Attachment 1-Statement of Work.pdf

2024 – 2029 IDIQ Region 4 Idaho Forests & Field Offices Invasive Species/Rare Plants Vegetation Management Services

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

1. GENERAL

1.1 - Scope of Contract The Contractor shall provide all labor, supervision, equipment, supplies, services, permits, and licenses necessary to survey, inventory, control, and monitor invasive species infestations and rare plant populations (see definition of ‘rare plant’ in section C.2 definitions) and provide mobilization and support services on the Boise NF, Caribou-Targhee NF and Curlew NG, Payette NF, Salmon-Challis NF, Sawtooth NF, and Challis and Salmon BLM Field Offices, (Southern Idaho Forests and Field Offices) during the period from the date of contract award through June 2029. Note that this contract would also cover the following Wilderness areas that are managed by the Idaho Forests and Field Offices: Cecil D. Andrus-White Clouds Wilderness, Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness, Hemingway-Boulders Wilderness, Jedediah Smith Wilderness, Jim McClure-Jerry Peak Wilderness, Sawtooth Wilderness, and Winegar Wilderness. Likewise note that portions of the Caribou-Targhee NF fall within the state of Wyoming and portions of the Sawtooth NF fall within the state of Utah. Treatment in Wilderness areas and in other states require that Contractors be cognizant of and comply with the laws and regulations that govern activities solicited herein in states other than Idaho and in federally designated Wilderness areas.

Most units participating in this master contract and resulting Task Orders manage one or more terrestrial or aquatic animal or plant species listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) that may require special contract clauses in individual Task Orders (e.g. grizzly bear, lynx, pollinator species, etc.). Throughout the period of performance of the master contract, more species may be listed or delisted over time. The CO and CORs would determine if these changes would require modifications to the master contract. Threatened, Endangered, Proposed, and Candidate ESA species for each participating unit will be specified in individual Task Orders if the Contractor needs to be aware of them to execute the tasks.

The statement of work for completing the tasks/subtasks shall comply with the Quality Assurance requirements of Section E. Services shall be performed in compliance with the terms, conditions, and work specifications in the individual Task Orders. Specific information and requirements, beyond the general requirements included in this section, for each task shall be indicated in the individual Task Orders.

Rare Plant and Invasive Plant Species Survey/Inventory and Monitoring Services:

The Contractor shall demonstrate expertise in the tasks associated with rare plants/invasive plants survey and inventory. The Contractor shall inventory for and map all rare plants and/or all Idaho State designated noxious and invasive weed species (Idaho Forests and Field Offices Invasive Species exhibit) and other invasive plant species as specified by the Task Order throughout the full extent of identified sites within work areas (see Sample Rare Plant Survey and Inventory Task Order). Survey, inventory, and monitoring work shall be completed as per specifications and requirements (reference individual Idaho Forests and Field Offices exhibits).

Each unit may have one or more rare plant and/or noxious or invasive species included in the task order for survey, inventory, or monitoring. Initial species list for rare, invasive, and noxious

Solicitation No.: 1240LS24R0002 Attachment #1 weed species have been provided as an exhibit, but species may be added or removed from a unit’s list over the span of the IDIQ. These changes will be identified in individual Task Orders.

The Contractor shall provide digital and/or hard copy map and GPS data files as specified by the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) delineating the rare plant populations, invasive species infestations inventoried, and of the overall areas surveyed as specified by the Task Order.

Invasive Species Treatment Services:

The Contractor shall demonstrate expertise with and comply with (a) Idaho Forests and Field Offices federal land management unit environmental protection design features and mitigation measures for management of invasives plant species specified in the relevant environmental analysis decision and (b) laws and regulations for the State in which the herbicides are applied.

Individual Forests or Field Offices may require the Contractor to demonstrate calibration and application techniques in individual Task Orders as part of demonstrating the required expertise.

As a ground-based operation, the Contractor shall (a) apply herbicides or biological control agents to target infestations of Idaho State and County designated noxious weeds and other invasive plant species (see Idaho Forests Invasive Species exhibit) as specified within the treatment areas defined by the individual Task Orders (see Sample Task Order), in accordance with the individual unit Herbicide Use Requirements (reference individual unit exhibits), (b) inventory new infestations of invasive plants encountered in the work areas, (c) update the size of existing invasive plant infestations that have increased or decreased since the last measurement (reference Data Collection Standards exhibits).

The Contractor shall provide digital and/or hard copy data forms and digital spatial data for each infestation, as specified by the CO, delineating the invasive plant infestations to which herbicides were applied per the requirements of the individual Task Orders for herbicide application requirements and data recording requirements (refer to Herbicide Application Requirements for each unit and Data Collection Standards exhibits).

Vegetation/Soil Monitoring Services:

Individual Task Orders for monitoring services may incorporate different protocols (e.g. nested frequency or point cover, etc.) and methods (e.g. belt transect vs. line intercept, etc.) for measuring vegetation and soil attributes (see Sample Task Order). Regardless of the protocol and methodology, the Contractor shall demonstrate expertise with and apply standard methods for quantitative monitoring of vegetation and soil. Vegetation attributes may include cover, density, frequency, age class, biomass, etc. Soil attributes may include soil type, soil moisture, soil erosion factors, etc.

The Contractor shall provide digital and/or hard copy map and GPS data files as specified by the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) delineating the monitored plots or transects, data sheets, photopoints, and other representative photos of the sites monitored as specified by the individual Task Order.

Solicitation No.: 1240LS24R0002

Mobilization and Assistance Services:

Individual Task Orders for mobilization and assistance services would be specific to the scope of this contract and would pertain only to rare plant/invasive plant survey and inventory, invasive plant management, and vegetation/soil monitoring tasks. This service is not to be used solely for standard transportation services, which are outside the scope of this contract. Mobilization and assistance services would generally be requested from vendors already providing services under this contract for rare plant/invasive plant survey and inventory, invasive plant management, and vegetation/soil monitoring tasks.

Services would be requested from the Contractor in the form of mobilizing and/or assisting the Government with tasks within the scope of this contract as specified here in Section and in individual Task Orders. This could include assisting the Government by mobilizing materials, supplies or personnel to project sites, performing jointly with the Government on a day-to-day basis or to accomplish larger projects, or participating in joint multiple day (including camping out for up to 8 days as specified by the individual Task Order) front country or backcountry work hitches (e.g. car camping, stock-related or whitewater raft-related work, etc.).

The Contractor shall demonstrate expertise with (a) type of task specified in the individual Task Order (e.g. rare plant surveys or weed control) for which assistance is requested and/or (b) expertise in the method of mobilization being requested (e.g. pack and saddle stock or whitewater rafts).

1.2 – Task Order Period of Performance A work period will be specified for each individual Task Order. The work period identified in individual Task Orders may be adjusted if weather or environmental conditions or plant phenology require a change. Survey/inventory, control, or treatment efficacy work may be suspended (a) in the late summer once active growth of the target rare plants and/or invasive plant species cease (typically with the onset of seed maturation) and herbicide application becomes less effective or ineffective, (b) at any time when target plants are in a phenological stage that can no longer be identified with high levels of accuracy, (c) at any time when weather conditions and/or work area accessibility (e.g. wildfire) preclude work or (d) at any time of year when the ground is frozen or snow covers the ground (regardless of the work period being adjusted). Invasive species control work may usually resume in the fall, typically from mid-September into November, weather-dependent, as agreed upon with the CO and COR. For rare plants, depending on the target species, work may have to be re-scheduled to a following season when plants are again in a phenological stage that allows surveys/inventory to resume.

Working on weekends and holidays is acceptable except for sites, such as campgrounds, that receive heavy recreational use on weekends and holidays. Exceptions will be approved by the CO in consultation with the COR.

1.3 - Progression and Order of Work The Contractor, as approved by the COR, will determine the order and progression of work within a work area. However, the Government reserves the right to determine the season of plant survey/inventory, timing of herbicide application or biological control releases, the priority of work areas and order of activities within work areas, should other priorities necessitate.

Solicitation No.: 1240LS24R0002

The Government reserves the right to alter the location of work areas should planned work areas become inaccessible (e.g. wildfires or mass erosion events due to high intensity storms) with prior written notification of the change by a properly executed modification from the Contracting Officer. Only areas of comparable size, terrain, and accessibility will be considered for potential alterations.

1.4 - Herbicide and Application Rates The Contractor and/or Government may recommend the herbicide(s) and application rate(s) for a work area that are within the bounds of each unit’s environmental analysis. However, the Government reserves the right to require that a particular herbicide or application rate be used (see Sections C.5 and C.6 and the individual forest/field office exhibits).

1.5 – Deliverable Products Deliverable products vary with each type of service provided under the individual Task Orders.

Deliverables for survey/inventory/monitoring, vegetation and soil monitoring, and invasive plant control tasks include GPS data, data forms, field notes, photos, etc. once field work is done.

Deliverables for invasive plant control require the completion of herbicide application or biological control placement as well. Deliverables for mobilization and assistance services require the delivery of equipment, materials, and supplies to the correct location and at the specified date and time as well as the completion of specified field tasks as identified in the individual Task Order.

Identified deliverables may be provided in increments with invoices for partial payment as allowed by the individual Task Order. Upon completion of work, the Contractor shall submit hard copy and digital data to the COR as further specified in this Section C - Performance Work Statement, Section E – Inspection and Acceptance, and exhibits for survey/inventory, invasive species treatment, and soil/vegetation monitoring. These shall include the following C.1.5 items below.

These products shall be delivered two weeks (unless other arrangements are made with the COR) prior to Contractor submitting an invoice for partial payment or, if only one invoice is submitted, prior to that invoice. Delivery of these products is necessary for the COR to approve the submitted invoice(s).

1.5.1 – Survey/Inventory

(a) Digital and color hard copy maps (the COR will provide Contractor with a topographic background map with known rare plant populations and invasive plant infestations, symbolized attributes, and legend) shall contain, at a minimum, the area covered each day delineated and dated as specified for each individual Task Order. Note that hard copy maps may NOT be submitted in place of GPS files but may be submitted as a supplement.

(b) GPS files as specified by the individual Task Order categorized by work area with applicable rare plant populations, invasive plant infestations, treated areas, and/or monitoring sites along with the minimum required associated tabular attributes per Government specifications and requirements (see exhibits for survey/inventory, herbicide application, Solicitation No.: 1240LS24R0002 qualitative and quantitative monitoring, etc.). Contractor may provide a zip file or drive of GPS data or other means pre-approved by the COR.

(c) Hard copies or digital copies in a printable format (Word, Adobe pdf files, etc.) of all field notes, forms, photos, etc. pertaining to the work areas and/or inventoried populations, infestations, treated areas, and/or monitoring sites as specified for each individual Task Order.

1.5.2 – Herbicide Application Hard copy or scanned herbicide application records matching the information required by state and federal law, USDA Forest Service National Forest System Data Protocol and Requirements for Invasive Species Survey, Inventory and Treatment or for USDI BLM National Invasive Species Information Management System may be recorded on one application record as long as the infestations are contiguous (100 feet or less) or, if a series of small infestations in close proximity, as long as herbicide output is recorded for each infestation. Herbicide applications made in different physical locations must be recorded on separate application records, unless other arrangements are approved in advance by the COR. Special circumstances will be defined in individual Task Orders.

Contractors shall record actual herbicide output for herbicide applications made to single species infestations. Herbicide applications performed on infestations comprised of multiple species will include each species and percent cover of each species to determine herbicide output for each species. Exceptions will be specified in individual Task Orders.

Contractors shall also, as part of their Quality Control inspections, provide herbicide treatment efficacy monitoring information (see SCNF Exhibit 03-Qualitative Efficacy Monitoring Form as an example) for each infestation and treatment area.

(a) Color hard copy maps may be required to be attached to each treatment record containing at a minimum: topographic background layer, outline of work area boundary and name, delineation of area and infestations sprayed each day with date of treatment and any recommendations regarding the area, new (refer to inventory above) or existing infestations and further management.

(b) A zip file or drive or other means pre-approved by the COR providing the location of invasive plant infestations and treated/surveyed/inventoried/monitored areas as GPS files as specified by the individual Task Order categorized by work area, invasive plant species, and Task Order activities along with all minimum required associated tabular attributes per Government specifications and requirements (see exhibits for Data Collection Standards)

1.5.3 –Monitoring

(a) Hard copy, scanned or digital data sheets and color photographs of each monitoring plot/transect as required by Government specifications and requirements in the individual Task Order (reference Sample Task Order).

(b) Hard copies or digital copies on a zip file or drive or other means pre-approved by COR in a printable format (Word, Adobe pdf files, etc.) of all field notes pertaining to the work areas and/or monitoring transects.

(c) A zip file or drive or other means pre-approved by COR containing:

• downloaded and processed GPS locations of relocated or re-established permanent monitoring transects as specified by the individual Task Order

• digital files of color photographs at each monitoring transect taken per

Government specifications and requirements.

• digital Microsoft Excel files of downloaded and summarized data as required by

Government specifications and requirements.

2. DEFINITIONS

Carrier - For herbicide applications, only water shall be used as the herbicide carrier.

Datum – The datum used by the Idaho Forests and Field Offices is the North American Datum 1983, Universal Transverse Mercator, Zone 11N or 12N (as required by the location of the work area).

Efficacy Monitoring – collecting attribute data about the effectiveness of herbicide application treatments and the status of invasive plant infestations after treatment by completing a qualitative efficacy monitoring form (see Idaho Forests and Field Offices SCNF Sample Qualitative Monitoring exhibit).

FACTS - Forest Activity Tracking System - A nationwide Forest Service database that tracks forest invasive species treatments accomplishments, based on annual Forest Service Business Rules. The user is guided through the data entry/edit process with a step-by-step workflow called the ESRI Task Assistant extension in an ArcMap project.

Geographic Information System (GIS) software – the Government utilizes ESRI ArcGIS software, including ArcMap, Collector, and Field Maps.

Global Positioning System (GPS) Equipment – The Contractor shall at a minimum utilize a single frequency Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) to acquire accurate spatial references. The following are the standard Forest Service (FS) minimum GNSS reception tolerance parameters and will help ensure 5-10 meter required horizontal accuracy at 95% confidence level. Open canopy conditions should result in higher locational accuracy. In order to achieve 5-10m locational accuracy and minimum of 4 GNSS satellites for a 3D fix is required; 5 GNSS satellites is preferred. The Contractor may use any Forest Service-approved portable mobile GIS data recorder integrated or external GNSS receiver and associated mobile GIS field data collection software. Most smartphones and tablet computers meet these requirements.

Herbicide – Only those herbicides listed specifically in the Idaho Forests and Field Offices Herbicide Requirements exhibits may be applied to federal lands covered under this IDIQ and accompanying Task Orders.

Solicitation No.: 1240LS24R0002

Invasive Annual Grass – Any non-native, annual grass plant species that have the potential to out-compete the native vegetation because they germinate early in the fall and deplete soil nutrients and moisture. Examples would be cheatgrass, medusahead, ventenata, jointed goat grass, and cogon grass.

Invasive Plant – Any non-native/non-indigenous plant species whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health, as defined by federal law. Invasive plants include state and county-listed Noxious weeds, watch list invaders for each participating BLM and Forest Service unit, invasive annual grasses, etc.

Invasive Plant Infestation – A discrete area infested with BLM, Forest Service, Idaho, Utah, or Wyoming State and/or differing County designated noxious weeds or other invasive species as specified by the Task Order delineated by a point or a polygon. The number of invasive species plants in an infestation may be as low as a single plant to many thousands of plants. The area comprising the infestation may be as small as 1/1000 of an acre to thousands of acres if the invasive species distribution is large and continuous. Invasive species plant cover may vary from less than one percent of the plant community in the infested area to a percentage in which the invasive species is dominant in the plant community (e.g. 75% cover).

Key Personnel – Contractor operational employees whose combination of skills, experience, and/or certifications are essential to the successful performance and completion of the specifications of an individual Task Order. Key personnel are generally experts in specific areas, such as experienced professionally licensed herbicide applicators or experienced botanical field surveyors. Key personnel may possess professional certifications such as outfitter and guide licenses and insurance, whitewater rescue training, professional herbicide applicator licensing and insurance, etc. These requirements are specified in the individual Task Orders.

Monitoring – collecting vegetation and soil attribute data needed to determine the status and trend of invasive plant infestations, native plant communities and soil resources by following and completing the monitoring protocol and instructions as required by specifications and requirements.

Monitoring Plots/Transects – Temporary or permanently established plots/transects for vegetation and soil trend monitoring.

National Invasive Species Information Management System – Plants (NISMS) – The Bureau of Land Management’s corporate GIS database designed to collect and store invasive plant field data in a standardized database to allow for data sharing and reporting at local, state and national levels. The NISMS database also tracks and reports treatments of invasive plants on BLM system lands as well.

Noxious Weed - Any invasive plant species having the potential to cause injury to public health, crops, livestock, land or other property and designated as “noxious” by a state legislature and regulated under state law. Idaho has 71invasive species and 4 genera listed as noxious, 54 of

Solicitation No.: 1240LS24R0002 which are terrestrial plant species. Utah has 54 invasive plant species listed as noxious.

Wyoming has 30 terrestrial plant species listed as noxious.

Plant Phenology – This phrase refers to any of the number of plant growth and life cycle stages, from germination to seed production to senescence.

Rare Plant Species – Plant species known to occur or have the probability to occur in the contract area with conservation status designations of Federally Endangered, Threatened, Proposed or Candidate; United States Forest Service designations of R4 Sensitive, Species of Conservation Concern or BNF or PNF Rare Plant Forest Watch plant species, and/or Idaho Department of Fish and Game state designations of S1, S2 or S3. These species will be collectively referred to using the acronym ‘TESP’ or ‘rare plant(s)’ in the document.

Re-measurement/Monitoring – Re-mapping an existing rare plant population or invasive plant infestation with a GPS receiver to reflect increases or decreases in population extent and/or cover and collecting attribute data per the requirements of Data Collection Standards exhibits when the population or infestation has changed in size and extent and/or canopy cover since the last measurement.

Survey/Inventory - Walking a grid system throughout an entire survey site within a work area in search of Rare Plants or any/all of the BLM, Forest Service, Idaho, Utah, or Wyoming State and/or differing County designated noxious weeds, and other invasive plant species, and/or rare plant species as specified in the Task Order. Once located, the outer perimeter of rare plant populations and/or invasive plant infestations shall be mapped by GPS’ing around the perimeter of each population or infestation, required data in the specified format for each population/infestation shall be recorded, and, if necessary, converting these data to the appropriate software supported shapefiles and database files.

Work Area/Project Area – Consists of a geographically and topographically defined area of work in which work shall be conducted, whether for survey/inventory, invasive plant control or monitoring or any combination therefore, for which site conditions are described under C.5.

3. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY

GENERAL

Government Furnished Property/Services, Data, ETC. QUANTITY Where, When, How to be

Furnished to Contractor Master Contract Exhibits 1 each In Section J Area locator maps (as necessary) and maps of work area(s) (i.e. the Item No.)

One map or set Included in Task Order & provided at pre-work meeting

Forest Travel Plan Map 1 Provided at pre-work meeting

SURVEY/INVENTORY

Property/Services, Data, ETC. QUANTITY Where, When, How to be Furnished to Contractor

Master Contract Exhibits 1 each In Section J Survey/Inventory Equipment as specified by Task Order 1 set Provided at pre-work meeting

HERBICIDE/BIOLOGICAL CONTROL APPLICATION

Property/Services, Data, ETC. QUANTITY Where, When, How to be Furnished to Contractor Master Contract Exhibits 1 each In Section J Biological Control agents approved for use on Idaho Forests and Field Offices and made available for use through rearing programs/cooperative efforts

As specified in Task Order

No more than 24-38 hours prior to application

Herbicide/Biological Control Application Equipment as specified by Task Order

1 set Provided at pre-work meeting

VEGETATION/SOIL TREND MONITORING

Property/Services, Data, ETC.

QUANTITY Where, When, How to be Furnished to Contractor

Master Contract Exhibits 1 each In Section J Soil/Veg Quantitative Monitoring Equipment 1 set Provided at pre-work meeting

MOBILIZATION AND ASSISTANCE

Property/Services, Data, ETC.

QUANTITY Where, When, How to be Furnished to Contractor

Equipment, Materials and Supplies required by project and as specified in the individual Task Order

As needed Prior to mobilization at time and place jointly agreed upon between Contractor and Government

4 - CONTRACTOR FURNISHED CRITICAL ITEMS/SERVICES

GENERAL

SURVEY/INVENTORY

Item # Quantity Description

1 1/crew Digital camera with at least 10 mega pixel quality and software for downloading and printing 4X6 color photographs

3 1 Microsoft Excel spreadsheet software or compatible software

HERBICIDE/BIOLOGICAL CONTROL APPLICATION

Item # Quantity DESCRIPTION

1 As needed

Herbicide and adjuvants labeled for rangeland or semi/aquatic invasive plant species control meeting Idaho Forests and Field Offices requirements for Herbicide Application as specified by Task Order

2 As needed

All equipment & labor to control invasive plant species per Task Order, including transportation, sprayers/application equipment, water drafting equipment, operational spill incident kits, decontamination kits and personal protective equipment for each worker.

MONITORING

1 1/crew Digital camera with at least 10 mega pixel quality and software for downloading and printing 4X6 color photographs

2 1 Microsoft Excel spreadsheet software

Item # Quantity DESCRIPTION

1 1/crew Shovel, bucket, and fire extinguisher for fire prevention regulations

2 1/crew Equipment required to meet the regulations associated with Specially Designated Areas OR as required by Task Order

3 1/crew GPS devices and/or portable data recorders (as defined by Task Order and approved by the CO)

4 1 Reliable communications system to contact COR as needed

5 1 Hardware and software required to meet the data collection standards (e.g. personal computer, mapping software, and peripherals)

Solicitation No.: 1240LS24R0002

MOBILIZATION AND ASSISTANCE

1 As needed Key Personnel as described in the individual Task Order

2 As needed

Equipment as described in the individual Task Order. This may include 4WD pickups, stock trailers, pack and saddle stock and tack, ATV/UTV’s, whitewater rafts and rigging, etc.

Items, materials and supplies and/or equipment provided by the Government are to be used only in the execution of tasks specified in this contract and may not be employed for personal use or in support of other Contractor work.

5. PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT TASKS/CRITICAL SUBTASKS

The performance work statement tasks/critical subtasks will be provided in the solicitations and the Task Orders. Site visits may be offered to assist in responding to a solicitation for pricing a Task Order.

5.1.1 – Survey/Inventory Requirements:

Within each work area, the Contractor shall conduct inventory for all Government, Idaho, Wyoming or Utah State and/or differing County designated noxious weeds and other invasive plant species and/or rare plant species as specified in the individual Task Order in all sites delineated for inventory per protocol provided in the exhibits for Data Collection Standards.

The Contractor shall at a minimum utilize a single frequency Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) to acquire accurate spatial references. The following are the standard Forest Service (FS) minimum GNSS reception tolerance parameters and will help ensure 5-10 meter required horizontal accuracy at 95% confidence level. Open canopy conditions should result in higher locational accuracy. In order to achieve 5-10m locational accuracy and minimum of 4 GNSS satellites for a 3D fix is required; 5 GNSS satellites is preferred. The Contractor may use any Forest Service-approved portable mobile GIS data recorder integrated or external GNSS receiver and associated mobile GIS field data collection software. Most smartphones and tablet computers meet these requirements.

The COR must approve any Contractor owned/leased GPS/data collection system(s) at the pre-work meeting. The Contractor may not use unapproved systems as they could be incompatible with Government data collection standards and databases.

1) Survey/inventory data shall be gathered in a manner consistent with Government rare plant species/invasive plant species survey/inventory protocols and formats. These instructions are attached in the Idaho Forests and Field Offices Invasive Species and Data Collection Standards exhibits. The necessary digital GIS formats shall be provided to the Contractor by the COR at the pre-work meeting for each Task Order.

2) The Contractor shall adhere to standard Government specifications for data collection and

GPS tolerances (see Data Collection Standards exhibits).

Solicitation No.: 1240LS24R0002

3) Survey/inventory methodology will require the Contractor to follow a standardized grid system protocol approved by the Government (see Data Collections Standards exhibits). The Contractor will be required to map rare plant populations/invasive species infestations with resource grade GPS receivers and software to collect and record rare plant/invasive plant species data for all rare and/or invasive plant species located in each site delineated for inventory under specific Task Orders. The Contractor shall provide data to the COR for inspection purposes all downloaded and processed digital GPS files complete with all required data fields of (a) gridded survey areas (even if no rare/invasive plant species were found) and (b) rare plant populations/invasive species infestations.

4) Comments about a site, including disturbance (e.g. off-road vehicle traffic or domestic livestock presence, etc.), threats or vulnerability, plant community cover type, distance from water and other information helpful in managing the site are requested. These may be recorded in the Comments block of the inventory application (refer to Data Collection Standards exhibits).

5.1.2 – Invasive Plant Treatment Requirements:

1) For herbicide applications, only water shall be used as a carrier.

2) Biological control agents to control invasive plant species shall be applied per Animal and

Plant Health Inspection Service standards under the Plant Protection Act of 2000 and the specifications of each individual Task Order.

3) Herbicides to control invasive plant species will be applied to infestations of target invasive plant species in specified work areas per Idaho Forests and Field Offices requirements for Herbicide Application (see Herbicide Application Requirements and Application Records exhibits).

4) Treated invasive plant infestations shall be qualitatively monitored to detect treatment efficacy and track the status and trend of invasive plant cover and distribution in response to treatment. Efficacy monitoring attributes to be collected include examiner, date, site name and location information, target invasive plant species control rating, cover class by life form/soil surface characteristics and by individual plant species, and invasive plant species density, distribution and phenology ratings. Completion of all fields is mandatory.

5) For mapping treatment areas and recording required spatial and tabular treatment data, the

Contractor shall at a minimum utilize a single frequency Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) to acquire accurate spatial references. The following are the standard Forest Service (FS) minimum GNSS reception tolerance parameters and will help ensure 5-10 meter required horizontal accuracy at 95% confidence level. Open canopy conditions should result in higher locational accuracy. In order to achieve 5-10m locational accuracy and minimum of 4 GNSS satellites for a 3D fix is required; 5 GNSS satellites is preferred. The Contractor may use any Forest Service-approved portable mobile GIS data recorder integrated or external GNSS receiver and associated mobile GIS field data collection software. Most smartphones and tablet computers meet these requirements. The Contractor may not use

Solicitation No.: 1240LS24R0002 unapproved systems as they could be incompatible with Government data collection standards and databases. Refer to Data Collection Standards and Application Record exhibits for other requirements.

6) New invasive plant species infestations encountered by the Contractor shall be mapped with resource grade GPS receivers and software and all required attribute data shall be collected per the requirements of the Data Collection Standards exhibits.

7) Previously existing invasive plant infestations that have changed in size and extent and/or canopy cover since the last measurement shall be re-measured by mapping the infestation with resource grade GPS receivers and software (see Data Collection Standards exhibits) and collecting attribute data per the requirements of this performance work statement (Section C) and the Inspection and Acceptance specifications in Section E. Lateral shifts in location, changes in size (whether increases or decreases) by 0.1 acre or more and changes (increases or decreases) in canopy cover trigger the requirement to re-measure the infestation.

8) Comments about the site, including distance from water and other information helpful in managing the site are required (e.g. to comply with National Pollution Discharge Elimination System). These are recorded in the Comments block of the inventory application. Specific requirements will be specified in the individual Task Orders.

5.1.3 - Monitoring Requirements:

1) At each established monitoring transect, vegetation and soil surface factors data shall be collected per protocol and instructions provided in individual Task Orders (see sample SCNF Quantitative Monitoring Protocol exhibit).

2) The Contractor shall record GPS data required by the protocol utilizing pre-approved resource grade Global Positioning System receivers and software.

3) Depending on the specifications of each individual Task Order, the Contractor may be required to statistically summarize monitoring data for each data element in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet format.

4) Final products to be submitted to the COR include GPS data, hard copy data sheets, photographs of each transect per monitoring protocol, any pertinent field notes and digital Excel files. Comments and recommendations from the Contractor regarding continued site monitoring and future site management are requested.

5.1.4 – Mobilization and Assistance Requirements:

1) The Contractor shall perform mobilization tasks as specified in the individual Task Order and to the acceptable quality level specified therein and in accordance with Section E – Inspection and Acceptance.

2) The Contractor shall perform assistance tasks as specified in the individual Task Order and in accordance with the specifications for rare plant/invasive survey/inventory, weed

Solicitation No.: 1240LS24R0002 management, or vegetation/soil monitoring in this section (Section C – Specifications) and acceptable quality levels in Section E – Inspection and Acceptance.

5.2 – Work/Project Area Description:

5.2.1 - GENERAL

Access to work areas is variable and may require more than one mode of transportation, including 4WD pickups, jet boats, small planes, pack-string and hiking or backpacking. Travel time is dependent not only on distance but on local conditions at the time of travel, including human-related factors such as road and trail maintenance priorities and weather-related factors, such as storm events, snowpack depths, runoff, and high water. Contractors must be aware of allowed travel types and restrictions for the Wilderness areas in which they are working as specified in individual Task Orders (there may be only foot or stock travel allowed) and quote accordingly.

Often there are no developed campgrounds or camp sites available in or adjacent to work areas.

Primitive camping will be required. Camping at undeveloped sites within or near a work area is permitted, provided (a) sanitation requirements for garbage removal, human waste, etc. and (b) resource protection measures for sensitive resources (e.g. riparian areas) are met (see SCNF Use Regulations exhibit as an example). Drinking water may have to be filtered at some sites and/or may have to be hauled for some distance from the nearest water source to the camp.

Terrain is variable depending on the work area, ranging from flat to moderately steep slopes (30

- 40%) in the uplands to very steep slopes (50% plus) with abundant surface rock and unstable terrain. Overall, the terrain in many work areas rates as steep to very steep and rocky with areas of raveling slopes or unstable scree. Due to the steepness of the slopes, rocks and rolling logs are common hazards. Portions of some work areas may have burned in the recent past, introducing physical hazards such as burned-out holes, destabilized rocks and logs and areas with thick ash.

Accessing work areas, surveying/inventorying, and spraying herbicide will generally be very physically demanding.

5.2.2 – SURVEY/INVENTORY

Survey/inventory areas for rare plant populations and/or invasive plant infestations may be anywhere on Idaho Forests and Field Offices’ lands, including Wilderness Areas. Infestations of all invasive species on the Government Watch List, Idaho, Utah and Wyoming State Noxious Weed list and the differing County Noxious Weed list (see Idaho Forests and Field Offices Invasive Plants exhibits) must be inventoried, as well as any other invasive plant species specified in the Task Order and specified Idaho Forests and Field Offices rare plant species (see Rare Plants exhibits). Survey/inventory areas are often located in remote or difficult to access locations.

Target plant cover and density may be low in many work areas depending on a variety of factors, such as rarity and population levels of rare plants and, for invasive species, the length of time since establishment, the species being inventoried and past control efforts. Locating individual plants and patches in each survey area will require a careful grid pattern search to achieve detection standards (see Section E and Data Collection Standards exhibits).

Solicitation No.: 1240LS24R0002

5.2.3 – HERBICIDE APPLICATION

Infestations of all invasive plant species on the Invasive Plants Forest Watch List, the Idaho, Utah and Wyoming State Noxious Weed list and the differing County Noxious Weed list (see Invasive Species exhibits) and other invasive plant species specified in the Task Order must be treated.

The majority of work will consist of roadside, trails and off-road herbicide application, often in remote or difficult to access locations. Access to the treatment areas is variably difficult and, for many areas, a steep elevation gain may be required to reach the sites.

Invasive plant species’ cover and density may be low in many work areas depending on the length of time since the infestation established and the number of years infestations have been under treatment with herbicides and/or biological control agents. Locating individual plants and patches in each work area will almost always require a careful grid pattern search to detect and treat the invasive plant species (see Data Collection Standards exhibit for suggested gridding techniques).

5.2.4 – SOIL/VEGETATION MONITORING

Access to soil and vegetation monitoring transects is variable and may require more than one mode of transportation, including 4WD pickups, hiking on trails or orienteering cross-country, but generally transects are located close to road or trail access (within ¼ - ½ mile). Travel time is dependent not only on distance, but on local conditions at the time of travel, including human-related factors such as road and trail maintenance priorities.

Some plots/transects are or may be located on private land, permission for which is obtained by the Government at the time the transects were or will be established. Landowner permission for continued access for data collection purposes as needed has been granted. The COR will notify the Contractor at the pre-work meeting for a Task Order if the Contractor needs to contact a landowner for access purposes (locked gates, etc.) prior to arriving at a particular site.

5.2.5 – MOBILIZATION AND ASSISTANCE

Refer to C.5.2.1 for a general description of work/project area description and conditions. More specific descriptions and conditions will be provided in the individual Task Orders.

6. GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS/INDUSTRY STANDARDS/STATE

STANDARDS/GOVERNMENT STANDARDS/TECHNICAL EXHIBITS

6.1 – Herbicide Licensing Requirements For herbicide application Task Orders, Contractors shall be licensed as current and valid Professional Applicators with the States of Idaho, Utah and Wyoming and have the proper endorsements. Information on licensing requirements may be obtained from the Department of Agriculture for each state.

Prospective contractors shall provide a copy of their current and valid applicator's license(s) [for each applicable state] with their quotes in response to a solicitation for a Task Order.

Quotes without a copy of the applicator’s license will be rejected.

6.2 - Equipment Requirements

a) GPS equipment shall meet Government standards for data collection. Equipment must be approved by CO before the Contractor begins work. Any data created with unapproved GPS equipment that is submitted for payment will be rejected.

b) Equipment (truck, ATV/UTV, backpacks, stock and tack, rafts, etc.) shall be suited to the job for which proposals are solicited. Proposals with unsuited equipment will not be considered for award.

c) For each Task Order, the Contractor shall thoroughly clean and wash all equipment, which shall then be inspected by the COR prior to mobilization onto National Forest System lands to prevent the introduction of new invasive plant species and the continued spread of existing invasive plant species. Equipment that does not pass the inspection will not be permitted to move onto the work area. Contractors are encouraged to clean equipment again prior to mobilizing to other work areas not on FS lands to reduce transmission of invasive plant species’ seeds or other reproductive parts to other areas.

d) All equipment will be in good mechanical condition, leak free and will be inspected by the COR prior to and during performance of the work as deemed necessary by the COR.

6.3 – Drafting Requirements for Herbicide Applications Depending on the location, there may little or no water available in many work areas. Spring development is prohibited and the volume of water available from the springs, if any, would be extremely small. Water for spraying at some treatment sites may often have to be hauled in via truck, ATUV/UTV, pack stock, or on foot.

Water drafting using electrical (battery) or fuel-powered pumps is not allowed in Wilderness areas with the exception of certain instances along the Salmon River Wild and Scenic River corridor. In all cases, the use of pumps MUST be pre-approved by the COR.

If drafting from streams, rivers, ponds, lakes or reservoirs, draft equipment shall include screening around the draft line to prevent entrainment of aquatic species and a device to prevent

Solicitation No.: 1240LS24R0002 backflow through the draft line. Drafting equipment screening and backflow prevention shall follow unit-specific instructions in each individual Task Order (EXHIBIT).

Prior to mobilizing onto federal land to begin work, drafting equipment shall be cleaned per BLM and USFS standards and presented to the COR for inspection. When moving from one waterway or body of water to another, drafting equipment must be re-cleaned. These requirements are necessary to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species (non-native invasive mollusks) or waterborne diseases (e.g. whirling disease).

Sedimented water should not be drafted and the COR may require that water be hauled in. Water conditioning agents may also be required. Individual Task Orders would specify these requirements.

All water drafting and transport shall be pre-approved by the COR at the pre-work meeting for each Task Order. Impounding water, digging ditches, changing the course of stream channels, or modifying stream banks are not permitted. Proposals that do not meet federal and state requirements for water drafting will not be considered for award.

The Contractor will be liable to law enforcement actions in the case of unpermitted stream bank or channel modification and shall bear the financial costs of restoration work.

6.4 – Herbicide Application Regulations Calibration of equipment shall be completed prior to start of work for each Task Order before Contractor mobilizes equipment onto public land (see sample Equipment Calibration Records exhibits). The application pattern, rate and calibration shall be reviewed before beginning a project and monitored during the project. Additional calibration checks may be required by the COR if there are indications of inaccurate calibrated herbicide application rates.

Spraying is prohibited when wind speeds and/or temperatures exceed label requirements for the herbicides being applied or when sustained wind conditions exceed velocities permitted by the Government or by the Idaho, Utah or Wyoming Departments of Agriculture. Contractors are responsible for knowing the herbicide application regulations specific to the state in which they are making herbicide applications.

Spray drift shall be avoided as much as possible. Drift agents and surfactants shall be applied with herbicides when required/suggested by an herbicide label, deemed necessary by the Contractor, or as requested by the Government. Specific products in these categories are subject to prior approval by the government.

Staging operations shall occur no closer than 300 feet from open water or other sensitive sites unless spill containment devices are readily available, and the government has pre-approved the practice and location.

Contractor shall mix only the amount of herbicide that will be used for the operating period or load. Contractor shall avoid mixing more than the amount to be used in the event of weather changes or other conditions that require a halt to operations. The Government does not

Solicitation No.: 1240LS24R0002 guarantee that other areas will be available to treat in the event a weather change occurs and mixed herbicide is left over.

Herbicide applications, storage, containment and transport of herbicides and adjuvants, cleaning of spray equipment, and disposal of herbicide containers shall be conducted in accordance with State and Federal laws. The Contractor shall comply with any requirements of the manufacturer of the herbicide being applied. Empty herbicide containers that have been triple-rinsed, have had labels removed and cap insert removed may be delivered to recycling bins at the Idaho Forests and Field Offices for recycling in state chipper programs (ask COR for details).

For units with fish species listed under the Endangered Species Act, the Contractor shall comply with the mitigation measures and terms and conditions of the biological opinions issued by the National Marine Fisheries Service and/or United States Fish and Wildlife Service for the application of herbicides to target invasive plant species infestations on lands administered by Idaho Forests and Field Offices

6.5 - Reporting Requirements On completion of work in each work area, the Contractor shall submit digital and hard copy data to the COR as specified in under Deliverables and per the requirements of the exhibits for survey/inventory, control, and/or soil/vegetation monitoring.

The Contractor shall provide spatial and tabular attributes for all surveyed areas and detected rare plant populations/invasive plant infestations in the work area(s) per Data Collection Standards (see exhibits).

The Contractor shall comply with Government and Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming State Department of Agriculture daily record-keeping requirements for herbicide use (see Master Application Record exhibits). Complete and accurate recording of ALL fields is mandatory. The Contractor shall submit these daily treatment records to the COR on completion of each treatment area. Invoices submitted for payment will be rejected unless daily treatment records have been recorded correctly, been turned in to the COR and have been approved by the COR.

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