Attachment_1_SOW.pdf

BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT

Fence Replacement Project for Desert Tortoise Habitat

Statement of Work

Background:

The purpose of this project is to replace a barbed wire fence, approximately 0.75 miles long, with a pipe-rail fence around portions of an 82-acre piece of BLM land occupied by desert tortoise.

Project activities would occur on the south and east side of the BLM parcel located on the Nevada/Arizona border near Mesquite, NV.

Desert tortoises occupy this area and are under threat by members of the public constantly cutting the barbed wire fence and utilizing the area for offroad OHV riding. There are no designated routes authorized within this 82-acre parcel of BLM land for vehicle use. There are walking trails throughout where the residents and tourists regularly use. Crushing by vehicles is one of the main threats to desert tortoise populations. Replacing the barbed wire fence with a pipe-rail fence will prevent unauthorized OHV use, protect natural resources, and enable this population of desert tortoises to thrive.

Scope of Work:

This contract will require personnel to remove the existing barbed wire fence and install and weld a pipe-rail fence around the south and east side of BLM land approximately 0.75 miles.

Labor and materials shall be provided by the contractor. No government-furnished equipment will be provided for this contract.

Specifications: (See Figure 1)

Posts shall be placed 10 feet apart (posts shall be inserted into previous post holes where feasible).

All posts shall be capped.

Special Requirements:

Project activities will be conducted in a manner that would minimize disturbance to existing native vegetation.

Any cultural (historic/prehistoric site or object) or paleontological resource (fossil remains of plants or animals) discovered during project activities will immediately be reported to the Arizona Strip Field Office Manager or his/her designee. All operations in the immediate area of the discovery will be suspended until written authorization to proceed is issued. An evaluation of the discovery will be made by a qualified archaeologist or paleontologist to determine appropriate actions to prevent the loss of significant cultural or scientifically important paleontological values.

If in connection with this work any human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects or objects of cultural patrimony as defined in the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (P.L. 101-601; 104 Stat. 3048; 25 U.S.C. 3001) are discovered, operations in the immediate area of the discovery shall stop, the remains and objects shall be protected, and the ASFO Manager shall be notified immediately. The immediate area of the discovery shall be protected until notified by the ASFO Manager that operations may resume.

Project activities will be limited to daylight hours to minimize impacts to wildlife.

Threatened, Endangered, or Candidate Animal Species:

The work crew chief must notify the BLM wildlife team lead if California condors (Gymnogyps californianus) visit the worksite while mining is underway. Activities will be modified or delayed where adverse effects to condors may result.

The BLM parcel shall be maintained free of waste to minimize the likelihood of condors visiting the site. “Waste” means all discarded matter including, but not limited to, human waste, trash, garbage, refuse, oil drums, petroleum products, ashes, and equipment. “Waste” also includes the creation of micro-trash such as bottle caps, pull tabs, broken glass, cigarette butts, small plastic, food materials, bullets, bullet casings, etc. BLM staff may conduct site visits to the area to ensure adequate clean-up measures are taken.

Project activities will be scheduled when desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) are inactive (October 15 through March 15).

Prior to ground disturbing operations, a biologist holding the proper handling permits from the USFWS shall conduct a survey for the presence of Mojave desert tortoises or active tortoise burrows. Activities shall be delayed or tortoises in harm's way will be relocated to avoid lethal take of tortoises.

If any Mojave desert tortoises are encountered during operation activities, established protocols shall be followed to ensure the animal is not touched, harassed, or moved.

The desert tortoise shall be allowed to leave the area on its own or an on-call biologist holding the proper USFWS permits shall be called to assess the situation.

Vehicles will be confined to using established roads to prevent impacts to the surrounding desert tortoise habitat.

The BLM will designate a field contact representative (FCR) who will be responsible for overseeing compliance with these measures and for coordination on compliance with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). The FCR will be a qualified biologist approved by the BLM and have the authority and the responsibility to halt all project activities that are not in compliance with these measures. The FCR will maintain a copy of these measures while on the work site.

Post-award Conference:

Project personnel will receive a briefing on the goals and objectives of the treatment, to include information on sensitive cultural and biological resources in the area. The briefing will include information on employee and visitor safety.

Period of Performance:

Project activities will be scheduled to avoid the active season for desert tortoise. Project implementation (i.e. pipe-rail fence installation) will be done between October 15, 2023, and March 15, 2024

Location:

Project activities will occur on the south and east side of the BLM parcel located on the Nevada/Arizona border near Mesquite, NV (see maps 1 & 2). The BLM parcel is located directly south of Desert Skies RV Park, east of Virgin Valley High School, and west of Peppermill Palms Boulevard.

T. 40 N., R. 16 W., sec. 05.

Access to the project area will consist of either off Peppermill Palms Boulevard and/or parking within Desert Skies RV Park in the public parking access area for the BLM parcel and hiking materials in.

Site Visit Information:

This site is open to the public, and offerors are encouraged to visit the site prior to submitting a quote. To arrange a site visit with a government escort, please email Rachel Henriques at rhenriques@blm.gov.

Deliverables:

This contract will require personnel to remove the existing barbed wire fence and install and weld a pipe-rail fence around the south and east side of BLM land (approximately 0.75miles) for the amount agreed upon in the contract. Labor and materials shall be provided by the contractor.

Quality Assurance Plan:

The quality assurance plan is intended to measure the quality of goods and services purchased from the Contractor. To accomplish quality assurance the Government may utilize surveillance measures in order to ensure that the Contractor’s Performance is acceptable. The criteria for determining task performance is timeliness, work omissions, and any re-work needed.

Methods of Surveillance:

100% inspection: Monthly, weekly, or daily observations and recorded reports indicating satisfactory or unsatisfactory performance of tasks may be used.

Planned Sampling: The Government may utilize scheduled evaluations resulting in an assessment of the Contractor’s performance.

General Criteria for Tasks:

Work Omissions:

1. Major work omissions will result in an unsatisfactory rating. A major omission is a work requirement that if omitted or performed unsatisfactory would have a significant impact on the overall work requirement.

2. Minor work omissions do not have a significant effect on the work requirement, and may not result in an unsatisfactory rating.

Timeliness: Daily, weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, or one time tasks shall be completed in accordance with the delivery schedule or delivery date. Any failure to complete the tasks shall result in a non-satisfactory rating.

Re-work needed: The Contractor is allowed a reasonable time to perform any work that is identified as unsatisfactory or has not been performed. The Government reserves the right to allow another vendor to complete work identified as incomplete, and may charge for costs incurred to complete the work by another contractor.

Quality Assurance Evaluation: Scheduled and unscheduled surveillance reports may be utilized to record any observable, recordable defects of the Contractor’s performance. The resolution of any latent defects shall be in accordance with FAR Clause 52.246-04, Inspection of Services, Fixed Price, if included in the contract’s terms and conditions.

Level of surveillance: The level of surveillance shall be determined by the Contracting Officer’s Representative or project inspector. Increased or decreased surveillance of performance may be utilized in the performance of this contract.

Analysis of Results: A quality assurance evaluation shall summarize results from any observed and recorded defects in the Contractor’s performance.

If an evaluation indicates that the overall performance is unsatisfactory, the following actions may occur:

1. A corrective action plan to improve performance may be issued.

2. Increased surveillance.

3. Payment deductions. Deductions are not penalties, but the cost incurred by the Government.

4. Continued unsatisfactory performance shall result in termination of the contract.

Greening/Recycling/Waste Prevention Efforts: In accordance with federal efforts to reduce waste, the contractor shall also document all efforts related to recycling and waste reduction.

Contractors shall provide products and services that include: alternatives to hazardous waste;

bio-based products; non-ozone depleting substances; recycled products; and, environmentally preferable products as defined by the EPA. Preferred products and categories are listed on the EPA’s web-site: http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/procure/backgrnd.htm ).

In accordance with provided federal acquisition regulations, please consider the cost of using environmentally preferred products when quoting for this solicitation.

BLM Points of Contact:

Rachel Henriques Shawna Rogers-Bailey Contracting Specialist Contracting Officer

(602) 856 – 6584 (480) 490 – 3152 rhenriques@blm.gov srogersbailey@blm.gov

Figure 1: Specifications

Map 1. Project Area.

Map 2.