Weir Cleaning at Coweeta Statement of Work Template 03232022 DRAFT.pdf.docx

US Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Statement of Work

Coweeta Weir Cleaning Services

14 January 2022

Contents

Project Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory Yearly Weir Cleaning

General Information

1.0 Scope of Work

The Contractor shall provide all labor, supplies, supervision, tools, materials, equipment, and transportation necessary to provide a yearly Weir Cleaning at Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory located within the basin near 3160 Coweeta Lab Road, Otto, NC.

Each year remove sediment/debris from each of the 16 active weirs. (Weir # 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 17, 18, 27, 31, 32, 34, 36, 37) All weirs are 80+ years old and are sensitive instruments. Each weir is unique in its structure. Some have a clay bottom with concrete walls, others may have a concrete bottom with stacked rock walls. Excessive digging and/or improper placement of equipment can irreparably damage the weirs. The cleaning process is listed below:

· Weir drains are opened using a large wrench (provided) and covered with a sandbag to protect threads, leaf guard if present, is set aside. Blade must be covered with a notch guard (provided) during cleaning. Sand bagging is necessary at some weirs and may be helpful at others to divert water into bypasses. After water is drained, sediment is removed with equipment, shovels and/or buckets. Care must be taken to avoid damage to the floor, walls, hook bar, drainpipes, and blade of the weirs. Effort needs to be made to keep as much sediment out of the stream as possible. All sediment removed by equipment is hauled to a dump site on Coweeta. Sediment removed by manual labor (shovels and buckets) can be dumped nearby but as far from the stream as is possible (silt fencing may be necessary). The interior basin walls are cleaned of vegetation by hand using brushes. The stilling well is flushed by stopping up the stilling well drain holes (with vegetation or plugs), gently lifting the float out of the way, and filling with clean water using either a water tank or buckets from the creek until top drain is covered. Stilling well drains are opened from top down to the bottom to allow complete flushing. After cleaning and flushing, the weir drains are closed by wrapping pipe tape around threads and capping tightly. Care must be taken to not over tighten. Notch guard is removed and leaf guard, if present, is positioned back in place.

· The two biggest weirs require the bypasses to be opened by removing the boards and clay plug. After cleaning, the bypasses must be closed by replacing boards and clay, adding additional clay as needed to prevent leaking.

· Weirs are then surveyed to ensure accurate measurements using a level and rod to compare notch to hook gauges. Coweeta staff must be present and will conduct the surveys as well as removing and replacing floats.

2.0 Background

USDA Forest Service, Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory was established March of 1934, with a research emphasis on watershed management, and measurements of rainfall, streamflow, climate, and forest growth. The main office is located at 3160 Coweeta Lab Road, Otto, NC 28763 in Macon County. Each of the experimental watersheds has a weir in its stream to measure the flow of water. There are currently 16 active weirs. Each of these weirs is an accurate stream-gauging station. The height of the water behind the weir blade is continuously monitored by automatic recorders. The heights, along with the characteristics of the opening of the weir, permit calculation of streamflow day and night, storm, and sunshine, throughout the year. Silt that accumulates in the ponding basin behind the weir may also be measured. These measurements have accurately shown how natural or human disturbances to the watershed change stream characteristics for over 87 years. Weirs can be accessed by unpaved, Forest Service roads (4-wheel drive highly recommended at all locations and necessary to access some weirs).

Contractor Requirements

3.0 Technical Requirements / Tasks

a. The Contractor shall manage the total work effort required herein to assure fully adequate and timely completion of these services. Included in this function will be a full range of management duties including, but not limited to, planning, scheduling, and quality control.

b. The Contractor shall provide an adequate staff of personnel with the necessary management expertise to assure the performance of the work in accordance with sound and efficient management practices.

c. The Contractor shall maintain an adequate workforce to complete work in accordance with the time and quality standards specified herein.

d. Maintain a day-to-day collaborative working relationship with the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) / Government technical Monitor (GTM).

e. Submit proposed work plan no later than five business days after contract award.

f. Provide progress reports every 2 months via email to the GTM and COR. The first progress report must be submitted 20 business days after award and continue every 2 months thereafter until the project is completed. Phone calls may be scheduled to aid in communication of the progress reports.

3.2 Weir Cleanout

Weir 1, 2, 6, 13

· Sediment/debris removed from weirs following the procedures listed in 1.0 Scope of Work

· Small excavator and dump truck allowed

· Note that vehicles will need to cross the creek to reach Weir 6 Weir 7, 14, 32

· Sediment/debris removed from weirs following the procedures listed in 1.0 Scope of Work

· Backhoe or large excavator and dump truck allowed Weir 8, 9

· Sediment/debris removed from weirs following the procedures listed in 1.0 Scope of Work

· Skid Steer and two dump trucks allowed

· Sand bagging, opening, and closing the bypass is necessary Weir 31, 34

· Sediment/debris removed from weirs following the procedures listed in 1.0 Scope of Work

· Very sensitive, the sidewalls of the weirs are weak, and a backhoe is too heavy.

· Backhoe not recommended

· Small to medium excavator (weight restricted) with a dump truck Weir 17, 18, 27

· Sediment/debris removed from weirs following the procedures listed in 1.0 Scope of Work

· Manual labor only, no heavy equipment allowed Weir 36, 37

· Sediment/debris removed from weirs following the procedures listed in 1.0 Scope of Work

· Manual labor only

3.3 Personnel Conduct

3.3.1 All the work under this Contract shall be performed in a skillful manner. The Contractor shall be responsible for maintaining satisfactory standards of employee competency, conduct, appearance, and integrity. Several sites are in view of the public and employee conduct should reflect well on the Contractor and the Forest Service. The Contractor shall be responsible for taking such disciplinary actions with respect to the employee(s) as may be necessary.

3.3.2 The Contracting Officer (CO) may, in writing, require the Contractor to remove any employee the CO deems incompetent, careless, or otherwise objectionable, for vandalism, theft, possession and/or removal of materials, equipment or any Federal Government owned property. The work is critical in maintaining the research data and is to be respected as such.

4.0 Government Furnished

Work may require access behind government gates and a Federal gate key may be issued to the Contractor by the property manager. This gate key is Federal Property and is to be used solely for the contract duties listed in 1.0. The key must be returned when the contract ends and use of this key for anything other than fulfilling this contract is a Federal violation.

5.0 Deliverables / Schedule

5.1 Beginning in April through October of each Contract year. The Contractor is to remove sediment/debris from each of the 16 active weirs. This includes the following weirs 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 17, 18, 27, 31, 32, 34, 36, 37. Following the procedures listed in 1.0. This is done to maintain the integrity of the research data that each weir has provided for over 87 years. The Contractor must be acutely aware of the working environment and conditions of each of the weirs. So as to not destroy or damage these historical and extremely sensitive research instruments. Coweeta Forest Service staff must be present during these cleanings and the cleaning schedule must be coordinated with them. Coweeta staff will conduct all the surveys.

5.2 All work will be done during normal working hours (7:30 AM – 4:00 PM EST), Monday thru Friday except for Federal Holiday unless pre-arranged with the Government Technical Monitor (GTM) or Contracting Officers Representative (COR). All work must have at least one onsite Federal Employee present during cleaning and the cleanings must be coordinated with the assigned Federal Employee. Each weir is to be cleaned once, between April and October of each year and are to follow the guidelines listed in 1.0.

FEDERAL HOLIDAYS

Independence Day

Performance Deliverables

Written Deliverables

6.0 Travel

No Travel is required, nor is the Federal Government responsible for reimbursement of any expenses with the Contractor.

7.0 Contractor’s Key Personnel

Project Manager: The Contractor must designate a Project Manager (PM) as the single Point of Contact (POC) for award management. The PM must have the authority to make decisions for the Contractor and must be the single Contractor representative responsible for all issues, concerns, or problems for this award instrument. The PM must readily respond to questions, concerns, and comments. The PM must proactively alert the Government to potential contractual issues.

8.0 Security Requirements

No special Federal Government security clearances required

9.0 Data Rights

No special Federal Government data rights apply

10.0 Section 508 – Electronic and Information Technology Standards No special Federal Government 508 requirements apply

Attachment Document attached with Weir numbers, brief description, and photos.

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