S01 Attachment 1 EWP SOW_May 2023 v1_rev DSR-VI-STC-400.pdf

Statement of Work

Obstruction/Debris Removal Emergency Watershed Protection Program

The USDA NRCS Caribbean Area office is in need of obstruction removal services to remove debris resulting from natural disasters which continue to create serious threat to life and property.

The Contractor shall furnish all necessary personnel, material, equipment, services and facilities (except as otherwise specified), to carry out the work as outlined in this Statement of Work (SOW). The contractor must achieve completion of all sites included in this contract within a 10-calendar day time period, as funding requires operations to get underway and completed expediently.

SCOPE

The work will consist of the cleanup of storm debris in designated streams (channels, canals, waterways, etc.) in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The contractor will be responsible to remove and properly dispose of all downed trees, logs, stumps, brush, tops, blockages, rubbish, sediment and debris (organic and inorganic) deposited in and adjacent to the channel; inside culverts/pipes and under bridges. The designated sites are shown in the attached table and described in the individual Damage Survey Report (DSRs) for each site.

Debris and sediment shall be removed by methods including but not limited to sawing, cabling, winching, lifting, or dragging, to the elevation of stream channel to blend with the existing cross section immediately upstream and downstream. Excavation shall be limited to that necessary for sediment and stump removal.

The following guidelines should be used to determine which tree, stumps, and brush to remove:

a. All downed trees, brush, limbs, root mass, tops, vines and other washed-in woody vegetative materials lying completely or leaning of the stream banks shall be removed.

b. Stumps of downed or undermined trees within the channel banks or bottoms shall be removed.

c. Any root mass, stump or tree located within the channel banks or on the channel bank that has become unstable or that obstructs flow in the channel shall be removed.

Trees to be removed shall be cut off as near to the ground surface as possible or as field conditions permit. Areas where trees, brush, limbs, root mass, tops, vines and

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May 2023 (v1) 2 other washed-in woody vegetative materials were removed, shall be graded for appearance with no obstruction to natural surface water flows.

Removal of standing trees outside of the stream banks is limited to the cutting of severely damaged trees leaning across the channel and other trees as needed to gain access for equipment to points of channel blockage.

Sediment accumulations, which may reasonably be assumed to have resulted from the storm, shall be removed to the elevation of stream channel to blend with the existing bottom immediately upstream and downstream.

All building materials, manufactured items, and other loose foreign debris lying completely or partially within the limits of the designated areas shall be removed.

The Contractor shall preserve and protect all structures, equipment, and vegetation (such as trees, shrubs, and grass) on or adjacent to the work site, which are not to be removed and which do not unreasonably interfere with the work required under this statement of work or for the safety of persons and property.

Disturbance of the channel bottom and banks and equipment access areas shall be held to the minimum necessary to allow for the removal of the debris. Heavy equipment working on wet soil conditions must operate from mats or use other measures as necessary to minimize rutting or soil disturbance.

The work also requires providing and installing seeding, fertilizing and mulching in all excavated, fill, and disturbed areas in designated streams (channels, canals, waterways, etc.); including but not limited to temporary stockpile areas and equipment staging areas. At the time of seeding, 15-15-10 fertilizer shall be applied at a rate of 200 pounds per acre or 4.6 pounds per 1000 sf and tilled to a depth of 3 inches.

Seeding mixtures used shall be: Bermudagrass [Rate (80 lb./ac) equal to (2 lb./1000 sf)], and Ryegrass or Bahia Grass [Rate (20 lb./ac) equal to (0.5 lb./1000 sf). Seeding shall be applied uniformly with a cyclone seeder, drill, cultipacker seeder, hydro-seeder (slurry includes seed and fertilizer) or spread by hand on a firm, moist seedbed.

Mulching shall consist of straw, hay or grass cut from native grasses (such as Pangola, Guinea, Angleton or Buffel grass) and shall be applied at the rate of 1.5 tons per acre or 70 pounds per 1000-sf on excavated, fill and disturbed areas. The mulch shall be free of weeds. Mulch shall not be bunched or clumped and shall not completely block sunlight from reaching ground surface. All seeded areas shall be mulched on the same day that seeding operations are conducted.

Upon completion of debris removal, the Contractor shall remove all equipment and smooth grade and shape any ruts or stump holes to provide a smooth drainage way.

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ACCESS

The Government will designate an access route for each site.

DISPOSAL

Disposal locations, to include any temporary staging, recycling, and final disposal for each site must be disclosed and documented in writing prior to contract award. Any changes must be approved by the Contracting Officer.

All materials (woody, vegetative or foreign) removed from the designated areas shall be disposed of by hauling off-site to a designated and approved disposal area or landfill in compliance with all local, state and federal laws and regulations. The contractor shall present evidence of disposal at an approved location, on a daily basis as required in this document. Disposal manifests shall be submitted to the Inspector on site in hard copy within 24 hours of disposal. The manifests must be from an approved Disposal Site, on their official letter head/receipt, must be dated, legible, include the total number of cubic yards disposed, and contain original signatures. Evidence of disposal that do not meet these requirements will be rejected. The contractor shall be responsible for any fees or permits associated with placing material/debris in an approved disposal area.

Sediment removed from the watercourse shall be placed near the top of the channel bank and spread to a thickness not to exceed six (6) inches. In sites with limited adjacent area to properly place the sediments, the material shall be disposed of by hauling off-site to a designated and approved disposal area or landfill in compliance with all local, state and federal laws and regulations. The contractor shall present evidence of disposal at an approved location, on a daily basis as required in this document. Disposal manifests shall be submitted to the Inspector on site in hard copy within 24 hours of disposal. The manifests must be from an approved Disposal Site, on their official letter head/receipt, must be dated, legible, include the total number of cubic yards disposed, and contain original signatures. Evidence of disposal that do not meet these requirements will be rejected.

The contractor shall be responsible for any fees or permits associated with placing sediment in an approved disposal area.

Sediment shall only be placed where directed or allowed by the Government to fill stump holes, ruts and other depressions.

Debris shall not be placed in tributaries, side ditches, or other defined water entrances to the watercourse being cleaned.

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ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

The contractor shall perform the work so as to control erosion and minimize the production of sediment and other pollutants to water and air from construction activities. The contractor shall exercise caution throughout the duration of the Contract to prevent the pollution of waterways. Chemicals, fuels, lubricants, raw sewage, and other harmful wastes shall not be discharged into or alongside any river, stream, or natural or man-made waterway leading thereto.

Equipment shall operate adjacent to the stream and shall minimize work within the stream or crossing a stream with equipment to gain access to the opposite bank. If needed, contractor shall perform all work necessary to divert surface waters and dewater the work areas as required to perform the work.

Equipment shall be maintained in good condition to prevent fuel, oil, and lubricant spills. Refueling, repairs and lubrication shall be performed at safe distances from the stream. Should fuel leaks, oil leaks or hydraulic pipe rupture occur during debris removal, the Contractor’s operators shall immediately remove the equipment to a safe area and take prompt action to minimize damage and safeguard the site.

The Contractor is responsible for disposal of chemical pollutants such as drained lubricants or transmission oils, greases, etc. off-site. Washing, fueling or servicing of equipment shall be avoided where spillage or wash water can enter the watercourse.

The contractor or his Superintendent shall immediately report any spill or discharge.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

The contractor is responsible for identifying the location of utilities (if any) prior to construction activities.

The contractor is responsible to inform the Government in advance of any subcontractors to be utilized in performance of this contract.

The Contractor shall protect from damage all existing improvements and utilities at or near the work site, and on adjacent property of a third party, the locations of which are made known to, or should be known by, the Contractor. The Contractor shall exercise care while working in the areas of existing lawns, roads, structures, utilities, railroads, other improvements and cropland. The Contractor shall be responsible for prompt repair or replacement of any such improvements damaged by his/her operations.

Fences that must be removed for access shall be removed with the minimum damage practical and placed or stacked on the landowner’s property.

The Contractor shall acknowledge that he/she has taken steps reasonably necessary to ascertain the nature and location of the work, and that it has investigated and satisfied itself as to the general and local conditions which can affect the work or its cost.

The Government assumes no responsibility for any conclusions or interpretations made by the Contractor based on the information made available by the Government.

Nor does the Government assume responsibility for any understanding reached or representation made concerning conditions which can affect the work by any of its officers or agents before the execution of this contract, unless that understanding or representation is expressly stated in this contract.

MEASUREMENT AND PAYMENT

Payment for obstruction/debris removal will be made at the contract lump sum price.

Such payment constitutes full compensation for mobilizing and demobilizing from the site, all labor, equipment, and material utilized on site, as well as all other items necessary and incidental to the completion of the work including costs for permits, and disposal fees at approved locations.

Payment will be made upon Government acceptance of work, submission of a proper invoice, and properly submitted disposal manifests for tipping/disposal fees at approved locations/landfills.

Disposal manifests shall be submitted to the Inspector on site in hard copy within 24 hours of disposal. The manifests must be from an approved Disposal Site, on their official letter head/receipt, must be dated, legible, include the total number of cubic yards disposed, and contain original signatures.

The Government reserves the right to withhold payment or a percentage of payment due to work that does not meet the requirements of this SOW, is not properly documented, or due to failure by the Contractor to repair any damage by his/her operations to a site prior to demobilizing.

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