B08_-_PWS_Avondale_Grubbing_2022_corrected_8-10_22.pdf

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS)

Tamarisk Clearing Project on USFWS Lands

Part 1 General Information

1. GENERAL: This is a non-personnel services contract to provide land clearing for the US Fish & Wildlife Service. The Government shall not exercise any supervision or control over the contract service providers performing the services herein. Such contract service providers shall be accountable solely to the Contractor who, in turn is responsible to the Government.

1.1 Description of Services/Introduction:

i Base Award: The contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, supplies, facilities, transportation, tools, materials, supervision, and other items and non-personal services necessary to perform mechanical clearing of 42 acres, on Public Land Ordinance 1015, south of Phoenix, AZ which is under management of staff at Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) as defined in this Performance Work Statement. Except for those items specified as government furnished property and services. The contractor shall perform to the standards in this contract.

1.2 Background: Staff at the Buenos Aires NWR would like to mechanically clear a portion of land that mainly consists of wetland/riparian habitat that has been heavily encroached upon by non-native tamarisk (Tamarix spp.) that will resprout faster and encroach further following the 2018 Avondale Fire.

Most of the target vegetation are large mature trees that will require heavy machinery to extract roots to ensure removal. The NWR does not have enough machines or operators to dedicate to this size of project. In order to clear the trees that are located on the areas proposed, we will need to use a clearing company to do the work. The overall goals are to reduce encroachment and invasion of non-native tamarisk resulting in greater habitat suitability for native riparian species such as cottonwood and willow, subsequently increasing habitat quality for species of concern such as Yellow-Billed Cuckoo, Ridgeway’s Rail, and the South-West Willow Flycatcher. See the attached maps of the proposed work area.

1.3 Objectives:

• Mechanically remove/grub tamarisk on NWR lands as outlined on the maps attached o Removal/grubbing will involve utilizing excavators and digging up enough of the tree to remove the root mass/ball to prevent regrowth.

• Mulch or masticate grubbed wood for use as erosion stabilizer as directed by CGP and SWPPP prepared by consultant, remove or place larger logs and root balls in locations to block unauthorized entry points.

• Fill in or smooth over large holes created from grubbing.

1.4 Scope: The contractor should access the area only during dry times and/or during times preapproved by refuge staff. If the areas are too wet, they will not be able to work on the project areas, to minimize the damage to the USFWS lands. Daily work reports will be completed by contractor and turned in to refuge staff.

1.5 Period of Performance:

i Base Award: The period of performance for woody debris removal by heavy equipment shall be October 1, 2022 to March 30, 2023. The project must not interfere with nesting seasons and monsoon seasons and must be fully completed by March, 2023.

ii Alt Awards: The period of performance for woody debris removal by heavy equipment shall be October through March. The project must not interfere with nesting seasons and monsoon seasons. Full completion date/year of the Option Year Awards are to be determined.

1.6 General Information: Due to site’s vicinity to urban area, most of the roads used to access the site are paved. Upon reaching the jersey barriers on S El Mirage Rd, there are open entrances available in barbed wire fence openings that access gravel, primitive roads. Options for site access, equipment storage, and environmental concerns will be addressed during project meetings.

1.6.1 Quality Control: NA

1.6.2 Quality Assurance: The government shall evaluate the contractor’s performance under this contract in accordance with this Performance Work Statement. This plan is primarily focused on what the Government must do to ensure that the contractor has performed in accordance with the performance standards. It defines how the performance standards will be applied, the frequency of surveillance, and the minimum acceptable defect rate(s).

1.6.3 Recognized Holidays: The Contractor is not required to perform work on these holidays.

New Year’s Day Labor Day Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday Columbus Day President’s Day Veteran’s Day

Memorial Day Thanksgiving Day Independence Day Christmas Day

1.6.4 Hours of Operation: The contractor is responsible for conducting business, between the hours of sunrise to sunset Sunday through Saturday except Federal holidays at the Contractor’s option.

The Contractor must, at all times, maintain an adequate workforce for the uninterrupted performance of all tasks defined within this PWS when the Government facility is not closed for the above reasons. When hiring personnel, the Contractor shall keep in mind that the stability and continuity of the workforce are essential.

1.6.5 Place of Performance: The work to be performed under this contract will be performed at PLO 1015 which is outside the city of Avondale, AZ, south of Phoenix, AZ. The job site is directly north-west of the junction of S El Mirage Rd and Indian Springs Rd, west of the Phoenix Raceway. The nearest facilities and accommodations are in Avondale, AZ, approximately 5 miles north of the job site. The public lands lie directly along the Gila River and are accessible via S El Mirage Road onto primitive gravel roads with no gate.

1.6.6 Type of Contract: The government will award a firm-fixed price.

1.6.7 1.6.7 Gate Locks: Project sites are located within areas with public access, no locked gates are involved.

1.6.8 Post Award Conference/Periodic Progress Meetings: The Contractor agrees to attend any post award conference convened by the contracting activity or contract administration office in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation Subpart 42.5. The contracting officer, Technical Representative (TR), and other Government personnel, as appropriate, may meet periodically with the contractor to review the contractor's performance. At these meetings the contracting officer will apprise the contractor of how the government views the contractor's performance and the contractor will apprise the Government of problems, if any, being experienced. Appropriate action shall be taken to resolve outstanding issues. These meetings shall be at no additional cost to the government.

1.6.9 Contracting Officer Representative (COR): The (COR) will be Nathan Barrett 520-993-0229 .

The COR monitors all technical aspects of the contract and assists in contract administration The COR is authorized to perform the following functions: assure that the Contractor performs the technical requirements of the contract: perform inspections necessary in connection with contract performance: maintain written and oral communications with the Contractor concerning technical aspects of the contract: issue written interpretations of technical requirements, including Government drawings, designs, specifications: monitor Contractor's performance and notifies both the Contracting Officer and Contractor of any deficiencies; coordinate availability of government furnished property, and provide site entry of Contractor personnel. A letter of designation issued to the COR, a copy of which is sent to the Contractor, states the responsibilities and limitations of the COR, especially with regard to changes in cost or price, estimates or changes in delivery dates. The COR is not authorized to change any of the terms and conditions of the resulting order.

1.6.10 Key Personnel: The following personnel are considered key personnel by the government:

Contract Manager and Site Project Leader. The contractor shall provide a contract manager who shall be responsible for the performance of the work. The name of this person and an alternate who shall act for the contractor when the manager is absent shall be designated in writing to the contracting officer. The contract manager or alternate shall have full authority to act for the contractor on all contract matters relating to daily operation of this contract. The contract manager or alternate shall be available between 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday thru Friday except Federal holidays or when the government facility is closed for administrative reasons.

1.6.11 Identification of Contractor Employees: All contract personnel attending meetings and working in other situations where their contractor status is not obvious to third parties are required to identify themselves as such to avoid creating an impression in the minds of members of the public that they are Government officials. They must also ensure that all documents or reports produced by contractors are suitably marked as contractor products or that contractor participation is appropriately disclosed.

1.6.12 Contractor Travel: Contractor will be responsible for all travel cost and scheduling of travel.

1.6.13 Other Direct Costs: At the contractor’s option, partial payments can be made to cover the cost of equipment and materials obtained by the contractor for this project. Final payment will be made upon Refuge acceptance following total completion of the project by the contractor. Upon completion and acceptance of all work and receipt of a proper invoice, the contractor will be paid the balance of the firm-fixed-price of the contract.

1.6.14 Organizational Conflict of Interest: Contractor and subcontractor personnel performing work under this contract may receive, have access to or participate in the development of proprietary or source selection information (e.g., cost or pricing information, budget information or analyses, specifications or work statements, etc.) or perform evaluation services which may create a current or subsequent Organizational Conflict of Interests (OCI) as defined in FAR Subpart 9.5. The Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer immediately whenever it becomes aware that such access or participation may result in any actual or potential OCI and shall promptly submit a plan to the Contracting Officer to avoid or mitigate any such OCI. The Contractor’s mitigation plan will be determined to be acceptable solely at the discretion of the Contracting Officer and in the event the Contracting Officer unilaterally determines that any such OCI cannot be satisfactorily avoided or mitigated, the Contracting Officer may affect other remedies as he or she deems necessary, including prohibiting the Contractor from participation in subsequent contracted requirements which may be affected by the OCI.

PART 2 DEFINITIONS &

ACRONYMS

2. DEFINITIONS AND ACRONYMS:

2.1. DEFINITIONS:

2.1.1. CONTRACTOR. A supplier or vendor awarded a contract to provide specific supplies or service to the government. The term used in this contract refers to the prime.

2.1.2. CONTRACTING OFFICER. A person with authority to enter into, administer, and or terminate contracts, and make related determinations and findings on behalf of the government. Note: The only individual who can legally bind the government.

2.1.3. CONTRACTING OFFICER REPRESENTATIVE (COR). An employee of the U.S. Government appointed by the contracting officer to represent the government on site. Such appointment shall be in writing and shall state the scope of authority and limitations. This individual has authority to provide technical direction to the Contractor as long as that direction is within the scope of the contract, does not constitute a change, and has no funding implications. This individual does NOT have authority to change the terms and conditions of the contract.

2.1.4. DEFECTIVE SERVICE. A service output that does not meet the standard of performance associated with the Performance Work Statement.

2.1.5. DELIVERABLE. Anything that can be physically delivered, but may include non-manufactured things such as meeting minutes or reports.

2.1.6. KEY PERSONNEL. Contractor personnel that are evaluated in a source selection process and that may be required to be used in the performance of a contract by the Key Personnel listed in the PWS. When key personnel are used as an evaluation factor in best value procurement, an offer can be rejected if it does not have a firm commitment from the persons that are listed in the proposal.

2.1.7. PHYSICAL SECURITY. Actions that prevent the loss or damage of Government property.

2.1.8. QUALITY ASSURANCE. The government procedures to verify that services being performed by the Contractor are performed according to acceptable standards.

2.1.9. QUALITY CONTROL. All necessary measures taken by the Contractor to assure that the quality of an end product or service shall meet contract requirements.

2.1.10. SUBCONTRACTOR. One that enters into a contract with a prime contractor. The Government does not have privity of contract with the subcontractor.

2.1.11. WORK DAY. The number of hours per day the Contractor provides services in accordance with the contract.

2.1.12. WORK WEEK. Monday through Friday, unless specified otherwise.

PART 3

GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY, EQUIPMENT, AND SERVICES

3. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED ITEMS AND SERVICES:

3.1. Services: The Government will not provide any services for this contract.

3.2. Facilities: The Government will not provide and facilities for this contract.

3.3. Utilities: The Government will not provide any utilities for this contract.

3.4. Equipment: The Government will not provide any equipment for this contract

3.5. Materials: The Government will not provide any materials for this contract

PART 4

CONTRACTOR FURNISHED ITEMS AND SERVICES

4. CONTRACTOR FURNISHED ITEMS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

4.1 General: The Contractor shall furnish all supplies, equipment, facilities and services required to perform work under this contract that are not listed under Section 3 of this PWS.

4.1.1 Equipment: The Contractor shall furnish all equipment to adequately preform the requested job.

PART 5

SPECIFIC TASKS

5. SPECIFIC TASK:

The contractor will conduct an initial site visit with refuge staff for access arrangements and to ensure proper identification of each area to be grubbed. Contractor will then mobilize their heavy equipment (ie: excavators, backhoes, dozers) to dig up enough of the trees to remove the root mass/ball, in order to minimize potential regrowth. Once the trees have been grubbed, the wood will be masticated or otherwise mulched to provide stabilization for erosion control during and post-construction. Larger wood pieces that cannot be mulched will be placed to block unauthorized entry points if possible.

Soil and ground disturbance is expected due to the nature of removing the root mass/ball, however the contractor should make attempts to fill in, or smooth over the cleared areas to minimize large holes being left behind.

Due to the riparian and sensitive nature of the work area, all efforts are expected to be taken to reduce accidental erosion or other habitat degradation. Therefore, heavy equipment should be placed on mats in the work area to reduce erosion, and other best management practices should be employed to reduce degradation.

PART 6

APPLICABLE PUBLICATIONS

6. APPLICABLE PUBLICATIONS (CURRENT EDITIONS)

6.1. The Contractor must abide by all applicable Federal and State regulations and laws applicable to this project.

PART 7

ATTACHMENT/TECHNICAL EXHIBIT LISTING

7. PROJECT MAPS:

Figure 1. PLO 1015, lands owned by USFWS and managed by staff at Buenos Aires NWR, project parcel circled in red.

Figure 2. Avondale Fire perimeter and rough depiction of landscape type in the work area. Most work will take place in the Wetland Riparian zone.

Figure 3. Avondale project treatment area