Attachment 63_Exhibit_A_Government_Quality_Assurance_Plan.pdf

GOVERNMENT QUALITY ASSURANCE PLAN FOR PLANTING

The Government will inspect planting to determine compliance with performance standards. Inspections will consist of observations of seedling handling, site preparation, planting procedures, and examination of individual seedlings on sample plots. The sample plots will be taken from throughout each payment item. Each pay item will be inspected separately and inspection results on one pay item will not be averaged with those of other pay item.

Tree Handling. Tree handling inspection will consist of observation of operations to ensure that seedlings are protected at all times from the following:

1. drying

2. heating

3. smothering

4. freezing

5. drowning

6. abrasion

7. rapid temperature fluctuations

8. contact with injurious substances

9. exposure to direct sunlight

10. pruning or culling

11. caching

12. root exposure to air

13. crushing

14. stripping

15. rough handling

16. planting delay over 24 hours.

17. any other environmental condition injurious to tree seedling survival.

18. adverse weather conditions outside of ideal planting conditions (Exhibit M1&M2).

19. bag temperatures while in storage and transportation to units above 45 degrees F

Planting Quality. Planting procedures in units will be observed, and planted seedlings on representative sample plots will be examined to ensure and measure compliance with performance standards.

Planting quality assurance plot inspection procedures:

1) Plot Installation

a. Plots will be installed in a series of 1/20th, 1/50th, or 1/100th acre plots with slope correction. (See

Exhibit K). In determining the slope correction for each plot radius, the percent slope will be measured to the nearest +/- 2%. Each plot radius will be measured on the ground to the nearest 0.1 foot. Plots will be located throughout the planting unit. Plot size will be determined as follows:

i. All plots in units planted at less than 10'x10' will be 1/100th acres plots;

ii. All plots in units planted from 10’x10’ to 15'x15' spacing will be 1/50th acre plots

iii. and all plots on units planted at a 16'x16' or greater spacing will be 1/20th acre plots.

**Minimum number of plots for inspection in a unit is 5.**

b. Inspection plots will be marked on the ground by using flagged markers to locate the plot centers and identify them by consecutively numbering each plot, and also indicate the date of inspection. An additional piece of flagging will be hung at least 3 feet above ground adjacent to marked plot center.

c. Plots will be identified on a unit work map labeled with the distance and azimuth to each plot from the previous plot. Plot frequency and spacing as well as slope correction factor will follow the tables

Exhibit K.

d. Seedlings handled in a manner which endangers the survival of the seedling or trees planted in excess of allowable standards will be declared wasted seedlings.

e. Planting procedures will be inspected on representative sample plots with examination of the planted seedlings. The following codes will be utilized for recording above and below ground compliance on the planting plot cards (Item 2 Spot and Tree No.), beginning with the closest tree to plot center at 0 degrees azimuth (north) working in a clockwise direction:

i. ABOVE-GROUND

CODE INSPECTION EXHIBIT

A Planting Spot Selection P

B Planting Spot Preparation P and Planting Data Sheets

C Tree Location on Planting Site P

D Planting Depth and Exposed Roots G OR I

E Stem Position or Damage G OR I

F Firming D, D1 OR F

G Shade B

H Spacing Planting Data Sheets

ii. BELOW GROUND

CODE INSPECTION EXHIBIT

I Planting Hole Preparation D or D1

J Planting Hole Orientation D or D1

K Root Configuration and Orientation G or I

L Altered Root Length and Damage D or D1

M Foreign Material in Planting Hole G or I

N Loose Soil or air pockets G or I

2) Inspection Within Each Plot - each plot will be inspected as follows:

a. Determine from Table I the average number of planting spots for the plot based on the specified average spacing. From this number subtract the number of suitable trees and the number of unplantable spots. Record the difference as the number of plantable spots on which seedlings should be planted b.

1/100th Ac 1/50th Ac 1/20th Ac

8x8 7 - -

9x9 5 - -

10x10 4 9 -

11x11 4 7 -

12x12 3 6 -

13x13 - 5 -

14x14 - 4 -

15x15 - 4 -

16x16 - 3 9

17x17 - - 8

18x18 - - 7

19x19 - - 6

20x20 - - 5

21x21 - - 5

22x22 - - 5

Planting

Spacing in Feet

Average Number of Plantable

Spots by Plot Size

Table 1

2) Inspection Within Each Plot - continued

i. NOTE: Dashes indicate that the plot size is not appropriate for the average spacing, i.e.

1/100th acre plots are not appropriate for average spacing greater than 12-foot x 12-foot.

ii. Circular fixed plot radius in feet on a flat surface is as follows:

1. 1/100th: 11.8

2. 1/50th: 16.7

3. 1/20th: 26.3

b. Determine and record the maximum number of allowable seedlings from Table II.

c. Record the number of seedlings planted on the plot.

d. Determine and record the number of wasted seedlings on the plot. This will be the number of seedlings determined by subtracting the maximum number of allowable seedlings from the number of planted seedlings recorded, but not less than zero.

e. Inspect and record the number of planted seedlings meeting the above-ground contract specifications.

The maximum number of satisfactory seedlings to be credited will not exceed that shown in Table II.

f. Determine and dig the number of seedlings from those determined satisfactory above-ground as shown in Table III. The satisfactory above-ground seedlings will be dug starting with those closest to the plot center and progressing outwards. Each dug tree will be immediately replanted in accordance with specifications.

TABLE III

NUMBER OF SATISFACTORILY

PLANTED SEEDLING ON PLOT - ABOVE GROUND

NUMBER

TO BE DUG

1 1

2-6 2

7-9 3

10 plus 4

g. Record the number of seedlings meeting below-ground contract specifications.

h. Compute the plot planting quality by the following formula:

Planting Quality = Above Ground Quality X Below Ground Quality X 100

# of Satisfactory Trees Above Ground = X

# of Plantable Spots

# of Satisfactory Dug Seedlings

# of Dug Seedlings X 100

i. When the number of satisfactory seedlings above ground is zero or one, and the number of plantable spots is zero, plot percentage will be 100%.

j. Percentage of planting quality as calculated above will be rounded to the nearest whole percent.

Maximum allowable percentage shall be 133% per plot as computed in #8. PAYMENT WILL

NEVER EXCEED 100%.

k. Average planting spots and maximum number of satisfactory seedlings shown in Tables I and II have been rounded to the nearest whole number.

l. Pay item (subitem) planting quality percentage will be calculated by adding the plot percentages for all plots in the subitem and dividing by the number of plots to arrive at the average percentage of plot quality in the subitem.

3) Inspection Results

a. Inspection shall be maintained concurrent with contract work. Contractor inspection results shall be available to the Contracting Officer's Representative at the completion of each planting day for the work completed that day. Completed Planting Inspection Sheets shall be turned into the Contracting

Officer's Representative within 24 hours upon completion of each sub-item/unit and will remain a part of the permanent contract file.

b. The Contractor shall submit legible plot cards. Illegible and incomplete sheets will be returned to the

Contractor for correction and resubmission before Government verification inspections are performed.

c. By submission of the plot cards to the Government, the Contractor is considered to be certifying that the unit is:

i. Satisfactorily completed.

ii. Tree handling was completed in accordance with the contract provisions stated elsewhere in the contract.

iii. Plot cards reflect the work accomplished.

4) In the event the Contractor falsifies inspection results, as determined by the Contracting Officer, the

Government may declare the Contractor to be in default of the contract. Additionally, the Government may refer such falsification to the U.S. Attorney's Office for possible prosecution pursuant to 18 U.S.C.

1001 (Falsification of Government Documents) or 18 U.S.C. 287 (Fraud).

a. If the percentage of planting quality for any subitem falls below 90% due to an insufficient number of satisfactory trees above-ground, the Contractor may be allowed to replant the subitem in order to achieve a higher planting quality percentage. Replanting will be subject to availability of tree stock and shall be requested in writing by the Contractor. Replanting, if allowed shall be done a maximum of one time. Replanting will not be allowed where the average below-ground quality for the subitem is less than 90%.

b. Following completion of replanting, a new inspection shall be made by the Contractor. Payment will be based on the new inspection.

c. The Contractor shall replant any subitem where the average planting quality falls below 80%, provided that:

i. Additional supplies of suitable seedlings are available and

ii. The original inspection indicated an average below-ground planting quality of not less than 90%.

d. The Contractor shall bear the cost of all re-inspections after replanting.