Attachment 2 - Performance Work Statement - Prince of Wales.pdf

US Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Performance Work Statement

Contents Project General Information

1.0 Scope of Work

2.0 Background

Contractor Requirements

3.0 Technical Requirements / Tasks

5.0 Deliverables / Schedule

6.0 Travel

8.0 Security Requirements

9.0 Data Rights

10.0 Section 508 – Electronic and Information Technology Standards Attachments

Project Alaska Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Field Data Collection

General Information

1.0 Scope of Work

The general scope of this project requires locating, remeasuring and /or installing Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) fixed radius sample plots on National Forest and other lands, providing digital delivery of data, and related work in accordance with the Field Instructions for the most recent Alaska Annual Inventory identified at (https://research.fs.usda.gov/pnw/programs/fma#field-manuals). The contractor will furnish all labor, equipment, supervision, transportation, operating supplies and incidentals with the exception of those designated as Government Furnished Equipment.

2.0 Background

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service (USFS), Pacific Northwest Research Station (PNWRS) is tasked with annual data acquisition for inventory and monitoring of Alaska’s forests. The USFS Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program conducts our nationwide forest inventory effort aimed at monitoring the status and trends of forested lands in the US through a network of permanent field “plots” installed on the ground (https://research.fs.usda.gov/programs/fia). In Alaska, the inventory is divided into two units:

Coastal Alaska (https://www.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/index.html?appid=d0464406188740fb81e2e4c3d1b48915) and Interior Alaska (https://www.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/index.html?appid=879335620119448ea12b47f979b9b758).

The Interior Alaska inventory unit comprises most of the area north of Prince William Sound and north and west of the Kenai Peninsula, including the Alaska Peninsula and the Aleutian Islands (but excluding the Kodiak Archipelago). The Coastal Alaska unit covers the temperate rainforest zones across southeast and southcentral Alaska, and also includes Prince William Sound, the Kenai Peninsula, and the Kodiak Archipelago.

In the Coastal Alaska unit, sampling intensity is at 1 plot per 6,000 acres on an annualized 10-year remeasurement cycle, meaning that 1/10th of the plots are sampled each year in a spatially balanced manner across the entire area. In the Interior Alaska unit, sampling intensity is at 1 plot per 72,000 acres on a segmented annualized 15-year remeasurement cycle, with 1/3 of the plots across the survey unit sampled over each 5-year period. FIA plot sampling is non-destructive and it is critical that field crews minimize the spread of exotic and invasive species using reasonable means including ensuring that boots, clothing, and field equipment are free of weed seeds as outlined in the Field Instructions.

Safety is always the first priority. It is important that contractors be familiar with working and living in remote conditions, and with travel and safety considerations for accessing forested landscapes across Alaska. The contractor will be working in remote areas and could be exposed to natural hazards including, but not limited to traveling over uneven and rocky terrain, encounters with bears and other wildlife, hostile people, and inclement weather. The contractor shall ensure that all employees are trained and properly equipped prior to commencing work in the project areas.

Definitions Throughout this document the following terms are defined as follows:

Contracting Officer (CO): The person with the authority to enter into administer and/or terminate contracts and make related determinations and findings.

Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR): Government representative designated and authorized in writing by the contracting officer to perform specific technical or administrative functions

Quality Assurance Inspector (QA) / Government Technical Monitor (GTM): Government representative designated and authorized in writing to conduct certification and training sessions, review completed electronic data submissions, and inspect Crew Leader’s work. May or may not also function as the COR.

Contractor: In this document all references to the Contractor also apply to all of the Contractor’s agents as well.

Crew Leader: Serves as a primary data collector for the contract. At least one Certified Crew Leader must be present on each plot. A Crew Leader must meet the experience and/or education requirements, attend the Crew Orientation, and successfully pass the certification process to become a Certified Crew Leader. The Government will only certify up to 3 Crew Leaders. See additional details under Certification of Crews and Contractor’s Key Personnel.

https://research.fs.usda.gov/pnw/programs/fma#field-manuals https://research.fs.usda.gov/pnw/programs/fma#field-manuals https://research.fs.usda.gov/programs/fia https://www.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/index.html?appid=d0464406188740fb81e2e4c3d1b48915 https://www.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/index.html?appid=879335620119448ea12b47f979b9b758 https://www.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/index.html?appid=879335620119448ea12b47f979b9b758

Contractor Requirements

3.0 Technical Requirements / Tasks

Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) data collection field work shall be performed in accordance with the Field Instructions for the most recent Alaska Inventory identified at (https://research.fs.usda.gov/pnw/programs/fma#field-manuals).

An attached Plot List (Exhibit B) contains fuzzed plot coordinates, and Vicinity Maps (Exhibit C) show approximate plot locations.

The exact plot locations, previous plot data (where available), and maps will be shared as part of an Electronic Plot Folder (EPF) during the post-award meeting. The Contractor is solely responsible for conducting any due diligence they deem necessary to inform decisions ahead of contract award based on previous plot visit information available publicly at https://research.fs.usda.gov/products/dataandtools/fia-datamart.

The Contractor shall furnish crews whose responsibility shall be to locate, measure and maintain plots in accordance with the Field Instructions. The number of crews furnished to meet the contract requirements is at the discretion of the contractor but must be sufficient to meet the delivery schedule and will be limited by the number of certified Crew Leaders.

The Contractor shall provide the hardware and software contained in Exhibit D: Hardware, Software, and Data Processing Procedures, except for any equipment explicitly described under Government Furnished Property.

Post-Award Meeting A virtual post award meeting will be scheduled within 30 days of Contract award. At this meeting, the government will provide and describe several resources for the contractor to use in performance under the contract:

• Electronic plot folders containing exact plot location information as well as notes and data from any previous field visits o Each Contract Crew Leader provided access to this information must first submit to the Government a completed

Nondisclosure Agreement acknowledging their acceptance of the confidentiality requirements associated with the FIA dataset.

• Electronic training materials covering field procedures specific to the Forest Inventory and Analysis methods

Additionally, this discussion will confirm Crew Leader qualifications and Government expectations for the Mandatory Crew Orientation, as well as the contractor request for Government Furnished Equipment and the Progress Work Schedule.

Mandatory Crew Orientation

A mandatory crew orientation training session will take place prior to Certification and field work, typically in May. Contractor Crew Leaders shall attend the crew orientation training session, if deemed necessary by the government based on Crew Leader qualifications. The training session may be held virtually or within 75 miles of Anchorage, AK depending upon Crew Leader qualifications, at the discretion of the Government. The purpose of the training will be to review the Field Instructions and to provide Crew Leaders an opportunity to ask questions of the QA/GTM and/or COR. The crew orientation may be as short as one to two hours on a single day in length for Contractor Crew Leaders who demonstrate a minimum of two field seasons of past FIA field experience in Alaska, Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, California. The training session shall be as long as up to five days in length for any Contractor Crew Leader who does not have a minimum of two field seasons of past FIA experience in at least one of these areas.

The length of the training session (<1-5 days) will be at the discretion of the Government based on Contractor experience, and will be communicated by the start of the period of performance. The exact location and scheduling of the crew orientation session will be coordinated between the Government and the Contractor. Crews shall bring their field equipment and the Government will supply Portable Data Recorders, HPGNSS receivers, and other supplies per the Government Furnished Equipment section.

Certification of Crews

The certification process is not intended to train crews or Crew Leaders, but only to evaluate their competency for use on this contract. Following the crew orientation, a maximum of three (3) Crew Leaders will be certified by the Government for performance under this contract. If the Contractor desires more than the specified number of Crew Leaders to be certified, the Government may approve the request at its discretion. Requests for additional Crew Leader certification shall be submitted to the Government in writing with the bid and must state the number of additional certifications requested. Contractor should note that if the request is approved, the Government will identify additional certification plots prior to the beginning of the Period of Performance.

https://research.fs.usda.gov/pnw/programs/fma#field-manuals https://research.fs.usda.gov/products/dataandtools/fia-datamart

Crew Leaders who have previously certified and who have been approved for contracted FIA field work in Alaska within the past 3 years will not be required to certify again under this contract, except in cases where the Crew Leader has failed one or more previous inspection plots or has been removed from prior FIA contracts in Alaska. In such cases, a new Crew Leader certification shall be required but may be waived at the discretion of the Government if requested in writing by the Contractor.

The Government will certify Crew Leaders for contract performance as follows:

• Certification plots will be selected by the Government and will be accessible by foot from the road system on public lands within 50 miles of Anchorage.

• The Contractor will be paid for certification plots under the same inspection and payment provisions that apply to the rest of the contract work.

o Previously certified Crew Leaders who do not need to re-certify under the terms above will not complete a certification plot. Contactor bids shall reflect the price for certification plots actually needed to perform under the contract based on the qualifications of their proposed Crew Leaders.

• The certification will consist of one field plot satisfactorily completed by the Crew Leader. The Crew Leader is not required to complete the certification plot alone i.e. he or she may have an assistant(s); however, the Crew Leader is solely responsible for the quality of the work. In the event a Crew Leader fails the initial certification plot, one additional certification plot shall be selected by the Government. Failure of two certification plots will be cause to notify the Contractor and request that the Crew Leader be replaced.

• Each plot completed for certification shall be submitted individually upon completion and the QA/GTM and COR notified at the time of submission.

• Inspection and certification results will be returned to the Contractor within 7 days of the Government receiving notification of certification plot submission. Crew Leaders shall not proceed to perform further work under the contract until inspection results have been provided by the Government and the Crew Leader is determined to be certified.

• To determine certification plot quality, all four subplots will be fully remeasured by the Government regardless of the number of trees present on the plot. The inspection will be scored according to the Inspection Quality Form, attached (Exhibit G). For a certification plot to be satisfactory, the inspected plot quality shall be 90 percent or higher. Less than 90 percent quality in the inspection results will be considered a failed certification plot.

• A Crew Leader will be considered Certified once Inspection of the Certification plot reveals a passing score and the Contractor is notified by the Government.

Work to Complete Plots

Work to complete plots (non-certification plots) shall not proceed by an individual Crew Leader until the Government has confirmed to the Contractor that the Crew Leader is certified. Unless specifically authorized by the Government, Contractor field work to complete plots shall not begin prior to May 25 and shall not continue past 30 days prior to the end of the period of performance in order to allow for inspection and the contractor time for reworking of plot(s) if necessary.

Specific work areas will be established by agreement between the Government and Contractor by using a Progress Work Schedule (PWS). At the post award conference, the Contractor shall submit for Government approval, a PWS specifying the resources (including people, equipment, and other factors) the Contractor shall use as well as the rate of progress the Contractor proposes to achieve. To be acceptable, the PWS shall include a breakdown of planned progress in terms of timeline for plots completed by individual Crew Leaders for each month of work. The PWS shall meet or exceed the rate of production needed to complete submission of all contract plots by 30 days prior to the end of the period of performance.

Any modification of the plan will be subject to approval by the Government. A revised PWS will be required if actual progress falls behind the current approved Progress Work Schedule.

In the PWS, the following information shall be furnished to the government prior to field visits in order for transparent communications between landowners, the contractor, and the government:

• If using to access field sites: aircraft make, model, tail number, and proposed base(s) of operation.

• If overnight camping is anticipated in the field near plot locations, the anticipated plots and general dates.

Plots shall be measured in the ground location of previously installed Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) plot regardless of proximity to aerial photo pinprick, GPS coordinate, or image plot center location. In the event the plot cannot be relocated using the instructions described in the “Field Instructions”, the plot shall be returned to the QA/GTM or COR. If the plot was never previously installed on the ground as indicated by previous visit data provided in the EPF, the plot shall be located and installed as described in the “Field Instructions”.

The Contractor will be required to use Government-supplied software including MIDAS (Mobile Integrated Data Acquisition System) from which historical plot information must be loaded onto their Portable Data Recorder (PDR) and all field collected data shall be entered into these respective files. The Contractor shall also install the MIDAS application updates as supplied by the Government for their PDR and computers through access to the national MIDAS internet site. The Contractor shall follow the procedures outlined in the Field Instructions as well as in the Hardware Software and Data Processing Procedures document, attached (Exhibit D).

Many access restrictions may occur such as wildlife seasonal closures, road maintenance, hunting season closures, etc. The Government will provide a copy of the permit required for plots on any lands other than National Forest System lands, along with as many known restrictions as possible in land access permits. The Government will not seek permission nor provide permits for access to lands other than those on which a plot resides (e.g. adjacent or nearby landowner parcels). It is ultimately the Contractor’s responsibility to follow all permit requirements, make any local land manager contacts if required, ensure that permission(s) to access have been provided by the government and documented prior to plot access, and utilize this information in Contractor project planning and prosecution of work. The Contractor shall ensure work is completed in compliance with access restriction guidelines and any other use requirements.

At the request of the Government, prior to commencing work within an area of special concern (for example, on National Park Service land), a meeting will be held with the Contractor and appropriate local land management personnel to determine appropriate operational restrictions (e.g., access, waste disposal, camping, quarantine restrictions).

When temporary hazards such as high water, bees, or bears hinder completing a plot, the Contractor shall contact the COR to develop a timeframe in order to return to finish the plot at a later time.

Submission of Plots

Submission of each plot shall be timely following field work completion, with each plot submitted within 14 calendar days after field completion. The contractor shall notify the government each time they have submitted 20 plots. All plots shall be submitted no later than 30 days prior to the end of the Period of Performance unless authorized by the Government.

Prior to submission to the Government, plots shall meet the following criteria:

Plot data shall be collected and edited at the plot location on an appropriate PDR using the most recent updated program, and in accordance with the Field Instructions. Plot data shall then be run through the suite of MIDAS utilities provided by the Government and data and Electronic Plot Folders uploaded to the MIDAS Website (reference Appendix O of the Field Instructions). These will be inspected using the Electronic Plot Folder Inspection Form (Exhibit F) and inspection results may require further contractor review or edits, but will not determine Contractor Pay.

The contractor shall use the latest MIDAS Mobile or MIDAS Control Panel software to edit each plot. Contractors must update the data where necessary and enter notes into the appropriate data screen fields; in MIDAS, warnings and critical warnings allow explanations. Critical warnings are required to have a note/explanation associated with them in order to load. Warnings can have a note/explanation entered, but they are not required to load.

Contractors shall resolve all errors and explain all critical warnings prior to loading the plot. Once all errors have been resolved and all critical warnings have a detailed logical explanation within MIDAS, the Contractor shall follow the Field Instructions and Electronic Plot Folders Instructions for completion and submission of plots. Plot data files (.std) are named State.County.PlotNumber.Cycle.Subcycle.Phase.FieldGuideVersion.std. To successfully upload plot files, the Contractor must use the most updated version of MIDAS software and resolve any additional errors identified when uploading data files to MIDAS.

Data uploads and periodic mandatory Government software updates as described will require the Contractor have access to high-speed internet connections prior to submitting plots to the Government for inspection. Dial-up internet connections are not acceptable.

Appendix O of the Field Instructions demonstrates which files shall be submitted for each plot once completed by the Contractor.

4.0 Government Furnished Equipment

The Government will provide the following item(s) of Government property to the Contractor for use in the performance of this contract. This property shall be used and maintained by the Contractor in accordance with the provisions of the "Government Property" clause contained in the contract.

• Up to three (3) Portable Data Recorders, as requested by Contractor. Models to be supplied may include Trimble Ranger 7, Juniper Systems Allegro MX, or Juniper Systems Allegro 2.

• Up to three (3) Javad Triumph 2 HPGNSS receivers and tripods, as requested by Contractor.

• Field Instruction Manuals - One copy per certified contract Crew Leader up to a maximum of 3 manuals total, as requested by Contractor. Field Instruction Manuals are also available in PDF format.

• Blank Electronic Plot Location Records (Plot Cards).

• Prefield Electronic Plot Folders (EPF) for Contractor’s work area(s). The EPF contains any historical information digitally available for the plot including satellite imagery, plot card(s), previous data records, any available photos, and topographic map.

• Aluminum nails.

• Numbered aluminum round tree tags.

• Square aluminum reference tags.

• Yellow/white round aluminum reference tags.

• Fiberglass plot pins for use on subplot and microplot centers.

• Paper straws and labels for tree core collection.

• Electronic Alaska Fuel Model guide per the Field Instructions

(https://www.frames.gov/sites/default/files/AFSC/Alaska_Fuel_Model_Guidebook_0620081.pdf).

• MIDAS software for collecting field data and files for all plots.

• Computer software to print out plot data, receive software updates, send files to and from the Portable Data Recorder, download high precision GPS coordinates, and edit data.

All Government-furnished equipment including any unused nails, tags, stakes, etc., shall be returned to the Government at the completion of the contract.

https://www.frames.gov/sites/default/files/AFSC/Alaska_Fuel_Model_Guidebook_0620081.pdf

5.0 Deliverables / Schedule

Period of Performance The period of performance will be April 1 through September 1. All field work shall be complete and submitted at least 30 days prior to the end of the period of performance to allow the government time to inspect, approve and/or reject plots as well as allow time for contractor to correct issues if needed.

Estimated Timeline Period of Performance Start April 1 Mandatory Crew Orientation Typically May Crew Certification Plot Submission Typically late May or early June Commence Plot Work Following Certification, no earlier than May 25 Submission of Final Completed Plots for Inspection No later than August 1 Period of Performance End September 1

If the contract is awarded later than the estimated start of the period of performance, completion date(s) may be extended by mutual agreement between the Government and the Contractor.

The Contractor is required to

(a) Commence work to complete plot packets under the contract within 30 calendar days after the last Crew Leader has been

Certified

(b) Prosecute the work diligently, and

(c) Complete and submit the final plot packet for Government review not later than 30 days prior to the end of the period of performance

(d) Notify the COR of any incomplete plots, and payment will only be made for completed plots at the specified rate.

Inspection & Basis for Payment

The Government will determine plot quality by inspection. In addition to Government inspection of all certification plots, at least one plot out of every 20 plots submitted will be inspected, at the discretion of the government. A plot or packet of 20 plots is considered complete when all work has been inspected and accepted for payment.

In accordance with the tolerances listed in the Field Instructions, the following shall be checked on each inspection:

• Verify documented measured distances and written directions from main road, access point, or landing zone to locate plot;

• Reference Point data when required, and always when it is critical to locating the plot;

• Global Positioning System (GPS)data;

• Plot Level attributes including Plot Access Description and Plot Narrative, and Condition Class attributes;

• Site and Age Tree measurements, tree selection;

• Two subplots measured in entirety;

• MIDAS warnings and explanations;

• Review for completeness and legibility the following: Plot Card, Location Sketch Map with all conditions mapped and labeled, Location diagram showing Landing Zone or Parking Location and direction of travel to plot, Plot Edit Sheet (per the Field Instructions and the Plot Edit Sheet (Exhibit E)).

A minimum of 20 trees are measured unless the plot has low tally, is non-forest or it is a cover check. If there are not enough trees available on the two fully inspected subplots, additional subplots are fully inspected to attempt to measure 20 trees on inspection plots.

On all four subplots, the following will be checked:

• Plot layout; including both subplot and microplot center locations

• Condition Class presence/absence

• Subplot Attributes

• Microplot seedling count

• Boundary mapping

• Missed/added Tree Tally (including saplings on the microplot), also checking for trees in or out near the different plot radius boundaries

Inspectors will record all measurements as they are at the time of inspection. The items listed below will present unique challenges when scoring the plot because the natural environment may have changed significantly over a short period of time due to seasonality, fast decadence rates or susceptibility to ground disturbance. Additional notes will be necessary for the QA/GTM inspector to know when there were real errors or just on-the-ground changes:

• Vegetation Profile – species, heights and cover;

• Down Woody Material (DWM)- Transects are lined up with the production crew’s as best as possible to check all measurements according to the Field Instructions. Use of flagging left at 24 ft. denoting end of Coarse Woody Debris (CWD) transect, crayon marking location of transect crossing individual CWD pieces to align CWD slope distances and the fuel bed measurement location. If the production crew did not leave flagging and there is no evidence of a Fuel bed pit, the transect will be placed at the QA/GTM inspector’s azimuth (although effort is made to line up CWD pieces if possible).

Plot Payment following Inspection, Re-work, and Re-inspection

Plots completed satisfactorily will be processed for payment in accordance with the payment rate provisions based on the unit price and will constitute full compensation for furnishing all equipment, labor, supervision, supplies, transportation, and incidentals.

“Pay percentage” will be determined by the overall percent pay quality as calculated Using the Inspection Quality Form (Exhibit G).

• If the quality percentage is 90% or greater the payment will be at full bid price.

• Less than 90% is considered a failed plot inspection and unacceptable performance. All plots in the packet will be paid at

90% and Contractor rework for one or as many as all plots in the packet may be required at the Government discretion.

When the quality of a field inspected plot does not exceed 90%, the Contractor may be required to rework any or all plots in the packet(s) of 20 plots as selected by the government, including the inspected plot. Plots returned to the Contractor for rework shall be completed and returned to the Government within 30 calendar days or prior to the end of the period of performance, whichever is sooner. Any extensions shall be pre-approved by the Government. If a contractor is required to rework any plots following Government Inspection, all reworked plots that are submitted to the Government will be reviewed and one or more plots from the re-worked packet may again be inspected, at the Government’s discretion.

Plots installed using markings other than those described in the Field Instructions provided by the Government are unacceptable.

The Contractor shall rework any plot(s) and remove all materials incorrectly installed at the Government’s request if appropriate markings are not utilized.

If an individual Crew Leader repeatedly makes inaccurate measurements or observations (e.g. missed heights, diameters, etc.), over two or more plots, the Government may notify the Contractor and require the Contractor to replace the individual or entire crew.

If three consecutive plots fail to pass field inspection in one packet or if an individual or Crew Leader fails to pass two field inspections in any two consecutive plot packets, the Government may notify the Contractor and cause the Contractor to immediately replace one or more employee(s).

Reinspection Upon Contractor Request

If the Government's original inspection results are unacceptable to the Contractor, the Contractor has the option to request, in writing, a reinspection. Requests for reinspection shall be made within five calendar days after receipt of initial inspection results. A complete reinspection of the plot may be made. If the reinspection results differ by 2.00 percent or more from the Government's original inspection results (Pay %), the reinspection results will be used for payment.

Hazardous and Access Denied Plots & Payment

When temporary hazards such as high water, bees, forestry operations, or bears hinder completing a plot, the Contractor shall contact the COR to develop a timeframe in order to return to finish the plot at a later time.

The Government will attempt to avoid including previously hazardous or known access denied plots in the Contract. If the Contractor deems a plot as permanently hazardous and is unable to complete the plot, detailed records outlining planning efforts to reach the plot, including alternate route-finding efforts, planned/attempted safety mitigations, expended travel time for attempts to reach the plot must be submitted to the COR. If the COR confirms that the plot is deemed hazardous, the plot will be paid out at 40% of the bid price per plot.

If access to a plot is denied or revoked by a plot landowner at any time, the Government will suggest a substitute plot that is mutually agreeable to the Government and the Contractor. If no such plot is available, the plot will be paid out at 40% of the bid price per plot.

6.0 Travel

The project will be located within the state of Alaska. Work is the responsibility of the Pacific Northwest Research Station (PNWRS).

Vicinity maps showing approximate plot locations are attached to this solicitation (Exhibit C). Plot landowner contact for the purposes of granting permission to measure the plot will be a responsibility of the Government. All permits and agreements provided by plot land owners for the purpose of measuring each plot will be provided to the Contractor by the Government at the Post-Award meeting. However, if the contractor’s selected mode of travel requires crossing other jurisdictions to access a plot, it is solely the responsibility of the contractor to identify and seek permission from any other owners prior to access, in order to avoid trespassing. Prior to plot visit, the Contractor shall verify permission granted for each plot and shall coordinate access with the appropriate landowner or land manager following all terms and conditions in the applicable permit or agreement.

Road access to each plot is not guaranteed. Many plots were previously accessed via helicopter. Plots previously accessed mostly by road may no longer be open or drivable. Access to the plots may require short or very long walk-ins. Choice of plot access method is the sole responsibility of the Contractor, regardless of whether a method of plot access was suggested, directly or indirectly, by the Government. All costs to access these plots, including the Contractor’s choice of motorized or non-motorized access shall be the responsibility of the Contractor. Contractor is responsible for all travel to and from worksite as well as any and all incidentals required. The government is not responsible and will not pay for any additional fees for travel.

7.0 Contractor’s Key Personnel & Substitution

The Contractor shall assign to this contract the following key personnel:

Contractor Liaison A point of contact appointed by the Contractor to communicate, coordinate, and interact with the Government in completion of the Contract. In some cases, the contractor liaison may by the owner or proprietor and/or may also serve as a Crew Leader and/or an Assistant. The Contractor Liaison shall be designated by the Contractor and the COR notified. Substitutions require CO and COR notification but not approval.

Crew Leader(s) Serves as a primary data collector for the contract. At least one Certified Crew Leader must be present on each plot. A Crew Leader must attend the Crew Orientation, successfully pass the Certification process, and meet the contract’s experience and/or education requirements to become a Certified Crew Leader.

Minimum education & experience requirements for Crew Leaders are listed below. While minimum education and experience under Option A is acceptable, Option B is preferred by the Government and will be weighted more favorably during proposal/quote evaluation. Mandatory Crew Orientation may be shorter for Crew Leaders demonstrating at least 2 seasons of field experience collecting FIA data in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, or Hawaii.

Option A) Completion of two years in a Forestry, Plant Ecology, Botany, Natural Resources, or similar degree program;

and

One field season of work involving plot sampling, classification of understory vegetative characteristics, insect & disease management, vegetative species identification and measurements. Experience shall be in the Western United States* within the past five calendar years;

and

Ability to demonstrate the competent use of satellite imagery and GPS for ground location.

Option B) One field season of experience as a crew member on a Current Vegetation Survey or Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) survey crew in the Western United States. Shall be able to demonstrate the competent use of satellite imagery or stereo-paired aerial photos and GPS for ground location.

*Western United States includes the states of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, California, Montana, Utah, and Nevada.

A field season constitutes at least 3 months.

Substitution of Crew Leaders shall be made only as follows:

Following the Mandatory Crew Leader Orientation, during the first ninety (90) days of performance, the Contractor shall make no substitutions of Crew Leaders unless the substitution is necessitated by illness, death, or termination of employment. The Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer and/ or COR within 15 calendar days after the occurrence of any of these events and provide the information required for approval of any new Crew Leaders for performance under this contract. After the initial 90-day period, the Contractor shall submit the information required to the Contracting Officer and/or COR at least 15 days prior to making any permanent Crew Leader substitutions.

The Contractor shall provide a detailed explanation of the circumstances necessitating the proposed substitutions, complete resumes for the proposed substitutes, and any additional information requested by the Contracting Officer and/or COR. Proposed substitutes should have comparable qualifications to those of the persons being replaced. The Contracting Officer will notify the Contractor within 15 calendar days after receipt of all required information of the decision on substitutions. Substitute Crew Leaders may be required to attend a Crew Orientation at Government discretion.

8.0 Security Requirements

In order to protect the integrity of the FIA sample, the exact coordinates of sample plot locations are kept confidential. This protects the privacy of landowners who allow FIA field crews on their land, as well as protects the plots from any tampering. This policy of location confidentiality is incorporated into law through the Fiscal Year 2000 Consolidated Appropriations Bill (PL 106-113) which amended the Food Security Act of 1985 (7 U.S.C. 2276(d)) to include FIA data in the list of items that require confidential treatment.

All participants with access to these confidential plot locations shall review, sign, and submit to the COR a Non-Disclosure (Confidentiality) Agreement (Exhibit A) to protect the integrity of the FIA sample and associated land ownership information. This signed Confidentiality Agreement shall be required prior to providing the contractor access to exact plot locations and ownership information.

9.0 Data Rights

All data furnished to the contractor by the Government in execution of this contract shall be returned to the Government prior to contract expiration. All data collected by the Contractor in execution of this contract shall be submitted to the Government prior to the end of the Period of Performance. All Confidential Unclassified Information [CUI] accessed by the Contractor shall be protected in accordance with signed Confidentiality Agreements (Exhibit A).

10.0 Section 508 – Electronic and Information Technology Standards

NA

Attachments

Exhibit A - Confidentiality Agreement for conditional access to Confidential Unclassified Information Exhibit B - List of Plots Exhibit C - Vicinity Plot Maps Exhibit D - Hardware, Software, and Data Processing Procedures Exhibit E - Plot Edit Sheet Exhibit F - Electronic Plot Folder Inspection Form Exhibit G - Inspection Quality Form Exhibit H - Wage Rate Determination