Attachment_1_-_PWS_BIFO_Trail_Maintenance.pdf

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

BIFO TRAIL MAINTENANCE

BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT – BILLINGS FIELD OFFICE

PROJECT SCOPE AND SUMMARY

The tasks described in this Performance Work Statement (PWS) will assist the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Billings Field Office (BIFO) by providing a skilled operator and the equipment necessary to complete trail maintenance using a mechanized trail dozer in the Billings Field Office. The Contractor will provide all equipment, operating supplies, operators, supervision, and support functions necessary to perform the required work.

DESCRIPTION

This section describes the work to be performed by the Contractor to conduct trail maintenance on 17.17 miles of Base requirement trails, identified below, using the specifications outlined in the Project Specification section.

Trail maintenance includes the work associated with heavy maintenance, restoration of trails to their original outline and tread, and trail repair. This work includes, but is not limited to, clearing, grading, blading, removing slough and berm, borrow, filling ruts and troughs, reshaping trail tread, restoring and cleaning drainage structures, removing protruding rocks, roots, and stumps, widening pullouts, reshaping switchbacks, repairing tread failure, and removal of rock and material from landslides and collapsed backslopes.

Following heavy work, trails will require raking with a drag or rock rake pulled behind an ATV/UTV to remove all loose rocks and level any dirt berm left by the dozer. This final step is included in the estimated maintenance workload.

Trails specified for maintenance in this contract are UTV width or wider – approximately 72”.

LOCATION

The work is located on numerous UTV trails in the Billings Field Office, Bureau of Land Management. The following is a list of work anticipated to maintain trails under the contract. The trails are separated by travel management area (TMA) with appropriate subtotals.

The Following Are the Base Requirement Trails and Miles

ITEM – Field Office NAME EST. LINEAR MILE

Billings Field Office

Trail No./Name Total Miles

Miles of Maintenance

Grove Creek Trails

Grove Creek 1 4.9 4.9

Grove Creek 3 .12 .12

SUBTOTAL 5.02 5.02

Trail No./Name Total Miles Miles of Maintenance Acton Fire Road and first two spurs 4.9 4.9

SUBTOTAL 4.9 4.9

Maintenance

Shepherd Trails

See map 4 4

SUBTOTAL 4 4

Maintenance Horsethief Trails

See map 3.25 3.25

SUBTOTAL 3.25 3.25

TOTAL 17.17 17.17.

Maps of the locations are appended to this document

PROJECT SPECIFICATIONS

A. Existing Trail Maintenance Work involved in this Contract includes, but is not limited to, the work associated with heavy maintenance, restoration of trails to their original outline and tread, and trail repair. This work includes reshaping trails to their determined centerline, clearing, removing slough and berm, borrow, filling ruts and troughs, reshaping backslopes, excavation, reshaping trail tread, restoring drainage and other trail structures, constructing rolling dips, check dams, and removing protruding rocks, roots, stumps, slough, and berets.

Slough and Berm Removal and Excess Material Use suitable slough and berm material to help raise the trail bed to natural grade. Equipment shall be operated in a manner to minimize the creation of berms. Any berms created shall be walked down with the equipment. Unsuitable material shall be wasted on either side of the trail outside of the trail bed to ensure no blockage of water courses or creation of a windrow.

Rock and Root Removal Any prominent rocks and roots present in the path of the trail shall be removed. Rocks and roots are prominent when they protrude above the tread before maintenance. Excess root material shall be scattered in the same manner as other excess material. Rocks shall be scattered uniformly along trails to minimize drainage blocks. Removed and nearby rocks may be used to armor drainage dips and steep outslopes but must be thoroughly incorporated into the ground to minimize blockage and buildup.

Fill and Borrow Material Use suitable material to fill ruts, troughs, and potholes in the tread. Shape the tread back to its original shape and centerline, which is designated by maps and GPS data provided by BiFO and/or the COR or technical representative in field. Compact the tread by wheel or track rolling with a minimum of three passes of the equipment. Any excavated material from lead-off ditches or drainage sumps shall be utilized as borrow and incorporated into the trail bed.

Reshaping and Finishing Trailbed and Backslopes Where moguls exceed 15” in height, the trail section (humps and the dips) shall be ripped to break up the soil and create a uniform density. This may require several passes with the rippers.

The trail can then be levelled, smoothed, and reshaped. Where moguls are less than 15” in height, the humps may be cut and the holes filled without the need for ripping.

The finished tread shall be compacted by wheel or track rolling with a minimum of three passes of the equipment. If there are maintenance personnel using motorcycles, quads, or other equipment on the trail, they shall split their tracks to aid in compaction.

The tread on all curves with less than a 50-foot radius shall be superelevated to help riders maintain speed through the curve. The tighter the curve, the more superelevation is needed.

Superelevation shall range from a minimum of 3.0: 1 (33%) to a maximum of 1.5: 1 (67%).

Curves shall not be superelevated in rocky areas where solid rock or large boulders would have to be excavated. The tread width on curves shall increase as the radius decreases. All climbing turns shall be insloped and superelevated to the extent practicable. Circular curves that have become parabolic through use shall be reshaped into a circular curve.

The finished tread surface shall be reasonably smooth and uniform. Moguls, or whoops, shall be eliminated or reduced to a point where they can be ridden smoothly by an appropriate off-road vehicle (OHV) traveling approximately 25 mph without compressing its suspension more than 50%. Final smoothing of the trail will be accomplished by dragging the trail with a rock rake, pasture drag, or other equipment approved by the COR or technical representative. Grass, brush, and other debris collected in the grooming equipment shall be cleaned out regularly and scattered before grooves and other impacts to the tread can occur. Sections of rock or talus shall not be groomed.

Drainage Reshape any existing rolling dips and lead-off ditches to re-establish drainage. Install new rolling dips in appropriate locations as directed by the COR or technical representative in the field.

Where trails cross draws, the berm on the downhill side shall be daylighted and/or a lead-off ditch constructed to allow the drainage of water off the trail bed. Any other lead-off ditches needed to drain low areas will be constructed as directed by the COR or technical representative in the field.

The tread at the base of all rolling dips and drains shall be outsloped at 10-20%, where possible.

The slope of the depression of the rolling dip shall be 10-20% at the exterior edge of the dip. The tread on all tangents shall by default be flat, and not exceed 8% in areas that require additional protection against erosion. Areas that are prone to erosion will be identified by COR or technical representative in the field. When rocks are present near a drainage dip location, they shall be used to armor the base of the rolling dip to slow water flow through the drainage structure without blocking flow.

The final rolling dip shall be equally as ridable as any existing moguls or whoops left after trail maintenance: It should be traversable in an OHV traveling approximately 25 mph without compressing its suspension more than 50%.

Waterbars Waterbars shall not be used as a drainage structure on the designated trails. Existing waterbars shall be converted to a rolling dip, when possible.

Trail Structures Approaches to cattleguards shall be filled and compacted to provide a smooth transition onto the deck of the cattleguard. Trail maintenance equipment may cross cattleguards if it can be done without damaging the deck. Most cattleguards have by-pass gates that should be utilized to avoid damage to the decks.

Equipment shall be operated in a manner to avoid damage to adjacent split-rail fencing or trail signs. The Contractor shall be responsible for repairing any damage due to operator negligence.

The Contractor shall notify the COR or technical representative of any trail structures that are missing or in need of repair. This includes, but is not limited to: signs, fence lines, non-functional cattleguards, any non-functional drainage, fences and barriers, toilets, etc.

Braided Trails All braided trails that are not designated trail passing sections shall be obliterated. Normally, this involves a light squiggle-ripping of the trail and throwing rocks, logs, brush, or other natural debris into the trail to disguise it and deter use.

Turnouts and Passing Sections Existing turnouts and trail passing sections shall be reshaped to their original contour, as needed.

Roads and Road Crossings Where trails cross any road, any trail ruts in the roadway shall be filled and any trail berms removed, when possible. The roadway shall be reshaped to be smooth and uniform so that the trail crossing does not interfere in any way with traffic on the road. Where trails follow open roads, both wheel tracks shall be reshaped as needed to allow relatively comfortable passage by road and trail vehicles. Any vegetation between the tracks shall not be disturbed.

B. Equipment The tasks described in this PWS involve using mechanized equipment specifically designed for OHV trail maintenance. Specifically, a SWECO (aka Sutter Equipment) 450, 480, or 500 trail dozer, or similar piece of equipment, is required to meet these tasks. The unit should contain a 6- Way Dozer Blade (approximately 48” wide) with Float (Up/Down & Tilt) and a 3-Shank Ripper.

Maximum blade lift and drop should be approximately 24". Maximum blade angle should be approximately 30° and maximum blade tilt should be approximately 25°. Track width should not exceed 72”.

C. BLM Responsibilities The BIFO agrees to supply the following:

1) Project maps, which will be updated as necessary, and GPS data as requested.

2) Field support, as needed and agreed upon between the Contractor and the BLM.

DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE

PERFORMANCE PERIOD REQUIREMENTS

Contract Time. Contract time will begin on the effective date of the Notice to Proceed. It shall continue (1) for the period of time listed below; (2) until completion of the work contemplated by the Government; or (3) until closure of the work season because of moisture, fire, or other weather conditions, whichever is sooner. The Contracting Officer will determine when the work season is closed. It is anticipated that the Notice to Proceed will be issued as follows:

Item No. Estimated Starting Date* Estimated Ending Date non-continuous thru Oct. 15, 2025

1 September 15, 2025

* Actual starting and operating dates will vary depending on scheduling, weather, and road and trail conditions.

The period identified above is meant to give BIFO and the Contractor sufficient flexibility to accomplish the route maintenance safely and effectively. Work is compensated per mile, and the contractor will include average transportation costs in this number. Direct BIFO supervision and direction will be offered during working periods.

Work days may be inconsistent to accommodate fire, weather, soil moisture, or emergency repairs.

Point of Hire and Release.

Item No. POINT-OF-HIRE POINT-OF RELEASE 1 Billings Field Office, Billings, MT Same as Point of Hire

PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS

Failure of the Contractor to meet the performance requirements results in a rating of “Poor Performance” in that category. If the Contractor meets or exceeds the Performance Requirement, they will receive a rating of “Good Performance” in that category. Any work performed in a category that receives a rating of “Poor Performance” shall be re-worked or compensated at a reduced rate. Any work performed in a category that receives a rating of “Good Performance” will be accepted (without requiring re-work) and compensated fully. All methods listed in the “Method of Evaluation” column utilize random sampling of trail stretches (unless otherwise stated) and compare the item in the “Work Evaluated” column to the corresponding specifications.

The table on the following page describes the categories of work evaluated and the criteria used to rate performance.

Work Evaluated

Description Performance Requirement

Method of Evaluation

Existing Trail Maintenance

Work consists of maintaining and restoring the original trail outline and tread, including clearing, grading, blading, removing slough and berm, borrow, filling ruts and troughs, reshaping trail tread, restoring and cleaning drainage structures, removing protruding rocks, roots, and stumps, widening pullouts, repairing tread failure, and removal of rock and material from landslides and backslope collapse.

95%

Trails will be measured using the odometer in an OHV and a secondary GPS measurement. The length of trail meeting the project specifications will be divided by the total distance of the sampled trail. The average of these measurements yields the performance percentage.

Reshaping and Finishing Trailbed

Provide a firm and uniformly finished trailbed in accordance with cross section shown in the drawings, and rideability criteria discussed in the specifications.

Same as for “Existing Trail Maintenance” with attention to trail compaction and rideability and not accordance with GPS identified trail centerlines.

Rock & Root Removal

Uniformly scatter the removed rocks and roots below the trailway and distribute to ensure no blockage of water courses or creation of a windrow. Armor rolling dips with nearby removed rocks. Fill holes with suitable material and compact.

Inventory of prominent rocks and roots occurs with COR in the field during maintenance. Percentage of rocks removed and placed appropriately is assessed.

Slough & Berm Removal

Remove all slough material from trailway.

Remove berm from the trail bed when daylight can be obtained, do not obstruct drainage of out-sloped tread

Same as for “Existing Trail Maintenance”

Drainage Restore and clean out drainage dips to reestablish drainage as shown in the drawings, by removing obstructions such as rocks, roots, and sticks.

Direct water from the trail where washing out of the trailbed has occurred.

All trails evaluated, not randomly sampled. Number of drainage dips counted, and the number meeting specifications. This percentage is the performance benchmark.