Revised__Invasives_SOW_6_17_2022_doc.docx

US Fish and Wildlife Service Eastern Shore of Virginia NWR Invasives Statement of Work (SOW)

United State Department of the Interior

UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE

Eastern Shore of Virginia NWR

5003 HALLET CIRCLE

CAPE CHARLES VA 23310-1128

UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE

Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge Fisherman Island National WildlifeNWR Refuge

STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW)

Invasive Management Project

1.0 General. Maritime forest/shrub restoration through removal of invasive plants at Eastern Shore of Virginia and Fisherman Island National Wildlife Refuges (NWR).

1.1 Background. The US Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is seeking a contractor to treat a variety of invasive plant species in two (2) units (Headquarters Unit and Fisherman Island Unit) to improve the quality of the maritime forest habitat. The Contractor shall furnish everything necessary, including but not limited to all materials, chemicals, supervision, labor, equipment, transportation, operating supplies and incidentals to perform invasive plant control services, except for those items identified herein as Government-furnished items. The Contractor shall perform services from late summer 2022 to fall 2022 at either of both units. While cost-effectiveness is important, NWR is interested in identifying the most successful methods for controlling invasive plants in forest and shrub communities with minimum damage to native species and soils. This is a performance-based contract; the Contractor is expected to provide a procedural approach with innovative methods for treatment, including modifications to or combinations of methodologies, and to provide alternative cost estimates for those methods. All methods are subject to approval by our Pesticide Use Permitting review process. See section 1.3 for more details.

1.2 Objectives. Refuge objective is to reduce invasive species (targeting shrub and tree species) which gives native plant composition a competitive advantage in the shrub and forest habitat. Long-term goal is to restore maritime shrub and maritime forest communities with less than 1% invasive composition for each treatment unit. A priority for treatment is to reduce non-target impact to native species and minimize soil disturbance and compaction.

1.3 Scope of Work.

General- Exotic plant control technicians will work closely with the biological staff of the Refuges and will be under direct supervision of the project manager. Crews will keep a daily record of all invasive control (see Data below). All invasive plant species listed below will be treated using best management practices. Every effort shall be made by the invasive plant control technicians to avoid damage to native vegetation and/or wildlife. The invasive plant control technicians are responsible for the treatment and/or removal of all exotic plant species listed, which includes mature trees, shrubs, grasses, and vines in any life stage (sapling, seedling, etc.).

Proposed Methods -Hand-pulling is the preferred method of treatment; however, if hand-pulling is not an option only the methods described below may be used for herbicide application. Basal herbicide applications may be used with a triclopyr ester herbicide solution in Impel Red oil or other suitable adjuvant. Herbicide will be applied according to label rates, and preferably, the minimum amount required, using a low-pressure spray or paint brush to minimize spatter, drift, and non-target damage. Foliar spray applications may be used with a glyphosate herbicide solution in water with Bullseye blue dye. All seed-bearing grasses will be bagged, removed from the site, and disposed of properly. In some cases, the Project Manager may ask that trees or shrubs with ripe fruits or seeds be bagged and then removed from the site. Herbicide will be applied according to label rates and requirements and in a manner that will minimize non-target damage. The exotic plant control technicians will strictly adhere to all herbicide label application, precautionary, and safety statements. Further guidance on treatment methods will be outlined by the Project Manager on a site-specific basis.

The Contractor is requested to provide treatment windows and frequencies of treatment as part of their proposal. Phases of work should include scouting and planning periods, treatment periods, and monitoring periods.

Targeted Plants

Plants identified as high priority for removal and maintenance by their invasive characteristics and historical presence in the Refuge units and their listing on the Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States (https://www.invasiveplantatlas.org/)

Fisherman Unit Acres to Treat Headquarters Unit

Elaeagnus pungens

Area of 15 acres impacted by species listed; follow up on 2021 treatment. Only spot treatment should be needed.

Area of 20 acres impacted by species listed; follow up on 2021 treatment. Spot retreatment and patchy novel treatment needed.

There are many exotic plant species that can be encountered during the monitoring and removal of target plants that are not included in the previous table. Once identified, the Project Manager will authorize the management of species not listed. This authorization must record added volumes and time spent. A contract modification may result from additional species identified.

Project Location - Management Units

Headquarters Unit (HQ) –HQ Management Unit is approximately 120 acres and is divided into 60 acres of mature maritime forest and 60 acres of mature shrublands. The maritime forest consisting mostly of oaks, hickories and loblolly pine. Understory shrubs are sparse and include autumn olive, thorny olive, privet, bayberry and some holly (yaupon and American). Vines include grape, greenbrier, Virginia creeper and trumpet creeper. Japanese stiltgrass and wisteria vines are in dense patches in parts of this unit while the privet and olives are scattered throughout and predominant on edges and in small openings. Work would primarily occur in 20 acres of the maritime forest in this unit (Figure 1). Invasive plant species targeted include autumn olive, thorny olive, tree-of-heaven, privets, multiflora rose, Japanese stiltgrass and wisteria. This area was initially treated in 2021. Retreatment and any plants that were missed in the initial treatment is needed.

Fisherman Island – The Fisherman Island Management Unit is composed of coastal shrub habitat, beach/overwash flats, saltmarsh and maritime forest. A relatively small amount (35 acres) of maritime upland forest occurs on Fisherman Island NWR. The area is somewhat unique in its plant composition. The maritime forest area is dominated by black cherry with wind stunted sassafras, American holly, and sugarberry present. Shrubs are mostly northern bayberry and herbs are sparse. Recent small outbreaks of invasive species have been documented in the maritime shrub and grass community and include thorny olive, autumn olive, tree-of-heaven, multiflora rose, Callery pear, Japanese stiltgrass, and European fennel.

Invasive plants targeted in this SOW are scattered near the road edge (US Route 13) and are sometimes located in dense vegetation. Twenty-five acres in this unit were treated in 2019 and 2021 (map attached). The refuge is seeking to spot treat the 15 of the 25 acres for any subsequent reinfestation in this area in 2022 (Figure 2).

Data Daily progress reports will be completed by the technician crew and submitted to the Project Manager at the refuge. Reports should identify the species removed, methods, acreage and stem counts, type and amount of herbicide used, and coordinates of the worksite(s). This information must be submitted before refuge personnel sign off on the completion of work form accompanying the progress report. These data are not only essential for tracking areas treated but are required for submission into the USFWS Integrated Pest Management and Pesticide Use Proposal Database (PUPS).

Safety Herbicides, including mixing and application equipment will be brought by contractors. These materials will be applied, handled, and labeled properly at all times. Temporary storage of appropriately labeled excess pesticides will be permitted at refuge storage facilities. All herbicide and herbicide equipment must be removed prior to completion of the contract. Decontamination site exists do not exist on refuge property and must be handled by the contractor off site for post operations clean-up.

Other Requirements and Provisions

Plant Identification- Ability to identify all exotic, rare, and native plants of the Mid-Atlantic independently without supervision.

Equipment- Knowledge and licensure (where required) of both handheld and powered equipment used, with safety protocols and personal protective equipment (PPE) used by all personnel engaged in their use.

Herbicides- Crew leader/project manager must have current licensure for the application of restricted use pesticides in Natural Areas (Natural Areas Weed Management), which is regulated by the Virginia Pesticide Control Act law and regulation (Section 3.2, Chapter 39, and others, https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title3.2/chapter39/). All personnel involved in the use of pesticides will have formal training and utilize the PPE recommended by the pesticide label.

GPS- GPS equipment (with an accuracy of less than 15 meters) and field staff trained in their use to enable accurate field verification of property boundaries to ensure that privately owned lots are not treated, and to provide accurate mapping of areas.

Arc GIS- If spatial treatment data is provided; it will be preferred as an ArcMap or ArcPro shapefile format, with attribute information reflecting the data found in the daily progress reports.

Project Time Frame Treatment will begin on or after time after August 1, 2022 and may continue through October 15, 2022. All treatment must be completed by October 15, 2022, to allow for a 30-day follow up inspection by refuge staff and any needed retreatment to occur before final payment on or by November 30, 2022.

2.0 RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CONTRACTOR

The Contractor shall provide all personnel, labor, supplies, equipment, tools, materials, transportation, supervision and other items and incidental services necessary to satisfactorily perform the noxious, invasive plant treatment services at the units. The two treatment units are described in detail above. All work must be completed, and final payment made by November 30, 2022.

Unless otherwise established in the Purchase Order, the Contractor shall complete all work as set forth in the Project Scope of Work in full compliance with the terms of the Contract. The responsibilities of the Contractor include:

a. Within 15 days from receipt of the Purchase Order, the Contractor shall initiate control operations at the specified project location, unless stated otherwise in the Project Scope of Work, Purchase Order, or email correspondence with the Project manager. The Contractor shall notify the project manager via electronic mail seven days prior to entering the work site. Prior to initiating work, the Contractor shall provide an estimated work schedule to the Project Manager and an office telephone; cellular numbers for all supervisors working on exotic control work; and a valid email address. The Contractor is not authorized to perform work on any additional sites until such time as the Service has fully executed a Change Order for said additional work. Any work performed by the Contractor contrary to the Purchase Order shall be at the Contractor’s expense.

b. Within seven working days from receipt of the Purchase Order, the Contractor shall email to the project manager the contact information for the Contractor’s designated certified ground crew supervisor(s) for the project. The Contractor’s ground crew supervisor must be always present when work on the site is underway. Any change to who is the ground crew supervisor must be approved in advance by the Project manager.

c. Ground Crew Supervisors shall be responsible for: 1) coordination with the project manager on a daily/weekly basis; 2) all control activities and crew safety on project sites; 3) ensuring that all contract crews are knowledgeable of, and remain within, property and treatment boundaries; 4) ensuring that every effort shall be made to avoid damage to native vegetation and wildlife, which includes site disturbance; and, 5) the collection, recording, and timely submission of all data and reports required. At regular intervals determined by the project manager and at the completion of initial treatment and site reassessment, a complete report will be submitted to the project manager detailing sites treated, number of plants or size of area treated, and type of treatment used. These data will be recorded on the “Weekly Progress Report” (WPR). It is the responsibility of the Contractor to submit complete and accurate WPR(s) to the project manager. Ground crew supervisors may supervise a maximum of eight crew members at any given time, unless otherwise noted in the Purchase Order or approved in writing by the Project manager.

d. The Contractor is required to use GPS units to identify and document treatment area boundaries for each day worked. Each crew member must carry a Garmin GPS or similar. Submitting GPS tracks without conducting a treatment shall be grounds for default. GPS tracks (if requested) and Weekly Progress Reports shall be delivered to the project manager on a weekly basis (e.g., each Tuesday for the previous week’s work). Incomplete WPRs will be returned to the Contractor for completion.

e. All herbicide application must be consistent with label instructions (including plant condition), manufacturer’s guidance, and consistent with any additional application restrictions specified in an approved PUP. Application rates will not exceed the rate specified on the pesticide label. Under no circumstances shall a non-approved herbicide, or combination thereof, be used on the refuge. The Contractor shall properly dispose of or recycle all herbicide and adjuvant containers. The Contractor is also responsible for any leaks, spills, environmental damage, or theft of materials from the job site and for reporting quantities to the proper state and or federal authorities. The Contractor shall provide all personnel, labor, supplies, equipment, tools, materials, transportation, supervision and other items and incidental services necessary to satisfactorily perform the noxious, invasive plant treatment services at the units; including but not limited to heavy machinery, personal protective gear, chemicals, and tools.

f. The Contractor is responsible for the repair, restoration, or replacement of any native vegetation or property damaged resulting from any activity by the Contractor or their employees or subcontractors, at no cost to the Service and to the satisfaction of the Project manager.

g. 100% of target vegetation identified in the attached Scope of Work shall be treated in one thorough treatment. If 90% control is not achieved for any area of the project one month following completion of the initial treatment, one additional thorough retreatment of the area will be required and will be the responsibility of the Contractor at no cost to the Service. Control is defined as treatment effective in preventing re-sprout of treated target vegetation.

h. The contractor will be responsible for the collection, recording, and timely submission of all data, reports, and invoices required including Daily Progress Reports. The contractor must have GPS equipment and trained field staff to enable accurate field verification of property boundaries and to provide accurate mapping of areas treated to ensure that privately owned lots are not treated. Geographically based data delivery will be provided for all treatment locations that are Arc GIS compatible files, the Project Manager will provide required fields to populate in the attribute table. The contractor will provide exotic plant occurrence data on a per project unit basis by species, chemical type, amount, hours worked, staff members, and treatment method in a excel database along with GPS data (in addition to Daily Progress Reports as required) before each project area will be approved by the project manager as complete.

i. The Contractor is requested to provide treatment windows and frequencies of treatment as part of their proposal. Phases of work should include scouting and planning periods, treatment periods, and monitoring periods. The Contractor shall provide written recommendations for monitoring, follow-up treatments and for any supplementing planting of native species needed after November 2022.

3.0 RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PROJECT MANAGER

a. The Project manager shall attend any “pre-quote meetings” for their project(s) to ensure that Contractors have sufficient information about the project area, targeted species, and site conditions in order to provide a reliable quote for the work to be conducted.

b. The Project manager shall be responsible for informing the awarded Contractor about timing of the treatment(s), conflicting scheduled events, and current site conditions that may affect completion of the contracted work. The Contractor is not responsible for any changes to the work specifications that have not been approved by the Service.

c. The Project manager shall monitor the activities of the Contractor and thus reserves the right to inspect, at any time, the Contractor's procedure, spray systems, spray solutions, and other ancillary equipment, and to approve or disapprove operating personnel. However, inspection, or a lack thereof, shall not relieve the Contractor of any obligations or responsibilities nor shall it transfer any liability to the land listed as “Project Location” in the Scope of Work or to the Service.

d. Before signing the Weekly Progress Report(s), the Project manager shall verify that the content of the WPR(s) reflect control operations observed in the field and described in the approved Scope of Work.

e. Government Furnished Items. The Government will provide the following: water source and staging area at the refuge headquarters. Maps of the treatment area including a shapefile of target species locations within the Unit and cover class percentages and initial familiarization / orientation. Site visits prior to submitting a bid is strongly recommended.

4.0 Contract Type.

Performance-based contract

4.1 Place of Performance/Hours of Operation.

All work to be conducted on the National Wildlife Refuges. Fisherman Island is located just south of Cape Charles, Virginia and is accessed via the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (Rt 13). The Headquarters Unit is located within Eastern Shore of Virginia NWR also just south of Cape Charles, Virginia. Additional staging is available at the Eastern Shore of Virginia NWR maintenance yard which is within a short distance of both management units. Eastern Shore of Virginia NWR is staffed and open from 8 am to 4:00 pm Monday through Friday although calling ahead to make an appointment is recommended. Fisherman Island NWR is a closed refuge unit and can only be accessed by permit through coordination with the Refuge Manager at Eastern Shore of Virginia. Access can be coordinated through the project manager.

4.2 Key Personnel.

The Contractor shall identify key personnel, including number of applicators and site supervisor, and their experience in the proposal for this project. NOTE: Key personnel may not be removed from the task without express approval of the CO. The CO will attach a copy of the request and determination to the project files.

4.3 Specific Requirements.

All persons applying herbicide must have valid pesticide applicator license from State of Virginia, and must wear all appropriate protective PPE, both for herbicide use and for heavy equipment use.

The Contractor shall be able to identify all invasive and native coastal plants in all stages of development. Personnel conducting on-site treatment should have minimum of 2-years of experience treating invasive plants in native shrub and upland forest habitats, and knowledgeable about methodologies to minimize non-target impacts. Personnel providing technical work plan should have extensive experience conducting invasive control work for the purposes of habitat restoration and conservation (minimum of 5 years) and should be on-site at least once per management unit with their staff to provide instruction and supervision.

All equipment will be washed (following the best management practices (BMP) for washing described at http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/Wetlands/documents/WetlandInvasiveBMP.pdf) prior to arriving at refuge and prior to leaving any site to avoid cross contamination of the habitats.

The Contractor is liable for the safety and health of its employees. The Contractor is responsible for the correct application of pesticides and chemicals according to EPA and State labels. The Contractor shall keep commercial application records in accordance with state and federal requirements. The Contractor shall follow all state and federal laws and have current and valid professional certifications before starting work.

The Contractor shall provide and maintain work environments and procedures, which will safeguard the public and Government personnel, property, materials, supplies, and equipment exposed to Contractor operations and activities. A written safety plan will be submittal for review and concurrence prior to beginning work, including study report investigations. This includes a spill prevention and response plan.

Treatment methods, pesticide mixtures and equipment (e.g., ATVs, heavy equipment, etc.) used will be evaluated and approved by Refuge staff in advance of treatment. Aerial spraying and restricted use herbicide will not be approved.

4.4 Site Visit.

Interested parties are encouraged to schedule site visits with the Refuge Biologist for the purposes of evaluating general and local conditions that may affect the cost or quality of performance prior to providing a proposal. The anticipated work amount identified above is estimates for evaluation and planning purposes only. In no event shall failure to inspect the site constitute grounds for a claim after the award.

5.1. Instructions for the Preparation of Offers

The Government will evaluate proposals in accordance with the evaluation criteria set forth in FAR 52.212-2.

(1) Past Performance. Offeror shall demonstrate satisfactory performance of same or similar work on previous contracts. Offeror shall provide information relevant to Offeror’s quality of service, timeliness of performance, customer satisfaction/working relationships, and management skill. Offeror shall submit a list of customers during the past 3 years, including names and phone numbers of contacts that the Government may use to verify that satisfactory performance was provided to customer. Offerors that are newly formed entities, without prior contracts as an entity, should list contracts and subcontracts completed by all key personnel.

(2) Knowledge & Experience. Provide the Government information regarding the following elements:

· Identify Key Personnel, their qualifications, years of experience, and their role in contract performance (i.e., Foreman, Crew Leaders, Applicator, etc.).

· A copy of lead persons Virginia commercial applicator’s license, including license number and expiration date (other than lead person may work under lead persons license).

· Brief description of your experience and ability in herbicide application techniques, transport and storage.

· Brief description of your experience and ability with treatment of invasive plants in a habitat restoration project; particularly those related to forest and shrub restoration and work with coastal habitats or sensitive soils (sandy or wetland soils).

· Brief description of your experience and ability with the identification of target weed species and to accurately monitor sites for target plants

· Include your experience with utilizing GPS technology to mapping infestations and keeping required application records.

(3) Technical Approach & Capacity. Provide the Government the following information:

· The treatment methods (i.e., foliar spray, girdling, cut stump, basal spray, etc.) and treatment

· timing and frequency and any supporting justification on why it’s the most effective control method.

· List of equipment or resources available to this particular project including application equipment, GPS unit (s), vehicles, etc. Identify the equipment that will be used to treat/access the site and move around within the treatment area; explaining the minimum impact to soils and native vegetation and include pounds per square inch rating on any equipment to be used.

· Identify any follow-up treatment needed to go through November 2022 to ensure restoration of native vegetation and provide separate cost estimates for a treatment window.

· Identify any follow-up treatments after November 2022 to ensure native understory and shrub species restoration.

· Identify the chemicals (including surfactants) to be used and formulations.

· Identify methods of mechanical treatment (mowing, cutting, etc.) if proposed.

(4) Price. - Offeror shall provide cost estimated for treatment of each unit with priority on addressing the Fisherman Island Unit initially (spot retreatment of 15-acre area) followed by cost estimate of a 10 acre block on the Headquarters Unit (2-10 acre blocks).

(5) Travel. Travel and related costs must be approved by the Project Manager. Approvals will be reimbursed through contract modification.

5.2 Constraints.

The Contractor shall ensure all equipment moved onto Refuge land is free of soil, seeds, vegetative matter and other debris that could contain or hold noxious weeds or seeds. Due to the sensitive nature of soils, only low-pressure equipment should be used for treatment. The Contractor shall coordinate access and treatment activities with the Refuge.

All responsible sources may submit a capability statement, proposal, or quotation which shall be considered by the agency. At time of proposal submission please submit any historical data as well as published pricing. Award will be made based on Lowest Price Technically Acceptable.

In order to be eligible for award, firms must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM). Offerors may obtain information on registration in SAM by calling 866-606-8220, or via the Internet at https://www.sam.gov.

6.0 Deliverables and Reports.

In addition to the applicable requirements, the Contractor shall provide the following deliverables and reports:

GPS locations (GIS polygons) of area treated; and report summarizing effort, timing, amount and mixture of herbicides used, effectiveness of treatment, and any recommended follow-up treatments.

GPS tracks and Weekly Progress Reports shall be delivered to the project manager on a weekly basis (e.g., each Tuesday for the previous week’s work).

6.1 The Contractor must coordinate closely with project manager on scheduling of work and must be flexible to accommodate optimal treatment window and weather. Contractor will notify Refuge staff in writing of expected visits to the Refuge with minimum notice of 2 business days.

6.2 The Contractor shall bring problems or potential problems affecting performance to the attention of the Project Manager as soon as possible. Verbal reports will be followed up with written reports when directed by the Project Manager.

7.0 Performance Standard.

Accurate daily application records will be maintained by the Contractor.

Performance Evaluation. The Project Manager will evaluate performance of Contractor through monitoring of treatment during and after work performance and through review of documents.

Acceptable Quality Level (AQL).

· The Contractor shall complete 100% of the treated areas within the specified dates and achieve 90% kill of invasive plants, with less than 5% non-target (native plants) kill.

· The Contractor shall follow the quality control plan submitted as part of their bid.

· The Contractor shall follow EPA labels and supplemental labels with no deviation. Additional reduction in chemical use may be required by the Refuge based on historic effectiveness.

· The Contractor’s daily commercial application record shall be accurate and maintained with no deviation.

8.0. Procedures for Payment. Invoicing and payments will be made via IPP through www.ipp.gov.

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Figure 1: Retreatment area in blue to treat and retreat as needed on Eastern Shore of Virginia NWR.

Figure 2: Treatment area consists of 15 acres of uplands along US RT 13 treated in 2021. Spot retreatment as needed.

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