Attachment 2 - Performance Work Statement.docx

Performance Work Statement

FY 24 SITE PREPARATION CONTRACT – GREEN MOUNTAIN NATIONAL FOREST

General Information It is the intent of this solicitation and any resulting contract to secure services for site preparation treatments.

Item 0001 shall include site preparation work for natural regeneration (tree felling) and any resulting required slash disposal work.

The Contractor shall furnish tools, labor, equipment, and supervision unless otherwise provided herein.

Location and Description The project locations are on the Rochester and Manchester Ranger Districts of the Green Mountain National Forest. Work locations will be shown on vicinity and unit specific maps.

Item 0001 These units are timber sale units harvested within the last year. Harvest activities included clearcut, single tree selection, group openings, and shelterwood harvests. Unit boundaries are identified with orange paint. Boundary trees have two or three strips of orange paint facing into the unit and the unit number painted in orange, facing into the unit.

Delivery Details/Period of Performance

Time of Performance

The period of performance is July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025.

Work Progress Schedule

Upon contract award, the Contractor shall be required to present a written plan of work providing for the orderly and timely completion of the contract requirements. This plan is subject to the approval of the Government. The plan should present when the Contractor intends to start and complete the bid items on each of the Districts and how many crews will be working at one time. The schedule may be modified during the contract when conditions warrant if approved by the Government. If the work progress falls behind schedule, the Contractor shall take such action as necessary to ensure that the timely completion of the contract is not jeopardized. In addition, the Contracting Officer may require the Contractor to submit a revised plan of work showing how they intend to complete the project on time and in compliance with all contract requirements.

Definitions

COMMERCIAL HARDWOOD or SOFTWOOD – Those tree species for which there is a current or anticipated market, including but not limited to northern red oak, black cherry, sugar maple, yellow birch, paper birch, aspen, eastern white pine, red spruce, balsam fir, and eastern hemlock.

CUT TREE – A tree according to the specifications defined in each item that shall be cut.

DBH (DIAMETER BREAST HEIGHT) – Diameter of the trunk of the tree measured at 4-1/2 feet above the ground level on the uphill side of the tree.

LEAVE TREE – Any tree that is required to be left standing as provided in the specifications.

LOP AND SCATTER - To cut limbs from the trunks of cut trees and move and rearrange slash concentrations to achieve a slash depth required in the contract.

NON-COMMERCIAL HARDWOOD or SOFTWOOD – Those tree species for which there is no known or anticipated commercial market; e.g.: striped maple, pin cherry, gray birch, etc.

RESERVE TREE – A tree designated to be left.

SLASH – Limbs and trunks of downed trees.

SNAGS – standing dead trees.

TREE CROWN - the living branches of a tree

CONTRACTOR REQUIREMENTS

FELLING SPECIFICATIONS – ALL BID ITEMS

The Contractor shall adhere to the following specifications for all projects involving tree felling unless there are specific supplemental specifications:

· No trees outside designated unit boundary shall be cut

· No trees exceeding 8.0 inches DBH shall be cut unless specified otherwise.

· No boundary trees marked with paint or flagging shall be cut.

· All snags shall be left unless required to fall for safety concerns.

· Apple, oak, butternut, mountain ash, hawthorn, American and hop hornbeam, and serviceberry (shadbush) if present shall not be cut.

· Trees that cannot be felled without crossing a property line should be girdled and left standing.

· All treated stumps shall not exceed 12 inches in height above ground and shall be cut below the lowest live limb unless obstructed by natural obstacles. If stem is obstructed by natural obstacles, then stumps shall be cut to a maximum of 4 inches above these obstacles.

· Trees in sprouts (multiple stems) will be cut as close to the ground as possible.

· Trees required to be cut shall be completely severed from the stump.

· The cut angle of stumps shall be cut level (not to exceed 20 percent from horizontal).

· No cut trees shall be suspended above the ground. No tops shall be left hanging in standing trees.

· Cut trees that are hung up above ground shall be cut or pulled down. NO CUT TREES THAT ARE HUNG UP WILL BE ACCEPTED. ALL CUT TREES MUST BE ON THE GROUND REGARDLESS OF THE AMOUNT OF BUCKING/LIMBING REQUIRED.

· Annuals such as grasses, sedges, ferns, are not required to be cut.

· Trees for cutting will be felled with axe, chainsaw or brush saw.

· Contractor will exercise caution and care in all operations to minimize damage to leave trees.

· Contractor shall not cut any trees that have bird nests in them.

SLASH REQUIREMENTS – ALL BID ITEMS

The Contractor shall adhere to the following specifications for ALL BID ITEMS involving slash disposal unless there are specific supplemental specifications:

· Slash created by the contractor's operation shall be removed from road surfaces and ditches, trails, power lines, culverts, and stream courses.

· Slash within 25ft of roads, trails or private property edge will be lopped and scattered to lie no higher than 2 feet above the ground. (0001AH & 0001AJ)

· No slash may be left hanging in trees. All cut trees must be on the ground regardless of how much bucking/limbing must occur.

Item Supplemental Specifications

Item 0001 – Site Preparation

· The contractor shall cut all cut trees and reserve and protect all undamaged, healthy, softwood and hardwood trees of good form and health.

· Cut trees are:

1. non-commercial species (excluding trees listed in felling specifications)

2. damaged (bent or broken) trees

3. leaning or poorly formed trees

4. trees with visible insect or disease infestation

5. And 1-8” DBH

Contractor’s Key Personnel

The Contractor’s onsite representative shall be fully conversant in the English language, spoken and written, sufficient to read and understand the contract, and communicate effectively with the COR.

The Contractor’s employees performing felling shall be able to identify commercial and non-commercial hardwoods and conifers, common diseases and decay present in northern hardwood stands, and be able to identify suitable crop trees per the definitions in this contract.

Special Requirements

Timing Restrictions – Item 0001AI – No tree cutting will be allowed within 0.25 miles of the Greeley Talc Mine. No tree cutting is allowed between 0.25 miles and 1.0 miles of Greeley Talc Mine between April 15th and October 31st. These restrictions are in place to protect Northern Long Eared Bats, a species listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

ATV/UTV Access - Access to treatment units on OM Level 1 roads using All Terrain Vehicles (ATV) or Utility Terrain Vehicles (UTV) less than 50 inches wide may be granted upon request. ATV or UTV equipment shall be made available for inspection to the COR prior to first use on the Green Mountain National Forest, and subsequently each time it leaves the Green Mountain National Forest and is returned. ATV or UTV equipment will only be allowed access on OM Level 1 roads if it is free of dirt and vegetative debris. OM Level 1 roads are indicated on item maps.

Signage – Signs will be used where crews are working near a road, trail, or other feature in which the public may be present. Signs should read “Tree Work Ahead” or equivalent and be 36” x 36” in size.

Nests - Should a nest be found in any unit of the contract items, at any time during the contract term, the contractor shall flag the tree and write “nest” on the flagging and shall not cut the tree. Additionally, if the nest exceeds 1 foot in diameter or a raptor is observed using the nest the contractor shall immediately stop work in the unit, take a GPS point at the location the nest or where the raptor was observed and notify the COR.

Notification - Contractor is required to notify the COR prior to starting work on any item. The contractor shall also notify the Contracting Officer at least monthly of the progress being attained on this project. This notification can be either oral or written.

Measurement - Method of Measurement, area computation was done with a hand held GPS unit used for locating timber sale units or stands. Re-measurement - Request for re-measurement must be in writing. If a re-measurement indicates a variance greater than + or - 10 percent, the Government will pay for the re-measurement and payment for the work made on the basis of the re-measurement. If re-measurement shows a variance within + or - 10 percent of the predetermined acres, the cost of the re-measurement will be deducted from the contract amount.

Safety Equipment and Operations - Contractors must comply with all OSHA standards related to contract work. Failure to use proper personal safety equipment or non-compliance with safe operating procedures, as outlined by OSHA, will result in a work stoppage.

Road Use and Maintenance - All roads leading into each project area to be worked are to be kept open and free of any debris that may occur as a result of the work. All existing roads used by the Contractor shall be left in the same condition, or better, as when the operation started. Prior to the start of work, the Contractor and COR will review and document existing road conditions to provide a basis for maintenance needs.

Quality Control Plan – Contractors must develop and follow a quality control plan to monitor and document the performance of their own work. Measures monitored and documented in the quality control plan should follow the performance requirement measures and all special requirements. Quality Control Plan monitoring documentation shall be made available to the COR at the request of the COR.

Performance Requirement Measures

The COR or inspector will make visual inspections of each project area to check for compliance with contract specifications. The COR may make random or periodic inspections. In addition to the Special Requirements section, the following items will be considered as being in non-compliance:

· Specified trees cut: 95% of work accomplished for each item shall include all specified trees cut as specified.

· Slash treatment not complete: 95% of completed work for each item shall include proper treatment.

· Stump height and criteria: 95% of completed work in each item shall exhibit stumps of the heights and criteria as specified in the specifications.

· Selection and Protection of reserve or crop trees: 95% of completed work in each item shall exhibit only the specified items cut, 95% of suitable crop trees selected and released.

For work under each item that is not in compliance with the performance thresholds and cannot be reworked a 2% disincentive will be subtracted from the total value of the item.