Attachment 2 - SOW Machine Tree Planting BPA.pdf

USDA – FOREST SERVICE – SAVANNAH RIVER SITE

Machine Pine Tree Planting

STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW) SPECIFICATIONS

Index:

A. Scope of BPA B. Time, Location, and Description C. Government Furnished Property D. Contractor Supervision Requirement E. Contractor Furnished Equipment for Transport and Machine Tree Planting F. Safety Requirements G. Record Keeping H. Supply, Care, and Handling of Government Furnished Seedlings I. Machine Tree Planting J. Schedule of Stands to Plant K. Disposal of Contractor Generated Debris L. Soil Protection M. Protection of Bodies of Water and Improvements N. Use of Government Motor Vehicles O. Quality Control Plan P. Government Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan Q. Inspection and Acceptance R. Method of Measurement and Payment

A. Scope of BPA

A.1 This is a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) for machine tree planting of Government-furnished bare root and containerized pine tree seedlings at the USDA Forest Service, Savannah River Site (SRS), New Ellenton SC, on Department of Energy (DOE) lands. The resultant blanket purchase agreement will be for a base plus four option years. The Savannah River Site is a restricted access site and all personnel must always wear a photo badge while on site. Contractor shall follow Savannah River Site policies and regulations. The acres to be planted each year range from a minimum of 200 to a maximum of 1,000 acres. Contractor shall furnish all labor (Sufficient personnel), materials, and equipment (Including safety equipment), tools, transportation (Including enclosed, insulated cargo trailer), supervision, and perform all work required to machine plant (And hand plant when applicable) pine seedlings in accordance with the specifications and provisions of the BPA. Government furnished material, supplies, or equipment shall be specifically identified in Section C “Government Furnished Property”. It is the contractor’s responsibility to maintain adequate records of all planting records and provide them to the Contract Officer’s Representative (COR) or Contract Inspector (CI) daily or upon request.

A.2 Contractor shall be required to maintain a safety plan, quality control plan, and a self-inspection system; all of which must be approved by Government prior to use.

A.3 A task order will be issued in accordance with clause 52.216-18 Ordering contained in this BPA. Task orders are valid if signed by the Contracting Officer (CO) or any Contract Specialist. The Contracting Officer reserves the right to delete areas or to substitute at the contract price the same type and amount of work (-/+ 10 acres) in other areas similar in topography and conditions within the Savannah River Site boundaries, in lieu of the original areas when it is determined by the Contracting Officer that the original areas or portions thereof are unsuitable or unavailable for performance of the specified work. The Contracting Officer has the sole authority to make any changes to the BPA and it’s SOW.

B. Time, Location, and Description

B.1 For the purpose of this BPA, time in each task order for base period and option periods are defined as time allotted in calendar days for the work to be completed. This includes all days of the week including weekends. Federal holidays do not count.

B.2 All treatment areas are located within the boundaries of the Savannah River Site in Aiken, Allendale, and Barnwell Counties, South Carolina. The Savannah River Site Forest is identified by the Forest Service as timber compartments.

Within timber compartments are smaller areas identified as stands and their acreage. Example: Compartment 18 / Stand 21 / 30 Acres. Henceforth, for the purpose of these statement of work specifications, areas to machine pine tree plant shall be called stands.

B.3 Description of the stands to machine tree plant are as follows: Cutover (Clearcut) stands. Each stand will vary with topography, soil type, vegetation, brush, number of standing live or dead trees, logging slash density, cut tree stumps that vary in height, and varying number of designated reserve and snag trees.

B.4 The type of site preparation for each stand may be one or a combination of the following: No site preparation, broadcast burned, chemical (herbicide) treated, shear and raked, mulched, or drum chopped. No one stand will be representative of any other stands.

B.5 Unforeseen hazards also may be encountered within the treatment areas (stands) such as, but not limited to, unmarked open wells, ditches, gullies, and steep slopes. The Forest Service highly recommends that the contractor inspect each treatment site (stand) before beginning work.

C. Government Furnished Property

All furnished equipment is Government property and shall be cleaned prior to returning it after completion or at Government’s discretion. Properties that will be provided by the Government prior to start of work are as follows:

Item Quantity Description Where, When, How C.1 Treatment Information

1 List of compartments, stands, acres, species to be planted, and remote worker grid locations.

Provided at pre-work meeting.

C.2 Site Map (Contains one square mile grids)

1 Savannah River Site map of approximate stands and Remote Worker / Legacy Contamination Area map.

Provided at pre-work meeting.

C.3 Base Maps and Treatment maps

1 Base Map = detailed locations of compartments and stands.

Treatment Map = instructions and identifying areas in stand(s) that are to be protected and/or buffered.

Provided at pre-work meeting.

C.4 Forest Service Timber Keys

1 or 2 Government shall provide Forest Service timber keys for access through certain gates locked with Forest Service lock.

Contractor shall be required to sign for keys; provided at pre-work meeting if applicable.

C.5 Plot Forms As

Required Plot Forms required for contractor’s self-inspections.

Provided at pre-work meeting.

C.6 Equipment Pre-Use Forms and Trailer

Transport Safety Form

As Needed

Semi-completed Forms.

Contractor fills out form for safely using heavy equipment and trailers.

Provided at pre-work meeting.

C.7 DOE Site pagers 2 DOE Site pager(s) for site emergencies and remote worker notifications.

Provided at pre-work meeting. Contractor shall sign for pagers.

C.8 Site Radio and its charger

1 Radio permits communication with Forest Service Coordination Center (USFS- CC) or Savannah River Site Operations Center (SRSOC).

Provided at pre-work meeting if one is available. Contractor shall sign for them.

C.9 Property Passes As Needed

Government issued pass for each applicable crew worker when transporting Government furnished properties.

Provided at pre-work meeting.

C.10 Pine Tree Seedlings;

Longleaf, loblolly, and shortleaf

As Required

Bareroot Seedlings: Tree seedlings grown in nursery beds, lifted for transplanting with dirt removed from roots before packing. Containerized Seedlings: Tree seedlings grown in hard-walled vessels, with 6” root plugs.

Delivered to cold storage building or delivery point.

D. Contractor Supervision Requirement

D.1 The contractor and contractor’s representative (supervisor) shall be fluent in the English language, both orally and written. The contractor’s representative

(supervisor) shall be designated in writing by the contractor. The designation shall indicate the limit of the supervisor’s authority. When two or more people are designated as supervisor; their written delegation shall indicate the priority of their designations so no more than one person shall oversee a crew at any one time. A supervisor shall always be at each stand when crew(s) are working.

The supervisor may work as a planter or equipment operator.

E. Contractor Furnished Equipment for Transport and Machine Tree Planting

The contractor shall furnish the following equipment for the performance of this BPA.

The Contracting Officer may order the removal and replacement of any unsatisfactory equipment.

E.1 Transport(s): Transporting equipment shall be in dependable and serviceable condition and capable of safely transporting required equipment over woods, gravel, and paved roads. Tires, including spares shall be in good serviceable condition with proper inflation. Loading ramps are required and shall be capable of safely supporting the weight of the crawler tractors being used.

Transport equipment shall be equipped with lights in proper working order and fire extinguishers in serviceable condition. The contractor shall tie down all equipment with chains and binders prior to and during transporting.

E.2 Dozer(s): Shall be the crawler-type (For safety reasons) with a front-mounted Cutting V-blade capable of floating and pushing brush and logging debris aside to prepare a clear path for the planting machine. The floating V-blade will have either a rolling drum, skid plate, or wings attached to it to prevent the blade from gouging and scraping away the topsoil. The V-blade shall extend out to but not beyond the crawler tracks. Each dozer shall be equipped with roll over protection (ROP), seat belts (Which are always to be worn), limb risers, and a 5-pound ABC type fire extinguisher. Each dozer shall also have proper muffler systems, front, side and rear guarding constructed of such material as to prevent the entrance of trees, branches, and other debris into the cab area.

E.3 Planting Machine(s): Shall be capable of planting evenly spaced seedlings (semi-automatic) equipped with rubber tire packing wheels with at least one coulter not less than 28” in diameter (Required to meet depth requirements) and have a sharp cutting edge capable of cutting roots and limbs. The coulter and planting shoe in all planting machines must be capable of penetrating all soils to a depth of not less than 10” during planting operations. Planting machines must be equipped with a protective canopy designed so that the operator’s movements are not impaired or restricted. There shall be communications between dozer operator and planter operator. In addition, the planting machine shall be equipped with a seat belt, which is always to be worn when the planting machine is moving. “DANGER STAY BACK 25 FEET” readable from 50 feet away must be posted on both sides of planting machines.

E.4 Enclosed, Insulated Cargo Trailer: The contractor shall be required to provide an enclosed, insulated cargo trailer internally lined with styrofoam insulation of minimum ¼ inch thick. Contractor shall be responsible for transporting seedlings from the Forest Service’s cold storage building to the stand and contractor shall be responsible for returning seedlings that were not planted to the cold storage building daily. Enclosed, insulated cargo trailers provided by the contractor must be approved by the COR prior to use.

E.5 Hand Planting Tools(s) / Dibble(s) / Seedling Carrying Bags: Contractor shall be required to provide hand planting tool(s) and/or Dibble(s) and seedling carrying bags for hand tree planting where applicable. They shall be approved by the COR prior to use.

F. Safety Requirements

F.1 Safety Plan: The contractor shall provide and maintain a “Safety Plan”, approved in advance by the Government, always kept at the stand being worked, and accessible to all employees. The contractor shall incorporate any Government safety requirement and documents (i.e. Forest Service – Savannah River safety documents) into their safety plan, as determined by the Government. The contractor, contractor’s representatives, and employees shall review/sign the safety plan and documentation of the review/signatures from all crew members shall be included with the safety plan.

F.2 Tailgate Safety: The contractor shall submit to the Government a copy of their own tailgate meeting safety form, to be reviewed and signed by each crew member, on a weekly basis.

F.3 Training: The contractor shall provide documented training to each employee who is required to use personal protective equipment (PPE). This training shall follow OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.132-140, Subpart I. The contractor shall maintain at the work site: Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) for each specific task, a written “Hazardous Communication Plan”, including information required by OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.1200 and a written “Bloodborne Pathogens Exposure Control Plan”, including information required by OSHA Standard 29

CFR 1910.1030.

F.4 General: The contractor shall furnish safety equipment for each employee including personal protective equipment (PPE) in accordance with OSHA requirements. Contractor shall insure that each employee wears the PPE specified by OSHA, Forest Service Health and Safety Codes, and the product’s safety data sheets when working. The contractor shall maintain current labels and SDS for their own chemicals (i.e. fuels, oils) used for their machinery at work sites. The following list of PPEs may not be all-inclusive:

a. Hardhat

b. Safety Glasses

c. Hearing protection if noise level of equipment is such that OSHA requires hearing protection.

d. 8” leather lace-up boots with socks.

e. Rubber and/or leather gloves as applicable.

In addition, the following items must always be immediately accessible to crew members at each work site (stand):

a. First aid kit that is physician – approved for crew size (at each work site at all times).

b. Means of communication, such as a site radio, or cellular phone with pager.

c. Operable 5 lb. ABC type fire extinguisher for each vehicle.

d. One Axe and one Shovel.

e. High visibility Vest (Worn when near an active roadway or as a spotter).

F.5 Equipment Pre-Use Checklist and Trailer Transport Safety Form: The contractor completes equipment pre-use checklist prior to the use of all Contractor / Vendor heavy (and applicable) equipment on Savannah River Site ensuring the equipment is serviced and maintained in accordance with each Manufacturer’s recommendations and OSHA requirements and will be operated, inspected, and maintained by a qualified, competent person for the duration of the Contract. If ANY component is determined to be unsatisfactory, the unsatisfactory equipment may not be used until the deficiency is corrected. The COR or CI will observe the contractor completing this checklist and obtain a copy for USFS-SR contract files. Contractor must complete these forms every time the equipment is taken offsite and returned onsite. An example of Equipment Pre-Use Checklist form is in Exhibition 1 and example of Trailer Transport Safety form is in Exhibition 2.

F.6 UTV: Utility terrain vehicle (UTV) – The Forest Service defines a UTV as a motorized vehicle designed for off-highway use that is capable of maneuvering over uneven terrain, having four or more low-pressure tires, designed with side-by-side seats or a single seat, seatbelt(s), and a steering wheel, and equipped with certified rollover protection structure (ROPS). Agency policy requires that UTVs must be directionally controlled with a steering wheel. Contractor’s UTV and its cargo must be approved by COR prior to use and further restrictions (i.e. PPE and UTV’s use) may be imposed in accordance with Forest Service policy. Off-highway vehicles steered and braked using levers are not approved. All-terrain vehicle (ATV) of any type are not allowed.

F.7 Loading/Unloading Equipment: When loading / unloading equipment from transport trailers, contractor shall have one trained equipment operator and one trained spotter wearing a high visibility vest.

F.8 Communications: Functional communications will always be required while the contractor is working on Savannah River Site (Either a Government Furnished Site radio or contractor’s cell phone with Government Furnished pager). The contractor shall comply with the USDA Forest Service, Savannah River’s “Remote Field Worker and Contractor Tracking System,” which aids in case of an emergency, such as severe weather, fire, personal injury, or other threats. The contractor may be provided a Site radio for communications with the Forest Service Coordination Center (USFS-CC) which is operational between 7:00 AM and 5:30 PM daily or the or Savannah River Site Operations Center (SRSOC) before 7:00 AM and after 5:30 PM. Prior to arriving at each work site, USFS-CC or SRSOC shall be contacted to inform of crew name, grid location (i.e. November 7 – Echo 1 or N7 – E1), number of workers, number of vehicles, and estimated duration of time on site. Upon leaving, USFS-CC or SRSOC shall be contacted and informed.

F.9 Railroad Crossings: Stop – Look – Listen at all railroad crossings, where applicable (i.e. stop signs), and especially those below Highway 125.

F.10 Road Access / Power Line(s): The contractor may access each stand from the primary site and forest roads, as indicated on Site, Base, and Treatment maps.

No vehicle travel off the roads through forested and non-forested areas (i.e.

powerlines and utility right of ways) in and between stands unless permission given by COR; only travel via paved and forest roads to each stand. The contractor shall not block access roads with equipment. The contractor shall remain (25) feet away from power lines when operating and parking machinery, vehicles, or any type of equipment.

F.11 Locked Gates: In cases where stands are behind locked gates, the contractor shall immediately close and lock gates after entering or exiting each gate.

F.12 Safety – Stop Operations: DOE Site Policy allows anyone to stop an operation for unsafe working conditions. The CO / COR should be immediately notified if operations are stopped by anyone other than a designated Forest Service representative.

F.13 Suspension for SRS Emergencies: In the event of an emergency occurring on the Savannah River Site which requires evacuation of, or restriction of access to the work areas, the Contracting Officer / COR may suspend operations until such time as it is determined that the emergency situation no longer exists.

F.14 Government Safety Inspection: The Government, at their discretion, shall perform a safety inspection to ensure contractor is performing work safely. An example of a Government Safety Inspection Form is in Exhibition 3.

F.15 Soil Contamination Areas on the Savannah River Site: The bottomland stream floodplain forest along Fourmile, Pen Branch, and Steele Creek, as well as other areas on site, have low levels of radiological contaminates deposited from discharges in prior decades resulting in subsurface soil contamination.

Access to these areas poses no health risk to personnel, but under 10 CFR 835 personnel cannot excavate or remove soil or subsurface vegetation from these areas. The Government will provide contractor a Remote Worker / Legacy Contamination Area map for the Savannah River Site. The contractor and employees shall read and sign a USFS-SR Briefing Paper regarding this subject before starting work. An example of such Briefing Paper is in Exhibition 4.

G. Record Keeping

G.1 The Government will provide applicable forms required under performance of this Contract.

G.2 Daily, the contractor shall give this information, in any form, as long its clear and concise, to the Government: current work location, any acreage planted, work impacted by weather conditions, and any contractor’s equipment failures.

G.3 If for any reason, the contractor cannot or will not provide current records when asked, the COR may call a stop to the work.

H. Supply, Care, and Handling of Government Furnished Seedlings

H.1 Each week during the current BPA’s Task Order, the contractor shall furnish to the COR a seedling supply need for the upcoming two-week period. The Government shall furnish 1 delivery per week at a maximum of 100,000 seedlings to the contractor. A maximum of 10 deliveries shall be requested.

Contractor must plan his / her planting operations based on this requirement.

H.2 Seedlings may be planted at any time when weather conditions are determined to be satisfactory by the COR. Frozen ground, temperature above 80 degrees Fahrenheit, relative humidity below 30%, winds above 10 MPH, available soil moisture less than 50%, or saturated soils are unsatisfactory planting conditions.

H.3 Cold storage building, where Government furnished seedlings shall be stored, is located at the Forest Service’s main office at SRS. Due to the perishable nature of southern pine seedlings, upon delivery to the cold storage building from the nursery, the following seedlings shall have protocol followed by contractor:

►Bareroot longleaf seedlings are to be planted within 12 days.

►Bareroot loblolly and shortleaf seedlings are to be planted within 21 days.

►Containerized longleaf seedlings are to be planted within 14 days.

►Containerized loblolly and shortleaf seedlings are to be planted within 14 days.

Contractor’s failure to follow this protocol will result in the contractor being charged for the seedlings at the Government’s cost for the seedlings and may be subject to further administrative costs.

H.4 Bareroot seedlings shall be furnished in bags or sticks, and containerized seedlings shall be furnished in boxes. Contractor shall be responsible for loading and transporting seedlings from cold storage building to stand. Pick up time of seedlings at the cold storage building will be agreed upon by the Government and contractor at the pre work meeting.

H.5 The contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) of any changes to the normal operating schedule. Any seedlings that were not planted that day will be returned to the cold storage building by contractor each night by 7:00 PM. No more than one day’s supply of seedlings shall be checked in or out of the cold storage building without the approval of the COR.

Contractor shall be required to complete checkout sheet each day for all seedlings that are removed from and returned to cold storage building.

H.6 All seedlings not in the process of being planted shall be kept in the enclosed, insulated cargo trailer AT ALL TIMES, unless specific instructions otherwise are given by COR to meet on-the-ground planting conditions. Seedlings shall not be moved, carried, or transported from the cold storage building or the stands without being in the enclosed, insulated cargo trailer. All seedlings not in a machine planter or hand planter carried bag shall be kept in the insulated cargo trailer. The insulated cargo trailer shall always be kept closed except when seedlings are being removed from or returned to.

H.7 Seedlings shall not be kept overnight in any insulated cargo trailer nor at the stand. Care should be taken to ensure that all seedlings temporarily stored on each stand are planted that day. If there are leftover seedlings, they shall be returned to the cold storage building each night.

H.8 The contractor shall protect the seedlings and take precaution to prevent damage to the seedlings from time the seedlings are received until they are planted or returned to the cold storage building.

H.9 Inspect and repair torn seedling bags or boxes immediately.

H.10 Contractor shall be required to cover open seedlings in their containers (i.e.

bags, boxes) with moist burlap when conditions are such that seedlings may dry out. Seedlings and their containers must not be exposed to direct sunlight or wind. Roots of seedlings must be kept moist. Seedling bags and boxes shall be kept closed and in the insulated cargo trailer when not in use to prevent exposure to the elements.

H.11 Water roots of seedlings in their containers (i.e. bags, boxes) if roots begin to dry. Do not puddle water in containers as excess water can drown root tips and promote mold on the seedlings.

H.12 Seedlings’ roots shall not be pruned by the contractor. Any pruning required will be performed by the Forest Service prior to furnishing seedlings to the contractor.

H.13 Seedlings are not to be individually separated by contractor until they are put in the planting machines to be planted. Contractor will not be allowed to sort and discard seedlings in advance of planting.

H.14 Protect seedlings from damage. Do not crush, stand or sit on or throw seedlings and their containers. Do not abuse the seedlings by hitting or striking the roots or plugs against any objects to remove excess soil.

H.15 Any neglect or abuse will result in the contractor being charged for the seedlings at the Government’s cost for the seedlings.

I. Machine Tree Planting and Instructions

I.1 Method of Planting: All stands shall be machine tree planted as specified. At the time of planting, if any area(s) cannot be planted as specified due to soil conditions, site preparation method or lack thereof, or an act of God, the contractor may have to change the method of planting at the site. However, the contractor shall not deviate from the specified method of planting unless authorized in writing to do so by the Contracting Officer.

I.2 Hand Planting as Applicable: Within each stand, contractor shall be required to hand plant small corners, isolated spots, and small areas/spots missed by contractor’s machine tree planting. Also, contractor shall be required to hand plant areas within stand that are too small or too wet to efficiently plant by machine.

I.3 Adverse Site Conditions: If unanticipated problem sites are encountered due to high water table or other uncontrollable factors such as rain, wind, high/low temperatures and amount of humidity, the COR will direct the contractor to plant these sites when conditions are favorable. Planting will not be allowed when soil conditions are unacceptable as determined by the COR.

I.4 Stand Boundary and Protected Areas Within: The stand boundary are three painted stripes (Usually in orange), and/or improvements (Right of ways such as roads and powerlines), and in some cases, designated natural barriers. A stand may have firebreaks (Site prep burned or in preparation for burning) and those firebreaks are not boundary lines;

► Contractor shall not work beyond boundary lines of any type unless permission is given by COR.

► Seedlings shall be planted 20 feet from painted or flagged boundary unless instructed otherwise by COR.

► Seedlings shall be planted 10 feet from any designated system road, fence, pipeline, and power line or grass right of ways.

► Seedlings shall be planted 25 feet from test wells and monitoring wells.

► Seedlings shall be planted as close as possible to logged windrows and logged piles, not to exceed 5 feet from the base of windrows and piles. Also, plant seedlings in breaks and at ends of each windrow and around piles.

►Waste (contamination) sites, if other than those described in SOW F.15, will be identified on maps, designated with paint or flagging, and buffers will be dictated by COR.

►Areas to be protected or buffered from planting shall be identified on each stand treatment map.

I.5 Designated Reserve Trees:

Pine or hardwood trees identified by either paint or flagging. Pine and hardwood trees marked with a painted continuous band, a half band, or a single stripe on opposite sides of same tree. The paint color is orange, white, blue, or pink. These trees can be stand-alone, in clumps, groups, or inclusions. All Designated Reserve trees described will be protected from tree planting from tree’s drip line (The line extending vertically from the exterior edge of a tree’s live crown to the ground) otherwise the buffer/distance shall be determined by the Government. The contractor shall be assessed $50 per Designated Reserve tree that were skinned or damaged. Trees with paint mark “X” in any color do not require protection and they are called snag trees. COR or CI may upon discovery require, with advance notice, for contractor to protect trees of any type, whether paint marked, flagged, or neither.

I.6 Plantable Seedlings: Healthy, correctly sized seedlings without damage, disease, and defects that are to be planted.

I.7 Correct Planted Seedlings: Plantable Seedlings that were planted correctly by contractor.

Correct Planted Seedlings are described as follows:

Bareroot Longleaf Bareroot Loblolly and Shortleaf Containerized

Longleaf

Loblolly and

Shortleaf Terminal bud is at the soil surface and no more than 0.5” under soil surface.

Margin of error:

Root collar is not exposed more than 0.5” above soil surface.

Plant at same depth at which it grew in nursery and root collar shall be within -/+ 1.0” of soil surface.

Same as bareroot longleaf; Top of plugs shall be covered by soil to prevent moisture lost from the growing media. Note:

Contractor may be directed to plant with 0.25” to 1.5” of plug exposed depending on site condition (Dry to Wet) and soil types.

Same as bareroot loblolly and shortleaf; Top of plugs shall be covered by soil to prevent moisture lost from the growing media.

I.8 Incorrect Planted Seedlings: Plantable Seedlings that were planted incorrectly or with errors by contractor.

Incorrect Planted Seedlings are described as follows:

1. Planted too High or too Deep.

2. Loose (Test firmness by grasping 3 to 5 needle tips and pull. If seedling comes out of the ground, the seedling has not been packed firmly. If the needles come loose, it is packed too firmly).

3. Leaning (Seedling planted at an angle more than 20 degrees from perpendicular).

4. Seedlings planted in a “J”, “L”, “U”, or balled configuration rooting.

5. Top of planting slit open.

6. Trash in planting slit and/or on top of planted seedling.

7. Two or more seedlings in planting hole.

8. Seedlings dry when planted (Checked when planting was in progress).

9. Any seedling roots are exposed above the soil surface.

I.9 Waste Seedlings: Seedlings that were correctly and incorrectly planted in excess of the number of seedlings per acre specified for each species planted.

Excess Waste Seedlings will be calculated on a per acre basis and contractor will be charged the price that the Forest Service paid for the seedlings.

I.10 Unplantable Seedlings: Seedlings that are unhealthy and/or with defects which are to be discarded one at a time in the planting machine during tree planting operation (or discarded when hand planting); these shall not be planted. Any unplantable seedlings that is planted will be counted as Incorrect Planted Seedlings but will not be counted as Waste Seedlings.

Unplantable Seedlings are described as follows:

Bareroot Longleaf Bareroot Loblolly and Shortleaf

Longleaf

Loblolly and

Shortleaf

Damaged Seedlings Damaged Seedlings Damaged Seedlings Damaged Seedlings Diseased Seedlings Diseased Seedlings Diseased Seedlings Diseased Seedlings Root collar diameter less than 0.40 inches

Root collar diameter less than 0.13 inches (weak and succulent)

Tap root length less than six 6 inches

Root length less than 6 inches

Stem length less than 6 inches

I.11 Government furnished seedlings will contain a low percentage although an unknown amount of Unplantable Seedlings. The Plantable / Unplantable seedling ratio will vary in each bag or box and will not be known exactly until each has been used. If contractor believes that there is an unproportioned ratio (Not a low percentage) of Unplantable seedlings in a bag or box, the contractor shall immediately inform the COR.

I.12 Plantable seedlings discarded and not planted by contractor will be counted as Waste Seedlings and contractor will be charged the price that the Forest Service paid for the seedlings.

I.13 Value of Plantable Seedlings lost, damaged, discarded or otherwise improperly used, will be paid by contractor and based on the price that the Government paid for the seedlings.

I.14 Only at the Government’s discretion may lesser quality seedlings be planted by the contractor.

I.15 Sensitive, Threatened, or Endangered Plants: If any stand is known by the Forest Service to contain Sensitive, Threatened, or Endangered Plants, the contractor will be alerted in advance by the COR or CI. Such plants may be identified to the contractor verbally and visually or by other means such as flagging tape or pin flags. The contractor shall take every effort to avoid collateral damage to such areas.

I.16 Archeology Sites: If any stand is known by the Forest Service to contain such sites, the contractor will be alerted in advance by the COR or CI. Such sites may be identified to the contractor verbally and visually or by other means such as flagging tape or pin flags. The contractor shall take every effort to avoid collateral damage to such areas.

I.17 Planting Machine Instructions (I.18 through I.28):

I.18 Crawler-type dozer with cutting V-blade shall push brush and many various types of logging debris aside to prepare a clear path for its planting machine.

I.19 In planting machine, remove only one handful of seedlings at a time from the bag or box. Separate and untangle seedlings, dropping the Unplantable Seedlings on the ground.

I.20 In planting machine, open seedling bags or boxes shall be covered (i.e. wet burlap) or closed each time the planter is not planting or stopped regardless of duration.

I.21 Planting machines shall make a clean trench a minimum of ten (10) inches deep and the packing wheels should pack soil firmly around each planted seedling’s roots leaving a minimal brim (should not depress soil more than 1 ½ inches).

Close planting trench at the bottom (no air pockets) as well as the top so as seedlings will withstand being pulled from the ground by the terminal group of needles. Loose seedlings (those easily pulled from the ground or improperly firmed) shall be counted as Incorrect Planted Seedlings during inspections.

I.22 Seedlings should be planted straight up, its roots or plug in a natural vertical position, and seedling leaning no more than 20 degrees from perpendicular to the ground surface.

I.23 The planting machine shall follow the natural contour of the land to minimize the loss of soil and seedlings due to erosion.

I.24 If the majority of the seedlings being planted by any one planting machine do not meet planting specifications, contractor will be required to immediately stop planting with that machine until corrections are made that will enable the machine to plant seedlings in accordance with contract specifications.

I.25 If any 3 contiguous acres are below 90% planting quality, the Government shall direct contractor to rework area before continuing work.

I.26 Any damaged or surface drying of seedling roots or plugs due to contractor neglect or abuse will result in the contractor being charged for the seedlings at the Government’s cost for the seedlings.

I.27 Planting Machine Longleaf seedlings (Either bareroot or containerized):

Contractor shall plant a minimum of 482 trees per acre evenly distributed through each acre for 100% payment (Refer to chart below) at approximate spacing of 10 x 9 feet. Plant tree seedlings in rows located 10 feet apart and 9 feet between seedlings within row to obtain 500 Correct Planted Seedlings per acre. Contractor will be required to adjust spacing accordingly. Spacing of trees within rows must be equal over the entire stand and row location may be adjusted as necessary to fit the terrain and to avoid obstructions however rows shall be uniformly 10 feet apart. Contractor will be allowed 50 Waste Seedlings per acre without being charged for the value of these seedlings. Waste Seedlings are correctly and incorrectly planted in excess of the number of seedlings per acre. The maximum allowable number of seedlings per acre is

550. Any seedlings planted above this amount will be counted as Waste Seedlings. Unplantable Seedlings will not be counted as Waste Seedlings. The Government may accept lesser quantities, at their discretion, at the payment rates shown below:

Number of Correct Planted Seedlings per acre

Planting Quality;

Payment Percent

482 – 500 100.0% 474 – 481 97.5% 466 – 473 95.0% 458 – 465 92.5% 450 – 457 90.0%

≤ 449 FAILURE

If the quality of work falls below 90% work will be considered unacceptable and will be rejected.

I.28 Planting Machine Loblolly and Shortleaf seedlings (Either bareroot or containerized): Contractor shall plant a minimum of 653 trees per acre evenly distributed through each acre for 100% payment (Refer to chart below) at approximate spacing 10 x 6.5 feet. Plant tree seedlings in rows located 10 feet apart and 6.5 feet between seedlings within row to obtain 670 Correct Planted Seedlings per acre. Spacing of trees within rows must be equal over the entire stand and row location may be adjusted as necessary to fit the terrain and to avoid obstructions however rows shall be uniformly 10 feet apart. Contractor will be allowed 87 Waste Seedlings per acre without being charged for the value of these seedlings. Waste Seedlings are correctly and incorrectly planted in excess of the number of seedlings per acre. The maximum allowable number of seedlings per acre is 757. Any seedlings planted above this amount will be counted as Waste Seedlings. Unplantable Seedlings will not be counted as Waste Seedlings. The Government may accept lesser quantities, at their discretion, at the payment rates shown below:

Number of Correct Planted Seedlings per acre

Planting Quality;

Payment Percent

653 - 670 100.0% 636 - 652 97.5% 620 - 635 95.0% 603 - 619 92.5% 583 - 602 90.0%

≤ 582 FAILURE

If the quality of work falls below 90% work will be considered unacceptable and will be rejected.

I.29 Hand Planting Instructions (I.30 through I.39):

Note: Refer to SOW E.5 and SOW I.2 for hand planting requirement and its definition; contractor shall hand plant Government Furnished pine seedlings in small areas where planting machine missed or cannot plant. This shall ensure all areas of stand are planted to specifications for 100% payment.

I.30 Seedling carrying bag shall be a light color, not retain heat, have a minimum depth of 15 inches and shall be free of defects or contaminants.

I.31 Only take approximate number of seedlings required to hand plant small area or missed spots and place in seedling carrying bag. Seedlings placed in seedling carrying bag shall be planted out and not returned to storage.

I.32 The planting spot shall be scalped free of debris (duff, leaves, litter, grass, etc.).

I.33 Hand planter shall remove one plantable seedling from the seedling carrying bag (unplantable seedlings are to be discarded) one at a time to prevent striping or other root damage and to ensure survivability.

I.34 Quickly and gently insert seedling into planting hole or trench.

I.35 The seedling should be in a vertical position with less than (20) degree lean in a hole or trench free of debris. Roots or plugs will be planted in a natural vertical position.

I.36 Close planting hole or trench at the bottom as well as the top to prevent subsurface air pockets. Soil must be firmly packed around each planted seedling. Seedlings will be planted to withstand being pulled from the ground by the terminal group of needles.

I.37 After the soil is firmed around the tree seedling, the planting spot shall be smoothed out and leveled to the surrounding mineral soil surface.

I.38 Spacing of seedlings within rows must be equal to that of whichever planting machine is set at. Row location may be adjusted as necessary to fit the terrain and to avoid obstructions.

I.39 Correct Planted Seedlings, Incorrect Planted Seedlings, Waste Seedlings, and Unplantable Seedlings shall be factored in a hand planted area or spot if an inspection plot falls within and shall be included with planting machine numbers per acre. However, contractor should ensure hand planting is done correctly and the Government reserves the right to monitor any hand planting done by contractor.

J. Schedule of Stands to Plant

J.1 Contractor shall be able to complete machine tree planting of any or all longleaf seedlings first if so desired by the Government.

J.2 Contractor shall work with the COR to mutually develop and provide a schedule of entry plus alternatives for the stands that will be planted based on Government’s pine reforestation goals.

J.3 The contractor shall work with the COR on a plan of operations within 5 days of the start work date on the task order or work order completing the intended treatment schedule.

J.4 The contractor shall keep the Contracting Officer and COR advised as to where the contractor can be reached prior to and duration of work. The contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer and COR of any work force changes.

Further, the contractor shall maintain daily contact with the Contracting Officer and COR during periods of work suspension to reduce any delay in resuming planting and to determine the best suitable time and conditions to resume planting.

J.5 Contractor shall not have more than two incomplete stands being worked on at the same time unless approved by the COR. Contractor shall be required to return to “completed” planted stand if work is found unacceptable and re-plant the stand without cost to the Government. The Government shall not be responsible for any of contractor’s transportation costs or any peripheral costs.

J.6 Work outside normal working days and hours (Monday through Friday 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM) must be coordinated with the COR at least 48 hours in advance.

Work will not take place unless the COR is notified. The COR and the CI(s) do not have to be at the work site at all times. The COR must be aware that work will be in progress on any date that work occurs. If work does not occur on a scheduled workday, the COR must be notified at the earliest opportunity.

J.7 There are activities that occur on Savannah River Site and Government can restrict access to some areas. Contractor shall work with COR on an operational basis and develop alternate schedules if any of the activities occur in treatment areas, including transportation routes. Examples:

•Crackerneck Wildlife Management Area (WMA): Open to the public certain days of the year; usually available for contractor to work from Sundays through Thursdays when WMA is not open to the public.

•Advanced Tactical Training Area (ATTA), GTI Gun Range, and Gun Site 51 Area: Can be restricted for short periods of time due to security and weapons training. Exception is Zones 1, 3, and 4 in ATTA and COR will work with ATTA’s Range Master to develop timelines for access to stands and contractor must utilize those timelines.

•Road Work: Any construction work zones by site personnel.

•Annual SRS Deer Hunts: Roads entering the hunt compartments will be barricaded or posted to keep employees out. These hunts are usually from November to December.

J.8 LOWCAM (Low Cameras) are installed at the Jackson Barricade (1) and New Ellenton Barricade (2) only. Inspection by site security is required for medium / large size vehicles which include enclosed trucks, dump trucks, tanker trucks, utility vans, and tractor trailers. Medium / large size vehicles can exit the site at any available barricade but will only be allowed access back on site through Barricades (1) and (2). Access guidelines will be provided by the COR / CI if such is required and adhered to by contractor.

K. Disposal of Contractor Generated Debris

K.1 All trash, rubbish, and debris generated by the contractor’s operation shall be removed from each stand and disposed in the appropriate Forest Service dumpsters (At the main office) or at an off-site location, for work to be accepted.

K.2 All seedling wrappers, bags, boxes, binding straps, and sticks shall be removed from each stand and disposed in the appropriate Forest Service dumpsters (At the main office).

K.3 Metal burn barrels equipped with a screen over the opening may only be used to burn only seedling bags and boxes. Burn barrels shall not be used within 50 feet of planted rows nor from where seedlings are being handled or stored. The contractor shall contact the USFS Coordination Center (USFS-CC) in order to obtain permission before burning seedling bags and boxes using the metal barrel with screen at stand. Permission may be denied during periods of high fire danger.

L. Soil Protection

L.1 The Contractor shall use every precaution necessary to prevent the contamination of soil by spills of petroleum products (oils and fuels), ethylene glycol (coolant) and other chemicals or harmful materials.

L.2 The contractor shall be responsible for reporting all spills of the materials immediately to the Forest Service Coordination Center (USFS-CC) and COR /

CI. The contractor shall be required to follow the “USDA Forest Service – Savannah River Spill Prevention, Control and Containment Procedure” dated December 2015 or any updated ones provided by the Government.

L.3 The contractor shall also be responsible for the excavation and disposal of all soils contaminated by the contractor’s operations. The contractor shall take contaminated soils to a certified state operated landfill capable of accepting the type contaminated soil. A receipt of acceptance for the contaminated soil must be presented to the Contracting Officer, COR, and Environmental Coordinator.

L.4 All equipment will be operated in a manner causing the least possible disturbance to the soil. The contractor shall use every precaution necessary to prevent unnecessary disturbance of soil due to excessive turning of equipment or getting equipment stuck.

L.5 Dozers and planting machines shall follow the natural contour of the land to minimize loss of soil and seedlings due to erosion.

M. Protection of Bodies of Water and Improvements

M.1 Contractor shall use every precaution necessary to prevent pollution of streams, lakes, and reservoirs by fuels, oils, other chemicals, silt, or other harmful materials. All bodies of water will be kept free of contractor-generated debris.

M.2 The contractor shall take every precaution necessary to prevent damage to any improvements such as such as roads, trails, ditches, fences, etc.

M.3 The contractor shall be required to promptly repair, or bear repair costs of any damaged improvements caused by the contractor’s operations.

M.4 Roads and trails shall be kept free of logs, slash, and debris that were pushed out / generated by contractor.

M.5 Access guidelines will be provided by the COR / CI if such is required and adhered to by contractor.

N. Use of Government Motor Vehicles

N.1 Contractor or contractor’s representative (supervisor) can be a passenger in Government (USFS) vehicle while working on Site to facilitate government administration of work. An example would be contractor or supervisor may be a passenger in Government (USFS) vehicle to look at a stand or to establish a travel route between stands.

O. Quality Control Plan (QCP)

O.1 Those actions taken by a contractor to control the production of outputs to ensure that they conform to this SOW requirements. The methods for inspecting for quality control are described in the contractor’s Quality Control Plan (QCP). The contractor shall prepare, provide, and maintain a QCP covering service under this BPA that is acceptable to the Government.

The contractor shall inspect the work in accordance with the accepted QCP.

O.2 The contractor shall provide a QCP with the technical proposal, prior to contract award. The general QCP must demonstrate how the contractor will assure quality meets the requirement and specifications. It shall specify how quality will be monitored to assure the performance standards are met; the supervision of crews and work; and the personnel that will be performing the quality control. Quality control includes the monitoring of quality while work is in progress.

O.3 The quantity of Quality control provided by the contractor will be reflected in the performance evaluation as either a positive or negative incentive. If the contractor fails to meet standards, work may be suspended, or the contractor put in default for failure to take corrective action immediately and result in adverse performance evaluation.

P. Government Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP)

P.1 The actions taken by the Government to assess the contractor’s results to determine that contractor meet all safety and SOW requirements.

P.2 The Government shall use completed Government Safety Inspection Forms (SOW F.14 and Exhibition 3) as one method of QASP to ensure that contractor meet safety and SOW requirements.

P.3 The COR and CI shall inspect the contractor’s planting operation to ensure that all the Government’s requirements are being followed. Contractor’s performance evaluation shall be rated on a Performance Assessment Form and shall be done by Government on a bi-weekly basis or as needed basis. The COR will use the form to document and assess the Contractor’s performance under this BPA. The form, when completed, will document the COR’s understanding of this BPA requirements, what was performed, and the impact or consequences of any requirements not performed or completed. The COR will assess each technical requirement or related service in accordance with the following definitions of contractor performance. The COR must substantiate all tasks that s/he judges to be indicative of “superior” or “unacceptable” performance. Performance at the “acceptable” level is expected from the Contractor. Contractor’s performance will be assessed and identified as “superior,” “acceptable,” or “unacceptable”. An example of the Performance Assessment Form is in Exhibition 5.

Q. Inspection and Acceptance

Q.1 Inspection Procedures: Inspection of the work performed under this BPA shall be made by the Government and contractor as the BPA progresses. Each stand will be inspected on a grid system by the contractor and Government. The contractor shall provide and maintain an inspection system acceptable to the Government covering the services under this BPA. Contractor and Government shall utilize Plot Forms. Examples of Plot Forms are in Exhibition 6. Sampling will consist of 1/100th acre plots to determine the total number of Correct Planted and Incorrect Planted seedlings within the plots. A plot shall have a radius of 11 feet, 9.3 inches. Plots will be taken at the minimum rate of 1 plot per 2 stand acres. Each plot shall be approximately 310 feet apart on a grid basis over the entire stand. At any time, the Government shall direct contractor to take plots at 1 plot per acre if planting quality does not meet standards in

SOW I.27 and SOW I.28 as determined by Government. Residual, volunteer, or natural seedlings (Seedlings already present in stand prior to machine pine tree planting)…