PWS_Draft_-_ARWEC_Groundskeeping_1.pdf

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

American River Water Education Center

Groundskeeping Services Contract

Central California Area Office, Folsom, CA

February 2024

1. Background

The primary mission of the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) is to manage water resources; one aspect of achieving success in this endeavor is educating the public on water conservation and water resource management. To this end, Reclamation built, operates, and maintains the American River

Water Education Center (ARWEC), a facility for public education on water resources management.

The ARWEC is located at Reclamation’s Central California Area Office in Folsom, California near

Folsom Dam. The center is adjacent to the American River Parkway, a popular and busy bike trail.

This convenient location causes an increase in public access and an associated increase in usage of the center. The ARWEC utilizes this high exposure to extend its educational programs even outside of the building by using the grounds as demonstration gardens showcasing native as well as drought tolerant plants. The specialized garden requires the ARWEC to have expert support in maintaining the grounds.

2. Scope

The scope of this requirement is for grounds maintenance services for approximately 61,000 sf. at the ARWEC. As this is a demonstration garden, it is important to be knowledgeable of the different varieties of plants showcased. The grounds include specialized areas featuring bird & butterfly gardens, a California Native plant area, a designated Certified Wildlife Habitat and a picnic area. This requirement involves caring for over 100 different plant varieties which include trees, shrubs, flowers, grasses, succulents, and other landscape plants.

3. Personnel Qualifications

• University of California Davis Cooperative Extension Certified Master Gardener, Ornamental Horticulture and Sacramento Tree Foundation Leaf Steward.

• Able to identify common name, botanical name, bird or butterfly attractant, California native, Arboretum All Stars, and other plant characteristics.

• Ability to prune, propagate, plant/transplant and care for plants, trees, and shrubs.

• Knowledgeable of pesticide regulation in public/school yard setting.

• Working knowledge of effective irrigation techniques and care for plants.

• Knowledgeable in the use of Weathermatic Smartline irrigation controllers.

• Ability to work effectively alone and manage a team of volunteers on designated workdays.

• Must be comfortable and knowledgeable while interfacing with the public and be able to answer questions.

• Knowledge of proper tool cleaning, sterilizing and maintenance of equipment associated with landscaping, minor repair, and irrigation work.

• Ability to identify safety issues and take appropriate measures in using and supplying safety vests, goggles, gloves, and masks to volunteers.

• Work can require long periods of walking, standing, pushing, lifting, and bending. Work is conducted in an outdoor environment. Lifting, reaching, and carrying items 50 lbs. or less will be necessary to perform duties.

4. Type of Contract

The government contemplates award of a firm-fixed priced contract.

5. Hours of Operation

The Contractor shall be on-site at ARWEC performing the tasks described in Section 8, below, no less than 12 hours per week. The performance of grounds keeping shall take place anytime between the hours of 6:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M. Monday through Friday.

6. Place of Performance

The work under this contract will be performed at the ARWEC located at 7785 Folsom-Auburn

Rd., Folsom, CA 95630.

7. Government Furnished Equipment

The Government will furnish the garden equipment listed on Attachment 1. The equipment shall be used only in the performance of this contract. The Contractor shall return the equipment to the onsite storage in the same condition as received after each use; fair wear and tear to the Government equipment or equipment reasonably consumed in performing this contract is acceptable. Should any

Government furnished equipment listed in Attachment 1 of Government require replacement, the

Contractor shall be responsible for notifying the Government as soon as possible.

The Contractor shall supply the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) with the legal names of all employees who will work under this contract. Reclamation reserves the right to run security checks on such employees. If, in the judgment of the Contracting Officer (CO) or COR, any employee fails to meet the most current minimum-security requirements or proves to be detrimental to the security of Reclamation facilities, the Contractor, upon request, shall remove such employee from any work under this contract.

Contractor's personnel must agree to provide fingerprints if required by Reclamation.

The Contractor shall be responsible for safeguarding all Government property, including keys, tools or supplies for use in the performance of this contract. If the contractor must be onsite before or after normal work hours, they will be responsible for securing the pole gate, ARWEC buildings and restrooms. At the end of each work period, all Government property, equipment, and materials must be secured. The Contractor shall not duplicate any keys issued by the Government.

8. Tasks

Perform grounds keeping and maintenance of the ARWEC gardens, the amphitheater and parking lot. Weekly care to the pathways, entrance decks, picnic areas, plants, irrigation system, restroom areas to insure a clean and orderly level of professionalism. The following tasks will include, but are not limited to:

8.1 Landscape Maintenance

• Ensures all plants in the demonstration garden are labeled, plant labels are up-to-date and clearly readable from the pathway.

• Prunes shrubs and trees that are 10 ft. and below in accordance with landscape standards including maintaining the 10-foot required clearance around all electrical panels and minimum three-foot clearance around all Fire Department Connections (FDC) and fire hydrants.

• Maps dead plants, decides which plants will be planted as replacements and obtains replacement plants in a timely manner.

• Plants new plants, seeds and plant propagation from cuttings.

• Fertilizes lawn and plants using Contractor provided products at the appropriate time of year.

• Identifies ants, rats, mice, mole, gophers and snakes found on the premises to ARWEC staff.

• Accepts donated trees and plants. Plants donated trees and stakes them with poles for support. Removes stakes once trees are matured.

• Identifies sources for donated wood chips or other mulching material annually through local organizations, coordinates delivery and spreads wood chips throughout garden area as needed in a timely manner.

• Maintains a good working relationship with those who donate their time or other resources to the ARWEC garden.

• May be asked to participate in staff/volunteer meetings, as needed.

• Works closely with volunteer team to achieve needed tasks in the garden.

8.2 Grounds Maintenance

• Cleans outdoor garden features including the bird bath and solar fountain weekly.

• Keeps lawn areas, mulched garden, decomposed granite pathways and amphitheater area free of weeds. The use of herbicides is prohibited.

• Maintains sidewalks, pathways and garden areas clear of debris including trash, fallen leaves, or anything else not part of the plants or landscaping materials.

• Sweeps sidewalks, walkways, entrance decks and picnic areas including mopping bird waste in doorways, on benches and railings as needed.

• Keeps garden shed in order and maintains government Material Safety Data Sheet requirements.

• Empties outdoor garbage and keeps picnic grounds clean after student picnics. Maintain inventory on garbage liner and dog waste baggies.

• Report required repairs to bird houses, outdoor signs, restrooms, sheds, bulletin boards, flags, umbrellas, and any other property in a timely manner, to ARWEC staff.

8.3 Irrigation

• On an on-going basis, assesses irrigation needs of plants and makes needed changes to controllers.

• Performs irrigation controller programming as needed. Contacts customer support of the Smartline product needed to maintain the irrigation controller.

• Checks, replaces irrigation lines, drip lines, emitters and sprinkler heads as required.

• On call services may be required during times of landscape related emergencies (broken lines, irrigation controller issues, power outages, excessive heat, etc.). Contractor shall respond within four (4) hours after notification by ARWEC staff.

9. Accident Reporting

In the event of an accident involving the Contractor’s personnel while in performance of the contract, the Contractor shall submit a report to the COR no later than three (3) working days in letter form that will include the following:

• Time and date of occurrence,

• Place of occurrence,

• List of personnel directly involved,

• A narrative description of the accident that includes a chronological order of facts and circumstance leading to the mishap, the results of the investigation and an analysis to include a discussion of all factors listed, finding, recommendation, and any corrective action taken,

• Signature of the supervisor at the time of the mishap.

10. Performance Assessment

10.1 Monitoring Performance

The Government shall monitor the Contractor’s performance in each functional area under this contract and reserves the right to use additional surveillance procedures as is deemed appropriate. If the Contractor fails to complete a portion of work, or the work performed is unsatisfactory for any given service or portion thereof, the Contractor shall correct the deficient work at no additional cost. Work not satisfactorily completed prior to the next business date, as required, shall be subject to a deduction in accordance with Payment Computation.

The Government shall monitor the Contractor’s performance of services using random inspections, verified customer complaints, or 100% inspection method. Customer complaints shall be substantiated by the COR for validity. Should the COR determine that the complaint is valid, the

COR shall inform the Contractor orally and in writing and give the Contractor additional time to correct the defect, if additional time is available. The COR shall determine how much time is available based on the complaint. Should the Contractor disagree with the complaint after the investigation of the site, the Contractor shall notify the COR. The COR shall review the matter to re- examine the validity of the complaint. Unscheduled inspections shall be performed at any time.

The Government reserves the right to alter or change the type of inspection at its discretion at any time, and to make deductions accordingly.

10.2 Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP)

The QASP is one evaluation method the government uses to surveillance performance to determine whether the Contractor meets the standards of performance as defined in the PWS. The absence of a QASP for any contract requirement, however, shall not detract from its enforceability or limit the rights or remedies of the government under any other provision of the contract in determining the quality of the Contractor performance.

PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS SUMMARY TABLE

Performance

Requirement

Summary

Acceptable Quality Level Means of

Measurement

Contractor shall comply with all tasks under section 8 of the Performance Work Statement

a. Timeliness - completion of all tasks 98% of the time.

b. Quality -

All work is performed to standard

100% of the time.

Periodic Surveillance and Inspection by the Government

Attachment 1 – Garden Shed Inventory

Tool/Equipment Name QTY

Broom 4

Dustpan 1

Fork rake, thick prong 1

Garden (landscape) rake 2

Garden trowel 4

Hedge clippers, small 4

Hedge sheers 1

Leaf rake, large 4

Leaf rake, small 2

Looper, large 1

Pickax 1

Pitchfork 3

Safety helmets, full-face 2

Shovel, extra large 1

Shovel, regular 4

Sledgehammer 1

Stillson wrench 2

Tree limb cutter 4

Watering cans/buckets 4

Wheelbarrow, black 1

Wheelbarrow, blue 1