Attachment G_SOW_Boardman_WGS_HabitatRestoration_FY26_2026-05-18_v8.pdf

OregonBuys Bid # S-24800-00016979 for Intermediate Procurement W912JV26C3002 Att G

ATTACHMENT G – STATEMENT OF WORK

Habitat Restoration and Enhancement for the Construction of the Oregon Army National Guard

Multi-Purpose Machine Gun Range at the US Navy Boardman Bombing Range, Boardman, Oregon

1. Background and Purpose

The Oregon Military Department (OMD) on behalf of the Oregon Army National Guard (ORARNG) is soliciting proposals to complete habitat restoration and enhancement per mitigation requirements under the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the construction of the Oregon Army National Guard Multi-Purpose Machine Gun Range (MPMG) on US Navy Boardman Bombing Range managed and operated by the US Department of the Navy (DON).

Signed in 2013, the EIS Record of Decision (ROD) stated that the proposed construction of the MPMG would result in unavoidable impacts to historically occupied and suitable Washington ground squirrel (WGS) habitat. At that time, the WGS was proposed for listing under the Endangered Species Act, therefore, during the development of the EIS, a Conference Opinion (CO) was developed and signed in consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to avoid potential impacts to the species by the proposed action. Although the USFWS determined that listing was not warranted shortly after the ROD was signed, mitigation measures described in the CO were adopted into the EIS and remain unchanged as listing of the species was precluded by USFWS in large part due to the population that persists within the Bombing Range. Therefore, the habitat restoration and enhancement requirements below were extracted from those solidified within the EIS.

Habitat related requirements to reduce adverse impacts to WGS habitat from the construction and use of the MPMG include both pre- and post-construction Best Management Practices (BMPs) and mitigation measures. These include habitat restoration of temporarily disturbed ground within the range construction footprint and vegetation enhancement to existing WGS habitat. In general, both restoration and habitat enhancement efforts could include the following components: obtaining and/or propagating plant materials (including nursery grow-out), site preparation, planting, and post-planting weed control.

Background information is provided for context only. Enforceable requirements are identified through “Contractor shall” statements, defined tasks, deliverables, and success criteria.

2. Project Overview

The Work under this Contract consists of habitat restoration and habitat enhancement activities intended to mitigate impacts associated with construction of the Oregon Army National Guard Multi-Purpose Machine Gun Range. Work will be implemented in three phases as described below.

The Work under this Contract consists of both required and optional habitat restoration and enhancement activities.

The required base scope of work consists of:

• Phase I – Restoration of Temporarily Disturbed Areas

• Phase II – Habitat Enhancement within Work Area 1 (112 Acres)

Optional work that may be authorized by the Agency consists of:

• Phase III – Optional Habitat Enhancement within Optional Work Area 2 (up to 307 Acres)

The Agency recognizes that portions of the restoration effort are adaptive in nature and that final implementation methods may require refinement following initial site assessment activities.

3. Phase I: Restoration of Temporarily Disturbed Areas

Restoration for the development of the range states that areas temporarily disturbed during construction would be revegetated with native grass species and the inoculation of soil crusts salvaged immediately prior to or in coordination with construction, as scheduled by the Agency.

Ground disturbing activities during construction of the range would include up to 30 acres, 14 acres of which are required to be revegetated once construction is completed.

3.1. Pre-Construction Soil Crust Salvage:

Prior to construction, BMPs require that cryptogamic soil crust would be salvaged for post-construction habitat restoration on 14 acres within the MPMG footprint. Based on field surveys completed in October of 2020, the soil crusts on the MPMG are primarily composed of short mosses, (twisted moss, Syntrichia ruralis, and fire moss, Ceratodon purpureus) with no obvious lichen component. Soil crusts composed primarily of cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, are also likely present but were not identified during the field survey as they are very difficult to identify with the naked eye in their early stages of development (Rosentreter et al. 2007). Results from the survey estimated cryptogamic soil crust cover to be 1 to 5 percent in less disturbed areas of the range, but were absent or minimal near the existing roads, parking areas, and firing positions subject to recent ground disturbance. In May of 2023, a fast-moving range fire burned approximately 2,000 acres including most of the proposed MPMG footprint. That fall, herbicide (Plateau and Milestone) to control emerging annual grasses and invasive knapweed were applied. It is unknown if soil crust cover estimates have since changed.

Pre-construction soil crust salvage must consider the following:

• Methods for salvage and storage should follow those described in the 2021 Boardman Cryptogamic Soil Crust Salvage Plan (OMD 2021) provided as Exhibit 5, or similar methods that use current practices based on the best available science.

• The area in which soil is permitted to be salvaged shall be limited to the 30 acres of authorized ground disturbance associated with construction of the range. Soil crust salvage shall be coordinated with OMD staff and the construction contractor and may occur only after the authorized disturbance area has been surveyed and clearly delineated.

• The timing of salvage activities shall be coordinated to align with construction sequencing as directed by the Agency. The estimated start timeframe is June or July of 2026.

• The quantity and availability of existing soil crust within the 30 acres is unknown.

Therefore, soil crust shall be salvaged until there is either no crust available to salvage or enough crust has been salvaged to successfully inoculate the required 14 acres.

• Salvaged soil crust must be salvaged and stored such that it remains viable throughout construction of the range (~12-18 months) to ensure successful reestablishment.

• Vacant WWII munitions storage igloos located at the Rees Training Center near Hermiston, Oregon are available for storage of soil crust, but only during cooler months (approximately October to May) when internal temperatures are at or below 63 degrees Fahrenheit. During summer months, igloo temperatures may not be suitable. The Contractor shall identify and implement storage options during months when igloo temperatures are not suitable for storage (June-September). Coordination with OMD staff to monitor igloo temperatures during the summer months can be arranged.

3.2. Post-Construction Revegetation:

Once construction of the range is completed, all temporarily disturbed areas (up to 14 acres) must be revegetated. Proposed revegetation must consider the following requirements listed below.

• Soil crust inoculation must be timed accordingly with reseeding efforts and applied using scientifically sound methods and current practices to create successful re-establishment. Inoculation methods may include those described in the 2021 Boardman Cryptogamic Soil Crust Salvage Plan (OMD 2021) provided as Exhibit 5, or by other viable methods. If alternative methods such as slurry applications are used, please provide a detailed description of the alternative method and references or examples in which this method has been used successfully.

• Soil crust inoculation will be considered successful upon completion of the action.

• Reseeding must use the approved native perennial grass seed mix listed below (Table 1). Seed sources should be obtained from within the Columbia Plateau Ecoregion.

The native grass mix was selected for its value as WGS foraging habitat and resiliency against future wildfire. Proposed changes to the species mix will be considered but must be justified using current restoration practices and/or best available science.

• The final approved native grass seed mix should be applied using methods, timing, and at rates necessary for OMD to meet the success criteria for revegetation for the construction of the range.

• The EIS establishes long-term revegetation success criteria requiring uniform coverage of at least 80% of a representative bunchgrass stand within three years of the initial restoration effort.

OMD recognizes that the contract performance period may expire prior to completion of the full EIS monitoring period. Therefore, performance will be evaluated based on the implementation of the approved work plan and demonstration that restoration methods and implementation are reasonably supporting progression towards the 3-year EIS restoration objectives.

• Fertilizers should not be used for plantings as they promote unwanted non-native species growth.

• Monitoring should be included to ensure success criteria for reseeding are met and documented.

4. Phase II: Habitat Enhancement for WGS

The purpose of habitat enhancement for WGS is to mitigate the permanent loss of habitat from the development of the range and associated facilities and long-term habitat degradation from range operations and noise. The overall mitigation goals stated in the EIS are no net loss of habitat quantity or quality and to provide a net benefit of habitat quantity and quality for the WGS. Habitat enhancement at degraded sites would provide the structure of the pre-disturbance plant communities, increase resistance to further weed invasion, and reduce the risk of high-intensity, frequent fires.

All habitat enhancement would occur within the Boardman Resource Management Area (RMA) located in the southern portion of the installation (Exhibit 1). The RMA was selected for its connectivity to habitats affected by the range development, as it’s located within an area that is compatible with current and proposed military readiness training and is within currently or historically occupied WGS habitat.

During the development of the EIS, potential mitigation sites within the RMA were assigned an ecological condition class to support impact assessment and mitigation planning efforts.

Approved locations within the RMA have a medium-low ecological condition class. Medium-low condition class is described as burned areas previously dominated by native shrubs (mainly sagebrush) and currently dominated by non-native annual plant species. More specifically, these areas are dominated by cheatgrass, other exotic species, and can include disturbance-adapted native species such as rabbitbrush. Sandberg bluegrass (Poa secunda) is often the only native perennial bunchgrass present. Overall enhancement objectives for these areas aim to increase native sagebrush densities, increase perennial bunchgrass densities, and detect and control noxious weeds. Noxious weeds are those listed as noxious by Morrow County.

4.1. Work Area (Area 1 – 112 Acres):

The Phase II work area encompasses 112 acres within the RMA. Habitat enhancement at this location was initiated in fall 2022 and continued until January of 2024, but was not completed. This site was classified as having a medium-low ecological condition class. Once dominated by sagebrush, this area experienced wildfire in 2015 resulting in the loss of sagebrush and an increase of non-native plants. Therefore, our Phase II priority is to complete habitat enhancements within the 112-acre site as needed to meet the success criteria within three years of re-initiation.

In fall of 2022, the pre-emergent herbicide, Rejuvra, was applied at a rate of 4.92 oz per acre to control the germination of cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) and other invasive species using a boom sprayer. In early January of 2024, 55 acres of the northern portion of the site were imprinted with native perennial grasses and forbs. Immediately following seeding, 5,600 sagebrush plugs grown in 10 cubic inch pots were planted within 560 planting islands at a density of roughly 5 islands per acre across the full 112-acre site. Within each planting island 10 plugs were installed using hoedads spaced approximately 3 meters apart.

Preliminary monitoring in November of 2024, observed that sagebrush survival within 10 sampled planting islands was 81%. From experience with previous plantings of sagebrush on Boardman, we anticipate future surveys across additional planting islands will increase overall survivorship. Assessment of native seed success was not possible since seed requires time to germinate and establish. Based on these preliminary results from November of 2024, additional shrub planting may not be required, but additional herbicide applications and seeding will be needed to meet the success criteria defined in Section 4.3.

Upon award of the Contract, the Contractor shall conduct a site assessment survey to evaluate existing site conditions. Once evaluated, site assessment data will be used to refine the work plan and identify any recommended optional or supplemental restoration activities necessary to support achievement of the success criteria.

Based on preliminary monitoring results, OMD currently believes that existing shrub plantings within Work Area 1 are generally viable and that supplemental shrub planting may not be necessary to achieve the defined success criteria. The Contractor shall validate shrub density as part of the Phase II site assessment.

4.2. Habitat Enhancement Methods for Phase II:

• Habitat enhancement methods would generally follow those implemented in the past within the RMA (Elseroad 2007, Elseroad 2008) provided as Exhibits 3 and 4, and/or similar methods that incorporate current restoration practices and best available science sufficient to reasonably support achievement of the success criteria listed below.

• For the Phase II Work Area, these methods generally would include the following components: obtaining native seed, site preparation, planting, and post-planting weed control.

• Planting must use native grass species listed below (Table 1). Materials should be sourced from within the Columbia Plateau Ecoregion. The list of species was selected for its value as WGS foraging habitat and resiliency against future wildfire. Proposed changes to the list will be considered but must be justified using current restoration practices and/or best available science.

• All planting should use methods, timing, and at rates necessary to meet the success criteria listed below.

• Methods used should ensure any existing shrubs remain undamaged.

• Fertilizers should not be used for plantings as they promote unwanted non-native species growth.

• Monitoring must be included only to the extent needed to ensure success criteria are met and documented.

• All planting activities that involve soil disturbance greater than 6” in depth within the RMA will require the immediate area of disturbance be scanned using a hand-held metal detector provided by OMD to ensure avoidance of any munitions of explosive concern (MEC). This generally only applies when planting plugs and does not generally apply to drill seeding or imprint seeding methods of planting. MEC awareness will be provided annually during the initial site briefing for all contractors working on Boardman.

4.3. Success Criteria for Phase II:

The Contractor shall implement habitat enhancement activities within Area 1 sufficient to achieve the following:

• Increase native plant density to provide uniform coverage of at least 80% of a representative bunchgrass stand within 3 years of initial restoration effort.

• Increase native shrub density to one seedling per square meter over a 10 square meter area in each seedling focus area with five focus areas per acre.

4.4. Implementation and Monitoring for Phase II:

The Contractor shall:

• Evaluate existing site conditions within Work Area 1.

• Based on the existing site conditions, identify and implement additional seeding, herbicide treatment and other actions necessary to achieve success criteria.

• Throughout the contract period, adjust methods as needed based on site conditions and monitoring results.

• Control noxious weeds annually using methods sufficient to reasonably support achievement of the success criteria.

• OMD believes that previous shrub plantings have already met the success criteria for shrub densities. Therefore, no additional shrub planting should be needed. However, shrub density should be validated. If additional shrubs are required to meet the success criteria a contract amendment may be issued for the additional requirement.

Table 1. Pre-approved native species list for planting on US Navy Boardman Bombing Range.

Common Name Genus Species Bunchgrass

Bluebunch wheatgrass Pseudoroegneria spicatum Sandberg bluegrass Poa secunda Idaho fescue Festuca idahoensis Needle and thread grass Hesperostipa comata Squirrel-tail bottlebrush Elymus elymoides Indian ricegrass Achnatherum hymenoides

Shrubs (Phase III only) Big sagebrush Artemisia tridentata

4.5. Potential Additional Work

Based on monitoring results, site conditions, or restoration performance, the Agency may authorize additional restoration activities necessary to support achievement of the success criteria. Such activities may include supplemental seeding, shrub planting, herbicide treatment, expanded treatment areas, or additional monitoring.

5. Phase III: Optional Habitat Enhancement (Optional Work)

Phase III consists of optional habitat enhancement work that may be authorized by the Agency during the Contract term and is subject to available funding, Agency authorization, and Contract limitations.

5.1. Optional Work Area (Area 2 – up to 307 acres):

If authorized, Phase III habitat enhancement work would be conducted on up to 307 additional acres located within the Boardman RMA identified by the Agency and approved by the DON. Similar to Area 1, Optional Work Area 2 is classified as a medium-low ecological condition class that has experienced past wildfire resulting in the loss of sagebrush and increase of non-native plants.

For Phase III, Optional Work Area 2, an initial site assessment survey shall be conducted to evaluate existing site conditions. Once evaluated, the data will be used to refine a work plan and cost estimate to determine the appropriate level of habitat enhancement activities needed to achieve the success criteria defined in Section 5.3. If the initial site assessment indicates a deviation from the indicated medium-low ecological condition class of the area, changes to the success criteria may be needed, in which case a contract amendment would be issued.

5.2. Habitat Enhancement Methods for Phase III:

Habitat enhancement methods for Optional Work Area 2 include the following:

• Habitat enhancement methods would generally follow those implemented in the past within the RMA (Elseroad 2007, Elseroad 2008) provided as Exhibits 3 and 4, and/or similar methods that incorporate current restoration practices and best available science sufficient to reasonably support achievement of the success criteria listed below.

• Methods generally would include the following components: obtaining and/or propagating plant materials (including nursery grow-out), site preparation, planting, and post-planting weed control.

• Planting must use native grass species listed below (Table 1). Materials should be sourced from within the Columbia Plateau Ecoregion. The list of species was selected for its value as WGS foraging habitat and resiliency against future wildfire.

Proposed changes to the list will be considered but must be justified using current restoration practices and/or best available science.

• Plant Propagation / Grow-Out: The Contractor may propagate, procure, and/or secure plant materials in advance of installation to meet project requirements. Plant materials produced or obtained through nursery grow-out shall be consistent with the approved species list, quantities, and specifications. Plant materials must be maintained in a condition suitable for installation and coordinated with the project schedule. Plant materials shall be verifiably produced or secured and dedicated to this project prior to installation.

• All planting should use methods, timing, and at rates necessary to meet the success criteria listed below.

• Methods used should ensure any existing shrubs remain undamaged.

• Fertilizers should not be used for plantings as they promote unwanted non-native species growth.

• Monitoring must be included only to the extent needed to ensure success criteria are met and documented.

• All planting activities that involve soil disturbance greater than 6” in depth within the RMA will require the immediate area of disturbance be scanned using a hand-held metal detector provided by OMD to ensure avoidance of any munitions of explosive concern (MEC). This generally only applies when planting plugs and does not generally apply to drill seeding or imprint seeding methods of planting. MEC awareness will be provided annually during the initial site briefing for all contractors working on Boardman.

5.3. Success Criteria for Phase III:

The Contractor shall implement habitat enhancement activities sufficient to achieve the following:

• Increase native shrub density to one seedling per square meter over a 10 square meter area in each seedling focus area with five focus areas per acre.

• Increase native plant density to provide uniform coverage of at least 80% of a representative bunchgrass stand within 3 years of initial restoration effort.

5.4. Implementation and Monitoring for Phase III:

The Contractor shall:

• Evaluate existing conditions within Optional Work Area 2.

• Identify and implement additional seeding, herbicide treatment and other actions necessary to achieve success criteria.

• Adjust methods as needed based on site conditions, monitoring results, and Agency direction.

• Control noxious weeds annually to the extent necessary to meet the success criteria.

5.5. Authorization of Phase III Optional Work:

Phase III work will be authorized by the Agency during the Contract term subject to available funding and Contract limitations.

The Contractor shall perform Phase III work only upon receipt of written authorization from the Agency.

Authorized work may include:

• expansion of treatment areas;

• additional seeding, planting, or herbicide application; or

• continued or supplemental work in previously treated areas as necessary to achieve success criteria.

6. Project Deliverables:

The Contractor shall submit the following deliverables in a format acceptable to the Agency:

6.1. Initial Work Plan and Schedule for Phase I Pre-Construction Soil Salvage – within 30 days of Contract award.

6.2. Adjusted Work Plans, implementation recommendations, and supporting cost information associated with any proposed optional or supplemental work.

6.3. Quarterly Progress Reports – summarizing work performed, issues encountered, and upcoming activities.

6.4. Draft and Final Report – summarizing completed work, monitoring results, and achievement of success criteria.

6.5. Raw Data and GIS Layers – provided in electronic format compatible with Agency systems.

Note: Invoicing requirements are addressed in the Contract for Services and are not included in this Statement of Work.

7. Work Plans and Performance Requirements:

The Contractor shall prepare and submit Phase-specific Work Plans for Agency review and approval within 30 days of Contract award (or other timeframe approved by the Agency).

Approved Work Plans shall govern execution of the work and shall be updated as necessary with Agency approval.

Each Work Plan shall, at a minimum, address the following technical elements, as applicable to the Phase:

7.1. Phase I – Soil Crust Salvage and Restoration

• Methods for soil crust salvage, storage, and inoculation for restoration of the MPMG.

• If methods differ from those recommended in the 2021 salvage plan, the Contractor shall provide technical justification demonstrating why the proposed approach would be more effective and/or efficient, supported by current restoration practices and best available science.

7.2. Herbicide Application

• Proposed herbicide application methods, including product selection, amendments (if any), application rates, timing, and frequency.

• Measures to avoid impacts to non-target species and to comply with applicable regulatory requirements.

7.3. Native Species Planting and Habitat Enhancement

• Site preparation methods.

• Source of plant materials to be used.

• Species list, timing, and application rates for seeding.

• Monitoring approaches.

• Shrub planting design for Phase III only.

7.4. Sequencing and Coordination

• Proposed sequencing and anticipated work windows, including identification of weather- and soil-related constraints and coordination requirements with construction or other activities, as applicable.

• Implementation schedules are subject to Agency review and approval and may be adjusted based on site conditions or coordination needs.

7.5. Success Criteria

• A description of how the proposed tasks and deliverables support achievement of the applicable success criteria within the performance periods identified in this Statement of Work.

8. Contractor Responsibilities

The Contractor shall:

• Attend a project kick-off meeting via Microsoft Teams within 14 business days following Contract award.

• Ensure all onsite crew members attend a range brief conducted by Department of the Navy (DON) Range Control staff prior to beginning work and annually as required.

• Coordinate scheduling of work at least 30 days in advance to account for military training and range availability.

• Coordinate daily site access with DON Range Control or the Agency-designated point of contact.

• Maintain ongoing communication with the Agency Project Lead and provide written updates on progress, shortfalls, and anticipated challenges affecting the Work Plan or schedule.

• Provide all labor, equipment, supervision, transportation, supplies, and incidentals unless otherwise authorized.

• Operate on existing roads unless otherwise authorized and repair any negligent damage at the Contractor’s expense.

• Ensure all project personnel possess valid identification required for site access.

• Participate in site walk-throughs or inspections as required to validate completed work prior to acceptance.

9. Herbicide Treatment Requirements

For all herbicide treatment activities, the Contractor shall:

• Maintain a current Oregon Public Pesticide Applicator License in the appropriate category for rangeland applications. A copy of each applicator’s Oregon State Applicators License is required to be submitted prior to the project start.

• Apply herbicides in accordance with product labels and all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

• Follow all label directions; the label is the law.

• All herbicides must be listed on the attached Department of Navy approved pesticide use list for the Boardman Bombing Range (Exhibit 2).

• Provide all chemicals, storage, handling, and disposal in compliance with applicable regulations.

• Promptly report any spills to Range Control and the Agency Project Lead.

• Complete and submit pesticide use reporting documentation (AGO Form 200-1-16 or equivalent) within the month of application and prior to invoicing for pesticide services.