IDIQ Appendices_Definitions.pdf

IDIQ Appendices Definitions

DEFINITIONS

Access Point. The point identified for access to contract sub item areas.

Acceptable (Stocking) Density. The number of trees between the minimum and maximum specified in the Silvicultural Prescription.

Activity Slash. Debris created specifically from the current task and function of thinning. The felled trees (live, dead, boles, limbs) that resulted from thinning on awarded task order.

Archeological & Cultural Sites. Locations where special protection or measures are required to preserve and protect cultural values.

Bearing Survey Marker. Identifiers posted around the forest with a metal ground marker and signs posted on trees with the purpose of helping to find a person’s orientation.

Berm. A ridge of soil and debris along the edge of a fireline resulting from line construction.

Black side. Also referred to as ‘the black’. This is referred to fire line construction in identifying the side of the line that will be burned with fire.

Bole. The trunk or stem of a tree.

Boundary. Marked features to indicate a fixed limit or extent of an area or line.

Broadcast Burning. Prescribed burning done within defined boundaries for reduction of fuel hazard and to meet resource management objectives.

Brush (or shrub). See definition for shrub.

Bucking. Cutting thinning slash into lengths as indicated by contract specifications.

Calendar Days. Every day shown on the calendar, Sundays and holidays included.

Canker. An area killed or blistered on the bark, a branch or the trunk of an infected tree.

Cleared Area. This is an area where there are no roots, needles or organic material See Mineral Soil.

Clump. See definition of leave island.

Chain. A linear unit of measure that equals 66 feet.

Chopping. Cutting material and roots with hand tools for fire line construction.

Compact(ed). Having a dense structure closely packed occupying a small volume by reason of efficient use of space.

Conditions Improve. A state of weather and environmental factors that advances or makes progress in what is desirable.

Control Line (fireline). An inclusive term for all constructed or natural barriers and treated fire edges used to assist in the control of a fire.

Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR). The onsite contract administrator for the Contracting Officer. The duties and responsibilities of the COR are defined in the letter of designation issued by the Contracting Officer. Under this contract, a COR will be designated for each awarded contract (aka “Parent Contract”). A COR will also be designated for each Task Order issued under this contract.

Competitive Area. The area used for comparison of potential leave trees of the same species.

The radius of the competitive area is specified in the Silvicultural Prescription.

Contract Period. For the purposes of this contract, the contract period is defined as the entire period from the date of contract award through the end of the base year, and/or any option year(s) if option year(s) are exercised by the Government.

Contract Time. The number of calendar days identified in each Task Order, within which the Contractor shall complete the work described in that Task Order in compliance with the Task Order and the parent contract. Contract Time may also be expressed as a “Due Date” in some Task Orders.

Contractor Representative. An individual designated by the Contractor to comply with the requirements of FAR 52.236-6 (Superintendence by the Contractor). The Contractor shall designate a Contractor Representative for each Task Order. Also see Paragraphs H-2, and Attachment J-3 “Designation of Contractor Representative”.

Course Woody Debris. Pieces of dead woody material (typically boles of trees or large branches) of a defined size class (typically larger than 4” small end diameter but size class can vary) that are left on site. Material should be distributed across the site as much as practical to enhance microsite conditions, for small mammal and microbial habitat and soil nutrient cycling.

Crew Member. The individual responsible for performing field work aspects of this contract for non-prescribed fire activities including fireline construction, slashing and hand piling which usually involves the use of hand tools.

Crew Supervisor. A crew member who provides direction and supervision to fellow crew member’s during burn unit preparation or wildfire hazard reduction treatments. Is responsible for work accomplishment and performance in accordance with the requirements of the contract.

Crooked Trees. Those with a sharp crook on the main bole which is less than 13 feet from the ground and offset more than 3 inches from the longitudinal axis.

Crop Tree. A tree that will be a component of a future commercial harvest or managed into the future. In this contract, it is interpreted as the trees specified in the Silvicultural Prescription that are of preferred species, free of insect or disease infection, or if it is present does not threaten the tree survival or growth, exhibits leader dominance and growth, exhibits little or no damage that affects tree survival or growth, and has crown ratio of greater than 40% (ratio of crown to overall length).

Cultural, Special Status, Survey & Manage and/or Threatened and Endangered (T&E) Sites.

Locations where special protection or measures are required to preserve and protect cultural values and species of plants or animals in designated categories.

Cup Trench. A trench constructed on the outer edge of the undercut line, deep enough to catch rolling embers and cones on steep slopes.

Cut Flush. Severing material or stumps as far to the ground as possible to reduce surface fuels.

Cut Tree. Trees defined in the Silviculturist prescription or detailed in the task order that are not selected as leave trees.

Daylighting. See definition for Release.

Damage. Defect or deformity of a tree resulting from agents such as wind, snow, animals, insects, disease, and equipment, and evidenced by such things as dead or broken tops or trunks, crooks, and deep scars or damage to the bark on more than ¼ of the circumference of the tree.

Dead and Down Vegetation. Material or debris that is considered not living and is contributing to a fuels build up and a fire hazard.

Decision Area. An area that is evaluated to determine the appropriate number of leave trees.

The Decision Area is specified in the Silvicultural Prescription.

Deficiency (or Discrepancy). Work performed that deviates from the expected results as described in the task order or explained by the government representative. For example: Trees that are unsatisfactory either because they were cut and met the requirements for a leave tree or were not cut and should have been, damaging selected leave trees, not completely severing trees from stumps, leaving small trees, and other errors.

Desirable Leave Tree Characteristics. Trees that are desirable to be leave trees may have the following characteristics or characteristics described by the government representative:

• Straight stem

• Small branch diameter

• Good coloration

• Well-formed crown

• Branches horizontal or slightly angled to bole

• Free or limited presence of insect or disease damage and/or symptoms; if present, damage or symptoms do not affect the growth or survival of the tree.

• Vigorous annual terminal growth (especially in the last 1 to 3 years)

• Crown class of dominant or co-dominant

• Crown ratio is 40% or larger

Characteristics of trees that are not desirable for leave trees:

• Multiple tops

• Poor crown form

• Crook or seep in bole

• Dead or broken tops

• Poor coloration

• Large branch diameter

• Presence of insect and disease

• Branches more than 45 degrees from horizontal

• Physical or mechanical damage

• Suppressed

• Poor annual growth

• Sucker limbs

Diameter Breast Height (DBH). The diameter of the trunk measure at a point 4-1/2 feet above the ground level on the uphill side of the tree.

Diameter Root Collar (DRC). Diameter of the bole of a tree measured at ground level.

Detrimental Soil Disturbance. These disturbances include the effects of compaction, displacement, rutting, severe burning, surface erosion, loss of surface organic matter, and soil mass movement. At least 85 percent of an activity area must have soil that is in satisfactory condition. Detrimental conditions include:

(a) Compaction. Detrimental compaction is a 15 percent increase in natural bulk density.

The cumulative effects of multiple site entries on compaction should also be considered since compacted soils often recover slowly.

(b) Rutting. Wheel ruts at least 2 inches deep in wet soils are detrimental.

(c) Displacement. Detrimental displacement is the removal of 1 or more inches (depth) of any surface soil horizon, usually the A horizon, from a continuous area greater than 100 square feet.

(d) Severely-burned Soil. Physical and biological changes to soil resulting from high-intensity burns of long duration are detrimental. This standard is used when evaluating prescribed fire. Guidelines for assessing burn intensity are contained in the Burned-Area Emergency Rehabilitation Handbook (FSH 2509.13).

(e) Surface Erosion. Rills, gullies, pedestals, and soil deposition are all indicators of detrimental surface erosion. Minimum amounts of ground cover necessary to keep soil loss to within tolerable limits (generally less than 1 to 2 tons per acres per year) should be established locally depending on site characteristics.

(f) Soil Mass Movement. Any soil mass movement caused by management activities is detrimental.

D-Minus Rule. A specified number of inches (typically 1-3”) subtracted from the diameter of tree species specified in the silvicultural prescription used to identify which trees should be cut or retained. The diameter of a designated species minus a specified number of inches will be evaluated against the diameter of other trees species during the selection of a leave tree.

Digging. Scratching away material down to mineral soil for fire line construction.

Dominant Tree. A tree whose crown extends above the general level of the main canopy; or in some cases, a tree whose canopy is above the main canopy of the tree’s immediate neighbors, receiving full light from above.

Down Wood Concentration. An area where the amount of Down Wood (see Definitions for Down Wood), located in a 50-foot radius area or smaller, is sufficient to build a hand or machine pile as specified in the Task Order.

Down Wood (Natural Fuels). Woody debris not meeting the definition of Slash (i.e. Contractor created) and not defined as Course Woody Debris. Rotten wood which is partially buried in the soil or is decayed 75% or greater is not considered down wood.

Dozer. Also known as a Bulldozer; a tracklayer such as a Caterpillar, International, John Deere, etc.

Drip-line. The vertical extent of the crown edge to the ground, directly below the edge.

Duff. Decaying organic material fow1d on the forest floor (all materials down to mineral soil).

Engine. Self-propelled unit equipped with a suitable tank, pump, hose, nozzle, plus other accessories necessary to be a well-equipped independent unit, including minimum required hose and hand tools for fire protection.

Excess Tree. An uncut tree that according to contract specifications should have been cut. Trees not severed from the stump, hung-up trees, and stumps with live limbs. Excess trees are generally correctable.

Fireline. A strip of land cleared of all vegetation and burnable material down to mineral soil used to stop the spread of fire.

Forestland. Land where the tree vegetation is described in the vegetation manipulation and has a desired outcome. This aids in determining subitem on a project. Used to establish which subitem is used on a project area.

Forest Roads (FR). Travel routes intended for motorized equipment, located on forest service official maps or maps provided in Task Order.

Fuel break. An area cleared of standing vegetation up to 6” DBH as specified in the silvicultural prescription or Task Order. This area is cleared of all existing and activity created woody debris of a size class defined to meet specifications for either hand or machine fuelbreak. Primary difference between a fireline and fuelbreak is a fuelbreak does not need to be cleared to mineral soil.

Fuel Hazard. The existence of a fuel complex that constitutes a threat of wildfire ignition, unacceptable fire behavior and severity, or suppression difficulty.

Fuel Hazard Reduction. The planned treatment or manipulation of naturally growing vegetation or any other flammable material for the purpose of reducing rate of spread and output of heat energy from any wildfire occurring in the area treated.

Gathering. The transport of severed stems or excessive down woody debris from a point of collection to the nearest designated landing. The grade or percent slope would determine if the difficulty level is downhill (Subitem H1), uphill (Subitem H2) or cable uphill (Subitem H3).

Girdle. A cut through the bark and cambium tissue completely encircling the tree trunk for the purpose of killing the tree.

Green side. Also referred to as ‘the green’. This is referred to fire line construction in identifying the side of the line that will NOT be burned.

Grubbing. See vegetation extraction.

Healthy Conifer. Trees that are growing well, exhibited by good leader growth, green foliage, and at least 40 percent crown ratio (ratio of crown to overall length), has upright growth form, absence of forking or broken tops, absence of mortality causing diseases or insects in the terminal buds.

Hand Tools. Equipment used by holding in hand and swinging by arm to achieve line digging for fire line construction.

Hardwood. A broad-leaved deciduous tree which usually has a single well-defined trunk.

Certain sprouting hardwood species may be in the form of multi-stemmed clumps. Both mature trees and young regeneration are considered hardwoods.

Hard Snag: Sound standing dead tree with less than 10 percent cull in any diameter and species.

Hang-up Tree. Any cut tree suspended more than 3 feet off the ground.

Horizontal Measurement and Distance. An extent of area or advance along a route, measured on a linear plane, parallel to 0° slope.

Hot Saw. Used in production severing. The cutting head never stops turning while prime mover is running or moving.

Ignition. Fire started by hand, aerial, or other means.

Improperly Cut/Pruned Tree. A tree that was cut that should have been a leave tree based on contract specifications. Also includes any leave tree that was damaged by the Contractor’s operations.

Inspection Procedure. The plot inspection procedure described in a task order. Used to determine quality of work.

Jackpot Concentration. Slash concentration between 1-½ and 3 feet in height and less than 4 feet wide created by directional felling and/or pulling slash away from leave trees.

Ladder Fuels. Fuels that provide vertical continuity between the ground and the tree crowns, thus creating a pathway for surface fire to move into the overstory tree crowns.

Lateral Lines. Hose lays that provide water delivery off of the trunk or main line.

Leave Tree. Any tree that is selected or required to be left standing according to requirements in statement of work or the silvicultural prescription.

Leave Island/Clump. An area to be left untreated OR at higher trees per acre than the remaining acres. An example would be an area left untreated for wildlife screening. Description, size and locations will be explained in detail within the statement of work and/or silvicultural prescription.

Leave Trees per Acre. The number of leave trees within 1 acre. Generally referred to average leave trees per acre calculated from one or more plot samples.

No. of trees per plot X reciprocal of plot size = leave trees per acre and

Total trees on all plots X reciprocal of plot size = leave trees per acre Total No. plots taken

Lopping. Cutting limbs and boles of trees to reduce depth of slash created by felled trees.

Lopping and Scattering. Cutting limbs from the trunks of cut trees and moving and rearranging of slash concentrations to achieve slash depth required in the contract.

Mainline. A hose lay which provides transportation of water from the source to lateral lines.

Mineral Soil. Material, not consisting of organic matter, below the ground surface to prevent fire from smoldering or creeping over the fire line (aka dirt).

Minor Damage. Trees with damage; however, the crooks in the trunk are offset less than 3 inches from the long axis and within 13 feet of the ground, or bark damage to less than one-fourth the circumference of the tree. Trees with forks or broken tops are not considered to have minor damage.

Mobilization. The act of delivering all ordered personnel and equipment to the project area.

Noxious Weeds. Weeds that are physically harmful or destructive to native plants.

Open Road(s). Forest roads that are not closed by forest service.

Operational Damage. Bark gouges, rips, tears (to the cambium), or other damage exceeding ¼ of the circumference of the bole, or damage exceeding ¼ of the circumference to the limb collar.

Parent Contract: The document setting the base Performance requirements, Work Items, and Terms & Conditions for all Task Orders issued.

Period of Performance (also Performance Period of Contract Time). The number of calendar days allowed for completion of work under each Task Order and/or the number of calendar days under the parent contract.

Piling. Gathering and stacking of thinning slash into piles constructed and located as indicated by technical specification.

Private Property. Land designation of other ownership then federal lands (none federal lands).

Project Area. The area being treated as identified by the task order.

Pullback. Pulling slash by hand or machine into the unit to protect leave trees and/or designated improvements and developments.

Quality Assurance. The actions taken by the Government to assess the results to determine that they meet contract requirements. The methods for quality assurance are described in the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP).

Quality Control. Those actions taken by a Contractor to control the production of outputs to ensure that they conform to the contract requirements. The methods for inspecting for quality control are described in the Contractor’s Quality Control Plan (QCP).

Release/Daylighting/Weeding: Cutting competing vegetation from around selected trees to allow the selected trees room to grow.

Riparian or Riparian Reserve Buffer. A no-treatment area along a stream channel edge or outer edge of a riparian vegetation zone, whichever is larger, dependent on the stream classification.

Buffer width and location will be identified in the task order and will be excluded from the acreage for payment.

Residual Slash. Debris not created by current task but from a past activity.

Residual Trees. Trees in an area that are maintained on site and have not been involved in a thinning operation.

Road Ditch. A long narrow excavation dug in the earth for drainage along a road.

Satisfactory Leave Tree. Tree that is selected to be left on the unit that meets contract specifications. Tree is larger than the minimum height required to be cut.

Scatter(ed). To distribute irregularly and promote the breakup of mass fuels.

Scraping. Using a hand tool to move or drag organic matter and soil to a mineral soil cleared area to create fire line.

Severed. To remove as a part by cutting to make distinct between two entities.

Shrub (or brush). Any vegetation consisting of woody perennial plant usually having single or multiple stems originating at or near the ground level and less than 25 feet in height.

Skidding: A term for moving logs by dragging from stump to roadside, deck, or other landing.

Slash: Trunks of cut trees and limbs, either pre-existing or created by Contractor operations.

Slash Concentration. An area where the amount of slash in a 50-foot radius area or smaller, is sufficient to build a pile. Task Orders issued under this contract will identify whether the Contractor shall pile pre-existing slash and/or slash created by Contractor operations.

Snag. A standing dead tree or a tree that has less than 10 percent live crown.

Sound Stumps. Stumps that are solid and have not became punky. See stumps definition

Small Trees. Trees designated to be cut that are taller than the designated minimum tree height but without a measurable diameter at breast height (DBH). Trees that fall within this range and are not cut are considered a deficiency.

Spacing. The horizontal distance from the trunk of one leave tree to the trunk of the next nearest leave tree. Average spacing is calculated from the leave trees per acre.

Special Protection Area. A zone that has special characteristics such as riparian vegetation, wildlife calving areas, etc. Special protection areas are noted on the project maps and they may require special treatment such as an alteration to the tree cutting, slash treatment, vehicle travel or fueling of saws. Refer to the silvicultural prescription for required practices.

Stem (juniper and mesquite species). For the purpose of determining stems/acre for these species, a stem for this species is defined as any live stem growing out of the ground/duff layer that is taller than the minimum cut tree height (1ft). Any growth from a stem between ground/duff layer and minimum cut tree height will be deemed a limb.

Stream Course. The area along a stream with riparian vegetation and other riparian characteristics. Stream courses are noted on the project maps. They typically require special treatment, which may include alteration to the tree cutting, slash treatment, vehicle travel or fueling of saws. Special treatments will be specified in the silvicultural prescription.

Stumps (standing). Base of the tree sticking out of the ground surface from thinning operation.

Includes punky, sound, dug out and standing stumps

Stump Treatment. Treatment of stumps greater than 12” in diameter to prevent the spread of annosus root disease. Treatment shall consist of removing sawdust and other loose debris from the cut surface of the stump including exposed wood surfaces on all sides and application of borate product within one (1) or two (2) hours, but no later than 24 hours for powder application and within 72 hours for liquid application.

Surplus Tree. A tree that is left in the unit that is in addition to the other satisfactory leave trees and is larger than those defined as small trees. It is not counted in the acceptable tree per acre calculation but does contribute to the total trees per acre on the unit. A surplus tree is coded as S3 or S4 trees in the inspection procedure.

Task Order: Individual delivery orders issued under the Parent Contract, containing funding sufficient to cover the work to be performed, a defined location, and description of the work to be completed.

Thinning Slash. Debris created from work activities under this contract or pre-existing debris created from other work activities, including all tops, trunks and branches of cut trees and shrubs.

Tons/Acre. Unit of measurement of fuel. May include one or more of the following items: slash, live vegetation, and duff

Tree Slashing. This activity cuts competing vegetation from around selected crop trees to allow the crop trees room to grow and reduce fuel continuity. The term “slashing” does not refer to slash treatment, which is a separate activity.

Top Line. Fire line constructed on the top of the unit (running parallel to the contours, i.e. across the slope).

Trench. Cut at a 45-degree angle across the fireline to deflect burning material back into the burn.

Unsatisfactory Tree. A tree that fails to meet contract standards; includes but is not limited to:

(1) Cutting the wrong tree, failure to cut a correct tree, failure to completely sever a live limb, etc.

(2) Failure to prune a tree or pruning that is not in contract.

(3) Failure to girdle a tree that meets the specifications is also an unsatisfactory tree.

Unsatisfactory trees are considered a deficiency or discrepancy in contract inspection.

Variable Density Thinning. Tree thinning done in a way that results in an uneven and patchy characteristic when completed that mimics nature. Areas within the stand will vary from more open to denser areas. Contractor shall refer to the silvicultural prescription for treatment guidelines.

Vegetation Extraction. The removal of trees or shrubs to include the majority of the root wad.

Vegetation Hanging. Branches, whips, leaning trees that have invaded an area to have vegetation cleared.

Walk in. The use and access to an area by foot traffic only.

Water Bar. A control measure designed to slow, deflect or facilitate in decreasing the potential for erosion due to water or runoff. Specification may be indicated in the task order or by the government representative but are usually at a 45 degree angle to flow of water along a slope or fireline.

Water Tender. Self-propelled unit equipped with suitable tank, pump, pump power unit, values, hose, suction line, plus other accessories indicated by the Task Order in order to be a well-equipped independent unit.

Wildlife Features. Standing dead or live trees left for nesting, feeding, perching and shelter for birds and mammals. Trees may be marked with paint and/or designated with a tag stating it is a wildlife tree or as identified by the COR or their representative.

Windrow. Slash and debris that has been accumulated into long continuous rows.

Whorl: The arrangement of limbs in a circle at generally the same location around the bole of a tree.

Yarding: Moving cut trees from where they fall to the point where logs are loaded for transport to mill. Most commonly used in cable logging operations.

DEFINITIONS