ATTACHMENT 2 - MOHA CSE Contract-Statement of Work.pdf

Description of Services

Project Title MOHA Common Stand Exam Contract

Scope of Work This contract is for furnishing all labor, materials, equipment, tools, transportation, supervision, supplies, and incidentals, to locate, mark, and perform all work required to collect stand examination data following the Common Stand Exam (CSE) protocols on approximately 1,348 acres. The Bid Items and data collection is needed for 465 plots.

The objective is to install CSE plots and perform data collection at each installed plot, using the sample design specified in this contract. Sample design specifications will meet Common Stand Exam (CSE) protocols. Data will be collected using a GPS unit and personal data recorder (PDR_ with the latest version of Forest Service Common Stand Exam (CSE) software found at http://www.fs.fed.us/nrm/fsveg/. The CSE Field Guide and R8 Appendices are located at this website; these documents provide information on this software and it’s use. Also at this webpage is a list of compatible PDR devices and specifics regarding software needed to perform all work under this contract.

Location and Description This project is located on the National Forests in Florida, Apalachicola National Forest in Wakulla County. The project is generally between Sopchoppy and Smith Creek, Florida and to the South of Highway 375. (See Attached Maps).

Table 1. Compartment(s) and Stand(s) for project location:

12444121R0049 Common Stand Exams

ATTACHMENT 2 - Statement of Work http://www.fs.fed.us/nrm/fsveg/

Accessibility The project work site is best accessed by a four-wheel drive vehicle. Foot travel is required to navigate to each plot. Maps and photos may indicate that a road goes to the plot locations, however, vehicle access may be difficult or restricted. Plot locations may necessitate that the Contractor walks to the stand or acquire some other means of travel. Off highway vehicles are not permitted off designated trails and roads systems on the Apalachicola National Forest. No vehicles will be permitted to operate off roads without approval of the Contracting Officer.

Any prospective contractor desiring an explanation or interpretation of the solicitation, drawings, specifications, etc., must request it in writing from the Contracting Officer soon enough to allow a reply to reach all prospective contractors before the solicitation closing date. Oral explanations or instructions given before the award of a contract will not be binding.

Performance Period The performance period is for approximately 60 days. The contractor shall maintain progress at a rate that shall assure completion and acceptance of the work within the contract time. The contractor shall turn in electronic CSE files on a schedule established prior to the commencement of work and agreed to by the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR).

Estimated Start Date and Contract Time Start: September 15 2021

Time: 60 days from September 15, 2021

Statement of Work The intent of this contract is to secure services for the installation and measurement of CSE plots. Data collection will occur across approximately 1,348 acres, Bid Items are per plot. The total number of plots is 465. Table 1 details the number of settings within each compartment, and the number of plots within each setting.

Work under this contract includes the following:

1. Using GPS for locating and monumenting (i.e., flagging) common stand exam plots within each unit. GPS unit must be capable of collecting the plot latitude and longitude at each plot per the CSE protocols specified in Chapter 4.

2. Conducting and collecting Common Stand Exam (CSE) data within each plot.

athaddock Highlight

3. Providing data in electronic format (i.e., Windows PC Exam Software and/or Portable Data Recorder).

The Common Stand Exam includes collecting data for the following components:

• Setting (Stand) Data

• Plot Data

• Large Tree Data (a variable radius plot using a 10 Basal Area Factor (BAF).)

• Sapling Tree (1/100 acre fixed plot)

• Seedling Data (1/100 acre fixed plot)

Contractor Responsibility The Contractor shall provide everything--including, but not limited to, all equipment, supplies, transportation, labor, and supervision--necessary to complete the project, except for that which the contract clearly states is to be furnished by the Government.

Contractor Furnished Equipment

All equipment used within the contract stands shall be in such mechanical condition and of an appropriate type to meet with the requirements of the work and to produce and maintain a satisfactory quality of work. All equipment used will meet or exceed OSHA specifications. The contractor shall provide the laptop, portable data recorder if needed and global positioning system (GPS). The contractor shall supply the pink flagging and the pink flag wire stake pins in monumenting the plots.

Government Furnished Property

a. Table of data file with latitude and longitude for each plot center

b. Georeferenced maps

c. Initial CSE file, with defaults set for project area

Contractor Qualifications The persons performing the work must hold a minimum of a two year degree in forestry and three months prior experience in collecting data for forest inventory, stand examinations, or timber cruises. Twelve months verifiable technical experience in collecting field data for timber inventories, stand examinations, or timber cruises may be substituted for the education requirements.

In addition, each person must also be able to demonstrate the following:

a. Proficiency in the interpretation of aerial photography.

b. Ability to distinguish between stand types both in the field and on original or photocopied aerial photographs.

c. Proficiency in the use of GPS units and or GPS enabled personal data recorders for navigating, pacing, determining map distance and area measurements.

d. Proficiency in the use of data recording devices with enough skills to ensure accurate electronic data collection.

e. Ability to accurately identify local tree and shrub species, generally to the species level, including listed non-native invasive species.

f. Proficient in the use of forest measurement equipment.

g. Knowledge of common forest insects and diseases in the southeast region of the United States.

Technical Requirements Collected data shall be submitted in hardcopy (paper form) and electronic format. Data may be collected using EXAMS software on the Personal Data Recorder (PDR) or on paper and entered into the ExamsPC software on a personal computer. Submitted plot cards shall be readable for future data entry and will be rejected if not in a readable condition.

The Contractor shall successfully run the electronic data through the Pre-load Audit program (compatible with Microsoft Office 2013 or higher) to clean the data. The Contractor’s electronic data generated from the EXAMS software shall successfully transmit to the U.S.F.S. FSVeg System using the computer equipment as arranged with the COR.

Restrictions on Work Work may be performed at any time during the period of the contract, except as outlined here.

Nothing in this part shall be construed to take away any of the Government's rights.

Restrictions are as follows:

1. When the Contracting Officer (or designated representative) determines that adverse weather has made access too dangerous or that continued vehicular travel would cause unacceptable road damage.

2. Inaccessibility due to fallen trees, slides, or washouts on roads may or may not be corrected at the option of the Government.

Licenses and Insurance The contractor shall obtain the the insurance and licenses as appropriate for normal business practices.

Camping and Housing Camping is not permitted in US Forest Service campgrounds. Contractor [ ] will [ X ] will not be permitted to camp elsewhere on US Forest Service land.

Site Visit

Offerors or quoters are urged and expected to inspect the site where services are to be performed and to satisfy themselves regarding all general and local conditions that may affect the cost of contract performance, to the extent that the information is reasonably obtainable. In no event shall failure to inspect the site constitute grounds for a claim after contract award.

Technical Specifications All measurements shall be made in accordance with the current USDA Forest Service Common Stand Exam User Guide and R8 Appendices. Where there are discrepancies between the contract and the User Guide, the contract will take precedence.

The technical specifications are based on the overall composition and condition of the plot and are intended to be guidelines for achieving a high-quality final product in a professional manner.

Contractor is expected to use knowledge to identify and adjust to variations within the stand.

3.1 Maps

Maps showing the general vicinity and/or specific work areas are included. Maps are general in nature and are not to be considered as definitively identifying locations.

3.2 Number of Plots

Table 2: Number of Plots by Compartment and Stand:

3.2 Distribution and Identification of Plots

Plots have been identified and located through the government’s GIS System, ArcMap. Plots have been placed on random sample, using an unbiased software program to generate the locations.

Plot locations are pre-defined for each stand. A latitude and longitude will be provided for each plot center.

The contractor shall navigate to each plot center to determine if the plot can be taken. If the plot cannot be taken, the contractor shall list the reason under plot remarks and on paper record the compartment number, stand number, plot number and the reason for not taking the plot. This record shall be turned in at the end of each week along with all other plot data records and files.

Contractor will not be paid for plots where no data is collected, but makeup plots would be added at the end of the contract which would substitute for the plots not taken. Examples for not taking plot data include, but are not limited to:

a. plot center located within one chain of the stand boundary

b. plot center located in or beside a road

c. plot center located in open water

d. plot center located in an inclusion of the stand that is not representative of the rest of the stand.

There will be some plots that have no live standing trees > 4.5 inches DBH, but the 100th acre nested plot would still be taken as long as none of the above applies.

If the plot can be taken, the contractor shall record a GPS point at the plot center. The Contractor shall mark plot centers with a pin flag that shall be marked with the stand number, plot number, contractor initials and the date the plot was taken using waterproof ink. A free-hanging piece of pink flagging, at a minimum of 18” long and of a color pink to be highly visible, shall be suspended no less than 4 feet no more than 8 feet high as near as practical over the plot center on a living stem of any diameter or a dead stem at least 1 inch in diameter.

All plot centers shall be located using a GPS unit. When determining the location of the plot center the contractor shall use the appropriate scale on the gps unit to zoom into the plot center as close as possible.

The Government will provide the Contractor with topographic maps which the plot locations are identified, and the unit boundaries are delineated. Unit/plot GIS files will also be provided as geodatabases or shapefiles, as requested by the contractor.

a. GPS units used to navigate to US Forest Service provided plot locations should be capable of achieving 10-meter accuracy either by averaging positions or through single-position fixes under light-medium canopy as per the National Standard for Spatial Data Accuracy:

https://www.fgdc.gov/standards/projects/FGDC-standardsprojects/accuracy/part3/chapter3

The US Forest Service has tested out many commercially available GPS receivers including recreational grade GPS units, integrated phone and tablet GPS receivers and survey-grade receivers. Results of these tests, including units that meet or exceed 10-meter accuracy under light-medium canopy are listed here:

https://www.fs.fed.us/database/gps/mtdcrept/accuracy/index.htm

b. Plot Latitude: This is the plot latitude as measured by a Global Positioning System (GPS). All Latitude values will be positive (North assumed). Degrees must be from 18‐71 inclusive, minutes must be from 0‐59 inclusive and seconds must be from 0‐59.99 inclusive.

c. Plot Longitude: This is the plot longitude as measured by a Global Positioning System (GPS). All Longitude values will be positive (West assumed). Degrees must be from 44‐172 inclusive, minutes must be from 0‐ 59 inclusive and seconds must be from 0‐59.99 inclusive.

d. Plot Center shall be identified by a white pin flag that is at least 4 inch by 5 inch. Place pin flag securely in the earth to prevent movement of plot center.

Plot number, date, and initials shall be written on the pin flag with an indelible black ink, felt tip marker.

e. Hang pink attention flags at or above eye level at the nearest available location to plot center. If attention flagging cannot be hung within visual range of plot center, distance and azimuth to plot center shall be written on the attention flagging with a black indelible ink marker.

3.2.1 Recording Requirements

The Contractor shall utilize GPS capable data recorders with the latest version of CSE software installed. The Forest Service will provide the first data file with the user defined field defaults set the for the project area and sample design that will be used. Modifications of the user definitions or sample design shall be made by the Forest Service, only when necessary.

Data collection for each plot shall begin at azimuth 360 degrees (north), progressing in a clockwise direction around the plot center.

3.3.0 Data Recording in the CSE Software

3.3.1 Setting (Stand) Data

Stand exam plot installation and data collection shall comply with Common Stand Exam Field Guide, Region 8, February 2014 (R8FG).

Table 3: Setting Data

Setting Data Electronic Comments CSE R8 Field Guide Page No.

Project Name x MOHA R8FG-10 http://www.fgdc.gov/standards/projects/FGDC-http://www.fs.fed.us/database/gps/mtdcrept/accuracy/index.htm

Location X Compartment Number R8FG-12

Stand Number X Select from CSE software preloaded data based on location

R8FG-12

Date X Enter as described in Field Guide R8FG-16

Stand Acres X Take from stand list R8FG-22

Examiner X Enter as described in Field Guide R8FG-23

Setting/Stand Remarks X Enter remarks as needed R8FG-24

Plot data collection will record the actual plot latitude and longitude as taken from the contractor supplied GPS unit.

3.1.2 Plot Data Form

The following items are required to be recorded at each plot on the Plot Data Form: Example Plot Data Form). Detailed information and lists of valid codes for each data item are found in the Common Stand Exam Users Guide and Appendices and are available as ‘Help’ on the PDR within the software. The contractor shall be responsible for collecting and filling out the Plot Data Form for all data items that are set to “YES” in the “Required” column of the table below.

Table 4: Plot Data

Field Num

Field Description Required Data Source Comments CSE R8 Field Guide Page No.

Region Yes Government Defaulted R8FG-10

Proclaimed Forest Yes Government Defaulted R8FG-11

District Yes Government Defaulted R8FG-11

Location Yes Site List Change each compartment

R8FG-12

Stand Num Yes Site List Change each stand

R8FG-12

1 Plot Num Yes Contractor Internal to software

R8FG-36

2 Latitude Yes Contractor Use GPS reading R8FG-36

3 Longitude Yes Contractor Use GPS reading R8FG-36

4 Capable Grow Area N/A N/A Not collected N/A

5 Aspect N/A N/A Not collected N/A

6 Slope N/A N/A Not collected N/A

7 Slope Position N/A N/A Not collected N/A

8 Slope Horz Shape N/A N/A Not collected N/A

9 Slope Vert Shape N/A N/A Not collected N/A

10 Elevation N/A N/A Not collected N/A

11 Existing Vegetation No Contractor As Needed N/A

12 Potential Vegetation N/A N/A Not collected N/A

13 Fuel Model N/A N/A Not collected N/A

16 Residual Description Code

N/A N/A Not collected N/A

17 Dist. Seed Wall N/A N/A Not collected N/A

17 History N/A N/A Not collected N/A

17 History Date N/A N/A Not collected N/A

18 Plot Remarks Yes Contractor Note nature of inclusions or why a plot was not taken

R8FG-35-36

3. 1.3 Tree Data Form (a variable 10 Basal Area Factor) Begin recording standing tree data on the Tree Data Form at azimuth 360 (North), progressing in a clockwise direction around plot center. Flag the first tree if there might be confusion on the starting tree.

All variable plots shall use a 10 basal area factor (BAF) to measure live and dead trees. All live and dead trees above 4.60 inches DBH will be measured in the variable radius plot

All stands will have at least 2 ‘site trees’ that will be cored by use of an increment borer, at DBH.

Site trees will record:

• Total Height

• Species

• DBH

• Age

Site Tree Selection Criteria

1. Freedom from height growth suppression

Choose dominants or co-dominants depending on the specific site index curves used.

No evidence of top damage, past or present.

No damage that could influence height growth.

No pronounced period of radial growth suppression. This will not be apparent until tree is cored and core is reviewed in the field. If the radial growth suppression does appear in the core, attempt to recollect the data until a suitable sample is found. A suitable sample is free from suppression.

Select trees from a locally defined species list. Species preference is based on the quality of the associated site index-yield study. Longleaf pines are preferred as site trees. If unavailable choose pine species over hardwoods.

2. Similar age class, preferably middle-aged, avoiding old growth and young age classes. Typically > 25 years and < 100 years.

3. Select at least one site tree from the sample trees tallied for each sample plot when the sample trees meet site tree criteria. Try to avoid taking samples from young stands unless necessary. If there is no option but to use a young stand, then follow the tree selection criteria as described as closely as possible. Site trees need to be at least 5.0 inches DBH. If there are no acceptable site trees in the stand, the site trees will not be required, and this can be noted in the remarks section.

Table 5: Tree Data

Field Num

Field Description Required Data Source Comments CSE R8 Field Guide Page No.

BAF No Government N/A N/A

Fixed Plot Size No Government N/A N/A

Breakpoint DBH No Government N/A N/A

Location Yes Site List Change each compartment

R8FG-12

Stand Number Yes Site List Change each stand

R8FG-12

1 Plot Num Yes Contractor Assigned by examiner; select from pre-loaded list

R8FG-36

2 Tag Num Yes Contractor Enter as described in Field Guide

R8FG-48

3 Tree Status Yes Contractor Live or dead.

Enter one of the 5 codes.

R8FG-48

4 Site/GST Yes Contractor See write up in this contract

R8FG-49-50

5 Species Yes Contractor Review the field guide and template;

Longleaf

Pine=PIPA2, Laure Oak-

QULA3

R8FG-50

6 Tree Count Yes Contractor Record the number of sampled trees represented by each line of tree data

R8FG-50-51

8 DBH Yes Contractor All live trees greater than 4.6 inches DBH.

All dead trees greater than

4.6.inches DBH Record to nearest

1.0” DBH.

R8FG-50-56

9 Height Yes Contractor Measure the total height of all trees (live and dead) to the nearest five

(5) feet.

R8FG-58-61

14 Age No N/A N/A N/A

15 Crown Ratio Yes Contractor Enter as Described in the

Field Guide Accuracy

Standard +/- 20%

R8FG-69-70

21 Damage Category No N/A N/A N/A

22 Damage Agent No N/A N/A N/A

23 Damage Part No N/A N/A N/A

24 Damage Severity No N/A N/A N/A

25 Tree Remarks No Contractor As Needed for

“2TD”

R8FG-75

26 User Field No Contractor N/A N/A

27 Treatment Option No N/A N/A N/A

3.1.4 Sapling Data (1/100 acre fixed plot)

The sapling plot is measured utilizing a 1/100th acre fixed radius plot (11.8 feet radius). Saplings are defined as trees from 1.0 inches to 4.59 inches DBH.

Table 6: Saplings Data

Sapling Data Required Comments CSE R8 Field Guide Page No.

Stand Number Yes Select from CSE software preloaded data based on location

R8FG-12

Plot Number Yes Assigned by examiner; select from preloaded list

R8FG-36

Tree Status Yes Live R8FG-48

Tree Species Yes Enter one line for each species, by the code in the field guide and template. Record each species by 1.0 DBH classes as separate lines of data

R8FG-50

Diameter (DBH) Yes All live trees greater than 1.0 inches DBH up to 4.59 inches DBH.

Record to nearest 1 inch DBH.

R8FG-50-56

Tree Count Yes Tally species that are within same species and diameter and height by count

R8FG-50-51

Tree Height Yes Measure the height of all trees (live and dead) to the nearest five feet)

R8FG-58-61

3.1.5 Seedling Data (1/100 acre fixed plot)

The sapling plot is measured utilizing a 1/100th acre fixed radius plot (11.8 feet radius). All southern pine trees greater than 1ft. tall and a dbh less than 1.0” are measured on the seedling plot.

Only Pine seedlings need to be counted. To account for the Grass stage of Longleaf pine seedlings, longleaf pine seedlings will be recorded differently than all other species. Record all longleaf pine that are greater than ¼ inch diameter at root collar. Grass stage Longleaf will be given a height of 0.5 ft. Inventoried items are described in Table 7.

Table 7: Seedling Data – Longleaf Pine

Long leaf pine seedling Data Required Comments CSE R8 Field Guide

Page No.

Stand Number Yes Select from CSE software preloaded data based on location

R8FG-12

Plot Number Yes Assigned by examiner; select from preloaded list

R8FG-36

Tag (Tree) Number Yes Enter as described in Field Guide R8FG-48

Tree Status Yes Live. R8FG-48

Tree Species Yes Review the field guide and template;

Longleaf Pine=PIPA2

R8FG-50

Tree (Seedling) Count Yes Record by tally count. R8FG-50-51

Average Height Yes Take an average height per species to the nearest 2 feet. Record grass stage as 0.5 feet height.

R8FG-58-61

Non-long leaf pine will be inventoried as described in Table 8.

Table 8: Seedling Data – All other, non-longleaf pine

All other seedling Data Electronic Comments CSE R8 Field Guide Page No.

Stand Number x Select from CSE software preloaded data based on location

R8FG-12

Plot Number x Assigned by examiner; select from preloaded list

R8FG-36

Tag (Tree) Number x Enter as described in Field Guide R8FG-48

Tree Status x Live. R8FG-48

Tree Species x Review the field guide and template;

Loblolly Pine=PITA, Longleaf PIPA2.

R8FG-50

Tree (Seedling) Count x Record by tally count. R8FG-50-51

Average Height X Take an average height per species. Only measure non-longleaf species >1.0 foot tall.

R8FG-58-61

Reporting Requirements There are no reporting requirements associated with this contract.

Deliverables and Delivery Schedule The contract is required to supply a completed file in .cse file format for each bid item. The .cse file must pass all error checks in order to be submitted for payment.

Applicable Documents and Standards General statement: The CSE data collection will include Setting Data, Plot Data, Tree Data, and Fuels Data for each identified plot as well as Global Position Data (GPS) of the established plot.

Contractor Travel The contractor will need to travel to the worksite daily. Some access roads to the work sites can be sandy or muddy. Four-wheel drive vehicles are recommended.

Applicable Publications (Current Editions) Current editions of CSE publications that apply to this contract can be located at:

https://www.fs.fed.us/nrm/fsveg/

The following are applicable to this contract:

• CSE User Guide, Chapters 1 through 10 (inclusive)

• CSE User Guide Appendices, Appendix A through N (inclusive)

• CSE Region 8 User Guide Appendix

While the entire contents of these items apply to the contract, the Government furnished property CSE file templates will have addressed many of the items within the documents. The contractor must refer to the Applicable Publications to ensure quality control of site collected data.

The website with the publications also includes various software downloads and items to support the data collection to be performed under the contract. The contractor is responsible for ensuring that all equipment used to perform contract work meets necessary compatibility with the government furnished property.

4.0 Data Transfer

The data will be transferred to the ExamsPC program by the Forest Service. The contractor is responsible for data stored on the PDRs until the data is uploaded. The Contractor shall submit completed stand information in electronic form within seven (7) days after completion of each compartment. It is recommended that the contractor save the information collected on the PDR then transfer to a personal computer at the end of each day as a backup should the battery fail in the PDR. This may be accomplished using the CSE software for the appropriate PDR provided at the following website: http://www.fs.fed.us/nrm/fsveg/

5.0 Inspection and Acceptance

5.1 Compliance Inspection

The CO or Contracting Officer Representative will, by formal review, determine if the specified progress and methods of work are being carried out. Failure to comply with specified work standards may be cause for termination of the Contractor's right to proceed.

5.2 Inspection of Work

5.2.1 Compliance with contract specifications and the basis for payment will be determined by both office and field inspection procedures. An inspection block, as established by the government for payment purposes, will consist of a complete compartment, unless noted in work order. An initial inspection may be done on less than 50 plots if requested by contractor.

http://www.fs.fed.us/nrm/fsveg/ http://www.fs.fed.us/nrm/fsveg/

5.2.2 Office inspection will cover all required items for which field visits to plots centers are not needed. Office inspection will occur first, both for efficiency in field inspection and to allow the contractor the opportunity to correct errors detected. Office inspection procedures will include:

1. Insuring adequate plots for stand or the reason for not taking the plots

2. Reviewing data in ExamsPC for completeness.

5.2.3 Once the data is error-free according to the ExamsPC program and plot locations have been judged to be representative of each stand, Forest Service personnel will inspect in the field and re-measure contractor-established plots on an initial 5% random sample basis. Where an error trend appears, inspection intensity may be increased. The Forest Service is not constraining itself by this contract to any maximum sample. The field inspection will be based on a printout of the appropriate data.

5.2.4 The government will make the initial office inspection of each compartment without cost to the contractor within 10 calendar days of the date that correctly-formatted data has been received by the designated Forest Service Contract Officer’s Representative. Field inspections will be completed within 10 business days after an error-free report has been generated from the data. Should corrections be required as a result of field inspections, no charge will be made for the first re-work inspection.

Thereafter, any contract re-inspection required will be at the contractor's expense.

Reinspection charges may include, but are not limited to: inspector's wages for travel time to and from work site; inspector's wages to re-inspect; COR wages; and vehicle use rate and mileage.

5.3 Demonstration of Inspection Procedures

Upon written request from the contractor, the Forest Service will choose an existing plot established by the contractor and perform one demonstration inspection at no cost as an example of inspection procedures and demonstration of potential problems. The contractor shall accompany the government inspector on the inspection.

5.4 Determination of Acceptable Work

5.4.1 The following will be used for determination of acceptable or unacceptable work.

5.4.1.1 Pass-fail check of specified standards and procedures for each Compartment.

Data deficient in the following specifications are unacceptable on a "pass-fail" basis and will be returned to the contractor with the entire compartment for resubmission or rework. The determination of noncompliance with these items may be made during either the office or field inspection.

a. All electronic data not submitted to the Forest Service in a timely manner after Contractor completion of each compartment.

b. Stands in which plots are not located at pre-determined latitude and longitude.

c. Stands without any plots examined unless agreed to by COR.

d. Where a plot center as located on the ground is within 66 feet of the stand boundary or outside the stand boundary as identified on the stand map or aerial photo and the setting data, unless designated by COR or inspector.

e. Any sample plot which cannot be located because of incorrect latitude/longitude coordinates, improper plot center marking, or for any other reason attributable to noncompliance with specifications.

f. Stands without the required number of site and/or age trees (as specified).

g. Stands with any required setting, sample design, plot, and tree data missing.

h. Any data with inaccurate stand location and stand number data.

i. Stands where government supplied and required information is incompletely or inaccurately transcribed into the appropriate data field.

j. Tree data incorrectly recorded with an error outside the precision parameters of the CSE protocol.

k. Stands with an error or incomplete information in a field designated “Unacceptable” in the Point Value column (A) on the Common Stand Exam Inspection Forms,

5.4.1.2 Point deduction for each deficient entry or procedure on an inspection site.

5.4.1.2.1 The number of errors for each field for the entire inspection/payment block is recorded in column 'B', "Number of Errors". The Point Deduction, column 'C', is calculated by multiplying the number of errors, column B, by the "Point Value", column 'A'. The Point Deductions are then totaled at the bottom of column 'C' in the "Total Deductions" field (D). This is then divided by the number of stands, plots, or tree data records inspected (E) to calculate the "Form Score" (F). Field (E) is the number of stands, plots, or tree data records actually inspected for that Form.

5.4.1.3 Error trend.

If during inspection of selected plots or review of submitted data, the government determines an error trend is occurring in the information being recorded by the contractor, the government will notify the contractor of the findings. If the same trend continues in future inspections of the compartment, the compartment will be returned for rework even if they have passing inspection scores. Errors are subject to point deductions.

5.5. Correction of Unacceptable Work

5.5.1 The Forest Service reserves the right to require unacceptable compartments, as determined under Section 4.4 “Determination of Acceptable Work”, to be reworked. Upon written notification by the CO or COR that a compartment is unacceptable, the contractor may be required to complete and submit rework before continuing work on another compartment. The Forest Service will specify rework requirements for each unacceptable compartment. In the case of data errors, the government can require that they be corrected. In the case of plot location errors, the government may require that the plots be relocated and measured.

5.5.1.1 Correction of Data Errors:

For failure due to a Form Score: Correct individual items or measurements in the Form that failed. (i.e., if Tree Form fails, then only that form would need to be reworked). This may require revisiting all stands and sample plots in the block

a. For failure due to a Total Score: Correct all items and measurements on all forms. This may require revisiting all stands and sample plots in the block. If a block fails due to both a Form score and a Total score, than the rework will be the same as for a Total score failure.

b. Trend error failures require rework of all items identified as having an error trend.

5.5.1.2 Correction of Plot Location Errors:

a. Incorrectly located plots shall be relocated and measured.

5.5.2 The government will re-inspect compartments that have been reworked to determine compliance using both office and field inspections. Field re-inspections will consist of a mixture of previously inspected and previously un-inspected plots with the selection of plots at the discretion of the Forest Service.

5.5.3 If reworked compartments fail during the first re-inspection, additional rework may be allowed at the discretion of the CO or failure to pass re-inspection may result in contract default.

5.6 Re-inspection upon Contractor Request

If initial inspection results are not acceptable to the contractor, a re-inspection without corrective actions having been taken may be requested, in writing, up to seven (7) days after receiving notification of unacceptable work. If the re-inspection confirms the results of the original inspection, the contractor shall reimburse the government for actual costs incurred for performing re-inspection through a contract payment reduction. If re-inspection indicates that work does meet acceptable standards, the government assumes the cost of only that re-inspection.

C.6 METHOD OF PAYMENT

6.1 Payments

Payment will be made for a maximum of 465 complete plots. Each plot must be complete which includes all forms and electronic data, successfully uploaded into Exams PC, and passing inspection. Payment will be Per acceptably completed plot. Up to 2 interim invoices for at least 25 percent of the contract total (116 Plots) may be submitted prior to the final invoice. Invoices can only be submitted for completed compartments

6.2 Deductions

6.2.1 Deductions from payments will be made for the following conditions:

6.2.1.1 The Contractor shall be assessed actual damages, per day, for;

♦ re-inspections beyond the first one subsequent to contractor’s corrective actions, ♦ any work not completed within the time specified by this contract, unless a time extension has been approved by the CO, and

♦ re-inspection done at contractor’s request prior to his or her corrective action that subsequently confirms the initial finding of unacceptable.

Actual damages include, but are not limited to, unproductive time spent on the project in an attempt to inspect or re-inspect by Forest Service officials when the cause of loss production was that the areas were not ready for inspection or re-inspection contrary to the written schedule and the Forest Service was not notified that the areas as scheduled were not ready.

DEFINITIONS

The following are definitions that refer to data elements and attributes for collecting Common Stand Exam data.

Azimuth. A horizontal angle of a point, measured clockwise from true north.

Basal Area. The cross-sectional area of the stem or stems of a plant or of all plants in a stand, generally expressed as square units per unit area. For trees, measured at 4.5 feet above ground, for forbs and grasses, measured at the root crown.

Compartment. A land area easily identified on the ground by physical features, made up of various stands. A compartment is comparable in size to a sub-watershed, or landscape management unit. It is used as a convenience for maintaining stand records and planning vegetation management projects.

Diameter At Breast Height (DBH). Diameter of a tree measured of at breast height (4.5 feet), outside bark, perpendicular to the tree bole.

EXAMS CE. Software on data recorder used to collect data using stand exam protocol.

EXAMS PC. Software on personal computer to collect data using Common Stand Exam protocol.

Inclusion. An area of land less than 10 acres that has vegetation different from surrounding or neighboring stand, but is too small to be delineated separately without creating excessive map details.

Plot. A sub-sample of a plot or stand exam. This is the unit on which data are recorded to individual trees, snags, logs, understory vegetation, and fuels. Data can be collected on either a fixed area or variable radius area.

Plot Data Form. The Plot Data form is used to collect data at the plot level and is independent of the information collected at the setting level. This data is collected individually for all sample plots in the stand.

pdr (.pdr) File. Personal Data Record is a file format containing filed data that has been created using ExamsPC software. The file extension is .pdr.

Sample Design Form. The Sample Design form contains information about how the data was collected, which trees, shrubs and cover are measured, and how the measurements shall be converted to per-acre values.

Setting Data Form. The Setting Data form in used to collect data that uniquely identified each stand.

Stand. A stand is a community, particularly of trees, possessing sufficient uniformity as regards composition, age, spatial arrangement, or condition, to be distinguishable from adjacent communities, so forming a silvicultural or management entity.

Tree Age. Total age of the above ground stem of a tree (not age of the root stock or the total age from seed). Total age is usually the annual ring count to the pith of the tree at breast height plus an estimate of the number of years it took the tree to reach breast height. (Longleaf 7 years, Slash or other pine 4 years)