Attachment 2_QAP.pdf

INSPECTION PROCEDURES / QUALITY ASSURANCE PLAN

Since this is a Performance Based Service Contract, inspections will be performed to be sure work is done in accordance with the contract and product specifications and also to be sure that the desired outcome is achieved.

E.1.1 Inspection Procedures:

Inspections of the work performed under this contract will be made as the work progresses by the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR). Inspection will be at intervals necessary to insure compliance with the contract. Inspection methods are at the discretion of the Government. Inspections will be a combination of visual and plot based types, randomly distributed throughout the treatment units of the project area.

The Contractor may set up the Work Plan and Schedule to include interim inspections; however, interim inspections will only be done upon completion of at least one line item Contract Line Item Number (CLIN). The Contractor shall complete the CLIN work according to the approved Work Schedule then request an inspection by the COR. Contractors are reminded that some work, such as herbicide application, cannot be immediately inspected, because an appropriate time interval must pass before determining whether the Acceptable Quality Limits (AQL) has been met (see Quality Assurance Plan).

If during the field inspection, the COR notices a discrepancy trend developing, the Government may visit more sites. These additional inspections will be used to determine if a discrepancy trend does exist.

The COR shall notify the Contractor of the findings. Any work found not to comply in any material respect will be re-performed at no additional cost to the government and will be subjected to the full operation of clause 52-246-4.

If the COR’s original quality assurance assessment results are unacceptable to the Contractor; the Contractor has the option to request, in writing, a re-measurement. Requests for re-measurement shall be made within five (5) calendar days after receipt of non-compliance and shall contain documentation to support the probability that an error exists. The Contractor may accompany the Contracting Officer’s Representative during the re-measurement.

E.1.1.1 Inspection Procedures Specific to Herbicide Based Treatments:

Unless otherwise specified in a task order the following conditions apply to this contract;

• An appropriate time interval must pass before determining whether the AQL (for target kill) has been met. This is often three weeks during the summer growing season.

• All treatments occurring in the dormant season and the start of the growing season must wait until June 1st to be inspected to determine effectiveness of kill.

• Treatment units will be visually inspected by the USFS COR or inspectors to ensure the treatment areas have been satisfactorily treated and stems are satisfactorily showing signs of being effectively killed by treatments.

• Treatment timeframes may be reduced during the growing season to allow for adequate time during the growing season to inspect treatments and to allow time for retreatments if determined necessary before the end of each growing season specified in the performance period of the task order. Additional time may be needed to determine effectiveness of kill. Timeframes will be specified within the project level task order.

• Consideration will be made for dye based dormant season interim inspections for receiving partial work and funding credit. Interim inspections will be considered only upon agreement with

1255N920R0001 - Attachment #2 Forestry Vegetation Management Treatment the COR prior to the Contractor starting the work. Contractor should direct their work to specific treatment units according to the approved Work Schedule, then request an inspection by the COR. Interim inspections will only be considered upon full completion of at least one treatment unit of a line item of the project level task order.

o Evidence of treatment will be based upon dye from acceptable treatment techniques and methods discussed previously in this contract and the specific project level task order.

Interim inspections and payments will also only be considered on CLINs which have not been inspected during the prior growing season.

o Contractor inherently assumes the risk dye sprayed onto trees is susceptible to washing off from weather events. Contractor should consider this before conducting dormant season treatments. Additionally, the Government should not be expected to conduct daily inspections of dormant season treatments, but rather inspection will occur within one week of the Contractor notifying the Government of the treatment unit completeness in full.

• At the discretion of the COR and CO, the Forest Service may accept future task order work based solely on visual (dye based) inspection methods to confirm treatment to both target trees (per the task order) and non-target native plant species (refer to Inspection and Acceptance). A decision to solely accept work from visual (dye) based inspections will likely be based upon past performance of herbicide based treatments specified in task orders from this contract.

o If inspection acceptance is allowed to be solely based on visual verification of the dye for treatment satisfaction, adjustments will need to be made to both general Contractor notification of when and where work is being performed, as well as to the frequency of Forest Service inspections. Additional clarification and requirement will need to be specified within future task orders and agreed to prior to award. Examples of this may be, but not limited to; 1) Application timing may need to be adjusted, 2) Assurance of herbicide label recommended mixtures may inherently become more critical and 3) Contractor may need to ensure they meet requirements of work and mitigations when rainfall is either predicted or occurs.

E.1.2 Satisfactory Treatment.

It is inherent that some trees will be improperly treated and some degree of allowance should be made for improper treatment when the area is otherwise considered satisfactory. Therefore, an allowance will be made for acceptance of an area as satisfactorily treated if at least 90% of the designated trees or unit area has/have been planted/treated/constructed in accordance with the contract specifications AND inadvertent treatment damage has not exceed thresholds to desirable, non-target, native plant (tree, shrub, or specifically protected) species. Thresholds vary by treatment method; 5% for slashdown, planting, hack n’squirt, and cut stump treatment methods AND should not exceed 15% for foliar and basal treatment methods.

Refer to Quality Assurance Plan (Attachment #2) for more information.

E.1.2.1 Treatment Satisfaction-Specific to herbicide based treatments:

In general, the Forest Service is intending to conduct evidence of mortality (or referred to as kill) based inspections as a basis of approval for herbicide based line items specified in future task orders.

Inadvertent treatment damage should not exceed 5% for hack n’squirt, and cut stump treatment methods AND should not exceed 15% for foliar and basal treatment methods.

In addition, for all herbicide treatment applications, the Contractor is required to submit Herbicide Daily Treatment Logs to the COR at minimum upon invoicing of the work.

Consideration will be made for dye based dormant season interim inspections for receiving partial work

1255N920R0001 - Attachment #2 and funding credit. For determination of successful completion during dormant season inspections, the Government will provide a maximum allowance of up to 50% of total line item acreage treatment rate based upon the work meeting fully Acceptable Quality Limits.

• Example scenario: The Government inspects the entirety of one treatment unit of a line item the contractor determines to be fully and acceptably completed. During the dormant season, dye based inspection, the USFS COR estimates the contractor has treated the minimum 90% AQL associated with the project level task order. The line item has an award rate of $100 per acre for its 20 acres of treatment area. In this case, the COR recommends contractor can invoice 50% of the line item awarded rate amount multiplier of $100 rate per acre for a total partial payment invoice request of ($100/ac. x .50) x 20 acres = $1,000 partial invoice amount. Upon successful completion and acceptance of the remaining work inspected after June 1st, contractor can invoice for the remaining amount owed, which is determined by the line item rate, multiplied by acres of line item treatment, less previous invoiced and paid amount. This example would equate to;

$100/ac. x 20 acres = $2,000, minus the $1,000 previously invoiced. The total remaining amount to invoice is $1,000.

E.1.3 Quality Assurance Plan

Contract Line Item No. –

Work Requirement

Task / Critical Sub-tasks

Quality Standards

(QS)

Acceptable Quality Levels

(AQL)

Monitoring Method

Incentive / De-incentive

Line item example:

2.1.1: Site Prep:

Manual Slashdown by Chainsaw

AND

2.2.1 & 2.2.2:

Midstory manual slashdown by chainsaw/mechanical

Contractor shall fell all trees of 1 inch DBH to 8 inches DBH of the targeted species list provided in the task order.

95% of Target trees treated

Minimum 90% kill of targeted trees

AND

Less than 5% mortality to non-target plant species.

AND

(2.1.1 and 2.2.2): Follow slash guidelines as specified in Section 1.4.5 Resource Protection Standards.

A combination of visual and plot based types, randomly distributed throughout the project area treatment units.

Contractor will rework at their own cost if QS and/or AQL are not met

Determination of AQL are made by the COR upon inspection of the work.

These determinations are not protest-able.

2.1.2: Site Prep Herbicide;

AND

2.2.3: Midstory- Herbicide

Treat all targeted woody vegetation that are 1.0 inches or greater in basal diameter and less than 8.0 inches in DBH, as well as sprouting stumps of targeted species specified in the task order

95% of Target trees treated, showing evidence of mortality (kill).

Minimum 90% kill of targeted trees sprayed

Less than 15%* plant species.

*5% (hack n’squirt & cut stump), 15% (foliar & basal)

AND

All Herbicide Daily Logs accurately & satisfactorily filled out & submitted.

A combination of visual and plot based types, randomly distributed throughout the project area treatment units.

Contractor will rework at their own cost if QS and/or AQL are not met.

Determination of AQL are made by the COR upon inspection of the work.

2.3.1: Crop Tree Release; Manual Slashdown (Sapling/Pole sized units)

Flag selected crop trees. Release their crowns on 3 to 4 sides from trees competing with the upper ½ of crop tree crowns and within a 6-foot radius from the drip edge of the crop trees outer crown. Follow additional details specified in the task order.

Manual Slashdown: Trees must be felled.

Double girdling is allowed unless locations are identified in the

The specified average number of acceptable crop trees/ac. are inspected and approved to be released by specifications in the task order.

95% of identified crop trees are released and free to grow on 3 to 4 sides at a distance of at least 6 feet from the drip edge. Competing trees are felled.

AND Slash measures have been met.

The specified average number of acceptable crop trees/ac. are inspected and approved to be released by specifications in the task order.

AND

Minimum 90% of identified crop trees are released and free to grow on 3 to 4 sides at a distance of at least 6 feet from the drip edge.

AND

Less than 5% mortality to non-target plant species.

Follow slash guidelines as specified in Section 1.4.5.

distributed throughout the project area treatment units.

Contractor will rework at their own cost if QS and/or AQL are not met.

Determination of AQL are made by the COR upon inspection of the work.

2.3.2, 2.3.3, and 2.3.4: Crop Tree Release-Manual Slashdown (Seedling/ Sapling sized units)

Release selected crop trees from competing vegetation.

Slashdown of all stems within 4 feet radius of the outer edge of the crop tree crown.

Follow additional details specified in the task order.

Due to the small size of trees, they are generally felled.

The specified average number of acceptable crop trees/ac. are inspected and approved to be released by crop trees are released of all stems within 4 feet radius of the outer edge of the crop tree crown.

Competing trees are killed.

trees/ac. are inspected and approved to be released by specifications in the task order.

Minimum 90% of identified crop trees are released of all stems within 4 feet radius of the outer edge of the crop tree crown. Competing trees are killed.

Less than 5% plant species.

A combination of visual and plot based types, randomly distributed throughout the project area treatment units.

Contractor will rework at their own cost if QS and/or AQL are not met.

Determination of AQL are made by the COR upon inspection of the work.

2.4.1: Crop Tree Release-Herbicide (Sapling/Pole sized units)

Flag selected crop trees. Inspected and approved by COR. Release their crowns on 3 to 4 sides from trees competing with the upper ½ of crop tree crowns and within a 6-foot radius from the drip edge of the crop trees outer crown. Follow additional details specified in the task order.

Manual Slashdown: Trees must be felled.

Herbicide: Trees must be treated using herbicide.

The specified average number of acceptable crop trees/ac. are inspected and approved to be released by crop trees are released and free to grow on 3 to 4 sides at a distance of at least 6 feet from the drip edge. Competing trees are killed trees/ac. are inspected and approved to be released by specifications in the task order.

AND

Minimum 90% of identified crop trees are released and free to grow on 3 to 4 sides at a distance of at least 6 feet from the drip edge.

AND

Less than 15%* mortality to non-target plant species.

*5% (hack n’squirt & cut stump), 15% (foliar & basal)

AND

All Herbicide Daily Logs accurately & satisfactorily filled out & submitted.

A combination of visual and plot based types, randomly distributed throughout the project area treatment units.

Contractor will rework at their own cost if QS and/or AQL are not met.

Determination of AQL are made by the COR upon inspection of the work.

2.4.2, 2.4.3, and 2.4.4: Crop Tree Release-Herbicide (Seedling/ Sapling sized units)

Release selected crop trees from competing vegetation.

Slashdown of all stems within 4 feet radius of the outer edge of the crop tree crown.

Follow additional details specified in the task order.

The specified acceptable crop trees/ac. are inspected and approved to be released by crop trees are released of all stems within 4 feet radius of the outer edge of the crop tree crown.

Competing trees are killed.

trees/ac. are inspected and approved to be released by specifications in the task order.

Minimum 90% of identified crop trees are released of all stems within 4 feet radius of the outer edge of the crop tree crown. Competing trees are killed.

Less than 15%* mortality to non-target plant species.

*5% (hack n’squirt & cut stump), 15% (foliar & basal)

AND All Herbicide Daily Logs accurately & satisfactorily filled out & submitted.

A combination of visual and plot based types, randomly distributed throughout the project area treatment units.

Contractor will rework at their own cost if QS and/or AQL are not met.

Determination of AQL are made by the COR upon inspection of the work.

Line item example

2.5, 2.6, 2.7: Manual Tree Planting

Contractor will plant tree seedlings to achieve the specified average number of acceptable trees per acre.

Trees are evenly distributed across the treatment area and as specified in the task order.

95% of the specified trees are satisfactorily planted.

Minimum 90% of the specified average number of acceptable trees are satisfactorily planted.

Tree planting based on seedling flagged by contractor at planting.

AND

Less than 5% mortality to non-target plant species.

AND

Follows guidelines to keep seedlings properly stored while in Contractor possession.

A combination of visual and plot based types, randomly distributed throughout the project area treatment units.

Contractor will rework at their own cost if QS and/or AQL are not met.

Determination of AQL are made by the COR upon inspection of the work.

Line item example

2.8: Fire-line Construction (Hand-line)

Hand constructed fire-line will require a vegetation cut corridor width of 6 feet, with the center 4 feet exposed to bare mineral soil.

Hand line vegetation will have a minimum cut height of 8 feet above the vegetation cutting corridor. All materials removed by the clearing operations shall be scattered, not piled, in areas adjacent to fire-line.

95% of the specified distance is satisfactorily constructed.

AND

Brush cut during construction is scattered, not piled in areas adjacent to the fire-line.

Minimum 90% of the specified distance is satisfactorily constructed.

Brush cut during construction is scattered, not piled in areas adjacent to the fire-line distributed along the fire-line.

Contractor will rework at their own cost if QS and/or AQL are not met.

Determination of AQL are made by the COR upon inspection of the work.

Inspections (non-Line Item)

Meeting the AQL for line items inspected;

either an interim of final inspection, thus avoiding the need for a re-inspection.

COR does not have to re-inspect.

100% success in terms of not requiring any re-inspections during the term of the task order

A combination of visual and plot based types, randomly distributed throughout the project area treat-ment units.

Contractor will rework at their own cost if QS and/or AQL are not met.

Schedule (non- Line Item)

Timely Completion of the Contract

Per the Work Schedule, the

Contractor will complete all contract work prior to the end date.

All task order work must be complete by the task order end date and meet the AQL

A combination of visual and plot based types, randomly distributed throughout the project area treatment units.

Contractor will rework at their own cost if QS and/or AQL are not met.

NOTES:

Meeting the AQL for Line Items: Meeting or exceeding the acceptable treatment ratio on targeted vegetation but exceeding the specified mortality value to non-target desirable plants, could result in a negative past performance rating. Task order past performance ratings will be considered when awarding future task orders, when determining if option years should be exercised, and when inputting evaluations into the U.S.

government website for people who make, receive, and manage federal awards, Contractor Performance Assesment Reporting System (CPARS).

Inspection: The Forest Service considers passing inspections (interim or final) to be critical. The Forest Service strives for effective and efficient contract administration; one way of promoting this is to limit the need for re-inspections.

E.1.3 Quality Assurance Plan

E.1.3 Quality Assurance Plan