Draft_Statement_of_Work_1.docx

STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES

1.0 GENERAL

1.1 Description - Contractor shall furnish all necessary management, labor, supervision, equipment, materials, transportation, supplies, and incidental services to perform this requirement. A Stewardship project is designed to provide an integrated approach to stand management on forest stands and juniper woodlands of varying sizes and densities.

1.2 Objective - The objective of this project is to reach an end result that will:

1.3 Location/Access - The project areas are located within the administrative boundaries of BLM. See attached vicinity map. Project area(s) are normally accessible by a standard pickup on forest roads. A four-wheel drive vehicle may be required. The Government assumes no liability to perform special road maintenance to keep roads open to the project areas.

1.4 Security of materials – The Contractor may leave their equipment at the work site. However, the Government is not responsible for the equipment if it should be lost, stolen, or damaged.

1.5 Boundaries - Unit boundaries are marked with ribbon or designated on PDF maps or similar mapping software. The project maps show reserve areas, some of the physical and topographical features of the units, as well as delineated areas within the units which require special treatment.

1.6 Fire Precautions – Contractor must follow all applicable laws and regulations regarding fire season and associated restrictions and requirements.

1.7 Unique Features of Project Area - Any unique feature specific to each unit will be listed on task order unit maps. Operations are subject to seasonal restrictions due to weather conditions, fire restrictions, and wildlife species. Seasonal restrictions and buffers are listed in the applicable National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents, they will also be listed on individual task orders.

2.0 DEFINITIONS

Bankfull - the level of a stream when the channel is filled to the level of the floodplain.

Basal Area - The cross-sectional area of a tree measured at DBH. Basal area is usually expressed on a per acre basis which is the sum of the cross sectional areas of all the trees on an acre of land.

Bearing Tree – a tree used as a reference monument to locate a property corner.

Biomass - Any vegetative material that the Contractor removes that does not meet the Sawlog, clean chip, firewood, or post & pole definition below.

Brush - vegetation consisting of shrub species with single or multi-stems originating at or near ground level and not normally reaching 20 feet in height. Examples include but are not limited to: Canyon Live Oak, Vine Maple, Salmonberry, Hazel, Huckleberry, Thimbleberry, Manzanita, Ocean-spray, Ceanothus species, Silktassel, Sagebrush, Wild Rose, Ribes Species.

Clean chips- Wood chips of varying sizes created generally from bole wood and excluding needles and soil.

Conifer - An evergreen, cone-bearing tree, such as Douglas-fir, Western Red Cedar, Western White Pine, Incense Cedar, Western Hemlock, Ponderosa Pine, Sugar Pine, Grand Fir, White Fir, Noble Fir, Western Juniper, and Pacific Yew.

Cord - A stack of fuelwood which measures 4 x 4 x 8 ft. or 128 ft3, including wood, bark, and empty space within the stack.

Damaged Trees - Any Contractor-caused alteration or injury to the tree or root system which may cause death, loss of vigor, or will negatively affect growth, including, but not limited to, severance of the main stem or terminal leader, delimbing, scraping, debarking, or uprooting.

Deck - A stack of logs or the action of stacking logs.

Designated Skid Trail - A trail flagged by the Contractor prior to cutting and approved by the COR/PI to operate designated equipment on.

Diameter Breast Height (DBH) - The diameter of a tree measured at breast height, 4.5 feet above the ground on the uphill side.

End-Lining - Pulling or winching felled trees or slash by means of cable drawn out from the skidder or skidding vehicle in the following situations:

Firewood - Wood that does not meet the Sawlog, Biomass, Clean Chip, or Post & Pole definitions described herein and/or that is transported off the site in lengths less than 8 feet long and intended for use as fuelwood. This material shall be priced in cords with volumes determined by the Government.

Hazardous trees - standing live or dead trees, with evidence of insect infestation, deterioration, or physical damage to the root system, trunk, or stem. The degree and direction of lean is also an important factor when determining if a tree is a hazard.

Hardwood Tree - A deciduous tree which usually has a single well-defined trunk and normally attains a height of greater than twenty (20) feet at maturity and has broad leaves. Examples include, but are not limited to, species such as Pacific madrone, chinquapin, tanoak, canyon live oak, big leaf maple, red alder and ash.

Hog Fuel- See Biomass - Any type of wood product that can be burned for fuel at pulp mill facilities to generate electricity but can't be classified as chips, shavings, bark, or sawdust.

Landings - A loading point where logs are collected preparatory to further transportation, loaded on trucks and also any other location that became a destination for yarded woody material.

Large woody debris - Portion of a tree that has fallen, or been cut and left in the woods. Usually refers to pieces at least 20 inches in diameter.

Leave Tree – Any tree marked for retention and/or described in this contract to be reserved from cutting. Additional leave trees may be specified on project maps.

Loading point - Any landing or other area in which logs and biomass material are capable of being loaded for transportation out of the project area.

Lop - Trim by cutting off branches, twigs, or stems.

Manual Work – Work that does not require the use of heavy equipment. Most work is performed by hand; some bid items may require light use of chainsaws, ATV’s, or trucks.

Mechanical Work – Work will primarily require the use of heavy tracked or tired equipment.

Sawlog (Merchantable Timber) - The Minimum Material Specification is as follows (this may be adjusted on a per task order basis):

Schedule of Minimum Material Specifications

Objectionable Material – Objectionable material is defined as debris or any foreign matter.

Older junipers - Juniper that originated in the “pre-settlement” period, before 1870. It is assumed that these trees are growing on sites that they are adapted to, since they began growing there under “natural conditions” when natural processes (including lightning fires) determined vegetation patterns. Older junipers are usually found in rocky areas where vegetation is sparse and natural fire frequency is low. Some typical characteristics of older juniper are:

It is rare for an older juniper to have all of the above features, but more commonly will have at least three or four. Also, older junipers are not always the largest trees; on drier, rocky sites, they can be short, stubby, gnarly trees.

Post & Pole - Wood sized approximately six inches in diameter and seven feet long used as a fence post and/or poles and does not meet the Sawlog definition. This material may be sold on a cord or ton basis as shown on the task order.

Preferred Species - The list of species in order of most desired to least desired in a given area. This information may be provided in a task order.

Project Area - The area identified on the task order for treatment using any of the items in this contract.

Reserve Area - An area where no activity is permitted.

Reserve Trees - Generally those trees designated by the Government to be left uncut. Each task order will include a specific description of reserve trees for that project.

Silviculture Summary Prescription (SSP) - Specific instructions provided with each task order for individual treatment units that summarize desirable leave trees and requirements for selecting the leave and/or reserve trees. The prescription is based on the overall composition and condition of the stand and is intended to be a guideline for achieving a desired stand condition. The Contractor shall use his/her silvicultural knowledge to identify and designate leave trees, desired species composition, and adjust to any conditions within the stand and notify the COR or PI of any conditions not addressed in the prescription. Designation can be by paint, description, or prescription. In some cases, a small area will be marked and cut to ensure the Contractor understands the specifications.

Slash – All woody material that has been cut, but not removed from the contract area during the primary removal operation. Typically includes brush, broken tops, limbs, cull logs, pieces of logs damaged reproduction, saplings, and poles which were caused as a result of felling and yarding operations. This includes old slash existing prior to timber sale entry.

Station-In reference to road construction/maintenance a station is equal to 100 feet.

Stump - The lower end of a tree with roots attached remaining in the ground after the tree has been cut.

Submerchantable Material (Non-Sawlog) – Vegetative material that does not meet the definition of Merchantable Timber (Sawlog).

Timber - standing trees which are capable of being measured in board feet and cubic feet.

Trespass Trees - Any reserve trees which have been cut and/or removed from the woods.

Yarding – the conveyance of logs or trees or portions thereof, by ground based, cable, balloon, or helicopter yarding systems from the area of falling or cutting to the landing or loading point for removal. Yarding is generally accomplished using mechanical equipment.

3.0 CONTRACTOR FURNISHED ITEMS

The Contractor shall furnish all personnel, labor, supervision, equipment with qualified operators, transportation, supplies (other than Government furnished property), and incidentals required to finish the project.

3.3 Equipment and Materials

Contractor will provide necessary equipment to perform tasks according to specifications.

3.4 Equipment

3.5 Equipment Operator - Experienced and qualified operators in the operation and maintenance of all contractor furnished equipment is considered essential. The Government reserves the right to require the Contractor, in writing, to remove from the project any operator who, in the opinion of the COR/PI is found to be inexperienced or operates the equipment in an unsafe manner. The Contractor shall provide a replacement operator within 24 hours.

4.0 MATERIALS FURNISHED by the GOVERNMENT

As task orders are issued, the Government will provide the following as appropriate:

4.5 Gate keys to gain access to project units.

5.2 Prior to the commencement of operations, the Contractor shall schedule a pre-work meeting with the COR/PI and obtain COR/PI written approval of an operations plan commensurate with the terms and conditions of the contract which shall include measures needed to assure protection of the environment and watershed.

5.3 Contractor shall conduct all operations in connection with this contract in compliance with the applicable provisions of Federal, State, and local safety, health, and sanitation laws, codes, and regulations. Contractor’s operations shall facilitate the Government’s safe and practical inspection of Contractor’s operations and the Government’s conduct of other official duties on contract area. Contractor has all responsibility for compliance with safety requirements for Contractor’s employees, contractors and subcontractors, and the employees of any of them. Upon written notice from the Contracting Officer, the Contracting Officer may unilaterally modify the contract to be consistent with State or Federal safety requirements. Unless otherwise specified in writing, when operations are in progress adjacent to or on roads or specifically identified trails in the harvest unit area, Contractor shall furnish, install, and maintain all temporary traffic controls that provide the road or trail user with adequate warning of and protection from hazardous or potentially hazardous conditions associated with its operations. Contractor shall prepare a Traffic Control Plan, which the Contractor has determined is compliant with state and local safety and transportation standards no later than the pre-work meeting and prior to commencing operations. Traffic control devices shall be appropriate to current operating and/or weather conditions and shall be covered or removed when not needed. Flagmen and devices shall be as specified in state safety and transportation standards for logging roads, or the “Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways” published by the U.S. Department of Transportation – Federal Highway Administration. Included in the Traffic Control Plan, Contractor shall note traffic control device locations on a Contractor produced copy of the project map. Notwithstanding other provisions in the contract regarding wood product reserved from cutting, the Government authorizes the Contractor, their contractors, sub-contractors, or the employees of any of them, to fell any trees that they determine pose an imminent danger or imminent safety concern to its employees, the public, or Government employees, in accordance with applicable provisions of Federal, State, and local safety laws, codes, and regulations. If the Contracting Officer determines that the Contractor, their contractors, subcontractors, or employees of any of them, have used this authorization to fell trees that did not pose a legitimate imminent danger or imminent safety concern, this will be considered trespass, and the Contractor shall be liable for damages.

5.4 Due to resource concerns, any harvest system that causes excessive soil compaction from repeated passes over the same area will not be allowed.

5.5 Seasonal restrictions may apply and will be detailed in individual task orders.

5.6 The contractor will be responsible for executing license agreements and paying necessary fees for the use of private roads associated with haul. These agreements and fees will be detailed within each task order.

5.7 These tasks are common to all logging operations

5.7.2 Logging Requirements

5.7.13 Additional timber that is obstructing needed skid roads, trees designated for cutting, cable yarding roads, hazardous to workers, needed for guyline, tailhold, and/or tieback trees, and severely damaged from the normal conduct of felling or yarding operations to meet all applicable State safety laws, codes or regulations. This timber must be cut or removed so that the contractor can continue active falling and yarding operations. The contractor will be authorized to cut and remove such additional timber provided, however, that:

5.7.14 Before cutting and removing any trees necessary to facilitate logging in units, the Contractor shall identify the location of the skid roads, yarding corridors, landings, and danger trees on the ground in a manner approved by the COR/PI at the pre-work conference and documented in the Logging Plan. Said Contractor identification of trees to be cut and removed does not constitute authority to proceed with cutting and removal.

5.7.15 All skid roads upon which timber is identified by the contractor to be cut and removed in accordance with this special provision must be necessary for the safe and expeditious removal of timber sold under this contact and shall be limited to the minimum width necessary for yarding of logs with a minimum of damage to reserve trees, however, unless otherwise approved in writing by the COR/PI, the width of each skid road shall be limited to 14 feet.

5.7.16 The Contractor may cut and remove additional timber after the COR/PI has approved the trees and designated them for removal. The volume and value of the timber that will be charged to the contractor for this additional timber will be determined by the COR/PI in accordance with Bureau of Land Management prescribed procedures.

5.7.17 If a tree or snag is determined by the contractor to be an imminent threat to safety, the contractor may immediately fall the tree without prior approval. Once the tree has been felled, the contractor must immediately contact the COR/PI and notify them of the action. The tree will be left where it lays and the cut end of the tree and stump shall be marked with a large “X”, cut with a chainsaw, and the “X” will be painted with red paint. The felled tree cannot be removed until the COR/PI physically inspects it.

6.0 SPECIFIC TASKS – MECHANICAL LOGGING ACTIVITIES

6.1 Item 1, Ground-Based Logging

6.1.3 Cut material shall be piled to facilitate utilization or burning as specified on the task order.

6.2 Item 2, Cable Logging

6.2.1 This is cable logging to include the cutting, yarding, processing, decking, and hauling of Schedule B material. Cable logging typically occurs on slopes that are greater than 35%. Material size and density will vary from task order to task order, units could contain only sawlog material, only non-sawlog material, or a mix of sawlog material and non-sawlog material. These treatments could be comparable to a “Commercial Treatment”, “Pre-Commercial Treatment”, or “Yarding Unmerchantable Material” depending on the specifics of the task order.

6.2.2 Yarding shall be done with a cable skyline system utilizing a mechanical slack-pulling carriage capable of maintaining a fixed position on the skyline while lateral yarding and having a lateral capability of seventy-five (75) feet. The carriage must not move during in-haul. The system shall have the capability to yard in multi-span configuration.

6.2.3 The leading end of all logs shall be suspended free of the ground during yarding. Lift trees and/or intermediate support trees shall be employed where necessary to meet this requirement.

6.2.4 All logs shall be yarded away from or parallel to streams.

6.4 Item 4, Mechanical Brushing (Mowing, Slashbusting)

6.4.3 Cut brush lodged in leave trees shall be dislodged or removed.

6.4.4 Cut brush shall be lopped, slashed and scattered so that resulting debris are no more than 12 inches deep.

6.4.5 All roads designated on the project map shall be kept free of cut brush concurrently with brushing.

6.4.6 Contractor shall protect from injury or damage all tasked order designated trees, trees that form the boundary of the project areas, and all bearing trees, corner posts and monuments within or adjacent to the project areas as designated by the task order.

6.5 Item 5, Mechanical Cut and Pile

6.5.1 This item describes mechanically cutting trees and piling them in the unit rather than skidding them to a landing. Cut and pile all trees except those designated for retention as specified in the task order.

6.6 Item 6, Mechanical Piling

6.6.1 This item is identical to Item 5, but it does not include cutting.

6.7.2 All materials removed remain the property of the government unless otherwise provided in the task order.

6.7.3 Sawlogs shall either be charged and hauled offsite or be bucked to specified lengths and placed on BLM lands at approved decking areas. Volume of logs will be determined by the BLM and charged as per Schedule B.

6.7.4 Limb and cut to length fallen timber.

6.8 Item 9 and 9A, Individual Tree Cut and Remove

6.8.1 This item concerns the cutting and removal of individual trees that have been designated by the government for cutting and removal. An example could be individually marked standing trees that are leaning over a roadway. Cut and remove designated material as specified. Bid item includes the falling of the tree and the removal/hauling of the tree off-site. Contractor would be charged cost of tree volume as per Schedule B.

6.8.2 Bid item 9 will be calculated by “each” tree removed. Each tree will be marked and tallied by the contractor as directed by the COR or will have been marked and tallied by the government to facilitate the “each” designation.

6.8.3 Bid item 9A will be calculated by the mile rather than “each”. Trees would be felled and removed by a piece of equipment traveling down a continuous stretch of road and disposing of the material as designated by the task order.

6.9.2 If the tree is felled near a road, all tree material will be removed from the road prism. Do not leave woody debris and slash in ditches, drainage channels, traveled way, shoulders, or turnouts. Place and scatter the removed materials down slope from the roadbed and avoid drainage ways or accumulations at the base of conifer trees.

6.10 Item 11, Woody Debris Grinding/Chipping and Removal

6.10.1 Contractor grinding/chipping and transport of woody debris will be paid for under these line items. Note that the hauling distance involved and any road maintenance fees on private roads should be figured into task order bids and will be paid by the contractor.

6.10.2 Woody debris removal will consist of utilization/removal of >99% of the material. When complete, landings will be free of woody debris. Use of a tub grinder or similar machine capable of >99% utilization/removal will be required. All Schedule B items designated in the task order shall be removed offsite.

6.10.3 Any residual (<1%) material remaining on landing will be piled or spread as directed by the COR/PI.

6.10.4 No material processing shall be located on a surfaced (asphalt or graveled) road, within 150 feet of any stream, or beneath any power lines. The Contractor shall remove slash and debris from roadways (which includes roadside ditches) resulting from their logging or chipping operations.

7.0.2 The Contractor shall grade/blade road surface of native or aggregate surfaces to facilitate traffic. Banks shall not be undercut. Back blading with tractors or similar equipment will be allowed only around landings and other areas when approved by the COR/PI. Provide proper drainage. Blading shall be on the road surface and includes shaping the crown or slope of the traveled way, turnouts, berms, shoulders and reshaping water bars and/or drainage dips in accordance with this specification. Water and/or Compaction are required when shown on the road listing. Road shoulders are a part of this requirement when maintaining native and/or aggregate surfaces. The COR/PI may require surface course material that is graded/placed outside the traveled way to be recovered.

7.0.3 This work will conform to the lines, grades, dimensions, and typical cross sections shown on the Exhibit C13, C14, and C15 located in Section C of this contract.

7.0.11 Shape existing native rock or aggregate surfaced drainage dips to divert surface runoff to existing outlet devices, ditches, and discharge location.

7.0.12 Establish a blading pattern, which provides a uniform driving surface, retains the surfacing on the roadbed, and provides a thorough mixing of the materials within the completed surface width. Remove any oversized material (greater than the largest surfacing material dimension) from the road surface or shoulders and place outside the roadbed. Oversized material may be scattered off the roadbed if there is free drainage and material does not contain road grade rock. If oversized material does not meet the above criteria to be left, the oversized material must be removed and transported to an approved waste area.

Shape and compact the traveled way and shoulders using one of the following methods:

Method A – Compact the aggregate by operating spreading and hauling equipment over the full width of each layer of aggregate.

Method B – Moisten or dry the aggregate to uniform moisture content suitable for compaction. Operate rollers over the full width of each layer until visual displacement ceases, making no fewer than three complete passes. (A pass is defined as a single complete coverage of the surface).

Method C – Ensure that materials produced by pit-run and grid rolling are visually moist and compacted using operating compaction equipment over the full width of each layer until visual displacement ceases.

7.0.13 Roads will be measured on centerline miles to the nearest tenth for single lane roads. Double lane miles must be at least 22 feet wide and will be counted as two single lane roads. Roads must be identified as double lane.

7.0.14 Watering- This work shall consist of furnishing and applying water required for the finishing and reconditioning of existing roadbeds, laying dust, dust abatement during active haul, or for other uses in accordance with these specifications.

Water, when needed for compaction or laying dust, shall be applied at the locations, in the amounts, and during the hours as directed by the COR. Amounts of water to be provided will be the minimum needed to properly execute the compaction requirements in conformance with these specifications, and for laying dust during work periods.

Water trucks used in this work shall be equipped with a distributing device of ample capacity and of such design as to ensure uniform application of water on the roadbed.

Water required under these specifications shall be obtained at a location designated by the COR Use of the water source is subject to applicable State water regulations.

7.1 Item 13, Road Maintenance (grading, ditching, culvert cleaning, brushing)

7.1.12 Ditch Maintenance

7.1.13 The Contractor shall provide for maintenance of various types of ditches and/or waterways. The work provides for removal of slough, silt, slash and other debris from drainage ditches to provide for unobstructed water flow in the ditch. Drainage ditch maintenance is limited to materials contained within the ditch below the elevation of the adjacent edge of the traveled way or shoulder.

7.1.18 Suitable material (as defined by Federal Highway Projets (FP-14)) up to 4 inches in greatest dimension removed from the ditches may be blended into existing native road surface and shoulder. Non-suitable material shall be hauled and disposed of in an approved location.

7.1.19 Do not blend material from ditch-cleaning operations into, nor blade across aggregate-surfaced roads or bituminous-surfaced roads. On natural surface roads, ditch material (non-vegetation materials) may be bladed across the surface and the ditch materials may be used for road fill or repair.

7.2.2 This work will conform to the lines, grades, dimensions, and…