S01 - SOW.pdf

STATEMENT OF WORK

TREE-SHRUB ESTABLISHMENT

USDA NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE (NRCS)

1.0 OBJECTIVE

The objective of this purchase order is to obtain services in the State of Vermont (VT) for Tree-Shrub Establishment for eight properties in the Towns of Bridport, Colchester, Isle La Motte, Leicester, New Haven, and Whiting in VT. Description of services are listed below.

2.0 BACKGROUND

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) NRCS has authority to administer voluntary conservation easement programs. The property involved with this agreement is enrolled in the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program Wetland Reserve Easement component (ACEP-WRE).

The Federal government has an in-perpetuity obligation to manage these lands as restored wetlands and wildlife habitat.

3.0 SCOPE

The Contractor shall follow the Statement of Work and NRCS conservation practice standards and specifications to provide Tree-Shrub Establishment (612) for the easement properties noted in the attachments. The services entail the following:

1. Tree-Shrub Establishment (612) – establish woody plants by planting trees and shrubs within targeted areas identified in NRCS maps and job sheets.

4.0 STANDARDS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Contractor shall follow the Statement of Work, job sheets, maps, and NRCS conservation practice standards and specifications to provide Tree-Shrub Establishment (612) for the easement properties noted in the attachments.

The individual Conservation Practice Standards and Specifications can be found at https://efotg.sc.egov.usda.gov/#/details. At this website link one needs to select the State of Vermont, then Section IV, then Conservation Practice Standards & Support Documents, then select tree/shrub establishment.

Please see Attachment 1. Tree Planting Group Map for the general locations of planting sites. Please see Attachment 2. Tree & Shrub Establishment Map for specific property locations and planting areas.

Please see Attachment 3. Tree/Shrub Establishment Conservation Practice Job Sheet for the site-specific details on species to plant and other requirements relating to plant storage and handling.

The Contractor will carry out activities during appropriate weather conditions to avoid damaging the property and access roads into the easements.

The Contractor will not deviate from the tree-shrub establishment map nor jobsheet without prior approval from the Contracting Officer or their designated Contracting Officer Representative.

https://efotg.sc.egov.usda.gov/#/details

An additional cultural resources review will be required if the location, depth or extent of any practice changes, or if unexpected archeological deposits or human remains, including historic burials, are exposed during work.

The Contractor will tie a piece of highly visible flagging to each tree that will allow the tree to be seen without causing damage to the tree.

The Contractor will attend the pre-implementation meetings with the NRCS representative(s). The discussions and decisions shall be documented by the NRCS and the Contractor. These meetings will occur once per site before any planting begins. Sites with two years-worth of planting work will have one pre-implementation meeting per year per site.

The Contractor will effectively communicate to NRCS the status of the Tree-Shrub Establishment work beginning with the start of planting and through to completion. The contractor must notify the NRCS Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) and Inspector at least 48 hours before proceeding with the tree-shrub establishment planting work.

The Contractor will communicate scheduling conflicts ahead of time. Any changes or modifications to the tree-shrub establishment planting schedule will be communicated to and approved by the Contracting Officer.

The Contracting Officer is the only person authorized to approve changes in any of the requirements of this Contract.

The Contractor shall not comply with any order, directive or request that changes or modifies the requirements of this Contract, unless issued in writing and signed by the Contracting Officer.

In the event the Contractor effects any change at the discretion of any person other than the Contracting Officer, the change will be considered to have been made without authority and no adjustment will be made in the Contract price to cover any cost increase incurred as a result thereof.

The Contractor acknowledges that it 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, including but not limited to (1) conditions bearing upon transportation, disposal, handling, and storage of materials; (2) the availability of labor, water, electric power, and roads; (3) uncertainties of weather, river stages, or similar physical conditions at the site; (4) the conformation and conditions of the ground; and (5) the character of equipment and facilities needed preliminary to and during the performance of the Work; and (6) all conditions related to site access, required permits, utilities coordination, and government requirements.

The Contractor also acknowledges that it has satisfied itself as to the character, quality, and quantity of surface and subsurface materials or obstacles to be encountered insofar as this information is reasonably ascertainable from an inspection of the site, including all exploratory work done by the government, as well as from the Maps and Specifications made a part of the Contract. Any failure of the Contractor to take the actions described and acknowledged in this paragraph shall not relieve the Contractor from responsibility for estimating properly the difficulty and cost of successfully performing the Work, or for proceeding to successfully perform the Work without additional expense to the Government.

The Contractor is solely responsible for any conclusions or interpretations made by the Contractor based on the information made available by the USDA. The government assumes no responsibility for, and Contractor is solely responsible for, any understanding based upon, any representation made by any government officers or agents before the execution of the Contract, unless that understanding, or representation is expressly stated in the Contract.

4.1 GOVERNMENT FURNISHED INFORMATION AND/OR SERVICES

The Government will stake out and/or flag out locations for planned tree-shrub establishment conservation practices.

The Government will provide shapefiles to the Contractor of the planned tree-shrub establishment conservation practice locations.

The Government will have the Contracting Officer’s Representative, or an Inspector, onsite for the pre-implementation meeting, and periodically throughout installation of the tree-shrub establishment conservation practice to answer Contractor questions and inspect progress.

The Government will have the Contracting Officer’s Representative, or an Inspector, review completed tree-shrub establishment work and determine if it meets NRCS standards and specifications.

5.0 DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES

1. Tree/Shrub Establishment (612)

Establish woody plants by planting trees and shrubs within targeted areas identified in NRCS maps and job sheets.

Conservation Practice Standard for Tree/Shrub Establishment is found here:

https://efotg.sc.egov.usda.gov/api/CPSFile/22648/612_VT_CPS_Tree-Shrub_Establishment_2019

Conservation Practice Specification for Tree/Shrub Establishment is found here:

https://efotg.sc.egov.usda.gov/api/CPSFile/22654/612_VT_PS_Tree_Shrub_Establishment_2009

5.1 INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA

Final inspection and acceptance of all work performed will be performed at the project site by the COR or Inspector.

6.0 PERFORMANCE OF SERVICES:

The time spent to perform these items shall vary depending on the complexity of the site. The contractor will have until May 30th, 2021 to complete planting on year 1 sites and until May 30th, 2022 to complete planting on year 2 sites.

https://efotg.sc.egov.usda.gov/api/CPSFile/22648/612_VT_CPS_Tree-Shrub_Establishment_2019 https://efotg.sc.egov.usda.gov/api/CPSFile/22654/612_VT_PS_Tree_Shrub_Establishment_2009

7.0 DELIVERABLES

Item No.

Deliverable Description Frequency Delivery Format

Due By

1 Pre-implementation meeting attendance

Contractor will attend meetings before commencing planting

Once, per year, per site before beginning planting

In person Before planting begins.

2 Communication with NRCS

The contractor must notify the

NRCS COR

and Inspector at least 48 hours before beginning planting

Once, prior to planting beginning

Via text, phone call, or email to COR and

NRCS

Inspector

At least 48 hours before proceeding with the planting

3 Tree-Shrub Establishment

Year 1

See maps, jobsheet, practice standard and specifications

Per map, jobsheet, practice standard and specificatio ns

On site May 30th 2021

4 Tree-Shrub Establishment

Year 2

See maps, jobsheet, practice standard and specifications

Per map and jobsheet

On site May 30th 2022

5 Notification of tree-shrub establishment planting completion

Contractor notifies COR and Inspector when work is completed

Once per site, per year

Via text, phone call, or email to COR and

NRCS

Inspector

Upon project completion

8.0 CONTRACTOR QUALIFICATIONS

To be considered responsible, bidders must have the capability in all respects to perform fully the contract requirements; therefore, the apparent low bidder must be able to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the government that it meets the requirements of this paragraph.

8.1 General Standards of Responsibility

To be determined responsible, the apparent low bidder must demonstrate that it:

1 Has adequate financial resources, or the ability to obtain such resources, required to perform the contract;

2 Is able to comply with the required or proposed delivery or performance schedule, taking into consideration all existing commercial and government contract commitments;

3 Has a satisfactory performance record;

4 Has a satisfactory record of integrity and business ethics;

5 Has, or has the ability to obtain, the necessary organization, experience, accounting, and operational control, and technical skills;

6 Has a nursery, tree planting, forestry, or related agricultural business within 100 miles of at least one of the planned project locations.

9.0 CIVIL RIGHTS AND PROGRAM DELIVERY

By signing this contract, the Contractor assures the USDA that the program or activities provided for under this agreement will be conducted in compliance with all applicable Federal civil rights laws, rules, regulations, and policies. Any and all information gained through this Statement of Work or in the process of carrying out the Wetlands Restoration project are to be held confidential between the Contractor, NRCS, other designated partners and the landowner unless released by the landowner.

Information gained may not be shared with others and are considered private to the landowner. The Contractor will protect the privacy of information collected during the technical assistance process according to the provisions of Section 1619 of the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008.

10.0 CONTRACTING OFFICER (CO)

The designated Contracting Agency for this Statement of Work is NRCS. All administrative matters regarding this Statement of Work shall be directed to the Contracting Officer:

Contracting Officer: Kristin Gilliland Email: Kristin.Gilliland@usda.gov

Only the CO may authorize changes to this Statement of Work.