Statement Of Work Delaware Complex.pdf

STATEMENT OF WORK

Phragmities Control via Aerial (helicopter) Herbicide Spraying at

Delaware Coastal Refuge Complex

Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge, Milton, DE

Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge, Smyrna, DE

This is a non-personal services contract order for the aerial application via helicopter of the herbicide Aqua Neat (or approved equal) on to UP TO 1,020 acres of land within the Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge (NWR; 520 acres) and Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge (500 acres) boundaries. Maps showing potential treatment areas are attached.

The Contractor shall provide all personnel, labor (e.g., herbicide application), equipment, supplies, (e.g., chemicals, herbicides, surfactant, water), transportation, tools, materials, supervision, and other non-personal services necessary to perform the requirements of this contract order and shall plan, schedule, coordinate, and ensure effective performance of required services for the entire duration of the contract.

Herbicide will only be applied to land which are currently owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and State of Delaware’s Division of Fish and Wildlife. Start date from August 03, 2020, through September 04, 2020 and this is a firm-fixed price commercial contract.

The objective of this contract will be for the Contractor to provide aerial herbicide treatment to over 90% of Phragmities within the designated polygons. The work will involve mixing Aqua Neat (or approved equal) herbicide labeled for wetland use with drift control agent and non-ionic surfactant to certain specifications (i.e., 4 oz of active ingredient/acre) and applying the mixture aerially via a helicopter. The USFWS's Contracting Officer's Representative will provide details concerning specific plot location acres for spraying. The vendor will be responsible for application and all chemicals for the work conducted at Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge and Bombay Hook NWR.

Contractor must comply 100% with the agreed-upon plan of work. Method of treatment will be by air via helicopter. Aerial application of chemicals must be at the appropriate rate suggested by the manufacturer and in accordance with the product label. The Contractor must have a current State of Delaware Pesticide Applicator license and an aquatic applicator endorsement. The Contractor must comply with all EPA, FAA, OSHA, and other Federal, State and Local Government statutes and regulations while performing the services stated in this Statement of Work.

Contractor must have past experience aerial spraying in tidal wetlands and demonstrated capability to distinguish Phragmities from native tidal vegetation (e.g. Spartina cynosuroides and/or Tall-form Spartina alterniflora ).

The Contractor will provide USFWS with contact information for all personnel, and vehicle, equipment, and aerial aircraft identification information. All Contractor personnel involved in performing this contract as well as the equipment used will be appropriately licensed and certified for the work to be done as stated in this Statement of Work. The Contractor is responsible for the repair or replacement of any faulty or sub-standard equipment to be used during herbicide application and will notify Refuge personnel within 48 hours of discovery of necessary repair or replacement.

The Contracting Officer's Representative for the contract order and/or the Refuge Project Manager can/shall be able to halt spraying at any time, if necessary. Weather conditions will be monitored by the Contractor's aircraft pilot prior to each spraying event. Spraying may be prohibited by USFWS personnel when environmental conditions (e.g., wind, temperature, humidity) are not within the herbicide label application parameters. The contractor will contact the Contracting Officer's Representative for the contract order and/or the Refuge Project Manager 48 hours prior to spraying to verify that the timing of application will not adversely impact use of the refuge or prior planned activities.

The Contractor shall be responsible for collecting the following data for the Refuge Project Manager: spraying date, spray tracklines (output from navigational computer preferred), chemical use report detailing herbicide rates/volume, and weather conditions during spray event.

This data will be used to verify that all agreed upon locations have been sprayed, with sufficient overlap and coverage. This data will be provided within 48 hours after the application days. The Contracting Officer's Representative will accept that 100% of required and agreed upon polygons have been sprayed within 48 hours of submission. The contractor will be required to reapply to locations that have be missed after the Contracting Officer's Representative review.

The efficacy of the spraying will be verified by assessing the effectiveness of the application by an inspection two weeks post-application to verify the Phragmities stands are showing signs of exposure (i.e. yellowing and curling of the leaves).

All quotes are to be submitted on a “per acre" unit-price basis. Note that the payment will be made only for actual acres treated which are agreed upon between the Contractor and the Contracting Officer's Representative prior to commencement of spraying operations.