Schedule of Items and Performance Work Statement 1240BE26Q0022 Willamette NF Stand Exam.pdf

1240BE26Q0022 Willamette National Forest Stand Exam

Project Name: Willamette National Forest Stand Exam

Contractor: From: Work Locations:

Name: ______________________ Willamette National Forest Detroit Ranger District Email: ______________________ 3106 Pierce Parkway, Middle Fork Ranger District Phone: ______________________ Suite D District Sweet Home Ranger District UEI:_________________________ Springfield, Oregon 97477

ITEM

NO.

SERVICE Number of Plots

PER

UNIT

UNIT

PRICE

AMOUNT

0001 Detroit Ranger District- Bolder Project 360 Plot $_______ $______

0002 Sweet Home Ranger District- Multiple Projects 238 Plot $_______ $_______

0003 Middle Fork Ranger District- North Fork 834 Plot $_______ $_______

0004 Middle Fork Ranger District-East Oakridge 152 Plot $_______ $_______

TOTAL ITEMS $________

DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

SECTION 1 – GENERAL

1.1 Description

The Contractor shall furnish all labor, supervision, and equipment (except those designated as Government-furnished), transportation, and incidentals for Stand Exams on the Willamette National Forest. Data collection must use the NEW FSVeg Exams Mobile application, which became available in 2025. Android 11 or later tablets are required for use with the FSVeg Exams Mobile application.

The objective is to gather vegetation information from plots established in stands on the Forest using the U.S. Forest Service Common Stand Exam Protocols, using a tablet to collect the data and locate and document plot location. The Contract will identify the exam level, the number of sample plots taken per stand, and includes a unit information street.

1.2 Project Location

Operations shall be confined to land within the Willamette National Forest, within three Districts: Middle Fork, Sweet Home River and Detroit.

Period of Performance: May 01,2026 through October 15, 2026

Bolder Project- Detroit Ranger District – Must be completed within 50 business

Multiple Project- Sweet Home Ranger District – Must be completed 40 business days

North Fork – Middle Fork Ranger District - Must be completed 65 business days

East Oakridge – Middle Fork Ranger District - Must be completed 25 business days

Vicinity maps showing project location and other information regarding specific items will be provided.

1.3 Access to Project Areas

Shapefiles describing stand and plot locations will be provided. Motor Vehicle Use Maps are available for downloading at any time. The designation of open roads on USFS maps is not guaranteed due to potential differences between the time when the road was last inventoried and contract award. Access to the project area is by all-weather and seasonal roads. Some stands may not have direct road access; therefore, walking up to 1/4 mile may be necessary.

SECTION 2 – GOVERNMENT FURNISED PROPERTY, MATERIALS, SERVICES

The Government will furnish the following property and services to the Contractor as available and appropriate. The Contractor shall be liable for any loss of or damage to such Government furnished property until completion and final acceptance of work required under this contract, upon which time all contracted related materials and property are returned to the Government.

The following property will be provided to the Contractor:

Table 1. Government furnished property

Description Location Date Available

List of Settings Ranger District or Email Prework CSE Master File for each Project Ranger District or Email Prework

USDA Forest Service Common Stand Exam User Guide (User Guide) and Common Stand Exam Region 6 Field Guide and Appendices (Field Guide)

Available on internet at https://www.fs.usda.gov/nrm/fsveg/index.shtml.

The Government will not provide printed copies

Anytime

Exams Mobile User Guide Ranger District or Email Prework

Exam Mobile Application for Use with Android 11 or Later Tablets

Available on Google Play. Search for “FSVeg Exams Mobile” Anytime

Field Guide to the Forested Plant Associations of the Westside Central Cascades of Northwest Oregon

Available on internet at https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/natural-resources/ecoshare-publications

Anytime

Shapefiles describing stand boundaries and plot locations

Ranger District or Email Prework

Motor Vehicle Use Maps

Available on the internet at https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/willamette/maps-guides

Anytime

Georeferenced PDF Maps Ranger District or Email Prework

Table of stand information including acreage and number of plots required

Ranger District or Email Prework https://www.fs.usda.gov/nrm/fsveg/index.shtml https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/natural-resources/ecoshare-publications https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/natural-resources/ecoshare-publications https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/willamette/maps-guides https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/willamette/maps-guides

SECTION 3 – CONTRACTOR FURNISHED ITEMS/SERVICES

The Contractor shall furnish all labor, supervision, equipment (except those designated as Government-furnished), transportation, and incidentals required to complete the project. Contractor furnished equipment must include Android 11 or later tablets, which are required for use with the FSVeg Exams Mobile application.

3.1 Deliverables

Completed exams shall be delivered to the Forest Service as electronic files and must include the following:

A. Exams Data Loader File (.txt file extension) created using the “Prepare Data File for FSVeg” tool in the Exams Mobile app.

B. Exams Database Backup File (.db file extension) created using the “Backup Exams Database” tool in the Exams Mobile app.

C. Exams Data Report (.txt file extension) created using the “Data Report” tool in the Exams Mobile app.

SECTION 4 – PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT TASKS

4.1 Technical Specifications and Performance Standards

A. All measurements shall be made in accordance with the USDA Forest Service Common Stand Exam User Guide. Where there are discrepancies between the contract and the User Guide, the contract shall have precedence.

1. Plot locations are predetermined by the Government. The given plot latitude and longitude will be provided. The actual latitude and longitude of plot locations will be documented using a contractor supplied GPS unit capable of at least a 10-meter accuracy. The GPS must be set to NAD 1983 and use the correct Lat/Long format: hddd*mm'ss.s

2. No plot center shall be closer than 100 feet to the stand boundary or a discernable road. If the predetermined plot center falls closer than the required minimum feet to the stand boundary or discernable road then the contractor should move the plot to create the required distance and the coordinates corrected for the actual location of the plot and recorded. Any plot location adjustments must be noted within the exam data in remarks on the plot data form and include an explanation of why the plot was moved.

3. Plot centers shall be clearly and securely identified with a wire flag with the flag at least 6 inches above the ground. Wire flags used shall be 15-inch minimum height and are 3x3 inches or 4 x 5 inches. Three strips of flagging shall be tied no less than 5 feet above the ground in a triangular pattern around plot center for ease of plot center location. One of these flags shall notate north and therefore indicate the starting point for spinning that plot. The plot and stand number shall be marked on the wire flag with a permanent, black ink marking pen. Plot center is defined as that point where the wire enters the ground. This point or plumb line extensions of this point shall be used for limited distance measurements and inspections. Wire flag and flagging colors must be approved by the Government prior to beginning work.

4. All plot data shall be recorded using the FSVeg Exams Mobile application.

B. Survey Techniques

Variable-Size Plots (live and dead standing trees ≥7” DBH):

1. An appropriate Basal Area Factor (BAF) shall be selected for each stand.

Only one BAF per stand is allowed. A BAF shall be selected that yields a minimum average of 6 trees per variable plot in each stand. Stands with an average of less than 6 trees per plot will not be accepted. The BAF used shall be recorded in the Sample Design Form, Sample Expansion Factor field for a Sample Section Method of “BAF”.

2. Trees will be tallied starting with a north azimuth (+/- 2 degrees) and turning in a clockwise direction.

3. A site/GST tree will be measured on each variable-size plot for the predominant species tallied. If no site/GST tree is available on the plot, a representative site tree may be taken off plot and still be documented as a “B” tree. If located off plot, the tree must be well notated, flagged, and locatable with a GPS reference point. All site/GST trees within each stand must be the same species.

a. Legacy trees are not to be used as site/GST trees. Legacy trees are typically larger than the average diameter of the stand and exhibit several or all the following morphological characteristics:

i. Large branches low on the tree boles, dead or alive, that indicate the tree originally developed in more open conditions.

ii. Fire scars or char on the bark.

iii. Older than 120 years old (in managed stands).

iv. Thick accumulations of duff around the base of the trees, especially the pines.

v. Trees that meet these characteristics shall be labeled as

“Legacy” in the notes section of the tree.

b. Height will be measured for all site/GST trees.

c. Age will be measured for all site/GST trees.

d. Ten-year radial growth will be measured for all site/GST trees.

4. Height will be estimated for all other “in” trees (non site/GST).

5. Crown ratios and classes will be taken on all live trees.

Fixed Area Plots (live trees 0.5 feet tall to 6.9” DBH):

1. 1/100-acre plot size will be used for measuring trees on the fixed plot.

2. All live standing trees under 6.9” DBH should be measured.

a. If the tree is over 4.5’ tall, only measure diameter.

b. If the tree is under 4.5’ tall, only measure height.

3. Trees may be grouped by diameter or height in the fixed plot.

a. For example, TreeCount: 3, DBH: 2.0” OR TreeCount: 5, Height: 3.0’

Fixed Area Plots (vegetation cover):

1. 1/10-acre plot size will be used for recording total vegetation percent cover and total tree percent canopy cover.

2. Canopy cover is the proportion of the forest floor covered by the vertical projection of tree crowns.

3. Total Veg (TV) is all vegetation, Total Tree (TOT) is only cover above 9m/29ft.

4. This is intended to be an ocular estimate but must be within error tolerances.

Fixed Area Plots (Down wood) – Where required by Exam Level indicated on Schedule of Items

1. 1/30 acre plot size (21.5 foot radius, adjusted by slope) will be used to estimate down wood by providing a count of pieces in three groups (5”- 12”, 12.1”-30”, 30.1+”) with the average diameter, average length of the pieces in each group.

C. Detailed Survey Form Instructions and Performance Standards

These fields may vary per contract depending on the Exam Level selected from the Schedule of Items. Complete details on the required fields can be found in the User Guide and Field Guide. Unless otherwise stated in the Schedule of Items the following fields must be completed for each setting (stand). Information on necessary procedures to complete these fields is available in the User Guide.

Some of the data for these fields will be provided by the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) and is indicated as “Provided” below.

At each inspection, the Contractor shall examine the plot area and record their findings on the items listed below. The following measurements or data entries shall be recorded. Tolerances for all measurements and data entries and the error value for each entry outside of allowable tolerances are shown below.

Table 2. Required survey forms and performance standards

Field Comments Tolerance Penalty Setting Design Form:

Proclaimed & AD Region +/-0 Provided

Proclaimed & AD Forest +/-0 Provided

District +/-0 Provided Location +/-0 Provided

Stand Number Four Digits, lead with zeros if less than 4. Ex: 0035

+/-0 Provided

Project Name +/-0 Provided Owner +/-0 Not Acceptable Measure Date +/-0 Not Acceptable State +/-0 Provided County +/-0 Provided Exam Level +/-0 Provided PV Ref +/-0 Not Acceptable PV Code +/-0 Not Acceptable Acres +/-0 Provided Examiner +/-0 Not Acceptable Prec. Protocol +/-0 Not Acceptable RaG1 +/-0 Not Acceptable Lat-Long Reference Datum +/-0 Not Acceptable

Sample Design Form:

Tree Tab - Selection Method +/-0 Provided Expansion Factor +/-0 Not Acceptable Starting Azimuth +/-0 Provided Plots Installed +/-0 Provided Subpopulation Filter +/-0 Provided Subpopulation Variable +/-0 Provided

Subpopulation Min Value +/-0 Provided

Subpopulation Max Value +/-0 Provided

Plot Data:

Plot Number +/-0 Not Acceptable Latitude +/- 10 meters Error = 1 tree

Field Comments Tolerance Penalty Longitude +/- 10 meters Error = 1 tree Potential Veg Reference +/-0 Provided

Potential Vegetation +/-0 Error = 1 tree

Remarks Needed if plot lat/long needs to be changed

+/-0

Not Acceptable

Tree Data Form:

Plot Number +/-0 Not Acceptable Date +/-0 Not Acceptable Tag Number +/-0 Not Acceptable Status +/-0 Error = 1 tree Tree Class +/-1 Error = 1/2 tree Site Tree/GST (Tally as ‘B’) +/-0 Error = 1 tree

Species +/-0 Error = 1 tree Tree Count – variable radius plot +/-0 Error = 1 tree for each

Tree Count –Item 1 fixed radius plot

1-4 trees: +/-1 5-15 trees: +/-2 16-25 trees: +/- 25+ trees: +/-5

Error = 1 tree for each beyond tolerance

DBH

Record to nearest 1/10th” for all trees >4.5 feet tall

<7” dbh: +/-0.1” 7-32” dbh: +/- 0.2” dbh >32: +/- 1.0”

Error = 1/2 tree

Height and Height to Crown (Site/GST tree)

Site/GST tree only +/-10% Error = 1/2 tree

Height and Height to Crown (all other variable plot trees)

Measure until able to make accurate estimation

+/-20% Error = 1/2 tree

Height and Height to Crown – fixed plot

Measure trees <4.5 ft

Trees < 4.5 ft tall: +/- 1 ft

Error = 1/2 tree

Radial Growth Site/GST tree only +/-1/20th Error=1/4 tree Age Site/GST tree only +/-5% Error = 1/2 tree Crown Ratio +/-10% Error = 1/4 tree Crown Class +/-1 class Error = 1/4 tree Log/Snag Decay +/-1 class Error = 1/4 tree

Field Comments Tolerance Penalty Wildlife Use +/-0 Error = 1/4 tree

Damage Category Record Max of 3 damage codes +/-0 Error = 1/4 tree

Damage Agent +/-0 Error = 1/10 tree

Damage Severity +/-0 Error = 1/10 tree

Stand Map +/-0 Not Acceptable Vegetation Composition Form (cover by lifeform tab):

Total Vegetation % Cover +/-10% Error = 1/2 tree Total Tree % Canopy cover over 9m/29ft.

+/- 10% Error = 1/2 tree

1. Fatal Errors

The following errors are considered “fatal” errors and will result in the affected stand(s) being returned to the Contractor for rework.

a. Any plot where the plot center location cannot be located because of improper labeling of the plot center or incorrect/missing GPS coordinates, or for other reasons attributable to noncompliance with the contract specifications.

b. Failure to return fully completed and legible sketch maps with data submission.

c. Any form where the field’s penalty is labeled “not acceptable” in Table 2 or information provided by the Government is not correctly transferred.

d. Insufficient Site/GST trees.

2. Calculation of Quality Percent for Payment Purposes

The total number of incorrect “tree penalties” divided by the total of number of trees tallied on the inspection x 100 will determine the percentage of unsatisfactory work. 100% minus percentage unsatisfactory work = % satisfactory work.

4.2 Inspection, Acceptance and Payment

A. Government Quality Assurance Plan

The Government will make periodic inspections while work is in progress on a sample of completed exams. The Contractor shall notify and provide the electronic data files and maps to the Government when groups of 5 to 10 stands are completed and ready for inspection prior to moving out of the general area.

At each inspection plot, the Government Inspector shall examine the plot area and record their findings on the items identified in Section 4 Table 2.

Table 3. Quality Assurance Plan

Task Quality Standard Acceptable Quality Level

Stand Exam Plots See Performance Standards

90%

B. Payment

Whenever the stand quality meets or exceeds 90 percent, the work will be acceptable, and payment will be made at the unit price. Contractor shall submit an invoice upon notification of acceptance of work. Payment will be made upon receipt of invoice per each satisfactory inspection and/or at completion of each item. Items shall be completed according to the schedule indicated on the Schedule of Items.

C. Incomplete work When submitting stands to the Government for inspection, a submission will be returned to the contractor as incomplete prior to inspecting if any of the following are missing electronic data files or updated GPS points.

D. Unsatisfactory Stand Examination If all required information is not correctly completed, or if the percentage of work quality falls below 90 percent, the government will immediately notify the Contractor in writing and order improvement of the quality of work. The Contractor shall revisit all of the plots of the unsatisfactory stand exams and rework them to meet the 90 percent minimum acceptable specification within 5 consecutive workdays after receipt of written notice of unsatisfactory work.

E. Contractor Requested Re-inspections If the Government initial inspection results are not acceptable to the Contractor, a re-inspection may be requested. The request must be submitted in writing within 5 calendar days after receipt of the original inspection results. This re-inspection will be on the original inspection plots. The Contractor is encouraged to accompany the Government during the re-inspection. Results of this re-inspection will supersede the original inspection.

F. Inspection of Returned Stands After the Contractor has reworked the entire stand, the government will perform a re-inspection of the work. If the second Government inspection reveals that the rework does not meet contract specifications and work acceptability, the actual costs of the second inspection will be borne by the Contractor. Costs of re-inspections will be based upon the Inspectors’ hourly wage rate, vehicle mileage and associated administrative costs. The Contractor will have only one opportunity to rework unacceptable stands. If a stand fails to pass government inspection after rework, no payment will be made for that stand.

SECTION 5 – FIRE PROTECTION AND SUPPRESSION

A. Fire Period and Closed Season Specific fire prevention measures are listed below and shall be effective for the period

April 1 to October 31 of each year. The Forest Service may change the dates of said period by advance written notice if justified by unusual weather or other conditions. Required tools and equipment shall be kept currently in serviceable condition and immediately available for initial attacks on fires.

B. Fire Plan Before starting any operations on the project, the Contractor shall prepare a fire plan in cooperation with the Contracting Officer providing for the prevention and control of fires in the project area. The Contractor shall certify compliance with fire protection and suppression requirements before beginning operations during the fire period and closed season and shall update such certification when operations change.

C. Substitute Measures The Contracting Officer may by written notice authorize substitute measures or equipment or may waive specific requirements during periods of low fire danger.

D. Emergency Measures The Forest Service may require emergency measures, including the necessary shutting down of operations in the project area during periods of fire emergency created by hazardous climatic conditions.

E. Fire Control The Contractor shall, independently and in cooperation with the Forest Service, take all reasonable action to prevent and suppress fires in the project area.

Independent initial action shall be prompt and shall include the use of all personnel and equipment available in the project area.

F. Compliance with State Forest Laws Lists of specific fire precautionary measures herein is not intended to relieve the Contractor in no way from compliance with the State Fire Laws covering fire prevention and suppression equipment, applicable to operations under this contract, permit or license.

G. Fire Precautions Specific fire precautionary measures are as follows:

1. Smoking and Open Fires Smoking and fires shall be permitted only at the option of the Contractor. The

Contractor shall not allow open fires on the project area without advance permission in writing from Forest Service. Unless restricted by State Law or Federal Regulation, smoking shall be permitted only in such portions of the project area that are free of flammable material. Smokers shall sit down to smoke in such a position that any burning material will fall within a cleared area and shall extinguish and press out in mineral soil all burning material before leaving the cleared area.

2. Fire Extinguishers and Equipment on Trucks, Tractors, etc.

All power-driven equipment operated by the Contractor on National Forest land, except portable fire pumps, shall be equipped with one fire extinguisher having a UL rating of at least 5 BC, and one "D" handled or long handled round point shovel, size "0" or larger. In addition, each motor patrol, truck and passenger carrying vehicle shall be equipped with a double-bit axe or Pulaski, 3-1/2 pounds or larger. Equipment will be kept in a serviceable condition and shall be readily available.

3. Extinguishers One refill for each type or one extra extinguisher sufficient to replace each size extinguisher required on equipment shall be safely stored in the fire toolbox or other agreed upon place on the project area that is protected and readily available.

4. Spark Arresters and Mufflers Each internal combustion engine shall be equipped with a spark arrester meeting either (1) USDA Forest Service Standard 5100-1a, or (2) appropriate Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) recommended practice J335(b) and J350(a) as now or hereafter amended unless it is:

(1) Equipped with a turbine-driven exhaust supercharger such as the turbocharger. There shall be no exhaust bypass.

(2) A passenger-carrying vehicle or light truck, or medium truck up to 40,000 GVW, used on roads and equipped with a factory-designed muffler complete with baffles and an exhaust system in good working condition.

(3) A heavy-duty truck, such as a dump or log truck, or other vehicle used for commercial hauling, used only on roads and equipped with a factory designed muffler and with a vertical stack exhaust system extending above the cab. Exhaust equipment described in this subsection, including spark arresters and mufflers, will be properly installed and constantly maintained in serviceable condition.

5. Emergency Fire Precautions The Contractor shall restrict operations in accordance with the Industrial Fire Precaution Level found at http://www.oregon.gov/ODF/Fire/Documents/IFPLs.pdf. The Forest Service may change the Industrial Fire Precaution Levels to other values upon revision of the National Fire Danger Rating System and may change the specific Industrial Fire Precaution Levels when such changes are necessary for the protection of the National Forest. When sent to the Contractor, the revised Industrial Fire Precaution Levels will supersede the levels found at the website stated above.

SECTION 6 POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARDS

6.1 Information furnished or referred to below is for the Contractor's information. The Government shall not be responsible for any interpretation of or conclusion drawn from the information, by the Contractor. This information listed shall not be deemed to be all inclusive. The Contractor shall bear the sole responsibility for taking all appropriate actions necessary to prevent accidents and injuries to individuals at the worksite.

6.2 Contractor’s Operations shall facilitate Forest Service’s safe and practical inspection of Contractor’s Operations and conduct of other official duties on Contract Area.

Contractor has all responsibility for compliance with safety requirements for Contractor's employees. If a conflict develops between the requirements of this contract or agreed upon methods of proceeding hereunder and State or Federal safety requirements, the contract shall be modified, and Contractor may request an equitable adjustment.

6.3 On the Detroit Ranger District Boulder Project, some of the Boulder stands burned at a low intensity in 2020. Contractors will need to be alert for overhead hazards and hazardous conditions such as high winds, falling snags or rolling debris. Danger tree removal may be occurring on access routes. COR will provide details regarding potential delays at the Post award meeting.

SECTION 7 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA

7.1 AGAR 452.215-73 POST AWARD CONFERENCE (NOV 1996)

A post award conference with the successful offeror is required. It will be scheduled and held within 15 days after the date of contract award. The conference will be held at the Middle Fork Ranger Station.

7.2 DESIGNATION OF CONTRACTING OFFICER’S REPRESENTATIVE

The Contracting Officer designates the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR).

The COR is responsible for administering the performance of work under this contract. In no way, however, will any understanding, agreement, modification, change order, or other matter deviating from the terms of this contract be effective or binding upon the Government unless formalized by proper contractual documents executed by the Contracting Officer prior to completion of the contract.

The Contracting Officer should be informed as soon as possible of any actions or inactions by the Contractor or the Government, which will change the required delivery or completion times stated in the contract, and the contract will be modified accordingly.

(This does not apply to individual task assignments which were issued by the COR provided they do not affect the delivery schedule or performance period stated in the contract.)

On all matters that pertain to the contract terms the Contractor must communicate with the Contracting Officer. Whenever, in the opinion of the Contractor, the COR requests effort outside the scope of the contract, the Contractor should so advise the COR. If the COR persists and there still exists a disagreement as to proper contractual coverage, the Contracting Officer should be notified immediately, preferably in writing if time permits.

Proceeding with work without proper contractual coverage could result in nonpayment or necessitate submittal of a contract claim.

7.3 CONTRACTOR’S REPRESENTATIVE

The Government may, at its option, suspend work with full count of contract time continuing, if the Contractor fails to provide a Contractor's Representative (1) conversant in the English language and (2) able to read and understand the contract.

7.4 SUPERVISION

The Contractor shall arrange for satisfactory supervision of the contract work. The Contractor or one of its supervisors will be available at all times, when the contract work is in progress, to receive notices, reports, or requests from the Contracting Officer or COR. The Contractor shall provide in writing to the COR at least five (5) days prior to the contract starting date the names, telephone numbers, and addresses of on-site supervisors. The term “on-site supervisor”, “alternate on-site supervisor”, “superintendent”, or “Contractor Representative” means a person designated in writing by the Contractor who has the authority to act for the Contractor on a day- to-day basis at the work site and to accept and sign for notices of deductions, inspection reports, and all other correspondence on behalf of the Contractor.

7.5 USE OF PREMISES

a. The Contractor shall comply with the regulations governing the operation of premises that are occupied and shall perform its contract in such a manner as not to interrupt or interfere with the conduct of Government business.

b. Before any camp is opened or operated on National Forest land or lands administered by the Forest Service, the Contractor will request permission (in writing) from the COR. A camp is interpreted to include the campsite or trailer parking area of any employee working on the project for the Contractor. If permission is granted, a camping permit will be issued.

c. It is further stipulated that in addition to cleaning up of any campsites, the Contractor shall remove its equipment from National Forest land before final acceptance and payment of the project.

7.6 PROPERTY AND PERSONAL DAMAGE

a. The Contractor shall use every precaution necessary to prevent damage to public and private property. Land monuments and property markers shall not be disturbed until the Contracting Officer, or his/her representative, has witnessed or otherwise referenced their location and directed their removal.

b. The Contractor shall protect from damage all existing improvements and utilities (1) at or near the work site, and (2) 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 repair any damage to those facilities, including those that are the property of a third party, resulting from failure to comply with the requirements of this contract or failure to exercise reasonable care in performing the work. If the Contractor fails or refuses to repair the damage promptly, the Contracting Officer may have the necessary work performed and charge the cost to the Contractor.

7.7 TRASH AND REFUSE MATERIAL

Contractor shall remove all of its own trash and refuse from the contract area. Material to be removed includes, but is not limited to: chemical containers, used engine oil, oil filters, oil cans, grease cartridges, camp refuse such as tin cans, paper garbage, etc. All placement of sanitary facilities will require prior approval of the Contracting Officer.

7.8 PAYMENT

Payment will be authorized once the work is inspected and accepted

7.9 INVOICE PROCESSING PLATFORM

The "Submit Invoice-to" address for USDA orders is the Department of Treasury's Invoice Processing Platform (IPP). The contractor must follow the instructions on how to register and submit invoices via IPP as prescribed in the previous communications from USDA and Treasury. All invoices are to be submitted via the electronic Invoice Processing Platform. This is a mandatory requirement initiated by the U.S. Department of Treasury and you can find more information at this website:

https://www.ipp.gov/index.htm.

Please make sure that your company has registered at https://www.ipp.gov/vendors/enrollment-vendors.htm to establish your account.

https://www.ipp.gov/index.htm https://www.ipp.gov/vendors/enrollment-vendors.htm