FY24 Overland Weeds Contract SOW.doc

OVERLAND PASS HABITAT IMPROVEMENT PHASE II

INVASIVE WEEDS SURVEY, INVENTORY, & TREATMENT

HUMBOLDT-TOIYABE NATIONAL FOREST

SOLICITATION#

SECTION C- STATEMENT OF WORK

C.1 GENERAL

C.1.1 Scope of Contract Description of Work: Survey, inventory, treatment and post-treatment monitoring for invasive weeds over approximately 2,758 acres within the Overland Pass Project area for a period of performance from June 1, 2024 through October 31, 2024. Known weed infestations in the units designated for treatment and survey include small sites of leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula), white top (Cardaria draba), spotted knapweed (Centaurea biebersteinii), russian knapweed (Acroptilon repens), scotch thistle (Onopordum acanthium), bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare), musk thistle (Carduus nutans), Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense), and cheat grass (Bromus tectorum).

Contractor Responsibility: The Contractor shall provide all labor, supervision, equipment, supplies, transportation, services, labor, supervision, permits, and licenses necessary to survey, inventory, treat, and monitor invasive species infestations except for that which is specified as furnished by the Government. Contractor must provide an application plan including a list of chemicals intended for use prior to pre-work conference for approval by the COR.

Invasive Plant Species Survey and Inventory Services:

The Contractor shall demonstrate expertise in the tasks associated with invasive plants survey and inventory. The Contractor shall map and inventory all occurrences of Nevada State designated noxious and invasive weed species https://agri.nv.gov/Plant/Noxious_Weeds/Noxious_Weed_List as well as any occurrences of bull thistle, musk thistle, and cheatgrass within units specified by the contract.

The Contractor shall provide digital mapping files compatible with ArcPro, and GPS data files (i.e. field maps or Avenza programs capable of producing shapefiles, kmz etc.) as coordinated during pre-work meeting by the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) delineating invasive species infestations inventoried, treated and monitored as specified by this Statement of Work.

Invasive Plant Species Treatment Services:

The Contractor shall comply with Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest (HTF) design features and mitigation measures for management of invasives plant species as specified in the 1996 Noxious Weed Control Program Decision (Elko, White Pine and Humboldt Counties) and all laws and regulations for herbicide application in the State of Nevada. The Contractor shall provide digital, hard copy, and spatial data for each infestation, in the appropriate format coordinated with the COR during the pre-work meeting delineating the invasive plant infestations to which herbicides were applied per herbicide application requirements.

C.1.2 - Period of Performance Work period may be adjusted if weather or environmental conditions affect accessibility or contractor’s ability to perform work (e.g. wildfire). Working on weekends and holidays may be acceptable by coordinating with the COR.

C.1.3 - Progression and Order of Work

The Contractor will coordinate the order and progression of work with the COR. The Government reserves the right to determine the season of plant survey/inventory, timing of herbicide application, the priority of work areas and order of activities within work areas, should other priorities necessitate.

The Government reserves the right to alter the location of work areas should planned work areas become inaccessible in coordination with the contractor and CO (e.g. wildfires or mass erosion events due to high intensity storms). Change of work requires prior written notification of the change by a properly executed modification from the Contracting Officer for areas of comparable size, terrain, and accessibility for potential alterations.

C.1.4 - Herbicide and Application Rates The Contractor and/or Government may recommend the herbicide(s) and application rate(s) for specific weed infestation sites. The Government reserves the right to require that a particular herbicide or application rate be used (see Sections C.5 and C.6 and the individual forest/field office exhibits).

C.1.5 - Deliverables

· Survey/inventory/monitoring products include GPS data and shapefiles using coordinate system NAD83, data forms, field notes, photos, and any other pertinent products generated by contract fieldwork.

· Deliverables for invasive plant control require the completion of herbicide application with associated treatment records of weed species, infestation size, and herbicide used.

· Contractor will complete post-treatment monitoring, obtain post treatment photos, and provide a report of treatment effectiveness for each weed infestation that is treated.

· In order to receive prompt payment, all data shall be delivered two weeks prior to contractor submitting an invoice for partial payment for a unit or full payment for final invoice for review and acceptance by COR (unless otherwise arranged with COR).

Identified deliverables may be considered for partial payment as survey/treatment of identified units is completed as coordinated in advance with the COR and CO. A unit is considered complete when all ares within the unit have been surveyed and treated for weeds and all associated field data including herbicide application data requirements have been provided and accepted by the COR.

C.1.5.1 - Survey/Inventory Digital mapping requirements include the area covered, species of invasive plant infestations, size and footprint of intestation, treated areas, and any associated field data/monitoring photos. Contractor will provide digital copies in a printable format if required (Word, Adobie pdf files, etc) of all GPS points, weed occurrence, shapefiles, field notes, forms and photos pertaining to surveyed areas and inventoried infestations. Contractor will coordinate data gathering and transfer methods with the COR during the pre-work meeting.

The COR must approve any Contractor owned/leased GPS/data collection system(s) at the pre-work meeting. The Contractor may not use unapproved systems as they could be incompatible with Government data collection standards and databases. Survey/inventory data shall be gathered in a manner consistent with Government invasive plant species survey/inventory protocols and formats. The necessary digital GIS formats shall be provided to the Contractor by the COR at the pre-work meeting.

Survey/inventory methodology may require the Contractor to follow a standardized grid system protocol in larger units. The Contractor will be required to map invasive species infestations with resource grade GPS receivers and software to collect invasive plant species data for all species located in each site. Comments about a site, including disturbance (e.g. off-road vehicle traffic or domestic livestock presence, etc.), vulnerability, plant community cover type, distance from water and other information helpful in managing the site may be requested.

C.1.5.2 – Herbicide Application Contractor will provide a treatment and herbicide application plan for COR review to confirm compliance with HTF and Nevada state policies prior to the pre-work meeting for known weed species occurrences within survey areas (see Section C.1.1.1). Treatment plan for any new invasive weed species found to occur within the survey units will be coordinated with the COR once the new species is detected and prior to treatment.

Hard copy or scanned herbicide application records matching the information required by state and federal law, USDA Forest Service National Forest System Data Protocol and Requirements for Invasive Species Survey, Inventory and Treatment or for USDI BLM National Invasive Species Information Management System may be recorded on one application record as long as the infestations are contiguous (100 feet or less) or, if a series of small infestations in close proximity, as long as herbicide output is recorded for each infestation. Herbicide applications made in different physical locations must be recorded on separate application records, unless other arrangements are approved in advance by the COR.

Contractors shall record actual herbicide output for herbicide applications made to single species infestations. Herbicide applications performed on infestations comprised of multiple species will include each species and percent cover of each species to determine herbicide output for each species. Contractors shall also, as part of their Quality Control inspections, provide herbicide treatment efficacy monitoring information for each infestation and treatment area.

C.2 PROJECT LOCATION & DESCRIPTION

C.2.1 - Location

The project is located on the Humboldt Toiyabe National Forest, Mountain City-Ruby Mountains-Jarbidge Ranger District, approximately 30 miles south of Elko, NV in the southern portion of the Ruby Mountains and north portion of White Pine County. There are five units within the project area totaling 2,758 acres. Units primarily encompass roadways and paths of travel through previously identified weed locations. Access to some work areas may require more than one mode of transportation such as 4WD pickups, UTV, or hiking. Terrain varies throughout the units, predominately mild to moderate.

Some units lie adjacent to private land. Contractor will communicate with COR to obtain permission from private land-owner prior to traversing any private land while carrying out contract activities. If any locked gates blocking main access roads are present, contractor will move to another area for treatment, and contact the COR to coordinate with the appropriate party for gaining access.

C.2.2 Survey Units Infestations of all invasive plant species as described in previous sections will be identified with survey. Work will consist of roadside, trails and off-road herbicide application, often in remote or difficult to access locations. Invasive plant species’ cover and density may be low in many work areas depending on the length of time since the infestation established and the number of years infestations have been under treatment with herbicides and/or biological control agents. Locating individual plants and patches in larger work areas may require a careful grid pattern search to detect and treat the invasive plant species.

Units 1 & 2: Located on the west side of the project area, with some known leafy spurge, Canada thistle, scotch thistle, and cheatgrass occurrences in and adjacent to both units. Unit 1 is approximately 185 acres and adjacent to Canada thistle sites. Unit 2 is approximately 236 acres with primarily leafy spurge sites occurring within the unit.

Unit 3: Approximately 1286 acres with limited occurrences of Russian knapweed within the unit.

Unit 4: Significant white top site just south of unit 4 along Overland Pass Road. Unit 4 is approximately 962 acres with limited spotted knapweed and scotch thistle occurrences within the unit.

Unit 5: 89 acres with limited Canada thistle, bull thistle and musk thistle known to occur within the unit.

Record daily herbicide applications in writing on implementation logs. One daily log per herbicide used per day is required. See attached implementation log. Record treatment areas daily using GPS and provide GPS data to Forest Service according to the following specifications: Coordinate System of NAD 1983. GPS recording must be done at the work site in the field to insur accuracy.

C.3 MAPS

Map showing the general vicinity and specific work areas are included in contract attachments.

C.4 ESTIMATED CONTRACT TIME

June 1, 2024 – October 31, 2024

C.5 RESTRICTIONS OF WORK

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). Weed treatment work and/or survey work may be temporarily stopped according to the following conditions:

1. In accordance with the fire plan.

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. If wind speeds exceed allowable limits as stated on the label of each herbicide.

4. When the National Weather Service predicts the chance of precipitation to be greater than 70% within the next 24 hours.

C.6 LICENSES AND INSURANCE

The contractor shall obtain the insurance and licenses listed here.

MSPA Card (Form WH510): This contract [ ] 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.

Contractor must be a Licensed Commercial Operator in the State of Nevada, in the field Urban/Structural, with a minimum license in Category 6. The contractor must follow all local, state, and Federal laws and regulations pertaining to pesticide applications including pesticide-use reporting to Elko County.

C.6. GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS/INDUSTRY STANDARDS/STATE STANDARDS/GOVERNMENT STANDARDS/TECHNICAL EXHIBITS

C.6.1 - Herbicide Licensing Requirements

For herbicide application Task Orders, Contractor shall be licensed as current and valid Professional Applicators with the State of Nevada and have the proper endorsements. Information on licensing requirements may be obtained from the Department of Agriculture for Nevada.

Prospective contractors shall provide a copy of their current and valid applicator's license(s) [for each applicable state] with their quotes in response to solicitation.

C.6.2 - Equipment Requirements

a) GPS equipment shall meet Government standards for data collection. Equipment must be approved by COR before the Contractor begins work. Any data created with unapproved GPS equipment that is submitted for payment will be rejected.

b) Equipment (truck, ATV/UTV, backpacks, stock and tack, rafts, etc.) shall be suited to the job for which proposals are solicited. Proposals with unsuited equipment will not be considered for award.

c) Contractor shall thoroughly clean and wash all equipment, which shall then be inspected by the COR prior to mobilization onto National Forest System lands to prevent the introduction of new invasive plant species and the continued spread of existing invasive plant species. Equipment that does not pass the inspection will not be permitted to move onto the work area. Contractors are encouraged to clean equipment again prior to mobilizing to other work areas not on FS lands to reduce transmission of invasive plant species’ seeds or other reproductive parts to other areas.

d) All equipment will be in good mechanical condition, leak free and will be inspected by the COR prior to and during performance of the work as deemed necessary by the COR.

C.6.4 - Herbicide Application Regulations Calibration of equipment shall be completed prior to start of work before Contractor mobilizes equipment onto public land. The application pattern, rate and calibration shall be reviewed before beginning the project and monitored during the project. Additional calibration checks may be required by the COR if there are indications of inaccurate calibrated herbicide application rates.

Spraying is prohibited when wind speeds and/or temperatures exceed label requirements for the herbicides being applied or when sustained wind conditions exceed velocities permitted by the Government or by the Nevada Department of Agriculture. Contractors are responsible for knowing the herbicide application regulations specific to the state in which they are making herbicide applications.

Spray drift shall be avoided as much as possible. Drift agents and surfactants shall be applied with herbicides when required/suggested by an herbicide label, deemed necessary by the Contractor, or as requested by the Government. Specific products in these categories are subject to prior approval by the government.

Staging operations shall occur no closer than 300 feet from open water or other sensitive sites unless spill containment devices are readily available, and the government has pre-approved the practice and location.

Contractor shall mix only the amount of herbicide that will be used for the operating period or load. Contractor shall avoid mixing more than the amount to be used in the event of weather changes or other conditions that require a halt to operations. The Government does not guarantee that other areas will be available to treat in the event a weather change occurs and mixed herbicide is left over.

Herbicide applications, storage, containment and transport of herbicides and adjuvants, cleaning of spray equipment, and disposal of herbicide containers shall be conducted in accordance with State and Federal laws. The Contractor shall comply with any requirements of the manufacturer of the herbicide being applied.

C.6.5 - Reporting Requirements On completion of work in each work area, the Contractor shall submit digital and hard copy data to the COR as specified in under Deliverables and per the requirements of the exhibits for survey/inventory, control, and/or soil/vegetation monitoring.

The Contractor shall provide spatial and tabular attributes for all surveyed areas and detected invasive plant infestations in contract units. The Government reserves the right to inspect and review spatial and tabular data on an as needed basis to ensure data quality requirements are met.

The Contractor shall comply with Government and Nevada Department of Agriculture daily record-keeping requirements for herbicide use. Complete and accurate recording of ALL fields is mandatory. The Contractor shall submit these daily treatment records to the COR on completion of each treatment area. Invoices submitted for payment will be rejected unless daily treatment records have been recorded correctly, been turned in to the COR and have been approved by the COR. The Government reserves the right to inspect, review and copy these treatment records on a daily basis.

C.6.6 - Operational Spill Incident Requirements

The Contractor shall comply with Government requirements for response to an operational spill incident, including spill kit contents, notification, containment and cleanup of operational spills of herbicides.

C.6.7 - Herbicides, Adjuvants, and Spray Rates Contractors shall comply with the mitigation measures and terms and conditions of biological opinions issued by the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the selection and use of herbicides to target invasive plant species infestations.

Herbicides permitted for use are listed in the 1996 Noxious Weed Control Program Decision. The application rates will be recommended by the Contractor within the parameters provided and approved by the COR based on label direction and season of application during the pre-work meeting. The application rate may be adjusted during a treatment period as recommended by the Contractor and approved by the COR, if conditions warrant a change. Tank mixes, in conformance with label requirements, may be recommended by the Contractor and approved by the COR, as conditions warrant. Contractors shall use adjuvants, such as surfactants, drift control agents and water conditioning agents, where appropriate and as directed by the label.

The use of indicator dye is required in concentrations sufficient for technical monitors to conduct coverage inspections up to three to five days post-treatment.

C.6.8 - Nevada Department of Agriculture Use Inspections

The Nevada Department of Agriculture may conduct periodic use inspections of the herbicide application operation. These use inspections will cover application technique, application rates, and adherence to pesticide use rules (refer to ISDA Use Inspections exhibit).

C.6.9 - Required Knowledge and Experience This background knowledge and experience is necessary in order to properly comply with the survey/inventory protocol and instructions contained in exhibits and to correctly execute the work specifications, deliverable products, and performance contained in this contract.

C.6.9.1 - Noxious and Invasive Plant Species Identification The Contractor shall be able to identify other invasive species such as cheatgrass, other invasive annual grasses, tumble mustard species, etc. specified in this Statement of Work as well as identified on the Nevada State Noxious weeds list in all growth stages from seedling to dispersal and dormancy of these invasive species. Contractor is responsible for proper familiarization, identification and recording survey and monitoring data to report weed species infestation and treatment.

C.6.9.2 - Herbicide Application:

The Contractor shall be thoroughly familiar and experienced with the methods, protocols, standards and techniques for applying herbicides per federal and state law, label direction and Government regulations. This background knowledge and experience is necessary in order to properly comply with the 1996 Noxious Weed Control Program Decision.

C.6.9.3 - Invasive Plant Treatment Requirements:

Contractor application of herbicide will have only applicators holding applicable Applicator’s Certificate.

1) For herbicide applications, only water shall be used as a carrier.

2) Herbicides to control invasive plant species will be applied to infestations of target invasive plant species in specified work areas per 1996 Noxious Weed Control Program Decision and as coordinated with the COR in the pre-work meeting.

3) Treated invasive plant infestations shall be qualitatively monitored to detect treatment efficacy and track the status and trend of invasive plant cover and distribution in response to treatment. Efficacy monitoring attributes to be collected include examiner, date, site name and location information, target invasive plant species control rating, cover class by life form/soil surface characteristics and by individual plant species, and invasive plant species density, distribution and phenology ratings.

4) New invasive plant species infestations encountered by the Contractor shall be mapped with resource grade GPS receivers and software and all required attribute data shall be collected.

5) Previously existing invasive plant infestations that have changed in size and extent and/or canopy cover since the last measurement shall be re-measured by mapping the infestation with resource grade GPS receivers and software (see Data Collection Standards exhibits) and collecting attribute data per the requirements of this performance work statement (Section C) and the Inspection and Acceptance specifications in Section E. Lateral shifts in location, changes in size (whether increases or decreases) by 0.1 acre or more and changes (increases or decreases) in canopy cover trigger the requirement to re-measure the infestation.

6) Comments about the site, including distance from water and other information helpful in managing the site are required (e.g. to comply with National Pollution Discharge Elimination System).

C.7 CAMPING

Camping is not permitted in US Forest Service campgrounds. Contractor [ ] will [ ] will not be permitted to camp elsewhere on US Forest Service land contingent on FS approval for any designated area and in coordination with the COR. If allowed to camp, contractor will provide camp location and any changes to camp location to COR within 24 hours of moving camp. Contractor will also provide (a) sanitation requirements for garbage removal, human waste, etc. and ensure that (b) resource protection measures for sensitive resources (e.g. riparian areas) are met. Contractor is responsible for familiarization with applicable regulations as well as ensuring that all contract operations adhere to the direction for all Humboldt-Toiyabe NF policy, regulations, rules, and special orders including but not limited to fire restrictions.

C.8 TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

C.8.1 - Specifications Contractor(s) must follow all local, state, and Federal laws and regulations pertaining to pesticide applications. This includes pesticide-use reporting to Elko County. Contractor is responsible to supply water as the diluent. Drawing water from the water sources on FS land will NOT be allowed due to the impurities that can reduce herbicide effectiveness and due to the potential contamination of the water source.

C.8.2 - Contractor-Furnished Equipment

· Spray trucks

· Spray UTVs and ATVS as determined necessary due to terrain

· Spill kit

· Water for mixing and rinsing. Water must be free of contaminants. Water may not be drawn from water sources on FS land.

· Measuring cup

· Mixing tanks and/or buckets in sufficient quantity and sizes to treat the areas specified in items #1-5 within the specified time frame

· Spray tanks in sufficient quantity and sizes to treat the areas specified in items #1-5 within the specified time frame

· Spray equipment, such as booms, sufficient to treat the areas specified in items #1-5 within the specified time frame

· Personal Protective Equipment as required by herbicide labels.

· Non-ionic surfactant such as R-11® Spreader Activator (or equivalent product that is at least 80% active) of sufficient quantity to mix in and treat the areas specified in items #1-5

· Marker dye such as Alligare Super Marker Dye (or equivalent product) of sufficient quantity to mix in and treat the areas specified in items #1-5

· Herbicide of sufficient quantity to treat the areas specified in items #1-5

· Shovel, bucket, and fire extinguisher for fire prevention regulations

· GPS devices and/or portable data recorders as determined by COR

· Reliable communications system to contact COR as needed

· Hardware and software required to meet the data collection standards (e.g. personal computer, mapping software, and peripherals)

· Digital camera with at least 10 mega pixel quality and associated software for downloading and sharing photographs.

· Microsoft Excel spreadsheet software or compatible software

· Herbicide and adjuvants labeled for rangeland or semi/aquatic invasive plant species control meeting the 1996 Noxious Weed Control Program Decision

· All other equipment & labor to control invasive plant species including transportation, sprayers/application equipment, operational spill incident kits, decontamination kits and personal protective equipment for each worker.

Any materials such as maps provided by the Government are to be used only in the execution of tasks specified in this contract and may not be employed for personal use or in support of other Contractor work.