Amendment W912WJ23Q0106-0003.pdf

AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT

Except as provided herein, all terms and conditions of the document referenced in Item 9A or 10A, as heretofore changed, remains unchanged and in full force and effect.

15A. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (Type or print)

30-105-04EXCEPTION TO SF 30

APPROVED BY OIRM 11-84

STANDARD FORM 30 (Rev. 10-83) Prescribed by GSA

FAR (48 CFR) 53.243

Amendment is being issued to change requirement from Massachusetts Licensed Consulting Forester to Licensed Consulting Forester from any state w ithin the confines of the United States.

In addition, the amendment is necessary to extend the closing until July 21, 2023 at 2:00 PM Eastern.

All other terms and conditions remain unchanged.

1. CONTRACT ID CODE PAGE OF PAGES

1 11

16A. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)

16C. DATE SIGNED

BY 18-Jul-2023

16B. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA15C. DATE SIGNED15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR

(Signature of Contracting Officer)(Signature of person authorized to sign)

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR (No., Street , County, State and Zip Code) X W912WJ23Q0106

X 9B. DATED (SEE ITEM 11)

29-Jun-2023

10B. DATED (SEE ITEM 13)

9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION NO.

11. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF SOLICITATIONS

X The above numbered solicitation is amended as set forth in Item 14. The hour and date specified for receipt of Offer X is extended, is not extended.

Offer must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended by one of the following methods:

(a) By completing Items 8 and 15, and returning 1 copies of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted;

or (c) By separate letter or telegram which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers. FAILURE OF YOUR ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO BE RECEIVED AT THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY RESULT IN

REJECTION OF YOUR OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment you desire to change an offer already submitted, such change may be made by telegram or letter, provided each telegram or letter makes reference to the solicitation and this amendment, and is received prior to the opening hour and date specified.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA (If required)

13. THIS ITEM APPLIES ONLY TO MODIFICATIONS OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS.

IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NO. AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14.

A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO: (Specify authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE

CONTRACT ORDER NO. IN ITEM 10A.

B. THE ABOVE NUMBERED CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES (such as changes in paying office, appropriation date, etc.) SET FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43.103(B).

C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

D. OTHER (Specify type of modification and authority)

E. IMPORTANT: Contractor is not, is required to sign this document and return copies to the issuing office.

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION (Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible.)

10A. MOD. OF CONTRACT/ORDER NO.

2. AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION NO. 5. PROJECT NO.(If applicable)

6. ISSUED BY

3. EFFECTIVE DATE

18-Jul-2023

CODE

U S ARMY ENGR DISTRICT, NEW ENGLAND

696 VIRGINIA RD

CONCORD MA 01742-2751

W912WJ 7. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than item 6)

4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQ. NO.

CODE

See Item 6

FACILITY CODECODE

EMAIL:TEL:

W912WJ23Q0106

SECTION SF 30 BLOCK 14 CONTINUATION PAGE

SUMMARY OF CHANGES

SECTION SF 30 - BLOCK 14 CONTINUATION PAGE

The following have been modified:

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

Question 1: Is a management plan needed for 560 acres total or for each area (Uxbridge, Northbridge, and Upton)?

Response 1: The management plan is for a total of 560 acres, which are located in Uxbridge, Northbridge, and Upton, MA.

Question 2: When is the work expected to be done before and is there a period of time assigned to this project (ex.

Number of weeks)?

Response 2: Work shall be completed within 180 days from the contract award.

Question 3: Do you have a survey plan for the land or the tax map references?

Response 3: The survey plan is included in the file “Attachments”, which will be posted to SAM.gov.

Question 4: Has the property been harvested recently?

Response 4: The last selective timber harvest at West Hill Dam was completed in 2015 on approximately 25 acres upstream of the dam and southwest of the wildlife management grassland area. There was also a small 3.5-acre harvest conducted on the downstream side of the dam the same year.

Question 5: Is there a survey of the property?

Response 5: No, there has never been a full forest survey conducted.

Question 6: Is there a documentation of the land being 560 acres?

Response 6: Maps are included in the file “Attachments”, which will be posted to SAM.gov.

Question 7: Will USACE provide geo-rectified aerial imagery for use by the contractor, or must the contractor procure independently?

Response 7: The Government will not provide geo-rectified aerial imagery. The Contractor will be required to supply/procure any required aerial imagery.

Question 8: The scope requires a Massachusetts registered consulting forester. Can that requirement be waived?

[Contractor] can obtain that service, but would need to include in a proposal. Note that Massachusetts requires that certification for forest harvest, but not for forest inventory; and that federal sovereign immunity does not require such, but I realize that DoD may follow State regulations more as a courtesy than as a requirement.

Response 8: Per the Performance Work Statement, the contractor shall be a Massachusetts Licensed Consulting Forester. Licensed Consulting Forester from any state within the confines of the United States.

SECTION SF 1449 - CONTINUATION SHEET

SOLICITATION/CONTRACT FORM

The required response date/time has changed from 19-Jul-2023 02:00 PM to 21-Jul-2023 02:00 PM.

The following have been modified:

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

FOREST INVENTORY AND MANAGEMENT PLAN

U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS

WEST HILL DAM

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

I. GENERAL

1. Scope of work Furnish all labor, materials, and equipment necessary to perform a full forest inventory and management plan for approximately 560 acres at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) West Hill Dam Project.

The contractor will deliver a written report with maps, detailed analysis of findings, and site-specific management goals based on the USACE environmental stewardship management objectives listed in Section II. Technical Requirements.

2. Location The required services shall be performed at the West Hill Dam Project located in the towns of Uxbridge, Northbridge and Upton, Massachusetts. The West Hill Dam Project Office is located at 518 East Hartford Ave. in Uxbridge, Massachusetts.

3. Site Visit Contact the Technical Point of Contact (TPOC), Joe Zanca at 978-318-8419 or joseph.l.zanca@usace.army.mil to arrange a site visit.

4. Schedule The period of performance is 180 days and will begin on the day of contract award. The pre-work conference shall be completed within 14 days of contract award, and safety paperwork shall be submitted, reviewed, and accepted within 30 days of contract award. Field work shall begin no later than 30 days after contract award pending safety submittal acceptance Work will not be permitted before 7:00 am or after 3:30 pm, or on Saturdays, Sundays or government holidays unless approved in advance by the Technical Point of Contact.

5. Safety The contractor will comply with all pertinent provisions of the latest edition of the U.S.

Army Corps of Engineers Safety and Health Requirements COE EM 385-1-1. The manual may be viewed at the following link:

http://www.publications.usace.army.mil/Portals/76/Publications/EngineerManuals/EM_385- 1-1.pdf. The contractor shall also comply with all Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) work safety standards.

Project staff reserve the right to cease work at any time should the safety of employees, contractors, and/or the public become jeopardized.

a. Abbreviated Accident Prevention Plan:

The contractor shall prepare an Abbreviated Accident Prevention Plan (AAPP) specific to the activities being performed. It shall include Activity Hazard Analyses (AHAs) as described below. A non-mandatory, fillable Abbreviated APP template is available upon request. However, the contractor is permitted to submit their own plan, at a minimum it must meet the requirements of EM 385-1-1, Appendix A, Section K.

A preparatory meeting shall be conducted by the prime contractor to discuss the Abbreviated APP contents with all effected onsite employees. The Prime Contractor is responsible for informing their subcontractors of the safety provisions under the terms of the contract, the penalties for noncompliance, and inspecting subcontractor operations to ensure that accident prevention responsibilities are being carried out.

b. Activity Hazard Analysis:

An AHA shall be submitted for each major phase of work. A major phase of work is defined as an operation involving a type of work presenting hazards not experienced in previous operations or where a new subcontractor or work crew is to perform the work. The analysis shall define all activities to be performed, identify the sequence of work, the specific hazards anticipated, and the control measures to be implemented to eliminate or reduce each hazard to an acceptable level. The AHA shall be continuously reviewed and revised to address changing site conditions as appropriate.

COVID-19 Precautions: As part of the AAPP and AHAs include site specific COVID- 19 monitoring procedures which address, at a minimum, recommended protocols, and mandates in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines including employee training on the signs, symptoms, and protection measures.

c. Emergency Response:

Emergency procedures shall be documented in the Abbreviated Accident Prevention Plan and will include a map with directions to the nearest hospital, emergency contact numbers, and onsite First Aid/CPR responders.

d. Required Personnel:

The contractor shall designate one employee as the site’s Competent Person (CP) who is responsible for ensuring a safe environment for all employees. The CP shall be present at the project site and report to the contractor’s upper management. The CP is required to have related construction and/or service experience.

When emergency medical services are not accessible within five (5) minutes of the work location and there are two (2) or more workers onsite, at least two (2) employees shall be trained in First Aid and CPR. Minimum qualifications are listed in EM 385-1-1, Section 03.A.02.c.

e. Accident Reporting:

All accidents and near misses shall be investigated by the contractor. All work-related recordable injuries, illnesses, and property damage accidents (excluding on-the-road vehicle accidents), in which the property damage exceeds $5,000.00, shall be verbally reported to the TPOC within four (4) hours of the incident. Serious accidents as described in EM 385-1-1 Section 01.D shall be immediately reported to the TPOC. ENG Form 3394 shall be completed and submitted to the TPOC within five (5) working days of the incident.

The contractor shall compile employee work hours (including subcontractors) and forward the total hours to the TPOC no later than close of business on the 10th calendar day of the following month. The method of transmission by the prime contractor to the TPOC shall be electronically.

f. NOTE:

Field personnel will be aware of current hunting seasons and dress appropriately in safety orange, if working during respective state hunting seasons. Please note that the projects may be subject to periodic flooding as well as heightened security measures, which may require work to be re-scheduled on a periodic basis.

6. Pre-Work Conference Prior to the start of any work, the Technical Point of Contact will schedule and conduct a pre-work conference. The contractor’s Project Manager and Quality Control Personnel shall attend this meeting. This conference will be held at the time and location agreeable to the government and contractor. No work shall be performed under this contract prior to this conference. The purpose of the conference is to enable the Technical Point of Contact to outline the procedures that will be followed by the government in its administration of the contract, and to discuss the performance that will be expected from the contractor. This conference will allow the contractor an opportunity to ask questions about the government’s administration and inspection of contract work or obtain other pertinent information that might be required. At the pre-work conference the contractor shall provide the name of the project superintendent with a telephone number for project coordination.

The following is a general list of items for discussion during this pre-work conference:

i. Authority of the Technical Point of Contact and Quality Assurance Inspectors

ii. Contractor’s Safety Program (including sub-contractors)

iii. Abbreviated Accident Prevention Plan

iv. Activity Hazard Analysis

v. Safety Meetings (Documented on NED Form 251)

vi. Accident Reporting (ENG Form 3394)

vii. Correspondence, Communication and Administrative Procedures

viii. Ongoing status reports and quality and content of the final report

ix. Invoice and payment

7. Permits

The contractor shall, without additional expense to the government, be responsible for obtaining any necessary licenses, permits, and letters of certification. The contractor shall comply with all applicable federal, state, county, and municipal laws, codes, and regulations in connection with the performance of the work specified under this contract.

8. Security The contractor will comply with all established security policies at all projects. Due to periods of heightened security that may affect the access to the areas covered under this contract, areas may be subject to periodic closures, which in turn may reduce or inhibit the contractor’s ability to access certain areas. During periods of heightened security, the government reserves the right, at any time, to close any property or portion of property and reschedule and/or cancel any subsequent service in an area. The contractor shall be given at least 24-hour notice of any such closure.

9. Contractor Conduct The contractor and employees shall not use or be under the influence of drugs or alcohol at any time while performing the obligations under this contract or giving the public the appearance of same. Firearms are prohibited on project grounds. Contractor and employees must comply with CFR Title 36 Rules and Regulations.

10. Required Personnel The contractor shall designate one employee as the site’s Competent Person (CP) who is responsible for ensuring a safe environment for all employees. The CP shall be present at the project site and report to the contractor’s upper management. The CP is required to have related construction and/or service experience.

In addition, when emergency medical services are not accessible within 5 minutes of the work location and there are 2 or more workers onsite, at least 2 employees shall be trained in First Aid and CPR. Minimum qualifications are listed in EM 385-1-1, Section 03.A.02.c.

11. Payment Payment will be made on a per job basis. After final inspection and acceptance by the government, the contractor shall submit an invoice to the Technical Point of Contact. The invoice shall include the following: Invoice Date; Contract Number; Dates of Service;

Description of Work; Quantities; and total amount due per line item. For jobs greater than 30 days the contractor may request multiple payments. The invoices will be sent (via mail, email, or fax) to the Technical Point of Contact, Joe Zanca:

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers West Hill Dam 518 East Hartford Ave.

Uxbridge, MA 01569 Fax: (508) 272-4234 Email: joseph.l.zanca@usace.army.mil

II. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Part 1 General:

1. Summary:

Furnish all labor, materials, and equipment necessary to perform a full forest inventory and management plan for approximately 560 acres at West Hill Dam Project.

The management plan should focus on the following USACE environmental stewardship management objectives:

Maintain the health and biodiversity of the forest ecosystem Provide a range of species, age classes, and structural diversity to enhance and maintain the biological diversity of species, communities, and ecosystems Designate active management areas open to sustainable harvesting of timber to provide young forest habitat and to enhance structural habitat attributes (i.e., snags, den trees, mast trees, woody debris)

Designate passive management areas to include forest reserves that will typically be closed to commercial timber harvesting in order to provide biologically mature forest habitat (generally >150 years old). Small reserves will conserve sensitive, localized resources such as steep slopes, fragile soils, wet soils, and habitat for certain rare species that benefit from intact forest canopies.

2. Existing Conditions:

The West Hill Dam Project resides in the Blackstone River Basin and is a multi-use project.

The project contains a mixture of developed recreation and flood control areas, forests, fields, rivers (West River), streams, ponds, pools, and wetlands.

The last selective timber harvest at West Hill Dam was completed in 2015 on approximately 25 acres upstream of the dam and southwest of the wildlife management grassland area.

There was also a small 3.5-acre harvest conducted on the downstream side of the dam the same year.

3. Clean Up and Waste Disposal:

The contractor shall practice good housekeeping to maintain a safe job site. The contractor shall keep the work area, including any storage areas, free from the accumulation of waste materials. Upon completion of work, the contractor shall clean up the job site to the satisfaction of the government.

4. Other Contracts:

The government may undertake or award other contracts for additional work not related to this contract, and the contractor shall fully cooperate with other contractors and government employees. The contractor shall not commit or permit any act, which will interfere with the performance of work by another contractor or by government employees.

5. Damage to Government and Private Property:

The contractor shall be responsible for restoring any government facilities or structures damaged as a result of the contractor’s actions. The contractor shall also be responsible for any damage to private property or injury to any person as a result of the company’s operations. The contractor shall notify the Technical Point of Contact immediately of damage to government and private property and injury to any person resulting from the contractors’ operation. Also, the contractor shall notify the Technical Point of Contact of damage to government facilities due to vandalism or other causes on the day such damage is first noticed. The contractor shall also restore features (roadways, culverts, vegetation, etc.), which are damaged or destroyed by the company’s operation.

6. Environmental Protection:

Water, air, and land resources shall not be adversely impacted during the course of the work.

Contractor will take necessary steps to ensure all federal, state, and local environmental regulatory requirements are met.

7. Government Resources:

The contractor is responsible for providing all materials and equipment to complete the project. Unless specified in the contract, the government will not provide any equipment, telephone services or other resources.

8. Omissions:

This contract may not cover all specified activities, steps, and procedures required to supply the contract product. In case of omission, the normal industry, state, or federal standards, practices, specifications, and/or guides shall prevail. In no instance shall an omission be reason to produce less than an acceptable product.

9. Receiving and Storing Materials:

The contractor is responsible for receiving and unloading of delivered goods. Government employees will not receive material or supplies for the contractor and will not be responsible for damage to the contractor’s equipment or materials.

10. Required Personnel, Experience & Education:

i. Contractor shall have sufficient personnel to adequately perform the tasks outlined in this scope and meet the deadline.

ii. Contractor shall be a Massachusetts Licensed Consulting Forester.

Licensed Consulting Forester from any state within the confines of the United States.

iii. Field biologists shall have a minimum of a Bachelor of Science degree from an accredited university in Natural Resources/Biology/Ecology or related field.

iv. Contract personnel must have at least 2 years of professional experience with GIS and be capable of producing high quality professional maps.

v. Contractor must have a minimum of 5 years of experience in conducting timber surveys and produce completed studies of a similar scope.

vi. This contract requires field work in remote wooded locations, foot travel over uneven terrain, exposure to insects and possible inclement weather.

vii. Contractor must provide proof of qualifications and acceptable examples/samples of past similar scopes of work upon request.

11. Submittals:

Although the government technically reviews submissions required by this scope of work, it is emphasized that the contractor’s work must be completed using proper internal controls and review procedures. The documents identified below must be prepared in accordance with the applicable standards, submitted for review and accepted by the government:

a. Pre-work Submittals: Submitted and accepted within 30 days of Contract Award.

If initial submission is not accepted, additional time may be granted by the TPOC in writing. Submittals must be accepted before the commencement of any field activities.

i. Abbreviated Accident Prevention Plan to include Activity Hazard Analysis

b. Other Submittals: Submitted during contract duration and before final payment.

i. Monthly status reports – due the 1st of each month.

ii. Digital Data: Aerial Photos/GIS Map Data and shapefiles (compatible with ESRI product ArcMap 10.8.1). Spatial reference requirements: NAD 1983 State Plane Massachusetts Mainland FIPS 2001.

iii. Include PDF’s, Word and Excel files, GIS Files and Final Maps (at completion of contract).

iv. Any Inventory Data and Field Forms.

v. Photo Documentation.

vi. Final Report – Include all findings, notes, maps, and management recommendations (2 hard copies and 1 digital copy); Prioritize forest resources by management importance and provide strategic long-term management goals.

vii. Documentation of any conservation concern listed species noted while performing field surveys.

viii. Documentation of any rare species/communities that are observed.

ix. Documentation of any invasive species/communities that are observed.

x. Formal out-briefing on contract and final report.

12. References and Standards:

All work shall be in conformance with:

a. State of Massachusetts 2020 Forest Action Plan.

b. Wenger, Karl, F. 1984. The Forestry Handbook.

Part 2 Service Requirements:

There are two separate service requirements for this contract: (1) forest inspection/survey and (2) forest management plan. Details for each service requirement are listed below.

1. Field Inspection and Survey

Contractor shall perform a physical inspection and survey of the 560-acre West Hill Dam Project.

a. A timber cruise will be performed for the property within defined operable areas to conduct a forest inventory and timber resource evaluation.

b. The forest inventory will be completed using variable radius point sampling.

Statistical results will be within a 10% allowable error at a 95% confidence limit.

Selection of sample trees will be determined using either a 15 or 20 Basal Area Factor (BAF) prism. Cruise points will be laid out on a pre-planned systematic grid. Point locations will not deviate from the per-planned sample grid location in an attempt to achieve uniform coverage.

c. Data collection on sample trees will include species identification by code, diameter breast height (D.B.H.) to the nearest 1-inch class and product data assigned to each 8-foot section of the tree from the stump to the limit of merchantability.

1. D.B.H. measurements will be taken using either a diameter tape or calipers to the nearest .1 inch in order to facilitate checking borderline trees. All borderline trees will be checked.

2. Merchantability Standards with tree form considerations are as follows:

i. Softwood Sawlogs

Minimum D.B.H of 10 inches with minimum top diameter inside bark (D.I.B.) of 7.9 inches.

ii. Hardwood Sawlogs Minimum D.B.H. of 11 inches with a minimum top D.I.B. of 9.9 inches.

iii. Softwood & Hardwood pulp + cordwood Minimum D.B.H. of 4 inches with a minimum top D.I.B. of 3.9 inches

d. Limitations, either because of steep slopes or access, on harvesting will be noted.

e. Invasive species shall be identified, mapped, and estimate approximate area impacted.

2. Detailed Forest Resource and Management Plan

The contractor shall prepare and deliver written reports of all findings from the field inspection/survey including narratives, maps, graphs, tables, and photographs for the following:

a. Forest inventory and timber volume evaluation, forest stand number and associated acreage, site class for productivity, stand history, stand description including: age class structure, quadratic mean stand diameter, stand cover type, total basal area, acceptable growing stock basal area, unacceptable growing stock basal area, regeneration data, forest health conditions, long range silvicultural objectives including age management, scheduled and prescribed silvicultural treatments, and ten year management schedule with associated maps and tables.

b. Recommendations based on findings and in conjunction with forest management objectives and management techniques shall be prescribed for game and nongame species with special attention given to rare, threatened, and endangered species.

c. General expectations for consideration and inclusion on the deliverables are, but not limited to:

Ten-year viable management plan Evaluations by group/cover type Soil erosion/retention Climate change Wetland protection Wildfire prevention Integrated pest management Forest stand diversity Rare, threatened, endangered, and species of special concern Indicator species Potential for an experimental nursery (i.e., American Chestnut) Pollinators Impacts to potential recreational development Current and/or potential impacts of recreational development (i.e., trails) on forest resources

d. All reports shall include:

1. Methodology

2. Definition of key inspection terms

3. Narrative of findings

4. Maps in GIS depicting forest stands

5. Recommendations for management of forest stands

6. Tables summarizing data including common and scientific names

(End of Summary of Changes)