plan. The contractor shall adhere to the Government's Operations Security (OPSEC) Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)/Plan during the entire period of performance.

1.6.13.7 Operation Security (OPSEC) Training. In accordance with AR 530-1 all personnel, to include contractor employees and associated sub-contractor employees must complete Level I Operations Security (OPSEC) training which is composed of both initial and continual awareness training (annually). All personnel within the first 30 days of arrival in the organization must receive initial training to include a briefing on the organizations critical information read/sign the OPSEC Individual User Compliance Agreement form. The end state of initial and continual awareness training is that each individual should have the requisite knowledge to safeguard critical information.

1.6.13.8 Information Assurance (IA)/Information Technology (IT) Training. The Contractor will NOT have a CAC and access to the Government Information System therefore, there is no need to complete IA/IT Training.

1.6.13.9 Threat Awareness Reporting Program. For all contractors with security clearances, per AR 381-12 Threat Awareness and Reporting Program (TARP), contractor employees must receive annual TARP training by a CI agent or other trainer as specified in section 2-4b of AR 381-12.

1.6.13.10 The Contractor shall comply with Government personal identity verification procedures implemented in Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD) – 12, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Guidance M-05- 24, and Federal Information Processing Standards Publication (FISP PUB) number 201. Contractor and all associated subcontractor employees shall comply with applicable Installation, facility and area commander Installation/facility access and local security policies and procedures provided by government representative. The contractor shall also provide all information required for background checks to meet Installation access requirements to be accomplished by Installation Provost Marshal Office, Director of Emergency Services or Security Office. Contractor workforce shall comply with all personal identity verification requirements as directed by Department of Defense (DoD), Headquarters Department of the Army (HQDA) and/or local policy. In addition to the changes otherwise authorized by the changes clause of this contract, should the Force Protection Condition (FPCON) at any individual facility or Installation change, the Government may require changes in contractor security matters or processes.

1.6.13.11 The contractor shall adhere and conform to all safety, security and attendance requirements that apply to the supported office. The contractor is required to attend and participate in all organizational meetings, training, and emergency preparedness events and is required to vacate the Government office work site when no sufficient Government oversight is available.

1.6.14 Emergency Services

1.6.14.1 The Contractor shall have competent personnel trained and capable of dealing with minor personnel injuries. The Contractor or their employees shall immediately notify their supervisor of any accident requiring emergency medical treatment. The Contractor will, in turn, notify the KO or COR within 30 minutes of the incident.

1.6.14.2 Emergency medical treatment and services for Contractor personnel is the responsibility of the Contractor.

PART 2

DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS

2.1 Definitions:

2.1.1 Contractor. A supplier or vendor awarded a contract to provide specific supplies or service to the government. The term used in this contract refers to the prime.

2.1.2 Contracting Officer (KO). A person with authority to enter into, administer, and or terminate contracts, and make related determinations and findings on behalf of the government. Note: The only individual who can legally bind the government.

2.1.3 Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR). An employee of the U.S. Government appointed by the contracting officer to administer the contract. Such appointment shall be in writing and shall state the scope of authority and limitations. This individual has authority to provide technical direction to the Contractor as long as that direction is within the scope of the contract, does not constitute a change, and has no funding implications. This individual does NOT have authority to change the terms and conditions of the contract.

2.1.4 Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative (COTR). An employee of the U.S. Government appointed by the contracting officer to provide technical support for the contract within specific authority and limitations. This individual is responsible for monitoring the contractor's progress in fulfilling the technical requirements specified in the contract. Should the contractor fail to fulfill the contractual requirements, the COTR must inform the KO and COR of such failure. The COTR maintains administration records, monitoring reports to confirm the contractor is meeting the terms and conditions under the contract.

2.1.5 Defective Service. A service output that does not meet the standard of performance associated with the Performance Work Statement.

2.1.6 Deliverable. Anything that can be physically delivered but may include non-manufactured things such as meeting minutes or reports.

2.1.7 Equipment. A tangible item that is functionally complete for its intended purpose, durable, nonexpendable, and needed for the performance of a contract. Equipment is not intended for sale and does not ordinarily lose its identity or become a component part of another article when put into use. Equipment does not include material, real property, special test equipment or special tooling.

2.1.8 Government Furnished Property. Property in the possession of, or directly acquired by, the Government and subsequently furnished to the contractor for performance of a contract. Government-furnished property includes, but is not limited to, spares and property furnished for repair, maintenance, overhaul, or modification. Government-furnished property also includes contractor-acquired property if the contractor-acquired property is a deliverable under a cost contract when accepted by the Government for continued use under the contract.

2.1.9 Government Property. All property owned or leased by the Government. Government property includes both Government-furnished property and contractor-acquired property. Government property includes material, equipment, special tooling, special test equipment, and real property. Government property does not include intellectual property and software.

2.1.10 Loss of Government Property. Unintended, unforeseen or accidental loss, damage, or destruction of Government property that reduces the Government’s expected economic benefits of the property. Loss of Government property does not include occurrences such as purposeful destructive testing, obsolescence, normal wear and tear, or manufacturing defects. Loss of Government property includes, but is not limited to:

1) Items that cannot be found after a reasonable search.

2) Theft

3) Damage resulting in unexpected harm to property requiring repair to restore the item to usable condition; or

4) Destruction resulting from incidents that render the item useless for its intended purpose or beyond economical repair.

2.1.3 Material. Property that may be consumed or expended during the performance of a contract, component parts of a higher assembly, or items that lose their individual identity through incorporation into an end-item. Material does not include equipment, special tooling, and special test equipment or real property.

2.1.4 Non-Personal Services. The personnel rendering the services are not subject, either by the contract’s terms or by the manner of its administration, to the supervision and control usually prevailing in relationships between the government and its employees. Non personal service contracts are authorized by the government in accordance with FAR 37.012, under general contracting authority, and do not require specific statutory authorization.

2.1.13. Physical Security. Actions that prevent the loss or damage of Government property.

2.1.14 Property. All tangible property, both real and personal.

2.1.15 Provide. To furnish, as in Government-furnished property, or to acquire, as in contractor-acquired property.

2.1.16 Quality Assurance. The government procedures to verify that services being performed by the Contractor are performed according to acceptable standards.

2.1.17 Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan. An organized document written by the government specifying the surveillance methodology used for surveillance of contractor performance.

2.1.18 Quality Control. All necessary measures taken by the Contractor to assure that the quality of an end product or service shall meet contract requirements.

2.1.19 Real Property. See Federal Management Regulation 102-71.20 (41 CFR 102-71.20).

2.1.20 Subcontractor. One that enters into a contract with a prime contractor. The Government does not have privity of contract with the subcontractor.

2.2 Acronyms:

AR Army Regulation CFR Code of Federal Regulations COR Contracting Officer Representative DA Department of the Army DFARS Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement DOD Department of Defense FAR Federal Acquisition Regulation KO Contracting Officer OCI Organizational Conflict of Interest PWS Performance Work Statement QASP Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan QCP Quality Control Program

PART 3

GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY, EQUIPMENT, AND SERVICES

3. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED ITEMS AND SERVICES:

3.1 Services: None Provided

3.2 Facilities: None Provided

3.3 Utilities: None Provided

3.4 Equipment: None Provided

3.5 Materials: None Provided

3.6 Record Keeping: N/A

PART 4

CONTRACTOR FURNISHED ITEMS AND SERVICES

4. CONTRACTOR FURNISHED ITEMS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

4.1 General: The Contractor shall furnish all supplies, equipment, facilities, and services required to perform work under this contract that are not listed under Section 3 of this PWS.

4.2 Secret Facility Clearance: N/A.

4.3 Materials: The Contractor shall furnish all materials and supplies necessary to meet the requirements listed in Part 5 below.

4.4 Equipment: The Contractor shall furnish all equipment necessary to meet the requirements listed in Part 5 below.

PART 5

SPECIFIC TASKS

5.1. Basic Services: Contractor shall aerially apply an herbicide to control/eradicate vegetation consisting of primarily of over-story pine and hardwood trees that impede the LOS from firing positions to stationary and moving target positions downrange. The restoration of LOS requires aerial application of herbicide to remove up to approximately 1,665 acres of vegetation total. The proposed areas for The proposed areas for aerial application of herbicide to restore LOS restoring LOS are on the following eight large caliber, live-fire ranges:

Brooks (60.83 acres), Cactus (91.72 acres), Carmouche (141.34 acres), Coolidge Left (51.4 acres), DMPRC (907.66 acres), Hastings (237.31), Ruth (113.4 acres), and Ware (60.78 acres) for a total spray area of 1,664.44 acres. All applications, storage, and disposal of herbicides will be conducted in accordance with the product label.

Work shall be conducted between the dates of 1 May 2023 and 30 October 2023.

5.1.1 Pesticide Treatment Rates: This operation will use DoD approved herbicides to include a mixture of 10oz of Arsenal Applicators Concentrate (AC), 58oz of Trycera, and 16oz of Methylated Seed Oil (MSO) or 16oz of anon-chemical surfractant, and 10 gallons of water to be applied per acre of treatment area. Chemical application is not to exceed the application rates as specified by the product label.

5.1.2 Pesticide Application: Pesticides shall be applied by aerial application. An even distribution of product is required. Herbicide will not be applied during inclement weather and/or within four (4) hours prior to and after a rainfall event. To preclude drift of herbicide from treatment sites, ground-level wind velocity cannot exceed 10 miles per hour, or as specified on product label.

5.1.3 Pesticide Disposal: Disposal of unused pesticide and/or pesticide containers shall be in accordance with the label specifications. The Contractor shall not be permitted to dispose of any pesticide, pesticide waste, or pesticide containers at any location on the Installation. All disposal costs will be at the Contractor’s expense.

5.1.4 Scheduling of Services: The ITAM Coordinator in coordination with Natural Resources Management Branch personnel will schedule the Contractor’s chemical application operations with Range Division, Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization & Security (G3/DPTMS) in order to prevent interference with military training (POC: Arthur Van Allen; 706-545-4493).

5.1.5 Work Area: All work described shall be accomplished within the areas located on the Fort Benning Military Installation. The Contractor shall provide all management, supervision, certified applicators, and administrative personnel, to include but not limited to all labor, tools, equipment, materials, and supplies needed to perform the specified services at Fort Benning, Georgia. The work area shall be cleared of any cans, containers, or lunch debris deposited by the contractor daily.

5.1.6 Contractor Qualifications: In accordance with AR 200-1, par. 5-4.e and Department of Defense Instruction (DoDI) 4150.07, par. 5.4.20.9, the Contractor shall be licensed by the Department of Agriculture in the state and in the categories in which the pest control service is performed. (This means that the business must be certified by the Georgia Department of Agriculture to perform for-hire pesticide application.) The Contractor shall submit a current Georgia Department of Agriculture Pesticide Contractor License, current Georgia Commercial Applicators license with aerial certification, and proof of liability insurance a minimum of two (2) weeks prior to the start of the contract. These documents shall be submitted to the contract COR and COTR, and to the Fort Benning Environmental Management Division in Building 6, Room 310 (POC: Ted Roever, 706-545-2643), and updates as necessary.

5.1.6.1 The Contractor shall provide a work force possessing the skills, knowledge, and training to satisfactorily perform the services required by this purchase agreement, as specified by (DoDI) 4150.07 and AR 200-1. The pesticide applicators shall be certified by the Georgia Department of Agriculture, and all certified pesticide applicators shall maintain a copy of the certification on them at all times. A certified “Commercial Applicator” is the only contractor employee authorized to mix or apply herbicide during this project. A government employee that is DoD-certified in Category 11 (aerial) must provide oversight to this operation. The contractor shall be aware of and conduct training for all employees, in the safety requirements for the handling, transportation, storage, mixing, application, and disposal of pesticides. All updates or changes shall be submitted to the COR and COTR prior to the employee performing any work under this agreement.

5.1.6.2 The pilot shall have a valid Federal Aviation Agency Commercial Helicopter Pilot’s License currently rated in the model and type of aircraft proposed for use under this contract. The pilot will be required to have an FAA Part137 “Agricultural Aircraft Operator Certificate”. In addition, the pilot shall hold a FAA Class II or better medical certification. The pilot shall have extensive experience in the application of herbicides to control vegetation as required under this contract. The pilot’s logbooks shall be made available for review by the COR and COTR.

5.1.6.3 Mechanics shall be provided by the contractor to adequately service and repair the aircraft and spray equipment. Qualified mechanics will be available within three hours of notification by the pilot that equipment requires attention. All mechanics shall be duly licensed by the Federal Aviation Agency as an Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic (A & P) and shall have written evidence of two years’ experience with a minimum of three months field experience on the type of aircraft being used under this contract. The Contractor shall not employ any off-duty personnel who are employed by the United States Government or the Department of Defense, either military or civilian, if such employments would create a conflict of interest.

5.1.6.4 Motor Vehicles and Transportation of Pesticide

5.1.6.4.1 Motor vehicles entering Fort Benning, Georgia, shall have a valid state license for the category of the vehicle operated, and proof of vehicle insurance. State license and registration shall be maintained current during the time the vehicle is in use on this Installation. Contractor owned vehicles used in the performance of services on Fort Benning shall be marked as commercial contractor vehicles. The Contractor will comply with all applicable requirements of the Fort Benning Motor Vehicle Regulation (MCoE Regulation 190-5).

5.1.6.4.2 Transportation of pesticides used on this contract shall be in strict accordance with label instructions and accepted procedures for safe transportation of pesticides. Vehicles used to transport pesticides must be identified in accordance with State law and equipped with a fire extinguisher and spill/decontamination kit. Spill/ decontamination kit will be equipped with materials sufficient to respond to any spill of pesticides being used or transported by pest control personnel. Pesticide concentrates must be transported in a lockable exterior compartment of the vehicle. Pest control vehicles must not be left unattended at any time unless properly locked and secured. Vehicles used to transport pesticides must be maintained free of pesticide spillage or residues. Contractor vehicles may not be washed or rinsed on Fort Benning.

5.1.7 Pesticide Safety

5.1.7.1 The Contractor shall be responsible for obtaining all necessary licenses, certifications, and permits, and for complying with any applicable Federal, State, and Municipal laws, codes, and regulations in connection with the use of pesticides under this contract. The Contractor shall apply pesticides in such a manner as to prevent toxic exposure of personnel, wildlife, and any other non-target components of the environment. The Contractor shall not apply pesticides during excessive winds (10 mph or greater, or as specified on product label). The Contractor shall be responsible for any additional restrictions directed by the pesticide label, State regulations, or the COR and COTR.

5.1.7.2 The contractor shall provide all EPA-registered and labeled pesticides necessary to perform the services of this contract. The pesticides must be in original form and containers without alteration or contamination. Containers shall be in good condition without leaks or corrosion, with tight fitting seals or covers and with labels that are intact and legible. The Contractor shall use all pesticides in accordance label directions on the container. The Contractor shall submit specimen labels and Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for each pesticide to the COR and COTR for approval prior to use. The COR and COTR’s approval to use a specific pesticide may be conditional. The Government may take samples of pesticide materials at any time for chemical analysis. The Contractor shall place and maintain copies of the current, approved SDS and label, in each Contractor-operated vehicle containing pesticides.

5.1.7.3 The contractor shall insure that all personnel are properly trained and certified to perform any and all the tasks and/or elements of this performance work statement. The Contractor shall train each pesticide applicator to apply the pesticides in the safest manner for personal and environmental protection. Suggested areas to be covered are safe handling and proper application, transportation, and storage of pesticides.

Personnel handling pesticides shall wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in accordance with all State and Federal regulations, the EPA approved label, SDS, and as recommended by the pesticide manufacturer and industry standards.

5.1.7.4 All pest control activities shall be performed in a manner that ensures maximum protection of endangered and Threatened and Endangered Species (T&E), species of concern, and environmental quality in accordance with PL 91-190, the National Environmental Policy Act; PL 93-205, the Endangered Species Act of 1973; Executive Order (EO) 11643, Environmental Safeguards, 8 Feb, 72, and EO 12088, Federal Compliance with Pollution Control Standards, 13 Oct. 78, all Biological Opinions issued by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), AR 200-3, and the letter of understanding Fort Benning has entered into with the EPA. The T&E species likely to be found on the Installation are the Red Cockaded Woodpecker, the Bald Eagle, the American Alligator, the Woodstork, the Gopher Tortoise, the Relict Trillium, the Georgia Rockcress, and Sweet Pitcher plants. In addition, there exist numerous other rare and otherwise protected plant and animal species at Fort Benning that have the potential to be disturbed during pesticide applications. Coordination with the Fort Benning Natural Resources Management Branch shall be required for these protected plant and animal species.

5.1.7.5 The Contractor shall take appropriate actions and precautions to prevent pollution or degradation of all natural resources, cultural resources, and improvements. The Contractor shall be responsible for repairing or replacing any degradation, damage, or destruction that results from his/her actions. Historic and archeological resources shall be protected. If a historical/archeological site is found, the Contractor shall stop work, protect the site, and notify the COR. Work cannot proceed in that area until it is released by Fort Benning Cultural Resources staff. Arrowheads, bottles, turpentine pots, and other artifacts shall not be collected on Federal property.

5.1.8 Spills: The Contractor shall be responsible for the cleanup of all spills, including fuel, oils, lubricants, chemicals, and hazardous waste, regardless of the quantity/size. All pesticide spills shall be contained and cleaned up in accordance with the Fort Benning Installation Spill Contingency Plan (Spill Plan) and AFPMB TG 15. The Contractor shall immediately contain any pesticide spills as defined by the Spill Plan and report to the appropriate office as required by the Spill Plan. In the event of a spill/discharge of Petroleum, Oils and Lubricants (POL) and/or hazardous materials (e.g. herbicides), the contractor and/or proponent should report the incident through Emergency 911 to request assistance from the Fire Department and/or HAZMAT Team, and notification to the Environmental Management Division (EMD) office (Spill Beeper 706-317-6584). A spill report must be submitted for all spills to the EMD Spill Program Manager at (706) 545-9879 or FAX to (706) 545-4209 with no additional cost to the Government.

5.1.9 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit: This “area-wide” herbicide application on Fort Benning will be conducted in accordance with the requirements of the State of Georgia “General Permit for Discharges from Pesticide Application” (GAG820000 - effective 1 August 2021). The PGP does not require the applicator to determine whether or not “U.S. Waters” are affected by the project;

rather, it establishes a threshold (GA – 6,400 acres) below which the applicator may operate largely by following industry-accepted work practices. For operations that do not exceed Permit thresholds, the contractor will implement site-specific control measures to minimize the discharge of pollutants resulting from application of pesticides to waters of the State to the extent achievable using best management practices that are technologically available and economically practicable and achievable, as described in Part II.A.1. of the permit.

Historically, area-wide pesticide application on Fort Benning has not exceeded PGP thresholds; however, the IPMC must be able to track the Installation’s total treatment area acreage for PGP compliance purposes.

Accordingly, upon completion of each episode of herbicide application under this project, the contractor must immediately record treatment area acreage in the pest management report and forward the report to the COR (POC: Arthur Van Allen; 706-545-4493) and the IPMC (POC: Ted Roever; 706-545-2643). Any delay in recording treatment acreage may compromise PGP requirements to submit a Notice of Intent (NOI) within 30 days of exceeding a threshold. Treatment areas identified in this contract include surface water features, floodplains, and wetlands based on the best available information (e.g. National Wetlands Inventory, FEMA data, Fort Benning GIS databases, etc.). The pesticides identified for use in this PWS are all approved for use in aquatic environments.

5.1.10 Pest Management Reports: Pest management reports, completed in accordance DoD reporting requirements, and shall be provided to the COTR and the IPMC within three (3) working days following the completion of the pesticide application at each treatment location identified in this contract. Reports shall include the following information at a minimum:

(a) Date and time of application;

(b) Name of applicator(s)/Company;

(c) Type of equipment used;

(d) Location of application site;

(e) Pesticide Trade Name and Active Ingredient;

(f) EPA Registration Number;

(h) Formulation, concentration, application rate, quantity applied;

(i) Target pest for which applied;

(j) Acreage, size of area treated;

(k) Notation of any unexpected occurrence at or during application, such as spillage, exposure of humans or non-target animals, or drift, and any corrective or emergency action taken;

(l) Names, concentrations and quantities of all pesticides disposed of and the manner of disposition.

Reports will be emailed or mailed to:

Arthur Van Allen Tracy Ferring ITAM Coordinator GIS Specialist – CAT 11 Certified 10658 8th Division Road 10658 8th Division Road Bldg. 5512 BLDG 5512 Fort Benning, GA 31905 Fort Benning, Ga 31905 arthur.a.vanallen.civ@army.mil tracy.j.ferring.civ@army.mil

5.2 Task Heading: N/A

5.3 Contractor Manpower Reporting (CMR) (Only applies to Army Customers): The Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Manpower & Reserve Affairs) operates and maintains a secure Army data collection site where the Contractor shall report ALL Contractor manpower (including subcontractor manpower) required for performance of this contract. The Contractor shall supply all the information in the format using the following web address https://Contractormanpower.army.pentagon.mil.

The required information includes:

(1) Contracting Office, Contracting Officer, or also known as the Contracting Officer’s Representative

(COR);

(2) Contract number, including task and delivery order number;

(3) Beginning and ending dates covered by reporting period;

mailto:arthur.a.vanallen.civ@army.mil mailto:tracy.j.ferring.civ@army.mil https://contractormanpower.army.pentagon.mil/

(4) Contractor’s name, address, phone number, e-mail address, identity of Contractor employee entering data;

(5) Estimated direct labor hours (including sub-Contractors);

(6) Estimated direct labor dollars paid this reporting period (including sub-Contractors);

(7) Total payments (including sub-Contractors);

(8) Predominant Federal Service Code (FSC) reflecting services provided by Contractor (and separate predominant FSC for each sub-Contractor if different);

(9) Estimated data collection cost.

(10) Organizational title associated with the Unit Identification Code (UIC) for the Army Requiring Activity (the Army Requiring Activity is responsible for providing the Contractor with its UIC for the purposes of reporting this information);

(11) Locations where Contractor and sub-Contractors perform the work (specified by zip code in the United States and nearest city, country, when in an overseas location, using standardized nomenclature provided on website);

(12) Presence of deployment or contingency contract language; and

(13) Number of Contractor and sub-Contractor employees deployed in theater this reporting period (by country).

As part of its submission, the Contractor shall provide the estimated total cost (if any) incurred to comply with this reporting requirement. Reporting period shall be the period of performance not to exceed 12 months ending September 30 of each government fiscal year and must be reported by 31 October of each calendar year. Contractors may use a direct XML data transfer to the database server or fill in the fields on the website. The XML direct transfer is a format for transferring files from a contractor’s system to the secure website without the need for separate data entries for each required data element at the website. The specific formats for the XML direct transfer may be downloaded from the website.

PART 6

APPLICABLEPUBLICATIONS

6 APPLICABLE PUBLICATIONS (CURRENT EDITIONS)

6.2 The Contractor must abide by all applicable regulations, publications, manuals, and local policies and procedures. Any Contractor provided publications are to be procured and maintained at Contractor’s expense.

PART 7

ATTACHMENT/TECHNICAL EXHIBIT LISTING

7. ATTACHMENT/TECHNICAL EXHIBIT LIST:

7.1 Figures for Proposed Treatment Areas

1) Brooks Range Aerial Herbicide Application Area

2) Cactus Range Aerial Herbicide Application Area

3) Carmouche Range Aerial Herbicide Application Area

4) Coolidge Left Range Aerial Herbicide Application Area

5) Digital Multi-Purpose Range Complex (DMPRC) Aerial Herbicide Application Area

6) Hastings Range Aerial Herbicide Application…