Attachment 2-Performance Work Statement_PrairieDogControlNNFG_FY25.pdf

US Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Performance Work Statement

Contents Project Title General Information

1.0 Background and Purpose

2.0 Definitions

Contractor Requirements

3.0 Technical Requirements / Tasks

4.0 Deliverable / Schedule

5.0 Government Furnished

6.0 Travel

7.0 Contractor’s Key Personnel

8.0 Security Requirements

9.0 Data Rights

10.0 Section 508 - Electronic and Information Technology Standards

11.0 Performance Requirement Measures

Attachments

Project Title Prairie Dog Control Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands

General Information

1.0 Background and Purpose

1.1 In 2002, the new Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands (NNFG) Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP) and Record of Decision (ROD) provided programmatic direction for conserving and managing black-tailed prairie dogs on the national forests and national grasslands in that project area. This direction primarily covered the use of rodenticide to reduce or eliminate prairie dog populations posing health and safety risks or causing damage to facilities. Though helpful, this analysis did not cover the larger issue of prairie dog colonies from national grasslands encroaching onto private or tribal agricultural lands. In 2005, a prairie dog analysis was completed for the boundary areas on the national grasslands of the NNFG to address the encroachment issue, and the forest plan was amended to reflect the new decision. This decision allowed additional rodenticide use in designated boundary management zones on the national grasslands to treat areas where prairie dog colony encroachment onto private or tribal agricultural lands from the national grasslands was present or eminent within 2 years. In 2008, a second prairie dog analysis and a corresponding forest plan amendment was completed. The 2008 management decision further expanded the potential for rodenticide use on interior management zones of the national grasslands of the NNFG to maintain a given range of prairie dog acres within a Geographic Area (GA) and to maintain or move toward a desired vegetation cover, protect topsoil, and prevent the potential establishment of noxious and invasive species. Prairie dogs continue to be a controversial topic on the NNFG and the need to do some level of species control is an annual task.

1.2 The contractor shall pre-bait identified prairie dog colonies or portions thereof with plain oats, after the pre-bait is consumed, the contractor will treat the same areas with Zinc Phosphide Poison Oats, as is specified on the product label, to active burrows in designated prairie dog colonies on the NNFG. These activities will be conducted for habitat management, the protection of structures, to provide for health and human safety, and/or to prevent prairie dog colony encroachment on to adjacent private or tribal agricultural lands. For each fiscal year (FY), Zinc Phosphide Poison Oat treatments can occur on the NNFG when conditions allow and in coordination with the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR), but all designated colonies must be completed by January 31 of the same fiscal year. Figure 1 shows estimated acreages for the years of the contract, these acreages are subject to change based off public feedback that is received annually.

Ranger District

Location Estimated Maximum Acreage

Base Year Estimated Acreage

Option Year 1 Estimated Acreage

Option Year 2 Estimated Acreage

Option Year 3 Estimated Acreage

Option Year 4 Estimated Acreage

Pine Ridge Chadron, NE

1,500 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000

Fall River Hot Springs, SD

3,500 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500

Wall Wall, SD

8,000 4,500 4,500 4,500 4,500 4,500

Fort Pierre Pierre, SD

1,000 300 300 300 300 300

Figure 1. Actual acreage may vary and will be dependent on public feedback that is received. Actual acreage won’t be known until September of each year. Attachment 1 shows the locations of each district and the potential acres that could be treated within the Boundary Management Zone.

This plan sets forth the procedures and guidelines that the USDA, Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands will use in ensuring the required performance standards or services levels are achieved by the contractor.

2.0 Definitions

2.1 Boundary Management Zone (BMZ): The Boundary Management Zone is designated on each national grassland where one or more management tools are applied to help reduce unwanted prairie dog colonization of adjoining private or tribal agricultural lands. These areas extend into national grasslands specified distances from property boundaries.

For the Buffalo Gap National Grassland and Oglala National Grassland the distance is .5 mile while the Fort Pierre national Grassland boundary management zone is .25 mile.

2.2 Interior-colony Management Zone (IMZ): Designated area on national grasslands where one or more management tools are applied to help reduce unwanted prairie dog colonization. These areas are in the interior of the grasslands and do not include the boundary management zones (BMZs).

2.3 Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR): The on-site contract administrator for the Contracting Officer (CO). The duties and responsibility of the COR are defined in the letter of designation issued by the Contracting Officer.

2.4 Quality Control: Those actions taken by a Contractor to control the production of outputs to ensure that they conform to the contract requirements. The methods for inspecting for quality control are described in the Contractor’s Quality Control Plan (QCP).

2.5 Acceptable Quality Level (AQL): The allowable leeway or variance from a standard before the government will reject the specific service. An AQL does not say that the contractor may knowingly offer defective service. It implies that the government recognizes that defective performance sometimes happens unintentionally. As long as the percent of defective performance does not exceed the AQL, the service will not be rejected by the government. The contractor, however, must re-perform the defective service when possible.

2.6 Performance Statement of Work (PWS): Main body of contract describing the nature of the tasks to be accomplished.

2.7 Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP): An organized written document used for quality assurance surveillance.

The document contains information about how the government will assess performance, checklists, and may contain decision tables.

2.8 Active Burrow: A prairie dog hole that supports a prairie dog family, shows evidence of digging and/or scat located at or near the hole. An active hole will have a clear open tunnel.

2.9 Inactive Burrow: A prairie dog hole that no longer supports a prairie dog family, shows no evidence of active digging and/or scat at or near the hole. Usually, inactive holes have tunnels that are partially filled in or caved in and may have spider webs covering the holes.

2.10 National Grasslands: Lands designated national grasslands by the Secretary of Agriculture and permanently held by the Department of Agriculture under Title III of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act.

2.11 Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands: Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands includes the Nebraska National Forest Pine Ridge Ranger District (native pine forest), Nebraska National Forest Bessey Ranger District (hand planted forest), Samuel R. McKelvie National Forest, Buffalo Gap National Grassland, Fort Pierre National Grassland and Oglala National Grassland.

2.12 Ranger District: Administrative subdivision of the national forest or national grassland supervised by a district ranger who reports to a forest supervisor.

2.13 Rodenticide: A chemical agent formulated to kill rodents.

2.14 Standard: An acknowledged measure of comparison.

2.15 Fiscal Year (FY): Fiscal Year within the Forest Service occurs October 1 to September 30 of the following year. For example, October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025, is referred to as Fiscal Year 2025.

Contractor Requirements

3.0 Technical Requirements / Tasks

The following requirements apply to work performed under the contract. Additional Requirements may be included at the order level.

3.1 General Requirements.

3.1.1 Accessibility: The contractor and their crew are allowed to drive off-road to conduct activities associated with the contract. Some of these activities would include gaining access to a prairie dog colony, conducting prairie dog control activities (examples: pre-bait and baiting) on and adjacent to a colony, and the monitoring and evaluation of work conducted. However, motorized travel should be restricted to existing roads and trails whenever possible.

3.1.2 Resource Protection Conditions: Contractors are expected to respond to sensitive resource conditions, i.e. limit travel as much as possible to existing two track roads to reach the prairie dog colonies especially when road conditions are poor/wet.

3.1.3 General: The Contractor shall be licensed, registered, and certified by the State of South Dakota and/or State of Nebraska, to provide pest control services in all the categories specified in this contract. All Contractor employees who apply pesticides in any form shall be certified by the South Dakota Department of Agriculture in the appropriate category of service (Category G and 12) and/or Nebraska Department of Agriculture in the appropriate category of service (Category G and 14). Contractor shall provide FS Rep with copies of Pesticide Licenses for everyone that applies Zinc Phosphide Prairie Dog Bait. The Contractor shall not begin work until a Notice to Proceed is signed and issued by the CO. The prairie dog control work requires two treatments. First, the prairie dog colony must be pre-baited with untreated oats to condition the prairie dogs to accept the zinc phosphide treated bait. After the prairie dogs have consumed the pre-bait, then the colony can be treated with the zinc phosphide bait (EPA REG #13808-6). Label application guidelines will be followed to avoid under baiting or over baiting. Contractor shall coordinate with FS Rep on work schedule.

3.2 Technical Requirements

3.2.1 Prebaiting and baiting for Prairie Dog Control – Production Capability and Capacity of Personnel and Equipment

3.2.1.1 Crews Capability and Expectations: The Contractor shall have a designated crew chief/lead. Crew should be able to bait, 150-300 acres per day during the course of a normal workday not shortened by weather or maintenance issues.

3.2.1.1.1 Need to have sufficient crew size and equipment to complete all designated baiting by January 31.

3.2.1.1.2 Ability to operate GPS Unit to delineate area baited per day and determine acres.

3.2.1.1.3 Ability to read a map and/or GPS to move from prairie dog colony to prairie dog colony.

3.2.1.1.4 Hold required licenses.

3.2.1.2 Application of Pre-bait and Bait: Pre-bait (plain oats) and Zinc Phosphide treated bait is applied near the entrance of an active burrow in accordance with the product label via a utility spoon or by calibrated, hand operated mechanical bait dispenser. Application rate of zinc phosphide prairie dog bait will follow the product label and be applied at active burrows. All baiting equipment will be calibrated prior to bait application. All active burrows are baited that are at least 2.75 inches in diameter and deep enough that the end is not visible.

For each FY, the zinc phosphide grain bait treatment must be completed by January 31 for all designated colonies.

3.2.1.2.1 The contractor shall bait all active burrows in designated prairie dog colonies. Detailed maps of each colony will be provided by FS Rep. Estimated acres for each colony are based on the most recent prairie dog inventory GPS data. Prairie dog colonies can expand and contract on a yearly basis, thus it is possible that the actual acreage covered may vary from that data.

3.2.1.2.2 It is important that the contractor bait every active burrow in the colony. The colony is usually easily identified on the ground but may be confusing on the edges where burrows become less dense and vegetation is taller. The contractor shall bait all active burrows towards the edge of the colony until burrow density is less than 2 per acre.

3.2.1.3 Flagging: Crews treating prairie dog colonies with grain bait generally consist of a flagger and 2 or more baiters. The flagger is responsible for setting the lane-width based on the number of baiters – generally one baiter on an ATV covers a width of 15 feet. The flagger lays-out the pin flags from one side of the colony to the other, alternating colors for each lane (i.e., one row will consist of pink flags and then the next one orange flags and so forth). The Contractor shall provide pin flags for flagging and ensure all flags are picked-up after treating a colony.

3.2.1.4 Collecting Data: At the end of the workday the total area treated with zinc phosphide grain bait will be GPS’d and acres determined; GPS data will be saved on the device for download at the FS Office. Contractor shall coordinate with FS Rep for download of data and deletion of files.

Data sheets will be filled out daily to include acreage treated with zinc phosphide bait (Attachment 2). These will be turned-in to the FS monthly when verifying acres treated with zinc phosphide grain bait through GPS/GIS data and submitting invoice.

When GPSing the treated areas, the contractor shall follow the outer boundary of baited burrows to determine acres treated for the day. Upon completion of a colony, the acres treated per day will be compiled for a total acreage for the colony. Payment will be based-on the contractor’s GPS acres treated with zinc phosphide grain bait.

3.2.1.5 Timing-Ground/Weather Conditions: The Contractor shall apply the pre-bait first. Contractor should recognize that there may be a small window of time for desired weather conditions for application. Therefore, the contractor should take this into consideration when planning the work to be completed. Contractor will cease zinc phosphide treatment during significant rain and other precipitation events. Water runoff contaminated by zinc phosphide can be acutely toxic to aquatic life, and the moisture will also significantly reduce or eliminate the efficacy of the treated bait. If the ground is muddy or wet, travel to and from the site can cause severe rutting, and the moisture in the soil as well as the increased humidity will facilitate the breakdown of zinc phosphide. The contractor must wait for the ground to dry-out before returning to the site to continue treatments.

3.2.1.6 Follow Label: The Contractor will follow all Zinc Phosphide Prairie Dog Bait label restrictions as required by law. The Contractor is responsible for following and meeting State requirements for holding a current applicators license for the application of Zinc Phosphide Prairie Dog Bait and associated pre-bait. A current pesticide use applicators license for South Dakota and/or Nebraska will be required when working under this contract.

3.2.1.7 Bait and Pre-bait Handling: The Contractor accepts responsibility/liability for the proper transportation, storage and disposal of bait, pre-bait, and containers. Any spill of bait in excess of normal treatment amounts will be reported to the Forest Service COR. Spilled bait will be removed and disposed of in accordance with the label requirements and state and local regulation. Bait spilled on the ground will be considered contaminated and not allowed to be used for treatment. As bait and pre-bait is used, it needs to be documented on the data sheets (attachment 2) to allow the COR to monitor the amount of bait and pre-bait that is being applied on this project. All unused bait and pre-bait shall be returned to the Forest Service following completion of the project.

Contractor shall dispose of empty chemical containers as is allowed by product label (Attachments 3 and 4).

Contractor shall wear proper personal protective equipment (PPE) as required according to product label regulations.

3.2.1.8 Equipment: Contractor shall maintain government furnished equipment and perform minor repairs as needed. At completion of project, turn in equipment to FS Rep in working condition. Contractor shall coordinate with FS Rep for major repairs on equipment, bait resupply and any other issues. Contractor shall take care of prebait and poison after receiving it from the FS Rep (prevent damage, storage, keeping it dry). Contractor will be responsible for any materials that cannot be used due to damage that has occurred while in the contractors possession.

3.2.2 Quality Control Plan (QCP): Contract shall develop Quality Control Plan - A quality control plan is a plan developed by the contractor for its internal use to ensure that it performs and delivers high-quality service. The QCP will be incorporated into the resultant contract. QCP must include:

1. How will the contractor meet specifications for application rate?

2. What oversight will the contractor provide in filling out the daily data sheet?

3. Who will oversee the QCP?

3.2.2.1 Contractor Quality Control Inspection. The Contractor shall assure themselves that performance meets contract specifications, in accordance with clause FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions – Commercial Items, paragraph (a), Inspection/Acceptance prior to requesting the Government to inspect for payment or acceptance.

3.2.3 Government Inspection and Acceptance:

A. Government Quality Assurance Inspection. The Government will, at its convenience, make periodic inspections of the work to assure itself of contract compliance and to perform Quality Assurance Inspections to determine if the Contractor is performing quality control in accordance with its QCP and that the Contractor monitoring results in quality performance are within the contract objectives. The Government will assure quality is being met through plots and visual inspections as stated in Section 11 – Performance Requirement Measures. Inspections will determine both the adequacy of coverage and rate of Zinc Phosphide (poison) application. A determination of acceptance will be based on percent burrows baiting application rate meeting the AQL.

B. Acceptance. Acceptance of the work under the contract will be made after Government inspection and the Contracting Officer has made the determination of satisfactory compliance with the specifications. All required contract specifications shall be satisfactorily completed in each unit before acceptance will be made. Acceptance will not be made for segments broken by unacceptable portions of work.

C. Rework and Reinspection after Rework. If the contractor fails to meet the minimum AQL, the contractor shall rework the area. The Government will conduct an inspection and up to three re-inspection for each area. Anytime more than four inspections are required per area, the contractor will be accessed for additional inspections which will include mileage and hourly rate of Inspector or Inspectors. If follow-up inspections indicate that the minimum AQL was not met, the work will be deemed unsatisfactory and a deduction in payment will result.

4.0 Deliverable / Schedule

Key Deliverables

Item No. Deliverable Objective Due 1 Monthly Data

Download and corresponding Data Sheets (attachment 2)

Schedule a monthly meeting with FS Rep to come in and download data and turn in data sheets.

Within a week before or after the first of each month, during period of work.

2 Weekly Update Report accomplishments & issues weekly. Every Friday, during period of work, by 4:30 PM, in corresponding time zone, until the contract expires.

5.0 Government Furnished

Government Furnished Property will be checked out and tracked with the AD700 (Attachment 7).

Item Description Where, When, How Pre-bait Untreated oats Will be purchased by the Forest

Service and the contractor will pick it up at office where work is being conducted. FS will provide one day of training on zinc phosphide treatment operations if requested.

Bait Zinc-Phosphide Prairie Dog Bait (EPA

REG #13808-6).

Will be purchased by the Forest Service and the contractor will pick it up at office where work is being conducted. FS will provide one day of training on zinc phosphide treatment operations if requested.

Prairie Dog Colony Map Colonies to be treated will be indicated on maps provided by the Forest Service after the contract is awarded. Contractor shall treat designated priority colonies first.

Provided before work begins.

Data Sheets Data Collection sheets will be used to collect information on colony name, applicators, acres treated, etc.

Provided before work begins.

GPS Unit GPS unit will be provided to map acres treated.

Provided before work begins.

Training will be provided by Forest Service Employees if requested.

6.0 Travel

The work will be located on the Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands, specifically on the Buffalo Gap, Fort Pierre, and Oglala National Grasslands. The West half of the Buffalo Gap National Grassland is administered by the Fall River Ranger District in Hot Springs, SD while the East half is administered by the Wall Ranger District in Wall, SD. The Fort Pierre National Grasslands is administered by the Fort Pierre Ranger District in Fort Pierre, SD. The Oglala National Grasslands is administered by the Pine Ridge Ranger District in Chadron, NE.

7.0 Contractor’s Key Personnel

Applicators that are qualified to treat rodents in South Dakota and Nebraska, based on state requirements. Crew should be able to bait, 150-300 acres per day during the course of a normal workday not shortened by weather or maintenance issues.

8.0 Security Requirements

Security Requirements will be determined at a task order level. This could include, but is not limited to, camping availability and access to administrative sites. Coordination efforts will be determined at a task order level.

9.0 Data Rights

Not Applicable.

10.0 Section 508 - Electronic and Information Technology Standards Not Applicable.

11.0 Performance Requirement Measures

Performance Objective

Required Task or Deliverable Performance Standard

Method of Surveillance

Positive/Negative Incentive % for NOT meeting the Task

Prebaiting Refer to Performance Work Statement Section 3.2.1

Certified to legally apply bait.

Application rate of zinc phosphide prairie dog bait will follow the product label and be applied at active burrows.

All baiting equipment will be calibrated prior to bait application.

No deviation, Application will be administered according to the product label and applicator will have valid applicator license.

The COR/Inspector will randomly select individuals and use a measuring device to determine how much prebait they are applying per burrow.

COR/Inspector will inspect during time of application.

Three verbal warnings will be given for not meeting the application rate requirement per prairie dog colony. If there are 4 or more incidents of not meeting the standard, then a 10% per acre deduction per incident will be assessed upon final payment for that prairie dog colony. For example, the contractor bids the job at $25.00 per acre and if there are three verbal warnings and a fourth check shows that an individual is not applying and following the zinc phosphide grain bait product label per burrow and the entire colony is 500 acres then at completion the contractor will be paid $22.50 per acre ($12,500 vs. $11,250) for a $1,250 dollar deduction. If there were two incidents above the three warnings, then that would be a $2,500 dollar deduction and so forth.

Application Rate Refer to Performance Work Statement Section 3.2.1

Application rate of zinc phosphide prairie dog bait will follow the product label and be applied at active burrows.

All baiting equipment will be calibrated prior to bait application.

No deviation, Application will be administered according to the product label and applicator will have valid applicator license.

The COR/Inspector will randomly select individuals and use a measuring device to determine how much zinc phosphide grain bait they are applying per burrow.

COR/Inspector will

Three verbal warnings will be given for not meeting the application rate requirement per prairie dog colony. If there are 4 or more incidents of not meeting the standard, then a 10% per acre deduction per incident will be assessed upon final payment for that prairie dog colony. For example, the contractor bids the job at $25.00 per acre and if there are three verbal warnings inspect during time of application.

and a fourth check shows that an individual is not applying and following the zinc phosphide grain bait product label per burrow and the entire colony is 500 acres then at completion the contractor will be paid $22.50 per acre ($12,500 vs. $11,250) for a $1,250 dollar deduction. If there were two incidents above the three warnings, then that would be a $2,500 dollar deduction and so forth.

Burrow zinc phosphide grain bait treatment Refer to Performance Work Statement Section 3.2.1

Pre-bait (plain oats) and Zinc Phosphide treated bait is applied near the entrance of an active burrow in accordance with the product label via a utility spoon or calibrated, hand operated mechanical bait dispenser. All active burrows are baited that are at least 2.75 inches in diameter and deep enough that the end is not visible

No deviation, less than 95% (main part of colony) or 90% (on the edge where vegetation is >18 inches) per lane may result in a price reduction.

The COR/Inspector will randomly select a location in each lane that has been baited and start counting active burrows up to 100.

COR/Inspector will inspect during time of application.

Burrow zinc phosphide grain bait treatment: Anything less than 95% (main) / 90% (edge) and the contractor will have the opportunity to re-do that lane or upon completion of the colony the average percent baited will be used for payment. For example, on a 500-acre colony bid at $25.00 per acre if the contractor meets the AQL of greater than 95% of the burrows baited then they will be paid 100% for the acres treated ($12,500). In the same example, if there are one or more lanes where less than 95% of the burrows are baited and the contractor chooses not to re-do them, leaving the final average for that colony at 93% covered, then the contractor will be paid $11,625 (0.93 x $12,500).

Completion date Refer to Performance Work Statement Section 3.2.1

For each fiscal year, the zinc phosphide grain bait treatment must be completed by January 31 for all designated colonies.

No deviation, zinc phosphide grain bait treatment must be completed by January 31.

Final inspection will occur at a task order level following completion of performance.

Completion date: If the contractor does not finish treating all designated colonies by 31 January for that fiscal year, then the contractor will not be paid for the left-over acres and will receive a 10% per acre deduction for any colonies that are only partially completed. For example, the contractor is on the last colony, which is 500 acres in size and bid at $25.00 per acre.

They complete 200 acres by 31 January but still have 300 acres to go. They would not get paid for the 300 untreated acres and would only get paid $22.50/acre for the 200 acres that were completed.

If the contractor is not able to complete the zinc phosphide grain bait treatments by January

31 because of delays caused by weather (i.e., snow, rain and wet ground conditions) CO/COR will advise work complete and invoice accordingly. Performance won’t be negatively impacted by adverse weather.

Daily data sheets Refer to Performance Work Statement Section 3.2.3

Data sheets will be filled out daily to include acreage treated with zinc phosphide bait (Attachment 2). These will be turned-in monthly to the FS when verifying acres treated with zinc phosphide grain bait through GPS/GIS data and submitting invoice.

Daily sheets will be filled out correctly prior to payment.

The COR/Inspector will analyze the daily data sheets for completion.

Upon completion of zinc phosphide grain bait treatment on a colony the contractor will submit the daily sheets as part of the payment process. Any sheets not filled out correctly will be given back to the contractor to correct. Once all sheets are verified then the contractor will be allowed to invoice for work performed.

11.1 Performance Requirements:

The following performance standards will be measured and monitored at the task order level. Additional performance standards will be specified at the order level. Orders may include deductions or rework at no cost for failing to meet defined performance standards. Based on failure to achieve contract Performance Standards or Acceptable Quality Levels, the Forest Service may require the contract holder to take corrective actions, exclude the contract holder from future order competitions until performance improvement is sustained, or terminate the contract.

11.1.1 The contractor is expected to ensure performance to standard through the Contractor’s Quality Control Plan.

11.2 Standard Performance:

11.2.1 Application rate: the contractor shall apply Zinc Phosphide Prairie Dog Control Bait, according to the product label, at active burrows.

The Contracting Officer’s Representative will randomly check personnel on the baiting crew. The methods for analyzing whether the individual is applying the proper amount of Zinc Phosphide Prairie Dog Bait are as follows:

11.2.1.1 With the use of a plastic ziplock bag, the individual will deposit grain bait in the bag for their calibrated measurement. The contents of the bag will be quantified with a measuring cup/spoon to determine the treatment rate for that individual.

11.2.1.2 During burrow inspections, the amount of treated grain bait deposited near active burrows will also be noted – if it appears “light” (i.e. less than what the label recommends.) then the crew members will be tested.

11.2.1.3 Burrow counts will be collected during zinc phosphide grain bait treatment. Zinc Phosphide grain bait usage will be tracked on each colony.

11.2.2 Burrow zinc phosphide grain bait treatment: although the goal is to bait 100% of all active burrows the standard is 95% per lane through most of the prairie dog colony and 90% on the edges where the predominant vegetative group is 18 inches or taller. The lower standard is allowed in these areas because of the difficulty in locating sparse burrows in tall, dense vegetation.

11.2.2.1 The Contracting Officer’s Representative will check treated burrows (Prebaited and Baited) to analyze percent baited; methods are as follows:

• Randomly select a baited lane and find the edge to begin.

• Move down the lane in an S-pattern, covering the entire width of the lane and note all active burrows that are located within 10-feet and document baited vs. unbaited burrows until a total of 100 burrows are encountered. If the lane is relatively short and there are not a total of 100 burrows counted then develop index from available data (e.g. 81 out of 85 active burrows baited = 95% treatment for that lane).

• starting on the edge and vegetation is greater than 18 inches the lower percentage is allowed (i.e., 90% vs. 95%). In this case, start counting active burrows until exiting where vegetation is less than 18 inches tall. At that point, note the burrow rate. For example, in an edge environment where one counts 19 active burrows baited and 1 not baited before exiting into the main part of the colony which equates to 95% treated and meets the standard. Upon exiting, into main part of colony, restart counting from 1 to 100 to develop index for main portion of colony also in the same lane.

• Any lane not meeting the standard; notify contractor and allow them the opportunity to cover the lane again treating missed active burrows.

• During inspection, if any lanes are below the standard then additional lanes may be inspected.

11.2.3 Completion date: all designated colonies 100% baited no later than January 31.

11.2.4 Daily data sheets: 100% of all entries correctly filled-out.

Attachments Attachments will be included in the pdf document.

Attachments