PWS_Entrance_Road_Unit_Hazardous_Fuels_Removal_Anahuac.pdf

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Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge

Entrance Road Unit

1. GENERAL/BACKGROUND: The Texas Chenier Plain Fire Zone wants to mulch and/or remove hazardous fuels and hurricane/human debris on Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife

Refuge (NWR). This is a non-personal services contract to provide hazardous fuel reduction for the US Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS). The Government shall not exercise any supervision or control over the contract service providers performing the services herein. Such contract service providers shall be accountable solely to the Contractor who, in turn is responsible to the

Government.

1.1 Description of Services/Introduction: The contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, supplies, facilities, transportation, tools, materials, supervision, and other items and non-personal services necessary to meet objectives within the units specified in the contract. The mulching/removal will encompass 161 acres of the Entrance Road on Jocelyn Nungaray NWR as defined in this Performance Work Statement.

Contractor must have experience in this type of work. Contractor must be willing to provide documentation of experience if requested along with references if needed. Contract will be awarded to the best value to the government.

Areas that are mulched prior to September 1, 2025, will need a follow-up mowing by December

31, 2025. Any area mulched after September 1, 2025, will not need a follow-up mowing until the

Spring of 2026. Some of the project area may not need to be mulched and mowing may be all that is needed to prevent woody species from reoccupying the project area. These areas that do not need to be mulched will be mowed twice (i e., Summer and Fall) in 2025. Post removal of woody vegetation, areas will be mowed three times (i.e., Spring, Summer, and Fall) in the option year of 2026. This will be completed to prevent woody species from reoccupying project areas.

There are no physical addresses for the units; the location of project areas will be in attachment(s).

1.2 Objectives:

• All trees that are 8 inches or less in diameter at breast height (DBH), shrubs, and grass will be mulched or removed down to soil.

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• Undesirable woody species that cannot be mulched down to the specified mulch size will be removed from the NWR.

• All mulch scattered with in the project area will not exceed 1-foot-tall in any pile or location.

• No mulch or slash will be left within 40 feet of the refuge boundary, project area boundary, levees, maintained mowed areas, or fences.

• Mulch size will not exceed 1-inch thick and 4-inches long.

• Return treatments will be required to inhibit regrowth in any area that mulching has been completed.

• Remove all human and/or hurricane debris from Project area.

• Fill or smooth over any large holes or ruts from operations.

• Contactor shall remove 100% of all of their debris and trash from tract on a daily basis.

• Areas must be kept clean at all times.

• Keep all equipment in designated locations.

• Maintenance or mowing of project areas to prevent the regrowth of woody species within the project areas.

1.3 Period of Performance:

• Continuous contract from time of award until July 31, 2026 with an optional six (6) month extension.

• If areas have standing water or the soil is saturated to the point that equipment is leaving ruts in the project area, they will not be able to work on project area, to minimize damage to refuge.

1.4 Scope:

• Weekly work reports will be completed by contractor and turned into FWS personnel.

• Contractor should access the area only during dry times and/or during times preapproved by FWS personnel.

• The Contractor shall use the least impactful machine on the soil of this area, no more than

10% of a sub-unit should have soil disturbance. Low ground pressure tracked equipment

(i.e., Marsh Master) will be needed some areas of the project.

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• For payments, only completed sub-units or continuous acres will be used.

1.5 General Information: Refuge access roads provide for one-way travel. Road construction will not be permitted. Contractors must use preexisting roads to access project area. Options for site access and all equipment storage and environmental concerns will be addressed during project meetings. Road and/or levee conditions must remain in the same or better conditions during the performance of work.

1.5.1 Hours of Operation: The contractor is responsible for conducting business, between the hours of sunrise to sunset Sunday through Saturday except Federal holidays at the Contractor’s option. The Contractor must at all times maintain an adequate workforce for the uninterrupted performance of all tasks defined within this PWS when the Government facility is not closed for

Federal Holidays. When hiring personnel, the Contractor shall keep in mind that the stability and continuity of the workforce are essential.

1.5.2 Place of Performance: The work to be performed under this contract will be performed at the Entrance Road on Jocelyn Nungaray NWR. Please see the attached maps and/or coordinates provided within the PWS.

1.5.3 Gate Locks: The government will provide a combination lock for the gates if needed.

Gates need to be closed and locked to the status of what the gate was found.

1.5.4 Site Visit: There will be a pre-bid job showing of the project area where contractors will have access and FWS personnel will be present to answer questions. Date and time are to be determined.

1.5.5 Post Award Conference/Periodic Progress Meetings: The Contractor shall attend any post award conference or progress meetings as deemed necessary by the Contracting Officers

Representative (COR). The COR or other Government personnel, as appropriate, may meet periodically with the contractor to review the contractor's performance. At these meetings, the

COR will apprise the contractor of how the government views the contractor's performance and the contractor will apprise the Government of problems, if any, being experienced. Appropriate action shall be taken to resolve outstanding issues. As stated above a weekly work report will be completed by contractor and turned into FWS personnel.

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1.5.6 Contracting Officer Representative (COR): The COR monitors all technical aspects of the contract and assists in contract administration. The COR is authorized to perform the following functions: assure that the Contractor performs the technical requirements of the contract, perform inspections necessary in connection with contract performance, maintain written and oral communications with the Contractor concerning technical aspects of the contract, issue written interpretations of technical requirements, monitor Contractor's performance and notifies both the

Contracting Officer and Contractor of any deficiencies and provide site entry of Contractor personnel if required. The COR is not authorized to change any of the terms or conditions of the contract.

1.5.7 Contractor Key Personnel: The following personnel are considered contractor key personnel by the government: Contract Manager and Site Project Leader. The contractor shall provide a contract manager who shall be responsible for the performance of the work. The name of this person and an alternate who shall act for the contractor when the manager is absent shall be designated in writing to the Contracting Officer Representative. The contract manager or alternate shall have full authority to act for the contractor on all contract matters relating to daily operation of this contract. The contract manager or alternate shall be available to discuss any issues between 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday thru Friday except Federal holidays or when the government facility is closed for administrative reasons.

1.5.8 Contractor Travel: Contractor shall be responsible for all travel cost and scheduling of travel. Contractor is responsible for the cost to transfer between units as required for the contract.

2. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED ITEMS AND SERVICES:

2.1 General: The government will not provide any services, facilities, utilities, equipment, or materials for this contract.

3. CONTRACTOR FURNISHED ITEMS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

3.1 General: The Contractor shall furnish all supplies, equipment, facilities and services required to perform work under this contract.

3.1.1 Equipment: The Contractor shall furnish all equipment to adequately perform the requested job and that is least impactful on the soil areas of this unit.

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4. SPECIFIC TASKS:

4.1 The contractor will conduct an initial site visit with FWS personnel for access arrangements placement of staging equipment and to ensure proper identification of each area to be worked.

Contractor will then mobilize their equipment (i.e., excavators, backhoes, skid steer) to mulch or remove hazardous fuels to soil. Any woody species that cannot be mulched down to specified mulch size will be removed from the Refuge. The contractor will communicate a weekly report that will state what they have completed the previous week, what the plan is for the coming week, any equipment/personnel changes, and any problems or concerns.

5. APPLICABLE PUBLICATIONS (CURRENT EDITIONS):

5.1. The Contractor must abide by all applicable Federal and State regulations and laws applicable to this project.