HazTree_PWS_final.pdf

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

Mount Rainier National Park Hazard Tree Topping, Felling, and Associated Services

SECTION 1 – GENERAL INFORMATION

1.1 Scope of Work

The contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, tools, materials, supervision, and other items necessary to top, limb, or fell designated hazard trees and treat stumps as specified in this performance work statement. The contractor shall perform to the standards in this contract. The estimated quantity of work is presented in attached – List of Trees to be Felled. Actual quantity of work may vary by ± 10%. NPS may pull trees from the listed treements prior to the work being started. Payment will be made for actual trees treated in accordance with this scope of work.

1.2 Contractor Personnel

1.2.1 Project Manager

The contractor shall provide a project manager who shall be responsible for the performance of the work. The name of this person, and an alternate or alternates, who shall act for the contractor when the manager is absent, must be designated in writing to the contracting officer.

1.2.1.1 The project manager or alternate must have full authority to act for the contractor on all contract matters relating to daily operation of this contract.

1.2.1.2 The project manager or alternate must be available during normal work hours to meet in the park with government personnel (designated by the contracting officer) to discuss problem areas.

1.2.2 Employee Training

The contractor shall ensure that employees performing tree work are fully trained to current arboricultural industry standards for each task they undertake. Contractor employees engaged in felling, topping, climbing, and rigging of trees must have current International Society of Arboriculture, Tree Care Industry Association, or equivalent professional certification in those activities before starting work under this contract. Contractor employees operating winches, power tools and heavy machinery must be fully trained and proficient in the use of this equipment.

1.3 Commencement

Period of performance shall begin on May 2, 2022. Because the performance of tree work must be coordinated with NPS personnel providing debris cleanup support, the contractor shall provide the COR with a site-by-site task completion schedule at least 10 business days prior to the start of work. These dates will be agreed upon between the NPS and the contractor. The contractor is expected to adhere to this schedule, excepting for postponement and subsequent rescheduling of work activities due to inclement conditions described in section

1.5. Work conducted in the Ohanapecosh campground, including any modifications, shall be completed by May 20, 2022. Work in the Tahama Woods Area shall be completed by 6/30/2022.

1.4 Hours of Operation

All work performed under this contract shall occur during daylight hours, Monday through Thursday. No work shall be allowed on Saturdays, Sundays, and federal holidays.

1.5 Working Conditions

Felling and topping of trees shall not be performed in wind conditions that will interfere with the faller’s ability to control the direction of a tree’s fall. No work activities under this contract shall be performed in sustained winds greater than 25 mph, in whiteout conditions, in an area under active flood warning, or when snow depth or avalanche conditions prohibit safe access to the work site.

1.6 Safety

1.6.1 All operations under this contract shall be conducted in accordance with ANSI Z133.1-2006 Tree Care Safety Standards, and all federal OSHA, state and local safety requirements. Where OSHA regulations and ANSI standards conflict, OSHA regulations will take precedence.

1.6.2 The contractor shall provide sufficient personnel such that a minimum of 4 employees serve as safety spotters during each individual tree topping and falling procedure. These employees shall be trained to serve in this role, which shall be their primary function during the work of this project. Safety spotters shall be deployed such that they maintain an exclusion zone of a diameter that is between 2 to 3 times the length of the tree being topped or felled, into which unauthorized persons (park employees not associated with the operation, and the public) cannot enter. Employees shall be equipped with radios or other means of signaling one another during the cutting procedures. If the safety zone is breached during the topping or falling procedure, work shall be stopped until the unauthorized person(s) leave(s) the exclusion zone. If necessary, the project inspector, COR, or designated park representative will escort the unauthorized person(s) from the exclusion zone so that the procedure may continue.

1.6.3 The contractor shall ensure the use by its employees of all required personal protective equipment including hard hats, work boots, safety glasses or goggles, hearing protection, gloves, chaps, ropes, harnesses, etc. Contractor employees shall wear ANSI 107-2004 Class 2 high visibility vests while conducting operations in or adjacent to roadways or parking areas.

1.6.4 No one except the operator shall be within 10 feet of a power saw. All gasoline and diesel powered equipment, including but not limited to trucks and chainsaws, shall be equipped with spark arresters.

1.6.5 If at any time the COR or designated park representative determines that the work is being conducted in an unsafe manner, the contractor will be notified and shall immediately cease all work activities.

1.7 Environmental Compliance

1.7.1 The contractor shall be responsible for the immediate cleanup of any spillage or leakage of fuel, oil, or any other substance. All spills or leaks shall be reported to COR or designated park representative immediately.

1.7.2 All equipment intended for use on this project must be cleaned prior to its arrival in the park and free of all plant materials (plant parts and propagules) upon entry.

1.7.3 The contractor shall repair all ground disturbances, with the exception of those resulting from woody debris falling into undeveloped vegetated areas.

1.8 Quality Assurance

According to the Inspection of Services Clause (FAR52.246-4), the government will evaluate the contractor’s performance under this contract. For those tasks listed in the Performance Requirements Summary (Attachment 1), the COR or a designated government inspector will follow the method of surveillance specified in this contract, and will record all surveillance observations. When an observation indicates deficient performance, the COR or designated government inspector will require the project manager or representative at the site to initial the observation. The initialing of the observation does not necessarily constitute concurrence with the observation, only that he or she has been made aware of the deficient performance. Government surveillance of tasks not listed in the PRS or by methods other than those listed in the PRS (such as provided for by the Inspection of Services clause) may occur during the performance period of this contract. Such surveillance will be done according to standard inspection procedures or other contract provisions. Any action taken by the contracting officer as a result of surveillance will be in accordance with the terms of this contract.

1.8.1 Performance Evaluation Meetings

The contracting officer may require the project manager to meet with the contracting officer, contract administrator, COR, and other government personnel as deemed necessary. The contractor may request a meeting with the contracting officer when he or she believes such a meeting is necessary.

1.8.2 Mandatory Pre-bid Site Visit

The site visit will begin at 11:00 am in the park headquarters office at Tahome Woods Residential Developed Area on April 20, 2022. Prospective bidders shall follow designated Park Service employees to the various treatment sites in the park to view trees included in the felling treatment lists. Please note that the Government will not be responsible for providing transportation, or reimbursement for travel or other expenses, to prospective bidders or other attendees of the site visit.

1.9 Travel, Lodging and Meals

The contractor shall be responsible for all travel, lodging, and meal expenditures for all personnel under their employ involved in the work under this contract.

SECTION 2 - DEFINITIONS

2.1 General Definitions

2.1.1 Deficient Service

A service output that does not meet the standard of performance requirement specified in the contract for that service.

2.1.2 Performance Requirements Summary

A listing of the service outputs under the contract that are to be evaluated by the COR or designated park representative on a regular basis, the surveillance methods to be used for these outputs, and the performance requirements of the listed outputs.

2.1.3 Quality Assurance

A planned and systematic pattern of all government actions necessary to provide confidence that adequate technical requirements are established; products and services conform to established technical requirements;

and satisfactory performance is achieved. Quality assurance refers to actions by the government assurance functions for a contracted service.

2.1.4 Quality Control

Those actions taken by a contractor to control the production of outputs to ensure that they conform to the contract requirements.

2.2 Technical Definitions

2.2.1 DBH (Diameter at Breast Height)

A tree stem’s width at a height of at 1.4 m (4.6 ft.) above the ground; on sloped ground, this reference point is applied to the uphill side of the stem.

2.2.2 Debris (also: treatment debris, woody debris)

Includes all downed material resulting from hazard tree treatments, both felling and topping: limbs, twigs, foliage, bark, fragmented pieces of a tree, and logs.

2.2.3 Fell

To remove most or all of the vertical structure of a tree, leaving a flush-cut stump.

2.2.4 Flush-cut

To cut a stump as close as possible to mineral soil following the slope angle of the ground (taking into account stumps not on flat ground). This may require raking back the mulch/litter layer to allow for a lower cut and then raking the material back up against the stump. To hasten the process of decomposition, the top of stump shall be scored to allow better penetration of water. Trees less than 36 inches DBH shall be cut to a 1-3 inch above-soil height. Trees that are 36 inches DBH or greater may be cut to a 6-inch above-soil height.

2.2.5 Naturalize

To create features on the stump of a topped tree which facilitate wood decomposition and use of the stump as habitat by bird and mammal species. This entails at least one bark slit that separates a 1-3’ section of the bark from the stump and one borehole into the heartwood of the stump. These features, when prescribed, are an addition to the jagged top treatment applied to every topped stump.

2.2.6 Top

To remove the upper portion of a tree, leaving a standing snag or tree at least 10 feet in height. In the case of live trees from which only the dead portion of the canopy is removed, the final top cut shall be smooth and angled to allow water to run off. For all other topped trees, the top of the stump shall be cut asymmetrically and scored to make it appear jagged, as though a natural stem breakage occurred.

2.2.7 Treat

Physical alteration of a tree to either 1) mitigate the hazard it presents to persons and facilities, or 2) manipulate the appearance of the cut end of a topped tree or high stump.

2.2.8 Tree Work

Topping, felling, limbing, climbing and rigging, and other treatment activities.

SECTION 3 – GOVERNMENT-FURNISHED EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES

3.1 General Information

3.1.1 The government will provide a portable radio for communication between government representatives and the project manager or designated site supervisor during the performance of work under this contract.

3.1.1.1. One radio will be issued by the COR or designated representative at the start of each project work day. The radio must be returned to the COR or designated representative at the end of each project work day.

3.1.1.2. Contractor personnel must adhere to instructions provided by the COR or designated representative regarding proper use of the radio.

3.1.1.3. The cost of radios lost or damaged by contractor personnel will be assessed to the contractor and deducted from the final payment for this contract.

SECTION 4 – CONTRACTOR-FURNISHED ITEMS AND SERVICES

4.1 General Information

Except for those items or services specifically stated in section 3 as government furnished, the contractor must furnish everything needed to perform this contract according to all its terms.

SECTION 5 – SPECIFIC TASKS

5.1 General Information

The contractor must provide all personnel, equipment, tools, materials, supervision, and other items necessary to fell or top designated hazard trees and treat stumps as specified in this performance work statement. The contractor must perform to the standards in this contract.

5.2 Fell Designated Hazard Trees

The contractor shall fell all trees for which this type of treatment is specified. Felling involves removing all of a tree’s vertical structure, leaving a flush-cut stump.

5.2.1 Trees shall be felled in a manner that causes no damage to tables, benches, signs, waste or recycling receptacles, vehicles, structures, roads, above-ground and subsurface utilities, or to any government, concessionaire or visitor property, and no injury to persons.

5.2.1.1 The contractor shall move tables, benches, signs, and waste/recycling receptacles out of the target area for a tree to be felled, if necessary to prevent damage to the items. With permission from the COR, project inspector, or other designated park representative, the contractor may disassemble these items to the extent necessary for their movement, and without damage to or breakage of the items. Any items that are disassembled or moved shall be reassembled by the contractor and put back in place after the felling is completed. The contractor shall furnish tools and equipment for this purpose.

5.2.2 Trees may be felled by any means other than those involving explosives (park policy does not permit the use of explosives by non-government personnel).

5.2.3 Trees designated for felling shall be flush-cut to the specifications described in 2.2.4. The only exceptions shall be negotiated on a tree by tree basis during the pre-bid site tour.

5.3 Top Designated Hazard Trees

The contractor shall top all trees for which this type of treatment is specified. Topping involves reducing the height of a tree to a point at which it cannot deposit branches or trunk sections (its own or those of another tree through impact) onto frequently or intermittently occupied targets. The objective of topping is to leave a high stump or short snag that will serve as wildlife habitat and provide aesthetic vertical structure without presenting a risk for harm to facilities or property.

5.3.1 Trees shall be topped in a manner that causes no damage to tables, benches, signs, waste or recycling receptacles, vehicles, structures, roads, above-ground and subsurface utilities, or to any government, concessionaire or visitor property, and no injury to persons.

5.3.1.1 The contractor shall move tables, benches, signs, and waste/recycling receptacles out of the target area for a tree to be felled, if necessary to prevent damage to the items. With permission from the COR, project inspector, or other designated park representative, the contractor may disassemble these items to the extent necessary for their movement, and without damage to or breakage of the items. The contractor shall furnish tools and equipment for this purpose.

5.3.2 Trees may be topped by any means other than those involving explosives (park policy does not permit the use of explosives by non-government personnel). Some trees may require a lift truck to access the required cutting height.

5.3.3 A tree designated for topping that is within striking distance of administrative, concessionaire or visitor facilities (buildings, utility structures, bridges, parking lots, information kiosks, roadside parking pullouts) shall be shortened to the extent that removes these facilities from target range as the remaining stump or snag decays and fragments.

5.3.4 A tree designated for topping that is within or immediately adjacent to campsites will be shortened to a height no greater than 15 feet and no less than 10 feet.

5.3.5 The final cut end of every topped tree shall be treated as described in section 2.2.6, and as shown in Technical Exhibit 6 – Quality Standards. Specific topped trees, identified in Technical Exhibit 3, shall also be naturalized as described in section 2.2.5.

5.4 Flush-cut or Treat/Naturalize Stumps from Past Treatments The contractor shall flush-cut or treat/naturalize designated stumps of previously felled or topped trees.

5.4.1 Stumps of previously felled trees shall be flush-cut to the specifications described in section 2.2.4.

5.4.2 Stumps of previously topped trees that were not sufficiently cut and scored to resemble a jagged natural stem breakage, as illustrated in Technical Exhibit 6, shall have this treatment applied, and will be naturalized to the specifications described in section 2.2.5.

5.4.3 Stumps shall be flush-cut or treated/naturalized in a manner that causes no damage to tables, benches, signs, waste or recycling receptacles, vehicles, structures, roads, above-ground and subsurface utilities, or to any government, concessionaire or visitor property, and no injury to persons.

SECTION 6 – Required Submittals

6.1 The following items must be submitted for a quote package to be considered complete:

• One (1) signed copy of page 1 of SF-1449 solicitation.

• Bid Schedule with all line item costs filled in.

• Technical Exhibits 2, 3 and 4 with “bid” columns filled in.

• Past Performance

• Key Personnel

1.2 Contractor Personnel