Attachment A - Draft Technical Specifications.pdf

Attachment A: Draft of Technical Specifications

3. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS: WEED CONTROL/FERTILIZATION/FIRE ANT

CONTTROL

FERTILIZATION PROCEDURES:

All application methods of fertilizers shall be in strict accordance with manufacturer instructions, Department of Environmental Protection, and all applicable federal, state and local laws.

The fertilizer program shall consist of three applications per year according to the following schedule:

Application #1 – Spring – upon order and approval of the COR, after turf has emerged from winter dormancy, has new green flush growth, and has been mowed 2 to 3 times. This is usually in the March-April time period.

Application #2 – Summer – upon order and approval of the COR- usually in the May-July time period. Do not fertilize in drought-stressed turf.

Application #3 – Fall – upon order and approval of the COR – usually in the August-September time period. It should occur a minimum 4 to 6 weeks before the historic first frost.

The fertilizer shall be a 4-1-2 ratio (N-P-K) complete fertilizer with 50% slow release nitrogen unless soil testing results recommend a different formulation. Based upon most recent soil testing results, the current formulation used at Fort Sam Houston NC is a 28-3-10 with 50% slow release nitrogen. The fertilizer shall contain micro nutrients. The fertilizer analysis must be approved by the COR and District Agronomist prior to application.

All fertilizer applications shall only be applied after being ordered by the COR. The contractor shall schedule to apply fertilizer on the days ordered and agreed to by the COR.

The fertilizer shall be applied at a rate to achieve 4 to 5 pounds of N (nitrogen) per 1000 square feet per year.

The fertilizer application equipment shall be correctly calibrated and the application made to achieve a uniform distribution of the fertilizer throughout the application area.

The contractor shall ensure that the fertilizer is properly watered in by coordinating the watering schedule with the COR.

The contractor shall make sure that all headstones, flat markers, monuments, sidewalks, patios, and other like surfaces are free of fertilizer granules immediately after the application and before watering in of fertilizer occurs. This shall aid in avoiding staining of surfaces.

The contractor shall be responsible for removal of any staining, marking, of headstones, flat markers, monuments, sidewalks, patios, and other like surfaces that occurs as result of a fertilizer application made by the contractor.

The contractor shall schedule the fertilizer application with the COR and only apply once given approval by the COR. The contractor shall give the COR a minimum one week notice prior to application.

HERBICIDE TREATMENT PROCEDURES (reference Attachment D)

The herbicide program, in general, shall consist of two (2) pre-emergent herbicide applications and three (3) post-emergent herbicide applications per contract year. The 2 pre-emergent applications may be ordered as a singular application or as 2 split applications. The split application will be ordered by the COR, the COR will inform the contractor of the requirement for a split application prior to the first pre-emergent application.

These applications shall be mixed and applied in such a manner as to bring about the optimal control of all broadleaf and grassy weeds in the improved turf areas of the cemetery, according to label direction. The contractor shall be responsible for the proper timing of each application so that the highest resulting weed control for that application shall be attained. The table below serves as a guideline for when the herbicide applications shall be made:

General Schedule for Herbicide Applications

Pre-Emergent Application #1 Late Winter/Early Spring –exact timing of application based on soil temperature and weather conditions. Prior approval from COR required before application. If split application are required, the timing of the split shall follow COR approval and specific herbicide labels (estimated 4-10 weeks following first pre-emergent application).

Pre-Emergent Application #2 Late Summer/Early Fall – exact timing based on soil temperature and weather conditions. Prior approval from COR required before application. If split application are required, the timing of the split shall follow COR approval and specific herbicide labels (estimated 4-10 weeks following first pre-emergent application).

Post-Emergent Application #1 Early Spring/Mid Spring – exact timing based on weed development. Prior approval from COR required before application.

Post-Emergent Application #2 Early Summer/Mid Summer – exact timing based on weed development and residual period of Post-Emergent Application #1. Prior approval from COR required before application.

Post-Emergent Application #3 Late Summer/Fall – exact timing based on weed development and residual period of Post – Emergent Application #2. Prior approval from COR required before application.

The contractor shall be responsible for any and all repeat, follow-up, and/or spot spray herbicide applications, as needed between scheduled sprays, to control and maintain a generally weed free cemetery. These repeat, follow-up, and spot spray treatments shall be provided at no additional charge to the government. Chemical chemistry rotation must be used – alternate between herbicide mode of actions to mitigate herbicide resistance.

The herbicides used by the contractor shall be specifically labeled for control of weeds in the Hybrid-Bermuda and any other types of turf at the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. The Cemetery turf is pre-dominantly Hybrid-Bermuda-grasses (Tif 419 and TifTuf).

The herbicide applications shall be applied directly by or under the supervision of a current commercially licensed Texas Certified Pesticide Applicator. All applications shall be performed as per the Rules and Regulations of the Texas Department of Agriculture and/or the Texas Structural Pest Control Board, whichever has jurisdiction over the contractor’s applicator. The Contractor is responsible for specifically following all labels directions on the bag/container of herbicide at all times. This includes, but is not limited to, all safety, mixing, weather conditions, and application directions and information.

The COR shall order each application as needed, and the Contractor shall coordinate the application date and time with the COR within three (3) business days of receiving the order. The contractor shall contact the COR, in writing, for permission to spray at least five (5) business days in advance of each and any application.

Herbicides must be approved by the COR and District Agronomist prior to application. A minimum of five (5) days in advance of each and any application.

The Contractor shall provide to the COR, in writing, a list of all herbicides, mixes, and related surfactants or other chemicals, along with a copy of the manufacture’s label. The list shall include the proposed amount of product per acre, percentage of solution, and/or application rate per 1000 square feet (and/or per acre). The Contractor shall NOT begin any application without providing this information to the COR, and obtaining the approval of the COR to proceed.

A written record of the application shall be delivered to the COR immediately following the application, whether completed or not, before leaving the cemetery on the day of any application.

The written record shall show the company name, company contact information, and the names, titles, and license information of the company’s staff that performed the application. The written record shall specify application area, the chemicals used (trade name, chemical, amount/dose), targeted weeds, and weather conditions (including the temperature and the average wind speed) during the time of application.

All contractor personnel shall be properly clothed and wearing proper safety equipment during any and all applications.

All mixing of chemicals and filling of tanks shall be performed off site or only in an appropriate area of the cemetery as determined and directed by the COR.

Performance of work shall not impede nor disturb any burial or memorial service, or burial operation at any time. As a general “rule of thumb” work should not take place within 1000 feet of a committal shelter during a service, or during a ceremony in the cemetery.

The Contractor shall coordinate with the COR any watering requirements to activate chemicals, as needed. The Cemetery shall schedule and perform this watering requirement.

FIRE ANT CONTROL TREATMENT PROCEDURES

Fire Ant Control

Contractor shall make three (3) applications of a broadcast treatment for native and imported fire ant control per contract year. Each treatment shall cover all turf areas within the perimeter boundaries of the National Cemetery site. These applications shall be performed upon order of the COR. One (1) broadcast application shall be performed in spring, and One (1) broadcast application shall be performed in Late Summer/Early Fall and One (1) application will be requested or directed (on-Call) by the COR.

The Contractor shall apply a broadcast granular type Fire Ant Control bait product containing the following three (3) active ingredients:

o Hydromethylon – for quick kill of worker ants o Methoprene – an IGR (insect growth regulator) that the worker ants shall feed to the queen for sterilization of egg production.

The product used to accomplish fire ant control that contains these two active ingredients shall be the brand name Extinguish Plus (manufactured by Wellmark International) or similar product that is acceptable by the COR and the District Agronomist.

The Contractor shall make any repeat applications or spot treatments as deemed necessary by the COR to achieve control of fire ants in the National Cemetery at no additional expense to the government.

The Contractor shall follow all label directions in the use of any pesticide products.

The pesticide applications shall be applied directly by or under the supervision of a current commercially licensed Texas Certified Pesticide Applicator. All applications shall be performed as per the Rules and Regulation of the Texas Department of Agriculture and/or the Texas Structural Pest Control Board, whichever has jurisdiction over the contractor’s applicator.

A written record of the application shall be delivered to the COR immediately following the application, whether completed or not, before leaving the cemetery on the day of any application.

The written record shall show the company name, company contact information, and the names, titles and license information of the company’s staff that performed the application. The written record shall specify application area, the chemicals used (trade name, chemical, amount/dose) and weather conditions (including the temperature and the average wind speed) during the time of application.