Mill Creek Coop Agreement Scope of Work 2026.pdf

Mill Creek Natural Resources Training and Education

Statement of Work FY 2026

1. PROGRAMATIC REQUIREMENTS

Scope of the Agreement:

The Government and the Recipient are bound to each other by a duty of good faith and best ef fort to achieve the goals of the agreement. This agreement is not intended to be, nor shall it be construed as, by implication or otherwise, a partnership, a corporation, or other business organization.

Statement of Work

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District, Mill Creek Project manages water resources and public lands to support recreational, environmental, and f lood management responsibilities. The purpose of this cooperative agreement is to provide f lood management inf rastructure maintenance, ef fective environmental and recreational resource management, enhance public engagement, and of fer training and education opportunities. Through partnerships with organizations, the Corps aims to promote responsible stewardship of public lands and resources, while also providing opportunities for the development of future water and natural resource professionals.

Mill Creek Project proposes three to four, one-week, work timeframes. The f irst is mid-May to mid-June where trails will be repaired and made ready for the summer season and/or invasive species will be removed. The second week is mid to late July for invasive species removal. The third week is mid-August to Mid-September for trails maintenance. The fourth week is at the end of October for tree and shrub plantings and/or invasive shrub and tree removal. This last week includes chipping vegetation debris.

2. Education and Stewardship Objectives:

The Corps stewardship covers a wide range of opportunities that allow work in a natural resource-oriented environment, as well as acquisition of strong ethics regarding proper management and use of public land resources. By utilizing these opportunities participants will receive technical, applied, and practical job training/skills and education otherwise not available.

Work projects may include maintenance services on Corps lands consisting of but not limited to, f lood risk reduction through f lood management inf rastructure maintenance that includes vegetation and debris removal, park maintenance, vegetation management, invasive species management, recreation trail construction, refurbishment, and maintenance, landscaping, and prescribed burning. Specif ic sites where work may be conducted include lands, inf rastructure, and waters managed by Mill Creek.

Each specif ic project proposed under this Agreement will be individually evaluated by both parties to make certain that it meets the education and stewardship objectives set forth herein, and that it will not displace any government workers nor impair existing contracts for service.

3. Benef its:

Training future members of the natural resources community so that they will have the experience necessary to complete their education. The recipient will benef it by learning outdoor ethics and work skills. They will gain exposure to tasks that benef it the environment and aid in improving public lands.

The recipient may take advantage of resource opportunities available only under a cooperative agreement.

4. OBLIGATION OF THE PARTIES:

A. The Recipient will:

• Recruit, select, and enroll eligible participants and refer appropriate participants to USACE in accordance with available funds, Federal regulations, needs of participants, and the terms of this Agreement. Enrollees shall be at least 18 years of age.

• Indemnify USACE against any liability for damage to life or property arising f rom the actions or omissions of Recipient’s employees, contractors, or agents. Such protection f rom damages may be provided by commercial insurance or self -insurance. USACE shall be liable for its actions and omissions in accordance with the Federal Tort Claims Act, as applicable.

• Reserve the right to terminate or reassign enrollees to other activities in accordance with the enrollee's program objectives. Reasonable notice of reassignments will be provided to

USACE.

• Provide crews available for scheduling work at mutually agreed times during the performance period.

• Provide a supervisor to direct work who will be responsible for all supervision and discipline of participants assigned to scopes of work under this agreement.

• Assure that training accomplishment is documented for each participant under this agreement. These records shall be available to USACE for review.

• Ensure that each enrollee is properly equipped and dressed for work to be accomplished.

This will include a work jacket, work shirt, work trousers, hard hat, gloves, and a pair laced safety work boot, if required.

• Perform work in accordance with EM 385-1-1, “U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Safety and Health Requirements Manual,” and FED-OSHA regulations. EM 385-1-1 can be downloaded f rom: http://www.usace.army.mil/Safety-and-Occupational-Health/Safety-and-

Health-Requirements-Manual/.

• Arrange for transportation to and f rom work sites, ensure participants bring food and water as required for rest breaks, and provide for f irst aid and other customary supervisory care of the participants at the work sites.

• Provide basic hand tools such as shovels, loppers, hand saws, wheelbarrows, rakes, etc.

• Provide basic gas-powered tools such as string trimmers, hedge trimmers, chainsaws, etc.

and associated training with these tools.

• Provide applicable Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) for recipient supplied tools.

• Ensure that all tools and equipment provided by USACE are returned to USACE in a like condition as when loaned, except for normal wear and tear.

• Act in conformance with State and Federal laws and regulations pertaining to Wage and

Hours.

B. The Mill Creek Off ice will:

• Submit project information in support of scopes of work, including objectives and locations, diagrams, specif ications, location maps, schedules, and other required details.

• Supply suf f icient materials as applicable, heavy equipment and special tools not provided by the recipient including additional required personal protective equipment, or special labor support, as required to perform objectives.

• Ensure there is suf f icient work to productively occupy the enrollees during scheduled work hours.

• Assign a Mill Creek employee to serve as a point of contact (POC) and resource advisor for the duration of this agreement, to provide technical assistance to the crew supervisor, provide http://www.usace.army.mil/Safety-and-Occupational-Health/Safety-and-Health-Requirements-Manual/ http://www.usace.army.mil/Safety-and-Occupational-Health/Safety-and-Health-Requirements-Manual/ specif ic task instruction, instructions on the proper use of tools and materials, demonstrate task completion, and otherwise engage and encourage the work crew.

• Coordinate work schedules to accommodate participation in education, vocational training, counseling, or related activities.

C. Performance Reports

Recipient shall submit performance progress reports and f inancial reports monthly (in the months when work occurs). Report shall contain a narrative of worked performed during the season and detail how goals and objectives were met.

D. Modif ications

• Modif ications to this agreement may be proposed by either party, but neither party shall implement a change until the change has been negotiated and approved by the

Government’s Grants Of f icer. Change proposals shall be submitted in writing and shall detail the technical, schedule, and f inancial impacts of the proposed modification. Only the

Grants Of f icer has the authority to act on behalf of the Government to change this agreement.

• Revision of budget/program plans: Recipient shall request prior approval for plan changes in accordance with 2 CFR § 200.308.

• The Grants Of f icer may unilaterally issue modif ications for minor or administrative matters, such as changes in key personnel, paying of f ice, etc.

E. Subawards

• The Recipient shall apply to each subaward the administrative requirements of 2 CFR 200 applicable to the particular type of subrecipient.

• Recipients awarding contracts under this agreement shall ensure that contracts awarded contain, at a minimum, the provisions 2 CFR Part 1120 and Appendix II to CFR Part

200.

F. Procurement

• The Recipient’s systems for acquiring goods and services under this agreement shall comply with 2 CFR 200.