Revised_Statement_of_Work_0001.pdf

Statement of Work (SOW)

Aerial Phragmites australis treatments at Cape Hatteras National Seashore

I. BACKGROUND

The National Park Service is requesting contracted UAS aerial and backpack herbicide spraying for purposes of managing Phragmites australis infestations within Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

Phragmites is an invasive plant that requires multiple year treatment efforts to control.

Ongoing efforts by park staff, the Southeast Coast Invasive Plant Management Team (SEC IPMT), and external partners have been successful in treating Phragmites in target areas, however current cover exceeds the capacity of in-house staff. To successfully decrease the infestations of Phragmites and increase the recovery of native plants and landscapes, multiple, targeted treatments are critical in controlling infestations to a level the parks and SEC IPMT can maintain over time.

The combination of UAS aerial and backpack treatments will allow effective and targeted treatments in areas with varying densities of Phragmites cover. These areas are potential resting and foraging habitat for T&E species such as Rufa Red Knot, Piping Plover, and Black Rail. In some areas, the park has already invested time and funding to map, survey, and treat.

This operation will be completed using Contractor supplied DOI-approved UAS, ground treatment equipment and crew, and NPS approved herbicides. The treatments will be implemented across 60-75 acres a minimum of once within the contract year at 2-3 locations around Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The selected Contractor will have demonstrated experience working in sensitive environments such as national parks where minimal impacts to wildlife and visitor use and experience is required.

The information developed under this Contract is the property of the U.S. government and shall be kept in confidence. All discussions, meetings, miscellaneous requests, reports, transfers of information, etc., shall be coordinated between the Contractor's Project Manager and the Park's Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR). The Contractor’s Project Manager shall identify alternates or additional personnel as deemed necessary for the implementation of the project.

The COR does not have the authority to issue changes to the contract, order additional work, increase or decrease the price of work, or alter the period of performance. All such changes must be accomplished through formal written orders or contract modifications issued by the Contracting Officer (CO).

II. SERVICES TO BE PERFORMED

The Contractor shall provide all the equipment necessary to carry out aerial and backpack herbicide treatment for Phragmites australis.

Task 1 – Aerial and mechanical Phragmites treatments. The expectations for work under this task include providing all tools, equipment and herbicide for the accurate identification and combination UAS aerial and backpack treatment of invasive Phragmites australis across 60-75 acres a minimum of once during the contract year. Only pre-approved herbicide mixes will be used. Aerial treatment will be conducted during the time when avian nesting will be least impacted and plants will effectively uptake herbicides, generally August through early October or April and May. Backpack treatments will be implemented along the perimeter of the aerial blocks and where Phragmites densities are too low for effective aerial work and more targeted treatments are necessary to minimize nontarget damage. Backpack treatments are estimated to comprise approximately 10% of the total acreage to be treated. Following herbicide applications, during treatment efficacy monitoring, ground crews will implement mechanical treatments, i.e. cutting of standing dead plant material, to allow more effective retreatment work. Mechanical treatments will be scheduled a minimum of 6 weeks after chemical treatments to allow sufficient time for the herbicide to move completely through the stems into the root system and kill the plants.

Two treatments (combination aerial/backpack spray and mechanical removal) will occur the first year and for up to three follow-on years (pending follow-on funding), bringing the infestations to maintenance levels that can be spot treated by follow on contracts.

The Contractor will be expected to utilize best management practices for herbicide application, and follow all labels and local, state, and federal regulations regarding use of herbicides. While non-target damage may occur, the Contractor should ensure conditions are favorable during treatment and any drift or non-target damage shall be minimized.

The Contractor will be provided with map files of documented infestation footprints, however areas of infestation do vary so confirmation of treatment boundaries ahead of aerial treatments will be necessary.

Deliverable: Schedule and facilitate a planning meeting with park staff within 2 weeks following contract award. Include information on the approach and methodology for conducting the work and the expected timeline for the work.

Deliverable: Provide proposal(s) for herbicide mixes to be used for chemical treatments such that requests can be routed through the NPS Pesticide Use Proposal System and a determination can be made prior to the anticipated start of work.

Deliverable: Provide at least two weeks’ notice when conditions are forecasted to be favorable for implementation of survey or treatment work.

Deliverable: Provide advanced notification of changes in schedule due to weather conditions or other unforeseen circumstances.

Deliverable: Provide daily notification when UAS flights are underway and completed.

Deliverable: Provide post treatment survey results regarding the efficacy of each treatment applied. Conduct retreatments as necessary to ensure >90% treatment efficacy for target species and <2% non-target species impacts.

Deliverable: Provide before and after photo documentation of efficacy of treatments.

Deliverable: Schedule and facilitate implementation of the mechanical treatment a minimum of 6 weeks following the chemical application.

Deliverable: Provide before and after photo documentation of mechanical treatment.

Deliverable: Provide end of contract summary report including:

• Flight details – days, times, duration

• Acres covered and amount of herbicide concentrate and mixes used

• Indication of any problems, favorable or unusual developments

• Georeferenced data points and treatment track files for upload by NPS (ArcGIS)

Safety Plan: The Contractor shall submit a site-specific safety plan. The Safety plan shall at a minimum describe all necessary FAA clearances, and emergency procedures, include FAA Certificate of Authorization for operation of UAS, routes to the nearest hospitals, list key personnel to contact in an emergency, and emergency phone numbers. In addition, the Contractor shall have familiarity with and will adhere to all Federal, state, or local safety regulations pertaining to conducting UAS aerial herbicide treatments.

The Contractor will only use pilots that have logged not less than 20 hours of actual flight time with the proposed UAS and who have valid Federal and State UAS operator license/certificates.

Pilot must also be certified/licensed to handle, mix and spray herbicides and conduct aerial spraying by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture.

Optional Task – Follow on Aerial and mechanical Phragmites treatments. This task is considered optional. The park may request additional treatments pending funding availability. The expectations for work under this optional task include providing all tools, equipment and herbicide for the accurate identification, UAS aerial treatment and backpack herbicide treatments of Phragmites australis in addition to the treatments described in Task 1. The Contractor shall provide cost information for follow on UAS aerial and backpack treatments within the same footprint of the Task 1 treatments for up to 3 additional years.

III. TECHNICAL AND COST PROPOSALS

Separate technical and cost proposals should be submitted electronically as pdf files. Technical proposals should include statements responding to the technical capability described below and will include specifications of equipment and a description of how the Contractor will ensure minimal impacts to visitor use and experience at Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Cost proposals should be itemized by personnel and equipment for all members of the Contractor team, including subcontractors, if applicable. Cost proposals should list a cost per acre for UAS aerial treatments and for backpack treatments.

A. TECHNICAL CAPABILITY

The criteria below will be used to evaluate proposals. It may be in the interest of the Government to award to other than to the lowest price bidder or other than the highest technically rated bidder. Technical proposals should list equipment to be used, staffing capacity, and proposed schedule to confirm understanding of what is listed in the statement of work. The technical evaluation criteria, when combined, are more important than cost.

1. Qualifications of Personnel. Provide proof professional qualifications of key personnel proposed for use under this contract.

• Proof of herbicide applicator license for use in the state of North Carolina

• Proof of UAS Pilots license and associated training hours’ requirements

• Proof of education, training and experience in botanical identification

2. Past Performance. Provide proof of past performance on recent (w/in within the past three years) aerial vegetation treatment efforts in sensitive environments in terms of:

• Quality of work

• Meeting schedules and deadlines

• Customer satisfaction

3. Complete Relevant Prior Experience. Provide proof of recent UAS/aerial and backpack herbicide treatment experience (w/in the past three years).

Provide the project title, brief description, location, dollar value, and other project information deemed relevant. Provide the name of the project owner or inspector along with their phone number and email contact as a reference.