1_PWS_(2017).doc

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS)

Land Conservation Services

29 September 2017

1.0. Description of Services: The Contractor shall provide all labor, tools, equipment, test equipment, personal protective equipment and clothing, material and parts, transportation and other incidentals necessary to travel to Tinker AFB, OK, to perform various land management activities and all other services primarily in Tinker’s green infrastructure areas (Exhibit 1) in accordance with this Performance Work Statement (PWS). It is anticipated approximately 5 to 15 acres will be managed annually with a combination of Categories A-C land management activities.

1.1. Performance Objective: The purpose of this service is to rehabilitate and/or restore land with vegetation native to central Oklahoma. Three basic land management activities are required: 1) grass/forb establishment, 2) erosion/sediment control, and 3) general land surface preparation.

1.1.1. Category A (Native Grass/Forb Establishment): The Contractor shall establish native grasses/forbs using one of the following seeding techniques:

1.1.1.1. Category A-1 (Hydroseeding with ProMatrix Engineered Fiber Matrix (EFM)):

The Contractor shall hydroseed native grass and ProMatrix EFM (or equivalent). Grass seeding rates shall be as specified in paragraph 1.1.1.9.1. The ProMatrix EFM shall be applied at a rate of 3000 pounds/acre as recommended by the manufacturer. The Contractor shall ensure applied mulch achieves 100% ground coverage (i.e., no soil visible after mulch applied).

1.1.1.2. Category A-2 (Hydroseeding with Flexterra High Performance Flexible Growth Medium (HP-FGM)):

The Contractor shall hydroseed native grass and Flexterra High Performance Flexible Growth Medium (HP-FGM) (or equivalent). Grass seeding rates shall be as specified in paragraph 1.1.1.9.1. The Flexterra HP-FGM shall be applied at a rate of 3000 pounds/acre, as recommended by the manufacturer. The Contractor shall ensure applied mulch achieves 100% ground coverage (i.e., no soil visible after mulch applied).

1.1.1.2.1. Areas to be hydroseeded shall be free of trash, debris, vegetation, gravel, large stones, or other objects that would hinder or prevent adequate vegetation establishment. They shall be power-raked or similarly prepared to provide a smooth, level seedbed suitable for grass/forb establishment.

1.1.1.2.2. The Contractor shall mix and apply hydroseed materials as specified by the manufacturer (i.e., Profile Products) and in accordance with videos available for viewing at www.profileevs.com.

1.1.1.2.3. The Contractor shall ensure hydroseeding equipment to be used on the project is of sufficient power and capacity (minimum of 650 gallon, mechanically-agitated machine) to broadcast hydroseed mixtures (specified in para.1.1.1.2) evenly and consistently across the entire site.

1.1.1.3. Category A-3 (No-Till Seeding of Grass Mixture):

No-till seeding shall be accomplished into existing, untilled ground using a no-till grass drill or seeder. Grass composition and seeding rates shall be as specified in paragraph 1.1.1.9.1. The drill/seeder shall be specifically designed for use with fluffy and slick native prairie grass seed. If the area to be seeded is currently vegetated, the vegetation will be killed with herbicides by others prior to seeding. The Contractor shall furnish the seed.

1.1.1.4. Category A-4 (No-Till Seeding of Buffalo Grass):

No-till seeding shall be accomplished into existing, untilled ground using a no-till grass drill or seeder. Grass composition and seeding rates shall be as specified in paragraph 1.1.1.9.2. The drill/seeder shall be specifically designed or adapted for use with buffalo grass seed. If the area to be seeded is currently vegetated, the vegetation will be killed with herbicides by others prior to seeding. The Contractor shall furnish the seed.

1.1.1.5. Category A-5 (No-Till Seeding of Forbs/Shrubs):

No-till seeding shall be accomplished into existing, untilled ground using a no-till drill or seeder. The drill/seeder shall be specifically designed for use with fluffy and slick native prairie forb/shrub seed. If the area to be seeded is currently vegetated, the vegetation will be killed with herbicides by others prior to seeding. The Government will furnish the seed and specify the seeding rate.

1.1.1.6. Category A-6 (Brillion Seeding of Grass Mixture):

Brillion seeding shall be accomplished in designated areas, such as but not limited to, previously masticated woodlands. The Brillion seeder shall be used to simultaneously plant fluffy native grass seed mixture and cultipack. Grass composition and seeding rates shall be as specified in paragraph 1.1.1.9.1. The Contractor shall furnish the seed.

1.1.1.7. Category A-7 (Brillion Seeding of Buffalo Grass):

Brillion seeding shall be accomplished in designated areas, such as but not limited to, previously masticated woodlands. The Brillion seeder shall be used to simultaneously plant native buffalo grass seed and cultipack. Grass seeding rates shall be as specified in paragraph 1.1.1.9.2. The Contractor shall furnish the seed.

1.1.1.8. Category A-8 (Sodding Buffalo Grass):

Sodding shall be accomplished in designated areas as determined by the Government. Sod shall be live, dense, and freshly cut. The Government will clear the sodding site of all existing vegetation. The ground receiving the sod shall be properly prepared (e.g., upper 0.5 inches of soil surface loose, smooth, no clods/rocks, moist) by the Contractor just prior to planting. The sod shall be installed tightly with no gaps between slabs. The installed sod shall be rolled to ensure good sod-to-soil contact. Sod shall be as specified in paragraph 1.1.1.9 (Table 3). Irrigation will be performed by others.

1.1.1.9. Seed Mixture and Other Seeding/Sodding Requirements:

1.1.1.9.1 Seeding Rate of Grass Mixture: The seeding rate for the 15-species grass seed mixture (Table 1) shall be 10 pure live seed (PLS) pounds per acre.

1.1.1.9.2 Seeding Rate of Buffalo Grass: The seeding rate for the buffalo grass (Table 2) shall be 43 PLS pounds per acre. The buffalo grass shall be primed with potassium nitrate.

Table 1 Native Grass Seed Mixture

Common Name

Botanical Name % of Composition

Big bluestem Andropogon gerardii

10.0

Sideoats grama Bouteloua curtipendula

5.0

Blue grama Bouteloua gracilis 4.0

Switchgrass Panicum virgatum 1.0

Little bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium

60.0

Indiangrass Sorghastrum nutans

10.0

Buffalo grass Buchloe dactyloides 1.0

Green sprangletop Leptochloa dubia 2.0

Tall dropseed Sporobolus asper 1.0

Eastern gamagrass Tripsacum dactyloides 1.0

Purpletop Tridens flavus 1.0

Canada wildrye Elymus Canadensis 1.0

Prairie cordgrass Spartina pectinata 1.0

Prairie dropseed Sporobolus heterolepis 1.0

Virginia wildrye Elymus virginicus 1.0

Table 2

Buffalo Grass Seed

Common Name

Buffalo grass Buchloe dactyloides ‘Cody’ 100.0 or ‘Bowie’*

* Note: Buffalo grass shall be primed with potassium nitrate

Table 3

Buffalo Grass Sod

Common Name

Buffalo grass Buchloe dactyloides ‘Cody’ 100.0 or ‘Bowie’ or ‘Sundancer’*

*Sod cultivars will be determined by the Government to ensure compatibility in habit, performance, and appearance with existing adjacent buffalo grass on the planting site.

1.1.1.9.3. Since seed availability may vary, substitutes may be accepted by the Government. All substitutes must be approved by the Government prior to purchase.

1.1.1.9.4. Seed specifications: Seed shall be no more than 1 year old and must have been cold-stratified prior to use. No prohibited noxious (i.e., seed must meet Oklahoma Seed Law standard) or invasive species (i.e., plains/old world bluestems, sericea lespedeza, Johnsongrass, Bermuda grass, tall fescue, and others) weed seeds shall be in the mixture. The minimum pure live seed (PLS) percentage for the grass seed mixture shall be 50%. The minimum pure live seed (PLS) percentage for the Cody/Bowie buffalo grass shall be 80%. All bags of seed shall include an appropriately labeled analysis to include vendor name, common name, botanical name, variety (if applicable), purity, germination, test date, inert matter, invasive weed seed, other crop, noxious weed seed, seed origin, net weight, and any other information required by state and federal laws.

1.1.1.9.5. Most seeding is anticipated to be tasked by the Government such that seeding must be accomplished during January to March of each year, thereby not requiring irrigation. However, the Government may require seeding to be accomplished at any time of year.

1.1.1.9.6. Wildflower seed mixtures are likely to be composed of large and very small seeds. Seeding techniques (e.g., pine sawdust carrier) shall be employed to ensure large and small seeds are evenly distributed across the entire seedbed.

1.1.1.9.7. Any post-seeding weed control by herbicide application will be accomplished by others.

1.1.1.9.8. “Established vegetation” is defined in Table 4. Areas which do not meet the establishment target shall be reseeded in the appropriate season per the seeding specifications in the PWS.

1.1.1.9.9. Particular attention shall be given to ensure seed is planted at the appropriate depth for the specific seed species to ensure adequate germination and grass establishment which meets the performance standards stated herein.

1.1.2. Category B (Erosion/Sediment Control):

The following tasks, in most cases, will be completed in conjunction with seeding operations.

1.1.2.1. Category B-1 (Vegetation Establishment Blanket): Blankets shall be Futerra F4 Netless (or equivalent) . Blankets shall be installed per the manufacturer’s recommendations and adequately anchored to the ground with 6” steel staples to ensure blankets are not displaced during storm/wind events. They shall be maintained until vegetation establishment as determined by the QAP

1.1.2.2. Categories B-2 (Vegetation Establishment Blanket): Blankets shall be Futerra EnviroNet (or equivalent). Blankets shall be installed per the manufacturer’s recommendations and adequately anchored to the ground with 6” steel staples to ensure blankets are not displaced during storm/wind events. They shall be maintained until vegetation establishment as determined by the QAP

1.1.2.3. Category B-3 (Native hay mulch): Hay mulch shall be composed of grasses/forbs native to the central part of Oklahoma and free of mold, weed seeds, invasive species seeds, and other deleterious materials. Hay mulch shall be applied uniformly across the site at a rate of 1.5 tons per acre without undue clumping/bunching and open enough for grass to germinate beneath the mulch. It shall be maintained until vegetation establishment as determined by the QAP.

1.1.2.4. Category B-4 (Silt fencing): Silt fencing shall be installed and maintained for the duration of vegetation establishment and removed, if needed, upon adequate vegetation coverage as determined by the QAP. Silt fencing shall be SedimentSTOP Biodegradable Filtration System, or equivalent, stapled or staked as necessary to hold fabric in place for duration of vegetation establishment. The rolled edge of the fabric shall be buried to degree specified by the manufacturer to accomplish sediment control objectives.

1.1.2.5. Category B-5 (Straw bale barrier): Straw bale barriers shall be installed in a 4-inch deep excavated trench. Backfill shall be placed and compacted around the bales to prevent piping. Loose straw shall be wedged between bales to prevent water flow between bales. Bales shall be adequately anchored with T-posts or similar stakes to prevent them from becoming dislodged. Bales shall be maintained until vegetation establishment as determined by the QAP.

1.1.2.6. Category B-6 (Topsoil): In most cases, seeding shall be accomplished into existing soil. When additional topsoil is required beyond what is available on the site, it shall be free from weed seeds, stones, limbs, lumps of soil, sticks, roots, trash, or other materials which would hinder seeding operations and/or vegetation establishment. Topsoil shall be spread to a minimum depth of 3 inches.

1.1.3. Category C (Miscellaneous Land Management Activities):

1.1.3.1. Category C-1 Ground Preparation (Tilling): Ground shall be thoroughly tilled to a minimum depth of 4-6 inches, as approved by the QAP.

1.1.3.2. Category C-2 Ground Preparation (Disking/Harrowing): Ground shall be sufficiently disked or harrowed to a depth and extent which provides a proper seedbed (i.e., ensures good seed-to-soil contact of sown seed) across the entire site.

1.1.3.3. Category C-3 Ground Preparation (Leveling): Gullying or similar ground irregularities shall be leveled with a skid steer, tractor with box blade, or other equipment to provide a smooth seedbed, as approved by the QAP.

1.1.3.4. Category C-4 Ground Preparation (Brushhogging): Vegetation shall be brush hogged at various heights, as approved by the QAP.

1.1.3.5. Category C-5 Ground Preparation (Turf Brooming): Decadent vegetation such as thatch shall be removed from the ground surface with minimal soil disturbance so as to provide a suitable seedbed for drill seeding. Contractor shall ensure dead vegetative cover is not so thick that it would prevent seed germination and plant establishment.

1.2. Submittals: As applicable, the Contractor shall submit a minimum of two copies of each of the following documents to the Contract Monitor prior to commencement of work.

1.2.1. Seed label to include information specified in Paragraph 1.1.1.9.4.

1.2.2. Labels for all materials to be used for erosion control such as, but not limited to, silt fencing, erosion mats, and hydromulch.

1.2.3. If the Contractor proposes products equivalent to those specified in the PWS, the burden of proof of equivalency is on the Contractor. The Government QAP will make final approvals/disapprovals of proposed products.

1.3. General Information:

1.3.1. Continuation of Essential DoD Contractor Services During Crisis:

This requirement has been determined not to be essential and does not require continued support during a crisis as defined in DoDI 3020.37, E2.1.1 and E2.1.3.

1.3.2. Hours of Operation: The Contractor shall perform services Monday through Friday, 06:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., excluding Federal holidays unless otherwise directed by the Contracting Officer.

1.3.4. Contractor Personnel: The Contractor shall provide the name of the person and any alternate(s) who shall act for the Contractor when the manager is absent and shall be designated in writing to the Contracting Officer (CO) within 2 days after contract award. The Contractor shall provide telephone numbers of the Contract Manager and alternate(s) where these persons may be contacted at any time. The Contract Manager or alternate shall have full authority to act for the Contractor on all matters relating to operation of this contract at Tinker AFB. The Contract Manager or alternate shall be available to meet on the installation with Government personnel designated by the Contacting Officer to discuss problem areas. The Contract shall provide a Contract Manager who can read, write, speak, and understand English fluently.

1.3.5. Contractor Employees: The Contractor shall not employ persons on this contract if such employee is identified to the Contractor as a potential threat to the health, safety, security, and/or general well being or operational mission of the installation and its population. Contractor shall provide Government initial and updated lists of Contractor employees’ names and position titles. The Contractor shall not employ any person who is an employee of the United States Government if the employment of that person would create a conflict of interest, nor shall the Contractor employ any person who is an employee of the Department of the Air Force, either military or civilian, unless such person seeks and receives approval according to the DoD 5500.7-R Joint Ethics Regulations (JER). In addition, the Contractor shall not employ any person who is an employee of the Department of the Air Force if such employment would be contrary to the policies contained in AFI 64-106, Air Force Industrial Labor Relations Activities. The Contractor is cautioned that off-duty active military personnel hired under this contract may be subject to permanent change of station, change in duty hours, or deployment. Military Reservists and National Guard members may be subject to recall to active duty. The abrupt absence of these personnel could adversely affect the Contractor's ability to perform. Their absence at any time shall not constitute an excuse for nonperformance under this contract. The Contractor shall be prohibited from employing off-duty QAPs who are surveilling any contracts/subcontracts awarded to the Contractor. All contract employees depending on particular condition, occasion or place, or job assignment shall require professional, suitable attire. All contractor employees shall conduct themselves in a professional, courteous manner. The selection, assignment, reassignment, transfer, supervision, management, and control of Contractor employees in performance of this PWS shall be the responsibility and prerogative of the Contractor; however, the Contractor shall comply with the requirements set forth in this PWS and Tinker AFB regulations concerning conduct of employees as referenced herein. Contractor personnel shall comply with directives pertaining to operation of privately owned vehicles on Tinker AFB per AFI 31-204, Motor Vehicle Traffic Supervision. The Contractor shall employ and maintain a technically trained and experienced work force.

1.3.6. Environmental Protection: The contractor shall be knowledgeable of and comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations and requirements regarding environmental protection. In the event environmental laws or regulations change during the term of this contract, the contractor is required to comply as such laws come into effect. Work identified in this PWS shall be discontinued when soil moisture conditions are too wet as determined by the QAP.

1.3.7. Safety: As a minimum, the contractor shall comply with the requirements of the attached Safety Specification (Exhibit 2).

1.3.8. Protection of Other Natural Resources and/or Natural Resources Amenities: The Contractor shall ensure impact to adjacent woodlands and grasslands are minimized such that damage to woody and herbaceous vegetation outside of the designated work zones is minimized and that waterways, fish and wildlife and other natural resources adjacent to the project site are not adversely affected.

The Texas horned lizard, an Oklahoma state-protected species, is found on some sites within the scope of this PWS. The Government will pre-identify these sites to the Contractor as needed. If encountered, these lizards shall not be handled. Contact the Tinker Natural Resources Program office at (405) 739-7074 or (405) 739-7065 immediately. Also, small hardware cloth cages which are protecting hibernating lizards may be located within certain work areas. These shall not be disturbed in any way.

To the maximum extent practicable, activities shall be conducted in such a way as to minimize disturbance of natural resources assets to include, but not limited to, gravel/asphalt trails, underlying geotextile, stone borders, trailside exhibits, signage, and split-rail fencing. Any disturbances to these materials shall be restored to pre-work conditions as approved by the QAP.

1.3.9. Ozone Depleting Chemicals: The Contractor shall not use any Class I Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) as identified in AF policies in the performance of this contract, nor shall the Contractor deliver any Class I ODS in any item or as a part of any service. If the Contractor determines that Class I ODS’s will be required under this contract, advance approval from the Contracting Officer must be obtained before use.

1.3.10. Base Access: Access for large contractor vehicles or those vehicles hauling trailers shall be through the truck gate (Southeast 59th Street and Air Depot Blvd; Exhibit 1).

1.3.11. Payment for Services: Invoices shall be submitted to the Government following land management services. Acceptance of services will be made following Government verification of successful service delivery (generally within 2 weeks). Payment will be made to the Contractor following acceptance of services.

2.0. Service Delivery Summary:

Table 4

1.1.1.5, 1.1.1.6

1 vigorously growing plant (grasses and forbs) per square foot

100% of ground surface protected from erosion until vegetation establishment achieved

3.0. Government-Furnished Property and Services:

3.1. Equipment: The Government will furnish a Truax no-till native grass drill (Model No. FLXII-86; Serial No. 1997) that the Contractor may use for seeding native grasses. The drill is located on Tinker AFB.

3.2. Supplies: The Government will provide wildflower/shrub seed for Category A-5 planting (para. 1.1.1.5)

3.3. Services: The Government (or others contracted by the Government) will provide the following services as needed:

3.3.1. Flag site boundaries prior to commencement of land management activities to aid in meeting PWS requirements.

3.3.2. Pre-seeding vegetation eradication and post-seeding weed control services in areas of grass/forb/shrub establishment.

3.3.3. Color maps delineating areas and acreages to be worked.

3.3.4. Assistance with processing storm water and digging permits.