Attachment 2 - QAP.pdf

Attachment #2

Quality Assurance Plan

Performance Based Service Contract (PBSC) Requirements 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.

Contract Line Item No. – Work Requirement

Task / Critical Sub-tasks

Quality Standards

AQL

Monitoring Method

Incentive / De-incentive

1.1

Grasses, Forbs, and

Woody Shrubs

Contractor shall mow and/or brush targeted roadsides, early succession areas, and open fields using rotary mowers.

95% of woody and herbaceous plant material ≤3” DBH shall be mowed within contract-targeted areas.

Minimum of 95% mowing coverage within targeted areas.

Woody pockets inaccessible with tractors and other mowing equipment will not be counted against the

95% coverage.

Visual

3% incentive for 100% top-kill Contractor will rework at their own cost if QS and/or AQL are not met

AQL

determinations are made by the COR upon inspection of the work.

These determinations are not protest-able.

1.2

Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines

Contractor shall mechanically cut down invasive trees and shrubs to a stump height of no more than 1” above ground level.

Acceptable equipment includes chainsaws, loppers, and large weed-eaters equipped with appropriate cutting blades.

95% of targeted NNIP woody shrubs and trees within the contract area shall be cut to the appropriate stump height.

No limitation is placed on maximum size.

Minimum of 95% cutting coverage of targeted NNIP within the contract area

AND

Less than 15% cutting of native species for 100% top-kill Contractor will rework at their own cost if QS and/or AQL are not met

AQL

determinations are made by the COR upon inspection of the work.

These determinations

1.3

Trees, Large Shrubs, and

Woody Vines (continuous and dense)

Contractor shall mechanically cut down invasive trees and large shrubs using mastication heads (e.g. FECON) on skid-steer machines equipped with rubber tracks.

trees and shrubs ≤8” DBH shall be masticated.

Masticated material shall be broadcast on site and allowed to decompose.

95% mastication coverage of appropriately sized NNIP within the contract area.

for 100% top kill Contractor will rework at their own cost if QS and/or AQL are not met

AQL

determinations are made by the COR upon inspection of the work.

These determinations

2.1

Trees and Large Shrubs (cut stump)

Contractor shall cut all targeted NNIP shrubs and trees to a level stump height of no more than 1” above ground level. Contractor will follow each cut with a stump application of FS-approved herbicide at label-directed strength to the stump. Marking dye shall be used in the herbicide mix to aid in contract inspections.

NNIP shrubs and trees within the contract area shall be cut and treated with herbicide. No limitation is placed on minimum/

95% cut and herbicide application to targeted

NNIP

species within the

5% incentive for 100% top-kill Contractor will rework at their own cost if QS and/or AQL are not met

AQL

determinations are made by the COR upon inspection of the work.

These determinations

2.2

(basal bark)

Contractor shall apply a label-approved concentration of herbicide and methylated seed oil, completely encircling the bottom 12-18” of the target tree/shrub. Very large individuals may need up to 24” of basal treatment.

Marking dye shall be used trees within the contract area shall be treated with basal herbicide. No limitation is placed on minimum/maxim um size.

85% visible total control/mort ality on targeted species within the contract area for 100% control

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

AQL

determinations are made by the COR upon inspection of the work.

These determinations

2.3

(hack-and-squirt)

Contractor shall make a series of downward sloping cuts encircling the stem to sever the nutrient and water transport tissues. Hacks should be spaced approximately 1” apart.

Contractor shall immediately apply a label-approved concentration of herbicide into each cut, allowing the herbicide to translocate into the root system. Marking dye shall be used to aid in contract

NNIP trees and shrubs ≥ 2’ height/length within the contract area shall be treated with the hack-and-squirt method.

total control/mort ality on targeted species for 100% control

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

AQL

determinations are made by the COR upon inspection of the work.

These determinations

2.4

Woody Vines

(cut stem) targeted NNIP woody vines to a level stem height of no more than 1’ above ground level. Contractor will follow each cut with a cut surface application of FS-approved herbicide at label-directed strength. The application must be made to the portion of the vine that emerges from the ground.

Marking dye shall be used vines within the contract area shall be cut and treated with herbicide. No limitation is placed on minimum/

95% visible cut and herbicide application to targeted

NNIP

species within the for 100% top-kill Contractor will rework at their own cost if QS and/or AQL are not met

AQL

determinations are made by the COR upon inspection of the work.

These determinations

3.1

Dense Open Land

Broadcast

NNIP

Contractor shall use approved equipment (e.g.

tractors, UTV’s, agricultural sprayers, rubber-tracked skid steer) with boom or boom-less nozzles to apply foliar herbicides to targeted areas.

Applications will be continuous in nature. A surfactant and dye shall be used to aid in herbicide retention and contract inspections. Treatment areas may be mowed prior to application to increase efficacy.

NNIP vegetation within the contract area shall be treated with foliar herbicide.

90% visible mortality to vegetation within the for 100% control

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

AQL

determinations are made by the COR upon inspection of the work.

These determinations

3.2

Sparse Open Land Spot

NNIP

Contractor shall perform spot foliar applications of FS-approved herbicides utilizing hand-held/backpack/UTV-mounted sprayers with single nozzle delivery.

Infestations will not be continuous. Examples of application areas include early succession habitat, old fields, and upland sites adjacent to wetlands. A surfactant and dye shall be used to aid in herbicide retention and for contract within the contract area shall be treated mortality to vegetation within the

15% mortality to non-target species.

for 100% control

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

AQL

determinations are made by the COR upon inspection of the work.

These determinations

3.3 Spot

Treatment Roadside/Tra ilside NNIP

Contractor shall perform spot foliar applications of FS-approved herbicides utilizing UTV-mounted sprayers with gun-style reel sprayers or hand-held/backpack sprayers with single nozzle delivery.

Infestations may require foot travel from vehicles to access and treat.

Infestations will not be continuous. A surfactant and dye shall be used to aid in herbicide retention and for contract inspection.

within the contract area shall be treated mortality to target NNIP infestations within the mortality to for 100% control

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

AQL

determinations are made by the COR upon inspection of the work.

These determinations are not protest-able.

3.4 Spot

Treatment Interior

Forest NNIP

Contractor shall perform spot foliar applications of FS-approved herbicides utilizing hand-held/backpack sprayers with single nozzle delivery.

Infestations will generally require foot travel from vehicles to access and treat.

Infestations will not be continuous. A surfactant and dye shall be used to aid in herbicide retention and for contract inspection.

95% of targeted

NNIP

vegetation within the contract area shall be treated with foliar herbicide

Minimum of 90% visible mortality to target NNIP infestations within the mortality to for 100% control

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

AQL

determinations are made by the COR upon inspection of the work.

These determinations are not protest-able.

4.1

Riparian/Sho reline Trees and Large

Shrubs - Cut Stump NNIP targeted NNIP shrubs and trees to a level stump height of no more than 1” above ground level. Contractor will follow each cut with a stump application of FS-approved, aquatic-approved herbicide at label- directed strength to the stump.

Marking dye shall be used in the herbicide mix to aid in contract inspections.

trees within the contract area shall be cut and treated with herbicide. No limitation is placed on minimum/ maximum size.

Small stems that are hard to cut/treat may be treated under a separate foliar

CLIN

95% cut and herbicide application to targeted

NNIP

species within the for 100% top-kill Contractor will rework at their own cost if QS and/or AQL are not met

AQL

determinations are made by the COR upon inspection of the work.

These determinations

4.2

Riparian/Sho reline Trees and Large Shrubs -

Hack-and- Squirt NNIP

Contractor shall make a series of downward sloping cuts encircling the stem to sever the nutrient and water transport tissues. Hacks should be spaced approximately 1” apart.

Contractor shall immediately apply a label-approved concentration of aquatic-approved herbicide into each cut, allowing the herbicide to translocate into the root system. Marking dye shall be used to aid in contract

NNIP trees and shrubs ≥ 2’ height/length within the contract area shall be treated with the hack-and-squirt method.

total control/mort ality on targeted species for 100% control

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

AQL

determinations are made by the COR upon inspection of the work.

These determinations

4.3

Riparian/Shor eline Spot Foliar NNIP

Contractor shall perform spot foliar applications of FS-approved herbicides utilizing hand-held/backpack/UTV-mounted sprayers with reeled single nozzle delivery.

Infestations will not be continuous. Examples of application areas next to streams, ponds, and wetlands. Contractor will apply aquatic-approved herbicides to targeted species. A surfactant and dye shall be used to aid in herbicide retention and for contract inspections.

within the contract area shall be treated mortality to vegetation within the mortality to species.

for 100% control

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

AQL

determinations are made by the COR upon inspection of the work.

These determinations

Inspections (non-Line Item)

Meeting the AQL for line items inspected; either an interim or 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

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

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 kill ratio on target NNIP but exceeding the specified mortality value to non-target desirable plants, will result in the same reduction because the Contractor(s) did not meet all elements of the AQL values. Additionally, Contractor(s) must reapply the required herbicide at their expense upon failure to meet AQL values at the final inspection for each contract line item where the work performed failed to reach the minimum acceptable target kill ratio of the NNIP infestation(s).

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