Attachment 2 - Performance Work Statement.docx

Attachment 2 – Performance Work Statement Page 2 of 15

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS)

PINE PLANTING IDIQ 2022-2026

MARK TWAIN NATIONAL FOREST

General Information SCOPE OF WORK: With the exception of seedlings, the contractor shall provide any and all labor, equipment, supplies, services, permits, and licenses necessary to perform all work. Containerized Pine Planting treatments occur on all six ranger districts of the Mark Twain National Forest. A majority of the planting will occur on the Doniphan/ Eleven Point, Ava/Cassville/Willow Springs, and Poplar Bluff Ranger Districts but there will be sporadic planting from year to year on the other three ranger districts. The contractor must be registered with the Department of Labor under the Migrant and Seasonal Workers Protection Act. The Contractor shall follow all State and Federal regulations, including OSHA guidelines.

Acreages listed will have been determined by global positioning system (GPS), planimeter, dot grid, or geographic information system (GIS).

LOCATION: The areas are located within the boundaries of the Mark Twain National Forest in Missouri for the following ranger districts (RD): Potosi RD, Salem RD, Houston/Rolla/Cedar Creek RD, Eleven Point RD, Poplar Bluff RD and the Ava/Cassville/Willow Springs RD. Specific locations, area data, and maps are attached and will be included in the task orders.

BOUNDARIES: Most boundaries have previously been marked by two orange paint slashes on sides of trees or by hanging flagging around each area. Others may have fences, roads, timber age changes, or natural structures which were used as boundaries.

SALVAGE RIGHTS: No salvage rights exist under this contract.

RE-MEASUREMENT: The Contractor may at any time after issuance of a task order request re-measurement of an area. The request must be in writing. Payment will be based on the re-measurement of the acreage, except no adjustment shall be made for areas less than 1 acre. The Contractor shall pay for the cost of re-measurement if the re-measurement results in an increase of less than 10 percent. Method of re-measurement to be used will be determined by the Government.

PAYMENT: Payment for performed work will be based on actual work completed by the Contractor and accepted by the Government. Payment will be processed for completed areas only and for a minimum amount of $10,000.00 or the entire task order, whichever is less and otherwise no more frequently than once per month.

CONTRACTOR REPRESENTATIVE: The contractor shall provide a contract representative for the performance of the work. The name of this person and any alternate(s) who is/are authorized to act for the contractor shall be designated in writing and submitted to the contracting officer within 10 days of contract award. The contractor’s representative and/or alternate(s) shall have full authority to act for the contractor on all contract matters relating to daily operation of this contract. The contractor’s representative and/or alternate(s) must be able to read, write, speak, understand English, and communicate with crews and the Government. At least one authorized contractor representative shall be on-site at all times during work that is able to read, write, speak, understand English, and communicate with crews and the Government.

PROTECTION OF IMPROVEMENTS: Any improvements damaged by the contractor shall be repaired/restored to the condition that existed prior to the start of work. This shall be accomplished at the contractor’s expense and shall be subject to Government approval.

CONTRACT TIME and SEASONAL RESTRICTIONS*:

Arriving work crews will give a minimum 3 days’ notice to COR of unit issuing Start Work. Departing work crews will notify COR AT LEAST 24 hours before leaving, preferably sooner.

After contract award, coordination with the respective COR on a work schedule is critical, as work will commence no later than mid to late February 2022. Contractor planting crew will include at least 8 planters plus a non- planting supervisor unless the COR approves fewer planters, in writing, for reasons like small planting units or small task orders. Offerors should consider these requirements when calculating their prices.

Planting, contract time shall begin approximately February 15th and end no later than April 1st.

A. VEGETATION MANAGEMENT TREATMENT STANDARDS RESOURCE PROTECTION, USE AND MAINTENANCE OF IMPROVEMENTS:

1. Protection of Land Survey Monuments: The Contractor shall protect all known survey monuments, witness corners, reference monuments, bearing trees, and boundary line trees against avoidable destruction, obliteration, or damage during the operation.

2. Refuse Disposal: Papers, cans, bottles, or other refuse resulting from the Contractor's operations shall be removed from National Forest lands.

3. Erosion Control: The Contractor shall (1) avoid operating equipment when soil conditions are such that excessive damage will result; (2) construct erosion control structures as needed to control erosion problems caused by the operation; and (3) repair promptly any existing erosion control structures damaged by the operation.

4. Protection of Cultural Resources: Discovery of historic or prehistoric sites, buildings, objects, and properties by either the Government or the Contractor shall promptly be reported to the other party.

5. Protection of Improvements: When the Contractor's operations are adjacent to private property, railway property, utility company property, or other property, work shall not begin until all necessary arrangements to prevent damage have been taken by the Contractor. In the event of damage to private fencing improvements, the improvement must be restored immediately to the same or better condition that existed prior to the start of the work. In the event of interruption to utility services because of accidental breakage or as a result of lines being exposed or unsupported, the Contractor shall promptly notify the proper authority and shall cooperate with that authority in the restoration of service.

6. Protection of Reserve Trees and Excluded Trees: Reserve trees and excluded trees shall be protected from damage or destruction in the Contractor's operations. Damage includes any injury to the living crown, bole or roots of reserve trees.

7. Prevention of Oil Spills: The Contractor shall take appropriate prevention measures to insure that any spill of oil or oil-based products do not enter any stream or other waters.

8. Landings, Roads, and Skid Trails: Any temporary roads opened by the Contractor must be closed upon completion of work. Any access via closed temporary roads should be coordinated with the COR.

9. Fire Prevention and Control: Warming fires will not be permitted except when leaves are wet, or a place cleared of flammable material is used. If conditions warrant, the Government may prohibit fires. All fires must be completely extinguished before leaving.

B. GENERAL TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS – applies to all items

PLANTING (This section applies to both bare-root stock and containerized seedlings). The planting season begins upon availability of seedlings (normally after February 1) and ends on April 1 or whenever seedlings break dormancy, whichever occurs first.

Care of Seedlings: Seedlings shall be protected at all times from drying, heating, smothering, freezing, crushing, drowning, abrasion, rapid temperature fluctuations or contact with injurious substances, i.e., gasoline, oil, or diesel fuel. Seedlings stored in boxes, bags, or bundles shall not be exposed to direct sunlight.

Field Handling: Seedlings must be handled, stored and transported in a manner to protect them from sun and wind and to maintain the air temperature of bags/bundles between 32- and 70-degrees Fahrenheit.

In the field, seedlings shall be stored in full shade and covered with a light colored, heat resistant tarp. When a planter returns to bag up with more seedlings, the planter must recover the remaining seedling packages with the heat resistant tarp Tree seedlings shall not be removed from shipping containers until needed for preparation for planting.

Planting bags shall be a light color, shall not retain water or heat, shall have a minimum depth of 15 inches and shall be free of defects. Planting bags shall be constructed in such a manner as to allow easy and unrestricted removal of seedlings, one at a time. Only one bag/bundle/box of seedlings per crew shall be opened at one time unless other arrangements are made with COR .

Bags/boxes of seedlings shall be kept sealed prior to planting of the seedlings. Partially used bags/boxes will be kept closed to prevent exposure of the seedlings to the air. If any bag is torn, snagged or otherwise opened, the Contractor shall immediately patch or reseal it.

Tree seedlings shall be planted without further root or top pruning or culling. If pruning or culling appears necessary, or if mold, dry roots, evidence of injury or drying or dying is seen, the condition shall be immediately reported to the COR or Inspector.

Tree seedlings shall not be removed from planting bags until immediately before planting in a prepared hole.

Planters must remove only one tree at a time from the planting bag when they are ready to plant it, thus allowing a minimum time of root exposure. Under no circumstances will planters be allowed to carry several trees with exposed roots from one planting spot to another. The government does not guarantee the number of trees per bag, box or bundle. Tree number may be exact, or an average based on weight or some other method. Seedlings are not to be exposed to drying or other damage by recounting them.

A hole for planting may be created only after the area has been scalped and the surface debris removed far enough away such that when the planting hole is created no debris can fall into the hole preventing an airtight seal.

Unsuitable Planting Weather: Seedlings may be planted at any time when weather conditions are determined to be satisfactory by the COR. Frozen ground, temperatures above 70 degrees Fahrenheit, relative humidity below 30%, wind above 15 M.P.H., soil moisture below 15% are unsatisfactory planting conditions.

If a combination of conditions such as hot, windy weather and low soil moisture would result in excessive moisture stress to seedlings during and immediately after planting the COR may suspend planting until conditions improve.

Moisture: Roots of trees must be kept moist at all times. Material such as moss, shingle toe, or material in which the seedlings were shipped, will be used to protect roots. Materials used by the Contractor to keep roots moist in planting bags or other containers and to shelter supplies of trees in his custody must be approved by the COR. Do not add water to seedlings with coated roots unless approved by the COR. Properly stored seedlings sometimes look drier than they really are and adding water only washes protective clay or gel from the roots.

Storage: Both opened and unopened boxes, bales or bags of trees must be stored in the shade. If needed, the contractor will heel-in and water or refrigerate the seedlings.

Damaged or Unacceptable Seedlings: Do not plant seedlings if mold, dryness of roots, or other damage is evident. Contact the COR immediately to obtain replacement seedlings.

Lost or Damaged Seedlings: Any procedures in the care of seedlings, in addition to those above, will be approved by the COR. Any seedlings not properly cared for as described above will be considered lost or damaged Government property.

Position of Stem: Each planted tree must stand erect, near vertical to the horizontal plane, and not exceed 20 degrees from the perpendicular. Some lower needles may be below ground level after planting, but all above ground needles must be free of mud and other material which could weight it down. Any tree not meeting this specification will be considered and unsatisfactorily planted tree.

Do not plant seedlings within 10 feet of clearing limits of any designated system road, fence, powerline or pipeline rights-of-way, or within 10 feet of an adjacent tree line. To avoid possible root damage, do not use the planting tool to maneuver the roots of a seedling into the planting hole. Seedlings shall not be planted within 1 foot of large mounds of rock, holes or stump holes large enough to hamper root growth of seedlings.

Filling and Firming: Moist mineral soil shall be filled in and firmed around tree seedling roots. Rock and other foreign matter shall be kept out of holes. Soils shall be filled in and firmed progressively so no loose soil or air pockets remain and the tree is as firmly planted as soil conditions will allow.

Inspection and Acceptance:

Above ground inspection:

1. Spacing

2. Planting spot selection

3. Planting spot preparation (scalp)

4. Correct planting depth and exposed roots

5. Stem position or damage

6. Firmness of soil

Below ground inspection (items that fail a planting spot):

1. Root configuration and orientation of all of the roots (J-root, jammed roots, etc.)

2. Altered root length and damage (root pruning or stripping)

3. “Foreign” material in planting hole

4. Loose soil or air pockets

C. SPECIFICATIONS FOR PINE TREE PLANTING: Tree planting is illustrated in Exhibits section of this document.

1.1 Full Pine Tree Planting

Depth: Each tree must be planted so that the root collar is not above ground level. Shortleaf pine seedlings have better survival if deep planted, so some lower needles may be covered with soil. Even though Shortleaf pine seedlings should be planted slightly deeper than they were in the nursery, “J” roots must be avoided. For Containerized seedling the hole should be deep and wide enough to not promote compaction of the roots. The soil level at the stem of each planted tree will be approximately level with the surrounding ground. Measurement will be at level ground line of bare mineral soil or other acceptable surface material where reasonable land clearing cannot expose mineral soil. Any tree not planted in the manner described above will be considered and unsatisfactorily planted tree.

Spacing: Trees will be planted on a 10 foot by 10 foot spacing (10x10) resulting in 435 trees per acre.

A latitude of 50% in the distance between trees will be allowed for the planter to utilize the best planting spot, avoiding spots such as animal burrows, rotten wood, stumps, and rocks (see Tree Placement also). Any trees planted within 4 feet of another planted tree or existing pine tree will be considered an unsatisfactory tree. Trees will not be planted within ten (10) feet of any designated system road, fence, powerline, pipeline, or existing tree line.

Tree Placement: Seedlings shall be planted at the specified spacing provided that, for individual seedlings the average spacing may be varied as much as 50% in any direction to obtain a plantable spot. Spacing control shall be resumed using the original spacing guides and the number of seedlings planted per acre shall not be materially increased or decreased by the method of selecting plantable spots. No seedlings shall be planted closer than 50% of the spacing requirements to another seedling. No seedlings to be omitted. Plant tree seedlings in a manner to prevent “U” roots, “L” roots, drag roots, or twisted or balled roots.

Culling: Grade 3 shortleaf pine seedlings shall be culled rather than planted. A grade 3 seedling is less than three (3) inches in height; roots are less than five (5) inches long, the stem is distinctly less than 1/8th inch diameter at ground level. Absence of winter buds and presence of purple needle color are common in dormant, hardened-off shortleaf pine seedlings and are NOT grounds to cull seedlings.

1.2 Supplemental Pine Planting

See pine planting specifications above.

Trees will be planted as specified by COR. Spacing could include patches of insufficient regeneration planted at the regular spacing, or wider and variable spacing.

Spacing will average 150 trees per acre.

D. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY, MATERIALS, SERVICES

The Government will furnish the following:

Topographic maps (1:24,000) or (1:15,840) scale for each area.

Vicinity maps that show the general location of the areas on each unit.

Tree seedlings for planting.

E. CONTRACTOR FURNISHED ITEMS/SERVICES

The contractor shall furnish all the equipment, supplies and labor required to perform this Performance Work Statement. The contractor shall also provide proof that the work meets the standards.

F. PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT TASKS AND CRITICAL SUBTASKS

The following tasks are to be performed in accordance with the technical specifications.

Submittals. The contractor shall provide the following submittals:

1. Quality Control Plan. The contractor shall establish and maintain a complete Quality Control Plan acceptable to the Government to ensure the requirements of the contract are provided as specified. Reference Evaluation Criteria for requirements.

2. Work Plan. The work plan shall describe how the contractor plans to perform the project including methods, personnel, and equipment. Reference Evaluation Criteria for submission requirements – in some cases an individual Task Order Request may require additional plans/submissions.

3. Progress Schedule. The contractor shall prepare and submit a practical schedule showing the order in which the contractor will perform the work and the dates on which the contractor contemplates starting and completing each task. In some cases, this may be required by the Task Order Request before award.

4. Contractor Inspection Records. Contractor is responsible for performing proactive Quality Control. Reference the Evaluation Criteria for required submission with proposal.

5. Safety Plan – Required by Evaluation Criteria.

QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN MARK TWAIN NF FOREST-WIDE PLANTING IDIQ 2022-2026

This Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) has been developed pursuant to the requirements of the Performance Work Statement (PWS) in this contract. This plan sets forth procedures and guidelines that will be used in evaluating the technical performance of the contractor. This plan does NOT relieve the contractor of their responsibility to practice proactive quality control.

PURPOSE OF THE QASP

The QASP is intended to accomplish the following:

• Define the roles and responsibilities of participating government officials and the contractor;

• Identify the types of work to be performed and the inspections to be performed to validate adequacy;

• Describe the evaluation methods that will be employed by the government in assessing the contractor’s inspection program and performance to the quality/performance standards required for each task;

• Provide copies of the contractor’s inspection records and Government quality assurance monitoring forms that will be used by the government in documenting and evaluating the contractor’s performance;

• Describe the process of performance documentation. The contractor is responsible for performing inspection services pursuant to the inspection clause and for providing and maintaining the inspection forms, approved by the government, to perform the contractor’s inspection services. The contractor has represented themselves, to be responsible for meeting the prescribed quality/performance standards in the statement of work.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS

The Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) will be designated on each Task order. The COR’s roles and responsibilities will be listed on their designations and include the following: monitoring, assessing, recording, and reporting on the technical performance of the contractor on the schedule of inspections submitted by the contractor and approved by the government.

The COR will either witness the contractor’s performance of the inspections performed by the contractor or will evaluate the contractor’s inspection results as to documented findings relative to meeting the standards for each task/subtask within the statement of work. The COR will have primary responsibility for completing quality assurance monitoring forms which will be used to document the inspection and evaluation of the contractor’s work performance.

The Contracting Officer (CO) will have overall responsibility for overseeing the contractor’s performance and for the day-to-day monitoring of the contractor’s performance in the areas of contract compliance, contract administration, cost control, and property control; reviewing the COR’s assessment of the contractor’s performance; and resolving all differences between the COR’s and the contractor’s version.

TYPES OF WORK TO BE PERFORMED/SCHEDULE OF INSPECTIONS

This contract calls for the contractor to perform the following tasks and subtasks and to perform inspections at the completion of the tasks/subtasks as a minimum and or for intermediate inspections as determined at contract award by the COR/CO. The contractor’s quality control plan/schedule will be modified accordingly and will be one of the basis for the award of the contract.

performed and upon completion/prior to invoice.

Compliance with Performance Work Statement.

1) Contractor Records

2) COR Daily Diaries

Random/Periodic/100% (may depend on individual Task Order – for example 100% on planting vs periodic on other tasks)

METHODS OF SURVEILLANCE

The government will monitor the contractor’s performance on a continuous basis. The methods the government will use are identified above. The COR will first verify the results of the contractor’s inspection, completeness and adequacy of the documentation of the contractor’s inspection results.

The government COR will perform periodic independent inspections. The contractor shall be required to rework/repair or replace the effort until the quality/ performance standard is achieved. In the case of COR performed inspections that differ from results noted by the contractor performed inspections the costs for these reinspection’s will be deducted from the Task Order amount. These costs will be determined by multiplying the hourly burdened rated for the COR by the hours necessary to re-inspect – not to exceed 10 hours per reinspection.

Inspections will be performed to the schedule submitted by the contractor and approved by the government. Variances from the schedule must be pre-approved by the CO – submit requests to Primary COR.

QUALITY ASSURANCE (QA) FORMS AND REPORT

1. The COR will use a quality assurance monitoring form to document and evaluate the contractor’s performance under the contract. This can consist of a Form, a Memo for record or an entry in a daily or weekly diary. The form when completed will document the COR’s understanding of what the contractor was supposed to do, what was actually done, and the impact or consequences of what was done. The documentation will also identify the additional steps required of the contractor if there is a nonconformance.

2. The COR will judge each event in accordance with the performance standards and performance requirements stated in the Quality/Performance Requirements stated in the contract either in section 5 of the Statement of Work (SOW) or in section 7 of the SOW.

3. The COR must substantiate all tasks which he judges to be indicative of “unacceptable” performance. Performance at the “acceptable” level is expected and need not be substantiated. 4. In accordance with Section C above, the contractor shall furnish (weekly, at a minimum) to the COR copies of all inspection forms generated by the contractor witnessing inspections performed. The COR will forward copies of all completed QA monitoring forms to the CO and contractor inspection records prior to processing payments. The contractor is required to respond in writing to any negative QA monitoring form(s) within 5 working days after receipt of the form(s).

ANALYSIS OF SURVEILLANCE RESULTS

1. The CO will review each QA monitoring form prepared by the COR. When appropriate, the CO may investigate the event further to determine if all the facts and circumstances surrounding the event were considered in the COR’s opinion outlined on the forms. The CO will immediately discuss every event receiving a substandard rating on the forms. The CO will immediately discuss every event receiving a substandard rating with the contractor to assure that corrective action is promptly initiated.

2. Upon completion of the contract/task order the COR will perform a performance evaluation of the contractor using the results documented as above and provide to the CO for further action.

Exhibits

PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS SUMMARY MARK TWAIN NF FOREST-WIDE PLANTING IDIQ 2022-2026

Standard

Acceptable Quality Level

(AQL)

ALL

Work performed meets the specifications contained within the Performance Work Statement minimum AQL is 90%* *examples:

Planting – minimum of 90% of seedlings are planted IAW the specifications.

1) Verify contractor, records, data & reports 2)Periodically witness contractor inspection 3)Independent Government verification

1) Rework at no additional cost to Government until work is performed to AQL;

2) Acceptance with consideration;

3) Less than satisfactory performance evaluation;

4)Non-compliant contractor inspection system: Contractor bears 100% of govt. reinspection cost;

5) Poor performance may lead to Option Periods not being exercised.

Note – These are all remedies available to the Government. Contractors do not decide whether to re-work or not.

Satisfactory or better performance rating

PERFORMANCE STANDARD

ACCEPTABLE QUALITY LEVEL

SURVEILLANCE

METHOD

1.) PLANTING

FS provided seedlings will be planted in areas designated in Task Order.

Care of seedlings, field handling, tree placement, and filling and firming criteria will be followed; and no significant problems, mistakes, or omissions encountered

Planting criteria standards for field handling are completely met 100% of the time. Tree placement and filling and firming criteria are met a minimum of 90% of the inspected tree plantings. Encountered problems are minor and resolved quickly to a satisfactory manner.

Random routine visual inspection of work actively in progress or as reported complete. A minimum of 25% of each sub-unit will be inspected.

1.1). Pine tree planting

Pine trees planted correctly

Appropriate equipment is used, tree placement criteria are followed, and spacing requirement is met (as ground conditions allow).

1.2). Supplemental Pine Planting

Pine trees planted correctly

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