Attachment I.pdf

Treatment of a noctuid moth species at O’Hare International Airport Chicago, IL

STATEMENT OF WORK

BACKGROUND

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) has detected a small, localized population of an exotic noctuid moth (genus Helicoverpa) near the perimeter of O’Hare International Airport (ORD) in Chicago, IL. To prevent further spread of this pest, targeted application of two insecticides against its larvae will be made during spring/summer 2026. The ultimate APHIS-PPQ goal is to control and eliminate this emergent noctuid population at ORD.

SCOPE OF WORK

APHIS-PPQ intends to procure the services of a qualified pesticide applicator to carry out three (minimum) to four (maximum) insecticide applications in 2026. Services may continue in subsequent years, contingent on need and APHIS funding.

Timing and Acreage APHIS-PPQ estimates the total acreage to be treated as between a minimum of 525 acres and a maximum of 825 acres. Treatment windows will depend on phenology models and prevailing weather as the season progresses. However, current estimates are for up to four applications of two chemicals (see “Chemical” section below) at sites as follows:

1. Approximately the week of 06-15-26, ~ 175-225 acres.

2. Approximately the week of 07-13-26, ~ 175-225 acres.

3. Approximately the week of 08-07-26, ~ 175-225 acres.

4. Approximately the week of 09-14-26, ~ 0-150 acres.

Timely application within designated windows is critical to achieve successful control of feeding larvae at the right stage of development. APHIS-PPQ will work closely with the contractor to pinpoint optimal spray dates as the season approaches, using phenology models to calculate larval emergence based on actual local temperatures. The ultimate number of applications and amount of acreage will depend on program needs, weather, costs, and larval development cycles in 2026.

If adjustments to the above treatment dates become necessary, APHIS-PPQ will provide the contractor with a minimum advance notice of five business days, except when a shorter interval is mutually arranged between the parties. Unless otherwise agreed in advance, all operations will occur during reasonable daytime business hours from Monday to Friday. APHIS-PPQ reserves the right to cancel or reduce any treatment in scope if the contractor cannot complete the application cycle within a sufficient timeframe.

Location All treatments will occur at sites of suitable habitat, as determined by APHIS-PPQ, in the landscape around the immediate vicinity of ORD. The sites will not be contiguous: their selection is based on past detection activity and the availability of larval host material. If activity of the target pest occurs in new areas during the season, additional sites may be designated for treatment. APHIS-PPQ estimates the total acreage to be treated as between a minimum of 525 acres and a maximum of 825 acres, all within an estimated 2.385-mile radius from the center point of O’Hare airport.

The treatment areas generally consist of weedy or managed vacant lots, urban/industrialized space, and rights-of-way that are administered by the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) in Cook and DuPage counties. APHIS-PPQ will coordinate contractor access to property with CDA during the treatment periods, as needed. Access to some areas may be restricted for security, and entry in those cases will require an APHIS and/or CDA escort. APHIS-PPQ will serve as the liaison to land managers for any other related needs that arise. The treatment sites include no private residential properties.

Prior to the bid submission deadline, APHIS-PPQ will arrange a site tour of the treatment area for any interested bidder (upon request and with reasonable notice).

Chemical All insecticides/chemicals associated with this contract will be provided and stored by the contractor. Application will involve the use of two approved insecticides: chlorantraniliprole and Helicovex NPV (EPA registration #69553-2). Only two formulations of chlorantraniliprole are authorized for this project, either Prevathon (EPA registration #279-9612) or Vantacor (EPA registration #279-9656). Special Local Needs (24c) labels for the use of both formulations on this project have been issued and are currently valid through March 2027. The contractor is responsible for ensuring that all label requirements are followed, including restrictions for both general use and special local needs. In storage, the contractor will keep Helicovex below 41 degrees Fahrenheit (5 degrees Celsius). During fieldwork, the contractor will ensure that bottles of Helicovex do not exceed 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius). Base labels for these three products can be found at cdms.net.

Helicovex NPV may also appear under the trade name ‘Bolldex’. A comparable NPV product, also allowed for use on this project, is GemStar LC (EPA registration #70051-45) made by Certis, a US-based manufacturer.

APHIS-PPQ and the selected contractor will work together to ensure that treatments meet but do not exceed designated maximum amounts. For Helicovex NPV, the single-application maximum rate is 2.5 fluid ounces per acre, with no annual limits per acre per year. For the chlorantraniliprole products, the maximum single application rates are either 1.7 ounces (for Vantacor) or 20 ounces (for Prevathon) of product per acre. The per acre annual limit for the chlorantraniliprole products is 0.2 lbs active ingredient (a.i). per year (5.1 ounces for Vantacor https://www.cdms.net/ and 60 ounces for Prevathon). APHIS-PPQ will work with the contractor as needed to determine the application rates for each of the treatments. The contractor will spray out the entirety of the pre-determined tank mix each treatment day. APHIS-PPQ may require a pre-application site visit to work with the successful bidder on calibration and operational procedures.

Some of the treatment sites will include areas where waterways -- urban creeks and various drainage ditches/culverts -- are present. APHIS-PPQ will provide input and general guidance about water features at the treatment sites, but the contractor will be responsible for ensuring that appropriate application methods and buffers are met near water/drainage. In areas away from water, treatment application will consist of a tank mix of chlorantraniliprole and Helicovex NPV.

In areas adjacent to water or drainage, Helicovex NPV only will be applied.

APHIS-PPQ is also requesting use of a spray adjuvant, and final product selection will be made in consultation with the contractor. Per the Prevathon and Vantacor treatment tables, methylated seed oil (MSO brand or equivalent) applied at a 1% mix rate is the likely choice.

Application Methods The treatment sites are a mix of managed and unmanaged urban habitat, including open vacant fields; stretches of mown lawn; steep drainages; interfaces with water; potential proximity to human activity (ground-crews, roadways, parking lots, construction sites, etc.); and densely brushy, overgrown border areas. In its proposal, the bidder must describe in detail the methods it will use to carry out the job successfully, taking into account these types of terrain and the other factors mentioned throughout this announcement. The bidder’s description must include the specific types, capacities, and licensing of all equipment and personnel that will be used.

Aerial application by fixed wing aircraft or helicopter is not an option at any of these sites.

APHIS-PPQ is asking for three line item price quotes (see bid submission procedure at the end of this document) based upon the terrain, required application method, and chemical restrictions.

All tank mixes will contain a spray adjuvant (seed oil):

1. Relatively flat, high land areas to be treated by boom attached to tractor or UTV. Tank mixture will contain both chlorantraniliprole and Helicovex NPV. This treatment consists of approximately 88% of the total treatment area.

2. Severely sloped, potentially brushy high land areas to be treated by walk along hose setup or backpack sprayer. Tank mixture will contain both chlorantraniliprole and Helicovex NPV. This treatment consists of approximately 10% of the total treatment area.

3. Low land areas sloped towards waterways or drainage ditches to be treated by walk along hose setup or backpack sprayer. Tank mixture will contain Helicovex NPV (no chlorantraniliprole). This treatment consists of approximately 2% of the total treatment area.

Personnel, Services, Equipment & Supplies This is a full-service contract. The contractor will provide all personnel, services, equipment, and supplies, including but not limited to field staff, ATVs/UTVs, fuel, sprayers, water, PPE, flagging, chemical, spill kits, and its own transportation to and from the sites. The contractor is responsible for ensuring that all elements involved in the treatments are properly qualified and maintained to complete the job in a safe and effective manner. All personnel who will handle and/or apply pesticide during this project must be appropriately trained and certified to do so within the State of Illinois. To provide necessary oversight, the contractor will have at least one licensed Commercial Applicator, with a State of Illinois “right-of-way” license endorsement, on site at each location during all treatment activities.

A water source will not be available on site. The contractor will be responsible for bringing sufficient water to mix chemical and to meet supporting needs of clean-up and safety. For the chlorantraniliprole formulations, the product labels require a minimum of 10 gallons of water per acre for application. APHIS-PPQ will work closely with the contractor to ensure that an adequate amount of water is being used to achieve sufficient and effective spray coverage at all of the treatment sites. APHIS-PPQ will be on site at each treatment to help calibrate and monitor the mixing and dispersal of chemical. The contractor shall not begin any block of spray operations without explicit APHIS-PPQ approval.

The contractor is responsible for site clean-up after each treatment, re-entry monitoring, and for proper storage, cleaning and disposal of all applicable materials, including but not limited to pesticide containers, PPE, and rinsate, in accordance with pesticide labels. Overnight staging of vehicles, equipment, and/or materials at the sites is not allowed, except by prior arrangement with APHIS-PPQ and CDA. APHIS-PPQ will assist the contractor with the identification of daytime staging areas, as needed.

Some treatments may occur on Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) rights-of-way. Per 605 ILCS 5/4 209, IDOT requires a permit when working within the right-of-way of an interstate, U.S. state route, Illinois state route, or state maintained roadway. The contractor is responsible for obtaining the permit, as needed, and a copy of it must be at the worksite at all times. More information can be found at: https://idot.illinois.gov/doing-business/permits/highway-permits/.

Some treatments may occur on railroad property or require transit access through rail corridors.

The contractor is responsible for having the proper certification and badging in place for its crew members before rail-related work is to begin. USDA-PPQ will give preference to bidders who demonstrate that they have met this requirement prior to the closing of the bid submission period.

More information can be found at: https://www.contractororientation.com/.

Records The contractor must maintain accurate records of the date, time, location, wind conditions, acreage, amount of chemical and water applied, personnel involved, and any site/application https://idot.illinois.gov/doing-business/permits/highway-permits/ https://idot.illinois.gov/doing-business/permits/highway-permits/ https://www.contractororientation.com/ anomalies, in addition to all other necessary pesticide application records required by the Illinois Department of Agriculture. The contractor will furnish these records, and any other documentation relevant to the scope of this project, to APHIS-PPQ within 72 hours of request. A treatment record template for this project is supplied with this solicitation.

Site Operations All activity on ORD property must be coordinated with and approved by CDA, through APHIS- PPQ, to ensure that weather conditions, ORD flight paths, and/or other essential airport operations (construction, maintenance, etc.) do not interfere with planned treatment.

The APHIS-PPQ Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) reserves the right to suspend or terminate any operations when in his/her judgment the contractor cannot continue the project successfully. Reasons for such suspension or termination may include but are not limited to:

• use of faulty or improper equipment

• failure of the contractor to report to job sites on time

• failure of the contractor to implement necessary safety measures

• failure of the contractor to follow treatment procedures

• adverse weather

• outside interference at the treatment site.

Operations will resume when and if the identified problems are corrected to the satisfaction of the COR. Interruptions to service caused by actions or failures attributable to the contractor shall not receive financial consideration.

The contractor or property manager (CDA) may also suspend or terminate operations for appropriate cause. The contractor agrees to have a qualified and responsive representative on site during all treatment applications. The contractor will discuss any deviation from agreed activities in advance with the APHIS-PPQ COR and obtain approval prior to making operational changes.

Any problems that occur -- including but not limited to spills, accidents, misapplication of chemical, injuries, or inadvertent pesticide exposure -- will be immediately reported to the

APHIS-PPQ COR.

The contractor and its staff shall refrain from discussion or comment about the project to the media or public at large. The contractor will refer all inquiries from the public or media, should any arise, to the APHIS-PPQ COR in a timely manner.

SUBMISSION AND EVALUATION OF BIDS

Interested bidders should submit offers showing prices for each of the three treatment scenario line items listed in the “Application Methods” section above.

Method ~ Acres Price/Acre

1. Relatively flat, high land areas to be treated by boom attached to tractor or UTV. Tank mixture will contain both chlorantraniliprole and Helicovex NPV.

462 - 726

2. Severely sloped, potentially brushy high land areas to be treated by walk along hose setup or backpack sprayer. Tank mixture will contain both chlorantraniliprole and Helicovex NPV.

53 - 83

3. Low land areas sloped towards waterways or drainage ditches to be treated by walk along hose setup or backpack sprayer. Tank mixture will contain Helicovex NPV (no chlorantraniliprole).

10 - 16

Bidders should also provide:

• Verification of active SAM registration.

• Copies of valid State of Illinois pesticide Applicator/Operator licenses, with at least one

Applicator license showing a “right-of-way” endorsement for on-site management of the project. APHIS-PPQ will give preference to bidders who demonstrate back-up capacity of licensed personnel.

• References for past performance, including project descriptions that demonstrate the bidder’s experience and technical capability to handle a project of this scope.

• A detailed treatment plan describing how the bidder’s company will make the applications, including mixing, cleaning, and calibration protocols, the number of staff on site, their levels of qualification and years of experience, their experience with environmental considerations when treating sensitive areas, the number of vehicles on site, the types of those vehicles, tank sizes, water supply, re-entry monitoring, and back-up capacity, in the event that primary equipment or staff becomes unavailable.

Contractors should submit detailed and sufficient information for the government to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of their quote. If a quote package does not contain all the items listed above or is not received by the closing date and time, the quote may be considered incomplete for evaluation purposes and no further consideration will be given to it, thereby making a contractor ineligible for award.