Attachment_1_-_Statement_of_Work.pdf

STATEMENT OF WORK

CHERRYWOOD WILDFIRE EMERGENCY STABILIZATION AND REHABILITATION

SOUTHERN NEVADA DISTRICT OFFICE, NEVADA TEST AND TRAINING RANGE

Cherrywood Herbicide Application

1. GENERAL INFORMATION:

A. INTRODUCTION

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is acquiring vegetation treatment services for the area of the Cherrywood Fire that naturally ignited on the 17th of May 2021 and spread to BLM lands located within the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR). The work consists of applying a pre-emergent herbicide to a minimum of 5,000 acres within the burned area to control red brome (Bromus rubens) and cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) two nonnative invasive annual grass species.

Ground-based application will not be permitted due to the size of the treatment area, the potential to cause additional ground disturbance, the likelihood of spreading invasive weeds, the potential for an accidental detonation of unexploded ordnance, impact to ongoing military training exercises, and impacts to cultural resources as well as impacts to designated critical desert tortoise habitat (Gopherus Agassizii) that are susceptible to damage by overland travel.

The project area is located approximately 20 miles northeast of Beatty, Nevada, sub-range 77 of the Nevada Test and Training Range, and west aspect of the Timber Mountain Caldera Area of Critical Environmental. The project area is depicted on the Location and Vicinity Maps (Attachment A and B).

Applicable Directives

The contractor must hold a current Nevada Commercial Applicator License for the application of herbicide in the weed control category appropriate for the application type. Proof of licensing shall be provided and kept current during the performance of this requirement. The contractor shall comply with the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for Applying Herbicides outlined in the Record of Decision for the Vegetation Treatments Using Herbicides on Bureau of Land Management Lands in 17 Western States Programmatic EIS, (September 2007 and 2016, (Attachment C) and the Cherrywood Emergency Stabilization Determination of NEPA Adequacy (DNA) document which tiers from DOI-BLM- NV-S0l0-2019-0053-EA Uplands Herbicide Use Environmental Assessment (Attachment D)and Environmental Protection Agency Regulation on the spraying of herbicides.

Location and Description

The vicinity and project maps showing the location of the project area. The project area is approximately 20 miles northeast of Beatty, Nevada. This project will treat the burned area on the BLM use located on the Nevada Test and Training Range. The project area lies in a transitional zone between the Mojave Creosote Bush and the Pinion Juniper Woodlands. The elevation ranges from 6,250 to 7,450 feet and is characterized as steep mountainous terrain.

B. SPECIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS:

1. GPS compatible navigation system: Equipment shall be equipped with a GPS Guidance/Tracking system capable of accepting and utilizing ESRI GIS Shapefiles. The contractor upon the request of the U.S. Government shall provide a GIS Shapefiles of applied treatment coverage to the project area.

2. Differentially Corrected Global Positioning System (DGPS): DGPS is required for tracking and data collection. The contractor shall provide all guidance equipment, materials, computers, printers, personnel, and services required for the system to be used. The system shall be sufficiently sensitive to provide immediate deviation indications (real-time). The DGPS system must be capable of determining a differentially corrected location with an error of no more than one to two meters in the horizontal plane. The guidance system shall be capable of updating the current position at a rate of a minimum of one time per second. Differential correction must cover the complete operational area. During operation, the differentially corrected signal must be accurately recorded at least 90% of the operational time. Differential correction may be provided by a portable differential station, FM radio fixed towers or satellite.

3. Software: Software provided with DGPS must be designed for parallel offset in increments equal to the assigned swath width of the application equipment.

4. Project Log: Must be capable of a minimum rate of one-second logging intervals. Full record includes position, time, altitude, speed, track, application system on/off, job name/number, and differential correction status. The computer program must be capable of calculating and showing the total acres treated during the application and capable of downloading to a computer for analysis and review, must show the entire track of the equipment from beginning to end. The project log must show and differentiate between spray-on and spray-off when viewed on a computer monitor or printer. Export files of each project log shall be provided electronically and must be compatible with ESRI software. The contractor may provide software that is compatible, and which will enable the files to convert into viewable files for ESRI software. The contractor shall provide project log data at the end of each day's application.

Additionally, the contractor shall, upon request by the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR), be able to supply project log data on a USB memory drive for review at any time during the contract. The contract will not be considered complete until the data has been reviewed and deemed complete with no skips in the sprayed areas. The DGPS system must be capable of zooming in on any portion of the treatment to view a specific area with greater detail and differentiate between spray drop-on and spray drop-off. A color printout and export files shall be provided on a standard removable drive, USB drive, or other appropriate media approved by the COR and the Southern Nevada BLM District Office and must be ESRI-compatible GIS Shapefiles.

5. Memory: Must be capable of storing up to ten hours of continuous project log data.

6. Hardware: Visual Display Monitor and Control Keypad: (1) capable of displaying swath width over project path; (2) mounted in a location that will allow the applicator to view the screen; (3) have a method to display nested polygons to indicate sensitive or no-spray areas within or adjacent to treatment blocks; (4) have a feature that allows the applicator to return to the exact location of application shutdown and complete application without omitted or doubled treated areas; (5) be able to input reference waypoints (A-B line); (6) have a feature which alerts applicator when they are about to enter or exit a specific treatment block or an exclusion area within a block.

6. Course Deviation Indicator: The course deviation indicator or course deviation light must have the capability to display both cross-track errors and intercept angle to the desired heading.

Cross-track error shall be adjustable down to one foot.

C. SPECIFIC TASKS:

1. The minimum requirements of this project are listed below, and the contractor will be required to treat the project area in accordance with these specifications. Unless otherwise specified, the contractor shall furnish all equipment, labor, supplies, and materials required to complete the job. The contractor shall be responsible for all support, service, and repair of equipment as necessary to maintain satisfactory progress on work.

2. Contractor shall provide a completed Pesticide Application Record (PAR) (Attachment E). At a minimum, one PAR per day must be completed. Each PAR will match the corresponding GPS log data. The contractor shall, upon request by the COR or Project Inspector (Pl), be able to supply PARs for review at any time during the contract. The contractor shall submit final PARs no later than two weeks after applying the herbicide specified in this contract.

3. A GIS shapefile/project (ESRI compatible) log containing treated areas is required daily. The shapefile will be in Universal Transverse Mercator Zone 11 datum NAD83. Contact information (e.g., email and phone number) for whom the contractor will provide project log data will be given to the contractor during the post-award conference.

4. Herbicide will be applied utilizing water as a carrier, with no less than nine ounces/acre of tank mix applied. Herbicide, water, and tank shall be provided by the contractor.

5. All roads (public and private) damaged or opened by the contractor shall be restored at no cost to the U.S. Government to their condition prior to commencement of work.

6. Adhere to:

a. Standard Operating Procedures for Applying Herbicides outlined in the Record of

Decision for the Vegetation Treatments Using Herbicides on Bureau of Land Management Lands in 17 Western States Programmatic EIS, (September 2007 and 2016) (attached).

b. Minimization and mitigation measures within DOI-BLM-NV-S0l0-2019-0053-EA Uplands Herbicide Use Environmental Assessment (attached).

c. All applicable federal, state, and local EPA regulations.

7. The Contractor shall not be permitted onto the Nevada Test and Training Range at any time without a United States Air Force (USAF) or BLM escort. All contracted employees must be citizens or naturalized citizens of the United States. A minimum of two weeks prior to the start of work, the contractor shall provide the personally identifiable information for each employee needing access to the project area to either the BLM or NTTR to obtain range badges. The contractor and all employees will be required to watch a range safety video. The contractor personnel shall be required to sign a nondisclosure statement, upon request.

8. If sensitive, endangered, or threatened species (plant or animal) are discovered within the treatment area the contractor is to immediately notify the COR. The Government may issue a suspend work and/or partially terminate any portion of the work due to discoveries of sensitive, threatened, endangered species or archeological sites during contract operations.

9. Herbicide shall not be applied within 100 feet (31 meters) of water sources (troughs, ponds, open water). Upland areas are any non-riparian areas throughout the district and are at least 656 feet (200 meters) away from standing water. Contractor is expected to apply the herbicide consistent with the maps and shapefiles provided by the BLM.

10. Eye-level wind velocities for chemical applications of herbicides must be six mph or less at the application site. The contractor is responsible for checking site conditions at the project area using a device that provides quantitative data that is not subjective (for example a Kestrel).

11. Liquid application shall not be made during a rainstorm, snowstorm, or when the ground is frozen.

12. Contractor is responsible for the identification and avoidance of any ground and aerial hazards.

13. Spray strips shall be patterned in such a manner as to secure as high a uniformity of herbicide distribution as possible.

14. DGPS navigation unit shall ensure straight and regular application paths. Irregular paths will result in an immediate stoppage of work. Corrective action shall be taken immediately by the contractor to ensure evenly spaced, straight, and regular paths and complete coverage of areas included in the spraying activity.

The entire surface within the designated boundaries of the project area shall receive uniform coverage with herbicide except for areas excluded by the U.S. Government. Areas excluded from the herbicide operation within the designated boundaries, will not be included in the acreage computed for payment. Dispersal methods must be able to obtain proper distribution and uniform coverage of herbicide.

2.0 PROPERTY AND SERVICES

A. CONTRACTOR FURNISHED PROPERTY AND SERVICES

1. The Contractor shall furnish all labor, equipment, fuel, chemical, water (for application), supervision, supplies, and incidentals to perform all work as outlined in the specifications. The contractor shall be responsible for the transportation and storage of the supplies and equipment used for the project.

2. The Contractor shall be responsible for safely transporting, storing, and disposal of the herbicide and disposal of herbicide containers.

3. The Contractor is responsible for ensuring that the application of the herbicide meets all label specifications and complies with applicable EPA Federal, State, and Local regulations (most restrictive of these shall be followed). The contractor shall be responsible for cleanup of accidental spills, following proper handling and storage precautions, and ensuring proper exposure control and personal protection is provided as defined by the herbicide label and Safety Data Sheets. The contractor must comply with the product label during use, application, and storage as required by BLM Appendix B, Herbicide Treatment Standard Operating Procedures (attached).

4. Approved Herbicides and Adjuvants:

The prescribed herbicides will have the following EPA registration numbers and are approved for use on BLM lands:

Imazapic - applied at 9 fluid ounces/acre (must be equivalent to 0.141 lbs. of active ingredient/acre).

• Plateau 241-365

• Panoramic 2SL 66222-141-81927

B. GOVERNMENT-FURNISHED PROPERTY

1. The U.S. Government will provide maps with the project area boundaries and shapefiles of the project area boundaries (for GPS upload). The U.S. Government will not be responsible for loading this information onto Contractor devices or equipment.

3.0 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

A. FIELD QUALITY CONTROL

1. The COR/PI will monitor to determine the uniformity of herbicide application. Randomly placed drift cards will be utilized. If less than 90% of drift cards show herbicide coverage, the contractor shall be required to treat those areas at no additional cost to the U.S. Government.

2. The U.S. Government reserves the right to stop treatment operations at any time when conditions are considered sufficiently unfavorable to warrant stoppage. Stoppage shall continue until operations are again authorized by the Government.

B. EXPECTED DELIVERY OR PERFORMANCE TIMES

1. The period of performance is from date of award. There will be times that spraying may not be for continuous days. Expected window for spraying is October 25, 2023 to February 28, 2024.

Coordination for those dates will be dependent on the Air Force Planned project window.

2. There will be a Pre-Work conference before the start of the project at an agreed-upon date between the COR/PI and the contractor. At the prework conference, the contractor shall provide the COR with a written "work progress" plan that details the proposed workforce and schedule to provide the orderly completion of the work within the contract performance times. This work schedule must be acceptable to the U.S. Government. At a minimum, the schedule should reflect a work progress rate equal to the available amount of contract performance time but may be subject to change because of normal variations in weather conditions.

3. Accessing the Nevada Test and Training Range requires 60 calendar days of lead time notification to facilitate coordination by the NTTR Range Liaison (NTTR-XPN). At the prework conference, the contractor shall provide the Southern Nevada District BLM with a "monthly schedule of available dates" and a "work progress plan" that details the proposed workforce and schedule needed for the completion of work. In addition, the contractor shall incorporate additional time into the "monthly schedule of availability dates" to account for inclement weather and winds above the allowed spraying threshold.

The Southern Nevada District Bureau of Land Management (SND-BLM) will submit the "monthly schedule of available dates" and a "work plan" to the NTTR Range Liaison for approval to be incorporated into the range schedule.

4. The Contractor shall contact the authorized BLM Contracting Officers Representative or Project Inspector (COR/PI) 72 hours prior to implementing any work specified in this contract.

C. CONTRACTING OFFICER'S REPRESENTATIVE (COR) AND/OR PROJECT

INSPECTOR (Pl)

The COR and/or Project Inspector (Pl) will be appointed by the Contracting Officer upon award of the contract. Such COR/PI will be responsible for giving the contractor any special instructions or guidance necessary to complete delivery as required by the contract. The COR or PI does not have the authority to modify or in any way amend the terms of this contract.

D. PRE-QUOTE TOUR

A site visit to the contract area will not be conducted. The project area is located on the Nevada Test and Training Range and is not publicly accessible. Maps along with GIS shapefiles will be provided to the bid for area familiarization.

E. SAFETY

1. The Contractor is responsible for providing a safety plan that identifies a point of contact in the event of an accident. The plan should include names and emergency phone numbers for personnel and facilities to contact, including Flight for Life/Life Flight/Care Flight, etc., in case an emergency warrants such actions. The plan should also include a description of on-site emergency procedures to follow in case of an accident. The plan should identify the insurance company providing coverage and the pertinent group coverage number. It is the responsibility of the contractor to identify all hazards within the work area. The contractor shall take all appropriate precautions addressed in the safety plan.

The BLM and/or USAF range escort will also have access to USAF Emergency Services if an accident occurs on the Nevada Test and Training Range.

2. The contractor shall be responsible for developing a spill plan that includes herbicides, fuels, and lubricants. The contractor shall report spills and accidents immediately to the BLM authorized officers and appropriate local authorities. The contractor shall have equipment and supplies readily available to provide immediate treatment of contaminated or injured persons and seek professional medical attention when necessary. The contractor shall have equipment and supplies to control chemical spills quickly and shall secure additional help when the contractor cannot effectively or safely handle the spill cleanup. Spills will be the responsibility of the contractor and shall be cleaned up to the satisfaction of the local authorities.

F. INVOICING

Electronic Invoicing and Payment Requirements - Invoice Processing Platform (IPP) (April 2013)

Payment requests must be submitted electronically through the U. S. Department of the Treasury's Invoice Processing Platform System (IPP).

"Payment request" means any request for contract financing payment or invoice payment by the Contractor. To constitute a proper invoice, the payment request must comply with the requirements identified in the applicable Prompt Payment clause included in the contract, or the clause 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions - Commercial Items included in commercial item contracts. The IPP website address is: https://www.ipp.gov.

Under this contract, the following documents are required to be submitted as an attachment to the IPP invoice:

Any receipts associated with travel costs submitted for reimbursement.

The Contractor must use the IPP website to register access and use IPP for submitting requests for payment. The Contractor Government Business Point of Contact (as listed in SAM) will receive enrollment instructions via email from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRBSTL) within 3 - 5 business days of the contract award date. Contractor assistance with enrollment can be obtained by contacting the IPP Production Helpdesk via email IPPCustomerSupport@fiscal.treasury.gov or phone (866) 973-3131.

If the Contractor is unable to comply with the requirement to use IPP for submitting invoices for payment, the Contractor must submit a waiver request in writing to the Contracting Officer with its proposal or quotation.

(End of Local Clause)

G. TRAVEL

Contractor travel is not anticipated for this effort, however, in the event the Contractor determines travel is required, the Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer for reimbursement of transportation and per diem expenses PRIOR to traveling.