Attachment_A_Instructions_to_Vendors_and_SOW.pdf

ATTACHMENT A

Document No.

140G0123Q0012

Document Title Radio Tower Inspection Services

INSTRUCTION TO VENDORS

A discounted Open Market firm-fixed priced quotation and technical quotation package shall be submitted by 2:00 PM

EST, Wednesday, November 30, 2022. This will be a Total Small Business Set-Aside. The Quotations shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer at ndemby@usgs.gov. Faxed or mailed quotations will not be accepted. Vendors shall supply the USGS with a thorough quotation package demonstrating how they meet all requirements within the

Statement of Work (SO). Quotation packages shall be thorough enough to allow the USGS to perform a proper evaluation.

The following additional information must be supplied along with your quotation. Failure to submit this information may deem your quotation non-responsive and your quotation may not be considered.

1) Vendor’s technical Capabilities Statement (not to exceed two pages)

2) Business Size Classification

3) Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)

4) Federal Tax ID Number

5) Cost Breakdown to include travel, food, lodging, etc.

The award resulting from this RFQ will be based on lowest price technically acceptable (LPTA) quote. In determining technical acceptability, the following non-pricing criteria will be considered, not listed in any particular order of importance:

• Technical – Vendors ability to meet all aspects of the requirements listed in the Statement of Need/Specifications

• Experience – Vendors experience with the task outlined in the Statement of Work/Specifications

• Past performance – General recent experience and references (within the past two years)

All questions shall be submitted via email to ndemby@usgs.gov no later than 12:00 PM EST, Friday, November 18, 2022. Late questions will not be accepted.

(End Instructions to Vendors)

STATEMENT OF WORK RADIO INSPECTION (RI) – COMPLIANCE ASSESSMENT, SAFETY,

HEALTH, & THE ENVIRONMENT (CASHE) AT VARIOUS U.S GEOLOGICAL SURVEY FACILITIES IN

CALIFORNIA

1.0 General:

1.1 Scope. The Contractor shall provide all labor, equipment, materials, supplies, and services, except those identified as government-furnished in paragraph 2.0, necessary to provide a full site inspection of six (6) US Geological Survey (USGS) antenna sites/towers located in central California and to report on the condition and any resolution needed to bring the antenna towers into compliance with Motorola R56 safety regulations and identify deficiencies or compliance and detail with ANSI/TIA 22-G standards for tower functionality, structural integrity, electrical/grounding compliance and safety requirements.

mailto:ndemby@usgs.gov mailto:ndemby@usgs.gov

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1.2 Period of Performance: Date of Award through twelve (12) months. The contractor shall complete the inspection work within 120 days of contract award and shall complete the Final RI CASHE Report within 180 days of contract award.

1.3 Recognized Holidays:

1.3.1 New Year’s Day

1.3.2 Martin Luther King’s Birthday

1.3.3 President’s Day

1.3.4 Memorial Day

1.3.5 Independence Day

1.3.6 Juneteenth

1.3.7 Labor Day

1.3.8 Columbus Day

1.3.9 Veteran’s Day

1.3.10 Thanksgiving Day

1.3.11 Christmas Day

1.3.12 Any other day designated by a Federal statute, Executive Order, or Presidential

Proclamation

1.3.13 When a holiday falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday is observed; when a holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is observed.

1.4 Place and Performance of Services: The work shall be performed at six (6) USGS antenna sites/towers located throughout California. Specific locations are identified in Exhibit 1, Radio Site Locations.

1.5 Contractor Travel. All travel expenses, including transportation, visa and working permits, lodging and meals are the responsibility of the contractor.

2.0 Government Furnished Property, Material, Equipment and Services (GFP/M/E/S): The Government will provide the property, material, equipment, and/or services listed below solely for the purpose of performance under this contract:

None

3.0 Contractor Furnished Property, Materials, and Equipment (CFP/M/E): Except for those items specifically stated to be

Government-furnished in Paragraph 2.0, the contractor shall furnish everything required to perform the services indicated in paragraph 1.1.

4.0 RI CASHE Staff:

4.1 General: The contractor’s RI CASHE Team for each audit shall consist of two (2) individuals. The Government anticipates that the inspections should take no more than one (1) day per site. The Contractor will have latitude to schedule the inspections however they wish, as long as the entire task order is completed within 120 days after award. The

Contractor shall coordinate the inspection schedule with the Technical Liaison in order to ensure escorts to the sites are available.

4.2 Staff Experience:

4.2.1 The “radio infrastructure expert” shall be extremely knowledgeable about the standards listed in Exhibit 2, Applicable Standards, and is very experienced in the performance of safety condition assessments as they relate to radio sites.

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4.2.2 The “environmental professional” shall have a traditional facility compliance background related to safety, health, and environmental compliance and be very knowledgeable of USGS’s CASHE Program and typical environmental/safety issues found at radio sites, including, but not limited to, Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) Title

III, propane storage, and fuel storage issues.

5.0 REQUIREMENTS: The contractor shall:

5.1 Perform RI CASHE audits at the six (6) USGS antenna sites/towers located throughout California and identified in

Exhibit 1, Radio Site Locations. A Radio Antenna Tower is defined as a structure of 20 feet or higher, self-standing or guyed, designed to support a variety of radio antenna types and sizes for telemetry relay and base station purposes. RI

CASHE audits include field work and researching up to five (5) unresolved findings. The research of unresolved findings can be completed in the office, but all unresolved issues must be fully described in the Draft RI CASHE Report. The unresolved findings must be described to the point that the field understands what the unresolved issue is, the CASHE

Team’s concerns related to the unresolved issue, and how the team will resolve the issue.

5.2 Inspect the following items, at a minimum:

5.2.1 Tower and base. If possible, identify manufacturer and model of each tower.

5.2.2 Establish/confirm tower meta-data of actual height and GPS location,

5.2.3 Correctly categorize per tower TIA 222-G “structure classification,” “exposure category,” and “topographic category;”

5.2.4 Report when available per TIA 222-G Annex B, per tower and appropriate county.

5.2.5 Maximum and minimum basic wind speed without ice.

5.2.6 Maximum and minimum basic wind speed with ice.

5.2.7 Maximum and minimum design ice thickness.

5.2.8 Frost depth.

5.2.9 Maximum and minimum considered earthquake spectral response acceleration.

5.2.10 Verify structural guys integrity and bonding.

5.2.11 Climbing ladders.

5.2.12 Climbing safety cable and other height safety facilities.

5.2.13 All platforms.

5.2.14 Antenna grounding straps and grounding points are appropriate gauge and properly terminated.

5.2.15 Verify/check ground bus bar, if applicable.

5.2.16 Verify/check ice bridge structure, proper stand-off distance, bonding and grounding, if applicable.

5.2.17 Verify proper grounding/bonding per tower leg, if applicable.

5.2.18 Cables/cable clamps

5.2.19 Condition of paint/antenna corrosion.

5.2.20 Site structures/area/fencing

5.3 Inspection Coordination and Process.

5.3.1 Scheduling. The Contractor shall coordinate with the USGS Earthquake Hazards Group, Jacob Crummey

(jcrummey@usgs.gov), 650-690-5074, Menlo Park, California, on the itinerary and gaining access to the radio facilities during the audit.

5.3.2 Pre-Inspection Meeting. The contractor, Site or Facility Manager, and Project Manager shall conduct a Pre-

Inspection Meeting to coordinate the collection of available tower site information. The following topics shall be discussed, at a minimum:

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5.3.2.1 Comprehensive review of the Site or Facility Manager’s list of proposed work items and repetitive or continuing maintenance issues/problems; and

5.3.2.2 Review of any existing maintenance records, agency plans and projects, environmental audit reports, etc.

5.3.3 Inspection. Inspections shall consist of the following tasks. The Contractor shall provide their own high clearance four-wheel drive vehicle to access the radio sites. If a site cannot be accessed with a high clearance four-wheel drive vehicle, the USGS will provide the necessary transportation to the site.

5.3.3.1 The Contractor shall climb all USGS antenna towers from base to top and use digital cameras to record all non-compliant items/areas on each antenna tower and surrounding site area, including corrosions on the structural guys. At a minimum, the Contractor shall ATTACHMENT A Page 6 of 33 inspect the items listed in subparagraphs 5.2.1 – 5.2.20.

The government will consider drones as an alternative to using certified tower climbers as long as the inspections can be accomplished with the same level of detail as a physical inspection. Copies of all images/videos shall be provided with the inspection reports.

5.3.3.2 The Contractor shall supply the USGS engineer with two (2) USB flash drives with all recorded photos in JPEG format when inspection is complete.

5.3.3.3 The Contractor shall conduct phone interviews as necessary to obtain any information that was not available while on site. This includes, but is not limited to, interviewing representatives of standards organizations, regulators, and owners/operators of radio sites.

5.3.3.4 The Contractor shall inspect PPE used by USGS radio technicians for conformance/compliance with the most current version of applicable standards and regulations. The inspection shall address whether the appropriate PPE is being used for the operation and maintenance tasks performed at each radio site; if PPE is being issued, stored and maintained properly; and training of personnel on PPE use, storage and maintenance. Findings that recommend purchase of new PPE shall cite the specific standards the new PPE must meet. PPE to be inspected includes but is not limited to shock/electrical protection and eye protection.

5.3.4 Field Testing and Measuring. In addition to field observations, the Contractor shall take measurements to determine conformance/compliance with the standards/regulations listed in this SOW. The Contractor shall provide all necessary equipment and meters to safely make the observations and take the field measurements in accordance with recognized standards. The Contractor shall record measurement readings and enter them in the inspection summary. The Contractor shall prepare RI CASHE findings for deficiencies or hazards identified by the measurements. A USGS radio technician will be available to assist the Contractor in testing of grounding systems and line sweeping. The Contractor shall provide the necessary equipment and record the results. USGS radio technicians will assist in the identification of test points and connection of equipment to test grounds and radio frequency cables to ensure they are working correctly. The measurements to be taken in the field include, but are not limited to:

5.3.4.1 Radio Frequency (RF) energy. This includes actual field measurement of not only the USGS owned or leased tower, but also the RF levels that USGS telecommunication employees and the public may be exposed to while driving to the site and while in or on the site compound. The Contractor shall calculate the RF energy if a tower is not in operation, but the audit team feels it may pose a hazard if its RF level exceeds the maximum permissible exposure (MPE) limits.

5.3.4.2 Grounding. The Contractor shall take multiple observations and measurements of the grounding system to determine if it is in conformance/compliance with all appropriate standards/regulations.

5.3.4.3 Line Sweeping. The Contractor shall analyze every USGS-owned RF cable for deficiencies to determine if it is properly installed. If this requires disabling the radio link, coordination with USGS POC is required. No RF cables shall be disconnected without USGS approval.

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5.3.5 “Heads-up” Briefing. The CASHE Program Lead may or may not be present while the Contractor’s RI CASHE

Team is in the field conducting an audit. If the CASHE Program Lead is not present, and one or more of the following conditions is met during an RI CASHE audit, the Contractor shall provide a “heads-up” briefing by phone:

5.3.5.1 An environmental Priority Level IA or safety Risk Assessment Code 1 finding is identified.

5.3.5.2 A controversial finding is identified, and the finding is disputed by Field or State Office employees.

5.3.5.3 A USGS manager is not satisfied with the RI CASHE Team or disagrees with an RI CASHE finding.

5.3.5.4 The “Heads-up” Briefing shall address the issues of concern and suggested corrective actions, if any, which could be taken immediately, if necessary, due to the severity of the deficiency. If the CASHE Program Lead is not available by phone, the Contractor shall leave a voice mail message on their cell phone.

5.3.6 Post-Inspection Meeting. The contractor, Site or Facility Manager, and Project Manager shall conduct a Post-

Inspection Meeting to review all findings and proposed work. This meeting shall serve as a discussion forum to prioritize the deficiencies and shall be used as the basis for the Contractor’s RI CASHE Report.

5.3.7 Discussions of New Findings with Field Personnel. Prior to issuing the Final report, the Contractor shall contact the

National Radio Program Lead to discuss all new findings. A new finding is defined as a finding that was not included in the written draft final report that was given to the field office prior to the Team leaving the site. Initial contact with

National Radio Program Lead shall be by phone. If phone contact is not successful, contractor send an email describing the new findings, information needed, or questions needing answered. If the National Radio Program Lead fails to respond within five (5) business days, Contractor shall forward the original email to the National Radio Program Lead with copy to the Program Lead and Radio Facilities Program Lead (and no other cc’s), and describe the decision to be made or action to be taken if no response is received within 10 business days. If Contractor receives no response by the end of 10 business days of the second email, they may initiate the decision or action described in the email

5.4 Deliverables. The following Presentations, Checklists, Spreadsheets and Reports are to be prepared after each audit.

All submissions for these documents shall be provided electronically, by posting to a Contractor-provided web-based

SharePoint site which USGS personnel may access to view, download, and upload documents. The Contractor shall email an ATTACHMENT A Page 8 of 33 hyperlink to the documents on the SharePoint site with login, password and download instructions, along with instructions for accessing the site and the names and telephone numbers of at least two (2) contractor employees who could assist if a USGS employee has trouble downloading the documents from the SharePoint.

These emails shall be sent to Jacob Crummey (jcrummey@usgs.gov), USGS Earthquake Hazards Group, Menlo Park, California and to Curtis Wise (cwise@usgs.gov), USGS National Radio Program, Sioux Falls, SD Emails shall be sent

“Read Receipt Requested,” and are considered “delivered” when both individuals have received the emails. The

Contractor shall provide paper copies of deliverables and submittals only if requested by a National Radio Program Lead or District/Field Office radio Technician. All written and web-based materials, whether draft or final, are the property of the USGS and shall be preserved in accordance with Federal regulations.

5.4.1 RI CASHE Exit Presentation. The Contractor shall make a web conference PowerPoint presentation showing significant findings made during the week of field work. The presentation shall be given by the radio infrastructure expert, or another individual approved by the CASHE Program Lead. The presentation shall be scheduled for not later than 60 days following the week of field work, subject to availability of the State and Field Office personnel. Prior to formally scheduling the presentation, the Contractor shall poll the individuals listed below to determine and accommodate their availability. The contractor shall provide a toll-free telephone number that will allow up to 10 USGS employees to participate in the conference call/presentation as soon as the web conference is scheduled and send an email reminder the day before the presentation. Following the presentation, the Contractor shall post the presentation to its SharePoint site and provide a link to all participants and to the individuals listed below if they did not participate in the presentation.

Upon request, the Contractor shall also provide a CD/DVD with copies of all photos taken during each week of the RI

CASHE audits. At a minimum, the following individuals shall be invited to the web conference presentations:

5.4.1.1 Radio technician (field based) for each radio facility inspected.

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5.4.1.2 State Office Radio Program Lead.

5.4.1.3 State Safety Manager.

5.4.1.4 State Engineer.

5.4.1.5 Radio Facility Program Lead.

5.4.1.6 CASHE Program Lead.

5.4.2 DOI Radio Site Inspection Checklist. The Contractor shall complete the DOI Radio Site Inspection Checklist no later than 14 days after completion of the field work at each site and upload it to a contractor provided SharePoint site (see paragraph 5.4.7.5). The Contractor shall notify the individuals identified in sub-paragraphs 5.4.1.1 – 5.4.1.6 via email on the date the checklist is uploaded to the SharePoint site. The email shall identify ATTACHMENT A Page 9 of 33 the week the audit was performed; the names of the radio facilities for which completed checklists are available. The USGS will provide a copy of a blank checklist to the Contractor. The checklist includes the following major areas:

5.4.2.1 General Site Information (e.g., how the site is accessed.

5.4.2.2 Site Design and Development.

5.4.2.3 Site Building

5.4.2.4 External Grounding.

5.4.2.5 Internal Grounding.

5.4.2.6 Power.

5.4.2.7 Interference.

5.4.2.8 Equipment Installation.

5.4.2.9 Asset Inventory.

5.4.3 Spreadsheet Summary of Findings for Each Radio Facility. The Contractor shall summarize findings for each

District/Field Office radio site in an Excel spreadsheet. The purpose of the spreadsheet is to provide the field with a list of every finding applicable to each radio site so that the Engineering and Radio Programs can efficiently plan the work necessary to upgrade a site, therefore it is imperative that every finding be identified for each site. The spreadsheet shall include a separate tab for each radio site. Findings that are applicable to more than one radio site shall be listed for each site to which they are relevant. The summary spreadsheet shall include the following information:

5.4.3.1 Name of radio site (provide in spreadsheet title and as separate column).

5.4.3.2 Radio Frequency Authorization (RFA) number of radio site (provide in spreadsheet title, but not as separate column).

5.4.3.3 District/Field Office the site is physically located in (provide on spreadsheet title and as separate column.

5.4.3.4 National Office the site is physically located in (provide on spreadsheet title and as separate column).

5.4.3.5 Finding number (provided as separate column).

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5.4.3.6 Finding statement (provided as separate column)

5.4.3.7 Finding RAC (provided as separate column) (N/A if the finding is an environmental finding); 5.4.3.8 Finding priority level (provided as separate column) (N/A if the finding is a safety finding);

5.4.3.9 Estimated cost of recommended corrective action.;

5.4.3.10 Spreadsheet shall include the following column headings, with fields to be left blank for field use:

5.4.3.10.1 Finding assigned to engineering or radio.

5.4.3.10.2 Corrective action to be completed by in-house radio staff.

5.4.3.10.3 Corrective action to be completed by in-house Engineering/Ops or Contractor.

5.4.3.10.4 Current status.

5.4.3.10.5 Estimated completion date.

5.4.3.10.6 Actual completion date.

5.4.3.10.7 Current replacement value of the radio facility.

5.4.3.10.8 Facility cost index.

5.4.4 Preliminary Cost Estimate. The Contractor shall provide a preliminary cost estimate, which shall be generated from the DOI Radio Site Inspection Checklist and developed for the Standard Radio Facility Design. The cost shall be escalated to the current fiscal year dollars. The report front-end shall include a discussion of how the cost estimate was developed, source of the costing data, initial year the cost information was collected, items not included in the estimate (e.g., design fees), and the escalation factor used to bring the preliminary estimate up to the current fiscal year. The estimated cost for each recommended corrective action shall be entered on each finding.

5.4.5 Draft RI CASHE Report. The Contractor shall submit a Draft RI CASHE Report within 14 days after the field work at all sites has been completed. The Government will review the draft report and provide comments within 14 days after receipt of the report. The Contractor and Government may exchange drafts and comments multiple times to arrive at a

“Final Draft RI CASHE Report.”

5.4.5.1 Review Comments. Each office, National Office staff and National Radio Program Lead staff will provide comments directly to the Contractor. Comments may be handwritten in the submission, emailed, or provided on separate sheets. The Contractor shall contact the Program Lead if comments conflict or if the comments show that the commenter does not understand the finding. The Contractor shall incorporate all comments or discuss with the commenter why a comment was not incorporated. If the Contractor cannot satisfy a commenter, the Contractor shall contact the Program Lead and discuss the comment. If the Contractor believes any comment is out of the scope of the contract, they shall immediately bring it to the attention of the Technical Liaison, in writing, with a copy to the Program Lead. The Contractor shall not exceed the scope of work for this contract without written authorization of the CO.

5.4.5.1.1 Comments Not Incorporated Result in Submission Rejection. Failure of the Contractor to communicate on why a comment is not fully incorporated shall be grounds for rejection of that submission. The Contractor shall first attempt to contact the commenter via phone and if that is unsuccessful, shall leave a voicemail and email for the commenter describing the information needed or questions needing answered. If the commenter fails to reply within one (1) week, the contractor shall forward the initial email to the commenter, with copies to the National Radio Program Lead and the

Program Lead, with a description of the decision to be made or action to be taken if no response is received and giving a

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10-day response deadline. If the second email recipients fail to respond within the stated deadline, the Contractor may initiate the decision or action described in the email.

5.4.5.1.2 Rejection of Submission. The Contractor’s failure to incorporate comments to the satisfaction of the Technical

Liaison shall be grounds for rejection of the entire submission, or of the resubmission of unsatisfactory portions of the submission. The Technical Liaison is solely responsible for the decision as to whether an entire submission, or portion(s) of the submission, is rejected. The Contractor shall resubmit the report as many times as necessary to satisfy the Technical

Liaison, at no additional cost to the government. If the government fails to provide the information required to incorporate the comments to the Contractor after following the communication procedures in paragraph 5.4.5.1.1, the Technical

Liaison will not reject the submission.

5.4.6 Final RI CASHE Report. The Contractor shall submit a Final RI CASHE Report within 10 days after receipt of

Government comments on the “Draft Final” report. A hard copy of the final report shall be sent to the National Radio

Program Lead and to every District/Field Office which had a radio site inspected. [Note: This hard copy shall only include the findings. Copies of the checklists and spreadsheets are not to be provided in hard copy.] Hard copy reports shall be submitted in 3-ring binders with clear plastic spine and front cover pockets and hard plastic dividers at the front and back of each binder (to prevent pages from sticking to covers). Contractor shall provide cover and spine inserts which include:

report title, locations audited, dates of audit, and applicable logo. Contractor’s name shall appear on cover insert only. All unresolved issues are to be addressed in the report. In addition, the cover letter forwarding the final report must identify all new findings added to the report and how the unresolved findings were resolved, regardless of whether a new finding is added to the report.

5.4.7 RI CASHE Report Content. The draft and final reports shall be organized as follows, and address the topics and issues described below:

5.4.7.1 Section 1. Executive Summary. All summaries shall be contained in this section. Contractor shall prepare a separate executive summary for each site audited, and shall address the topics listed below, in the order listed:

5.4.7.1.1 Summary table of number of radio findings organized by audit protocol and risk assessment code. If more than one site was audited, separate tables shall be prepared for each site audited.

5.4.7.1.2 Summary table of number of environmental findings organized by audit protocol and priority level. If more than one site was audited, separate tables shall be prepared for each site audited.

5.4.7.1.3 Brief discussion of the number of high priority findings and the impact they have on the office’s Annual Status

Update rating if they are not completed.

5.4.7.1.4 Brief discussion of the checklists and spreadsheets that summarize all findings by radio facility available for download from the contractor’s SharePoint site, with instructions on how to download the documents.

5.4.7.1.5 Brief discussion on the Performance Measure; how the findings may impact an office’s performance rating; the availability of Corrective Action funding to implement corrective actions, the conditions/requirements on use of the funding, and how the field can request it. The Program Lead will provide information on Corrective Action funding to the

Contractor for incorporation into the Executive Summary.

5.4.7.2 Section 2. Introduction. The Contractor shall include the following information in the Introduction section of the report:

5.4.7.2.1 Background on why audit is being performed and a brief discussion of its purpose/objective.

5.4.7.2.2 Brief overview or listing of radio facilities assessed, organized by office.

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5.4.7.3 Section 3. Scope. The Contractor shall include the following information in the Scope section of the report:

5.4.7.3.1 Summary of which radio facilities were audited, organized by office, site and date of audit.

5.4.7.3.2 Listing of Federal, National, and local regulations relevant to the audit. If the report includes findings based on

National or local regulations that are more stringent than Federal regulations, briefly discuss the more stringent regulations. ATTACHMENT A Page 13 of 33

5.4.7.3.3 Summary of the evaluation processes used during the audit, including but not limited to:

5.4.7.3.3.1 Physical inspection of facilities by qualified contractor personnel.

5.4.7.3.3.2 Interviews of staff; measuring and testing of grounding systems, RF cables and RF energy.

5.4.7.3.3.3 Table of primary contacts and audit participants in each office, including name, office affiliation, job title and telephone number of each contact.

5.4.7.3.3.4 Brief description of professional credentials and years of auditing experience of the lead auditor and auditor.

5.4.7.4 Section 4. Radio Facility Findings. The Contractor shall include full descriptions of each radio facility’s compliance findings, to include:

5.4.7.4.1 The Contractor shall submit the written description of each finding in the format shown in Exhibits 3, Safety and

Radio Finding Format, and Exhibit 4, Environmental Finding Format. Exhibits 3 and 4 provide additional direction and clarity on how to prepare findings and the level of detail required. The first 1-3 paragraphs of each finding’s discussion shall be facility- and site-specific, describing the facility and the identified deficiencies. The discussion on how to correct the deficiencies and why they need to be corrected shall be web-based (see paragraph 5.4.7.5). Digital photos shall be used to support the facility- and site-specific issues, as well as the web-based discussion. The written report shall provide hyperlinks to additional regulatory guidance on the online platform for the user to access if he/she needs further guidance.

5.4.7.4.2 Findings shall be organized by office and by protocol. Additionally, the safety findings shall be grouped separately from environmental findings for each office.

5.4.7.4.3 Explain and/or justify the recommended corrective action in the discussion section of each finding. Briefly describe other measures considered, but not recommended, and provide a justification as to why they were not recommended.

5.4.7.4.4 If a recommendation is based on discussions with a regulatory agency, provide the name of the agency, branch/division within the agency, name of person contacted, title and phone number in the discussion section of the finding.

5.4.7.4.5 Provide specific regulatory, National or local regulatory, national standard (e.g., Motorola R56), or policy (e.g., DOI OCIO Directive 2009-008) citations for reach finding, including the library of standard findings. State the citation to the lowest level of reference partitioning possible for standards, regulations or policy applicable to the finding (i.e., cite

“Motorola R56 Standard 4.4.1.2.2 – ground rod installation,” versus simply citing “Motorola R56 Standard 4.4.1 – grounding electrodes”).

5.4.7.4.6 Provide findings based on best management practices. Best management practice recommendations are not based on regulatory requirements, nationally recognized standards, or DOI policy; they are strictly management practices that will enhance an office’s compliance. Items appropriate for this priority include risk reduction issues and good industry practices.

5.4.7.4.7 Standard Discussion Text in Reports and Regulatory/Industry.

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5.4.7.5 Web-based Information. The contractor shall provide a web site that will host the discussions on why an identified finding is a concern, how the concern should be addressed or corrected, and why the concern needs to be addressed or corrected.

5.4.7.5.1 The Contractor shall develop, host, populate, maintain, and troubleshoot the online information platform, as necessary. This includes, but is not limited to, making minor revisions when the DOI Radio Inspection Checklist and

Motorola R56 Standard are revised.

5.4.7.5.2 The contractor shall update the online platform and make it available to all USGS radio engineering personnel, and radio and engineering personnel from other agencies and bureaus, as applicable. Web-based information shall be organized and presented in a manner consistent with current checklist and reporting structure. Web-based information should not be site-specific; however, any site-specific requirements shall be identified as such.

5.4.7.5.3 The web-based information shall be organized to facilitate browsing by users, with hyperlinks directing users from the findings to specific discussion topics. Once available online, the text will not be included in written reports (i.e.

hyperlinks to the online text will replace text in the written report).

5.4.7.5.4 Hyperlinks from finding discussions to regulations/industry standards shall link to the section or subsection of the standard directly applicable to the finding, rather than merely to the chapter. Most findings will have several hyperlinks to specific sections/subsections of regulations/industry standards, allowing the reader to easily obtain supporting information on the finding.

5.4.7.5.5 The online content shall include photographs, figures, links to other websites, etc. to supplement and aid in the understanding of each finding’s discussion and facilitate implementation of the recommendations. (For example, the online content may contain photographs of tinned bus bars and how to properly secure RF cable to a tower or ice bridge, figures from the Motorola R56 Standard, links to the applicable section or subsection of the Motorola R56 Standard, and links to sources for Type 1 and Type 3 surge protection devices.) The contractor shall continue to provide photographs of site-specific deficiencies in the written report. ATTACHMENT A Page 15 of 33

5.4.7.5.6 The web-based platform shall be user-name login and password protected. Usernames and passwords shall be issued to as many agencies or bureau employees as requested.

5.4.7.5.7 The web-based content belongs to the USGS and shall be provided upon request.

5.4.7.5.8 The web-based findings discussions shall include the following information, at a minimum:

5.4.7.5.8.1 Standard discussion text.

5.4.7.5.8.2 Figures.

5.4.7.5.8.3 Photographs; and

5.4.7.5.8.4 Hyperlinks to regulatory/industry standards (e.g., Motorola R56 Standard) and vendor information.

5.4.7.6 Findings. Findings shall be written to describe every failed, unsafe, unsatisfactory or non-conformance/noncompliance condition identified at each inspected radio facility. Digital photos shall be used to support and document the findings and recommendations. The report for each week of an audit is to have a separate section for each of the offices that correspond to the locations inspected. Each radio facility inspected during an audit will have its own set of finding in a separate subsection of the report. The subsections of the report are to be grouped into district/field office sections. A finding common to two or more radio facilities shall be written for each facility individually and not be grouped into a single finding. If radio facilities administratively report to the National Office and not a district/field office, 140G0123Q0012 the report sections will still be organized into sections that correspond to the district/field office in which the radio site is physically located.

5.4.7.6.1 Finding number.

5.4.7.6.2 Finding statement.

5.4.7.6.3 Safety RAC or Environmental Priority Level.

5.4.7.6.4 Detailed description of the onsite conditions and the identified deficiencies relevant to the finding statement.

5.4.7.6.5 Labeled photographs of the identified deficiencies relevant to the finding statement.

5.4.7.6.6 Hyperlink to the standard discussion content that will be hosted online.

5.4.7.6.7 Recommendations.

5.4.7.6.8 Preliminary cost estimate generated from the DOI Radio Site Inspection Checklist. [Note: cost estimate is provided only in the final report.] The cost shall be escalated to the current fiscal year dollars.

5.4.7.6.9 Driving references.

5.4.7.7 Unresolved Findings. The phrase, “It could not be determined if ...” or any similar phrase may only be used in draft final reports. Any finding for which that statement is used must be resolved to identify if there is a finding.

5.4.7.7.1 The contractor is responsible for contacting and interviewing the appropriate individuals to resolve the issue.

5.4.7.7.2 Individuals to be contacted include, but are not limited to, persons representing standards organizations (e.g., NFPA, Motorola) regulators, employees, and owners/operators of radio sites.

5.4.7.8 For each asset, preserve existing deficiency records and update descriptions, estimates and other data as needed to bring the project up to date and identify new deficiencies.

5.4.7.9 Provide a component renewal plan for each asset through life cycle assessments.

5.4.7.10 Generate cost estimates for correcting or abating the deficiencies and replacing components for each asset or equipment.

5.4.7.11 Calculate and provide the Current Replacement Value (CRV) for each asset.

6.0 Special Considerations:

6.1 The contractor shall coordinate scheduling for site visits and inspections through the Technical Liaison or designated representative (USGS site POC’s) and the Project Lead.

6.2 The contractor shall coordinate all inspection activities with the USGS engineer and site manager.

6.3 The contractor shall supply all riggers, digital cameras, safety climbing and personal protective equipment (PPE), tools and materials.

6.4 The contractor shall comply with U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) construction safety requirements, including fall protection requirements of OSHA 1926.501.

6.4.1 The contractor is responsible for safely climbing antenna towers with proper fall protection, and for the safety of its employees, PPE, tools and materials.

6.4.2 The contractor shall always use double lanyard to climb and work on antenna towers for fall protection. Use of single lanyard is not permitted. 100% tie—off and fall protection shall be used whenever climbing and working on any antenna towers, without exception.

140G0123Q0012

EXHIBIT 1

RADIO SITE LOCATIONS

SITE Latitude Longitude Site

Address

Location

Site Manager

Company/

Affiliation Phone

Number

USGS Site POC

1 Dry Creek 38.76778

-123.239555

See

Latitude

Longitude

Jacob Crummey

USGS

650-690-5074

Jacob Crummey

2 Camp Six 41.830379

-123.876884

Longitude

Jacob Crummey

3 Brewer

Creek

41.40942

-122.06776

Longitude

Jacob Crummey

4 Lassen

Deep Hole

40.511902

-121.581596

Longitude

Jacob Crummey

5 Tuscan

Springs

40.20842

-122.125481

Longitude

Jacob Crummey

6 Devils

Postpile

37.632267

-119.079353

Longitude

Jacob Crummey

140G0123Q0012

7 Buck Hill

35.92538

-120.53627

Longitude

Jacob Crummey

8 SAFOD

Relay

35.97398

-120.551201

Longitude

Jacob Crummey

9 Smith

Mountain

36.068806

-120.596184

Longitude

Jacob Crummey

1 The radio station locations do not have street addresses; the listed latitude and longitude and contacting the USGS Site

POC is the best way to obtain access to each site listed. 2 Contact the USGS Radio Site Point of Contact/Owner to coordinate and obtain access to each facility

140G0123Q0012

EXHIBIT 2

APPLICABLE STANDARDS

Motorola R56 Safety Regulations

PBS PQ100.1, Facility Standards for the Public Buildings Service, December 23, 1993, as revised June

14, 1994

Energy Policy and Conservation Act (P.L. 94-163, Energy Policy Act of 1992 (P.L. 102-486, 106 Stat.

2776)

Executive Order 12902, Energy Efficiency and Water Conservation at Federal Facilities, March 6, National Electric Code (NEC)

National Fire Protection Association Guide Lines (NFPA)

National Fire Protection Association Guide Lines (NFPA) including the National Electric Code and

Life Safety Code that are part of the NFPA standards

2016 Guidance For Real Property Inventory Reporting, May 16, 2016 at https://www.gsa.gov/cdnstatic/FY_2016_FRPP_Data_Dictionary_May_16__2016.pdf

Executive Order 13423 Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation

Management

Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) Rapid Visual Screening of Buildings for

Potential Seismic Hazards, Handbook FEMA P-154, Edition 2/March 2002

ANSI/TIA-222-H

https://www.gsa.gov/cdnstatic/FY_2016_FRPP_Data_Dictionary_May_16__2016.pdf

140G0123Q0012

EXHIBIT 3

SAFETY AND RADIO FINDING FORMAT PROTOCOL TITLE – PROTOCOL ACROYMN

Finding Number: The finding number is the protocol acronym followed by a dash, then a two-digit number representing the calendar year in which the audit was conducted. Following the two-digit number is another dash then a three-digit number. This is a sequential number to identify each finding for a specific protocol from the others. For example, if an office audited in 2020 has a total of ten electrical findings, the finding number for the tenth electrical finding would be

ELEC-20-010.

Finding: This is a single sentence statement of fact describing the facility compliance issue and where it was found at the facility. For example: Electricity is provided to the telephone computer systems in the telephone room by an extension cord that is run from the wall to the equipment rack.

Repeat Finding: A repeat finding is when the exact same incident on noncompliance that was identified in a previous audit is identified during the next follow-up audit. For example, the same unlabeled drum of unknown liquid is still stored in the same yard. Enter “yes” or “no” as appropriate. If the finding was documented in the previous CASHE Report for the facility being audited “yes” is entered, otherwise “no” is entered.

Recurring Issue: A recurring issue is when the same noncompliance from the previous CASHE audit is identified, but it is not found under the exact same circumstances. For example, the previous CASHE Report documents a table saw not equipped with a manual restart switch. During this CASHE, a band saw without a manual restart switch is identified. This is a recurring issue, but not a repeat finding. By definition, a repeat finding is a recurring issue. Enter “yes” or “no” as appropriate. If a similar, but not identical, finding was documented in the previous CASHE Report for the facility being audited “yes” is entered, otherwise “no” is entered.

Safety RAC: This is the Risk Assessment Code (RAC) assigned to the finding. RACs are assigned based on the hazard probability and severity of the accident. The matrix for selecting the codes is provided as Exhibit 3-2, RAS Matrix.

Discussion: The section will provide details of the facility compliance issue. [Note: Facility compliance issue includes but is not limited to violations and/or nonconformance with the regulations, nationally recognized standards, and policy identified in paragraphs 2.1 and 2.2 of this scope of work.] The details to be discussed include, but are not limited to the following: where specifically the finding is located (e.g., flammable storage cabinet in warehouse) and actions/research done by the CASHE Team in the field or in the office to further clarify or refine the compliance issues (e.g., CASHE

Team reviewed drawings or talked to field personnel). This description should make it very clear to the reader that the

CASHE Team was at the facility, carefully evaluated the conditions, and talked to the appropriate personnel about the compliance issue.

The applicable sections of regulations or national recognized standards (e.g., Motorola R56, NFPA) that are relevant to the finding and form the basis for it shall also be discussed. When necessary, the CASHE Team shall contact regulatory personnel to verify or clarify that its interpretation of how a regulation applies is correct. When regulatory personnel are contacted, the name of the person, their telephone number, their job title, and the name of the agency, and branch within the agency for which they work shall be provided.

Finally, the alternative corrective actions that were considered, but not recommended must be described and why they were not chosen (e.g., economic, technical). If all research cannot be completed in the field or if regulatory agency must be contacted.

RI CASHE findings shall include numerous digital photographs to facilitate understanding of the deficiencies identified and the recommended corrective actions.

140G0123Q0012

Recommendation(s):

1. Describe the action(s) that should be taken to fully implement the measure.

2. There may be multiple recommendations because the office must complete one task or verify an assumption prior to implementation of the next action; and.

3. There could also be a recommendation to do 1 or 2; or,

4. Perform 1 and 2 or 2 and 3.

Driving Reference(s):

The specific citation or citations that require the recommended actions be taken. The citations shall be provided down to the lowest possible level. For example, the OSHA regulation that requires containers of flammable and combustible liquids be kept closed except when in use is 29 CFR 1910.106(e)(2)(iv)(a). Citations shall be provided from all applicable regulations and nationally recognized standards including but not limited to Federal, state, local, and nationally recognized standards. A safety finding may have EPA citations in addition to OSHA and national recognized standards references. Citations from Executive Orders, Departmental, and/or USGS policy shall also be provided. [Note: Citations must be provided for violations and/or nonconformance with the regulations, nationally recognized standards, and policy identified in Exhibit 2.

The USGS field personnel provide the information for the last two fields. They will be provided as shown on each finding. The Contractor shall incorporate the information provided by field personnel into the appropriate field when preparing the Final RI CASHE Report. The Contractor shall solicit the information from the field personnel using the same procedure discussed in SOW paragraph 5.4.5.1. If no comments are received, the Contractor shall insert

“unassigned” for the

“Point(s) of Contact” field, and “unscheduled” for the “Status of Corrective Action” field.

Point(s) of Contact: _____________________________________________

(First and Last names, no groups, or committees)

Status of Corrective Action: ______________________________________________

(e.g., Scheduled for completion by MM/DD/YY; Completed on MM/DD/YY; Funding requested, scheduled for completion by…; Preliminary planning, scheduled for completion by…)

Facility Name: The name of the facility where the finding was discovered. This information is currently only provided in the Final CASHE Report. When the CASHE and Safety Management Module is fully operational it will be provided in all reports.

Facility Category: The type of facility where the where the finding was discovered. This information is currently only provided in the Final CASHE Report. When the CASHE and Safety Management Module is fully operational it will be provided in all reports.

EXHIBIT 3-1

SAMPLE FINDING

ELECTRICAL – ELEC

Finding Number: ELEC-15-003

Finding: Electricity is provided to the telephone computer systems in the telephone room by an extension cord that is run from the wall to the equipment rack.

140G0123Q0012

Repeat Finding: No

Recurring Issue: No

Safety RAC: 3

Discussion: OSHA regulations require that fixed equipment be plugged directly into a permanent electrical receptacle. Extension cords draw excess amperage from the receptacle, creating an over current, which in turn creates heat in the cord and the receptacle. This is a fire and electrocution hazard. Extension cords are permissible for temporary use only. The computers are considered fixed equipment because they are not portable items easily relocated for use in multiple locations, such as power tools.

Recommendation: Install a permanently wired electrical receptacle near the telephone computer system to allow this equipment to be plugged in directly.

Driving Reference(s): 29 CFR 1910.305(g)(1)(iii)(A) – flexible cords and cables

Point(s) of Contact: _______________________________________________

(First and Last names, no groups or committees)

Status of Corrective Action: _______________________________________________

(e.g., Scheduled for completion by MM/DD/YY; Completed on MM/DD/YY; Funding requested, scheduled for completion by…; Preliminary planning, scheduled for completion by…)

Facility Name: Worland Field Office

Facility Category: Field Office

EXHIBIT 3-2

RAS MATRIX

Risk Assessment Code (RAC) is assigned to all RI CASHE safety findings. DOI uses a Risk

Assessment System (RAS) for prioritizing the correction of health and safety deficiencies. The

RAS provides managers with a methodology for identifying hazardous conditions that warrant immediate action and those that can be addressed in the future.

The RAS ranks health and safety hazards using Risk Assessment Codes (RAC). The RAC considers the hazard severity, the probability of occurrence, and the number of people exposed or the potential loss in the event of a failure.

RAC Description

1 An immediate danger to life, health, or property and requires emergency correction or hazard controlled to a lower level of risk, as soon as possible within that work shift.

2 A high level of threat to life, health, or property and requires hazard correction or hazard

140G0123Q0012 controlled to a lower level of risk, as soon as possible, but no later than 15 days.

3 A medium-level risk to life, health, or property, with correction planned and completed, or hazard controlled to a lower level of risk within 12 months

4 A low-level risk, with correction planned and completed, or hazard controlled to a lower level of risk, within a 2-year period

Severity RAC

Catastrophic (I) 1 1 2 3

Critical (II) 1 2 3 4

Significant (III) 2 3 4 5

Minor (IV) 3 4 5 5

Probability: Frequent (A) Likely (B) Occasional (C) Rarely (D)

The severity code in the risk assessment system matrix describes the most serious type of injury or illness that can reasonably be expected from the exposure to the hazard.

SEVERITY

SEVERITY

CODE

Catastrophic Immediate and imminent danger of death or permanent disability, chronic or irreversible illness, major property or resource damage.

I

Critical Permanent partial disability, temporary total disability greater than 3 months, significant property or resource damage.

II

Significant Hospitalized minor injury, reversible illness, period of disability 3 months or less, loss or restricted workday accident, compensable injury illness, minor property or resource damage.

III

Minor First aid or minor medical treatment. Presents minimal threat to human safety and health, property or resources, but is still in violation of a standard.

IV

The probability code in the risk assessment system matrix describes the likelihood that a condition related hazard will occur.