FY20 Goat Grazing SOW - 7 May 2020.pdf

Solicitation: 1291S820R0039

FY 20 Trabuco Goat Grazing for Hazardous Fuels

FY20 Trabuco Goat Grazing for Hazardous Fuels

Section C – STATEMENT OF WORK/DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS

C.1 SCOPE OF CONTRACT

Description of Work: The intent of this contract is to secure services for fuel break maintenance and hazardous fuels reduction on approximately 139 acres of mixed chaparral shrub and annual grasses, through the use of targeted grazing with goats to achieve and maintain the continuity and functionality of the pre-existing fuel breaks. The areas to be grazed will be along the Hixon Truck Trail of western

Riverside County, Blue Jay and Falcon Meadows of Eastern Orange County both located on the Trabuco

Ranger District, Cleveland National Forest.

Contractor Responsibility: The Contractor shall provide everything--including, but not limited to, all equipment, supplies, transportation, labor, live-stock, and supervision--necessary to complete the project, except for that which the contract clearly states is to be furnished by the Government.

C.2 Project Location & Description

Location: The project is located on the Cleveland National Forest, Trabuco Ranger District.

Description: The project areas are generally identifiable by changes in vegetation, roads, flagging, or through geographical information systems (GIS) data. The boundaries can be adjacent units, or other natural or manmade features that clearly define the boundary as noted on the project area maps. In most cases the interior and exterior boundaries of the project areas will be flagged with blue flagging or otherwise described below or by Contracting Officer’s Representative (from now on COR). If there is any discrepancy on the boundaries of individual work areas within units, the COR must be contacted as soon as possible, and no more work must take place until the discrepancy is resolved.

The South Main Divide and Greater El Cariso Fuels Management project is located West of the communities of Lake Elsinore, Lakeland Village and Wildomar and adjacent to El Cariso Village and

Rancho Capistrano

Item 1 – South Main Divide and Greater El Cariso Fuels Management / Fuel Break System-

1a, 1b: Blue Jay and Falcon Meadow Units: LC-1 (44 acres) and LC-2 (38 acres).

T. 6 S. R. 4 W. Section 32. T. 7 S. R. 4 W. Section 4. San Bernardino Baseline & Meridian

Blue Jay and Falcon Meadows are flat and mostly comprised of annual grasses, Scrub Oak and Sumac.

1c, 1d, 1e: Wildomar Units: W-01 (49 acres), W-03 (5 acres), W-04 (3 acres)

T. 6 S. R. 6 W. Sections 12 and 13. T. 6 S. R. 5 W. Sections 7 and 18. San Bernardino Baseline &

Meridian Wildomar units are directly adjacent to the Hixon Truck Trail and extend approximately 300 feet in width from the roadway. Terrain is rough and broken with variable slope, aspects, and rock outcroppings. Shrub types include mixed chaparral that include Chamise, Manzanita, Scrub Oak, and

Sumac. Shrub height is generally less than 1-3 feet. Additionally, seasonal grasses are present at varying levels of cover.

Driving Directions - Traveling South on I-15 from the city of Corona, CA: Exit Central Rd (Hwy 74).

Turn right onto Central Rd. Turn right on Collier Ave. then left on Riverside Dr. Riverside Dr. becomes

Highway 74. Units are located south off South Main Divide Road and north along Long Canyon Road.

Contracting Officers Representative (COR) or designated inspector will work with contractor to establish best possible access routes.

Exclusions (non-work areas): Control areas, if present; and limitations on work performed will be noted in C.5 and delineated on the ground by a specified color flagging on the boundaries. If alternate colors are used to distinguish between control areas, colors will be known to contractor prior to commencement of work.

Accessibility: Access routes are identified above and shown on the project area maps. The project areas can and will be accessed from established highways and Forest system roads. Work vehicles and equipment will be parked on Forest Service land unless prior arrangements have been made by the

Contracting Officer. In most cases project areas will be accessible by 2WD; however, some terrain may necessitate the use of a four-wheel drive, high-clearance vehicle

Any prospective contractor desiring an explanation or interpretation of the solicitation, drawings, specifications, etc., must request it in writing from the Contracting Officer soon enough to allow a reply to reach all prospective contractors before the solicitation closing date. Oral explanations or instructions given before the award of a contract will not be binding.

C.3 Maps

Maps showing the general vicinity and/or specific work areas are included in Section J. Maps are general in nature and are not to be considered as definitively identifying locations.

C.4 Estimated Start Date & Contract Time

Start: Est. 1 June, 2020

Time: 90 Calendar Days

See also Section F

C.5 Restrictions on Work

Work may be performed at any time during the period of the contract, except as outlined here. Nothing in this part shall be construed to take away any of the Government's rights under the Suspension of Work

Clause (52.242-14). Restrictions are as follows:

1. In accordance with the fire plan, if included in Section J.

2. When the Contracting Officer (or designated representative) determines that adverse weather has made access too dangerous or that continued vehicular travel would cause unacceptable road damage.

3. When the Contracting Officer (or Contracting Officer’s Representative) determines that continuing operations during adverse weather or ground conditions would cause unacceptable harm to natural resources

4. Before goats are brought into the project area for targeted grazing, they shall be held for quarantine off-site for a minimum of 72 hours, or until such time as any seeds from invasive species not already present in the project area will have passed though the intestinal tract of all animals in the herd. Contractor shall certify in writing to Contracting Officer quarantine has occurred off-site and include quarantine location.

5. In addition to Section H, Archaeological and Historic Sites; Targeted grazing shall cease immediately upon discovery of unknown cultural resources. COR shall be notified immediately, and affected area(s) shall be fenced off for avoidance until a Forest Service Archaeologists can determine relevance of discovery.

6. Water sources, supplements, and any other resources needed for grazing would be kept out of the

Riparian Conservation Area (RCA) as shown on the map and delineated on the ground.

7. Targeted grazing would not occur within 50 feet of intermittent channels and 25 feet of ephemeral drainages. Contractor is responsible for fencing off areas as designated on the map.

8. All food and trash shall be removed from the site and properly disposed of on a regular basis.

9. Sensitive plant species exist within the north western portion of the treatment unit and will be identified with flagging prior to grazing. Contractor will be responsible for fencing off locations as designated on the ground.

10. All dogs used by contractor for this contract shall have been vaccinated for rabies. A certificate showing vaccinations shall be submitted with the proposal. Contractor shall keep vaccination records or proof of current vaccination for all dogs on the project areas. Contractors dogs used in the operation need not be leashed but must be under control.

11. Contractor shall immediately report to COR and all proper governmental authorities any case of infectious animal disease appearing in livestock on the premises, and shall, at Contractor’s sole cost and expense, take all steps required to isolate, control, and eliminate any such disease. Livestock exhibiting symptoms of diseases communicable to humans shall be immediately removed from the premises.

12. Contractor must dispose of dead goats or other animals that are part of Contractor’s operations as permitted by Forest and by local ordinances. Dead goats cannot be buried on National Forest System

Lands or disposed of in Forest owned trash receptacles.

C.6 Licenses and Insurance

The contractor shall obtain the insurance and licenses listed here; (see also Section L, Notices to Offerors and Respondents).

MSPA Card (Form WH510): This contract [X] does [ ] does not require the contractor to be registered with the US Department of Labor as a Farm Labor Contractor. The Contractor shall provide a current

Form WH510 or legible copy.

Other: NONE

C.7 Camping and Housing

Camping is not permitted in US Forest Service campgrounds. Contractor [X] will [ ] will not be permitted to camp elsewhere on US Forest Service land. Camping on Forest Service land is not a right;

permission may be revoked for failure to comply with the terms of the permit. (See also Section H, Camping Permit Compliance)

C.8 Technical Requirements

C.8-1 Definitions

Mobilization - The act of delivering all ordered personnel and equipment to the project area. The price for mobilization shall be included in the proposed unit prices.

Riparian Conservation Area Buffer - A 100 to 328 horizontal foot area extending upslope on each side of a stream channel.

Shrub (or brush) - Vegetation consisting of woody perennial plant smaller than a tree, usually having permanent single or multiple stems originating at or near the ground level not normally reaching 20 feet in height (i.e. Ceanothus, manzanita, mountain mahogany, sagebrush, etc.).

Supervisor (foreman) - A working (English speaking) supervisor, who is knowledgeable and experienced in the required work and supervision, shall be provided for each crew and is required to stay with the crew while work is in progress. If crew is non-English speaking, the supervisor must be bilingual in English and the language of the crew members.

C.8-2 Specifications

Contractor agrees to supply, utilize, and care for an estimated 200 goats to graze for up to 3 months during calendar year 2020 or an estimated equivalent of 120 animal unit months (AUM). For the purpose of removing potentially flammable vegetation in such areas.

The end result of the treatment is to reduce fine and smaller fuels less than or equal to ½ inch diameter by

75% across the treatment area.

In general, the plan of operation shall be to confine the livestock within 2 to 10 acre parcels using portable electric fencing, or other methods approved by the COR, until the agreed upon level of grazing in the parcel is completed, and then move the grazing stock to the next parcel or parcels.

Contractor shall periodically inspect the area being grazed and notify COR when grazing is completed on that parcel.

Contractor shall take care to avoid soil erosion problems caused by temporarily overstocking, such as exposing bare soil excessively in grassland areas and causing excessive powdering of soil.

The goats shall be completely fenced in, except when being herded between locations, and attended by a shepherd at all times. Contractor shall keep roads and trails open and accessible for public use whenever possible but may, upon notification to COR close them temporarily for reasons of security or difficulty of fencing, or while herding the goats between locations.

C.8-3 Contractor-Furnished Equipment

Unless otherwise specified herein, the Contractor shall provide all labor, transportation, supplies, livestock, and equipment necessary to perform the work as described herein.

C.8-4 Government-Furnished Property

See Section G.

C.8-5 Public Safety

A safety plan will be discussed with Contractor upon award and may vary on complexity and proximity to high use areas.

C.8-6 Salvage Rights

No salvage rights exist under this contract.

C.8-7 Road Maintenance

Road maintenance is not required. All roads shall remain open and unobstructed at all times during the

Contractors’ operations. Any damage caused by contractors’ activities to gates, drainage structures or deleterious roadbed re-shaping shall be repaired at the contractors’ expense and under the direction of the

Contracting Officer.

Contract Time

Estimate start work date is June 1, 2020. The contract time will be 90 days. Contract time includes delays for weather, Project Activity Level restrictions, all applicable wildlife limited operating periods, locating and transporting supplies and materials, and final cleanup.

Section E – LIST OF ATTACHMENTS

1. Fire Plan – Attachment H

2. Fire Plan Emergency Agreement – Attachment H

3. Glossary – Attachment - C

4. Vicinity Map – Attachment – D – Pending Revision

8. Equipment Cleaning Specifications - Attachment H

9. WD 1977-0727 Rev. 60 dated 2/21/2020 – Attachment I