PWS Toothaker Veg Removal 2025-12-15.pdf

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS)

Toothaker Habitat Management Unit Vegetation Removal, McNary Lock and Dam Operating Project

USACE WALLA WALLA DISTRICT

1. DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES

1.1 The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Walla Walla District has a requirement to remove Russian olive trees and other invasive vegetation from two areas in Toothaker Habitat Management Unit, McNary Project, in Finley, Washington. One of the areas is along the shoreline (Shoreline Area, approximately 4.5 acres) and the other is inland (Inland Area, 1.75 acres). These areas combined total approximately 6.25 acres. The purpose of vegetation removal is to prepare the areas for native habitat restoration.

1.2 The Contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, supplies, transportation, tools, materials, supervisions, and other items and non-personal services necessary to perform work as defined in the performance work statement included in subsequent task order except for those items specified as government furnished property and services.

The Contractor shall perform to the standards in this contract.

2. DEFINITIONS

2.1 Acceptable Quality Level (AQL). A predetermined value selected and used by the Government Quality Assurance inspector to distinguish between satisfactory and unsatisfactory performance.

2.2 Contracting Officer (CO or KO). “Contracting Officer” is the person executing this contract on behalf of the Government.

2.3 Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR). An individual designated in writing by the Contracting Officer responsible for administration of the contract.

2.4 Contractor. The term Contractor refers to the prime Contractor and all Contractor employees and personnel.

The prime Contractor shall be responsible for ensuring all Sub-Contractor comply with the provisions of this contract.

2.5 Defective Service. A service or output that does not meet the standard of performance requirement specified in the contract for that service.

2.6 Performance Requirement. The point that divides acceptable and unacceptable performance of a task according to the PWS and the Inspection of Services clause.

2.7 Quality Assurance. A planned and systematic pattern of all Government actions necessary to provide confidence that adequate technical requirements are established; products and services conform to established technical requirements; and satisfactory performance is achieved. For purposes of this contract, quality assurance refers to actions by the Government assurance functions for a contracted service.

2.8 Quality Assurance Representative (QAR). An individual designated to inspect the Contractor’s performance.

2.9 Quality Control. Those actions taken by a Contractor to control the production of outputs to ensure that they conform to the contract requirements.

3. PERFORMANCE

3.1 Recognized holidays: The Contractor is not required to perform services on Federal Holidays, as listed below:

New Year’s Day Labor Day Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday Columbus Day Washington’s Birthday Veterans Day

Memorial Day Thanksgiving Day Juneteenth Christmas Day Independence Day

4. OBJECTIVES AND STANDARDS

4.1 Vegetation Removal: The Contractor shall be responsible for removal of invasive trees (i.e. Russian olive, tree-of-heaven, black locust, etc.) and brush (blackberry and false indigo) from the Shoreline Area, totaling approximately 4.5 acres by mechanical means with minimal landscape disturbance. Equipment used for this item must be capable of maneuvering over small creeks and/or ditches and work in uneven terrain.

A Russian olive tree is considered a single tree if the tree or limb originates within one foot of the ground level and is one inch or more in diameter one foot away from the origination point. All standing invasive trees and brush in the work area shall be cut and mulched to ground level.

After cutting and/or mulching, 80% of the vegetation shall be 12 inches or less in length and four inches or less in diameter. Additional cutting and/or mulching shall be required if the initial work does not meet these requirements.

Approximately 4 acres of shoreline tree removal will be completed while avoiding felling trees or dropping limbs into the Columbia River.

4.2 Herbicide Applications: The Contractor shall be responsible for treating invasive vegetation within the Shoreline (4.5 acres) and Inland Areas (1.75 acres). Following vegetation removal in the Shoreline Area, the Contractor will treat the cleared areas for resprouting invasive species of all kinds (woody and herbaceous) using herbicides and surfactants. The Contractor shall treat invasive vegetation in the spring and summer of 2026 and 2027, wait one month and treat again (for up to three treatments each year). As the Shoreline Area is scheduled to be planted with native vegetation in November 2026, the Contractor will take care to avoid the new plantings when applying herbicides.

In the Inland Area, approximately 1.75 acres will be treated using herbicides and surfactants. Invasive weeds observed in this area include rush skeletonweed, yellow starthistle, and whitetop. In the Inland area, the Contractor shall treat invasive vegetation in the spring and summer of 2026 and 2027, wait one month, then treat again (for up to three treatments).

Herbicide applications and reporting shall follow the Walla Walla District’s Integrated Pest Management Plan (IPMP). The USACE Contracting Officer’s representative or technical point of contact will discuss the IPMP guidelines and requirements, and work site access following the contract award.

https://www.nww.usace.army.mil/Missions/Pest-Management/

4.3 Timelines: This work shall occur during specific work windows as follows.

• Vegetation removal in the Shoreline Area from contract award to 1 May 2026.

• Up to three treatments of herbicide application in the Shoreline and Inland Areas, spaced one month apart, during spring and summer of 2026 and 2027, following the IPMP guidelines.

4.4 Place of Performance: The location of work to be performed under this contract is in Finley, Washington, along the Columbia River at the USACE Walla Walla District Toothaker Habitat Management Unit (HMU) as identified in the maps below.

https://www.nww.usace.army.mil/Missions/Pest-Management/

Map 1: Overview of the vegetation removal sites at Toothaker HMU.

Map 2: View of the inland vegetation removal area along Meals Road.

Map 3: View of the Columbia River shoreline vegetation Removal area.

5. GENERAL INFORMATION

5.1 Quality Assurance: The government shall evaluate the Contractor’s performance under in accordance with the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan. This plan is primarily focused on what the government must do to ensure 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).

5.2 Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR): A COR will be identified at award to monitor 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; monitor Contractor's performance and notify both the Contracting Officer and Contractor of any deficiencies; coordinate availability of government furnished property, and provide site entry of Contractor personnel. The COR is not authorized to change any of the terms and conditions of the base contract or task order.

6. SECURITY REQUIREMENTS

Contractor personnel working onsite at a government facility shall adhere to the following.

6.1 General security requirements and guidance: The security requirements described below apply to all contract personnel (including employees of the prime Contractor (“Contractor”) and all subcontractor employees) supporting the performance requirements of this contract. The Contractor is responsible for compliance with these security requirements. Questions regarding security matters shall be addressed to the designated Government representative (e.g., Contracting Officer Representative (COR), Requiring Activity (RA) representative, or Contracting Officer (if a COR or other RA representative is not appointed)). Contract personnel are critical to the overall security and safety of US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) installations, facilities and activities, and security awareness training contributes to those efforts. The Department of Defense (DoD) and Army security training requirements specified below, if applicable, are performance requirements; all applicable contract personnel shall complete initial training within 30 days of contract award or the date new contract personnel begin performance on the contract. Within 5 business days from the completion of training, the Contractor shall provide written documentation (e.g., email or memorandum) to the Government representative. The documentation shall include the names of contract personnel trained and which training they completed; the Contractor shall maintain training records as part of their contract files and be prepared to provide copies of training certificates to the Government representative. Contractor personnel and vehicles are subject to search when entering federal installations. Additionally, all contract personnel shall comply with Force Protection Condition (FPCON) measures, Random Antiterrorism Measures (commonly referred to as “RAMs”), and Health Protection Condition (HPCON) measures. The Contractor is responsible for meeting performance requirements during elevated FPCON and/or HPCON levels in accordance with applicable RA plans and procedures --this includes identifying mission essential and non-mission essential personnel. In addition to the changes otherwise authorized by the changes clause of this contract, should the FPCON or HPCON levels at any individual facility or installation change, the Government may implement security changes that affect contract personnel. The Contractor shall ensure all contract personnel are aware of their security responsibilities, including any site-specific requirements identified in local policies or procedures.

6.2. Physical security and access control requirements: All contract personnel requiring physical access to a federal installation or facility shall comply with the access control procedures of that location. Contract personnel requiring unescorted access to meet contract performance requirements on a DoD installation in the US shall be vetted by the installation/facility Provost Marshal/Directorate of Emergency Services/Security Office using the National Crime Information Center-Interstate Identification Index (commonly referred to as “NCIC-III”) and Terrorist Screening Database (commonly referred to as “TSDB”). Contract personnel shall comply with all personal identity verification requirements specified in installation/facility policies and procedures. Contract personnel who do not meet requirements for unescorted access to USACE facilities shall coordinate escorted access with the Government representative, as needed. Contract personnel who receive keys, access cards, or lock combinations that provide access to government-owned property shall comply with key and lock control procedures of the RA.

6.3 Escorting in classified and/or sensitive areas: In accordance with applicable regulations, all contract personnel who do not possess the appropriate security clearance or access privileges will be escorted in areas where they may be exposed to classified information or operations, sensitive information or activities, or restricted areas.

6.4 Pre-screening Candidates Using the E-Verify Program: Contractors shall comply with the requirements set forth in FAR clause 52.222-54 Employment Eligibility Verification and FAR Subpart 22.18 in using the E-Verify Program at https://www.e-verify.gov/ to meet the contract employment eligibility requirements. Contractors are encouraged to cooperate with Federal and State agencies responsible for enforcing labor requirements to include eligibility for employment under United States immigration laws in accordance with FAR 22.102-1(i). An initial list of the verified/eligible candidates shall be provided to the COR no later than 3 business days after the initial contract award. When contracts are with individuals, the individuals will be required to complete a Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, and submit it to the Contracting Officer to become part of the official contract file.

7. SUBMITTALS AND DELIVERABLES

7.1 Pre-screening with E-Verify. Submit the initial list of eligible employees to the COR within 3 business days of contract award.

7.2 Vegetation Removal and Herbicide Application Plan. Submit a plan for vegetation removal within the areas specified in the maps above. The plan shall include what equipment will be used, estimate a timeline for removal, and specify herbicide post-removal treatment including chemicals and application methods.

7.3 Invoicing. Invoices may be submitted to the COR after each CLIN is completed.

8. KEY CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL

https://www.e-verify.gov/

8.1 The Prime Contractor and their designated point of contact (POC), if applicable, are considered key personnel.

At least one Contractor employee or representative must serve as an onsite POC for the duration of work. This individual may be the Prime Contractor and will communicate any onsite needs, conditions, or problems with the COR. The names of key personnel shall be provided in writing to the COR within 15 calendar days after award of the Task Order.

8.2 Veterans Employment Emphasis for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Contracts: In addition to complying with the requirements outlined FAR clause 52.222-35, Equal Opportunity for Veterans, and FAR clause 52.222-37, Employment Reports on Veterans and Department of Labor Regulations, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) contractors and subcontractors at all tiers are encouraged to promote the training and employment of U.S. veterans while performing under a USACE contract. While no set-aside, evaluation preference, or incentive applies to the solicitation or performance under the resultant contract or task orders, USACE contractors are encouraged to seek out highly qualified veterans to perform services under the resulting task orders. The following resources are available to assist USACE contractors in their outreach efforts:

Federal Veteran employment information at http://www.fedshirevets.gov/index.aspx

Department of Labor Veterans Employment Assistance http://www.dol.gov/vets/

Department of Veterans Affairs – VOW to Hire Heroes Act http://benefits.va.gov/vow

Army Wounded Warrior Program http://wtc.army.mil/modules/employers/index.html

U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation – Hiring Our Heroes http://www.hiringourheros.org/

Guide to Hiring Veterans – Reference Material http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/white_house_business_council_- _guide_to_hiring_veterans_0.pdf

9. KEY GOVENRMENT PERSONNEL

Contract Officer – Tracy Gluck tracy.gluck@usace.army.mil 509-527-7241

Contract Specialist – Ruth Johnson ruth.a.johnson@usace.army.mil 509-527-7222

COR – Leah Bonstead leah.bonstead@usace.army.mil 509-704-0722

USACE Technical POC – Brad Trumbo bradly.a.trumbo@usace.army.mil 509-386-4400 http://www.fedshirevets.gov/index.aspx http://www.dol.gov/vets/ http://benefits.va.gov/vow http://wtc.army.mil/modules/employers/index.html http://www.hiringourheros.org/ http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/white_house_business_council_-_guide_to_hiring_veterans_0.pdf http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/white_house_business_council_-_guide_to_hiring_veterans_0.pdf mailto:tracy.gluck@usace.army.mil mailto:ruth.a.johnson@usace.army.mil mailto:leah.bonstead@usace.army.mil mailto:bradly.a.trumbo@usace.army.mil