Hemlock_SOW_1.pdf

PROJECT TITLE

Hemlock Wooly Adelgid Chemical Treatment at Butchers Branch, New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, Fayette County, West Virginia

PURPOSE

The National Park Service (NPS} at New River Gorge National Park and Preserve (NRGNPP} requests a cost proposal from a qualified firm to conduct chemical treatments of Canadian hemlocks (Tsuga canadensis} to control hemlock wooly adelgid (Ade/ges tsugae}.

PROJECT BACKGROUND

The invasive forest pest, hemlock wooly adelgid (HWA} was introduced into eastern North America in the 1950's. Since then, it has spread throughout most of the range of Canadian hemlock causing widespread decline. Hemlock is an important species in the park; it is the only shade-tolerant conifer and acts as a foundational species driving the composition of the ecosystems it inhabits. Hundreds of species rely on hemlock forests for important food and habitat.

The NPS began treating hemlock trees throughout the park in the early 2000's as HWA became established in the park. Since then, the NPS has treated over 20,000 trees. These trees need to be re-treated every 5-7 years to maintain the protection afforded by the insecticide.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

The project objective is to re-treat hemlock trees to control HWA using imidacloprid in the form of soil tablets (CoreTect} at the Butchers Branch area of NRGNPP. The guidelines and methodology to achieve this objective are found in Benton & Cowles 2017 (attached} and will be reviewed during the kick-off meeting.

SCOPE OF WORK

The Contractor will provide all labor, transportation, equipment, tools, supervision, and administration services needed to complete the scope of work. Project areas are shown on the attached map. All work will be performed in accordance with pesticide labeling and NPS instructions.

Item 1:

The Contractor must provide all labor, transportation, equipment, material, tools, supplies, supervision, and administration services needed to complete the scope of work, except for those items described under Government Furnished Information and Supplies. The Contractor must treat Canadian hemlock trees with imidacloprid (CoreTect) on 32.6 acres in New River Gorge National Park and Preserve between the dates of 7/01/24 through 12/1/24. The Pesticide must be applied according to the specifications listed in the publication Benton & Cowles 2017 (attached). CoreTect must be applied at the maximum potential rate (up to 362 tablets/acre). The Contractor must follow all pesticide labeling instructions and maintain a 100-foot no-treatment buffer from streams and wetlands.

Tree selection: Treatment areas have been previously treated by the NPS using imidacloprid. Treated trees are marked with a plastic tag or paint dot. The Contractor must select a subset of trees in each stand to be treated until the maximum application rate of 362 tables per acre has been reached. The Contractor must select trees for treatment following guidance from Benton & Cowles 2017. Contractor must select healthy trees, with a Live Crown Ration of 50 or higher (see "Crown-Condition Classification:

A Guide to Data Collection and Analysis"). Canopy-level, healthy hemlocks must be prioritized for treatment over smaller trees.

Project Kick-off Meeting: A project kick-off meeting will be held with the Contractor and NPS in Glen Jean, WV, at Park headquarters, or virtually, within 14 days of contract award. NPS will schedule this meeting. The purpose of the meeting is to review the contract objectives, scope, and schedule; NPS park resources; and items listed under Government Furnished Information and Supplies.

Contractor Furnished Supplies and Equipment: The Contractor must provide GPS units or equivalent mapping devices, hard-copy data sheets, hammers, and 12" long metal digging/probing implement (rebar is acceptable).

DELIVERABLES

The Contractor must treat 32.6 acres of hemlock trees with imidacloprid applied to the maximum extent within the specified area at the maximum rate of 362 tables/acre. Required deliverables include:

1. GPS coordinates of all treated hemlock trees, GPS tracks of areas accessed for treatment. The Contractor must submit all GIS data to the COR in a single .kmz or .kml file no later than September 10. NPS will review the data within 5 working days. GIS layers will not be considered final until they have been reviewed and found acceptable by the COR.

2. Completed data sheets (see attached) with tree tag#, diameter at breast height, and# of tablets applied. Contractor must deliver paper data sheets as well as digital copies (photographs are acceptable) no later than September 10. NPS will review the data within 5 working days. Data will not be considered final until they have been reviewed and found acceptable by the COR.

Milestones and Deliverables Submission Schedule

Deliverable Format Schedule Project Kick-off Meeting In-person or virtual meeting Due within 14 days after award Field Training with NPS Staff In-person Due prior to treatment implementation Field Work In-person Upon NPS approval of Final Work

Plan and Schedule. Field work must be completed between 7/01/24 through 12/1/24.

Data Sheets Paper and digital Draft due by 11/15/2024. Final due by 12/1/2024.

GIS Data .kmz or .kml files Draft due by 11/15/2022. Final due by 12/1/2024.

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE AND SITE ACCESS

Item 1: All field work will be performed at one treatment polygon in the Butchers Branch area of NRGNPP as shown on the attached map. Coordinates for the centroid of the treatment area is 38.048659°N, -81.072466°W. The treatment areas can be accessed by parking at the Kaymoor Parking Lot and following the Butchers Branch Trail: 38.046185°N, -81.068377°W.

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

Item 1: A 30-day period from 7/01/24 through 12/1/24 as mutually agreed upon by the Contractor and Government at the project kick-off meeting.

FEE AND PAYMENT

The Contractor will receive full payment upon COR's acceptance of all final deliverables. Offeror's must break down proposal pricing as such:

Item 1:

Labor, Firm Fixed-Price $_

Travel NTE $_

Other Direct Costs $_

GOVERNMENT FURNISHED INFORMATION AND SUPPLIES

The TPOC will provide tree tags, nails, and CoreTect prior to the Contractor beginning treatment work.

The Contractor must return CoreTect and other government furnished supplies to the NPS within 10 days of field work completion.

The TPOC will provide training on the first day of treatment to demonstrate application technique, pesticide application rate, and tree selection.

The COR will transmit all data, reports, images, and other information to the Contractor via internet hyperlink, email attachment, or file transfer site within 14 days of contract award.

Document/Data Type Transmittal NERI Data Collection Form Data recording form Email attachment and/or file transfer site

Document/Data Type Transmittal Benton and Cowles lmidacloprid Rates

Treatment standards https://www.warnell.uga.edu/sites/defa ult/files/publications/WSFNR-17- 01%20Benton_0.pdf

Crown-Condition Classification:

A Guide to Data Collection and Analysis

Treatment standards https://www. fs.usda.gov/treesearch/pu bs/27730

Project area topographic map Map and GIS Email attachment and/or file transfer site

CONFIDENTIALITY AND GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP

A. Confidentiality: All data, information and deliverables provided to the Contractor under this contract and/or developed by the Contractor under this contract are the property of the U.S. Government and will be kept in strict confidence.

B. Government Ownership: All notes, reports, GPS data, and other documents produced from this contract will be and remain the sole property of the Government and may be used on any other work at no additional compensation to the Contractor. Contractor may retain copies of all such materials.

AWARD SELECTION CRITERIA

The Lowest Price Technically Acceptable selection process is appropriate for this contract. Technical acceptance will be based on these factors:

• The offeror must have demonstrated technical expertise conducting forest pest control treatments using soil-applied insecticides.

• Demonstrated qualifications and experience using GPS units to record point data with relevant metadata.

• Demonstrated qualifications and experience applying pesticides and recording pesticide application data.

• The field crew leader must be a West Virginia Certified Pesticide Applicator in the Forest Pest Control category.

http://www.warnell.uga.edu/sites/defa http://www.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/pu http://www.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/pu