B08_SOW_-_Seed_Extraction_V2.pdf

SEED EXTRACTION & PROCESSING 2023

HORNING SEED ORCHARD, COLTON, OR, and TYRRELL SEED ORCHARD, LORANE, OR - BLM OREGON STATE OFFICE

STATEMENT OF WORK

1.0 GENERAL

1.1 Description of Work

The Government’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Walter Horning Seed Orchard and Travis Tyrrell Seed Orchard are soliciting services for tree seed extraction and processing. Contractors can bid on one or both Seed Orchards. For Horning, contractors can bid on some or all their Items (see specifics in Supplies or Services and Prices/Costs).

The purpose of this contract is to provide clean seed for BLM and cooperative reforestation and restoration programs. The Contractor shall furnish all transportation, supervision, labor and necessary tools, supplies, equipment, and storage facilities needed to successfully transport cones from the BLM facility(s) to Contractor’s facility, organize bulk and clonal lots, extract, process, clean, package and deliver seed to the Seed Orchard(s) from cones provided by the Seed Orchard(s).

1.2 Locations - Cones are located at:

BLM Walter Horning Seed Orchard, 27004 S. Sheckly Rd., Colton, OR 97017, and BLM Travis Tyrrell Seed Orchard, 26411 Siuslaw River Rd., Lorane, OR 97451.

2.0 DEFINITIONS

Barlock - A plastic, fastener that can only be tightened, for securing the bag opening. Also called a zip-tie.

Bulk Lot - A cone lot which includes collection from more than one clone. Cones are mixed with those of other specified clones in the same orchard. There can be multiple bulk lots per orchard. Cones are identified with tags that specify a seed orchard and lot identification number or the word “BULK”. A colored tag may also be a distinguishing factor for a bulk lot, as determined by the Government.

Bushel - Non-Sugar Pine Species = Eight U.S. dry gallons. The conversion is as follows: 1 U.S.

bushel = 35.23907017 liters = 8 dry gallons = 9.309177489 liquid gallons.

Sugar Pine: 1 U.S. bushel = approximately 16-18 cones.

Clonal Lot - Cones harvested from an individual clone. Cones are identified with tags that specify the orchard, row, column, breeding unit, stand, and tree number.

Cone Identification Tag - A plastic or paper tag that is attached to each filled cone bag (also called a cone tag or cone collection tag).

Cone Lot - A pre-determined group of cones designated for seed extraction.

Filled seed – Seeds filled with seed tissue having a normal appearance as distinguished from empty, partially empty, or insect filled.

Orchard - A group of genetically improved trees selected from a specific area used for producing seed for reforestation material and genetic testing.

Purity - percentage of pure seed, by weight, in a seed lot that may also contain debris.

Regular Extraction - Seed that should be processed and delivered to the Government no later than May 1 of the following year it was harvested.

Seed Lot – A bulk lot, clonal lot or cone lot after the seed has been extracted.

3.0 CONTRACTOR-FURNISHED ITEMS - The Contractor shall furnish all transportation, supervision, labor and necessary tools, supplies, equipment, and storage facilities needed to successfully transport cones from the BLM facility(s) to Contractor facility, organize bulk and clonal lots, extract, process, clean, package and deliver seed to the Seed Orchard(s) from cones provided by the Seed Orchard(s).

4.0 GOVERNMENT-FURNISHED ITEMS - The BLM will provide cone lots and an electronic inventory (spreadsheet) of the number of bushels and bags of cones for each cone lot. Each of the cone bags will be tagged with identification. Clonal lots are identified by orchard unit, breeding unit, stand, tree number and measurement of cones. Bulk lots are identified by orchard unit, the word “BULK”, and measurement of cones.

5.0 SPECIFIC TASKS

5.1 Cone & Seed Transport

5.1.1 Between September 15 of the year the cones were harvested to January 31of the next year, the

Contractor shall transport all cones from the Government facility to the Contractor facility and shall organize each clonal and bulk lot based on the Government provided electronic inventory. The Government will select the order in which cones are transported and extracted.

5.1.2 The Contractor shall transport cones in a covered truck or trailer to protect them from all moisture (rain, dew, etc.). The Government might allow uncovered transport during dry conditions.

5.1.3 Deliveries of finished seed – The Contractor shall have approximately 25% of the bushels processed and seed delivered by Jan. 15, 50% by March 1, 75% by April 1, and 100% by May 1 of the calendar year following the year the cones were harvested.

5.2 Items to Note

5.2.1 The Government will pay for any clonal or bulk lot that is less than 2.0 bushels, as if it were a 2.0-bushel lot (example: if a lot is 0.7 bushels, payment will be made for 2.0 bushels).

5.2.2 The Government may have both clonal and bulk lots from the same orchard unit, or several bulk lots from a single orchard.

5.2.3 For most species, the Government places anywhere from 0.1 to 0.6 bushel of harvested cones into each bag, with most bags containing 0.5 bushel of cones. For noble fir, the Government may place anywhere from 0.1 to 1.0 bushel of harvested cones into each bag.

5.2.4 For sugar pine and western white pine, the Contractor will possibly receive cone bags that contain several disposable cloth insect protection bags each containing individual cones or cone clusters.

Sugar pine typically has one or two cones per cloth bag, while western white pine may contain up to six. The Contractor shall remove cloth bags from the cones and seeds prior to placing cones into seed extraction equipment. The cloth bags tend to be very pitchy and the Contractor can dispose of the cloth insect protection bags once the cones and seed are removed.

5.3 Extraction and Processing

5.3.1 Once the cones leave the Government facility, the Contractor shall take care of the cones and seeds in a manner that prevents mold development and prevents damage of any kind to the cones, seeds, and seed coats.

5.3.2 The Contractor shall treat each clonal lot and bulk lot (see 2.0 Definitions) as a separate entity, i.e., no mixing seed from one clone with another clone. The Contractor shall clean seed extraction and processing equipment before starting a different seed lot.

5.3.3 The Contractor shall extract at least ninety-five percent (95%) or more of the seed from each cone.

If not able to extract 95% or greater in any cone lot, the Contractor shall bring it to the attention of the COR at that time or within one business day of issue, to discuss why.

5.3.4 The Contractor shall de-wing the seed and remove: debris, empty seed, and insect damaged seed from the extracted seed to obtain a purity of at least ninety-six percent (96%) or greater and obtain a filled-seed percent of ninety percent (90%) or greater (filled seed & purity, see 2.0 Definitions).

Throughout all extraction and processing, the Contractor shall not damage nor lose more than two percent (2%) of filled seed.

5.3.5 A written explanation to the COR will be required from the Contractor for any seed lot (see 2.0 Definitions) that falls below the above stated quality standards for extracted seed, purity, filled seed, and loss/damage. If a large number of seed lots prove difficult to reach 90% filled seed, the Contractor shall notify the COR as soon as possible to discuss options. The Government may require the Contractor to hatch insects contained in the seed and process further to meet the quality standards.

5.3.6 After a seed lot is cleaned to meet the purity and filled-seed requirements, the Contractor shall test each seed lot and make any needed adjustments of drying seed further or rehydrating to meet the appropriate seed moisture range as shown in the following table:

Species Moisture Content (%)

Douglas‐fir 5‐9

Sugar Pine 5-10

Ponderosa Pine 5-10

Western White Pine 5-10

Western Redcedar 5-10

Western Hemlock 6-9

Noble Fir 6-9

The Woody Plant Seed Manual July 2008

5.3.7 The Contractor shall use a metric scale, which can measure to the nearest 0.01 gram. After a seed lot is cleaned to meet the purity, filled-seed, and moisture content requirements, the Contractor shall measure the weight of 100 seed to the nearest 0.01 gram, and the weight of the total seed-lot to the nearest 0.1 gram and document in the provided electronic spreadsheet.

5.4 X-rays, Data, and Packaging

5.4.1 The Contractor shall provide to the Government one (1) final x-ray for each five (5) pounds of finished seed per clonal seed lot [example: 6.5 lbs. of seed in a clonal seed lot would require one (1) x-ray, while 10.6 lbs. of seed in a clonal seed lot would require two (2) x-rays]. Additionally, the Contractor shall provide one (1) final x-ray to the Government for each twenty (20) pounds of finished seed per each bulk seed lot. The Contractor is required to provide a minimum of one (1) final x-ray for any seed lot. The Contractor shall x-ray a 100 seed grab-sample from within the seed lot, and if taking multiple x-rays, samples shall be taken from different portions of the seed lot. The Contractor shall label these x-rays with year of harvest, orchard unit, and breeding unit-stand-tree number or bulk identification. The Contractor shall deliver x-rays to the Government at the time of seed delivery.

5.4.2 100-seed Sample – The COR shall mark on the Government provided spreadsheet seed lots for the Contractor to package samples from. For those seed lots, when the seed requirements have been met by the Contractor, the Contractor shall package a 100-seed sample along with one of its cone identification tags. (This could be the 100 seed from the final x-ray of the seed lot.)

5.4.3 The Contractor shall use the Government provided electronic spreadsheet to document the following information for each seed lot:

a. Number of Bushels processed. If different from Governments recorded Bushels, the Contractor shall update the record, and highlight the change in yellow.

b. Number of Bags processed. If different from Governments recorded Bags, the Contractor shall update the record, and highlight the change in yellow.

c. Weight in grams (to the nearest 0.1 g.)

d. Percent seed moisture (in range according to Table under 5.3)

e. Percent filled seed (90% or greater)

f. Percent purity (96% or greater)

g. Weight of 100 seeds in grams (to the nearest 0.01 g.)

5.4.4 The Contractor shall use clear plastic, six mil or greater thickness, to package the seed lots. The Contractor shall double seal each package to guarantee that no seed is lost and to maintain seed moisture. The Contractor shall package each seed lot and its’ cone identification tags separate from other seed lots, and package so that the seed lot ID is visible. The Contractor shall place the packaged seed in cardboard boxes, with no more than 30 pounds per box.

5.4.5 The Contractor shall deliver finished and packaged seed to the Government facility from which it was harvested, after making arrangement with that facility.

5.5 Cone Bags

5.5.1 The Contractor shall pull inside out the emptied cone bags and sort cone bags into two groups: those damaged with tears/holes/cable tied holes, and those without damage. Continuing to keep the two groups separate, the Contractor will place 24 cone bags inside one cone bag, for a bundle of 25 bags.

The Contractor shall label each bundle of 25 as either “good” (no tears/holes) or “bad” (with tears/holes). In addition, if a bundle is less than 25 cone bags, the Contractor shall write the number of bags on the label. The Contractor shall keep cone bags dry and return them to the Government facility from which they came from by the final seed delivery date.

(End of Statement of Work)

Horning Seed Orchard Vicinity Maps – #1

Horning Seed Orchard Vicinity Maps - #2

TRAVIS TYRRELL TREE

SEED ORCHARD VICINITY MAP

U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management On Northwest Oregon District Travis Tyrrell Seed Orchard P.O. Box 121 Lorane, Oregon 97451-0121

Physical Location:

26411 Siuslaw River Road

Telephone: (541) 767-0442

FAX: (541) 767-0465

From Eugene: Take West 11th and turn south on Bertelsen (which turns into Bailey Hill Road and then Lorane Highway) and proceed 12.5 miles. Turn left onto Territorial Road and continue for 6 miles to Lorane. Turn right onto Siuslaw River Road and travel 3.1 miles to orchard, which is on the right.

From I-5 North: Turn off I-5 at Creswell Exit 182 and turn right. Travel west 10.5 miles through Creswell to Camas Swale Road, which becomes Hamm Road. Turn left onto Territorial Road and continue 5.5 miles to Lorane. Turn right onto Siuslaw River Road and travel 3.1 miles to BLM Travis Tyrrell Seed Orchard, which is on the right.

From I-5 South: Take exit 162 toward Drain (Route 38). Go about 0.6 mile and turn right onto Curtin Road/Oregon 99. Go about 0.8 mile and take the first left onto Territorial Hwy. Go about 9 miles north to Lorane. At the Lorane Deli, turn left onto Siuslaw River Road (do not go up the hill). Go 3.1 mile west to Tyrrell Seed Orchard. Turn right at the BLM Travis Tyrrell Seed Orchard sign.

Or, turn off I-5 at Curtin Exit 163. Turn right onto Bear Creek Road and travel 0.3 mile west (under I-5) and through Curtin. Turn left onto Curtin Road/Oregon 99. Go about 0.6 mile and turn right onto Territorial Highway. Go north 9.0 miles to Lorane. Turn left onto Siuslaw River Road and travel 3.1 miles to BLM Travis Tyrrell Seed Orchard, which is on the right.

From Cottage Grove: Proceed west on Main Street. This will turn into Cottage Grove-Lorane Highway. Go 12.5 miles. Turn left in Lorane onto Territorial Road. After approximately 300 feet turn right onto Siuslaw River Road and go 3.1 miles to BLM Travis Tyrrell Seed Orchard, which is on the right.

STATEMENT OF WORK