SOW_Statement of Work_Upper Verde Fence.pdf

UPPER VERDE RIVER WS RESTORATION FENCE AND REMOVAL PROJECT

Chino Valley Ranger District

Prescott National Forest

STATEMENT OF WORK

GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS

The Chino Valley Ranger District has a requirement for the replacing of .5 miles of livestock fence and the removal of 1.57 miles of existing electric wire and four strand barbed wire fence. Note:

Fence lengths are based on measuring fences on a map and do not account for elevation changes.

Contract awards will be based on map mileage only.

Weather conditions can change quickly, particularly during the summer monsoon period of July, August and September, powerful thunderstorms can bring sudden heavy rain that can lead to flash flooding of canyons and washes. Multiple ground strikes from lightning are common. There is the potential for contractors to have to work around seasonal area restrictions for fire events.

FENCE CONSTRUCTION LOCATION (see attached maps)

The project is located on the Chino Valley Ranger District (Prescott NF), North of the town of Chino Valley, AZ. Access to each fence location is provided below.

1. West Bear/Verde Ranch Fence Removal

Access to this site: From Highway 89 in Paulden, head East on County Rd 137 (Verde Ranch Rd)

9.4 miles to locked Forest Service gate (access will be granted by FS personnel).

• .75 miles of electric and barbed wire fence roll up and removal

2. West Bear/Tri Canyon Fence Replacing and Removal

Access to this site: From Highway 89 in Paulden, head East on County Rd 137 (Verde Ranch Rd)

7.9 miles, head east on Forest Road 9087K 3.5 miles. Access to fence will require packing in/out materials less than a half mile from the road.

• .5 miles fence re-construction, 4 strand (top 3 wires barbed and the bottom wire smooth) to Forest Service Standards, pasture fence used to contain and manage cattle distribution

• .82 miles of electric and barbed wire fence roll up and removal

• Gate and H brace locations and quantities on map are approximate

• 600 ft of right of way clearing

StaceyPhillips Cross-Out

SCOPE OF WORK

Furnish all labor, equipment (including all necessary personnel protection equipment), supplies (as specified), transportation and supervision necessary to perform all work for reconstructing approximately .5 miles of barbed wire fence of 4-strand, barbed and smooth wire fence in accordance with the specifications herein, clearing of the fence right of way along with the roll up and removal of

1.57 miles of existing barbed wire and electric fence. One wire gate and three self closing pedestrian gates will be installed where there are existing gates in the existing fence(Tri Canyon Location) . Design for pedestrian gate must be submitted to FS prior to installation for approval. The reconstructed fence must be built to wildlife specifications as per the Prescott National Forest range management prescription.

All fencing materials will be supplied by the contractor. There is road access to the Verde Ranch fence removal project however, the Tri Canyon fence project will require packing in/out materials and equipment less then a half mile from the road to the start of the fencing due to difficult terrain (see parking area identified on map). The contractor is encouraged to reuse any T-posts from the old fence that are of acceptable or better quality. The contractor shall be responsible for timely delivery of all required fence material as each section is constructed. Excess construction material and old fencing material shall be removed completely off Forest Service lands by the contractor as work progresses. Old, unusable fence material must be transported by the Contractor to a center of their choosing to be recycled in an appropriate and approved manner. No unused materials, old or new, shall remain anywhere along the fence line after work is completed. An exception to this is leaving t-posts that are in good condition at location identified by Range staff for future maintenance needs on fence. All equipment will be washed and cleaned prior to construction to minimize spread of non-native seed sources.

Contractor must provide all fire safety equipment on motorized vehicles at all times. At a minimum vehicles must be equipped with an axe, shovel and fire extinguisher.

For the currently identified projects on the Prescott National Forest the typical terrain is on varying topography ranging from open grasslands to mountainous terrain, stretches of continuous rock or bedrock are present. The following schedules further define the scope of work for this contract.

1) Contractor will construct approximately .5 miles of new fence as identified on provided maps

2) Contractor will roll up and remove from Forest Service Lands approximately 1.77 miles of fence

3) Contractor will conduct fence right of way clearing on 600 feet of fence

FENCE MATERIAL SPECIFICATIONS

ALL FENCE MATERIALS REQUIRE MADE IN USA

T-Posts

Steel posts shall be a minimum of 6 ft. in length, weighing at least 7.99 lbs and shall be T-pattern 1-3/8

in. x 1-3/8 in. x 1/8 in. T-posts shall have anchor plates, weighing not less than 1.33 pounds per foot of length, ASTM certified

Barb Wire

2 strand, 12.5 gauge wire with 2 pt., Class I, 5 in. barb spacing

Smooth Wire

2 strand, 12.5 gauge wire, Class I

Tie Wire

Tie wire for attaching fence wires to posts shall be 14 gauge galvanized steel and American made

Wood Stays

Juniper wood stays, straight as possible with diameter of 1.5 inch to 2 inch diameter and 48 inches in length

Wood Post Fence Braces (if used)

Wood posts for braces must be at least 6” diameter at the small end, and 8’ long. Use horizontal braces of at least 4” diameter and 6” long. Wood should be treated or of native juniper.

Measurements are inside bark if using juniper.

Angle Iron Fence Braces (if used)

Braces: 2 in. x 2 in. x ¼ in. x 7 feet, green paint

Posts: 2.5 in. x 2.5 in.x ¼ in. 7 feet, w/ bolts, green paint

Steel Pipe for Braces (if used)

2.5 in. nominal size standard steel pipe (used pipe)

2 in. nominal size standard steel pipe (new pipe)

CONTRACTOR-FURNISHED SERVICES AND PROPERTY

The contractor shall be responsible for furnishing all labor, equipment to build fence, fence material, transportation, and miscellaneous supplies (contractor shall supply concrete for angle iron posts) necessary to complete the project in conformance with the specifications.

SITE INFORMATION

The route of the new fence lines shall correspond to the maps provided and must follow the existing fence lines. The fence lines will extend over varying topography, including drainages and steep slopes.

There are no roads directly paralleling the existing fence line construction areas (See Project maps).

The existing roads can be used to transport supplies, and may be utilized as drop points for equipment, and personnel. The contractor shall accept all responsibility for damage to any vehicles or equipment, used in completion of the work. The Contracting Officer will approve the method of transportation of equipment, supplies, and personnel at the pre-work meeting prior to starting work.

PRE-WORK MEETING

Before work is begun, the Contracting Officer (CO) and/or the Project Inspector (PI) will contact the contractor and mutually agree on a meeting date and location to discuss the contract terms, work performance requirements, and the contractor's plans for conducting the work. A work progress schedule will be developed at the pre-work meeting to insure completion of all work within the contract performance period. The contractor's campsite location, if any, will be discussed and approved before the contractor may set up camp. The contractor's transportation plan must be discussed and approved before work begins.

PROTECTION AND SAFETY MEASURES

The contractor shall take precaution to protect all work and employees during the construction period and shall provide and maintain adequate precautions during severe weather conditions. Electrical storms and flash flooding are predictable hazards in the summer months. Care should be taken as well to prevent damage to the work or theft of the materials.

PAYROLLS, INSPECTION, AND PROGRESS PAYMENTS

The contractor is required by the Davis Bacon Act to submit certified payrolls to the Contracting Officer every 14 days.

The contractor may also submit an invoice for progress payments every two weeks; however, before the payment may be processed, the PI must inspect and accept any work billed by the contractor.

Unless there are extenuating circumstances, invoices should be submitted only for completed work that is ½ of a mile or more in length. The contractor shall notify the PI at least 3 days in advance of a desired inspection of completed work.

A preliminary quality assurance inspection will be conducted by the government as soon as possible after the first ¼ mile of fence is constructed for the project. In any case, the contractor shall not continue with fence construction until the first ¼ mile of completed work has been inspected, and if necessary, corrected. Work for the remainder of the project may be suspended until acceptance by the government of the first ¼ mile of constructed fence line.

Accordingly, the government, if notified by the contractor 3 days prior to the anticipated completion of the first ¼ mile of fence, shall conduct the preliminary quality assurance inspection in a timely manner so as not to unnecessarily delay the contractor.

PERFORMANCE PERIOD

Starts 7 days after award - ends no later than 12/31/2024

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

A. EXISTING FENCE ROLL UP AND REMOVAL

All identified existing fence lines shall be rolled up and removed. Fence removal is a mix of electric wire fencing and 4 strand barbed wire fencing. Items to be removed include wire, t-posts, h-braces, and all other associated fencing materials/components on identified fence sections. Save all insulators and wire tensioners on electric fence and return to Chino Valley FS office. Do not haul t-posts out that are in good condition and may be re-used for future fence maintenance, leave on site or utilize good functioning t-posts in new fence construction. Range staff will identify location to place re-usable t-posts.

B. FENCE CONSTRUCTION SPECIFICATIONS

1. MATERIALS:

a. Wood posts and stays may be cut on the National forest. Cutting of posts and stays requires a free-use permit, valid for each calendar year, issued at the District

Office. Limbs left from cutting must be lopped to within 18 inches of the ground, and scattered.

b. Unused material, such as the end of wire rolls, broken clips, etc. may not be left or buried on the National forest.

2. FIRE SAFETY: Machinery use may be curtailed in times of extreme fire danger.

3. POSTS: Heavy-duty steel line posts are encouraged. Normal spacing of posts is 20 feet.

a. Straddle jacks of juniper or treated posts may be used in areas where steel posts are impractical so long as more than 7 consecutive ones are not used. Jack spacing shall be the same as post spacing.

b. Live juniper trees may occasionally be used in lieu of posts, per diagram, if directly on line and protected from damage as described in below in #4, Braces.

4. BRACES: Braces or live juniper at least 18 inches in diameter at the ground, are required every 1320 feet (1/4 mile) or at turns in the fence. Try to avoid turns over or under 90 degrees as they are weaker than a right angle turn. Turns require 5 post corner braces or a live juniper tree of at least 18 inches in diameter at ground.

a. Trees used for turns or braces require protection from bark damage and wire girdling.

To prevent damage and allow room for growth, protective green limbs, etc. of at least

2 inches or up to 4 inches in diameter must be placed around the trunk before wire is tied off. Juniper is the preferred species for protective green limbs.

b. Wood corner braces are strongest if wood posts are at least 6 inches in diameter at the small end, and 8 foot long. Use horizontal braces of at least 4 inches in diameter and 6 foot long. These sizes assure strength for your brace sections; the brace sections are the foundation of a good fence. Wood should be treated or of native juniper.

Measurements are inside bark if using juniper.

c. We encourage post holes for wood braces and gates to be at least 36” deep. Posts are best set vertically with the straight side of each post to be toward the wire. Fill of rock and dirt need to be firmly compacted in shallow layers so that posts are firm and do not move when wire is stretched.

5. GATES: Wire gate shall be built to the attached specifications at identified locations on map

ONLY where established trail and roads cross the fence. Stays in gates are best at about 4 foot long by 3 inches diameter and no more than 3 feet apart. Closing loops need to be smooth wire and capable of being closed with moderate effort to encourage people to do so.

“Cheater bars” are encouraged if you’ve built a difficult gate. Pedestrian gates need to be constructed out of steel with a one-way, self closing steel spring system designed for heavy use. The maximum width for the pedestrian gate is 6 feet. Design for pedestrian gate must be submitted to FS prior to installation for approval.

6. WATERGAPS and DEPRESSION CROSSINGS: watergaps shall be built approximately as shown in attached specifications. The construction of watergaps will require the builder to use his/her best judgement to make each installation functional. Prior to implementation watergap design must be submitted to FS for review/approval. See Exhibit 7.

7. WIRE INSTALLATION: wire spacing is shown in attached illustrations. The top and bottom height, and the spacing between the top two wires are each key to wildlife safety. All wire is best when tightly installed, while considering expansion and contraction resulting from temperature variation. No more than ¼ mile shall be installed at once. See Exhibit 3 for wire spacing specifications.

Wire Spacing

Standard 4-Wire 18"- 24"- 34"- 44"

Bottom Wire (Type)

Smooth

All portions of fence re-constructed or maintained must have a smooth bottom wire installed.

Wire Attachment

Fence wires shall be firmly attached to the anchor post on each end of a fence section by double wrapping the wire around the anchor post and tying it off. Wires shall be attached to all line posts using staples, tie wires, or manufactured wire fasteners of good quality.

Tie Wires

Tie wires for attaching fence wires to posts shall be 16 gauge or heavier galvanized steel.

Wire Splicing

When splicing of wire is necessary, either the “Western Union” or “loop splice” is acceptable.

Western Union Splice

Loop Splice

8. STAYS: three stays shall be evenly spaced between posts per diagram. Juniper stays (1.5-2 inch x 48 inch minimum size) are best and improved durability against pressure from snow, fallen trees, and or wildlife crossings. Wood stays are best tied to the fence with galvanized stay wire using a double wrap around the wire to prevent up-and-down or sideways movement.

C. RIGHT OF WAY CLEARING

1. Fence right of way can be cleared up to an 8-foot wide clearing of brush (approx. 4 foot on each side), dead trees which are under 12 inch diameter at breast height shall be felled prior to construction.

a. Scatter all brush and tree material away from the fence location, do not pile material.

D. Maps for Project Location:

• West Bear/Verde Ranch Fence Removal

• West Bear/Tri Canyon Fence Construction and Removal

• Location Map

The attached exhibits are Forest Service suggested applications and solutions and should be utilized where appropriate. Deviations from these suggested applications are negotiable; however, any deviations not approved by the government prior to beginning work are subject to re-working or correction at no expense to the government should the unapproved deviation prove inadequate or inappropriate.

Exhibit 1

Exhibit 2

Exhibit 3

Exhibit 4

Exhibit 5

Exhibit 6

Exhibit 7

Water Gaps

Where the fence crosses a drainage more than 40 feet wide, end bracing shall be installed on each side of the drainage. Water gap fence section materials shall equal the quality of the adjoining fence. They shall be assembled as a separate unit to protect the main fence from damage. The middle of the water gap fence wires shall be attached using lightweight wire or staples that will allow the water gap to break away from the end braces in a flood event without damaging the end braces and adjacent fence sections. Prior to installation submit design to Forest service for review and approval.

For deep narrow drainages, a separate fence section can be installed below the main fence. This separate fence section shall not be attached to the main fence.