Attachment 5 __ Standard Contract Specifications for Land Surveying and Landline Maintenance-EYNF.docx

Standard Contract Specifications for Land Surveying and Landline Maintenance El Yunque National Forest & International Institute of Tropical Forestry Land Surveying IDIQ

Standard Contract Specifications for Land Surveying and Landline Maintenance El Yunque National Forest & International Institute of Tropical Forestry

Table of Contents

C.130 – Government Furnished Property

Government-furnished property will be stored at the Catalina Field Office and/or other official area used by the Forest Service for storage purposes, and will be made available to the contractor, on an as needed basis, after the effective date listed on the Notice to Proceed. Materials will be available for pick up Monday through Friday, except federal holidays. The contractor shall call the Contracting Officer (CO) or the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) 24 hours in advance. The Contractor shall be liable for all loss or damage of such delivered Government-furnished property until completion and acceptance of the work required under this contract.

When necessary and possible, the Forest Service will provide access through gates and across easements controlled by the Government. When such access is required, the contractor shall call the CO or the COR 24 hours in advance.

The Government will furnish the following listed items:

A. The Forest Service will make available to the Contractor ownership and corner search and evaluation information in its possession relative to the survey. However, any information provided to the Contractor by the Forest Service shall be construed as being for informational purposes only, and the sole responsibility for its accuracy, completeness, and/or verification rests with the Contractor.

B. Monuments for C.213 shall be aluminum pipes with aluminum caps, and/or brass/aluminum tablets suitable for placement in concrete or stone. The Government shall reserve the right to alter the type of monument at any time.

C. “DEEP1” Magnets to be placed at base of “dig-in” Standard Forest Service Monuments.

D. Blank paper or electronic corner cards, Form 7100-52.

E. Boundary signs #54-2, Monument #54-9, and #54-3 Bearing Tree Tags, Wilderness, and all other signs designated by the COR.

F. “2” Long Mag-Nails” (PK nails) and BT (Bearing Tree) washers.

G. Red Boundary Marking Paint, brush type, or other as needed/appropriate.

H. Signposts that can be made of aluminum or Carsonite (fiberglass).

I. Screws, nuts & bolts, Rivets, and/or aluminum nails (2-½” or 3-½”), and other fasteners suitable for fastening Forest Service Boundary signs, Bearing Tree tags and other signs.

J. Courtesy digital copies of tract plats, GIS maps, descriptions, and corner cards pertinent to the projects that are known to be in the possession of the Forest Service. Any other pertinent records such as abstracts or acquisition survey records in the possession of the Forest Service may be viewed in the Catalina Field Office or made available otherwise if necessary.

All unused or excess Government-furnished property shall be returned prior to payment. The contractor shall ensure that all project related trash, such as paint cans/lids, damaged signs, sign backing-paper, etc. is removed from the project site and disposed properly, unless otherwise directed.

*In the rare event that the Government requires the contractor to provide the supplies, the Government will provide this language or a pay item in the respective task order to cover the typical government furnished materials, as well as provide the contractor with specifications, diagrams, reputable vendors, and adequate time to acquire the materials.

C.140 – Contractor Furnished Items

All supervision, labor, crew(s), equipment, research, supplies, and tools necessary to accomplish the work, unless otherwise specified, to include the following at a minimum:

A. Traverse Nails: Preferred Zinc Coated 6” 60d nails (Mag-Hub), or otherwise approved by the COR.

B. #5 Rebar Monuments with cap(s) for property corners (used infrequently). Caps shall be aluminum and/or bronze.

G. Three (3) hard copies of final plat and a digital (pdf) signed copy, unless otherwise directed by the COR.

C.150 – Definitions

Boundary Line: The property boundary line between two established corners, or between meander points on an irregular boundary (such as creeks, ridges, roads, easements, or trails) between property corners. This also includes administrative boundaries within the property owned by the United States, such as Wilderness/Wild and Scenic Rivers and other designated boundaries. It is the line separating lands of the USA Government from its adjoiners as described in the legal instrument establishing Government ownership.

Boundary Line Maintenance: Refurbishing previously marked boundary lines to Forest Service Standards (aka “landline” maintenance).

Corner Maintenance: Refurbishing previously marked corner to Forest Service Standards.

BT: Bearing Tree. A minimum of three per corner, unless otherwise indicated. It references the monument by bearing and distance.

CO: Contracting Officer – The only person who can bind the Federal Government of the United States to contract amounts that are greater than the micro-purchase threshold.

COR: Contracting Officer Representative – Official appointed in writing by the CO who provides technical direction, clarification, and guidance with respect to the contract specifications and statement of work. The COR does not have the authority to obligate/bind the government. All changes in the scope of the contract must be approved by the CO.

Conflict: When the evidence on the ground does not match the evidence of record; ambiguities.

Contested Line: Any lines known to be held in dispute by location or title with the adjacent landowner.

Corner Maintenance: Refurbishing and perpetuating existing corners and accessories. This may involve re-monumentation based upon existing evidence of the original monument.

Disputes: When the adjacent landowner disputes the boundary line or corner location.

DBH: Tree diameter measured at breast height (4-5 feet height).

Encroachment: Improvements occupied/used on NFS land under Claim of Title or Color of Title (36 CFR 254.31); e.g. claimant has a deed with the appearance of good title but fails to establish ownership.

Exterior Line: The line separating Government land from its adjoiners as described in the legal instrument establishing Government ownership.

USA: United States of America EYNF: El Yunque National Forest FS: US Forest Service IITF: International Institute of Tropical Forestry IA/CIAPR: Spanish acronym for College of Engineers and Land Surveyors of Puerto Rico.

Interior Line: A line separating two contiguous tracts of land both being owned by the Government.

WC: Witness Corner RM: Reference Monument Monumented Corner: A monument having physical objects and accessories whose relationship to a property corner is known, and is marked according to the Forest Service Standards.

NFS Lands: National Forest System Lands are lands vested in the United States and administered by the Forest Service.

Remonumentation of a Corner: To replace an existing monument or establish new bearing trees, and/or accessories (Corner card is required).

TCEMS: Title Claims and Encroachment Management System. This is a database that the Forest Service maintains. The contractor will be required to fill out a provided form in the event that a Title Claim or an unauthorized use of NFS land is discovered. Subsequent entry and management of the database is a function of the Forest Service, not the contractor.

Tie Line: Survey line run to controlling corners, collateral corners, or collateral call objects for the purpose of locating, proving, or establishing boundaries of, or within, the subject tract beyond the corners which define the subject tract.

Title Claim: Claim of land or interest as a person’s own, based on any reasonable evidence which establishes the person’s actual use of the land (36 CFR 254.31); e.g. old farm lines, old fences, claim of adverse possession or prescriptive-right which predates the USA acquisition, etc.

Trespass: Constructing, placing, or maintaining any kind of improvement on NFS lands or facilities without a special use permit, contract, or approved operating plan (36 CFR 261.10); e.g. driveway, dog kennel, house/garage, landscaping, garden, debris, firewood, yard/construction debris, etc.

C.160 – Work Progression

The Contractor shall notify the CO or the designated COR prior to beginning the field work for each project. When more than one project area is involved, the work shall be substantially complete in each area prior to beginning work in another area unless otherwise directed by the CO.

DIVISION 200 – TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

C. 205 – Research

(a) Notification of adjoining property owners:

1. The contractor shall notify all adjoining landowners of intent to survey or perform Boundary Line Maintenance as applicable before beginning the fieldwork. Before beginning work on a known contested boundary line, a Certified Letter of Intent to Survey shall be mailed to the landowner prior to beginning work. See C.250, Exhibits 3904 and 3905

2. The contractor shall obtain permission from adjoining landowners in the event that private property needs to be crossed.

3. In the event that an adjoining land owner creates a conflict, insists that the contractor leave, or otherwise becomes hostile, the contractor shall leave and notify immediately the CO or designated COR.

(b) Record Research:

1. All necessary research of the descriptions of adjoining lands as they pertain to the common boundaries, in order to determine conflicts of survey, shall be the responsibility of the Contractor.

2. The Government will provide the Contractor access to Government ownership and corner search and recovery records in its files at the time of award and/or as needed.

3. In addition to the Government-furnished written material the Contractor shall research and obtain the descriptions of adjoining land as it pertains to the common boundaries. It is not the intent of these specifications to require the Contractor to research the question of title. Any conflicts in current descriptions shall be reported to the CO or designated COR.

(C) Conflicts:

1. The contractor will be informed by the Government of any known conflicts of survey, possession, or title along the boundary lines to be surveyed. Any conflicts discovered by the Contractor in the course of the project, shall be reported to the CO or designated COR verbally as soon as possible, followed within five (5) days of discovery with written documentation. An equitable adjustment of contract performance dates or contract price, or both, will be made for any additional survey work, authorized by Contracting Officer, resulting from a conflict.

C.210 – Surveying

The contractor shall select the methods, equipment, and procedures to ensure the requirements specified herein are met, provided they meet the Standards of Practice for Surveying in Puerto Rico as set forth in the Manual for Professional Practices and Guidelines for the Compensation of Professional Services. The contractor shall survey, paint, and post the boundary line according to the Government title (deed or description).

The contractor shall research, locate and tie the following items:

1. All corner monuments, including their accessories, and other evidence indicating a previous survey, whether recorded or not, along the boundary line.

2. Visible signs of possession, such as improvements, limits of timber cutting, mining operations, fields, gardens, fences, visible septic systems, etc., which are within 20’ of the boundary line on the private side and within 100’ on the line on the Government side.

3. Major topographic or cultural features, such as highways, roads, railroads, trails, rivers, streams, and ridges, etc., which are within 50’ of the boundary.

4. All utilities within 20’ of the boundary line on the private side and within 100’ of the line on the Government side.

Geodetic/survey grade GPS equipment and methods may be utilized for measurements by contractors having that capability, provided that the contractor is capable of producing a survey-grade position in the environment. GPS shall not be used in a canopy or wooded environment. Where possible, access to wildlife openings, recent timber sale areas, or other areas with open sky on NFS lands will be made available to contractor in the event that they can be utilized for GPS observations. The use of GPS does not relieve the Contractor from the responsibility to search for and evaluate all evidence of previously performed surveys along a surveyed line and to tie evidence of encroachment and occupation onto government land.

When employing GPS, the contractor shall use the US Forest Service’s and BLM’s Standards and Guidelines for CADASTRAL SURVEYS using Global Positioning System methods (Section H) as a reference to guide procedures.

State Plane Coordinates NAD 83 (North American Datum 1983) PRVI (Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands), Metric units, will be used and a note specifying the coordinate system and units of measurement will be shown on all surveys. All surveys shall meet the requirements of the Standards of Practice for Surveying in Puerto Rico as set forth in the Manual for Professional Practices and Guidelines for the Compensation of Professional Services. Positional data (including datum) and method of acquisition must be provided in the Report of Survey and plat.

The contractor shall, in the prosecution of the work, resolve all conflicts that are found along the boundary, within the contractor's authority, as it occurs within the rules, regulations, and laws which pertain to boundary line establishment, at no additional cost to the government, provided that such conflicts do not drastically alter the scope of the work. An example of a conflict might be where part of a red painted line does not agree with the USA’s title interests and falls drastically outside of the specifications for line marking.

Any dispute or unresolved conflicts shall be reported to the COR as soon as possible. The Contractor is not required to resolve disputes, but is required to report facts, and any professional opinions related to the dispute. The Contractor shall, in the area of dispute, perform only those items of work as directed by the COR.

The Forest Service will provide with access to the contractor through open or closed roads, as determined by the District Ranger and/or COR. If crossing private property to get to the Forest Service boundary is more practical, it is the responsibility of the contractor to contact the landowner. The Forest Service should be notified for this transaction and will not be liable for any associated damaged.

C.211 – Practices

The standards for surveying set forth by the Standards of Practice for Surveying in Puerto Rico as set forth in the Manual for Professional Practices and Guidelines for the Compensation of Professional Services shall govern, providing they are not less than requirements set forth in these specifications and exhibits.

The contractor shall evaluate the physical and record evidence of all corners prior to use and acceptance as the true corner position. This shall include, but is not limited to, Forest Service records as well as monuments and accessories. Procurement of the survey notes, plats, and/or descriptions of adjoining or otherwise pertinent boundaries shall be the responsibility of the contractor.

An extensive on-the-ground search of the project area shall be conducted to obtain evidence left by previous surveys, including original monuments and accessories, such as, bearing trees, line trees, and reference objects. When searching and evaluating the physical evidence of the original corner monument and accessories, the utmost professional care shall be taken to protect and preserve the evidence. All field operations involving corner search and evaluation will have the PR licensed surveyor of record present at the field site.

The position of each corner tied or established by survey shall be determined as part of a closed survey or a point positioning procedure which meets standards for surveying set forth by the Standards of Practice for Surveying in Puerto Rico as set forth in the Manual for Professional Practices and Guidelines for the Compensation of Professional Services.

The posting, painting, signing, and monumentation of boundary lines and corners shall be in accordance with the Forest Service Standards.

All bearings shall either be in coordination with the existing USA Tract or referred to the true meridian, with the method of determination noted in the field book and/or plat, unless otherwise specified or agreed to by the COR.

When a corner has been found, monumented, or determined lost or obliterated, the Contractor shall state this in the field book and on the corner card form (FS-7100-52). The Contractor shall also describe in the field notes the procedure of evaluation, description of the search area, and a narrative of the search process.

C.212 – Controlling Corners

All surveys shall begin at, or be tied into, the appropriate controlling corners or existing corners of the subject tract accepted by the contractor and so noted on the final plat.

C.213 – Monumentation

Unless otherwise specified, Forest Service Boundary corners shall be monumented using the type of monument provided by the Forest Service. Two types of monuments will be used:

1. Aluminum “Dig-in” monument, consisting of 2” inside diameter (2 3/8” OD) aluminum pipes, 30” long, with a 3¼” aluminum cap (with magnet under cap); henceforth to always be accompanied by a “DEEP1” underground magnetic marker, to be set several inches below the monument. See C.215 for instructions on setting a “Dig-in” monument.

2. Aluminum Drive-in Breakaway monument, consisting of a 1” aluminum pipe with a magnetized point which will remain below should the monument be pulled from the ground and a 3¼” aluminum cap (with magnet under cap). These monuments are to be set flush with the ground and the top of the cap shall be oriented to the north.

Of the two above, the “Dig-in” monument is the preferred monument. “Dig-in” monuments meet US Forest Service standards and are generally the most common monument type found in the National Forest System. Drive-in monuments will be utilized on a case-by-case basis when the situation or economies warrant their use over a “Dig-in”. “Drive-in” monuments will require COR approval before installation. In certain limited circumstances, the contractor may be required to provide and install a rebar monument, set in accordance with the Standards of Practice for Surveying in Puerto Rico as set forth in the Manual for Professional Practices and Guidelines for the Compensation of Professional Services.

A 54-9 land survey monument sign shall be attached to an aluminum delineator post or a supplied post and placed alongside all monuments in accordance with Figure 1 (page 24), facing private lands, unless otherwise specified. Any time a corner is set, the contractor shall create a Form 7100-52 Corner Card and describe the type of monument set along with whether it features an anti-disturbance feature, such as a “DEEP1” or breakaway tip. Corner cards shall be filled out in accordance with C.231.

No new monument shall be established unless the COR has been notified and agreed upon. The Forest Service reserves the right to reject a professional determination on a corner location. For the specific corner and associated lines, the contractor shall be relieved from responsibilities of said corner, and the responsibility passes to the surveyor of record and the Forest Service.

C.213a – Corner Trees

Under no circumstances shall the blazes on an existing corner tree be reopened or the bark otherwise disturbed in any way other than to lightly brush off loose bark prior to painting. A “Mag” nail and washer shall be driven flush into the butt blaze of all corner trees, with the standard Bearing Tree washer turned around so that the text faces into the tree. The corner number shall be stamped into this blank side of the washer.

A 54-9 Land Survey Monument sign shall be nailed to the tree, 6’ above ground, above the butt blaze.

Unless otherwise specified, whenever a corner tree is located as part of a survey, a pair of witness corners shall be set on the property lines that enter and exit the tree in accordance with C.214. Caution should be used to ensure that witness monuments being set are not in danger of being obliterated or should the corner tree fall over. Avoid setting them too close.

When a corner tree is not being located as part of a survey, and when witness corners are not being set, the contractor shall prepare and document four bearing trees (in accordance with C.216), rather than three.

C.214 – Witness Corners

When a corner falls within a road right-of-way or in a body of water and a corner monument cannot be placed in the true corner position, a witness corner or corners shall be set on line. Witness corners should be placed at a distance safe from disturbance and mistaken identity, and each cap shall be stamped “Witness Corner”, “Wit. Cor.” or W.C.”, with bearing and distance referenced to the true corner. Standard pipe corner or stem corner with identifying cap may be buried beneath the road surface. Bearing Trees shall be established in accordance with C.216 and Corner cards shall be filled out in accordance with C.231.

C.215 – Instructions for setting a “Dig-in” Monument

1. Determine the location for the corner. This can be done by intersecting distances from bearing trees provided there is sufficient evidence and data, otherwise this is done via survey. If the bearing trees of record (or their remains) exist, or if there are sufficient records for the surveyor to feel confident that the accessories found are an accurate perpetuation of the original survey, then this is acceptable method of determining the position of the original monument’s location. Note the offset nails used in the picture below. The contractor can choose their own method of preserving the corner’s location prior to digging.

2. A hole is dug to a sufficient depth. Note the location of the reference nails to where the surveyor is working. This will ensure that they are not disturbed while he is digging. Also, note how the flanges along bottom of the monument have been bent at 90°. This will help to prevent it from being disturbed, and it can be easily done with a pipe wrench. Be sure to dig a hole wide enough for a tamping iron to fit around all sides of the monument when you are installing it.

3. A DEEP1 Magnet is placed at the bottom of the hole. Once the desired depth is reached, use a digging bar or a pointed object to gouge a hole big enough for the magnet. Place the magnet in the center of hole with its black side down. When the magnet is in place, tamp several inches of dirt above the magnet. This will hopefully allow the magnet to remain in the ground if the monument above it is violently ripped out.

4. Orient the monument so that the top of the cap is facing north. Note that the cap stamping was done prior to installing it, and the base has been flared.

5. As you fill in dirt and tamp the soil around it, verify that the monument is being firmly set in the location that you originally measured. It is advisable to check the monument’s location after every layer of tamped dirt that you place around it. If needed, use a pipe wrench to rotate the monument so that the top of the cap continues to face north.

6. Once you are satisfied with the location and orientation of the monument, place a collar of stones (if available) around the monument, paint them red, and install an aluminum sign post in accordance with C.213.

C.216 – Bearing Trees and Objects - (see figure 1)

Bearing Trees are an important accessory to virtually all corners on the National Forest. Their intent is to put people on notice that a property corner is nearby and, perhaps more importantly, they exist to aid in the reestablishment of obliterated property corners. Bearing trees also serve as a marker for surveyors to verify that a corner has not been moved to a different location. It is likely that the contractor will be the last party to visit the property corner for a very long time. Care must be taken to ensure that every corner being perpetuated and its accessories are capable of surviving several decades before anyone returns to refurbish.

Each Forest Service property corner shall be witnessed by at least 3 healthy bearing trees 6” DBH or over, being located on Government lands as best as possible. If there are not enough trees to select, or the sizes are too small, Reference Monuments (RM) shall be placed along the incoming bearings from the previous corner. There should always be three accessories, between Bearing Trees and/or Reference Monuments.

When selecting new bearing trees, caution should be used to ensure their durability and longevity. Living trees with an apparent disease or parasite are not durable trees. If trees are not available, bearing objects (i.e. prominent boulders, other natural features, or identified pipes) may be used.

New Bearing Trees and references shall be established as needed. All Bearing Trees shall be described by species and DBH to within plus or minus 1". All new Bearing Trees shall be blazed at ground level (butt blaze) to the cambium layer, and the blaze shall face the monument. A “Mag” nail and BT washer shall be set flush in the butt blaze of the tree (nailed completely in), and as low to the ground as possible (to improve the chances that the nail will remain in the stump should the BT be logged). After the “Mag-Nail” and BT washer is installed, the contractor shall paint the blaze so as to cover up the exposed cambium layer of the tree. For the reference monuments, an oversize RM shall be stamped on the monument cap, along with the bearing and distance to the corner location. Also include an arrow to where the true corner position is (Exhibit 3911).

When measuring from Bearing Trees, all distances shall be horizontal and measured to the center of the tree to the nearest tenth (0.1’) of a foot. An aluminum nail shall be set and left in the side of the tree, perpendicular to the corner and in line with the center of the stump. The intent is to best represent where the center of the tree is so that the future stump or stump-hole can be identified and utilized when “proving” or reestablishing a corner. In the event that the tree has grown out of the ground at an angle which cannot be measured using the nail method, the contractor can forego the nail in favor of a good measurement to the center of the tree where it leaves the ground.

Bearing Trees located on NFS lands shall have a 6” red band painted approximately 6’ above the ground. A 54-3 Bearing Tree sign shall be installed below the red band on each Bearing Tree with the applicable fields on the sign engraved. Paint shall be neat, straight, level, and uniformly applied. All loose/flaky bark should be scraped off the tree before painting the band. Care should be taken to ensure that Bearing Trees are not girdled when the tree is being prepped for paint. Scraping the bark completely off a tree down to the cambium layer will kill it!

Where conditions permit, all new accessories shall be on Government land and preferably separated by not less than 30° in horizontal angle from the corner. 30° of separation is ideal, but not necessarily a controlling rule. In the event that there are no suitable trees on the government side, the contractor shall only paint Bearing Trees located on private property where permission has been granted by the land owner. If the land owner objects, or if no suitable trees exist on private property, contact the COR for further direction. Bearing objects may be the only available means to witness the corner.

The contractor shall ensure that property corner trees encountered during boundary line maintenance have four healthy bearing trees, rather than three. This is especially important if the corner tree is dead or dying. If so, the contractor shall make a note in the Corner Card and in the Surveyor’s Report. Corner trees being located as part of a survey shall be witnessed according to 2.13a. If witness monuments are being installed, the fourth bearing tree is not necessary.

If record witnesses are called for then they shall be searched for, and their location relative to the corner monument checked and recorded on the corner card, in accordance with C.231.

Bearings and distances on the 54-3 sign shall be engraved and shown from the Tree to Corner perspective. The description of the bearing trees noted on the Corner Card shall be the opposite: from Corner to Tree. All bearings shall be measured to the nearest degree, in quadrant format, and shall include an adjustment for declination.

If the true position is capable of being referenced by bearing trees, then it too shall receive Bearing Trees and a Corner Card. When in doubt, seek guidance from the COR. Witness monuments being set for Property Corner Trees in accordance with C.231-A do not need additional Bearing Trees.

Existing 54-3 bearing tree signs shall be replaced if they are damaged, burned, faded, or if they report information different than that measured by the contractor. Signs shall be fastened to trees with two nails. Signs shall be pulled to the edge of the nail-head to ensure adequate space for the tree’s continued growth. The nails shall not be bent completely over, but shall be installed such that the sign does not wobble. Where possible and practical, old BT signs shall be reinstalled behind the new signs (using the same nails as the new sign).

The contractor shall not maintain or prepare Corner Cards or bearing trees to extraneous monuments; being corn that are not part of the USA’s title. It is not uncommon for the contractor to encounter extraneous monuments which may have been formerly maintained by the government (to include bearing trees). Private subdivision monuments, or corners of a junior standing, should not be considered for bearing trees or corner cards. Any private monuments that appear to create an overlap with NFS lands shall be noted on the Surveyor’s Report and observed as shown in C.223.

Bearing Trees and other official accessories shall be documented by listing them as they appear around the monument, starting first at the NE quadrant and working clockwise. E.g. a Bearing Tree being N01°W would likely be the final accessory to be noted.

FIGURE 1

C.220 – Clearing, Blazing, Posting and Painting of Boundaries (Refer to figures # 2, 3, 4, & 5)

Clearing of brush and blazing shall not be performed on private property without obtaining prior permission of the landowner. Under no circumstance shall fruit trees, shade trees, ornamental trees, shrubs, or hedges in residential or developed areas be blazed, marked, or severed. Care shall be taken to ensure that brushed lines do not leave puncture hazards. Cut it flush to the ground or as close to flush as possible.

A. Brushing and clearing of Boundary lines

(1) Boundary Lines shall be brushed, limbed, and cleared of debris in such a manner as to enable the boundary to be recognized. The amount of brushing required will vary and be determined by the COR prior to beginning work. The purpose of the brushing is to allow the blazing and signing to be inter-visible. Clearing shall include trees, branches, brush less than 2” in diameter, and allow line of sight between property boundary signs.

(2) All debris from brushing shall be scattered on the Government side of the line.

(3) The brushing standards may be adjusted in a case-by-case as deemed appropriate by the COR.

B. Traverse Lines

(1) Clearing sufficient only to permit line of sight will be done on traverse lines; otherwise clearing is to be kept to a minimum.

C. Blazes and Hacks

(1) Blaze – Blazes shall be made into a cambium layer of tree not less than 4’ above ground, and will be 2” to 4” wide and 6” to 8” long.

(2) Hacks – A single horizontal cut 4” above and below the blaze, penetrating the wood, but not notched.

ADJOINER'S LANDS

Blazes Hacks

GOVERNMENT LANDS

6" TO 8"

LINE-TREE

4' TO 5'

BLAZES AND HACKS

QUARTER BLAZE

LINE BLAZE

FACE BLAZE

FIGURE 2

FIGURE 3

D. Line Posting and Boundary Marking

(1) Line-trees on the boundary line shall be hacked and blazed, on opposite sides of the tree, along the line and the blazes shall be painted with red paint.

(2) Trees on Government side of line shall be hacked and quarter blazed 4’ to 5’ above the ground. No trees beyond 2 feet of the line shall be blazed. All blazes and hacks are to be painted with red paint on the Government side of the line.

(3) Trees on private land shall be hacked and face blazed 4’ to 5’ above the ground. No tree beyond 2 feet of the line shall be blazed. Blazing and painting on private land are to be in accordance with prior arrangements with property owners. The blaze and hacks shall be painted with red paint.

(4) Sign 54-2 (Property Boundary) shall be placed on posts and line-trees (Figure 5). The entire post shall be painted red and placed firmly and plum. If an old Forest Service property boundary post is encountered along the line, it shall be replaced.

FIGURE 4

FIGURE 4.2

E. Location of 54-2 signs (Property Boundary):

a. At each corner facing private land and bisecting the angle of the intersecting property lines.

b. On the boundary line at least 50 feet from each corner, but no more than 100 feet from each corner.

c. Inter-visible along the line, but not to exceed 100 feet interval or other determined distance as discussed with the COR prior to the work order.

d. At stream, trail, road crossings, and at ridge tops, regardless of the distance of the previous post.

e. A line-tree may be substituted for a post except at road crossings. When line-trees are used, a sign shall be placed on said tree 5’ above the ground with aluminum nails left protruding at least 1”. The sign shall be pulled to the edge of the nails and the nails installed so that the sign does not wobble (but the nails shall not be bent over).

FIGURE 5

C.222 – Boundary Line and Corner Maintenance

A. Corner cards shall be filled out in accordance with C.231.

B. The contractor shall ensure that all boundary/witness posts are secure, plumb and in a serviceable condition. The entire post shall be painted whether previously painted or not.

C. All damaged, faded, or otherwise unreadable signs shall be replaced by the contractor. Any missing signs shall be replaced.

D. All existing blazes shall be scraped of loose bark and material, cleaned and repainted. No existing blazes shall be re-blazed or re-cut into the cambium!

E. Trees that previously were not marked but have subsequently grown within two feet of the boundary line and are at a minimum 4” in diameter shall be appropriately blazed and painted.

F. Brush along the boundary line shall be cleared and removed in accordance with section C.220. Brush and debris shall be removed within a 4 foot radius around all monuments. Extra care shall be taken to ensure that brush and fuels are removed from the base of standing dead corner trees, if possible cleared down to mineral soil, to reduce the chance that they are consumed by fire. Sensitivity to brushing on private property shall be in accordance with section C.220.

G. Care shall be taken to ensure that brushed lines do not leave puncture hazards. Cut it flush or as close to flush as possible.

H. Missing monuments are to be replaced based upon the existing evidence and accessories of the original corner (provided suitable evidence exists). Any time a corner is replaced the contractor shall create a corner card to describe exactly what was done.

I. When painting the boundary line, the contractor shall not repaint dead trees; however, trees that appear to be dying shall be repainted.

J. When maintaining a property corner surrounded by a mound of stones, all of the stones in the mound shall be painted red (without disassembling the mound). If the property corner itself is a stone, it shall be painted red too. Standard Forest Service aluminum caps and brass discs shall not be painted, but the pipes or concrete that they are a part of shall be painted.

K. Should the contractor encounter an original wooden stake or monument otherwise incapable of surviving longstanding future service, being a monument possibly set during the original survey (whether standing or fallen over), the contractor shall photograph it in accordance with C.223, replace it with a Standard Forest Service monument, and document what was found/set on a Form 7100-52 Corner Card.

L. In the event that a corner tree has fallen over and the original position can be remonumented, the contractor shall photograph it in accordance with C.223, replace it with a Standard Forest Service, and document what was found/set on a Form 7100-52 Corner Card.

M. Pictures of apparent encroachments, unauthorized use (such as ATV trails, permanent tree stands, etc.), trash piles, conflicting or extraneous monuments, or other issues that the contractor wishes to highlight shall be taken in accordance with C.223, unless otherwise specified.

C.223 Guidelines:

1. The contractor will be required to drop a pin [on their device] at each property corner called for in the contract. The contractor shall ensure that pins are not dropped until the location has stabilized for a more accurate location. Where possible, the phone shall be positioned on the actual corner before dropping a pin. Pin names shall contain a Corner number and Tract Number, e.g. “Corner 5 – G-1320Ab”.

2. Once the pin has been dropped, the contractor shall take, a minimum, two clear, high-quality photos:

a. A close-up picture of the monument itself, and showing any stamping or scribing found.

b. A landscape photo of the monument and its surroundings after bearing trees have been painted and signed. The purpose of this is to show where the corner sits relative to other features such as roads, streams, buildings, BTs, etc.

There is no maximum number of pictures for this requirement. The contractor will determine the number of pictures necessary to properly document a corner’s relative position to the bearing trees and other features.

3. The contractor shall include a note on the corner card that a picture has been taken, along with the contract [Task Order] number. An example of a proper note to be left on the Corner Card’s Remarks Section is:

Pictures of this corner were taken and were submitted to the USFS in a KMZ file named AG-435H-D-16-0027(1).

Should the contractor discover evidence of possession (apparent encroachments, suspicious driveways, illegal timber cutting, ATV trails, etc.) or other situations that warrant notifying the COR, the contractor shall drop a pin, take photos, and describe what was found (in addition to filling out the TCEMS form required in C.232). A similar note to requirement # 3 shall be included on the TCEMS form (described in C.232) or report submitted to alert the reader about how to locate the pictures.

C.224 – Obliteration of Erroneous or Previous Ownership lines

54-2 Signs, sign posts, and other evidence of line marking which are not on the boundary line (± 2 feet) shall be reported immediately to the COR and noted in the Surveyor’s Report and plat. The contractor is expected to obliterate erroneously painted trees and posts when they are found to be out of spec., provided their occurrence does not significantly alter the scope of the task order. Should the contractor encounter a line which all or the majority of which is outside of these specifications, the contractor shall stop work in that line and a separate work order may need to be issued for the obliteration of lines if required (pending CO approval).

C.225 – Other Surveys

A. Supplemental Specifications, Special Instructions, and exhibits will be issued for other surveys as necessary.

B. Any and all other surveys provided by the contractor shall be in accordance with the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico rules and regulations, provided they are not less than requirements set forth in the statement of work.

C.230 Notes – Plats – Descriptions – Reports

A. Survey notes: When there is data or pertinent information relative to the survey that is not recorded on a plat, CAD file, Surveyor’s Report, or “raw file” being delivered to the government, the surveyor shall keep an accurate and complete record of his/her survey in a standard waterproof hardbound field notebook in an orderly and legible fashion. All information pertinent to the work shall be recorded, including personal contacts with the adjoining landowners and other interested parties. When used, the original books become the property of the Forest Service and will be retained by the government after completion of the contract. Immediately following the last page used in a notebook, a proper statement of certification shall be made by the licensed surveyor responsible for the work.

B. Electronic Data Collector: The Contractor may use an electronic data collector in addition to traditional survey notes, provided a separate report is furnished to the Government which includes:

a. The “raw file” or an ASCII digital copy of the original field data prior to any manipulation or adjustments.

b. Description of the format used, illustrating the data on a hard copy by line and column, and defining all descriptor codes.

c. An unambiguous reference system which indexes the data to the Survey Control Diagram.

d. Legible photocopies of all field books used in conjunction with the collection system.

e. A proper statement of certification made by the licensed surveyor responsible for the work.

Electronic notes are the property of the Forest service. All field recordings shall be neat and logical to ensure legibility and interpretation by the COR. The electronic data shall be delivered before final payment on any given order.

C. Survey Control Diagram and Computations:

a. Survey Control Diagram. The Contractor shall furnish to the Government one legible print of the survey control diagram with each request for control survey progress payment. When the project has been completed, the Contractor shall furnish a legible reproducible copy of the control diagram.

D. Plats: Plats shall be furnished to the Forest Service in a georeferenced CAD system format (.DWG or .DFX format). All plats shall include:

a. USA Tract Number, e.g. USA Tract G-1320Ag (not USFS, USNF, etc. Title is vested in the United States of America, not the US Forest Service).

b. State, Municipality and/or National Forest.

c. Sources of Title (Name, Deed Book, Page).

d. Date of Survey.

e. Geodetic Coordinates, Datum and units of measurement.

f. Current Adjoining owners.

g. Precision Statement if not addressed in Report.

h. Scale bar.

i. Corner description or legend.

j. Measured and Record bearings and distances (and acreage if determined).

k. North arrow and basis of bearing.

l. Found gaps and overlaps, conflicts, or evidence of possession.

m. Apparent use or rights-of-way (power lines, roads, etc.) and other pertinent topographic features as per C.210.

n. Sheet Number (if multiple sheets).

o. Note which lines were posted to FS standard.

p. Contract Number.

q. Unless otherwise specified, the contractor will add the following statement to the plat for the Forest Supervisor to sign:

This Survey was made at my request for National Forest management purposes.

(Name of Forest Supervisor) Forest Supervisor El Yunque National Forest E. Surveyor’s Report: The contractor shall provide a comprehensive report with an original seal and signature of the surveyor in responsible charge. The report shall contain all information pertinent to the performance of the work and as a minimum shall contain the following items:

a. Dates of surveys

b. Lines that were surveyed

c. Corner evaluation methods of reestablishing missing corners

d. Encroachments or conflicts with adjoining deeds shall be addressed in a separate highlighted section of the report. If no encroachments or conflicts were found, it shall be so noted

e. Sketch of encroachments if the report is not accompanied by a plat.

f. Pertinent contacts with adjoiners

g. Adjustment/Closure report

F. Land Descriptions/ Legal Description: When required, Land Descriptions shall be furnished to the Government in a Microsoft Word (*.doc) format. Unless otherwise specified, three hard copies shall be submitted each with the original signature and seal of the surveyor. The descriptions shall have a cover sheet and as a minimum contain the following items:

a. USA Tract name and number(s) (Cover Sheet)

b. Acreage (Cover Sheet)

c. Municipality (Cover Sheet)

d. State (Cover Sheet)

e. Name and Forest Service tract number

f. State, Municipality, Forest and District

g. Source of Title (Name, Deed Book, Page)

h. Acreage

i. Reference to plat of survey

j. Adjoining owners or Forest Service Tract numbers.

C.231 – Form 7100-52 - Corner Cards

One original 7100-52 shall be completed for each corner monumented or maintained by the Contract Surveyor. All information placed on the card shall agree with information in the field books, and a latitude/longitude shall be established and recorded in accordance with C.223 (unless survey-grade coordinates can be computed as part of a survey). If the corner is located as part of a survey where survey-grade geodetic coordinates are capable of being computed, the preferred format is in DMS.SSS. All bearings/angles to the Bearing Trees and/or other accessories shall be True North.

A digital Corner Card will be supplied to the contractor instead of the cardstock. A photograph of the corner shall substitute the hand drawing. A description of the cap should always be present, even if the photograph is clear.

The contractor shall ensure that monuments found are as described in the previous corner cards. If the original monument has been replaced in favor of something more durable there should be a corner card on file documenting the upgrade. In the event that there is not, a note shall be made in the Surveyor’s Report. The contractor shall verify that previously noted accessories are in place. In the event that no accessories are found, or none of the accessories match USFS records, the contractor shall notify the COR.

Monument height shall be recorded, in addition to other distinguishing characteristics. Example:

Found: 2.5” Aluminum Mon with 3-¼” Forest Service Cap set in mound of stones, projecting 4” above mound.

If the height was previously recorded and the condition of the monument found differs substantially, the contractor shall make a note in the Surveyor’s Report. If the contractor suspects that the monument has been illegally moved or relocated, the contractor shall notify the COR as soon as possible.

Form 7100-52, Corner Cards, shall be prepared for each corner referred to in the original description along the project area. If the contractor discovers that the original description calls for a monument that cannot be found then the contractor shall prepare a corner card in the same manner as they would for a found corner. When describing the monument the contractor shall indicate that it is missing. Without a corner to perpetuate, the contractor will not be able to establish bearing trees. Any relevant information about the search the contractor conducted, theories as to what happened to the corner (i.e. destroyed by road construction, or washed out by creek, etc.) should be put in the Remarks section. “Missing” corner cards are in many ways just as important to document as “found” corner cards, as this documents a diligent effort to locate the USA’s title interests and it officially puts the Forest Surveyor on notice that the corner needs to be replaced. To satisfy the requirements of C.223, the contractor shall create a placemark in Avenza Maps in the approximate location with “NOT FOUND” placed in the name of the pin (e.g. “Corner 5- G-1320Ab – NOT FOUND”).

The Remarks Section is primarily used to alert the Forest Surveyor of an issue related to the corner (in addition to the Surveyor’s Report). Common examples:

A. If the contractor finds an obliterated monument which cannot be reset without a survey.

B. If a witness monument needs to be reset to a position…