Statement_of_Work.pdf

Indiana Dunes National Park Porter, IN

STATEMENT OF WORK:

Tree Management Service

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

INTERIOR REGIONS 3, 4, 5

OHIO MAJOR ACQUISITION BUYING OFFICE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section Description Page

1. Objective & Location 2

2. General 2 - 3

3. Professional Qualifications 3 - 4

4. Scope of Work 4 - 5

5. Safety 5 - 6

6. Pollution & Erosion Control 6

7. Special Requirements 6

8. Schedule 6 - 7

9. Deliverables 7

10. Inspection/Acceptance 7

1.0 OBJECTIVE AND LOCATION

A. This project will consist of tree maintenance to include takedowns and pruning in areas within Indiana Dune National Park by a service contract. This service contract will include a base year with up to four additional option years to be exercised at the discretion of the Park.

2.0 GENERAL

A. Trees to be taken down or pruned will be identified in the field by NPS personnel prior to contractor arrival.

B. Any additional tree or debris removal incidental to felling a tagged tree shall be included in the cost of felling the tagged tree.

C. Logs and branches:

a) Chips will be removed unless otherwise directed by the COR.

D. Stumps:

a) If stump grinding is required for a particular tree removal, grind all stumps in accordance with industry best practice.

E. Trees that overhang Roads: Branches hanging over roads will be cut back to a height of no less than 13.5 feet above the ground.

F. Trees that overhang Sidewalks and Trails: Branches hanging over sidewalks and trails will be cut back to a height of no less than 10 feet above the ground.

G. All hung tree limbs must be placed on the ground as soon as possible but no later than by the end of each workday.

H. All roads and sidewalks must be left clear of cut stems and branches.

I. Climbing spikes shall not be worn.

J. Vehicles: No vehicles shall be permitted to travel over or park within the area generally defined by the canopy of a tree, except if the tree is to be removed and/or if a bucket truck is the only safe means to treat a tree. The root zone of neighboring trees which are not being treated shall not be traveled over. Load distribution matting may be used.

K. Access to certain areas with large equipment is at the discretion of the Contracting Officer’s

Representative (COR) or Technical Expert on site.

L. All workers to comply with Federal, State, and Local safety requirements.

M. The Contractor is responsible for ground rehabs such as rutting and turf damage.

N. The Contractor shall not permit heavy equipment or vehicles or the stockpiling of heavy materials off hard surface roads without the expressed permission of the COR. Limited activity may take place, within the root protection area, with the expressed permission of the COR, only in areas determined to be safe from excessive damage. The root protection area is defined as an area equal to a radius of 1.5 feet for each inch of diameter at breast height (DBH) (i.e., a 10-inch DBH tree will have a root protection area equal to 15 feet from the main trunk in all directions). Any damage resulting from such operations shall be repaired to original condition or to the satisfaction of the COR, at no additional cost to the Government.

O. The Contractor will be held responsible for any damages to, and for maintenance and protection of existing structures and utilities.

P. The Contractor shall preserve and protect all existing vegetation such as trees, shrubs, and grass areas (on or adjacent to removed trees) that do not reasonably interfere with work. The Contractor shall be responsible for all unauthorized cutting or damage to trees and shrubs, including damage due to careless operation of equipment, stockpiling of materials, or tracking of grass and other surfaced areas by equipment. Such damaged areas or materials shall be restored, repaired, or replaced by the Contractor at no additional cost to the Government.

Q. Pneumatic tires are a requirement, and pavement protection for vehicles over 10,000gvw is required in sensitive areas (2' rigid foam with two layers of ¾" plywood). Sensitive areas are defined by Historical value and environmental conditions, underground utilities, paths, and walkways.

R. The Contractor will be required to furnish all labor, materials, and equipment for cleanup and restoration of all disturbed areas or features damaged during the course of this contract.

3.0 PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

A. All work shall be under the on-site direction and supervision of a Board-Certified Master Arborist who possesses verifiable experience and technical competence in tree physiology, identification, diagnosis of disorders, and current tree care and safety practices in accordance with accepted industry standards. The Arborist shall be the primary contact with the Government's COR or Technical Expert on-site. It shall be responsible for directing work in the field, controlling the quality of work, and inspecting all completed work to ensure that contract performance requirements are met.

B. All tree workers shall, through verifiable related training and on the job experience, be familiar with the technical aspects and hazards of tree maintenance work and equipment used in such operations. All tree workers shall abide by any code of ethics or professional conduct established by the Tree Care Industry Association and the International Society of Arboriculture.

4.0 SCOPE OF WORK

A. Definitions

1) Felling/Removal: the felling of a tree and disposal of any logs, branches, and other debris in accordance with requirements set forth in this Scope of Work. Trees shall be felled only when there is an adequate felling area at least equal in radius to the tree's height.

2) Pruning: removing dead, dying, diseased, interfering, objectionable, weakly attached, or low vigor branches, one-half inch in diameter and greater, not taking more than 25% of live foliage.

Dead wood greater than 1 foot in length shall be removed regardless of diameter. Pruning also includes the removal of adventitious (sucker) branches and anything else that will improve the quality of the tree.

3) Developed Area: Including up to ten feet beyond the outer edge of any structure or group of structures; roadway, or trail, or commonly used, maintained grounds including but not limited to picnic areas and historic settings used for education purposes. Developed Areas are all accessible by bucket truck.

4) Storm Damaged Tree: A tree which has been blown over either in full or in part, or that has a significant structural defect, damage, or lean as a result of a storm.

5) At-Risk Tree: A dead tree (dead longer than two years) or a live tree with a recognizable and significant structural defect, damage, or lean that is in the proximity of a high-use or relatively high-use public area and which presents a risk to people or property.

B. Description of Types

1) Tree Felling or Removal

a) All logs, branches, and debris from felled trees within a developed area shall be removed from the developed area. No logs or other parts of a tree at risk shall remain suspended above the ground.

b) Trees that cannot be felled due to proximity of the roadways, buildings, structures, utilities, and/or lack of an adequate felling area shall be topped and/or a section.

c) The Contractor is responsible for taking all precautions to ensure that the tree will fall where desired. If a tree cannot be felled safely in one piece, the tree shall be topped and/or a section.

d) The Contractor shall take all reasonable precautions to avoid damaging surrounding vegetation, lawn areas, monuments, and utilities (irrigation) and prevent gouging and erosion of soils as a result of tree removal operations.

e) The Contractor shall, on the same day the tree is removed, chip all materials, and remove all remaining wood and debris from the Park and dispose of legally off-site unless approved otherwise by the COR. Removal from the Park and disposal is the responsibility of the Contractor.

f) All stumps shall be cut to a height not to exceed 2” from grade unless directed otherwise by the COR.

g) All cut stump surfaces will be treated with a systemic herbicide like Garlon or Roundup at the proper concentration for woody plants. Cut-stump herbicide application must take place within 4 hours of tree removal.

h) When stump grinding is indicated, the Contractor shall make every effort to minimize any soil disturbance around the stump.

2) Takedown of At-Risk or Storm Damaged Trees

a) The Contractor will respond to storm-damaged trees within 24 hours of being called.

b) All logs, branches, and debris from felled trees within a developed area shall be removed from the developed area. No logs or other parts of a tree at risk shall remain suspended above the ground.

3) Tree Pruning

a) All logs, branches, and debris from trees pruned within a developed area shall be removed from the developed area. No logs or other parts of a tree at risk shall remain suspended above the ground.

b) The work to be performed under this section shall include pruning trees in accordance with the American National Standard for Arboricultural Operations Pruning, Repairing, Maintaining and Removing Trees and Cutting Brush – Safety Requirements – ANSI Z133.1-2017.

c) Trees shall be pruned to maintain and/or improve health and structure and shall include each of the following pruning types:

1. Hazard Reduction: Shall consist of removing all visible hazards with potential for damage to property or personal injury. Removal shall include but is not limited to deadwood, heavy or weak horizontal branches, and weak crotches. Weak crotches are defined as split or rotted wood between two trunks of limbs that may break and fall during high wind.

2. Crown Cleaning: Shall consist of removing dead, dying, diseased, interfering, objectionable weakly attached, and low vigor branches. All dead wood greater than 2 feet in length shall be removed regardless of diameter. An occasional branch of up to one inch may remain within the main leaf area, which is not practical to remove.

Climbing hooks shall not be worn for tree pruning.

5.0 SAFETY

A. The Contractor shall be responsible for employee and visitor safety on the worksite and shall establish an effective accident prevention program and provide a safe environment for all personnel and visitors. Report to the COR all accidents or injuries that occur. Place all required protective barriers and take all necessary measures to ensure unauthorized persons do not enter the worksite. Assure there are no hazards to park visitors during the execution of the work.

B. EMERGENCY INSTRUCTIONS: Post telephone numbers and reporting instructions for ambulance, physician, hospital, fire department, and police in conspicuous locations at the worksite.

C. ACCIDENT REPORTING: Notify COR immediately in the event of a reportable accident. A reportable accident is defined as death, occupational disease, traumatic injury to employees or the public, property damage by accident over $100, and fires. Within 7 days of a reportable accident, fill out and forward to the Contracting Officer a DI-134 form, which may be obtained from Contracting Officer. The Contractor shall report all other accidents to the Contracting Officer as soon as possible and assist the Contracting Officer and other officials as required in the accident investigation

D. The safety of visitors is of the utmost importance. The Contractor will adequately cordon off each work area. At the COR's discretion, work areas may be required to be fenced off completely with orange safety fence.

E. HARD HATS AND SAFETY VESTS AND PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT: All construction areas in Indiana Dune National Park are deemed Hard Hat and Safety Vest areas. The Contractor shall post the hard hat area, and it is the Contractor's responsibility to require all those working on or visiting the site to wear hard hats, safety vest, and other necessary protective equipment at all times.

F. The Contractor shall provide, erect, and maintain all necessary barricades, danger signals, detours, and other signs and take all the required precautions to protect the work and safety of the public.

G. No uncompleted work or debris shall be left on sidewalks traveled way or on roadway shoulders overnight or on weekends that present a hazard to the public.

6.0 POLLUTION AND EROSION CONTROL

A. During all operations under this contract, the Contractor shall exercise reasonable measures to prevent or minimize soil erosion and pollution of water and other resources. All refuse, including garbage, rubbish, and solid or liquid wastes from the Contractor's operations, shall be collected and stored in a sanitary, nuisance-free manner and disposed of in a State-approved sanitary landfill or as approved by the Contracting Officer.

B. Oil from crankcases or gearboxes, equipment waste or spilled or excess fuel shall be placed in containers and removed from the worksite and disposed of as approved and required by Federal, State, and Local laws.

7.0 SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

A. The Contractor, their employees, equipment, and materials may be subject to search by Law Enforcement when working in secure areas or on any Federal property within the Park.

8.0 SCHEDULE

A. Work is to be performed between 7 am and 3 pm, Monday through Friday. No work is to be performed on Saturday or Sunday or federally recognized holidays (unless otherwise authorized by the Contracting Officer’s Representative 72 Hours ahead of the date of work).

B. Period of Performance is for one year from contract award, plus the option years if exercised.

C. Work must begin within 24 hours of call-out. Due to the nature of storm damage, the Contractor will be allowed to work Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal Holidays, at no extra cost to the Government.

D. Once the Contractor begins work on a specific effort (i.e., tree removal), they are expected to be on the job site each workday until that effort is complete, weather permitting.

E. Work shall be scheduled and arranged so as not to interfere with normal activities of the Park, particularly Ranger-led tours scheduled at various hours of the day at various locations throughout the Park or any special tours or visiting groups. Advanced notice will be given to the Contractor if a conflict is expected to divert from a prearranged schedule. Any plant debris, personnel, or equipment that would interfere with any NPS sponsored or NPS permitted activity or event shall be removed prior to the activity. If at any time, the COR determines that the work is unsatisfactory or is being conducted in an unsafe manner, the Contractor will be notified and shall immediately cease all work activities.

9.0 DELIVERABLES

A. Within five days of award, the Contractor shall provide the following;

1) Proof of Arborist Certification

2) Proof of employee certification and training

3) Job or Activity Hazard Analysis

4) Proof of current vehicle registration and inspection

5) Proof of contingency in meeting the 24-hour requirement

10.0 INSPECTION/ACCEPTANCE

A. The NPS reserves the right to conduct any inspection it may deem necessary prior to acceptance and approval of payment to assure that all work conforms to the Statement of Work and any applicable standards, regulations, or laws.