Attachment 1 - SOW.pdf

Statement of Work

WRFO GREATER SAGE-GROUSE

HABITAT ENHANCEMENT (MASTICATION) PROJECT

1. GENERAL:

1. 1 Description of Work: Mastication of standing dead and live pinyon and juniper trees with a Contractor furnished machine (e.g. Hydro-Ax, Fecon Bull Hog, or equivalent).

1.2 Location:

Blue Mountain: Approximately 45 miles northwest of Meeker, CO in Moffat County, Township 5N Range 100W

Sections 29 and 32; Township 4N Range 99W Sections 12 and 13; Township 4N Range 98W, Section 7; Township 5N

Range 98W, Sections 23, 26 and 27.

Wolf Ridge: Approximately 30 miles southwest of Meeker, CO in Rio Blanco County, T2S, Range 99W, Sections 15-17 and 20.

1.3 Access to the Work Area: Access to the work sites shall be provided by and at the contractor’s expense. Public or private roads damaged by the contractor shall be restored, at the contractor’s expense, to the same condition they were in at the commencement of work. The project area is accessible using a series of County, BLM and private roads that lead to the treatment polygons. Contractor will coordinate with the COR/PI and private land owners to access sites adjacent to private lands.

1.4 Environmental conditions: Clean up all Contractor generated litter and dispose of at an approved sanitary landfill.

1.5 Work Limits: A GPS GPX file will be provided that delineates the perimeter and non-treatment interior islands. The contractor must have a GPS capable accepting and displaying GPX files. The BLM will flag other avoidance areas not depicted in the GPS file.

1.6 Contract duration: Work may begin upon contract award and must be completed between July 16, 2021 to September

30, 2021. *If on July 1st, the Palmer Drought Severity Index for the project area is rated severe, extreme, or exceptional, work will only be permitted between September 16, 2021 to March 14, 2022.

1.7 Site Visit: Tentavely the week of April 5th. Standby for dates, times and etails.

2. CONTRACTOR FURNISHED ITEMS:

2.1 The contractor will furnish all equipment, fuel, and personnel necessary to accomplish the specific tasks described below.

2.2 Tractor or power unit: Mastication specifications require rubber tired mulching machines in good running condition that are equipped with a hydro-axe/fecon cutting heads capable of working on slopes up to 30 percent and mulching trees or logs up to 16 inches in diameter at breast height (DBH).

Contractors must have access to a minimum of 2 mechanical mulching type machines with boom mounted cutting heads

(hydro-axe or fecon style) attached to a rubber-tired front end loader/hydro-axe or equivalent to be eligible for this project.

Implements are required to have minimum of 200 horsepower to mowing/chopping/mulching head and should be capable of effectively treating at least 5-7 acres mature trees per day in order to complete the mechanical treatments by the project deadline.

Contractors who do not have hydro-axe/mulching implements which meet the above requirements must provide specifications of available equipment offered and references for completed PJ mastication projects similar in size and scope to be eligible. A thorough description of the exact make/model/specs and photo(s) of the exact type and number of hydro-axe/grinder/mulcher implement(s) that the contractor plans to use to complete the work must be included with the bid.

Contractors who do not have masticating/mulching implements which meet the above requirements or whom do not provide the required description and photos of equipment will be disqualified and are ineligible from the project bidding process. Contractor operators must be experienced in the use of GPS to guide delineation of parcel boundaries and access routes. Garmin/GPS track route computer downloads will be provided for Garmin GPS style units which will designate the exact boundary of the treatment units.

2.3 Cutter implements: Any cutter head or implement that is capable of performing the specific tasks below is acceptable.

2.4 Security of Materials

2.4.a The Contractor may leave its equipment and Government-furnished property at the work site. The Contractor shall be responsible for the Contractor's equipment and Government-furnished property if it should be lost, stolen or damaged.

2.5 Noxious Weeds

2.5.a The Contractor shall insure all equipment moved onto the project area is free of soil, seeds and vegetative matter or other debris that could contain or hold seeds. The Contractor shall employ whatever cleaning methods are necessary to insure compliance, and shall notify the BLM representative prior to moving each piece of equipment onto BLM controlled land. Notification will include identifying the location of the equipment’s most recent operations. If equipment is found operating in a noxious weed area, the equipment must be cleaned before leaving project or moving to another area in location identified by the BLM representative/COR.

2.6 Personal Protective Equipment

2.6.a The contractor will train in the safe operation and use of equipment to all workers using such equipment.

2.6.b Occupation Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) standards for personal protective equipment shall be followed.

2.6.c Personal protective equipment, including personal protective equipment for eyes, face, head, and extremities shall be provided, used, and maintained in a sanitary and reliable condition wherever it is necessary by reason of hazards or processes encountered in a manner capable of causing injury or impairment in the function of any part of the body.

2.6.d Defective or damaged personal protective equipment shall not be used.

2.7 Temporary Work Camps

The contractor or his employees, upon documented permission from the COR/PI, may establish temporary work camps on public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management. Camps shall be kept tidy and free of refuse. These camps may consist of mobile trailers, pickup campers, tent trailers, and tents. The contractor will be required to rehabilitate the camping to the satisfaction of the COR/PI. Camps are subject to all fire restrictions placed by state, county, or federal authorities. The contractor must remain considerate of noise levels to nearby landowners throughout the contract period.

3. BLM WILL FURNISH OR PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING:

3.1 A GPS GPX file will be provided that delineates the perimeter and non-treatment interior islands. The contractor must have a GPS capable accepting and displaying GPX files. The BLM will flag other avoidance areas not depicted in the

GPS file.

3.2 Provide maps and descriptions of the area as well as accompany the contractor awarded the task order around the boundary of the area.

3.3 Flagging of all cadastral survey monuments and other avoidance areas not depicted in the GPS file.

3.4 Conduct on-site inspections by the PI/COR.

4. SPECIFIC TASKS:

4.1 Surface Conditions: If the soils are saturated such that ruts three inches or deeper and 10 feet long are created by equipment, the Contractor shall cease operations in that area. In the event that larger ruts are created, they will be rehabilitated by filling them in, providing drainage, and seeding as necessary at the Contractors expense. Seed mix will consist solely of native western wheat grass at 2.0 PLS pounds per acre. If conditions persist, the BLM may suspend work until the soils dry out. The Contractor must closely monitor surface conditions and shut down operations prior to causing resource or road damage. If the Contract is suspended due to soil conditions, the BLM is not responsible for additional mobilization costs.

4.2 Protection: The contractor is required to protect survey monuments from damage. In case of destruction or removal by the contractor, the Government will replace the monuments and the actual cost for replacement will be deducted from payment due the contractor.

4.3 Cutting and Shredding:

4.3.a General: All trees and designated vegetation within the treatment areas shall be cut and shredded (masticated). Total acreage to be treated under this contract is 867 acres.

Blue Mountain: The Blue Mountain portion is 490 acres and consists of three individual polygons (80 acres, 197 acres and 213 acres). The treatment areas are largely confined to relatively flat, or gently rolling terrain with encroaching pinyon-juniper and standing dead (pinyon-juniper skeletons). The largest polygon (213 acres) is largely comprised of standing dead pinyon and juniper contains some steep inclusions (>30 percent slope) which likely are not accessible to masticating machinery.

Wolf Ridge: The Wolf Ridge portion is 377 acres and can be described as relatively flat terrain (< 10% slope) a moderate density of 1” to 14” diameter juniper trees. The majority of the trees are in the 6” – 12” range with multiple stems.

Isolated larger trees (14”- 20”) are also present. Some rocks are present and the overall level of difficulty is moderate.

4.3.b Specific: All project access is to be from existing roads and two-tracks. Machine access to individual treatment sites will originate from these existing roads or along GPS defined cross-country traverses. No shrub treatments are to be conducted along these access routes.

Bull hogs, hydro-axes, or similar equipment will be mounted on rubber-tired tractors. The entire canopy and bole will be mulched and evenly scattered. When moving between trees, the cutting head will be oriented in way that sagebrush will not be impacted.

Pinyon Pine/Juniper/Big Sagebrush/Mountain Sagebrush Sites:

Vegetation in this treatment area is a Wyoming big sagebrush or mountain sagebrush dominant site with encroaching pinyon pine and juniper or standing dead. Much of this treatment is in relatively flat, or gentle rolling terrain, with minor inclusions of steep (> 30 percent) slopes. The desired cover type remaining following treatment would consist of a low stature mountain or big sagebrush/shrubland more appropriate for greater sage-grouse. Therefore, 100 percent of the pinyon-juniper will be hydro-axed to ground level. No mountain sagebrush or Wyoming big sagebrush should be targeted. Recommendations organized by vegetation species are as follows:

• Pinyon-Juniper o 100% PJ is to be removed from the treatment area.

• Sagebrush o Limit total sagebrush removal to no more than 30% as a result of target vegetation removal.

4.3.c Mowing/Shredding of Slash and Mixed Conifer Trees

1. Maximum stump/stubble height from trees removed:

-80% must be 6 inches or less above the ground on the uphill side unless an obstacle such as a log or rock blocks access to the stump in which case the stump shall be no more than 6 inches above the obstacle.

-No stumps from removed trees will be greater than 18" above ground surface on the uphill side or 12" above obstacles.

All trees must be cut below the lowest live limb or all live limbs must be cut from the stump.

2. All mowed vegetation shall be shredded such that:

- 75 percent of the mulch material is less than one inch in diameter and 12 inches long. 75 percent of the mulch and slash resulting from the mowing and shredding must be distributed on the ground surface at a depth less than six inches.

-No more than 25 percent of the mulch material is greater than six inch in diameter and 8 feet long. A small portion of the slash resulting from the mowing and shredding (not more than 10 percent) may be greater than 6 inches in diameter, but no more than 18 inches above the ground. No shredded material shall exceed eight inches in diameter and 8 feet long.

4. The Contractor shall minimize soil disturbance and exposure of mineral soil to less than 10% of the treatment area.

5. Equipment shall not be operated in stream courses or riparian areas except at crossings designated by the BLM

Representative. Contractor should cross perpendicular to direction of flow.

8. Mow and shred only on slopes less than 30 percent.

4.3.d Mechanically grind all slash and brush as identified above. No live limbs shall be left on the stump of any ground stem.

4.3.e If working within 500’ of a road or two-track, the contractor shall furnish two warning signs to be placed on the roadside prior to entrance to the work area. Signs shall be a minimum of 3 feet by 3 feet in dimension and shall warn of possibility of flying debris.

4.4 Fire Prevention and Liability

4.4.a The Contractor may be held liable for all operator fire starts. The Contractor must follow all applicable state and local fire prevention laws, unless written direction is provided by the Contracting Officer.

4.4.b Contractor at a minimum must:

• Operate all internal and external combustion engines on federally managed lands per 36 CFR 261.52, which requires all such engines to be equipped with a qualified spark arrester that is maintained and not modified. Spark

Arresters: Shall meet current U.S. Forest Service Standard Spark Arrester Guidelines.

• Carry shovels, water, and fire extinguishers that are rated at a minimum as ABC - 10 pound on all equipment and vehicles.

• Have means of communications with Contracting Officer Representative (COR) or Project Inspector (PI).

• Initiate fire suppression actions in the work area to prevent fire spread to or on federally administered lands.

• Notify the appropriate dispatch center or 911 immediately of the location and status of any unplanned ignition.

• Notify the COR and Contracting Officer immediately of the incident.

5. APPLICATION EVALUATION

Submittals

This contract will be awarded base on a “Low Bid Technically Acceptable” Criteria. Applicants for this contract will need to submit:

• Technical Capability and Experience: Include a description of your technical approach and expected timeframe to complete the project, equipment, supervision and personnel.

• Two past performance reports showing similar work, in a similar environment, of a similar scale that has been completed before the associated performance evaluations. References shall be for projects completed in the last 3 years. The government may, at it's discretion, base past performance on past knowledge and previous experience with the contractor, supply or service being provided, customer survey or other reasonable basis.

• Price: Provide price per acre as well as total cost of the project.

*Note: When combined, price and non-price factors are of equal importance.

6. GOVERNMENT INSPECTIONS:

6.1 The Government will make periodic inspections as a basis for payments and recommendations for adjustments in work quality while work is in progress.

6.2 If deemed necessary by the COR or requested by the contractor, random 1 acre plots will be inventoried to determine the number of missed trees >10” tall and number of masticated trees with limbs still attached to the stem, as well as compliance with the specifications listed in section 4.3. Sufficient plots will be done to obtain at least a one percent

(1%) sample of the treated area.

6.3 Each inspection plot will be evaluated for compliance with the above mentioned requirements. Plots meeting all contract specifications will receive 10 points. Plots found to have one contract violation will receive 5 points. Plots found to have two or more contract violations will receive no points. Any plot having a cut or damaged conifer leave tree will receive no points.

6.4 - Work Quality Percentage

6.4.a - The work quality percentage is derived from data developed from inspection plots in the following manner:

Divide the total number of points earned by the total number of points possible multiplied by 100 equals the work quality percentage.

EXAMPLE:

Number of plots inspected - 5

Total points possible (10 x 5) - 50

Total points earned - 45

WQP - (45/50) x 100 = 90%

7. ACCEPTANCE

7.1 Work will be accepted or rejected on a unit basis.

7.2 Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) - A minimum AQL of 85 percent Work Quality Level is required.

7.3 Unsatisfactory Work Quality.

Based on inspection results, if a unit falls below the AQL of 85 percent, the Contractor will be given the opportunity to improve the quality of the work. If the quality of the work is not raised to the AQL of 85 percent, the CO may issue a suspend work order to resolve the problem, during which time contract performance time will continue to run.

7.4 REINSPECTION

After the contractor has re-worked areas failing to meet AQL, re-inspection will be performed. If the unit again fails to meet the AQL of 85 percent, the CO has the option of accepting the unit at the work quality percent calculated from inspection plots or of ordering the Contractor to rework the unit again. If the CO elects to accept the unit at the work quality percent calculated after rework, the Contractor will be paid based on the results of the re-inspection.

8. Contact Information

White River Field Office, 220 East Market Street, Meeker, CO 81641.

COR: Landon Smith 970-326-7653

Matt Dupire 970-878-3839

PI: Lisa Belmonte 970-878-3816

Landon Smith 970-326-7653