PWS Forestry and Invasive Species.docx

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS)

Forestry and Invasive Species Management – Base + 4

Part 1 General Information

1. GENERAL: This is a non-personal services contract to manage invasive species and improve forest habitat for both natural resources and military training. 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: This contract is a requirements contract wherein the contractor agrees to supply as many services as required by the Government, and in exchange the Government agrees to obtain these services exclusively from the Contractor, for the duration of the contract. These contracts are typically multi-year contracts, and as such this contract will be structured around a base year with up to four option years. The contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, supplies, facilities, transportation, tools, materials, supervision, and other items and non-personal services necessary to perform as defined in this Performance Work Statement except for those items if any specified as government furnished property and services. The contractor shall perform to the standards in this contract.

1.2 Background: The Directorate of Public Works, Environmental Management Division (DPW-EMD) requests contract assistance with necessary certifications to continue the work of invasive species control and forest habitat improvement that was begun in earnest in 2016. Invasive species management is at the forefront of biodiversity conservation and must be addressed annually until controlled. Likewise, forest habitat enhancement has the two goals of improving Soldier training opportunities and preserving biodiversity. The continuing emphasis will be on habitat enhancement to reflect the Army emphasis on new conservation goals. The operation of the Environmental Management Division is critical to the installation's regulatory compliance stance as well as to the successful execution of the military mission on Fort Gregg-Adams.

In accordance with FAR 7.503(e), projects for execution under this Contract do not include any functions to be performed that are inherently Governmental. This determination is made with the assessment that places emphasis on the degree to which conditions and facts restrict the discretionary authority, decision-making responsibility, or accountability of Government officials using Contract services or work products.

In accordance with FAR 37.104, this contract shall not be used for performance of personal services. These tasks provided by the customer for execution under this contract do not include functions to be performed that are personal services.

1.3 Objectives: This Scope seeks to monitor and improve forest habitat quality, enhance pollinator habitat, and further the goals of invasive species management. The effort will require extensive experience and certifications as spelled out in Section 1.6.7 and a flexible work force that can coordinate their efforts in conjunction with live fire training on the ranges. Work will involve chemical application of herbicides, mechanical habitat modification, and planting of selected species as required to achieve landscape planning objectives toward a desired set of conservation goals. Goals include habitat improvement for Soldiers, monitoring changes in forest health and viability, reduction in the quantity and distribution of invasive species, and enhancement of existing habitat to accommodate an increase in pollinating species. These functions are consistent with Fort Adams’ requirements under AR 200-1, the Sikes Act, and the Integrated Natural Resource Management Plan (INRMP).

1.4 Scope: The Contractor shall provide technical support for Environmental Division operations and coordination at Fort Gregg-Adams. This shall ensure compliance with all Federal, State, local, and Army regulations. Deliverables include those tasks enumerated in Sections 5.2.1. – 5.2.4.

1.5 Period of Performance: The period of performance shall be for one (1) Base Year of 12 months and four (4) 12-month option years.

1.6 General Information

1.6.1 Quality Control Plan (QCP): The Contractor’s existing quality assurance system shall be utilized in accordance with (IAW) FAR 12.208 to ensure services are performed IAW this PWS. The Contractor shall develop and implement procedures to identify, prevent, and ensure non-recurrence of defective services. The Contractor's QCP is the means by which it assures that the work provided complies with the requirements of the contract.

The Contractor’s Proposed QCP shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer (KO) through the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) for review within 14 days after date of contract award (deliverable 5.2.6).

The Government will review and either notify the Contractor in writing of acceptance of the plan or return their comments to the Contractor within 10 days. If the Government has provided comments, the Contractor shall then have 10 days to submit a Final QCP. After receipt of the Final QCP, the Contractor may receive the Contracting Officer’s acceptance in writing. Any proposed changes to the accepted QCP are required to be resubmitted for acceptance by the Contracting Officer no later than 7 days prior to the anticipated change and before implementation by the Contractor. The timeline noted above will apply for review and acceptance for proposed changes. At a minimum, the QCP must include and answer the following to be acceptable:

(a) A chart showing the organizational structure and lines of authority, the names, qualifications, duties, responsibilities, and classification of each member of the Contractor's Quality Control Team;

(b) How the Contractor will monitor work to ensure performance complies with all deliverables (etc. timelines, deadlines, and goals);

(c) How the Contractor will monitor work to ensure performance complies with all specifications and requirements of the contract, including the contract’s clauses;

(d) How the Contractor will monitor and ensure staff qualifications remain current and valid including Department of Defense (DoD) Contractor Personnel Office (DOCPER) processes/approvals throughout contract performance;

(e) How the Contractor will ensure all keys issued will remain controlled items (Paragraph 1.7 Key Control);

(f) How the Contractor will inventory and track maintenance of all Government Provided Equipment / Materials;

(g) How the Contractor will identify, investigate, and correct any non-conforming performance and prevent similar deficiencies in the future; and

(h) How the Contractor will file and save all Quality Control related documents for the life of the contract plus 5 years.

1.6.1.1 The Contractor shall inform the COR of potential issues that might affect the performance within 1 work day of identifying those issues. Verbal reports shall be followed up by written reports within 7 days.

1.6.1 Quality Assurance: The government shall evaluate the contractor’s performance under this contract in accordance with the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan. This plan is primarily focused on what the Government must do to ensure that the contractor has performed in accordance with the performance standards. It defines how the performance standards will be applied, the frequency of surveillance, and the minimum acceptable defect rate(s).

1.6.2 Recognized Holidays: (Contractor is not required to work on below Holidays.)

Independence Day

1.6.3 Hours of Operation: The contractor is responsible for conducting business, between the hours of 0630 - 1800 Monday thru Friday except Federal holidays or when the Government facility is closed due to local or national emergencies, administrative closings, or similar Government directed facility closings. For other than firm fixed price contracts, the contractor will not be reimbursed when the government facility is closed for the above reasons. The Contractor must maintain an adequate workforce for the uninterrupted performance of all tasks defined within this PWS when the Government facility is not closed for the above reasons. When hiring personnel, the Contractor shall keep in mind that the stability and continuity of the workforce are essential. There may be instances where work will need to occur outside of the days and hours indicated for a specific conservation objective. For those periods, there may be an adjustment to the normal work schedule to accommodate the change.

1.6.4 Place of Performance: The work to be performed under this contract will be performed entirely on the grounds of Fort Gregg-Adams.

1.6.5 Type of Contract: The government will award a Firm fixed price contract

1.6.6 Security Requirements: The Contractor shall be required to coordinate all security access requirements with the individual installations and/or the COTR.

1.6.6.1 PHYSICAL Security: The contractor shall be responsible for safeguarding all government equipment, information and property provided for contractor use. At the close of each work period, government facilities, equipment, and materials shall be secured.

1.6.6.2 Key Control: The Contractor shall establish and implement methods of making sure all keys/key cards issued to the Contractor by the Government are not lost or misplaced and are not used by unauthorized persons. NOTE: All references to keys include key cards. No keys issued to the Contractor by the Government shall be duplicated. The Contractor shall develop procedures covering key control that shall be included in the Quality Control Plan. Such procedures shall include turn-in of any issued keys by personnel who no longer require access to locked areas. The Contractor shall immediately report any occurrences of lost or duplicate keys/key cards to the Contracting Officer.

1.6.6.2.1. In the event keys, other than master keys, are lost or duplicated, the Contractor shall, upon direction of the Contracting Officer, re-key or replace the affected lock or locks; however, the Government, at its option, may replace the affected lock or locks or perform re-keying. When the replacement of locks or re-keying is performed by the Government, the total cost of re-keying or the replacement of the lock or locks shall be deducted from the monthly payment due the Contractor. In the event a master key is lost or duplicated, all locks and keys for that system shall be replaced by the Government and the total cost deducted from the monthly payment due the Contractor.

1.6.6.2.2. The Contractor shall prohibit the use of Government issued keys/key cards by any persons other than the Contractor’s employees. The Contractor shall prohibit the opening of locked areas by Contractor employees to permit entrance of persons other than Contractor employees engaged in the performance of assigned work in those areas, or personnel authorized entrance by the Contracting Officer.

1.6.7 Special Qualifications: The Contractor must have at least 10 years forestry experience in Virginia and must have recognized knowledge in the identification and control of mid-Atlantic invasive species. Previous experience working on Fort Gregg-Adams is preferred. The Contractor must have proof of certification and/or licensing in the following forest management methodologies:

No substitution of experience or certifications will be accepted.

1.6.8 Post Award Conference/Periodic Progress Meetings: The Contractor agrees to attend any post award conference convened by the contracting activity or contract administration office in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation Subpart 42.5. The contracting officer, Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR), and other Government personnel, as appropriate, may meet periodically with the contractor to review the contractor's performance. At these meetings the contracting officer 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. These meetings shall be at no additional cost to the government.

1.6.9 Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR): The (COR) will be identified by separate letter. The COR monitors all technical aspects of the contract and assists in contract administration. The COR is authorized to perform the following functions: ensure 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, including Government drawings, designs, specifications: monitor Contractor's performance and notifies both the Contracting Officer and Contractor of any deficiencies; coordinate availability of government furnished property, and provide site entry of Contractor personnel. A letter of designation issued to the COR, a copy of which is sent to the Contractor, states the responsibilities and limitations of the COR, especially with regard to changes in cost or price, estimates or changes in delivery dates. The COR is not authorized to change any of the terms and conditions of the resulting order.

1.6.10 Identification of Contractor Employees: All contract personnel attending meetings, answering Government telephones, and working in other situations where their contractor status is not obvious to third parties are required to identify themselves as such to avoid creating an impression in the minds of members of the public that they are Government officials. They must also ensure that all documents or reports produced by contractors are suitably marked as contractor products or that contractor participation is appropriately disclosed.

1.6.11 Other Direct Costs There should be no other direct costs associated with this contract other than the costs assigned with each task.

1.6.12 Data Rights : The Government has unlimited rights to all documents/material produced under this contract. All documents and materials, to include the source codes of any software, produced under this contract shall be Government owned and are the property of the Government with all rights and privileges of ownership/copyright belonging exclusively to the Government. These documents and materials may not be used or sold by the contractor without written permission from the Contracting Officer. All materials supplied to the Government shall be the sole property of the Government and may not be used for any other purpose. This right does not abrogate any other Government rights.

1.6.13 Organizational Conflict of Interest: Contractor and subcontractor personnel performing work under this contract may receive, have access to or participate in the development of proprietary or source selection information (e.g., cost or pricing information, budget information or analyses, specifications or work statements, etc.) or perform evaluation services which may create a current or subsequent Organizational Conflict of Interests (OCI) as defined in FAR Subpart 9.5. The Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer immediately whenever it becomes aware that such access or participation may result in any actual or potential OCI and shall promptly submit a plan to the Contracting Officer to avoid or mitigate any such OCI. The Contractor’s mitigation plan will be determined to be acceptable solely at the discretion of the Contracting Officer and in the event the Contracting Officer unilaterally determines that any such OCI cannot be satisfactorily avoided or mitigated, the Contracting Officer may affect other remedies as he or she deems necessary, including prohibiting the Contractor from participation in subsequent contracted requirements which may be affected by the OCI.

1.6.14. Training: 1) AT Level I Training: The Technical / Managerial support shall complete AT Level I awareness training within 30 calendar days after contract start date or effective date of incorporation of this requirement into the PWS, whichever is applicable. The Contractor shall submit certificates of completion for each affected employee and sub-awardee employee, to the COR or to the KO, if a COR is not assigned, within 15 calendar days after completion of training by all Contractor and subcontractor personnel. AT Level I awareness training is available at the following website: https://jko.jten.mil/courses/AT-level1/launch.html

2) The Contractor will be briefed on the local iWATCH program (training standards provided by the requiring activity ATO). This local developed training will be used to inform employees of the types of behavior to watch for and instruct employees to report suspicious activity to the COR/KO. This training will be completed within 30 calendar days of contract award and within 15 calendar days of new employees commencing performance with the results reported to the PM NLT 45 calendar days after contract award.

3) Per AR 530-1, Operations Security, technical support staff shall complete Level I OPSEC training within 30 calendar days of their reporting for duty. The technical support staff shall complete annual OPSEC awareness training and adhere to organization’s security program. Training can be found at: http://cdsetrain.dtic.mil/ and select "OPSEC Awareness for Military Members, DoD Employees and Contractors" or https://www.iad.gov/ioss/ and click "Login/Register."

PART 2

DEFINITIONS & ACRONYMS

2. DEFINITIONS AND ACRONYMS:

2.1. DEFINITIONS:

2.1.1. CONTRACTOR. A supplier or vendor awarded a contract to provide specific supplies or service to the government. The term used in this contract refers to the prime.

2.1.2. CONTRACTING OFFICER. A person with authority to enter into, administer, and or terminate contracts, and make related determinations and findings on behalf of the government. Note: The only individual who can legally bind the government.

2.1.3. CONTRACTING OFFICER'S REPRESENTATIVE (COR). An employee of the U.S. Government appointed by the contracting officer to administer the contract. Such appointment shall be in writing and shall state the scope of authority and limitations. This individual has authority to provide technical direction to the Contractor as long as that direction is within the scope of the contract, does not constitute a change, and has no funding implications. This individual does NOT have authority to change the terms and conditions of the contract.

2.1.4. DEFECTIVE SERVICE. A service output that does not meet the standard of performance associated with the Performance Work Statement.

2.1.5. DELIVERABLE. Anything that can be physically delivered, but may include non-manufactured things such as meeting minutes or reports.

2.1.6. KEY PERSONNEL. Contractor personnel that are evaluated in a source selection process and that may be required to be used in the performance of a contract by the Key Personnel listed in the PWS. When key personnel are used as an evaluation factor in best value procurement, an offer can be rejected if it does not have a firm commitment from the persons that are listed in the proposal.

2.1.7. PHYSICAL SECURITY. Actions that prevent the loss or damage of Government property.

2.1.8. QUALITY ASSURANCE. The government procedures to verify that services being performed by the Contractor are performed according to acceptable standards.

2.1.9. QUALITY ASSURANCE Surveillance Plan (QASP). An organized written document specifying the surveillance methodology to be used for surveillance of contractor performance.

2.1.10. QUALITY CONTROL. All necessary measures taken by the Contractor to assure that the quality of an end product or service shall meet contract requirements.

2.1.11. SUBCONTRACTOR. One that enters into a contract with a prime contractor. The Government does not have privity of contract with the subcontractor.

2.1.12. WORK DAY. The number of hours per day the Contractor provides services in accordance with the contract.

2.1.12. WORK WEEK. Monday through Friday, unless specified otherwise.

2.2. ACRONYMS:

PART 3

GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY, EQUIPMENT, AND SERVICES

3. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED ITEMS AND SERVICES:

3.1. Services: The Contractor shall provide sufficient technical, supervisory, and administrative personnel to insure the expeditious accomplishment of the work specified in this PWS.

3.2 Facilities: There will be no need for facility space for contractor use in this contract.

3.3 Utilities: If for unknown reasons, facility use is required, the Government will provide all utilities in the facilities available for the contractor’s use in performance of tasks outlined in this PWS. The Contractor shall instruct employees in utilities conservation practices. The contractor shall be responsible for operating under conditions that preclude the waste of utilities, which include turning off the water faucets or valves after using the required amount to accomplish cleaning vehicles and equipment.

3.4 Equipment: During the course of this contract, if any Government supplied office space, telephone, drafting, printing, copying, photography, or field supplies are used by the Contractor, they will be supplied by Fort Gregg-Adams, and will remain the property of the Government. A Government contractor ID may be issued in order to ensure access to Fort Gregg-Adams and other installations.

PART 4

CONTRACTOR FURNISHED ITEMS AND SERVICES

4. CONTRACTOR FURNISHED ITEMS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

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

4.2 Equipment: The Contractor shall provide the necessary safety equipment and Personal Protective Equipment in order perform the duties outlined in parts 1.6.7.1 – 1.6.7.5.

PART 5

SPECIFIC TASKS

5. Specific Tasks:

5.1. Basic Services. To provide forestry and habitat management support for the Natural Resource Program of Fort Gregg-Adams’ Environmental Management Division (EMD).

5.2 Deliverables

Monthly

5.2.5

5.3 Service Contract Reporting

5.3.1 System for Award Management (SAM) Service Contract Report (SCR): The Contractor shall report ALL Contractor labor hours (including subcontractor labor hours) required for performance of services provided under this contract for the Fort Gregg-Adams Environmental Management Division via a secure data collection site. The Contractor is required to completely fill in all required data fields through the following web address: www.sam.gov. Reporting inputs will be for the labor executed during the period of performance during each Government FY, which runs from October 1 through September 30. While inputs may be reported any time during the FY, all data shall be reported no later than October 31 of each calendar year. Contractors may direct questions to the help desk by clicking “View Assistance for SAM.gov” which is located at the top of the SAM.gov website. From there, you can the select “Contact Our Service Desk” which will allow you to contact SAM.gov directly. If contract period of performance ends prior to September 30, the Contractor has 30 calendar days from end date of the contract to complete the SAM SCR requirement.

Steps for Submitting a Service Contract Report (SCR)

1. Go to www.sam.gov and log in.

2. Select Entity Registrations and then select Service Contract Reporting.

3. SAM displays your entities which have service contracts and meet the reporting criteria. Select View by entity to see the service contracts for each entity.

4. Next, select Add for the service contract against which you want to create a Service Contract Report. Each service contract which meets the FAR Subpart 4.1703 reporting thresholds is displayed.

5. You will be taken to the Complete Service Contract Report page. SAM displays the contract details and allows you to report. You are required to enter the following information:

· Total Amount Invoiced: Total dollar amount invoiced for services performed during the previous Government fiscal year under the contract (this amount should include the prime and any subcontract amount).

· Prime Contractor Hours Expended: Prime contractor direct labor hours expended on the services performed during the previous Government fiscal year. The amount you enter is automatically divided by 2,080 hours to calculate a Full Time Employee (FTE) equivalent, displayed under the Prime Contractor Hours Expended as Prime Contractor FTEs.

6. Report any required Tier 1 subcontractor information by selecting the Add Tier 1 Subcontract Information button.

7. When you are ready to submit the report, select Submit. This saves your report and returns you to the Select Service Contract page where you can create other SCRs or edit an existing SCR.

Steps for Editing a Submitted Report

1. Follow steps 1-4 above. Any previously submitted SCR will have a View/Edit button instead of an Add button.

2. Select View/Edit. You will be able to view the current SCR, edit available fields, and resubmit the record. You can also delete previously entered information altogether.

STD: All information provided by the Contractor shall be accurate, complete, and not exceed suspense dates noted in corresponding paragraph above.

AQL: 100% Compliant

PART 6

APPLICABLE PUBLICATIONS

6. APPLICABLE PUBLICATIONS (CURRENT EDITIONS)

6.1. The Contractor must abide by all applicable regulations, publications, manuals, and local policies and procedures.

PART 7

ATTACHMENT/TECHNICAL EXHIBIT LISTING

7. Attachment/Technical Exhibit List:

7.1. Attachment 1/Technical Exhibit 1: Performance Requirements Summary

TECHNICAL EXHIBIT 1

Performance Requirements Summary The contractor service requirements are summarized into performance objectives that relate directly to mission essential items. The performance threshold briefly describes the minimum acceptable levels of service required for each requirement. These thresholds are critical to mission success.

PRS #1

The Contractor shall execute chemical control measures to eradicate highly invasive species across at least 40 acres of forest compartments and other designated areas.

The contractor provides deliverables identified in PWS paragraph 5.2.1.

Zero deviation from standard.

Periodic inspection; monthly, as underway.

PRS #2

The contractor shall deploy a mechanical forestry mower to convert habitat from vegetated to open, on between 4 and 8 acres, as needed to meet management goals.

The contractor provides deliverables identified in PWS paragraph 5.2.2.

100 percent inspection; once.

PRS #3

The Contractor shall prepare a burn prescription and smoke management plan for at least 40 acres, and execute a burn of those acres between 1 FEB and 30 APR.

The contractor provides deliverables identified in PWS paragraph 5.2.3.

100 percent inspection; once.

PRS #4

The Contractor will convert 45 acres of existing fallow field into compatible grassland for pollinators and migratory birds.

PRS #5

The contractor will exercise timber stand improvement by releasing desirable hardwoods and mast species in up to 90 acres of mixed forest with undesirable species.

7.2. Attachment 2/Technical Exhibit 2 – Deliverables Schedule

Deliverables are identified in Sections 5.2.1 – 5.2.5

TECHNICAL EXHIBIT 2

DELIVERABLES SCHEDULE

7.3 Attachment 3/Technical Exhibit 3 – Estimated Workload Data

N/A