Table Mountain Grounds Maintenance SOW 2026v2.pdf

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

TABLE MOUNTAIN FIELD SITE GROUNDS MAINTENANCE SERVICES

For SITE BUILDINGS AND ROADS

U.S. Department of Commerce

1.0 BACKGROUND

The Table Mountain Field Site (TMFS), located north of Boulder, Colorado, in the heart of Boulder County, is a 1700-acre mesa that facilitates and enables numerous Federal and Commercial technology-oriented research, development, test, and evaluation activities that vary in length from a few weeks to several years. To facilitate these activities, there are several modestly sized buildings atop the mesa that serve as operating locations. The TMFS has been in operation for nearly 70 years and has restored itself from the farmed plots of the early 1900s to a somewhat recovered short-grass prairie. The TMFS requires general groundskeeping activities to maintain a presentable appearance, establish and maintain defensible spaces to mitigate wildland fire risks, reduce rodent and insect incursions, and provide general safety around each building, site entrance, roads, and other identified structures.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Institute of Telecommunication Sciences (ITS), located in Boulder, CO, as delegated by the Department of Commerce (DOC) Headquarters, serves as the party responsible for the overall stewardship of the TMFS. ITS is insufficiently staffed to accomplish the essential grounds maintenance and area remediation actions for the TMFS operational buildings, other structures, and roads as well as ensuring a pleasant aesthetic for staff and visitors.

Figure 1 is an illustration of the TMFS that identifies the buildings, sites, and structures to be serviced via this ground’s maintenance contract.

Figure 1. Representative drawing/illustration/image of the TMFS that includes the buildings, sites, and structures to be serviced via this ground’s maintenance contract.

2.0 OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this contract are to obtain grounds maintenance services to be performed at the Department of Commerce’s Table Mountain Field Site located just west of Longmont, CO 80503, through the use of mechanical and chemical means to manage desired vegetation, reduce or eliminate undesirable vegetation, reduce damage and decay from vegetation growing and animals infesting the TMFS buildings, reduce risk of damage as a result of wildland fire, and improve safety on and around identified assets.

3.0 SCOPE

The Table Mountain Field Site contains 12 buildings ranging in size from 800 to 2300 square feet, several associated related utility infrastructure items, and approximately 10.5 miles of gravel road which need periodic service to maintain reasonable fire break for wildfire mitigation measures, reduce the potential for vegetation, rodents, and reptiles from encroaching or entering the buildings, and maintain a tidy appearance for staff and visitors.

Vegetation Definitions:

The following list provides labels and definitions of the vegetation found in the areas surrounding TMFS structures:

- Vegetation: For this contract, grasses shall be defined as “short plants with long, narrow leaves” and weeds shall be defined as “wild plants growing where they are not wanted and in competition with native grasses and other indigenous plants”.

- Woody Plants: Plants are inherently more robust than grasses, with thicker and more fibrous stems, stalks, or trunks, and capable of smoldering, burning, and creating embers that persist, and can act as an ignition point for time periods exceeding that of normal weeds and grasses growing at the site.

- Trees: For this contract, trees shall be defined as “a woody perennial plant, typically having a single stem or trunk growing to a considerable height and bearing lateral branches at some distance from the ground”. And, further defining the scope of this contract, only trees with stem/trunk diameters (measured 3 feet off the ground) of less than one (1) inch shall be removed in conjunction with other woody materials.

4.0 TASKS

NOTE: The text in this section (between the “4.0. TASKS” and “4.1.1. Building A-4” titles) provides information common to all tasks below. Additional useful building- or location-specific information is added below within the building-specific task, along with the task-specific picture of that building or location.

For this contract, the grounds-maintenance tasks are divided into two top-level task types: 1) building-centric grounds maintenance and 2) site-wide road-shoulder grounds maintenance of the areas flanking the roads.

Building-specific grounds-maintenance areas and associated requirements are tailored to each building and nearby associated infrastructure (electrical transformers, propane tanks, sheds, antenna masts, etc.). Building-specific grounds maintenance shall focus on 1) removing woody plants within 100-feet of the building’s outer wall, 2) shortening the remaining vegetative growth (weeds and native grass) within 30 feet of the building’s outer wall, and 3) complete elimination of all vegetation within 5 feet of the building’s outer wall.

Road shoulder grounds maintenance shall focus on 1) removing woody plants within 30 feet of the road edge and 2) lowering the height of the remaining vegetative growth (weeds and native grass) within five feet of the road edge to within what is practical given existing obstacles such as rocks and berms. 3) tree trimming and removal of downed trees. Such maintenance shall occur on both sides of all roads except where such maintenance overlaps with the building-specific grounds maintenance. Finally, included in the road maintenance shall be the removal of and sustained absence of all vegetation from the areas around the North Gate and West Gate controller boxes and gate travel areas.

Structure Categories and Grounds Maintenance Requirements:

The TMFS has two (2) different structure categories requiring vegetation maintenance. Below is a listing of those structures, what defines them as a given type, and their associated vegetation maintenance requirement(s).

1 - Primary Building/Infrastructure – These are regularly occupied buildings, as well as structures ITS has identified as “mission-critical”. Examples include occupied buildings, antennas, antenna towers, and satellite dishes. Grounds maintenance requirements are detailed below.

Occupied Building and/or Critical Structure Maintenance distances and criteria:

o Within 5 feet of the buildings outside wall, no vegetation is allowed.

o Between 5 feet and 30 feet of the buildings outside wall, vegetation shall be reduced to a height of less than 4 inches (based on averaging a sampling of 5 random locations within the area).

o Within 100 feet of the buildings outside wall, all woody material shall be removed.

2 – Secondary Structure/Infrastructure – These are unoccupied buildings, above-ground utilities, and other structures designated by ITS as expendable, but warrant protection. Secondary Structures are categorized as either Flammable or Non-flammable, non-Primary structures. Roads are also included in this category and would be categorized as Non-flammable infrastructure. Grounds maintenance requirements are detailed below.

Secondary Structure Maintenance distances and criteria:

o Flammable / heat-sensitive structure (examples: fiber optic and copper pedestals).

Within 5 feet of the structure’s outer edge, no vegetation is allowed.

Between 5 and 30 feet of the structure’s outer edge, all woody material shall be removed.

o Non-flammable / not heat-sensitive structure (examples: roads and stand-alone electrical panels/power drops).

Within 5 feet of the structure’s outer edge, vegetation shall be reduced to a height of less than 4 inches.

Between 5 and 30 feet of the structure’s outer edge, all woody material shall be removed.

- Existing Rock Landscaped Areas – This is existing ¾” clean rock atop landscape fabric (and are currently reasonably “clean/clear” of vegetation) next to most TMFS buildings, their associated structures, and utilities.

o These areas shall be cleared and kept clear (by mechanical or herbicidal means) of all vegetation.

o Repair landscaping fabric and replace rock where needed.

- Sidewalks o These areas shall be cleared and kept clear (by mechanical or herbicidal

- Vertical surfaces (e.g., fences, brick walls, building edges, etc.)

o Vegetation under or within six inches of a vertical structure shall be cleared by herbicidal or mechanical means.

- Building-associated driveways, parking areas, sidewalks, and storage areas.

o These areas shall be cleared and kept clear (by mechanical or herbicidal

- Driveway and Parking Areas – These are parking and driveway areas not otherwise weed-free through use of hardscape structures such as new asphalt or concrete. At the TMFS, these surfaces are composed of old asphalt, recycled asphalt, road base gravel, or un-improved soil on which vehicles drive and/or park. As such, when identified on the building-specific task diagrams, “Driveway and Parking Areas” shall require treatment as defined below.

o Vegetation within the Driveway and Parking Areas shall be treated to kill all existing vegetation and prevent growth through the rest of the season with minimal rework. Existing vegetation shall be reduced to the minimal height achievable but is not required to be eliminated completely. The expectation is that with proper treatment over time, existing vegetation will decompose and disappear with new vegetation prevented through appropriate treatment measures.

- Un-improved soil areas within 5 feet of any occupiable structure.

o No vegetation allowed within five (5) feet of the structure.

- Un-improved Soil next to man-made surfaces (e.g., driveways, parking lots, and sidewalks) o Vegetation shall be less than 4 inches high (based on a sampling of 5 random locations in the mowed area) within 5 feet of the surface.

- Un-improved soil areas are between 5 and 30 feet away from any occupiable structure.

o Vegetation shall be less than 4 inches high (based on a sampling of 5 random locations in the mowed area).

- Un-improved soil areas between 30 and 100 feet away from any occupiable structure or related infrastructure.

o All woody growth (e.g., Mahogany Scrub Brush, Yucca plants, etc…), live or dead, shall be removed.

o During the base year, all woody vegetation over 4 inches shall be removed.

Any woody vegetation under 4 inches tall should be removed, if sighted.

o During option years, all woody vegetation, regardless of height, shall be removed.

Woody Material and Cuttings Removal:

Woody materials, as defined in this contract, shall be removed to at least 2 inches below the elevation of the undisturbed area adjacent to the plant being removed. The contractor shall take all removed or extracted wood materials off-site and responsibly dispose of the materials.

Cuttings associated with the mechanical height reduction of vegetation through traditional grounds maintenance processes using mower or string trimmer, for example, may be left where cut, if the vegetation does not clump to a point, it risks choking out the vegetation it covers.

These cuttings may be spread out as needed to prevent smothering the remaining vegetation.

No debris shall be burned on-site.

Use of Herbicides:

There are multiple surface types defined within this statement of work that call out or suggest permanent removal of all vegetation with the assumption the most common methods to accomplish this task will be either mechanically or by using herbicides as methods of treatment.

These areas include existing rock landscaping, building-associated driveways, parking areas and storage areas, and sidewalks. The goal is to permanently eliminate vegetation from these areas over time and then maintain those areas as vegetation free. The expectation is that if treated early in the growing season, the treatment will last the remainder of the season without needing to re-address, which leads to lower costs overall. If this is the case, the use of persistent or residual herbicides is highly encouraged.

Scheduling:

General Grounds Maintenance Schedule: The contractor shall accomplish three Grounds

Maintenance events annually, spanning late Spring through early Fall. Each Grounds Maintenance event shall occur in late May / early June, late July / early August, and late September / early October, barring any unscheduled or unplanned events. The contractor shall work with the COR to coordinate scheduling with normal site activities.

Specific Area-type Grounds Maintenance Schedule. The contractor shall accomplish the grounds maintenance for each area type per the schedule below:

o Woody Materials Removal area: First Event (May/June) only o Vegetation less than 4-inches area: All Three Events (May/June, July/August, and

September/October) o Rock Landscaping area: All Three Events (May/June, July/August, and

September/October)

Area Type May/June* July/August* September/October* Woody Materials Removal and Tree trimming areas Yes No No

Vegetation less than 4-inches areas Yes Yes Yes Existing Rock Landscaped areas Yes Yes Yes

* - NOTE: Due to the late summer contract award, the “annual” year-long schedule shown above will be executed over a 12-month period that will span two calendar years, thus it is expected that the “September/October” event will be the first event and occur in Calendar Year 2026 and the other two events will follow in Calendar Year 2027, in the months cited in the table.

Daily Working Hours. The contractor shall use the following TMFS Business Hours and Business Days information to formulate their execution strategy. The TMFS business days are Monday through Friday, excluding Federal Holidays. TMFS business hours are 0730 to 1630. All Grounds Maintenance activities shall be performed during these defined periods. Other hours may be considered and possibly approved by the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) on request. The Contractor must provide at least 24-hour advance notice to the COR, who shall consider any deviation from the hours identified above.

Schedule Submittal. For each contract year, within 10 business days after the date of award, the contractor shall provide the COR with a proposed schedule for the Grounds Maintenance events as detailed above.

The schedule shall identify the proposed date(s) for each event, the proposed daily start and finish times, the number of personnel that shall come on-site, and a top-level equipment list (notably number of trucks and trailers). The COR shall review the proposed schedule and associated details to determine if there are any conflicts with TMFS technical operations. Should there be any conflicts, the COR shall provide feedback on those conflicts and work with the contractor to select non-conflicting dates and times. the Contractor shall maintain work schedules and take into consideration the hours their staff can effectively perform their services without placing a burden on onsite personnel. For those items other than routine services, the Contractor shall provide the COR with a detailed plan as to the personnel to be used and the time frame to perform the service.

4.1. Primary (Occupiable) Building Grounds Maintenance Tasks

The following images and notes provide graphical representation and applicable notes on a per-location basis for primary structures on the TMFS. Images are for general reference only and are not necessarily to scale. Included are rough estimates of the square footage for each of the various surface types previously identified in section 4.0.

4.1.1. Building A-4 Grounds Maintenance. Maintain the highlighted areas, shown in Figure 5, around Building A-4 per the requirements defined above in Section 4.0.

Figure 2: Building A-4 and surrounding area. Outlined areas and line color define where and what type of grounds maintenance is needed, according to the definitions provided above in Section 4.0.

• Estimated A-4 Grounds Maintenance Area:

o Total Working Area: 69,957 sq. ft.

o Parking / Driveway Area (maintained): 12,295 sq. ft.

o Fenced Storage Area (maintained): 2,070 sq. ft.

o Parking / Fenced Storage Area (not maintained): 7,912 sq. ft.

o Building / Significant Infrastructure Area: 1,922 sq. ft.

o Existing Rock Landscaping area: 12,205 sq. ft.

o Woody Materials Removal area: 33,553 sq. ft.

o Vegetation is less than 4-inches area: 8,830 sq. ft.

• Parking Area(s) on the north and south ends of the building are NOT within the scope of this contract and do not need to be maintained under this contract.

• The paved area within the fenced Storage Yard area is NOT within the scope of this contract and does not need to be maintained under this contract.

4.1.2 A-4 Radar Pad Grounds Maintenance. Maintain the highlighted area, shown in Figure 6, around the A-4 Radar Pad per the requirements defined above in Section 4.0.

Figure 3: A-4 Radar Pad and surrounding area. Outlined areas and line color define where and

• Estimated A-4 Radar Pad Grounds Maintenance Area:

o Total Working Area: 6,964 sq. ft.

o Parking / Driveway Area: 0 sq. ft.

o Building / Significant Infrastructure Area (not maintained): 790 sq. ft.

o Rock Landscaping area: 0 sq. ft.

o Woody Materials Removal area: 6,174 sq. ft.

o Vegetation less than 4-inches area: 760 sq. ft.

NOTE: there are Guy wires and anchors near the edge of the concrete pad.

4.1.3 Building B-9 Grounds Maintenance. Maintain the highlighted area, shown in Figure 7, around Building B-9 per the requirements defined above in Section 4.0.

Figure 4: Building B-9 and surrounding area. Outlined areas and line color define where and

Section 4.0.

• Estimated B-9 Grounds Maintenance Area:

o Total Working Area: 35,083 sq. ft.

o Parking / Driveway Area (not maintained): 6,984 sq. ft.

o Building / Significant Infrastructure Area (not maintained): 1,341 sq. ft.

o Rock Landscaping area: 2,828 sq. ft.

o Woody Materials Removal area: 23,930 sq. ft.

o Vegetation less than 4-inches area: 21,031 sq. ft.

• NOTE: There are Antenna masts, antenna cable support structure, Guy wires and anchors, and ground-laid conduit and tubing protecting antenna cables within the green zone.

4.1.4 Building E-12B Grounds Maintenance. Maintain the highlighted area, shown in Figure 8, around Building E-12B per the requirements defined above in Section 4.0.

Figure 5: Building E-12b and surrounding area. Outlined areas and line color define where and

• Estimated E-12b Grounds Maintenance Area:

o Total Working Area: 55,071 sq. ft.

o Parking / Driveway Area: 8,741 sq. ft.

o Building / Significant Infrastructure Area (not maintained): 2,870 sq. ft.

o Rock Landscaping area: 2,925 sq. ft.

o Woody Materials Removal area: 40,535 sq. ft.

o Vegetation is less than 4-inches area: 4,407 sq. ft.

• Vegetation within the Driveway and Parking Area shall be treated to kill all existing vegetation and prevent growth through the rest of the season with minimal rework.

Existing vegetation shall be reduced to the minimal height achievable but is not required to be eliminated completely. The expectation is that with proper treatment over time, existing vegetation will decompose and disappear with new vegetation prevented through appropriate treatment measures.

4.1.5 Building F-5/F-6 Grounds Maintenance. Maintain the highlighted area, shown in Figure 9, around Buildings F-5 and F-6 per the requirements defined above in Section 4.0.

Figure 6: Buildings F-5 and F-6 and surrounding area. Outlined areas and line color define where and what type of grounds maintenance is needed, according to the definitions provided above in

• Estimated F-5/F-6 Grounds Maintenance Area:

o Total Working Area: 69,336 sq. ft.

o Parking / Driveway Area (not maintained): 10,549 sq. ft.

o Buildings / Significant Infrastructure (not maintained): 3,433 sq. ft.

o Rock Landscaping area: 5,726 sq. ft.

o Woody Materials Removal area: 49,628 sq. ft.

o Vegetation less than 4-inches area: 5,390 sq. ft.

• F-5/F-6 Asphalt Parking Area and gravel drive within the highlighted areas are NOT included in the scope of this contract.

4.1.6 Building I-10C Grounds Maintenance. Maintain the highlighted area, shown in Figure 10, around Building I-10C according to the requirements defined above in Section 4.0.

Figure 7: Building I-10C and surrounding area. Outlined areas and line color define where and

• Estimated I-10C Grounds Maintenance Area:

o Total Working Area: 73,708 sq. ft.

o Parking / Driveway Area (not maintained): 9,493 sq. ft.

o Buildings / Significant Infrastructure (not maintained): 4,497 o Existing Rock Landscaping area: 18,260 sq. ft.

o Woody Materials Removal Area: 41,458 sq. ft.

o Vegetation is less than 4-inches area: 4,195 sq. ft.

• I-10C Asphalt Parking Area and gravel drive within the highlighted areas are NOT included in the scope of this contract.

4.1.7 North Laydown Yard Grounds Maintenance. Maintain the highlighted areas, shown in Figure 11, around the North Laydown Yard per the requirements defined above in Section 4.0.

Figure 8: North Laydown Yard and surrounding area. Outlined areas and line color define where

• Estimated North Laydown Yard Grounds Maintenance Area:

o Total Working Area: 86,160 sq. ft.

o Parking / Driveway Area: 49,650 sq. ft.

o Buildings / Significant Infrastructure: 0 sq. ft.

o Existing Rock Landscaping Area: 0 sq. ft.

o Woody Materials Removal area: 36,510 sq. ft.

o Vegetation is less than 4-inches area: 5,605 sq. ft.

Existing vegetation shall be reduced to the minimal height achievable but is not required to be eliminated completely. The expectation is that with proper treatment over time,

4.1.8 Buildings T-1 and T-6 Area Grounds Maintenance. Maintain the highlighted area, shown in Figure 12, around Buildings T-1 and T-6 per the requirements defined above in

Figure 9: Building T-1, Building T-6, and surrounding area. Outlined areas and line color define where and what type of grounds maintenance is needed, according to the definitions provided above in Section 4.0.

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• Estimated T-1/T-6 Grounds Maintenance Area:

o Total Working Area: 65,145 sq. ft.

o Parking / Driveway Area: 3,117 sq. ft.

o Buildings / Significant Infrastructure Area (not maintained): 1,728 sq. ft.

o Existing Rock Landscaping Area: 5,569 sq. ft.

o Woody Materials Removal area: 54,731 sq. ft.

o Vegetation is less than 4-inches area: 5,357 sq. ft.

• Vegetation within the Driveway and Parking Area shall be treated to kill all existing vegetation and prevent growth through the rest of the season with minimal rework.

Existing vegetation shall be reduced to the minimal height achievable but is not required to be eliminated completely. The expectation is that with proper treatment over time,

4.1.9 Building T-2 Grounds Maintenance. Maintain the highlighted area, shown in Figure 13, around Building T-2 according to the requirements defined above in Section 4.0.

Figure 10: Building T-2 and surrounding area. Outlined areas and line color define where and

• Estimated T-2 Grounds Maintenance Area:

o Total Working Area: 58,778 sq. ft.

o Parking / Driveway Area (not maintained): 7,996 sq. ft.

o Buildings and Significant Infrastructure Area (not maintained): 865 sq. ft.

o Existing Rock Landscaping Area: 3,603 sq. ft.

o Woody Materials Removal area: 46,314 sq. ft.

o Vegetation is less than 4-inches area: 6,096 sq. ft.

• T-2 Asphalt Driveway and Parking Area within the highlighted areas are NOT included in the scope of this contract.

4.1.10 Building T-4 and the Turntable Grounds Maintenance. Maintain the highlighted area, shown in Figure 14, around Building T-4 and the Turntable per the requirements defined above in Section 4.0.

Figure 11: Building T-4, the Turntable, and the surrounding area. Outlined areas and line color define where and what type of ground maintenance is needed, according to the definitions provided above in Section 4.0.

• Estimated T-4 Grounds Maintenance Area:

o Total Working Area: 51,578 sq. ft.

o Parking / Driveway Area: 5,292 sq. ft.

o Buildings and Significant Infrastructure (not maintained): 1,676 sq. ft.

o Existing Rock Landscaping Area: 4,693 sq. ft.

o Woody Materials Removal area: 39,917 sq. ft.

o Vegetation is less than 4-inches area: 0 sq. ft.

o Turntable Border No Vegetation Area: 1,234 sq. ft.

Existing vegetation shall be reduced to the minimal height achievable but is not required to be eliminated completely. The expectation is that with proper treatment over time,

4.1.11 Building T-21 Grounds Maintenance. Maintain the highlighted area, shown in Figure 15, around Building T-21 per the requirements defined above in Section 4.0.

Figure 12: Building T-21 and the surrounding area. Outlined areas and line color define where and

• Estimated T-21 Grounds Maintenance Area:

o Total Working Area: 48,358 sq. ft.

o Parking / Driveway Area: 6,859 sq. ft.

o Buildings and Significant Infrastructure (not maintained): 147 sq. ft.

o Existing Rock Landscaping Area: 2,207 sq. ft.

o Woody Materials Removal area: 39,145 sq. ft.

o Vegetation is less than 4-inches area: 5,040 sq. ft.

• Vegetation within the Driveway and Parking Area shall be treated to kill all existing vegetation and prevent growth through the rest of the season with minimal rework.

Existing vegetation shall be reduced to the minimal height achievable but is not required to be eliminated completely. The expectation is that with proper treatment over time,

4.1.12 Building T-22/F-2 Grounds Maintenance. Maintain the highlighted areas, shown in Figure 16, around Building A-4 per the requirements defined above in Section 4.0.

Figure 13: Building T-22/F-2 and surrounding area. Outlined areas and line color define where

• Estimated T-22/F-2 Grounds Maintenance Area:

o Total Working Area: 23,752 sq. ft.

o Parking / Driveway Area (not maintained): 5,423 sq. ft.

o Buildings and Significant Infrastructure (not maintained): 1,035 sq. ft.

o Existing Rock Landscaping Area: 0 sq. ft.

o Woody Materials Removal area: 17,294 sq. ft.

o Vegetation is less than 4-inches Area: 2,340 sq. ft.

• The driveway, Building Pad, and Parking Area are NOT within the scope of this contract and do not need to be maintained under this contract.

4.2. Road Shoulders and Gates Grounds Maintenance.

There are approximately 9.3 miles of improved roads on Table Mountain, as well as smaller paths and two-tracks. The improved roads provide multiple functions including site and facility access to facilitate normal activities, provide access for emergency vehicles, provide a safe evacuation route for personnel, and act as a fire break during wildfire events. The requirements outlined within Section 4.0 and this section (Section 4.2) pertain only to the improved roads identified, and the requirements are defined specifically to facilitate those multiple and necessary functions mentioned above.

4.2.1. TMFS Roads Grounds Maintenance. Maintain the shoulders of all roads highlighted in Figure 17 per the requirements defined in Section 4.0. The purple lines highlight the roads and entry gates to be maintained under this contract.

Figure 14: The Table Mountain Field Site roadmap with identification of the roads and entry gates requiring grounds maintenance.

• Grounds Maintenance activities shall be applied to the road shoulders of the selected/highlighted roads in Figure 17. When a road maintenance task intersects with a building-specific task, defer to the building-specific plan. Figure 18 provides a representative example of the road shoulder maintenance requirements.

• For the road shoulder areas, the contractor shall:

o During the first event of each year, clear all woody vegetation from the road edge to thirty (30) feet perpendicular to each road edge.

o Trim all trees along all roads coming in from both gates.

o After clearing the woody material during the first event, reduce the remaining vegetation to a height of less than 4 inches starting at the road edge out to at least five

(5) feet from each road edge.

o Subsequent events (July and September) throughout the year shall be limited to maintaining the 5-foot road shoulder vegetation to a height of less than four (4) inches.

• Please note the expectation is the contractor will choose to utilize a mower deck of not less than 60” in width to complete the vegetation height reduction task. It is recognized that the condition of the road edge is variable throughout the TMFS, and there will be areas, some significant, where a mower deck will be unable to accomplish the task due to non-vegetative obstacles and obstructions such as rocks and boulders. The contractor shall make the best effort during the vegetation reduction activities along the road shoulders and is not required to complete these activities where the previously mentioned mower deck is unable to access due to the obstacles.

• For the purpose of proposed cost, the contractor shall bid based on ground maintenance of the approximately 18.6 miles (both shoulders times the 9.3-miles of roads) of five-foot border.

• Estimated Roads Grounds Maintenance Area:

o Woody Materials Removal area:

18.6 miles x 5280 feet/mile x 30 feet = 2,946,240 sq. ft.

o Vegetation is less than 4-inches area:

18.6 miles x 5280 feet/mile x 5 feet = 491,040 sq. ft.

Figure 15: Close-up of a TMFS road section illustrating the 30-foot woody material removal zone (yellow line) and the 5-foot shoulder (green line) wherein the vegetation shall be shortened to less than four inches. NOTE: lines related to the road shoulders are not to-scale.

4.2.2. TMFS North Gate Grounds Maintenance. Maintain the area around the North Gate as highlighted in Figure 19 such that there is no vegetation within five (5) feet of the gate controller box and gate’s operational path, per the requirements defined in Section 4.0.

Figure 16: The Table Mountain Field Site North Gate and surrounding area. Outlined areas and line color define where and what type of grounds maintenance is needed, according to the definitions provided above in Section 4.0.

• In conjunction with the Roads Grounds Maintenance activity (green and yellow lines/areas), the contractor shall initially remove all vegetation within five (5) feet of the gate control box and subsequently keep the area clear of vegetation in future efforts.

• Trim all trees inside chain link fence to keep from falling on fence.

• NOTE: There are buried power cables (48V DC, solar power), remote keypad communication lines, and vehicle sensing lines in this area.

4.2.3. TMFS West Gate Grounds Maintenance. Maintain the area around the West Gate as highlighted in Figure 20 such that there is no vegetation within five (5) feet of the gate controller box and gate’s operational path, per the requirements defined above in Section 4.0.

Figure 17: The Table Mountain Field Site West Gate and surrounding area. Outlined areas and line color define where and what type of grounds maintenance is needed, according to the definitions provided above in Section 4.0.

• In conjunction with the Roads Grounds Maintenance activity (green and yellow lines/areas), the contractor shall initially remove all vegetation within five (5) feet of the gate control boxes and subsequently keep the area clear of vegetation in future efforts.

• Trim all bushes inside and any hanging over fence to keep from falling on fence.

• For the West Gate area, the “vegetation less than 4 inches” areas are bounded by the fence lines on the north and south sides of the West Gate Entrance Road.

• The road coming down to the West gate has two bushes that need to be trimmed to keep off fence. One on each side of the road. They are at the power pole at the beginning of the road.

• NOTE: There are buried AC and DC power, and vehicle sensing lines in this area.

5.0 DELIVERABLES

The following items shall be delivered under this contract:

DESCRIPTION QUANTITY DELIVERY DATE DELIVER TO:

Grounds Maintenance Proposed Annual Schedule

1 10 business days after award

E-mail to COR

List of Names of Key Personnel 1 10 days after award E-mail to COR

Invoice (itemized to reflect work accomplished and aligned with CLIN structure of contract)

Within 10 business days after completion of a scheduled Grounds Maintenance Event (per contractor’s invoicing policy)

E-mail to invoice@nist.gov and copied to the

COR

Annual Service Summary

Anytime between the final Grounds Maintenance event of the year and 30 days prior to end of the period of performance

E-mail to COR

6.0 GOVERNMENT-FURNISHED PROPERTY: NONE

7.0 SITE ACCESS AND PERSONNEL REQUIREMENTS:

After contract award, select contractor personnel may be granted TMFS access codes. The exact number shall be based on the contractor’s approach and approvals from the Table Mountain Grounds Maintenance Contract COR. These same personnel shall be in a task or project lead position with authority to direct work of on-site personnel, shall be within the Prime contractor’s (if there are any sub-contractors) organization, and shall be responsible for the qualifications, capabilities, and behavior of all on-site personnel under the sponsorship of the Prime contractor while on-site at the TMFS.

Per current law (8 USC 1342a(b)), contractor personnel shall be legally authorized to work in the United States and have a current confirmation of employment eligibility within the E- Verify system.

Contractor personnel working on the TMFS shall wear distinct and easily identifiable clothing or badging that enables TMFS personnel to easily identify the contractor’s team.

8.0 TRAVEL: None.

mailto:invoice@nist.gov

9.0 SPECIAL MATERIAL REQUIREMENTS

Hazardous and Toxic Materials. It is the Contractor's responsibility to ensure the safe handling, application, removal, and environmentally sound disposal of all hazardous or potentially hazardous substances utilized in this requirement and provide the Government a copy of the Material Safety Data Sheet for all substances applied to the property and keep a record of the amounts, locations, and types applied on the TMFS.

10.0 OTHER UNIQUE REQUIREMENTS

Management and Supervision. The Contractor shall designate and identify to the NTIA

COR, a qualified representative responsible for on-site supervision of the Contractor’s workforce. This representative shall be the point of contact with NTIA regarding on-site personnel and on-going related activities. The supervisor shall have sufficient English language skill to be able to communicate with members of the NTIA on site personnel.

Quality Assurance and Surveillance Plan (QASP): NTIA shall use a Quality Assurance

Surveillance Plan (QASP) to monitor the contractor’s ability to accomplish the tasks described in Section 4.0 Tasks. The QASP is an internal NTIA document that reflects the requirements detailed in Section 4.0 and will serve as the historical record of the ground’s maintenance activities accomplished by the contractor. The QASP records will provide the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) with performance information that can be provided to the contractor to inform the contractor of their performance relative to the requirements.

The COR will also be the single point of contact for Government personnel to send their feedback on the contractor’s performance. The COR will review and transcribe all Government feedback regarding the services provided into a summary. As appropriate, the COR will forward the feedback to the Contractor for action.

Grounds Maintenance Approach. The contractor shall describe their approach (tools, techniques, staffing, chemicals, etc.) in the proposal and how the approach will be applied to each task described in the “Tasks” section (Section 4.0).

Personal, Equipment, and Fire Safety. The Contractor shall comply with Federal standards and regulations associated with personnel safety, equipment and materials safety, and fire prevention for the purposes of safe operations on the TMFS.

Regarding Personnel Safety, the Contractor shall comply with the personal protective equipment standards defined in 29 CFR 1910, notably Subpart I.

Regarding Equipment and Materials Safety, the Contractor shall comply with the safety and health standards defined in 41 CFR 50-204, notably Subpart B.

Wildfire starts are a significant consideration, and the contractor shall be prepared to promptly extinguish any fires generated by their ground’s maintenance activities. Each contractor crew shall maintain basic apparatus such as shovels and bladder bags, as well as individual training as required to ensure fire starts due to contractor activities can be quickly extinguished whenever possible, as well as knowing when the incident requires external emergency services notification and intervention. The contractor is required to comply with all local fire safety policy or standard published locally, as well as comply with local Boulder County fire restrictions. To that end, the contractor shall ensure all equipment is kept in good working condition, and all exhaust on internal combustion engine-based equipment have spark arrestors installed on equipment exhausts.

43 CFR 9212 (Wildfire Prevention) and the U.S. Fire Administration’s Workplace Fire Safety provide guidance that the contractor shall consider when selecting gas (or diesel) powered equipment that will be used on the TMFS.

In short, the contractor shall keep all areas free from fire hazards, be prepared for unplanned spot fire mitigation, keep the work areas free of unsafe conditions and hazards.

Standards of Conduct for On-site Personnel. The Contractor shall maintain discipline at the site and take all reasonable precautions to prevent any unlawful, riotous, or disorderly conduct by Contractor employees at the site. The Contractor shall preserve peace and protect persons and property on site. The Government reserves the right to direct the Contractor to remove an employee from the worksite for failure to comply with the standards of conduct.

The Contractor shall immediately replace such an employee to maintain continuity of services at no additional costs to the Government.

Contractor employees shall be on site for contractual duties and not for other personal and/orprofessional purposes.

Disorderly conduct, use of abusive or offensive language, quarreling, intimidation by words, actions, or fighting shall not be condoned. Also included is participation in disruptive activities, which interfere with normal and efficient Government operations.

Loss of or Damage to Government Property. Because the TMFS Grounds Maintenance activities are not covered by FAR Subpart 46.8, the contractor shall notify the Table Mountain Field Site Manager immediately of any loss or damage to government facilities or equipment and shall take reasonable precautions to prevent further damage to any said property or equipment. In case of fire and other emergencies, the contractor shall first call 911 emergency services and then shall notify the COR or the TPOC.

Contractor Liability Insurance Requirements. The Contractor shall maintain a minimum of

$1,000,000.00 liability insurance coverage and shall have a current Worker’s Compensation Certificate.

11.0 PLACE OF PERFORMANCE:

Tasks described in Section 4.0 above shall be performed at the Table Mountain Field Site, 8600 N. 39th Street, Longmont, Colorado 80503.

In addition, the contactor’s headquarters as well as Equipment and Personnel staging areas/facilities shall be located within 50 miles of the Table Mountain Field Site.

12.0 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The Period of Performance for this contract is planned to span a continuous 12-month (one-year) time frame, beginning on the date of award.

13.0 PROPOSAL EVALUATION CRITERIA

The following are key pieces of information that the contractor’s proposal must contain to support a best value evaluation of the proposed response to the TMFS Grounds Maintenance tasks detailed above in Section 4.0:

A – Corporate Headquarters as well as Equipment and Personnel staging locations are within 50 miles of the TMFS.

B – Grounds Maintenance Approach.

C – Proposed length of time and number of personnel needed to complete each event.

D – Proposed cost of each event and a summary of the costs, by year.

E – Proof of SAM.gov Database Active Entry, currently submitting to the SAM.gov database at the time of proposal submission, or attestation that the contractor is eligible for SAM.gov registry and shall accomplish registry, if selected for contract award. SAM stands for “System for Award Management”.

F – Past Performance Examples (3 minimum) with Points of Contact. Examples should be of similarly sized contracts.

G – Fire Prevention Methods (e.g. Regional Fire Danger Level review – Foothills Fire Reporting Danger Area; Weather review; Fire Suppression Training) and Equipment (e.g.

shovels, bladder bags, spark arrestors on engines, etc.).