B08_Attach_1_Performance_Work_Statement_2023_0719.pdf

Performance Work Statement (PWS)

PWS Page 1

PROJECT TITLE: Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Ridgecrest Wild Horse and Burro (WH&B) Corral Feeding Project.

Contents Section 1.0 Background on the Government’s Requirement

Section 2.0 General Scope of Work

Section 3.0 Overall Objective(s)

Section 4.0 Specific Tasks

Section 5.0 Delivery / Performance Schedule

Section 6.0 Government-Furnished Property, Materials, Services

Section 7.0 Security and Administrative Matters

Section 8.0 Technical Exhibits and Definitions

EXHIBIT X: Performance Requirements Summary (PRS)

PWS Page 2

Section 1.0 Background on the Government’s Requirement

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Ridgecrest Wild Horse and Burro (WH&B)

Corral, consisting of approximately 75 acres and comprised of 16 five-acre paddocks and 40 smaller pens ranging in size from 0.1 to 1.5-acres, is home to up to 1,000 wild horses and burros.

Section 2.0 General Scope of Work

The services required include judicious and practical feeding, watering, and monitoring of wild horses and burros at the facility 365 days of the year. Due to the fluctuations in animal inventory at the facility, contractors are required to expect the 1,000-animal capacity.

Services shall include using large agricultural equipment such as tractors and auxiliary feeding implements. The contractor shall inform the facility manager of any observed common animal sickness or injury, any damage to equipment or to facility structures such as fences, storage barns or equipment.

The contractor shall accomplish the daily feeding and watering of the wild horses and burros before noon Pacific Time each day.

Place of Performance:

The work will be accomplished at the Ridgecrest Wild Horse and Burro Corrals located at:

3647-A Randsburg Wash Road, Ridgecrest, CA 93555

Section 3.0 Overall Objective(s)

The objective of this work is to provide the feeding and watering, monitoring of equipment and facility, and the general condition of the wild horses and burros at the

BLM Ridgecrest Wild Horse and Burro Corral 365 days per year.

Section 4.0 Specific Tasks

Task 1:

The contractor shall utilize the BLM supplied equipment in accordance with manufacturer’s operator’s manuals (BLM will provide manuals), to accomplish the following:

• Feed bales of alfalfa hay, grass hay and grass/alfalfa mix, as well as grain feed.

• No more than two (2) pens will be required for feeding supplemental grain feed to foals.

PWS Page 3

The Contractor shall utilize judicious and practical methods of feeding, avoiding feeding near water troughs or gates. If a pen is supplies with a hanging feeder, those bins must be used to avoid waste.

All equipment will be inspected by the contractor operator prior to the day’s feeding. All damage to BLM equipment must be reported to the Facility Manager immediately. All costs associated with repairs for damage caused by operator error will be the responsibility of the Contractor.

Task 2: When feeding, the Contractor shall spread the small bales as directed and place the 800 to 1,600-pound bales in the feeder or hay net. The Contractor shall break hay bales into thirds or fourths and spread the hay throughout each pen on bare ground that is free of old hay and manure piles. Large bales should be flaked off six to twelve inches thick at approximately ten feet apart to reduce waste. The hay shall be placed in feed bins if they are provided.

Task 3: The Contractor shall be responsible for removing the baling twine or wire that secures the bales together. The Contractor shall also ensure that all baling twine/wire is recovered at the time of feeding and not left in the corrals, except for windy days where the method of feeding will be altered. See Task 4 & 5 for further instructions.

Task 4: On windy days, one baling string/wire shall be left on, with the bale loosely broken up to reduce the potential for blowing. These strings/wires need to be recovered no later than the next feeding day to prevent animal injury. Netted big bales should be used in as many places as possible on these windy days to eliminate the need for string recovery.

Task 5: At certain times during the period of performance, particularly in extended days with high winds, the Contractor may be required to feed certain large paddocks or other pens utilizing hay nets. Contractor will be given at least one day's notice prior to scheduled hay net feeding. Contractor and laborers will be trained in their use by the BLM Facility Manager.

Task 6: The Contractor shall inspect all water troughs during the feeding process and report any malfunctioning and/or needed repairs to the project inspector. Water troughs are to be drained and cleaned twice per each month (every 10-16 days).

One chlorine tab, provided by BLM, is to be added to each trough after cleaning.

Task 7: The Contractor shall observe the general condition and welfare of the animals and the pens. The Contractor shall then report any observations which could assist the BLM in rapidly correcting any potential problems.

Task 8: The Contractor shall report any malfunctioning equipment or damaged property to the BLM project inspector or BLM facility manager, i.e., holes in fences, broken gates, or government provided equipment immediately upon discovery.

Task 9: The Contractor shall maintain haystacks for safety and efficiency.

PWS Page 4

Stocks will be rotated; oldest shipments to be fed before newest shipments.

Task 10: All feeding shall begin no earlier than sunrise and be completed by 12:00 noon, unless prior arrangements have been made with the BLM project inspector

Task 11: Contractor will supply to BLM a list of all persons feeding or operating government equipment, including emergency contact information.

Contractor shall provide BLM an updated list any time there is an change or update to the emergency contact information.

Section 5.0 Delivery / Performance Schedule

The Contractor shall provide for the feeding and watering of wild horses and burros 365 days per year for the life of the contract.

The contractor shall accomplish the daily feeding and watering of the wild horses and burros before noon each day.

Should BLM equipment be damaged by the Contractor to the point of inoperability, or to the point that inoperability imminent; the Contractor shall plan for a replacement piece of equipment for the duration n. All costs for replacement equipment damage by the

Contractor will be the responsibility of the Contractor.

Due to normal wear and tear, should BLM-owned equipment break down to the point that the Contractor cannot fulfill daily obligations, BLM shall replace with alternate equipment at its earliest possible convenience.

Contractor shall assume liability for cleanup of all hazardous material spills from its own equipment (fuel. oil, etc.), and for BLM-owned equipment damaged by operator error.

Equipment Serviceability: ln the event of equipment breakdown or non-serviceability, the Contractor agrees that any repairs shall be accomplished within five (5) calendar days from the date of such breakdowns, or the Contractor must replace the unserviceable equipment subject to all the original requirements and resume operations.

Unserviceability is defined as any required equipment not fully functional.

All invoices will be submitted monthly through the Invoice Processing Platform (IPP).

Equipment check forms will be submitted weekly to BLM facility manager or BLM project inspector.

Section 6.0 Government-Furnished Property, Materials, Services

General:

The Contractor shall furnish all personnel, materials, equipment, supplies, facilities, transportation, tools, materials, supervision, and other items and non-personal services

PWS Page 5 necessary to perform the work tasks defined in this Performance Work Statement, except for those items specified as government furnished.

Materials:

The Government shall furnish the below materials to assist the Contractor in meeting the requirement of this contract, including feed, water, and fuel except for those items specified as non-government furnished property and services.

Equipment:

The Government shall furnish the below equipment to assist the Contractor in meeting the requirement of this contract. More specifically, equipment to be furnished will include the following:

• A tractor

• Hay wagon

• Loader

• UTV for the Contractor’s use.

The Government will provide any training required to operate government-owned equipment.

Services: The Government will provide instructions for feeding new animals when they arrive. The Government will provide any additional instructions such as, but not limited to graining foals or feeding saddle horses for weekends and holidays.

Utilities: The Government will provide access to water for the animals to be given. The

Contractor shall instruct employees in water conservation practices. The contractor shall be responsible for operating under conditions that preclude the waste of water, which include turning off the water faucets or valves after using the required amount to accomplish the work.

Applicable Publications (Current Editions) Contractor and their employees shall complete the Comprehensive Animal Welfare Program (CAWP) annually and will follow-up with any updates to the CAWP. These updates will be provided to the contractor by the BLM facility manager/project inspector.

PWS Page 6

Section 7.0 Security and Administrative Matters

Emergencies: In case of emergency, the Contractor shall make effort to assuage the situation with the operator’s and animal’s safety in mind first. Operators shall carry phone numbers for BLM Corral Facility Staff and Management.

Regular Work Hours:

The performance period established for this contract is based upon all work being conducted during the hours between daylight and noon, Monday through Sunday, including government holidays.

Communications:

“Time” for communications received after 3:00pm, after 12:00 pm locally on Fridays, or after 12:00 pm locally prior to a holiday will not start until the next business day. All times are local Pacific Standard Time.

Federal Holidays: There are no federal holidays observed for the life of the contract.

BLM will provide a contact list for emergencies on holidays.

Fire Danger Season:

If the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) allows the Contractor to continue work during periods of declared fire danger or season, the Contractor shall comply with all applicable state laws relating to fire prevention and with all special conditions of work as directed by the COR.

PWS Page 7

Section 8.0 Technical Exhibits and Definitions

Standard Definitions:

Physical Condition

The Physical appearance of Federal equipment or facilities that considers cracks, chips, dents, abrasions, rust, corrosion, general cleanliness, vibration, operating temperature, and discoloration and other items as identified by the COR. Physical condition may be determined by visual as well as diagnostic means.

Contracting Officer (CO)

The Secretary of the Interior or designated authorized representative who is the only agent capable of signing a federal award or obligating funds.

Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR)

The Contracting Officer’s designated representative as indicated in a delegation of authority letter.

Quality Assurance (QA)

Surveillance of Contractor performance to determine performance requirements are met.

Performance Requirements Summary (PRS) (see Technical Exhibit below)

The PRS identifies the key performance indicators of the Contract that will be evaluated by the Government to assure Contract performance standards are met by the Contractor.

Quality Control

Those actions taken by the Contractor to control the production of goods or services so that they meet the requirements of the performance work statement.

PWS Page 8

EXHIBIT X: Performance Requirements Summary (PRS)

Work Tasks to be

Performed

Acceptable Quality Level Method of Surveillance Consequences, Remedies, and/or

Deduction(s)

Task(s) 1-8 Feed, water and monitor animals in a timely and judicious manner as to ensure the good health and welfare of those animals.

No more than 1 unsatisfactory inspection result per week.

The COR or another

Government Representative will inspect the animals for underfeeding or overfeeding on a weekly basis.

For 1 unsatisfactory inspection, the COR will document this and inform the

Contractor what must be improved.

For 2 unsatisfactory inspections, a 5% deduction from the invoice for that Period of Performance.

For 3 unsatisfactory inspections, a 10% deduction.

Task 9 Reporting of any malfunctioning or damaged equipment or property immediately upon discovery.

No more than 1 unsatisfactory inspection result per week.

The COR or another

Government Representative will inspect the equipment used in transporting the hay to the feeding pens and the general condition of the property on a weekly basis, For 1 unsatisfactory inspection, the COR will document this and inform the

Contractor what must be improved.

For 2 unsatisfactory inspections, a 5% deduction from the invoice for that Period of Performance.

For 3 unsatisfactory inspections, a 10% deduction.