C07_PWS_NFBR_Habitat_Enhance.pdf

US Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Performance Work Statement

Timber Stand Improvement and Fuels Reduction for the Whitman Ranger District on the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest

North Fork Burnt River Habitat Enhancement

Solicitation: TBD

BPA Call: TBD

Contents Project Title

General Information

1.0 Scope of Work

2.0 Background

2.1 Project Location

2.2 Period of Performance

Contractor Requirements

3.0 Performance Tasks

3.1 General

3.2 Precommercial Thin and Section Units

4.0 Property

4.1 Government Furnished

5.0 Deliverable / Schedule

6.0 Contractor’s Key Personnel

7.0 Performance Requirement Measures

Attachments

Project Title North Fork Burnt River Habitat Enhancement

General Information

1.0 Scope of Work

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Whitman Ranger District in the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest’s mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. Further, the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest has a “Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration” plan that seeks to improve wildfire resilience and restore more natural processes to forests and watersheds in the Northern Blues.

In support of these objectives, the Whitman Ranger District has a requirement for Hand Thinning and Sectioning placed against the established 1240BE22A0011 UMA/WAW Mechanical and Hand Thinning Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA). The requirement consists of a total of 904 treatment acres for thinning and handpiling all existing within the Patrick Project Area. For specific unit requirements and specifications see Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP: DUIS_NFBR_Habitat_Enhancement).

2.0 Background

2.1 Project Location

The project is located on the Whitman Ranger District

1550 Dewey Avenue, Suite A Baker City, OR 97814-3825 541-523-1329 Attn: Taylor Folkman, taylor.folkman@usda.gov.

The North Fork Burt River Habitat Enhancement project is in the Patrick Project Area, approximately 35 miles west of Baker City. Units can be accessed via the 1940000, 1920000, and 1040000 road. See PWS Annex D – NFBR Habitat Enhancement Vicinity Map.

2.2 Period of Performance

Base Period: September 1st, 2026 – October 29th, 2027.

Option Period: September 1st, 2026 – October 31st, 2028.

Access to the units during the month of November may be limited if early snow occurs in the area.

The period of performance timeline has taken into consideration a potential shutdown due to Industrial Fire Precaution Levels. The contractor will need to take such considerations when developing a schedule of the work to be completed.

Should a Goshawk be discovered within the project area, specific buffers will have to be implemented for post-fledgling protection. Units in these buffers shall not be treated within the timeframe of March 1st – August 31st. Additionally a no treatment buffer shall also be implemented within proximity of the nest.

Units shall not be treated within the timeframe of January 1st – June 30th due to the increased risks of pine engraver infestation of slash. This timeframe may be waived for select units at COR discretion.

Pouge unit 4A and Slip unit 8A and 23A shall not me treated within the timeframe of March 1st – August 31st for post-fledgling protection.

Patrick units 3, 7, 7A, 11, 12, 21, 20, 17, 19, 16 and Slip units 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 1B, 2C, 3B, 1C, 2B, and 21A are located within the Patrick Creek Cooperative Travel Management Area. These units cannot be accessed within the timeframe of May 1st – June 30th.

At a minimum, 50% of the base treatment acres shall be complete no later than September 30th, 2027.

Contractor Requirements

3.0 Performance Tasks

3.1 General

3.1.a. This is a non-Personnel Services Contract. The Contractor shall furnish all labor, supervision, equipment, materials, transportation, supplies (unless specified elsewhere as Government-furnished), and incidentals required to accomplish specified work, including contractor quality control, in compliance with the terms, specifications, and provisions of the contract.

3.1.b. Objective: The overall objective of this project is to improve forest health, the landscape’s resiliency to disturbance, and reduce the risk of wildfire within the wildland urban interface.

3.1.c. Contractor Work Plan: The contractor shall submit a work plan for acceptance to the COR within 14 calendar days of award. (Deliverable 01). At a minimum, the work plan shall include:

1) project milestone plan depicting start, 50%, and 100% dates. 2) Key Personnel. 3) Safety Plan.

4) Fire Plan. 5) Contractor’s Quality Control Plan.

3.2 Precommercial Thin, Section, and Handpile NFBR Habitat Enhancement Units

3.2.a. Precommercial Thin NFBR Habitat Enhancement units total 647 treatment acres. See PWS Annex A – NFBR Habitat Enhancement All Units Map

Chart 3.2.a NFBR Habitat Enhancement Base Units Item

Number Unit Description Est Quantity 1 Pouge 1A Thinning acres 23 2 Pouge 2A Thinning acres 33 3 Pouge 3B Thinning acres 33 4 Pouge 4A Thinning acres 28 5 Pouge 5 Thinning acres 28 6 Pouge 6 Thinning acres 31 7 Pouge 7 Thinning acres 40 8 Pouge 19A Thinning acres 20 9 Pouge 9A Thinning acres 37

10 Pouge 9B Thinning acres 7 11 Pouge 8 Thinning acres 45 12 Pat 3 Thinning acres 43 13 Pat 7 Thinning acres 20

14 Pat 7A Thinning acres 60 16 Pat 12 Thinning acres 34 17 Pat 21 Thinning acres 38 19 Pat 16 Thinning acres 38 20 Pat 20 Thinning acres 89

Total acres 647

3.2.b. Handpile NFBR Habitat Enhancement units total 89 treatment acres. See PWS Annex A – NFBR Habitat Enhancement All Units Map.

Chart 3.2.b NFBR Habitat Enhancement Handpile Units

Number Unit Description Est Quantity 1 Pat 20 Handpile acres 89 Total acres 89

3.2.c. Precommercial Thin NFBR Habitat Enhancement Option units total 257 treatment acres.

See PWS Annex A – NFBR Habitat Enhancement All Units Map.

Chart 3.2.c NFBR Habitat Enhancement Thin Option Units

Number Unit Description Est Quantity 1 Pat 17 Thinning acres 23 2 Pat 11 Thinning acres 33 3 Pat 19 Thinning acres 33 4 Midge 1A Thinning acres 28 5 Midge 2A Thinning acres 28 6 Midge 3A Thinning acres 31 7 Midge 4A Thinning acres 40 8 Slip 6A Thinning acres 20 9 Slip 7A Thinning acres 37

10 Slip 5B Thinning acres 7 11 Slip 5C Thinning acres 45 12 Slip 5A Thinning acres 43 13 Slip 1B Thinning acres 20 14 Slip 8A Thinning acres 60 15 Slip 2B Thinning acres 19 16 Slip 2C Thinning acres 34 17 Petticoat 21A Thinning acres 38 18 Petticoat 23A Thinning acres 6 19 Mosquito 1C Thinning Acres 38 20 Mosquito 2B Thinning acres 89

Total acres 257

3.2.d. Handpile NFBR Habitat Enhancement Option units total 904 treatment acres. See PWS Annex A – NFBR Habitat Enhancement All Units Map.

Chart 3.2.d NFBR Habitat Enhancement Handpile Option Units

Number Unit Description Est Quantity 1 Pouge 1A Handpile acres 23 2 Pouge 2A Handpile acres 33 3 Pouge 3B Handpile acres 33 4 Pouge 4A Handpile acres 28 5 Pouge 5 Handpile acres 28 6 Pouge 6 Handpile acres 31 7 Pouge 7 Handpile acres 40 8 Pouge 19A Handpile acres 20 9 Pouge 9A Handpile acres 37

10 Pouge 9B Handpile acres 7 11 Pouge 8 Handpile acres 45 12 Pat 3 Handpile acres 43 13 Pat 7 Handpile acres 20 14 Pat 7A Handpile acres 60 15 Pat 20 Handpile acres 89 16 Pat 12 Handpile acres 34 17 Pat 21 Handpile acres 38 18 Pat 16 Handpile acres 38 19 Pat 17 Handpile acres 35 20 Pat 11 Handpile acres 12 21 Pat 19 Handpile acres 16 22 Midge 1A Handpile acres 7 23 Midge 2A Handpile acres 10 24 Midge 3A Handpile acres 8 25 Midge 4A Handpile acres 9 26 Slip 6A Handpile acres 11 27 Slip 7A Handpile acres 6 28 Slip 5B Handpile acres 2 29 Slip 5C Handpile acres 1 30 Slip 5A Handpile acres 1 31 Slip 1B Handpile acres 5 32 Slip 8A Handpile acres 8 33 Slip 2B Handpile acres 19 34 Slip 2C Handpile acres 29

35 Petticoat 21A Handpile acres 18 36 Petticoat 23A Handpile acres 6 37 Mosquito 1C Handpile acres 39 38 Mosquito 2B Handpile acres 15

Total acres 904

Thinning Standard applicable to 3.2.a and 3.2.c.

The desired outcome is to attain the leave tree standards for each unit specified in the Detailed Unit Information Sheet (DUIS) at a 90 percent or higher quality. See Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP: DUIS_NFBR_Habitat_Enhancement). The level will be based on sampling of cut and leave tree selection. Spacing of leave trees may be increased to leave the most desirable tree. Leave trees shall be spaced as stated in the DUIS and generally be those of greatest vigor, tallest height, greatest diameter, largest crown, and straightest boles that are free of damage due to insects, disease, physical or mechanical causes. The highest priority species shall be chosen unless it has major damage or disease infection. In this case, a lower priority species without major damage or disease infection shall be selected.

Trees with mistletoe shall generally be discriminated against. Douglas Fir without visible dwarf mistletoe infection will be assumed infected if they are within 30 feet of an infected taller Douglas Fir.

Contractors shall leave all shrubs, broadleaf trees, Pacific Yew, and mountain mahogany.

Contractor shall leave all trees to which a fence is attached. All Western Juniper shall be cut with no maximum cut DBH. Generally, the Contractor shall leave all single snags greater than 12” diameter. If there is a ½ acre or greater patch of smaller diameter dead trees less than 12” DBH, they shall not be cut, unless otherwise stated in the DUIS.

All trees other than leave trees shall be cut below the lowest live limb, except when prevented by natural obstacles. All live limbs below the cutting point shall be removed. Trees shall be completely severed from the stump. Stump height of a tree shall not exceed height defined in the DUIS, or as directed by the COR, unless cutting is obstructed by natural obstacles. All thinning slash shall be placed on or near the ground surface so that it will not lean against or be suspended by an uncut tree.

Cut trees shall be felled away from boundaries, roads, road cut banks, telephone lines, established trails, stock driveways, fence lines, fire lines, mining ditch lines, abandoned historic railroad beds, established land corners, troughs, and other improvements. The Contractor shall pull any trees falling on such areas back at a minimum of 6 feet. No thinning slash shall be left outside the contract boundary, unless otherwise approved by the CO. Contractors shall remove and pull back all thinning slash from the following areas/items, but not limited to within six feet of leave tree boles, stream courses, historic mining ditch lines, roads and fences, stock ponds, stock troughs, stock driveways and trails to keep them usable and passable at all times, unless otherwise stated in the DUIS. All required slash pull back shall be kept current with operations.

All thinning slash shall be placed on or near the ground surface so that it will not lean against or be suspended by an uncut tree.

3.2.e. Slash Treatment Standard

Section a cut tree’s bole, and pre-existing down logs, into 6–8-foot pieces. Do not section existing down logs that are 12” diameter or larger at the smallest end. Additionally, Western Juniper should be sectioned and lopped so the bole is touching the ground.

3.2.f. Protection of Resources

Where fencing exists, the contractor shall fell trees away from the fence into the unit and remove felled trees within 6 feet of the fence, protecting the fence and ensuring no damage is incurred.

Should springs and/or seeps be encountered that do not have a boundary protecting them, the contractor should not cut within them and inform the COR of such areas so that a proper buffer can be created. This buffer is generally 50 feet.

The Contractor shall be responsible for any damage caused by their personnel and/or equipment. This includes but is not limited to damage to existing structural improvements such as water developments, fences, property line monuments, bearing trees, roadblocks, road surfaces and/or drainage structures because of contract activities. The Contractor, at his/her expense, shall restore damaged property back to its original condition in a timely manner.

3.2.g. NFBR Habitat Enhancement hand pile units total 89 treatment acres. See PWS Annex A – NFBR Habitat Enhancement All Units Map

3.2.h. Handpiling Standard Cut trees and existing down logs into lengths to facilitate piling to standards outlined below. Do not section existing down logs that are 12” diameter or larger at the smallest end. Piles shall be no closer than 10 feet, from any part of a live tree, unless otherwise stated in the DUIS or approved by COR. See Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP). Whenever possible piles shall be constructed in created or natural openings. This may entail physically moving slash up to 50 feet. When no opening exists a leave tree may have to be felled to create an opening, felling of leave trees shall be approved in advance by the Government. Piles shall be constructed in such a manner as to easily ignite, combust completely, contain fire within the pile perimeter, and do minimal damage to residual trees. Contractor shall pile all material to the DBH specified in the DUIS or other supporting document.

Handpiling Standards Continued:

Restrictions:

a) Plastic products (polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride) of at least 4mm thickness shall be used and placed in the upper 1/3 of the pile to maintain 2/3 of the pile as a dry core comprised with kindling-sized material.

b) Piles shall not be placed on large or tall stumps, down logs greater than 12” small-end diameter, or large rocks.

c) Piles shall not be constructed in road prisms, ditches, meadows, grass “scablands,” or channel bottoms.

d) Large live shrubs or broad-leafed trees shall not be cut to facilitate pile location(s).

e) To account for pile compaction, minimum pile size shall be 5 feet high and 6 feet wide by 6 feet in length. Width will be measured three feet off the ground.

f) No material shall extend more than 18 inches beyond the perimeter of the pile.

Material cut off to meet standard shall be added to pile.

Acceptable quality level paragraph 3.2, AQL: 90%

4.0 Property

4.1 Government Furnished

None

5.0 Deliverable / Schedule

DELIVERABLE REFERENCE DUE SUBMIT TO

(1) Contractor work Plan

PWS Paragraph 3.1.c.

The work plan shall include: 1) project milestone plan depicting 50% and 100% dates. 2) Key Personnel. 3) Safety Plan. 4) Fire Plan. 5) Contractor’s Quality Control Plan

Within fourteen (14) calendar days after contract award

Contracting Officer’s Representative

(2) Key Personnel PWS Paragraph 6, Contractor’s Key Personnel.

Within fourteen (14) calendar days after contract award

Contracting Officer’s Representative

6.0 Contractor’s Key Personnel

The Contractor shall provide a Contract Manager and designated alternate, as applicable, who has full authority to act for the Contractor on all contract matters relating to this contract. The Contract Manager or alternate shall be available during the Government's regular working hours. The Contractor shall submit the name and contact information of the contract manager in writing to the COR within 14 calendar days of award utilizing R6_FS-6300-6 Designation of Representative Form. (Deliverable 03)

7.0 Performance Requirement Measures

Task Standard Acceptable Quality Level Incentive/Disincentive Deliverables Provide the deliverables within the stated time limit

100% The Contractor’s ability to meet the standard will be reflected in the performance evaluation, either positive or negative

Leave Tree Selection

Select the best leave tree using the specified criteria

(DUIS).

90% Rework. No pay for uncorrectable quality below 80%.

Cut Trees Meet stump height requirements and no live limbs

90% meet stump height.

100% meet no live limb requirement.

Rework

Section Meet requirements for slash size

90% of the slash meets the requirements

Rework

Pull back Meet pullback requirements

90% of material requiring pullback has been moved

Rework

Quality Control

Contractor follows their provided quality control program

Contractor’s quality control is +5/-5% of the government’s quality assurance

The Contractor’s ability to meet the standard will be reflected in the performance evaluation, either positive or negative

Attachments Annex A- NFBR Habitat Enhancement All Units Map Annex B – NFBR Habitat Enhancement North Units Annex C – NFBR Habitat Enhancement South Units Annex D – NFBR Habitat Enhancement Vicinity Map