B08_Attachment_No__1_PWS.pdf

Attachment No. 1

Performance Work Statement (PWS)

PWS Page 1

PROJECT TITLE: Applegate Noxious Weed Control Service Contract

Contents

PWS 1.0 Background on the Government’s Requirement

PWS 2.0 General Scope of Work

PWS 3.0 Overall Objective(s)

PWS 4.0 Specific Tasks

PWS 5.0 Delivery / Performance Schedule

PWS 6.0 Government-Furnished Property, Materials, Services

PWS 7.0 Security and Administrative Matters

PWS 8.0 Technical Exhibits and Definitions

EXHIBIT X: QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN

(QASP)

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PWS 1.0 Background on the Government’s Requirement

In conformance with the Alturas and Surprise RMPs, The BLM Applegate Field

Office will:

• Implement integrated weed management (IWM) procedures on BLM lands. Review project proposals determine necessary IWM actions and coordinate treatment with local agencies.

• Conduct periodic inventory of noxious weeds to detect new infestations and monitor the condition of existing infestations. The highest priority for noxious weed inventory would be critical wildlife habitat, at-risk plant communities, high-use areas, and recreation sites.

• Monitor treated sites to determine treatment effectiveness and impacts on non-target vegetation.

Alturas RMP: 2.18.5 Proposed Management Actions

Preventing the introduction and establishment of noxious weeds and control of infestations would remain a priority. The AFO would use an integrated pest management approach, of which the IWM program is a part. This includes education and preventive measures plus physical, biological, chemical, and cultural treatments. The IWM program would be conducted in cooperation with the California Department of Food and

Agriculture (CDFA); Modoc, Lassen, Shasta, Siskiyou and other nearby counties;

affected private landowners and permittees; and various federal agencies and interested parties including affected Indian tribes. Qualified AFO personnel would provide education (including community education events) on the prevention and treatment of noxious weed infestations to BLM personnel and local community organizations and individuals according to the AFO prevention schedule.

Periodic inventories would be used to detect new infestations and monitor the condition of existing infestations. Prioritize noxious weed inventories in plant communities that are critical for wildlife habitat, in plant communities that are at risk, in high-use areas, and at recreation sites.

Surprise RMP: 2.16.5 Proposed Management Actions

Control measures will focus on disturbed areas, particularly roads and right-of-way, livestock watering sites and trailing routes. The integrated weed management program will continue in cooperation with the California and Nevada Departments of Agriculture, Lassen, Modoc, Washoe and Humboldt Counties, adjacent cooperative weed management areas, and with private landowners and permittees. Inventories and control measures will be coordinated with adjacent weed management areas for early detection of new infestations, monitoring of existing infestations, and evaluating the effects of prior treatment activities.

Other management actions include:

• The IWM program will employ a combination of treatment methods designed to provide flexibility in dealing with the dynamic character of the noxious weed problem.

Treatments include mechanical, chemical, biological, and manual means and include pre-treatment and post-treatment surveys to determine need, locate problem areas, and assess

PWS Page 3 treatment effectiveness. Treatments will focus on restoration of sites to native plant communities.

• Eradicate noxious weeds and other invasive species wherever possible; achieve adequate control and limit proliferation where eradication is not feasible.

• Use integrated weed management methods (i.e., education, prevention, and treatment) to eradicate or control noxious weeds and other invasive species.

Applegate Integrated Weed Management Plan, Environmental Assessment and

Decision Record, 2017. DOI-BLM-CA-N020-2017-0017-EA

The action is needed because invasive plants are increasing on public lands at approximately 2,300 acres per day (DiTomaso, 2000). These invasive plants are responsible for; the loss of plant diversity, the loss of habitat for rare and endangered species, a reduction in wildlife habitat and quality, a lower livestock forage quality, an increase in fire frequency, an increase in soil erosion, and a depletion of soil moisture and nutrient levels. Current known infestations in the AGFO encompass approximately 8,700 acres (AGFO GIS, 2018) which is only about 0.5% of the roughly 1.75 million acres that

AGFO manages. Effective and economical strategies need to be implemented that will reduce the amount of invasive weeds in the AGFO.

Additionally, there is a need for additional herbicide active ingredients that: 1) have less environmental and human health impacts than some of the currently approved herbicides

(e.g., picloram); 2) increase options for management of invasive annual grasses; and 3) address potential herbicide resistance by certain species (e.g., kochia, marestail, and pigweed) to active ingredients currently used by the BLM.

The action’s need is further substantiated by the following regulations:

• Executive Order 13112 (February 1999) requires Federal Agencies to “(i) prevent the introduction of invasive species; (ii) detect and respond rapidly to and control populations of such species in a cost‐effective and environmentally sound manner; (iii) monitor invasive species populations accurately and reliably; [and] (iv) provide for restoration of native species and habitat conditions in ecosystems that have been invaded…”

• The Alturas and Surprise Resource Management Plans include goals, objectives and management direction that require action to eliminate or prevent the spread of existing infestations of noxious weeds and invasive species and to prevent the introduction of new species.

• Section 302(b) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 directs BLM to

“take any action necessary to prevent unnecessary or undue degradation of the lands” (43

U.S.C. 1732(b)(2)).

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PWS 2.0 General Scope of Work

Services Include:

1) Utilizing base maps and polygons provided by the BLM Applegate Field Office:

a. Submit GIS enabled polygons to the BLM Applegate Field Office showing treatment areas in acres and efficacy rates.

2) Re-treat areas of ineffectiveness with rotating modes of action.

3) Order, supply and maintain all necessary chemicals for upcoming field season and house at contractor’s warehouse.

4) As applicable, treat areas for reimbursement from other DOI agencies.

The contractor shall accomplish:

General noxious weed eradication for the Bureau of Land Management, Applegate Field

Office with the opportunity to expand, through reimbursement to other DOI

Agencies/Bureaus and local Resource Conservation Districts.

Place of Performance:

BLM administered lands in the following states and counties:

• California: Modoc

Period of Performance:

The period of performance shall be for one (1) Base Year of 12 months. The Period of

Performance reads as follows:

Base Year: Time of award – September 30, 2025

PWS 3.0 Overall Objective(s)

The objective of this work is to provide the following services utilizing the contractor’s equipment:

1) Through chemical or mechanical means, eradicate noxious weeds in the BLM

Appelgate Field Office.

2) Through GIS, report to COR locations and acres of treatments.

3) Follow up on locations and acres treated and re-treat as necessary throughout the period of performance.

PWS 4.0 Specific Tasks

1) Utilizing base maps and polygons provided by the BLM Applegate Field Office:

a. Chemically or mechanically control and eradicate noxious weeds as identified in the Alturas and Surprise RMPS and the Programmatic Weeds

Decision DOI-BLM-CA-N020-2017-0017-EA provided to the contractor.

b. Submit GIS enabled polygons to the BLM Applegate Field Office showing treatment areas in acres and efficacy rates.

c. Treat each county in accordance with the following schedule:

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BLM Noxious Weeds Service Contract 2024

Base Year State County Acres

2024 CLIN001 CA Modoc 215

Treatments not to exceed base year funding. Reported acres must reflect actual acres treated

2) Re-treat areas of ineffectiveness with rotating modes of action

a. Utilizing the best available modes of action, including chemical application approved for application in each respective state and county, re-treat areas of initial ineffectiveness and provide new efficacy rates post treatment to the BLM Applegate Field Office.

b. For re-treated by contractor in current year, re-treatment will be at no cost to the government.

3) Any chemicals currently owned by the BLM Applegate Field Office, used first:

a. Depending on proximity to treatment areas, utilize chemicals currently owned and housed in Alturas and Cedarville CA.

b. BLM will move chemicals to appropriate location prior to treatment days until chemical stores are depleted.

c. If treatment areas are closer to the contractor’s warehouse, utilize contractors’ own stores of chemical and bill the BLM for its’ use.

4) Order, supply and maintain all necessary chemicals for upcoming field season and house at contractor’s warehouse.

a. Utilize current BLM chemical stores first.

5) As applicable, treat areas for reimbursement from other government agencies:

a. Local Resource Conservation Districts

b. Other Department of Interior Offices in California, Nevada and Oregon

PWS 5.0 Delivery / Performance Schedule

What: Monthly report utilizing BLM Chemical Treatment Record (CTR) detailing the following:

• Date of application

• Start and end times of application.

• Place of application

• Rate of application

• Total acres of application

• Total acres inventoried.

• Species treated.

• Chemical and trade name of application o Utilizing BLM approved chemical and adjuvant list specific to

California.

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• GIS enabled map and polygon of application area o Can be combined with larger maps so long as application areas are easily visible.

o Polygons need to be created and name match Pesticide Application

Reports.

• Any associated injuries in transit to, from or at the application site

• Brief synopsis if any issues were encountered at application site

• Invoice for services o At the time of application reporting, an invoice for services completed will be submitted at the same time for payment to the

Contracting Officer.

When: By the 7th day of the proceeding month post application. (March application would require application reports by April 7th of the proceeding month).

Where: Any lands administered by the BLM Applegate Field Office and its partners.

• BLM will provide maps two weeks prior to the work month (For March applications, maps will be provided by February 15th to contractor).

What: Email Receipt confirmation from COR or PI.

PWS 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 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 [current chemical stores], except for those items specified as government furnished property and services.

Equipment:

The Government shall not furnish any equipment.

Services The Government will provide current chemical stores at the Alturas Field Office or Surprise Field Station and its’ mobilization until current stores are depleted.

Facilities The Government will provide chemical storage sheds until current chemical stores are depleted. If contractor needs to house their chemicals for implementation under this contract at one of our facilities, space will be made to accommodate up to the size of the storage containers.

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Utilities The Government will provide water for filling and mixing of chemical prior to daily treatments.

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

Applicable Publications (Current Editions)

• Third Edition

The Safe and Effective Use of Pesticides

Pesticide Application Compendium, Vol.1

• https://ipm.ucanr.edu/IPMPROJECT/ADS/manual_safeeffectiveuse.html

• DOI-BLM-CA-N020-2017-0017-EA

o BLM Applegate Field Office Integrated Weed Management Plan

PWS 7.0 Security and Administrative Matters

N/A

Regular Work Hours:

The performance period established for this contract is based upon all work being conducted during regular working hours between 7:00am and 4:00pm, Monday through

Friday, excluding government holidays. If the Contractor desires to carry on work outside regular hours, including Saturdays, Sundays, and government holidays, a request must be submitted to the Contracting Officer in sufficient time to allow satisfactory arrangements to be made for access to the work site.

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:

The following Federal Legal Holidays are observed:

New Year’s Day Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

President’s Day Memorial Day

Juneteenth Independence Day

Labor Day Columbus Day

Veterans Day Thanksgiving Day

Christmas Day

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.

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PWS 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.

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Technical Definitions:

N/A

Technical Exhibits:

• California Chemical Applicators License

EXHIBIT X: QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN (QASP)

Work Tasks to be Performed

Acceptable Quality

Level

Method of

Surveillance

Consequences, Remedies, and/or Deduction(s)

Task(s) 1-3

Review

Monitoring

Plans and

Assessment

Strategies.

No more than 1 unsatisfactory inspection result per month.

The COR or PI will inspect treatment sites the month proceeding the application.

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.