SOW_Egan_Basin_and_Johnson_Spring_Lop_and_Scatter.docx

Nevada Bureau of Land Management Ely District Office Egan Basin and Johnson Spring Basin 2021 Units 5, 6, 8, 9 Lop, Scatter and Cut/Pile Statement of Work

I. GENERAL INFORMATION AND REQUIREMENTS

A. Description of Work

The contractor is responsible for furnishing all labor, equipment, supervision, transportation, supplies and materials to lop and scatter 1,528 acres (Unit 5, Unit 6, Unit 8 North, Unit 8 South, and Unit 9) of pinyon pine (Pinus monophyla) and Utah juniper (Juniperus osteosperma) trees. Leave areas and boundaries may be altered prior to implementation of the project to mitigate sensitive resource concerns that may reduce the acreage. The purpose of the project is to improve overall health and diversity of sagebrush communities, reduce fuel loading, improve wildlife habitat and other watershed values (e.g., soil stability and plant diversity).

1A. Work specifications applicable to all units are as follows:

· Lop and Scatter Lop and scatter treatments will be conducted within the treatment units specified within the attached maps. Boles shall be cut as close to the ground as possible with a target stump height of less than 6 inches (90% or more of stumps cut) and a maximum height of 12 inches (not to exceed 10% of the stumps cut). Slash shall be scattered with a maximum height 30 inches above ground level or the height of the surrounding shrubs (whichever is higher). Stumps shall be cut where there are no living branches, bark or other parts of the tree left attached. All pinyon and juniper within the units will be cut regardless of the height of the tree. Some units are very sparse and have young trees (less than 2 feet in height) growing. All of the pinyon and juniper trees must be removed. Any tree species other than pinyon and juniper shall be left standing. All standing dead trees will be lopped and left where they fall.

A requirement of no more than one live stem per acre remaining after treatment will be adhered to. Periodic inspection will be conducted to ensure the quality of the work does meet this standard and any unit that does not meet the standard will be requested to be reworked. The units will be randomly sampled during inspections by the government representative via a transect and communicated to the contractor. The sampled areas may involve portions of a unit and not the entire unit and will be at the discretion of the government representative. A minimum sample size of 3% will be adhered to with a sample size of 5% or more being the goal.

2A. Work Specific to Road Section, Units: 8 North, 8 South

· Units 8 North and South: Along the road section identified on Map 1e, all pinyon and juniper cut shall be piled within the road section. The remainder of unit 8 North and 8 South will use lop and scatter as described in work specification 1A.

· All Piles shall be placed off the road, but within the road section polygon identified on Map 1e. Piles should be up to 10 feet in diameter, and at least 6 to 8 feet high with needles and small limbs toward the bottom and larger boles on the top.

Contractors are to submit a single bid for each line item on a per acre basis using the table in Attachment 1.

Table 1 – Table of treatment units by line item, treatment and size.

(cut/pile in road section)

(cut/pile in road section)

It is the responsibility of the offeror to consider tree densities and terrain while developing and proposing a performance timeline for this project.

B. Unit Boundary/Work Layout The government will provide a map (georeferenced pdf) to the contractor with the unit boundaries (outside perimeter, islands). The government will provide shapefiles (for use with GIS software) of the project area boundary to the contractor. A map of the avoidance areas (archaeological sites; springs; structures, survey markers) will also be provided to the contractor. Survey markers disturbed or removed during operations shall be reset at the contractor’s expense. Range improvements or other physical structures damaged or removed during operation shall be repaired at the contractor’s expense.

C. Location and Access to Work Sites

The project area is located in White Pine County, State of Nevada. The project area is located within the Cherry Creek Range, specifically the Egan Basin and Johnson Spring Basin area (refer to attached Maps).

Access to the treatment area is along Highway 93. From Highway 93 there two access points to these basins and varying two track dirt roads within the project area. The project area is approximately 55 miles north of Ely, NV. It is advised that potential bidders become familiar with the access within the project area.

Although the roads are in good condition, four-wheel drive vehicles and ATVs/UTVs are recommended due to the potential for unexpected inclement weather conditions. Overland travel may be authorized by the BLM to access the units with ATV’s/UTV’s. This will be determined on a unit by unit basis, by the BLM.

The following legal land descriptions apply:

· Unit 5:

· Township 22 North Range 62 East Section 2, 3, 10, 11, 13, 14

· Unit 6:

· Township 22 North Range 62 East Section 10, 11, 14, 15, 21, 22, 27

· Unit 8 North:

· Township 24 North Range 61 East Section 36; Township 24 North Range 62 East Section 30, 31

· Unit 8 South:

· Township 23 North Range 61 East Section 1; Township 24 North Range 61 East Section 36; Township 24 N Range 62 East Section 31

· Unit 9:

· Township 24 North Range 62 East Section 29, 30, 31

D. Environmental Considerations

The project site shall be cleaned up, and all refuse removed to an approved landfill at the Contractor’s expense. The Contractor shall not disturb lands adjacent to the project site unless permission is granted by the appropriate federal agency. Existing access roads within the project area that are damaged by the Contractor shall be restored at the Contractor’s expense to the same condition they were in at the commencement of work. Stream channels, springs and other wet areas shall be avoided by vehicles and heavy equipment.

Vehicles and other equipment used for implementation of the project shall be washed to remove any vegetation and potential noxious weed and invasive species parts prior to beginning the work and following completion of the work. Timing restrictions are placed on work for all units to avoid disturbance to migratory birds, and other animals.

Timing restrictions: Wildlife timing restrictions are March 1 -July 1 when no work can be conducted.

E. Work Camp Camping will be allowed during project implementation only at sites approved by BLM in advance. All fire regulations and permits shall be followed. All garbage and refuse shall be removed from the camp site by the contractor at the time of camp abandonment. Final payment will be reserved subject to inspection of these sites by BLM and approval of site cleanup.

F. Work Schedule The work schedule shall be submitted at the pre-work conference and negotiated with the identified federal or state agency representatives. The work schedule may be modified if inclement weather conditions occur. The identified federal or state agency representatives shall be notified immediately by the Contractor of any changes in the original work schedule.

II. PROJECT MEETINGS

A. Pre-Work Conference

A pre-work conference will be held prior to the start of work, and within seven days of Contract award or as negotiated by the Government and Contractor. The purpose of the meeting will be to review the required work, project locations, project specifications, work schedule, payroll and payments and administrative provisions of the Contract. The Contractor and the persons responsible for coordination of the work shall be present at the meeting. The Contractor shall be prepared to summarize and explain procedures planned for the project.

B. Progress Meetings

Meetings may be called by either the Contracting Officer Representative or the Contractor. Meetings shall be held at the project site, or as determined by Contracting Officer Representative.

C. Final Inspection

The meeting shall be held at the project site, or as determined by the identified federal or state agency representatives. The Contractor shall notify the identified Contracting Officer Representative at least two (2) working days before the completion date, so the agency representatives can schedule a final inspection.

III. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED AND CONTRACTOR FURNISHED PROPERTY

A. Materials Furnished by the Contracting Agency

The Government will provide a map of the treatment area boundaries, along with electronic shapefiles or georeferenced PDFs of the treatment areas. The Contractor will be responsible for ensuring that they are within treatment boundaries by utilizing a GPS or other navigational device. The contractor may flag the boundaries of the unit at their discretion however, the contractor will be responsible for the removal of all flagging.

C. Equipment Furnished by the Contractor

The contractor shall be responsible for providing all labor, equipment, supervision, transportation, supplies and materials to complete the work described for the duration of the project. The Contractor shall also have a GPS unit (or similar device) capable of uploading electronic shapefiles or georeferenced maps, and displaying them so they can be followed by the Contractor’s personnel

IV. MEASUREMENT AND PAYMENT

A. Measurement of Payment

Work will be measured and paid for by the number of acres completed to specifications. Total area completed will be measured by a GPS unit. The measurement will be rounded up to the nearest whole acre. Billing and invoicing will be allowed on a bi-monthly basis. Area measurements required under this Contract will be measured on a horizontal plane.

B. Basis of Payment

Prices and payment will be full compensation for the work described in this section. Payment will be made under the following:

The identified Contracting Office Representative will make periodic inspections as a basis for progress payments and recommendations for adjustments in work quality. The Contractor or representative is encouraged to observe inspections at the time they are being made. Work performed according to the specifications will be considered acceptable for payment purposes.

V. PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

Period of performance for this work shall begin as soon as possible following the award of the contract. The end of the performance period would be one calendar year from the award of the contract. The Contractor shall be required to start and complete the treatment area within the performance time identified above or as otherwise negotiated during the pre-work conference, provided weather conditions permit. If inclement weather conditions should occur prior to the Contractor completing the project, the Contractor shall be issued a stop work order and the project shall be completed as soon as weather conditions permit.

Egan Basin, Flint Spring, and Johnson Spring Basin SOW Page 14 of 14